The Law of Attraction by Pai S Ning (section 8)
The law of attraction and Placebo Effect
The Law of Attraction suggests that happy thoughts attract happy things while negative thoughts attract negative things. For the placebo effect, if you truly believe, it may work for you. Some people believe the Placebo effect is The Law of Attraction in action.
Placebo effect- According to researchers Cheston and Becky, the placebo effect dates back to the 18th -19th century when a religious movement called “New Thought” rose as, “part of a broad reaction to the ideas and constraints of Christianity.” It says that “Mind holds sway over matter and thinking creates reality. New Thought attributes disease, unhappiness, and misfortune to incorrect thinking. Consequently, correct thinking—having faith in a universal being—heals all ills.” Cheston and Becky also claimed that, “many of the New Age ideas of the early twenty-first century are based on the basic premise of New Thought, from hypnotherapy, the laws of attraction, the power of positive thinking espoused by Norman Vincent Peale, and the prosperity gospel, to the writings of thinkers such as Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and Eckhart Tolle.”
The law of Attraction- In the foreword of the book “The Thought of vibration or The Law of Attraction in the Thought world,” by William Walker Atkinson, he said, “The growing soul must realize it has within itself all that it requires.” He is basically saying humans have power that they need in order to survive. He also talks about people having a force--a manifestation of energy, that can attract what they desire to themselves like magnet just by thinking of it. It is quite interesting how he used gravity as an example to define what The Law of Attraction is. To quote his exact words, he said “we recognize the power of the law that attracts bodies to the earth, that holds the circling worlds in their places, but we close our eyes to the mighty law that draws to us the things we desire or fear, that makes or mars our lives.” To summarize, he is saying everyone has the power in their mind that attracts positive or negative things depending on what their choose to focus on.
What do I think of The Law of Attraction and Placebo effect?
Even though it has no scientific basis, I think the Placebo effect may be true, and effective for people who truly believe. Their mind tricks them into believing what they're told because they don't have any hint of doubt in their mind. Some studies show 35% of those patients who are given placebo drug or treatment actually recovered.
On the other hand, The Law of Attraction cannot really be proven scientifically, thus cannot really be a "law". It is said that positive thoughts attract positive things while negative thoughts attract negative ones which is awfully similar to the "positive thinking" concept for self-help; it is actually proven to be effective. Studies show that positive thinkers are healthier, happier, and live longer than negative thinkers. I don't think The Law of Attraction is real because for one, it really is just a bunch of self-help concepts put together with words like "energy", "attraction," and "law," and two, it can create delusions if not interpreted correctly. There is no way to attract a million dollars just by sitting at home constantly thinking about it.
The book Throw Away your Vision Board: The Truth about the Law of Attraction, by Nell Farber M.D, Ph.D., goes in depth explaining how The Law of Attraction isn't really true. You should check it out when you get a chance.
So, what do you think of The Law of Attraction?
Have you ever experienced something that you think cannot be explained by science?
Responded to questions for February 4th
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E. Wayne Jones section #4
ReplyDeleteApril 29, 2021
A Meeting of Minds: My Conversations with two Philosophers
It was early one Saturday morning in the small Tennessee town of Cowan and my wife needed some Apricot Juice to make her famous Lemon Cake. Since Mama needed Apricot Juice, I needed to get up early and go to Wal-Mart—10 miles away in Winchester. I hopped into my old truck and decided to take the back way through Greenhaw road down by Crawler’s Creek and get in and get out—that was the plan. Upon arrival to Wal-Mart I noticed the usual crowd of people entering the store it what I called Pajamas. “When are people going to grow up?” I said out loud and I reached for the door nob to get out of my truck. That’s when I heard a squeaky voiced woman with a bit a Southern twang ask, “Why grow up?(2).” Nearly dropping my Covid mask , I noticed a tan-skinned woman with curly black hair peering into the passenger window. Taking off her dark framed glasses, she said, “I’m Susan; you’ve been reading my book.”
Thinking I had forgotten to take my blood pressure medicine. I asked, “Have I lost my mind?”
“Oh no, I am quite real,” she replied, “Do you think of growing up as a way of renouncing your hopes and dreams? (1).
“Not really—I just see it as a way of claiming the responsibility that all adults must face. You know—like in the Bible—“When I became a man, I put away childish things…” (1 Corinthians 13:11).
“That’s a little ambiguous; I mean just what are childish things? “Do you agree that it takes courage to think for yourself?” (11) “Do you think that quoting the Bible is thinking for yourself?”
“It took thought for me to recall that verse if that’s what you mean. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get my wife some apricot juice; she’s making a lemon cake. And I just loov…”
“Sir, you never answered my question.”
“Mam’ it’s not about questions; it’s about faith--a Christian concept. I know you do not think Christians think, so I think need to go into the store.”
“But sir, “Is travel necessary when growing up?” (13-16)
“I don’t know mam. I just need to travel into the store.”
“That’s as far as you will go in life if you do not have the courage think for yourself (11).
“How do you know that is courageous? How do you know I’m not crazy, eh?”
“Sir this is a special day, and I have come all the way from my home in Berlin to talk to you. As you know, “Distracting older people from objects of desire …[like Apricot juice]…is slightly more complicated, but what ever difficulty there may be is compensated for by the fact that the things that can be used to distract us are nearly limitless” (9).
It was in that instant, that she snapped her fingers and a man appeared.
“Hello, Ernest, I’m John Kaag. You’ve been reading my work as well.” Before I could figure out if I were in a crazy dream, he continued. Ernest, Do you, “…realize how soon [you] will become [a] mere walking bundle of habits?” (76) “I mean buying apricot Juice on a Saturday morning? Really? You could be doing anything and you choose this???”
“Do you wish you had a Samoan childhood?” (WGU 27), chimed in Susan.
“Actually, I was quite fine with my childhood in Tennessee--- minus the unjust laws, of course..,” I returned.
“I’ve got this, Susan,” said John. “Listen, why don’t you “practice yoga?” (91).
“Well, I’ve got a bad knee…” I started.
“Yoga can help you manage your habits effectively” (76).
I started to shake and he continued. “[You see] nervous systems, like our own, are not hardwired from the start (what fun would that be?) …” (76) Then in a manner straight from the mind of Willie Wonka he spun away in a whirlwind. As I stood there in amazement, I heard Susan say, “Here Ernest is your apricot juice. I must go now.” And just like that, she was gone.
To be continued…. .https://youtu.be/DaineVZ2MD8https:/ Why We Need to Grow Up by S. Nieman /youtu.be/5mjl0QOLl24“Cabin Philosophy” by John Kaag