I truly believe we should be devoting research funds to studying the placebo effect, the mind’s ability to heal the body. Of course, big pharmaceutical companies can’t bottle that ability and sell it to consumers at outrageous prices, so the likelihood of funding being assigned to a project like that is next to nil.

I agree with Jonathan that the placebo effect is entirely different from The Secret or the law of attraction (which is more like a theory instead of a law, and not necessarily a good one at that). The mind has an amazing amount of influence over the body — not just in health but in performance as well — but there is no need to go searching for explanations that involve “quantum vibrations that project your intent to the universe” or anything of that sort. As Jonathan mentioned in his comment above, there is a direct relationship between the mind/brain and the physical systems that make up the rest of the body.

As an extreme example of the mind influencing the body, check out Tum-mo, a technique practiced by Tibetan monks in parts of India. The monks are able to trigger significant changes in metabolism, or to raise the body temperature (in fingers and toes, not just around their chest) by 15+ degrees simply through a meditation technique.

@ Aaron – See, here’s where it’s totally different than the Secret or any of that other stuff. It’s not about buying into some nebulous Law Of Attraction (you guys kind of know how I feel about that, see earlier post) or believe that, through the misapplication of quantum physics, your thoughts affect things outside your body. This is far more tangible, because it’s about the relationship between the brain, your nervous system, your endocrine system and their joint ability to effect change in your personal physiology.

The bigger challenge is figuring how to enhance the effect and apply it more to healing modalities.

@ riva – There may be some crossover with affirmations, but likely not the way you think. I’ll be writing more on some really ascinating research on subliminals and affirmations soon, you’ll be surprised.

@ Shelley – I always knew I liked your dad!

For real, I sit and meditate my way into “better” and more positive moods all the time.

My father says that life is %99 how you react to it and %1 what happens to you- I would add that life is %99 what you make of it and %1 circumstance.

You know, put out positive thoughts that you have hair and the the “rules” of positive attraction say you will grow hair.

You’re going to have followers of that type of thinking falling out of the woodwork even though it is probably explainable differently.

How? I’m still thinking about it. But thinking something will work can possible cause it to work in some people.