Chapter 12 - Science And The Subconscious Mind

Control of the power of the subconscious mind!

Is it really possible for a lay person like yourself, or does it require the services of a professional expert?

Is it a legitimate theory with scientific backing, or is it just an idea of a few dreamers?

Is it a proven proposition, or is it still in the experimental stage?

If you did not have questions like these in your mind, I think you could be considered among the group that P. T. Barnum said were "born every minute." Perhaps at some time you have been a "sucker" for some illegitimate deal that sounded wonderful at the time. If you have, then you have learned that you should always examine the validity of any program that appears to have mystery or "magic" as its basis. Certainly, control of the subconscious could seem to have those attributes, and, therefore, your questions are most timely.

Get the answers! Know the facts!

In fact, I wanted you to have these questions. That is the reason I left the big "why" hanging in mid-air in the last chapter when I asked you to perform an unusual exercise with "no questions asked." I am sure that the act only emphasized the question, so I will confess that it was done deliberately. A bit of rather strong "outside influence" was put into play there, wasn't it? But I assure you that it was a positive influence, aimed at creating a desire on your part for some facts. Since supplying these facts involves delving into the scientific aspects of self-influence, I don't want the "answers" to have an abstract tone to them. Fresh from that recent experience of yours, you will be able to read this chapter with the same personal feeling for it that you have had all along.

The role of science in society

Science has three major functions in its relationship to the society of mankind. First, its function is to gather knowledge of facts and laws concerning anything and everything that affects our world and its people and to evaluate the knowledge through observation and reasoning. Explanations that come through this function are "theories."

Secondly, the function of science is to convert usable theories into practice, or to help convert them and apply them. This function is considered to have a three-way application: 1. to the natural sciences, such as chemistry and physics; 2. to the social sciences, such as economics, sociology, medicine; 3. to the applied sciences, such as engineering and agriculture. This function might be called the professional application of science, where extensive preparation, training and experience are needed in the use of scientific theories.

Lay people apply science

The third function of science is to interpret scientific theories and to demonstrate the possibility of their use by lay people (such as you) to the extent that scientific knowledge may be used in everyday living, where practicable. In this area too, preparation, training and experience are necessary to apply scientific theories properly. But here we take advantage of what has been done professionally and make a streamlined easy-to-understand application, related to a specific need.

In this chapter, we are going to refer to the first two functions, but we are going to concentrate on that third function. And where we refer to the professional field of science, we will be mostly concerned with the social sciences. Incidentally, let's clear up another point before we go any further. This concerns the word "theory." Theory is not a "bad word," as is so often thought by the average person. A theory is really an explanation based upon thought, observation and reasoning. It is a scientific principle, stated so as to have common understanding. In this chapter we are not referring to just good ideas that might or might not work, we are referring to scientific theories that have been tried and tested professionally and eventually related to that third function of science, the interpretation to lay people. We are not talking about theory versus practice as though they were opposed to each other. We are talking about practice based on scientific theory, which is the best kind of "practice" to rely upon.

Science is part of your life

There are many examples about your life and in your life where this three-step scientific process is influencing you. Our national and community public health programs are good examples. Public health is a basic need for community health, of course. But each of us has come to depend upon such a program to help raise the level of our individual expectations of health and long life. However, there first had to be established that "1-2-3" scientific process in relation to health, before the program could affect individuals.

Knowledge from research (Step 1) had to be transposed into professional application (Step 2). But until the application by lay people (Step 3) was included, the program could not be called a public health program. As a consequence, you and I are practicing the principles of good public health every day. We understand the use and the benefits of these principles, even though we are non-professional lay people.

Lay people cause scientific progress

Our broad program of general education is another example. Research has included methods and techniques of teaching, as well as educational programs. Professional application now extends practically throughout the human life-span, from nursery school to unlimited adult education programs. But here again, Step 3 in the scientific process is most significant. Outside of the formal educational program, there are many more lay people interpreting and using good educational principles than there are professional people. This has broadened the base of our educational program immeasurably.

For example, in our Sunday schools, in group-work social programs, in business and industry, even in our homes, there are thousands and thousands of teachers, all lay people. All are effectively using the principles of good education that originated in Steps 1 and 2. Indeed, a large part of our culture and economy is dependent upon this army of lay teachers of which you undoubtedly are, or have been, a "member."

More lay scientists needed

The subject of your book, "the power of the subconscious mind," is another example of the same 3-step scientific process, except that it has not yet had the full impact that it should have. The teamwork of researchers, professional and lay people has been effective in public health and in education for such a long time that we have come to take the relationship for granted. But in the relationship to the power of the subconscious, while research and professional application have reached a high level of effectiveness in modern times, lay interpretation and use of the proven principles have unfortunately lagged.

There are probably several reasons for this. One, the absorption of a new concept, even if it is good, is a slow process in the normal mass of people. Two, there has been an air of undue mystery about this field. And, three, the use of this "power" requires some preparation, training and experience; as yet, too many people seem reluctant to participate under that premise. All of this is most unfortunate, because there could be the same kind of interpretation and use here by people as a whole as, for example, with public health and education.

Apply scientific principles yourself

However, these reasons do not affect you, since the major purpose of your book is for you, under your own "steam" as a lay person, to bridge the gap in the field of "the power of the subconscious" between research and professional application and its application to your own life. Besides, you have already been a participant in the preparation you have done so far through your book. What you are doing is preparing yourself through knowledge, relating yourself to training under my guidance and with your book and bringing some first-hand experience into your life, in relation to the "power of the subconscious." This, in the "1-2-3" scientific process, amounts to the realistic application of Step 3 to your life.

While most of the research and professional application in this field has been in modern times, individuals recorded their observations and reasoning about the subconscious a long time ago. Before the turn of the century, Sigmund Freud advanced some theories that are credited with being the conception of psychoanalysis. Included in Freud's reasoning was the famous "repression theory" in which he explained the unconscious or subconscious mind as the place where taboo impulses were banished, only to cause unfavorable influences which inflict themselves upon individuals. Alfred Adler, a follower of Freud, disagreed with some of his reasoning. Adler observed that man had a tendency to let social conditions over-rule him and thwart his desires. Subconsciously, according to Adler, man rebels against this outside pressure and tries to overcome his "inferiority." Adler said that this rebellion is based upon fundamental urges for self-expression and recognition.

Research is the basis for this knowledge

Other researchers followed the lead of these two men, and doors to the power of the subconscious began to open. Professional application of the developing theories began to be more wide-spread. A few people even took the practice of the theories into the Step 3 area, notably the French psychiatrist, Coué, with his famous "every day in every way I'm getting better" program. At the time, this was generally thought to be a "novel" idea. It was an actual program of the use of subconscious self-influence, under guidance, and skeptics had to admit there were many demonstrations of its effectiveness.

As modern-day research and professional application began to work hand in hand, knowledge and results produced some of the proven theories that are related to the principles of your book. Among these is the fact that the conscious and the subconscious are not separate "minds" or separate functions but are part of one mind, and they are completely interdependent. Another fact that has been proved is that no one inner or outer influence is predominate in human life; rather, there are several basic urges, existing and working together. Obviously you have seen that these two facts are prominent factors in this book.

Professional use of subconscious influence

Significant scientific developments in the fields of medicine, education and social welfare, paralleling the interest in the subconscious, eventually came to a converging point with the realization that the subconscious was a major key in determining what a person did and what his reactions were to environmental influences. Medical doctors accepted the fact that recovery from serious illness or injury was largely dependent upon the patient's state of mind, that is, his conscious and subconscious reaction to his circumstances. Hypnotism, long a mysterious "something" with theatrical overtones, became a tool of the profession; the influencing of the subconscious through medical hypnosis is now ethical practice.

Modern knowledge is the basis of this book

Educators "modernized" many of their techniques, putting more emphasis on "desire" for learning than on compulsion.

"Desire," in this case, was related to those fundamental, subconsciously supported urges. Interest in education blossomed after that. Floyd L. Ruch, professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, characterized this concept in his popular text, Psychology and Life. He states that "learning is a changing of the individual's way of responding." Again it is obvious that we have included this modern reasoning in this book.

Scholars and administrators in the fields of social welfare and human behavior have come to adopt programs that are based upon appealing to the subconscious and those fundamental urges. They have learned that the success of any program that affects people is dependent upon individuals who want to participate, from way down inside, and upon the opportunity to satisfy those urges.

All of these modern-day interpretations of the power of the subconscious are generally based upon the theory of "action psychology," whose development is credited to Professor William Jones. Professor Jones' theory is that everything we do is based upon conscious action that is consistently motivated by influence. And certainly that is the theory of this book.

We are partners with scientists

As we become participants through Step 3, and take our rightful places in that scientific trilogy as it relates to the power of the subconscious, we do so with the knowledge that the groundwork has been laid in Steps 1 and 2. We become partners in this action in the same way that we are partners in the programs of public health or education. We participate as individuals, using proven principles. But we will never consider "stepping over the line" to assume the prerogatives of professional people in this field. Where we need medical help, we will get it. Where we need professional psychological or psychiatric guidance, we will seek it. And we will depend upon professional research and application to set the stage for our personal applications in this field. By participating in Step 3 with this attitude, you and I are availing ourselves of all of the advantages of the groundwork that has been laid, and we intelligently shun "trial and error" or queer ideas.

Answer your questions

Now, with this background of the scientific basis of your book and its contents, you are in a better position to understand the answer to the "question" left hanging in air at the end of the last chapter.

During the earlier years of the research-application development of knowledge of the subconscious, some unusual phenomena were observed. For example, during a particular experiment, a group of children were "talked to" while they slept. While their conscious minds and bodies were at rest, that is, while they were sleeping, researchers audibly spoke to each individual child. As they talked, they made suggestions to the children that they do certain things after they awoke. The experiment, with the same suggestions, was repeated for several nights and the children observed during their waking hours. Soon it was noted that the children were responding to the subconsciously imposed suggestions. They began to act in the manner suggested to them. The acts were all simple in nature and related only to things the children would normally want to do.

Part of you never sleeps

This and subsequent experiences eventually revealed that the time in which the conscious part of the mind is at rest is excellent for inducing progressive activity in the subconscious part. That this must be done by deliberate suggestion was proved as research and application continued. An interesting, down-to-earth application was made to two groups of Navy trainees during World War I. Both groups were being taught the Morse Code. One group was taught exclusively by the conventional classroom method. The other group had the classroom teaching supplemented by continued audible instruction while they slept. The startling result was that the group who were subconsciously influenced during their sleeping hours learned the code in about one-quarter the time required for the other group! Since then, similar applications have been used effectively in other academic areas, notably in the teaching of languages.

Most significant, however, has been the application of this technique to psychological and medical therapy. Incidental to all of this has been the observation in the field of psychology that people need to train, guide and control their emotions, desires and habits. We agree with that theory, of course, as evidenced in this book. Beyond the conscious guidance of ourselves through self-influence, the findings of professional people indicate that emotional and habit training is greatly stepped up by supplemental influence while we sleep. In a survey of many applications of this sleep-learning technique, as reported in the journal of the American Psychological Society, the consensus of opinion was that the technique was much more effective in the emotional field than in the academic field. Hence our interest in this valuable technique.

24-hour use of subconscious power

The reason that this "sleep time" influence is effective is because action within the subconscious is best generated when your body is at rest, when tension has been relieved, when you are in a position to let this power be generated. The project that was suggested to you in the last chapter was effective because you instigated that self-influence experience at the time when your subconscious was free of all other obligations. Thus your subconscious was able to concentrate on the project you had assigned to it.

You are a psychologist

Now, just one more item while we are talking about "science." This has to do with the word "psychology." Psychology is as "old as the hills" or, rather, as old as the human race. All that we moderns have done is put an official name on the field of knowledge of why people act, think and feel as they do. We have rightly elevated that field to the status of a science, and we call it psychology. You are a practicing psychologist, on the layman's level. You always have been and always will be. How good a practitioner you have been is another question. How good you will be is pretty well plotted, isn't it? Don't back away from the words "science" and "psychology." Claim them as the background for your experience with subconscious self-influence.

So now, "practicing psychologist," we have come to a good time to talk about how to use the power of your subconscious.

In Sum

The major purpose of this book is to instruct you in applying scientific knowledge to the influence of the subconscious.

Action is best generated in the subconscious when your body is at rest.
 
Result Getting Project

Since this chapter is essentially an academic presentation, I have set up a little quiz covering the contents. The questions emphasize the salient points in the chapter and the answers you find for them will prove to you that the basic theories regarding the power of your subconscious are sound and approved. I think such a testimonial is important to you. This is not an "examination." Re-read any part of the chapter if you cannot answer a question offhand.

1. There are three major functions in science. Where do you fit into those functions?

2. Where and when in your daily life do you benefit from your participation in the work of science?

3. What is the basic theory upon which the modern-day interpretation of the subconscious mind and its functions are based?

4. Why can the subconscious be called upon while you sleep, and how?

5. Why did that experience you had with the project in Chapter 11 have the effect upon you that it did?

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