Linked below is a vid of Robert Hanson PhD neuroscientist explaining how science appears to be proving that how one thinks and feels affects one’s ability to function at higher levels.
Relaxation enhances DNA allowing it to function more efficiently. (27:40) “People who routinely practice relaxation, have improved expression of genes.” They’re more able to control stress and thus exhibit greater resilience.
He goes on to mention how the average person loses about 4% brain mass over their lifetime, but meditators tested did not. (28:47 – 31:30)
Casual Indulgence matters. “What we casually indulge in in our minds, both is something we feel in the moment and affects our reality, but also can leave lasting traces behind.” He goes on to explain, this means that people who let themselves ‘casually’ ruminate over grudges, things to be anxious or feel guilty about, irritations, resentments, etc., actually ‘make’ their minds less effective, i.e., their thinking is less resilient, resourceful, etc. ( 31:50 forward).
Unfortunately the vid crashes after about 32:30.
It seems to be some of the science behind what the Buddha said thousands of years ago.
“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind."
“All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.”
Was someone thinking bad thoughts at the video at the half-hour mark?
What does “improved expression of genes” mean? Are regular naps sufficient “relaxation?”
And again, your fact-checking is very bad. The man’s name is **Rick **Hanson, not Robert, and he is a “neuropsychologist,” which is a different beast than a neuroscientist.
Speaking as someone who has spent well over a decade studying molecular biology full-time in one capacity or another, this is utter nonsense. “Enhancing” DNA is a totally meaningless statement. How, exactly, is it enhanced? What is changed on a molecular level? How are you measuring efficiency? Are you under the impression that DNA expression efficiency is important in any way? Because it’s not.
And “improved expression of genes”? Again, how? Improved in what way? Are you saying that expression is increased? Because that could potentially be a very very bad thing. Expression of all our genes is very carefully balanced, and anything that alters that balance will pretty much kill you.
There are numerous obvious advantages to positive thinking. DNA enhancement isn’t one of them.
In the same way, depression is hugely limiting. To begin with, it feels rotten. It also causes people to let opportunities go by, because they don’t feel like pursuing them. So, there is a “power of negative thinking” too.
Changing one’s own pattern of thinking is not possible for everyone. Severe clinical depression simply will not yield to any kind of positive thinking. (Just as a person with a broken leg isn’t going to “stand on his own,” and a person with no hands isn’t going to “get a grip.”)
If one can practice positive thinking, one certainly ought to. It has benefits, and it feels good, too. But it isn’t a magical cure-all or miraculous answer to all problems.
There have certainly been volumes written on the subject, with many anecdotal stories of the power of positive thinking.
I do know that many doctors believe a patient who has a generally optimistic outlook often does better with various treatments - granted, with limitations depending on the severity of illness or ailments and the treatments available.
There are also studies that show positive thinking (and attitude) does help in careers and relationships - but this is probably a no-brainer, considering a shitty outlook and nasty attitude rarely is a formula for great relationships nor professional success.
As far as DNA being influenced by positive thinking, or relaxation affecting genes - well, I would be dubious about that. Actually, I would be a bit more than just dubious.
No-one’s questioned this claim yet, but this is also dubious.
Brains can be aged pretty well based on features such as width of sulci, with few exceptions outside of pathologies. It does appear that loss of brain mass is similar to the effects of ageing that occur throughout all tissues, with lifestyle choices having little effect (there’s plenty of evidence for “use it or lose it” for many cognitive functions, but that’s a different thing entirely).
And, more generally, I don’t think the power of positive thinking is something that needs anyone to trumpet. Huge numbers of people, particularly in the US, are completely sold on the positive thinking meme. For example, it’s just taken as a given, that if you’re seriously ill, all you need is to positive think your way back to full health!
I don’t think we need science to tell us that positive thinking can enhance our performance and our lives. But, positive thinking by itself will be shortlived without successful action to reinforce it. I would imagine that most of us have experienced at one time or another in our lives a surge of energy and a seemingly limitless ability to grasp and learn something. A good bet is that this is usually associated with a successful experience that we were somehow rewarded for. Our grandmothers new about this a long time ago.
