Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One [Paperback]

The well established idea behind this book is that we serve ourselves better to retrain our brains away from bad habits towards beneficial ones. We are beset with habits that frequently work against us. And no one normally tells us that we can create new habits literally at will. Nor that if we try, we will not only feel awkward but will be readily drawn back to the old habits since we do not `feel ourselves'. Dispenza combines a number of concepts, such as the `law of attraction' and meditation into a coordinated plan to become what you want, overcoming such problems. .

The route he takes is a mix of insightfulness and an uncritical reliance on distorted quantum mechanics ideas and that `law of attraction'. It is a shame that he does so - and overtly expects you to embrace these ideas with the same unquestioning attitude - because a lot of his insights are well written and will be revelatory to many readers.

For those unaware of this `law of attraction', it is a concept covered in (too) many books that extrapolates the concept that we create our own destinies to one where what we visualise for deeply enough will magically manifest. The extrapolation that Dispenza employs is to translate the microscopic quantum effect of observer on the observed to the macroscopic world, then linking it into a `higher dimensional field of information" which is frequently describes as intelligent energy.

This intelligent energy will grant your visions - good and bad. So if you forecast a bad future that will manifest, in spite of your necessary desire for a better life. Quite how this blind response can be seen as intelligent I do not know. There may well be a higher energy permeating us all, and many believe in such, but to attribute to it the capacity to grant us a new Ferrari if we wish well enough is hard to stomach.

When he moves onto the dynamics of mind and body habits, he writes brilliantly and clearly. I have read in the past with interest about habit forming, especially with regard F.M.Alexander (of the subsequent Alexander technique), but found new information here and a great organisation of concepts as well. His deployment of meditation as a foundation for change is also sound, as his is advice for daily reinforcement of change.

But he frequently slips into verbose, repetitive prose, as if unable to remember what he wrote about earlier in the book. And his lack of references and lack of critical thinking sent alarm bells ringing too many times. How can he state that specific emotions such as love, anger and hate are accompanied by low frequency body electromagnetic radiations without references?

He also `states' that meditation (and hypnosis) provide access to subconscious programming. It is certainly clear from other books I have read (such as `Stranger to ourselves' by T.D.Wilson) that many subconscious activities are outside any form of conscious control. We may respond to the subconscious urges by ignoring them, and this is indeed one of the basics of reprogramming, but we cannot change the programming itself.

So there is some confused and speculative thinking in the book that undermines its value. There was enough, however, for myself, to learn from it, but it is not a coherent, fully plausible effort.

Anyone who remembers the hit indie cult film, What the Bleep Do We Know?: Discovering the Endless Possibilities for Altering Your Everyday Reality that took the US theatres by storm in a grassroots phenomenon unlike any seen before will remember Dr. Joe Dispenza who is an audience favorite as one of the experts interviewed along with a host of other scientists and theologians, who made the relatively inaccessible strange quantum world accessible to the masses. The film had a lasting impact and has been distributed to millions around the world, becoming part of the cultural zeitgeist and finally making it cool to be holistically-oriented.

Dr. Joe is one of the best communicators of this area of science as well as neuroscience, neurology, brain function, chemistry, cellular biology, memory formation, and aging and longevity. This book follows his first, Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind which laid down the science for this one.

The first book was a bit heady and as a layperson with an avid interest in personal development and a growing interest in science, I must admit it was a bit difficult for me to read. I think it may have been intended for those who are practitioners with a science background as well as those in holistic and heart-centered therapies who by now it seems, should really know this stuff if they are working with people. I found myself recommending the first one to a whole host of professionals in the helping and healing professions - nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, body workers, yoga teachers, EFT practitioners, and those who lead courses in personal development and spirituality.

"Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself" is a real breakthrough book in terms of practical application. Dr. Joe's genius is in many areas, but certainly he must now be seen as one of the top voices in how to apply the new science to your life. "Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself" is a delightful tour of what makes us work and more importantly, how we can make lasting change in our life. I have done several personal development workshops and many claim to bring about lasting change, but this book and I am sure Dr. Joe's trainings bring this important work to the common individual. I will still recommend this for the professionals to read and I think they will read it with glee and gain many insights. But this one is for people like myself - those who want to develop to be their best from the inside out!

The introduction was ponderous. At times, you felt the author has something important to say but is unable to articulate it clearly. There are a number of well-illustrated diagrams r that appeals to the visual learning aspect of my brain.
The section called "The Gap" has a diagram listing the following feelings; unworthiness, anger, fear, shame, self-doubt and guilt, and suggests that these feeling are layered upon your brain. Like something akin to an onion. This runs contrary to his earlier explanation of biochemical process that goes to build neural networks across the brain. At the bottom of the layers of emotion diagram Dr Dispenza uses the label "Past experiences with refractory period". The term is not explained. My previous association with the word refractory was in relation to fire clays able to withstand high temperatures. It also has a medical definition; not responding to treatment.
Neuroscience has known for some time that we access memories and interrelated emotions through a number of our senses. When experiencing our emotions and feelings we do this with our bodies and not in our brain. It also may be that a feeling of shame has predominately-visual associations with this particular memory. Whereas a sensation or feeling of guilt has a predominate association with your auditory senses. Using only your conscious brain to help you resolve unwanted emotions and behaviours can be a very lengthy process.
The later part of the book where Dr Dispenza maps out his remedial methodology is not subject to the same rigour as the earlier sections. It is an interesting book, but not a must have for your bookshelf.