Why It Works
With an ever-increasing body of scientific knowledge supporting the efficacy and importance of the body-mind-spirit connection, we are growing more aware of our ability to impact outcome and create meaningful change through the power of thought.
Visual mantras help us control our thoughts with greater ease and confidence. This is why they are such effective self-help tools.
Some would argue visual mantras work because they are part of the magic and mystery of the universe. Others call it the Law of Attraction. Still others say it is a fortunate coincidence. Call it what you will, the fact remains that visual mantras work.
Here are some of the reasons why visual mantras work:
The Placebo Effect is an observed and measurable change in bodily reaction when no active ingredient or treatment has actually been administered. The best explanation for this reaction is the mind’s expectation for a desired outcome. Recent studies show that expectation alone can trigger physiologic responses.
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a branch of scientific research that studies the interaction between our psychological, neurological, endocrine and immunological systems. PNI teaches us that the mind-body connection is very real, that our thoughts play a critical role in the modulation and regulation of these systems, and as a result impact our health and well-being.
Stress, Fight-or-Flight and the Relaxation Response - The fight-or-flight response is an important bodily function designed to prepare us to cope with danger. When we are exposed to a stressful, dangerous situation, hormones and chemicals are released into the bloodstream that rev our bodies up so we can physically get to safety. When danger is no longer perceived, the relaxation response returns the body to a normal, more relaxed state. Our survival depends on this healthy cycle.
However today, frequent exposure to non-physical, stressful situations triggers the fight-or-flight response, revving our systems up, preparing them to run to safety. With nowhere, and no need to run, the body is left full of heart-pounding hormones and chemicals that are doing our bodies harm. Learning to turn off fight-or-flight and turn-on the relaxation response in the face of stress is key to good health.
Left-Brain, Right-Brain Research - Over the last twenty-five years, great strides have been made in brain research that reveals the two sides of the brain process information in measurably different ways. The left brain is primarily responsible for speaking, writing, and understanding language. It thinks in words, is analytic and logical, processing information in concrete linear sequences. The right brain, on the other hand, synthesizes, perceives, and feels. It processes information simultaneously in pictures, sounds, spatial relationships, and feelings.