This is a self-help book with a different edge; you might call it heart-centered rather than mind-centered, in spite of the large quantity of scientific information the author provides to back up his ideas. Mr. Franckh has created a book that I found to be truly useful. It is not a collection of affirmations – that’s a mental activity. His method really comes down to what all the great spiritual traditions of the world have taught us for ages, that what you believe in your heart is what you can achieve. The author manages to explain the concepts of his method in clear language and, while you can certainly add your own spiritual angle to it, that is entirely optional so the book is approachable for anyone of any belief system (or lack thereof). Part 1 describes the science behind the techniques and Part 2 offers explicit directions for mastering these methods to help you find healing and get what you want out of life.
The basic concepts behind Mr. Franckh’s methods are founded in quantum physics, in the idea that there is a quantum field that connects everything in the universe. He references the fascinating research done by the HeartMath Institute, including the fact that the heart, not the brain, generates the largest electromagnetic field in the body, 5000 times more powerful than the brain’s EM field. Our emotions and beliefs affect the heart’s electromagnetic field and the brain generates chemicals in response, causing changes in the body. So our beliefs really do generate a material-world outcome.
The other major concept Mr. Franckh talks about is retrocausality, in other words, backwards causation. According to this concept, time is not actually linear, an idea that many spiritual and magical traditions have long supported. Through retrocausality, our beliefs and expectations create a kind of selection process among many possible futures in order to determine the one we actually end up with. If this is the case, the author argues, then altering our beliefs can truly change our lives.
The author offers a variety of different techniques for changing our underlying beliefs and assumptions about ourselves and our lives. He recognizes that people are different and not every technique will work for every person, so he suggests trying all the methods and choosing the one or two that you find most powerful. I performed most of the exercises in the book and indeed, I found several of his techniques to be very effective for me. A lot of his advice is very common-sensical: avoid watching the news and ‘downer’ movies, spend time with people who have achieved goals similar to yours, things that make sense but that I might not have thought of on my own. I found the information about mirror neurons to be especially interesting; this is the basis for a visualization technique that professional and Olympic athletes have used successfully for some time now, and the author explains in detail how to use it in ordinary life. He also provides examples of successful use of his techniques from people who have attended his workshops, mostly in the form of letters they have written to him to thank him.
One aspect of this book that I particularly admire is Mr. Franckh’s recognition that we all have a tendency to sabotage ourselves from time to time. He is very open in describing his own experiences with this and provides practical exercises to help the reader circumvent this kind of problem. He also points out ways in which poorly-chose or poorly-worded affirmations can actually work against you. I’ve experienced this issue before and am grateful to finally have an explanation of why this happens and how to avoid it.
Overall this is a very practical, useable book. The author provides clear, understandable explanations of his techniques and the science behind them. He also acknowledges that we’re all imperfect human beings who are just doing our best, and he offers ways to improve that ‘best’ and lead more fulfilled lives.
~review by Laura Perry
Author: Pierre Franckh
Destiny Books, 2014
pp. 181, $16.95