Evolve Your Brain byDispenza Paperback – January 1, 2008

Evolve Your Brain: the Science of Changing Your Mind by Joe Dispenza is an informative book that aims to teach anyone the basic inner workings of the brain and mind. Given the knowledge of how the brain functions, the author guides the reader through how they can use the power of their own mind to change themselves mentally and physically. Joe Dispenza is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine who studied biochemistry at Rutgers University, holding a B.S. degree with an emphasis in Neuroscience. He then received postgraduate training in neurology, brain function and chemistry, and memory formation.Dr. Dispenza devotes the first chapter to explaining his own background and what influenced him to write this book. He tells his story of how he was hit by a truck while competing in the cycling portion of a triathlon, basically destroying his back. After consulting multiple neurosurgeons, every one of them recommended Harrington rod surgery immediately. He instead attempted a natural recovery, going through a long and rigorous rehab program. He attributed his knowledge of neuroscience and the power of the mind to helping his recovery, and decided to write a book to inspire people to use the power of their own mind to get through life's most difficult physical and mental problems. Throughout his descriptions he provides examples of medical cases and recent scientific studies to illustrate how much is being discovered about the plasticity of the brain in recent years.From there Dr. Dispenza breaks down the central and peripheral nervous systems, explaining the cells involved (neurons and glia) and the different forms each have. He explains action potentials, describes chemicals of the nervous system, and maps out synaptic transmission. The next section breaks down the different areas/structures of the brain. He then describes and diagrams the four neocortical lobes, going into detail the history of how it was believed they were projected and what is known now based on functional imagingNext, Dr. Dispenza covers different stages of brain development, from conception through the mid twenties. This is where he starts to go into neuroplasticity, describing neural networks. He explains how new synapses are formed, and how weak ones become strong, because of the effects of neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF). This is connected to a model created by a neuropsychologist named Donald Hebb, who said "Nerves that fire together will wire together." Over time, neurons that consistently fire action potentials with each other build stronger connections and fire together faster and more efficiently. He then starts to use everything he has explained so far to start talking about how routines are formed based on the strengthening of neural networks. Basically, habits are created by strengthened neural nets that have become really efficient at firing, and with effort they can be broken and replaced with better habits. He expands on all of the information he has presented with more cases and how this concept of learning creates habits and memories. Most of the content for the rest of the book breaks away from the solid neuroscience and more into how the reader can break habits and make new ones.Written for readers of all backgrounds, this book is accessible to almost anyone with an interest in neuroscience, and serves as a guide to help people get rid of bad habits and create good habits. The term used that becomes a recurring theme throughout the book is neuroplasticity. He defines and discusses this term at multiple points throughout the book to reiterate how strong its effect is on the continuing function of the brain. He helpfully uses actual cases to demonstrate the power of the brain and how its plasticity allows people able to be able to adapt in their own lifetime, allowing changes to the brain at virtually any point in life.Although it is an excellent book with a lot to offer in terms of both science and philosophy, it was not deliberately paced and found itself wandering on tangents too much. This led to me giving the book a rating of four out of five stars instead of the full five. He covers a lot of the chemical side of neuroplasticity, but leans heavily on the physiological side of the nervous system to explain it, which works well. He uses great analogies throughout the text to help the reader relate. I thought the book was a good read; it was easy to follow the neuroscience because of the background he provided, and those with none should have no trouble learning with his great descriptions. The transition from the science based part of the book to the self-improvement side was redundant. It seemed as if he did not know how to separate the science from the rest of the material he wanted to talk about.As mentioned before, the author often went on tangents explaining certain cases to emphasize the material he had just covered. Because he would leave the material right in the middle to explain these cases, he would offer a brief review of the material each time he came back. Although it was a good idea, it was boring after many of these instances because he had explained certain concepts so many times before. For someone without a background in neuroscience, this may not even be an issue, but for people who have a background in biology or psychology, much of the material begins to feel stale later in the book.A great upside to the book is its extensive use of figures and diagrams. Much of the material would be extremely difficult to visualize without the help of visual aids, and they are placed extremely well throughout the text to help the reader become engaged with the corresponding information. Another good strategy is the use of very general terms for the many complicated parts of the nervous system. The author gradually shifts from using layman's terms for many of the structures to using the actual names.Dr. Dispenza set out to write a book that anyone could pick up and understand, and he did pretty well. Evolve Your Brain is an excellent tool for people who want to know how their brain and mind work, and how they can change themselves with this information. He uses a wide variety of examples to exemplify the power the mind has over the body. For someone who knows no biology to someone with an extensive background, this book has the potential to pique many interests, and has something to offer for almost everyone.

to change my mind.

Joe Dispenza is a holistic chiropractor. He came into very deep understandings of the mind-body connection early in his career, when he suffered multiple spinal fractures in being knocked off his bike by a speeding car. He was given very strong advice from several neurosurgeons to have extensive surgery, with warnings that without surgical interventions he was likely to end up paralyzed from the chest down. Despite these dire predictions, he refused surgery and chose to use conservative physical measures and intensive meditative and imagery exercises. His personal success was a big boost to him in furthering his holistic career.Dispenza has gone on to help many other people deal with their physical problems through mind-body interventions. He shares much that is helpful to those who want to know how to help themselves, from his rich experiences in these approaches.The people I spoke with who experienced a spontaneous remission believed that a higher order or intelligence lived within him or her. Whether they called in their divine, spiritual, or subconscious mind, they accepted that an inner power was giving them life every moment, and that it knew more than they, as humans, could ever know. Furthermore, if they could just tap into this intelligence, they could direct it to start working for them.” (p. 39)He explains when we change our views of the world and our relationships with the world, we can change our physical states of being. I find it peculiar, however that Dispenza prefers the term ‘spontaneous remission’ to describe recoveries from medically incurable problems. In my view, these are truly ‘remarkable recoveries.’ (Benor, web reference)Dispenza presents clear explanations of the theoretical basis for his approaches.If you think that our brain – being the site of us, or our consciousness– has the capacity to change possibility into actuality, think again. According to quantum physics, the brain itself consists of quantum possibilities before we measure it, before we observe with it. If we, our consciousness, were a brain product, we would be possibilities as well, and our “coupling” with the object would change neither the object nor us (our brain) from possibility to actuality. Face it! Possibility coupled to possibility only makes a bigger possibility.The paradox only thickens if you think of yourself dualistically– you as a nonmaterial dual entity, not bound by quantum laws and separate from your brain. But if you are nonmaterial, then how do you interact with your brain, with which you have not a thing in common? This is dualism, a philosophy intractable as a science.There is a third way of thinking, and this one leads to a paradigm shift. Your consciousness is the primary fabric of reality, and matter (including the brain and the object you are observing) exists within this fabric as quantum possibilities. Your observation consists of choosing from the possibilities the one facet that becomes the actuality of your experience.

This book is eye opening on so many levels but mainly because it gives you the tools to create the life you want by helping you become the person you wish to be. It supports the concepts through science as well as real life examples of what we would have (prior to reading the book) called extraordinary. It is very heavy in the science of the mind at times and if, you’re like me, that is slower reading. However, it’s necessary in order to truly understand not only the why, but the how.

There is an awful lot of detail about how the brain works. Far too much for my liking I’m afraid. Yes, I get it, the brain is a marvellous organ. However, I just want to get to the part now that tells me how I can change my brain. I bought the book on Kindle, which I don’t find as easy to navigate as a hard copy, eg not so easy to reach the chapters that are relevant.

If you like details, this is the book for you. This author explains everything in detail, and believe me, this is a book like no other. Absolutely fantastic. You won't be sorry if you buy this.

Got on audio book first enjoyed it that much i bought the book. Then enjoyed the book that much i am off to listen to the audio book again enjoy

Different than your average personal development book - concentrates on the brain and all the chemicals that make it up - probably a good read also for an aspiring Doctor - he is trying to to each us about how thoughts can affect our body and health - i read it about 20 - 30 pages at a time

Really reccoment this book, the content is so relevant to any human being that wants to improve in life. Gonna buy the other books from Joe Dispenza. He's awesome