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Any Graduates of the Silva Method here?


batvette

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I registered to join a discussion about organized stalking in another forum here, but I was surprised when I searched this forum that no mention of Jose Silva, his books, or the seminars taught in the 70's based upon his philosophies were to be found here.

the wiki on Jose Silva

From the Wiki on the Silva Method:

History

Silva began developing the method; formerly known as Silva Mind Control, in the 1940s before launching it commercially in the 1960s.[1][2]

It developed out of Silva's belief that the thoughts and actions of 90% of the world's population were governed by the left hemisphere of their brain; limiting them using only logical, intellectual, objective means of problem resolution. Silva believed that by training people to think with both the right brain hemisphere as well as their left they could access information stored at a subconscious level.[1][2] According to Skeptical author Robert Carroll, the Silva method appears to be based on the work of Roger Wolcott Sperry, but with Silva's own twists in it that make it an inaccurate model.[1]

[edit] Technique

The technique aims to reach and sustain a higher state of mental functioning, called alpha state, where brainwave frequency is eight to thirteen Hz.

José Silva, founder of the Silva Method, claimed to have developed a program that trained people to enter certain brain states of enhanced awareness. He also claimed to have developed several systematic mental processes to use while in these states allowing a person to mentally project with a specific intent. According to Silva, once the mind is projected, a person can allegedly view distant objects or locations and connect with higher intelligence for guidance. The information received by the projected mind is then said to be perceived as thoughts, images, feelings, smells, taste and sound by the mind. The information obtained in this manner can be acted upon to solve problems.

In 1953, Silva believed he had trained his daughter to be psychic, and he introduced his training methods to Rhine with his daughter as proof. Over the next ten years, Silva claimed to have trained thirty-nine more subjects to be psychics. Another discovery claimed as successful is remote viewing. Rather than passively waiting for impressions to be perceived, a person projects him- or herself mentally and remotely views what is going on in a process similar to lucid dreaming. Silva became convinced that everyone has such abilities and can be taught to develop them, and that it is not an extra sense at all, but an unneeded—therefore undeveloped—sense. Everything happens first in the mind, he reasoned, then happens in the body. A person mentally decides to pick up a glass of water and drink it, then does it physically. Your life is the manipulation of the set rules of this universe, the trick is learning how to manipulate the rules right.

The Silva Method is now a multi-million dollar business with thousands of Silva Method instructors teaching the system over several days to groups of students in numerous countries worldwide. The system has spawned many books, some of them authored or co-authored by José Silva, with many others based on the basic principles of the method but spreading into other areas of awareness and application whilst in the alpha state.

When I was about 13 in 1975 I attended a week long retreat and it was pretty cool. While I did not pursue active meditation in the years since, the experience allowed me to recognize my abililities, differentiate what the important things I was receiving from others from the garbage, and it gave me a quiet confidence as well as answered the questions many of us spend all our lives seeking.

Yes I am a telepath, as I belive it is defined. I think many more people are that may not think so, they just need to be educated about what it is and what it is not, and humbly accept it as one of mother nature's gifts to us- just like the mysterious talent whales and homing pidgeons have for navigation. It's about faith, and trust that what just popped into your head is something you need to know.

Simply put, "we don't know why we know things, we just know them."

Peace, out. John in San Diego

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Curious after I posted this I see the website carries Silva method ads, (I knew they had a website, I briefly visited there some years ago) and I must say while I'm happy to see they have continued since his death 10 years ago, I'm a bit disappointed to say it comes off like a Tony Robbins yuppie success seminar. While I was just 13 in 1975 when I went through their course, my recollection is that of a much more down to earth approach, but hey, maybe the actual materiel they teach hasn't changed much. I think as in many things that are taught to a small group, the quality and personality of the instructor plays a large role. the guy who hosted our seminar was named Charlie, wonder if he's still around today.

If so, well, Charlie, you're right, "there's no free lunch". (his favorite saying)

And to make it clear, I have no connection to those folks at Silva. Perhaps that was what bothered me, I reviewed my post today and with their ad above it it looked like I was shilling their product. Not me, but I am thankful for what it did give me so many years ago, an answer many never find.

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  • 5 months later...
Wooo. So.. how's your telepathy? :D

Obviously rusty, took me five months plus to notice your reply.

It might be said after that retreat as a teenager I didn't actively pursue Silva techniques of meditation inducing alpha, etc. Not once that I recall, in fact.

However the experience did teach me what the tool is and isn't, to respect it and understand why putting a guy in a bright room and shouting "now bend this spoon" at him will not yield good results. (David Letterman once did that to a purported spoon bending psychic guest. YELLED at him, Can you believe it?)

To address your question directly, especially when I was younger, I'd find there was perhaps one or two periods of a couple hours or so a month when it just seemed those around you weren't going to be keeping any secrets from you, if you needed to know them. One time I had a couple of neighbor "friends" who used to stop by my house once in awhile, come over for a short visit. They were shady characters but no prior bad experience, one did use my bathroom but that wasn't unusual at all. A while after they left, I left, and as I was pulling out of my driveway, they both were leaning on the bumper of their car staring at me as I waved and drove off. Just as my glance left theirs, the words "bathroom window hit my mind. I drove on, but it was pretty clear that thought wasn't going to leave me alone. A couple blocks away I turned around and went back home, they looked puzzled as I pulled up. I went into the bathroom and sure enough, the swivel casement window lock on that window, ALWAYS latched if the window was closed, was turned open. They knew I had cash in my room, were both broke. I made a big deal (noise) cutting a piece of wood and screwing it into the window frame to make a little extra security, I knew they'd hear that as the window was on their side of the building. As I walked out to my car again they were still there, both white as a sheet and almost shaking. I just grinned and said "how's it going, guys?" got in the car and drove off.

No meditation, no alpha, tho I recall being relaxed, but there was no prior precedent to suggest these two would have tried to break into my apartment.

I think that's also a classic example of its gift to us by mother nature to aid in our survival. As the silva instructor used to say, "trust your instinct. your first decision is almost invariably the correct one". Instinct shouted bathroom window, had I pondered it too long it would be clouded by other things.

On several other occasions I similarly transmitted messages to people, being intentional at the time I did practice a brief bit of relaxation first.

I have a belief in theories of children and the early parts of multiple choice tests, and adults in densely populated areas watching (playing at home) jeapordy doing better than if they did so on a taped episode. anyone else?

I'll leave with a core belief of mine- I NEVER, ever, attempt to push telepathy on doubters, or impress anyone attempting to convince them I or others have these abilities. Educate, sure. Prove to naysayers, hell no.

Such people are more than welcome to go through life devoid of an advantage we may have, due to their own ignorance.

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Obviously rusty, took me five months plus to notice your reply.

It might be said after that retreat as a teenager I didn't actively pursue Silva techniques of meditation inducing alpha, etc. Not once that I recall, in fact.

However the experience did teach me what the tool is and isn't, to respect it and understand why putting a guy in a bright room and shouting "now bend this spoon" at him will not yield good results. (David Letterman once did that to a purported spoon bending psychic guest. YELLED at him, Can you believe it?)

To address your question directly, especially when I was younger, I'd find there was perhaps one or two periods of a couple hours or so a month when it just seemed those around you weren't going to be keeping any secrets from you, if you needed to know them. One time I had a couple of neighbor "friends" who used to stop by my house once in awhile, come over for a short visit. They were shady characters but no prior bad experience, one did use my bathroom but that wasn't unusual at all. A while after they left, I left, and as I was pulling out of my driveway, they both were leaning on the bumper of their car staring at me as I waved and drove off. Just as my glance left theirs, the words "bathroom window hit my mind. I drove on, but it was pretty clear that thought wasn't going to leave me alone. A couple blocks away I turned around and went back home, they looked puzzled as I pulled up. I went into the bathroom and sure enough, the swivel casement window lock on that window, ALWAYS latched if the window was closed, was turned open. They knew I had cash in my room, were both broke. I made a big deal (noise) cutting a piece of wood and screwing it into the window frame to make a little extra security, I knew they'd hear that as the window was on their side of the building. As I walked out to my car again they were still there, both white as a sheet and almost shaking. I just grinned and said "how's it going, guys?" got in the car and drove off.

No meditation, no alpha, tho I recall being relaxed, but there was no prior precedent to suggest these two would have tried to break into my apartment.

I think that's also a classic example of its gift to us by mother nature to aid in our survival. As the silva instructor used to say, "trust your instinct. your first decision is almost invariably the correct one". Instinct shouted bathroom window, had I pondered it too long it would be clouded by other things.

On several other occasions I similarly transmitted messages to people, being intentional at the time I did practice a brief bit of relaxation first.

I have a belief in theories of children and the early parts of multiple choice tests, and adults in densely populated areas watching (playing at home) jeapordy doing better than if they did so on a taped episode. anyone else?

I'll leave with a core belief of mine- I NEVER, ever, attempt to push telepathy on doubters, or impress anyone attempting to convince them I or others have these abilities. Educate, sure. Prove to naysayers, hell no.

Such people are more than welcome to go through life devoid of an advantage we may have, due to their own ignorance.

Two funny things that struck me about this post..The first was I was reading one of Wayne Dyer's books last night and in one of his chapters he mentions Silva..I skipped around the book so I wasn't sure what Silva was, I figured I would go back to previous chapters to see what he was talking about..low and behold I find this post this morning..The second thing that was funny was last night my husband and I were watching Jeopardy and I knew quite a bit of the answers..Well I did not know them..I just answered them correctly..I also noticed I was able to figure out anagrams very quickly..So I assume my brain works very quickly at solving problems..I don'tclaim to be a psychic or anything like that..But I do notice that whatever it is, I am getting better at it..Your above incident with the bathroom window..happens to me all the time. In the past, when I was younger I would have ignored it but now I never second guess my instincts..better to be wrong than sorry..Thanks for the interesting post..:)

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Just get the book "Science of the Mind" It's cheaper and better in my opinion :D

:tu::D :D :D:tu:

Thanks

B???

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Yes I am a telepath, as I belive it is defined. I think many more people are that may not think so, they just need to be educated about what it is and what it is not, and humbly accept it as one of mother nature's gifts to us- just like the mysterious talent whales and homing pidgeons have for navigation. It's about faith, and trust that what just popped into your head is something you need to know.

Simply put, "we don't know why we know things, we just know them."

Hello John in San Diego!!

I would agree. Still I find it essential to honor all the views on this subject. Our perceptions create our realities and those realities are supported by God.

The money making aspects of the methods mentioned are well know. I suspect that this has been something of a deterrent to the educational process itself. That may actually be a good thing. We still live in a culture that thrives on deception so there is real fear of something like telepathy.

John

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Just get the book "Science of the Mind" It's cheaper and better in my opinion :D

While I fully agree, I don't think it would come near to benefits I experienced in spending those days in the mountain cabin home in Twain Harte (north of Yosemite, east of Sonora) with a charismatic instructor, and the human interaction of others there. That's probably why it cost $400 a head, big money in the mid '70's. Some people get more from a book than others, and conversely, all teachers are not made equal.

My French language instructor in 11th grade was such a dimwitted, detached windbag if three of us knew one sentance by the end of the semester I think I'd have been shocked.

Maybe if some of us have a group of people we discuss these things with, they could introduce the material.

In the '70 's it was called "the silva method of mind control" and it focused on self improvement, not necessarily as a means of making money. I would offer that while being of sound financial health does relieve much stress, pursuit of it exclusively is decidedly contrary toward any goals of self improvement, but we all have our own idea of happiness. Some years ago I was at the peak of my skills as a guitar player when I was hardly working, and scraping along. I was very happy then, I had finally reached the point where I could say I was a musician and if a song came on the radio I didn't struggle to learn someone else's song, I instantly played along with it, even expanded guitar solos, made them my own if I liked. I don't think money can make you a better artist and of course it won't buy love. Perhaps we are happiest when we are in pursuit of that which we think is happiness, because when we achieve it it's almost invariably a let down. Almost every guy I've known who was into hot rods always aspired to build this or that car with a dream engine, those that actually did usually found when it was done the damn thing was so powerful or impractical to operate you didn't want it anyway.

(not to depress anyone, but the crappy economy led me to sell all but one of my guitars earlier this year, including my prized vintage Gibson Les Paul. I hadn' been playing it much anyway, but as they are now $4500 new and that's discount, it is not likely I'll ever see one again. Or play. but anyway....)

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  • 1 year later...

"Magick" would be then explain. Aleister Crowley, magick is "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will."

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