The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr. Joseph Murphy is the book which I take up here as a topic.

The edition of the book by Dr. Joseph Murphy, which I have read was published in India by Manjul Publishing House. It is the sixth impression by the publisher released in India in the year 2017. The ISBN is 978-81-8322-500-7. The copyright is with The Joseph Murphy Trust.

How did I choose this book?

I picked this book on Kindle Store while I was compiling the review on "Mental Power: The Secret of Mental Magic" by W. W. Atkinson.

I write small notes on Kindle itself as well as on a register while reading the book. The review is generally developed on the basis of the notes which are handwritten on a register. While reading the book 'Mental Power', the word 'Mental' was irritating me. The word 'mental' conveys a derogatory and negative meaning also. Among the Hindi speaking people, it is generally remarked कि वह तो mental है ! It is an abuse. Atkinson has used this word excessively and extensively. He has written titles of many chapters using this term.

It so happened that when I was converting the written notes, on W. W. Atkinson, typing it for blogging, I thought of selecting a title to be displayed under the advertisement section. I used the phrase 'Mind Power' for the search on Kindle Store. In the result section, I located this book. When I explored the reviews on the title, I read the notes written in appreciation on writings of Dr. Murphy. I made further searches. I found author was actually a contemporary of Atkinson. Dr. Murphy was born in the later years of the nineteenth century. Atkinson started writing in the beginning of the twentieth century. Atkinson died in 1933. Dr. Murphy died in 1982. Dr. Murphy was decorated with a university degree. A brief summary of the content conveyed that the subject of the title was similar to what I had been reading for sometime by now. The price of the book was on the  higher side but within the range. There was a variation in prices quoted with different vendors. So, I selected the lowest prize and bought it. The subject was similar to the topics on which I am presently writing. Therefore, I started reading it after completing the reviews on "Mental Power".

The Observations:

When I was reading the book, I was reminded again and again of the contents of the books written by W. W. Atkinson. I felt as if I was reading a subject content which I had already read. It was like having an old wine in a new bottle.

However, there were some discernable differences also in dealing with the subject. Dr. Murphy openly talked about the content of the Bible. Atkinson was very particular in abstaining from the use of any term which was associated with religious scriptures.

The term 'science' is a fashion. You talk about universal forces. Then, here and there, you insert the term 'science'. You use the term scientific way of Prayer. What is this 'Scientific Prayer'? Do we conclude that there can be a prayer, which is 'a scientific prayer' and another 'a non-scientific prayers'?

PPT Style Structure:

He has adopted a 'PPT' style (Power Point Presentation). He wrote when there was no perception of the way of giving Power Point Presentations. He has written small paragraphs. A set of two or three paragraphs has a heading. Every chapter ends with a summary. The summary consists of points in form of a list. The whole book is basically a draft of contents, which can be easily converted into Power Point Presentation. The quantity of the content under each heading is such that each of it can be easily get settled in one slide.

Know-How of His Technique:

His technique of making the best use of the powers of subconscious mind is as follows:

Step 1:

Create a question, or raise a desire.

Step 2:

Visualise as if you have found and answer or realised your desire.

Step 3:

Go to sleep or develop the ability to move into a phase of slumber with a paryer having positive assertions. (No elaboration or criticism can be given here as the motive is not to write a book on it. No doubt, it can be a basis of an essay that can be written separately.)

Step 4:

The movement you awake, again raise the question and repeat the prayer.

The author, Dr Murphy, gives an assurance that if you "believe and persist", soon you will activate the mystic powers of the subconscious mind which are divine and omnipotent. There is too much stress upon the aspect of faith and belief.

Result:

Have patience. You will get a perfect answer and the desired result.

A Note:

In chapter 18, 'How Your Subconsious Removes Mental Block', under the heading "Three Magical Steps" he has given a similar practice. He has been repeating this suggestion throughout the book and virtually imparted a status of a ritual.

Remark:

Do not talk much about spirituality. Make it a 'a priori' knowledge that the subconscious is all powerful and omnipotent. It is not bound by space and time. It is a part of the Absolute.

Verdict or a conclusion:

The whole book aims at learning self-hypnotism. It is not a healthy approach.

Papa is Preaching Approach:

At many places during the course of the reading this book, your attentiveness and focus receive a jarring impact and jolt. He begins with an assertion. He appeals to the concepts of 'belief' and 'faith'. He tells an anecdote as a testimony. Most of the times, he claims that the quoted anecdotes are part of his personal experience and an empirical observation. He ends there. He takes the next heading. He repeats the same game plan.

The whole tone of the narration is like ' a Papa Preaches that ....'.

Dr. Joseph Murphy Trust description:

The site of the Trust claims that he was an heir to James Allen, Dale Carnegie, Napolean Hill and Norman Vincent Peale. He is a precursor, the trust claims, to Tony Robbins Zig Ziglar and Earl Nightingale. The site claims that there was a 'human potential movement' and Dr. Joseph Murphy was one of the pioneer. They give it as an evidence that the title has crossed the one million sale record and still counting. Well, even I am one of the buyers of the digital format of the book.

A Self Help book for a particular society and times:

It is a self-help and self-improvement book meant for the people who lived in the sixties and seventies of the twentieth century in the USA. The author has talked about the subconscious mind. He attributed it with unlimited powers guaranteed by the unknown source (you may call it divine if you learn it on your own.). The technique to access the powers of subconscious is the prayer – a scientific prayer. According to the author, you must perform this 'ritual' before going to bed. With such a package, at his disposal, which he preaches, he has talked about becoming rich and solving martial problems. In the case of the chapter on Martial Problem, Dr. Murphy is just giving his personal views. There is enough evidence in his suggestions and narration that the person is experienced and far ahead in the field of psychic growth and probably spiritual attainments than anyone who reads his book. But, somewhere, while reading him, you suddenly feel that here he is just giving his views. He is not talking about the topic. He is abstaining from telling something openly.

Similarly, in chapter 15, the author declares that the greatest discovery of 19^th century apart from the development in the field of physical sciences was the discovery of "power of subconsciousness touched by faith". He has attributted this thesis to William James, the American Psychologist. The similar thing is more apparent in a succeding chapter. The last chapter titled, "How to Stay Young in Spirit Forever" is a politicla statement addressed to his contemporary times.

I just wished that I should have skipped this title. I did not read it continuously. There was no continuity. Even, in the case of developing this essay, which was surprising written continuously, it took much time to get typed. In between, I went through many more books. It has created a type of clutter of half begun books. I am returning back to W. W. Atkinson and other books.

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Attention: Advertisements: Kindly note, the book of W. W. Atkinson, the complete work is displayed. I am using this compilation. It is available on Kindle. It costs ₹48.30 only. The  book  by Dr. Joseph Murphy is also displayed.

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