Silva Mind Control, subsequently marketed as the Silva Method, comprises a self-help system that purportedly shapes beliefs to further personal success.

The technique involves reaching, and sustaining, a higher state of mental functioning called Alpha state where brainwaves are at a frequency of 5 to 13 Hz and on the right side of the brain. It also uses visualizations, affirmations, etc. Advocates claimed healing, better attainment of goals, E.S.P., cure from addictions, etc.

The method dates from the 1960s early work of José Silva (1914-1999), and features some unorthodox views on brain sub-division and function and their relationships with a "higher consciousness".

Silva Mind Control is one of a number of claimed therapeutic techniques that are sometimes grouped under the name Human potential movement.

Effective Sensory Projection

As part of the method, José Silva, founder of the Silva Mind Control Method, developed a system that trained people to enter certain brain states where awareness is greatly enhanced. He developed several systematic mental processes (called programming) that could be used while in these states of enhanced awareness to allow a person to mentally project with a specific intent, for solving problems. Once the mind has been projected a person can view distant objects or locations and connect with higher intelligence for guidance. The information received by the projected mind can then be perceived as thoughts, images, feelings, smells, taste and sound by the mind. The information that is obtained in this manner can be acted upon to solve problems.

Dr. J.B. Rhine, long-time parapsychology researcher at Duke University, coined the term: Extra-sensory Perception. He thought that the psychic senses were an "extra" sense that only a few very special people had. He didn't realize that everybody has them, but that only 10 percent of humanity develops the ability, through natural means, to use these senses.

Jose Silva started studying psychology, hypnosis and parapsychology in 1944. In 1953 he trained his daughter to be a psychic. He introduced psychic training to Dr. Rhine with his daughter as proof. However, Dr. Rhine's response was that his daughter was one of the "naturals," and he just hadn't noticed it before. Mr. Silva began working with another subject. This time, he tested his subject first to be sure he was not functioning as a psychic. Over the next ten years, Silva trained 39 more subjects to be psychics.

Success with his daughter and others convinced Jose that everyone has this ability and can be taught to develop it, and that it is not an "extra" sense at all. In fact, it is a "prior" sense. Everything happens first in the mind, he reasoned, then happens in the body. You decide (mentally) to pick up a glass of water and drink then, then you do it physically. Another successful discovery was remote viewing. Rathering than passively sitting and waiting for impressions to be perceived, persons can project themselves mentally and "remotely view" what is going on. Mr. Silva modified the phrase to: Effective Sensory Projection. Mr. Silva kept the same initials, ESP, but the revised meaning indicates that it is a much more dynamic activity, one that everyone can learn to do effectively.

See also

• Visualization
• Autosuggestion

External links

• The Skeptic's Dictionary, Silva (http://www.skepdic.com/silva.html)
• Biography and Research (http://www.jose-silva.net/)
• Seminars (http://www.silvaultramindsystem.com/)