The Biology of Belief: We Are Not the Victims of Our Genes

By Laurie Nadel, Ph.D.
Host of The Sixth Sense Radio Show

Microbiologist Dr. Bruce Lipton discusses the current evolutionary crisis and his breakthrough research on the mind/matter interface with Dr. Laurie Nadel, host of The Sixth Sense on www.webtalkradio.net This article is excerpted from that interview.

Q: You refer to a crisis in evolution. What is that?

A: We find ourselves today in the midst of a vast evolutionary leap. What makes it especially interesting is that we do not see it.

We do see are many little crises affecting the world. But many of us fail to recognize that these crises foretell an impending change that will have a great impact on human civilization. As a molecular biologist, I perceive recurring patterns in these crises that point to a collective crisis in evolution. In order to evolve biologically as a species that is capable of surviving the many dangers ahead, our genes must evolve, as well.

Q: How does this affect us as individuals?

A: The 19th century reductionist model of science states that the world is made out of physical matter. Therefore, everything that exists can be reduced to smaller components of matter. But new scientific discoveries in physics and biology refute that premise. In truth, our beliefs and thoughts affect physical matter.

Q: Does that mean our thoughts and beliefs affect our genes?

A: The new biology provides evidence that each of us is a community of some 50 trillion cells wired up to communicate with each other through electromagnetic signals. These signals come from the environment, both internal and external. Our internal environment includes the DNA code for consciousness, conscience, and compassion—our spiritual genes. As we develop ideas and actions that give these genes expression, not only do we begin to thrive as individuals. We also get an unparalleled opportunity to contribute to our collective evolution as a species.

Q: What is the first step?

A: Understanding how your thoughts and actions influence your genes provides you with an unparalleled opportunity to find true happiness as an individual while you simultaneously assist the evolution of our species. To do this, you must relinquish old assumptions about mind and matter.

First and foremost: You and I are not victims of our genes.

Q: Aren’t genes something over which we have no control?

A: In the past 20 years or so, scientists have begun to discover how perception of environmental information is translated into biology that controls our genetic behavior. That perception serves as the interface between environment and biology. Scientists call this field of research “epigenetics.”

The important work that comes from epigenetics is understanding how these perceptions actually interface with science. Then, from a practical perspective, we can explore is how we got these perceptions and how we can change them to create true happiness for ourselves and others.

If our perceptions are accurate, then our biology should be in harmony with the world. But in such cases which we would call misperceptions about life, such misperceptions will mis-program the genes, leading to primary illnesses and other difficulties.

Conversely, as our perceptions of life shift, so does our genetic expression. By our consciousness, we can create anything from sublime health to disease. We are no longer victims to forces outside of ourselves. Nor do we blame such external forces for characteristics and attitudes that we ourselves can change. As our thinking and behavior evolves to meet the challenge of taking responsibility for what goes on inside our heads, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the spiritual characteristics that were imprinted in our genetic code.

Q: As any fan of CSI knows by now, by thy DNA code, thou shall be identified. Isn’t that true?

A: Your “genes” do much more than provide a biological fingerprint.
Imagine that you are at a building supply store like The Home Depot.

There is a plumbing section with all the different kinds of pipes, and valves, and faucet. Then there’s an electrical section with all the wires, and switches, and plugs. Each gene represents something different that you need to build a house. For example, there are switches, pipes and plumbing genes, etc. Genes provide the building material from which you you’re your construction. But remember: The parts do not determine what’s going to happen. It’s the contractor who creates a plan and then uses the parts to manifest that plan.

Q: Who is the contractor?

A: The mind is the contractor! That is why the mind is so powerful in influencing our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Q: Can you please provide an example?

A: For example, the placebo effect is estimated to account for two-thirds of all the healing in medicine. What does that represent? It represents that the mind, as a contractor, has a belief about the consequence of a cure or a surgery. That belief, which is in the mind’s perception, adjusted genetics to manifest the resolution.
If the doctor says, “Oh, this is going to be a simple procedure, and you’re going to recover beautifully!” Hearing that belief sets the mind’s contractor into already creating that final resolution by adjusting the cells in the biology. So, a sugar pill, when told that it has such profound effect, goes into that person’s contractor mind. The mind says, “Oh, I can already imagine the outcome. I’m going to be well!” So the patient take the sugar pill but the effect comes from the perception of the mind.

The concept of visualizing a healing that’s for sure going to happen is actually the equivalent of a contractor first drawing up the blueprints of what would that healing look like; second, going into the parts department, the genetics; third, selecting the genetics and cell responses to create the image of the desired result. Thus, the mind is continually shaping biology!

Q: Does negative thinking work like that?

A: You might think, “I already know what the placebo effect represents.” But did you know there is something called the no-cebo effect?
Not-positive thinking also affects biology with the same power that the placebo effect has. Regardless of whether a thought is positive or negative, thoughts control biology. Your thoughts. Your biology. Your genes.

Q: How did you discover this?
A
: As a research scientist, when I first became aware of this intellectually, I had one of those “aha’s!” The mechanism of the mind crosses the cell membrane, which is the brain of the cell. The cell membrane controls the cell’s genetics and behavior. Was I surprised! It was a great moment of heresy, comparable to the flash of knowing that Copernicus had when he understood the earth revolves around the sun, rather than vice-versa.

As a young man, I went into science to avoid all that metaphysical and spiritual stuff, which I didn’t believe in. I believed that people are victims of their biology. Life can be understood through the chemistry, and the genes. I expected to find a way to put it all together in some mechanism that would help me understand it all . There in the lab, after studying cells under the microscope for ten years, I get down to the nitty gritty of this mechanism and how it works. I could see that the cell is a programmable chip, in a sense. The genes are like the hard drive.

Conventional biology says that it’s our read-only memory, meaning whatever the program is, that’s what happens. But when that flash of insight came to me, I understood that each cell has a read-write memory. This means that you can rewrite and change the memory of the gene sets you have.


Q: What does this have to do with evolution?

A: Each cell is a miniature human. It has a brain, digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems. It has the ability to transmit and receive communication. Some 50 trillion cells make up the human body. Humans can be seen as cells in something larger called humanity. The evolution that we’re facing right now is not the evolution of the human as an individual living organism. It is the evolution of the community of humans. As a species, we are beginning to shed our old beliefs about limitations and replacing them with conscious thinking and behavior.

Psychologists have revealed that 70% or more of that thinking is negative and redundant. But that is changing. The evolution that we’re going through right now is an evolution of awareness. As our awareness of how mind affects biology grows, our beliefs and potential expand. And voila! The actions and experiences in the world around us change, as well.

Q: So we are not victims of our genes?

A: This is the hard part. All of a sudden, you recognize that you have the power to change this. Actually we have the power to change it. Plus, we have a responsibility to use that power. Not only are we not victims of our biology. We are personally responsible. And when we can learn how to programming our biology, our old model of reality changes. We are not victims of our genes. As a species, humans have the potential to go from victim to master.

Q: Psychologists say that 70% of all thoughts are negative. What can I do about that?

A: The new biology recognizes that the thought in the mind is converted into neurochemistry that controls the biology. But, oh, my goodness, just listen to the mind for a few minutes. Could. Should. Always. Never. Everyone. Deletions, distortions, and generalizations abound. With so many negative thoughts, of course, life is a struggle. You have already put the hurdle in front of you even before you got there.

After that flash of knowing in the lab, I started to do what people might refer to as Buddhist mindfulness. That means just be present. Every time one of those negative thoughts would come up and here, I’d notice it. I would say, “No, cancel that. Rewrite it in a positive present tense.” I began reprogram my personal self.

Q: Are you talking about the conscious mind or the unconscious (subconscious) mind?

A: Everyday thinking is habitual. What we are playing in your subconscious mind are programs that we acquired in our development, primarily before five years of age. Some were being programmed into the subconscious mind even while we were in the fetal stage of development. Fundamental programs were downloaded them from other people, unconsciously. That means without knowing what we were doing.

Scientists recognize that 95% of our conscious activity is actually being driven by the subconscious mind where these programs we downloaded from other people reside. This is the creator of conflict in our lives because subconscious mind and a conscious mind. Freud’s metaphor for the mind is an iceberg. The conscious mind is like the tip of the iceberg. The majority of the mind, like the majority of the iceberg, is hidden from awareness. It is below (sub) our level of attention (conscious).

There is a profound difference between the two. The conscious mind is your identity, your spiritual connection, yourself. It says, “This is me. I have a name and I know what I should do.” The conscious mind has your desires, your wishes, your aspirations. It says, “This is what I want in my life.” For example, “I’m going out there looking for help.” Or, “ I’m going out there looking for a relationship. “ The parameters of whatever you seek are in the conscious mind.

The sub-conscious mind contains all the history files, library books, and programs. Everything that we experience is there. The subconscious mind works like a tape recorder. It records the behavior. When you, someone else, or something in the environment pushes the button, the subconscious mind automatically plays the behavior without you thinking about it.

Ninety-five percent of our life is driven by the subconscious mind. While our conscious mind thinks that our desires and wishes are controlling the direction of our life, neuroscience says, “No!” The programs that are in your subconscious mind control the direction of your life. But when you pay attention, you find out something along the lines of, “Oh my God! The fundamental programs in my subconscious mind came from other people.”

Q: What’s the message here?

A: It’s time for new thinking. There are two outcomes: We succeed and go on – or we become extinct.

To survive as a species, we must what role we play in the environment, with each other, and the with the nature of humanity as a living organism.

We need to change our thinking patterns from competitive to cooperative. We need to choose new beliefs that empower our spiritual nature. We need to free ourselves up to enjoy what happens as a result.

In other words, reprogram your thoughts. Learn what makes you truly happy—and make it so. Your genes and your species will thank you.