PSYCHO-CYBERNETICS
Fred Crowell – Sept. 25 & 26, 2019 – Words of Hope
This past summer have you seen a helmsman steering a ship to port? If so, this could remind you that the Greek term “cybernetics” is used to describe “steering.” Psycho-Cybernetics says each human has an innate steering mechanism in his subconscious mind that must be set in motion by his conscious mind. If not, then one will meander throughout life, never reaching a life destination because of no defined purpose.
As a successful plastic surgeon, Dr. Maxwell Maltz in the middle 1900’s was perplexed why some patients could not recognize the new face he had given them. In spite of significant facial changes, what they saw instead was the original face. They were stuck!
Dr. Maltz realized self-image education was crucial for these patients to experience maximum satisfaction with the plastic surgery. He saw self-image as a mental blueprint. Succinctly, if this blueprint (being the self-image) could be changed, then the life could be transformed.
This discovery in human behavior led to the writing of Psycho-Cybernetics in 1960 by Dr. Maltz. Since humans are created to have goals (or destinations), the subconscious mind becomes the steering mechanism towards the goals. Without goals, the subconscious mind is directionless, or without hope.
This then reiterates that cybernetics (the steering) has complete control over an individual’s ability to achieve a goal. It requires much visualization and mental repetition. Several other authors have discussed self-image: Dr. Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning; Dr. William Glasser, Reality Therapy; Dr. M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled.
Dr. Maxwell Maltz states so clearly in his Psycho-Cybernetics book, “We must turn to the Bible to discover how to change the self-image.” This is because God is man’s creator. He also said our human brain is actually wired so that goals are required to have a healthy outlook in life.
This is amazing because God gives us desires, specifically for each of us, as we delight in Him. See Psalm 37:4. If we accept why He created us, and allow Him to direct these desires and goals, we will be fulfilled in following His will.
What we focus our minds on will have much to do with what kind of people we will be. God made us this way. Our minds do shape and form our character and can change our self-image. Thank God for giving us in the Bible how and what to think. This inner “core” so often determines our outward expression. See Psalm 103, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:6, Romans 12:2.
My favorite blueprint about thoughts occupying our mind is Philippians 4:8. It tells us what to think: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
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