The Genie in Your Genes: Epigenetic Medicine and the New Biology of Intention

Dawson Church's new book, "The Genie in Your Genes," is going to be a huge best-seller, changing for the better tens of thousands of lives. It's all in the book! It reads well. It's logical, intuitive and overwhelming. It is a triumph of deduction and reasoning, linking together science, genetics, behavior, moods, electromagnetic physiology, belief, consciousness, and how to use this knowledge to achieve peace, happiness and success. Dawson's logic and scientific command are relentless. And they beautifully extrapolate into an explanation of the effects of thought, attitude, emotions and their outcome. His book is a clear map to understanding a path to well-being. We may have genetically inescapable blue eyes, but we can voluntarily decide whether we are going to smile or frown with those eyes, and the consequences of that behavior will affect us and effect change. As an orthopedic surgeon schooled in anatomy and surgical approach and reconstruction, I cannot explain, for example, the 1000 year ancient "science" of accupuncture and the stimulation of healing energies. But I have seen its physical manifestations. My patients will occasionally ask if I will pray with them before an operation, and I readily do. And I also ask them to imagine themselves later, healed and happy, walking and doing what they would love to do. With success! Now Dawson Church has found a way to explain and quantify this experience. So Dawson Church has accomplished his own miracle, defining for everyone what is in ourselves and how we can harness it for our own and others greater good. Bravo! Pierce Scranton author, Death on the Learning Curve

First of all, if you are a newcomer to Dawson Church's writing, you need to know that his facts are unimpeachable - they were stringently peer-reviewed before publication. What is more, when Church makes categorical statements, he provides research to corroborate them. To quote Church (p212) "We usually look for miracles when we are in extreme peril. In a universe where the miraculous is available to us every day, where discontinuous positive change is always an option, and in which science has given us the understanding that genetic changes occur within seconds of changes in consciousness, it is high time we began looking for miracles as a first resort, not as a last resort." This is a staggering claim. But what is even more incredible is Church's backing up this statement with examples of up-to-date research. The author explains epigentic (DNA based) healing, then gives the everyday applications. It is mind-blowing to learn that a group of people could "unwind" (activate) a sample of DNA using only their thinking. More amazing is the fact that they could do this at a distance - half a mile away. The implications are thought-provoking to say the least. Dawson Church goes on to discuss "consciousness as medicine" and what he refers to as "routine miracles." And this discussion is simple, practical, and as always, impeccably referenced to research. Finally he describes the relevant use of energy psychology (specifically EFT) providing how-to notes in the appendices. This is a book that needs to be read more than once. For one thing, it is jam-packed with information. First-time read, it inspires. After that, the book becomes a first-class reference manual for "You, the ultimate epigenetic engineer" as Church puts it. I don't usually use superlatives in my reviews, but this book deserves them. It can prove life-changing for those who take it seriously.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (4/07) The first thought that came to mind after reading "The Genie in Your Genes," was the word "Inspiring." It seems like so much that I read today says that our genes determine everything. If this were true, it can be seen as a guarantee for cancer for people who have cancer in their families. It is refreshing to learn that in spite of my genes, I can still play a role in determining the outcome of my health. "The Genie in Your Genes," discusses a variety of ways in which we can use our special link between mind and body to maintain our health. It reminds us of the importance of maintaining our emotional health so that we can stay physically healthy. If stress and negative thoughts can have an effect on our health, then it makes sense that positive, "...tools of our consciousness-including our beliefs, prayers, thoughts, intentions, and faith - often correlate much more strongly with our health, longevity, and happiness then our genes do." I really like this idea, because it puts me in the driver's seat of determining my health. By using the techniques recommended from energy medicine and Energy Psychology, certain chronic health conditions, autoimmune conditions, and psychological traumas can be reversed. It is important to note that the author was very clear about certain health crises needing immediate medical attention. He does not recommend that you try to positively think your way out of appendicitis! Having a healthy lifestyle by doing things like exercising, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, abstaining from smoking and excess alcohol are also factors that can prolong our lives. Church discusses, to great length, the idea of healing coming from outside the control of the gene. This is referred to as epigenetics. He says that, "...invisible factors of consciousness and intention - such as our beliefs, feelings, prayers, and attitudes - play an important role in the epigenetic control of genes." "The Genie in Your Genes," is not a fast read. It is a book that covers a complex subject, yet it is written in a way that makes the topic clear to understand. It is well researched, well referenced and at the end is an appendix that gives you further information on how to find a practitioner and some exercises that you can do on your own. Church does not leave you hanging with the feeling that while this is a great topic, you will have no idea how to proceed. He tells you. I think that this book should be read by practitioners of medicine, alternative therapists, science students and people who have psychological stress or chronic health problems believed to be caused by genetic defaults. "The Genie in Your Genes" will open your eyes and give you hope that you can control your life.

Once in a great while, an expansive book traces the connections between seemingly disconnected fields of science to produce a brilliant new synthesis. This work, linking genetics, electromagnetism, medicine and social change, is a monumental feat of scholarship and imagination, and provides a fascinating glimpse of the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. It points the way to a radical leap in our understanding of healing--and indeed the nature of human beings.

This book anticipates an important trend in health care and self-development, and it articulates it beautifully, drawing from a broad range of developments to support its vision. Its tone is that of a science writer rather than a scientist, and I learned a great deal from its many clear, concrete examples. The book takes the reader on a quantum leap into cutting edge science and shows how medicine and health care will be transformed in the next decade. Dawson Church has mined the most revolutionary findings from diverse fields of science and practice and brilliantly synthesized them into a clearly-written manifesto for the enlightened care of the human body, mind, and community.