Doubters and skeptics are now among our biggest supporters
(Jose Silva wrote this in 1991)
Twenty- five years ago we went to Amarillo, Texas, to teach our Method to a group of artists. Back in those days, there were not many people who believed in our work.
Art teacher Dord Fitz believed, and so did the 95 artists who signed up for .our lectures.
Dr. N .E. West believed. He is the one who told Dord Fitz about us, after we went to Wayland Baptist College and spoke to Dr. West's psychology students.
Dr. J .W. Hahn believed. He was director of the Mind Science Foundation, and was open minded enough to believe that somebody outside of his organization could actually come up . with something.
Most other influential people didn't believe, 25 years ago.
Dr. J. B. Rhine didn't· believe. He had conducted research on E.S.P. at ' Duke University for decades. He didn't believe that a person without a doctorate – or even a college degree – could come up with anything important.
Most doctors didn't believe. They called us frauds.
Most educators didn't believe. They stuck to their guns, telling students to "study hard" but not telling them how, not telling them what to do with their minds in order to remember something, and to solve problems.
Most in the news media didn't believe. If we were lucky, they ignored us; otherwise they criticized us and called us frauds.
Most religious leaders didn't believe. They often acted as if they were the only ones who could say anything about the spiritual dimension. They often indicated that science had no business there.
Most business managers didn't believe. They continued to use their tools of manipulation and control, and a quarter of a century passed before they began to realize that they could get better results by becoming more sensitive to the needs of their employees and customers.
Most authors didn't believe. They wrote about many irrelevant things, and hawked their own beliefs.
But there were some people who believed.
The public believed. Many people agreed to look at what we had to offer. We always offered a money back guarantee if they didn't learn how to do everything we said they could.
And once the public believed, and learned that we were correct, and that we were telling the truth, then something interesting began to happen:
Some doctors began to believe, and encouraged their patients to learn how to use their minds to help heal the body.
Some educators began to believe, and learned how to teach students how to study, and how to learn.
Some writers began to believe, and started reporting on our work.
Some religious leaders began to believe, and began to teach their congregations how to pray more effectively.
Some business people began to believe, and their profits increased when they applied the Silva techniques.
Some scientists began to believe, and are demonstrating in their laboratories that there is more to reality than what you can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.
Twenty-five years ago we stood virtually alone. We had Dr. Hahn, Dr. West, Dord Fitz, and a few other loyal supporters.
Today we stand proudly with millions of people who have learned how to change their lives for the better with the Method we authored here in Laredo.
We stand with believers from 88 countries, speaking 21 languages.
They come from all fields.
There is a whole field of medicine called psychoneuroimmunology that continues the research we started in 1944.
Conferences are now held for business people to learn how to use intuition in business.
A ten year scientific research project at the New College of Engineering in New Jersey proved that the most successful business people have the best intuition.
Many books today are written about the mind and human potential.
John Mihalasky wrote about the Newark College of Engineering project in the book Executive ESP.
Dr. 0. Carl Simonton detailed his work with cancer patients, who program their own recovery, in his book Getting Well Again.
Shakti Gawain details the power of visualization in her book Creative Visualization.
Cleve Backster's exciting research into primary perceptive capability in plants is detailed in Dr. Robert Stone's book The Secret Life of Your Cells.
Publishers are seeking us out for more books all the time. We have already written books on the ways that business managers can use more of their minds, and on health and healing, co-authored with Dr. Stone.
Our newest book, due out in January, is Sales Power, the Silva Mind Method for Sales Professionals, co-authored with our Newsletter editor Ed Bernd Jr. The Putnam Berkley Group is publishing the book, and Harper Audio the audio cassette.
We have come a long way in 25 years. We'd like to share our joy with you, the people who believed, who made it happen, at our Silva/ Silver Anniversary Convention in Laredo in August.
We begin with a welcome party on Friday evening, Aug. 9, and continue with the Convention all day on Saturday Aug. 10 and Sunday Aug. 11, which happens to be my 77th birthday.
You can join a lot of other believers at the Convention. The Holiday Inn, Convention headquarters, is already filled up with those who have pre-registered.
Please send your registration to Ruth Silva at our office as soon as possible, while rooms are still available at other top quality hotels.
We have outstanding Silva lecturers, graduates, researchers, authors and others from all over the world already registered for the Convention.
At this Convention, we will review the Silva Legacy, and how you can benefit even more from the Method.
In my closing comments Sunday afternoon, I will give you a sneak preview of what we foresee for the future of the Silva training, our planet, and humanity.
Come celebrate this special milestone with us.