Most people first heard of Dr. Masaru Emoto in 2004 when the hit movie What The Bleep Do We Know? was released. In the documentary-style film, Dr. Emoto’s findings on the energy of thoughts are demonstrated.

His central premise put forward is that human beings can affect the shape and molecular structure of water just through conscious intention. He demonstrates this in two ways: first by showing images of water molecules from the Fujiwara Dam, before and after they have been blessed by a monk. He then shows the impact of labeling bottles of distilled water with thoughts. Some bottles feature positive thoughts, while others feature negative ones. He then freezes contents from each bottle and photographs them at sub zero temperatures using a high powered microscopic camera.

The resulting shape, color and structure of the water crystals shows marked variation. Water from bottles that were labeled with positive messages have intricate structures and shiny, diamond-like reflective qualities. Those that were labeled with negative thoughts have deformed, collapsed structures with black holes and yellow tinged edges.

The principle behind Dr. Emoto’s experiment is the same principle behind the design of Oopsie Daisie hospital gowns.  Labeling a sick patient with positive words or ideas empowers them but also encourages others to think and speak to the patient with those same empowering messages.  Even if you don’t believe the theory about the power behind words, Oopsie Daisies hospital gowns are warm, comfy, modest and fun.  Who can argue with that? 

This post was extracted from Dr. Masaru Emoto’s Water Molecule Experiments on You Tube.

High Hopes Hospital Gown

Michael Jordan Segal defied all odds after being shot in the head and recovering to become  a husband, father, social worker, freelance author and inspirational speaker.  In the following story, he offers a very personal perspective about the Fine Line between Hope and Hopelessness. 

Tears poured from her eyes as if there was no tomorrow, and in a sense, for her, there were no tomorrows. That was her reality. Her daughter was in the Shock Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU), having sustained a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as numerous other injuries. The 17-year-old patient, still in a coma, had been injured two months earlier and the mother had just been told, “You know, with this kind of injury, your daughter’s current condition might be the best she’ll ever be.”

The nurse who told the mother that night that terrible prognosis might have been 100% correct. But, no mother wants to hear words like that from a nurse. Mothers just want to hear, “Everything is going to be fine. Your daughter (or son) will one day be able to get married, go to school..One day this will merely be remembered as a terrible nightmare.”

 However, we all know that “bad things happen to good people,” and sometimes unfortunately, there is no “happy Hollywood movie ending.” No matter how hard the staff tries, people pass away at hospitals all the time.

 However, working in a hospital, I’ve seen first hand, patients who were given “absolutely no hope” to awaken from a coma, sometimes eventually “miraculously” improved. That is why I often tell people, “I love my job because I get to see ‘miracles’ happen all the time.”

 I guess one can say I have a unique perspective as I was one of those patients of whom the doctors said, “There is absolutely no hope.” I sustained a traumatic brain injury. However, as I said, I’ve seen many patients suffering from strokes, heart attacks, internal bleeding, who were all given “no hope” diagnoses, but survived and many went on to live productive fulfilling lives.

 Why do some patients with absolutely “no hope” diagnoses survive while others do not? I’m not sure whether there is a definite answer to that question. However, the statement made by the nurse to that mother keeps bothering me. Basically, I believe, that nurse was telling the mother not to have hope. (More altruistic people might say that the nurse was preparing the mother for the inevitable.)

 On the other hand, good friends often try to help by saying things like, “Mary is going to be just fine, or “Johnny will be well in plenty of time for his senior prom.” However, what happens if that, or anything else, does not go the way it is “supposed to”?

 I like to say, “Hope can be miraculous.” I always say, “I hope.,” as I believe that no human knows for sure the eventual outcome. Doctors know statistics. They know, for example, that there is a 98% chance or even a 99.999% chance of something happening. However, no human can say they know with 100% certainty that something will happen, because if one says that, that is when the “one in a million” will happen. It is like the election on TV. The news reporter says, “We predict that the next president will be____ with a 96% chance of certainty.” That means they are 96% sure of the winner; however they still leave a 4% possibility of the opponent winning. It happens. Just ask Harry Truman.

 Some staff at the hospital might say that a family is in “denial.” However, I believe that sometimes denial can be an effective coping skill. I am glad that my family, when I was hurt, “was in a constant state of denial.”

 I am not saying that the staff should tell families that “Everything is going to be okay.” No one can say that — just as no one can say the opposite. However, I believe that the staff should share a wide range of possible outcomes — from the worst to the best. When I do that, I always add as a postscript, “My hopes and prayers are with you and your son (or daughter).” Remember, hope can be miraculous. It was for me, as well as many other “hopeless patients.” Whether you are in the hospital room, a courtroom, or a board room; a person needs hope!

By the way: concerning the patient who I spoke about in the beginning of this story, I was fortunate enough to be invited to her high school graduation a few years after her accident and she recently completed a 5K walk for charity. Yes, sometimes hope can be, and is, miraculous!

October is breast cancer awareness month.  Time to remember all the women we’ve lost to this dreadful disease.  More importantly, let’s celebrate all those heroic women who have survived it!  If there is a Woman Hero in your life, take time to celebrate the victory.

In this interview, Dr. Mark Siegel describes how the mind-body connection can work wonders for your health.

“I’m not very big,” said the Little Blue Engine. “They use me only for switching trains in the yard. I have never been over the mountain.” “But we must get over the mountain before the children awake,” said all the dolls and the toys.

The very little engine looked up and saw the tears in the dolls’ eyes. And she thought of the good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain who would not have any toys or good food unless she helped.

Then she said, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” And she hitched herself to the little train.

She tugged and pulled and pulled and tugged and slowly, slowly, slowly they started off.
The toy clown jumped aboard the all the dolls and the toy animals began to smile and cheer.

Puff, puff, chug, chug, went the Little Blue Engine. “I think I can – I think I can – I think I can – I think I can-I think I can-I think I can- I think I can-I think I can.”

Up, up, up. Faster and faster and faster and faster the little engine climbed, until at last they reached the top of the mountain.

Excerpted from “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper

Next time you’re sending positive thoughts and prayers to someone in the hospital or dealing with a health crisis don’t forget the person who is holding vigil at their bedside.  Oopsie Daisies now offers a line of men’s and women’s t-shirts which recognize and support caregivers and loving parents like little Nathan’s. 

Do you know someone who is Powered by Love, a Warrior Soul or a Woman Hero?

So, imagine a child lying in the hospital being treated for a life threatening illness.  Every day doctors, nurses, aides, med techs, therapists, food service and maintenance personnel as well as family and friends see and /or interact with this child.  What thoughts pass through their minds as they look at this child?  Are their thoughts, whether good or bad, hopeful or pessimistic, conveying energy that will determine their future?  If that was my child or if I was the patient, I would be wearing a HUGE sandwich board sign that said “think only good thoughts around me!” 

This is where the designs for my hospital gowns and shirts originated.  What qualities does a person need to not only survive a health crisis, but to thrive?  My designs so far include courage, audacity (fearlessness, bravery), humor, perseverance, persistence, love, peace, strength & might, and a warrior & heroic spirit. 

Are there other qualities you would recommend for future designs?

¹ McTaggart, Lynne. “The Intention Experiment”, 2007. p. 35-40

 I’ve worked with people with a variety of physical, mental and emotional disabilities for most of my adult life, so I do my best to be aware of and respectful toward disabled people and treat them with dignity.    This video, however, shook me to my core.   While I have treated these very same people with human dignity, I’m not sure I have ever really thought that they were aware of everything going on around them.  I have been humbled and I thank Carly for that.  As Maya Angelou says, “When you know better, you do better.”  I promise to do better.

The Spontaneous Healing of Belief

Gregg Braden