Discover What Filmmaker Austin Vickers Learned While Making People v. The State of Illusion

August 23, 2011 By

Watch this video interview clip of filmmaker Austin Vickers explaining what he learned while making the docudrama, “People v. The State of Illusion.”

AUSTIN VICKERS: You really learn some amazing things.  During the filming of the movie, ‘People v. The State of Illusion’, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Robert Jahn, who was the founder of the laboratory at Princeton University called Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR).

And Dr. Jahn was initially commissioned by the US Government to help put men on the moon.  He was really responsible for many of the discoveries in jet propulsion, and one of the things that they wanted to know at the time that they were developing this technology is what effect, if any, would the astronaut’s intentions or perceptions actually have on the high sensitive equipment that was being put in these rocket ships.

So Dr. Jahn started a laboratory at Princeton called ‘PEAR’ that was designed to test whether or not people could have an effect from their thoughts and perceptions alone on inanimate objects like computers and machines, and he conducted experiments designed to see if people could in fact affect the outcome of the random movements of these computers or equipments, and after a 25-year period of time Dr. Jahn ended up closing the laboratory because they established beyond a scientific doubt that in fact people’s intentions and perceptions could affect inanimate objects like computers.

But during our interviews, one of the interesting things that Dr. Jahn talked about was how when they first put somebody into conductor test and see whether they could influence a computer flipping out random coin or another experiment like that, they found that the impact that the person had on the machine was super profound, and he told me that if they could have reported just those initial results, it really would have blown away the entire scientific world.

But he said they observed an interesting phenomenon – on the second time that the person came into conducting experiment, they had almost no effect on the machines, and then on the third thru the 20th trial they would have an effect greater than statistically insignificant, in other words, they had an effect greater than chance, but never an effect as great as the first time they came in or as bad as the second time they came in to conduct the trial.

I asked Dr. Jahn the question, “Why do you think that is?”  And he said, “An interesting thing…Is when people came in the first time it was almost as if they had no idea and no process to control.  They came in completely open-minded and the machines would respond to their intentions and the experiment brilliantly, but then the second time they came in, people would try to harness their “power” and control the outcome and it’s as if the machines knew that and all of a sudden shut off being sensitive to the intentions of the test subjects”.

“And then of course by the third thru the 20th trial people would come in and they’d never be as open-minded as the first time but they would certainly be humbled by the outcome of the second experiment and so they would have an effect but never as significant as that of first instance”.

So as we discussed this phenomenon what we really realized and what certainly Dr. Jahn has realized for some time is that when we try to control this creative power we run into trouble and I think the secret is actually to dance with it, to really pay attention through awareness and almost a listening to that voice of innovation, that voice of creativity within us, and then our job is to align our actions and our thoughts with that innovation but it comes from a deep source within us and the more that we can become in alignment with it, the more we can dance with it, not trying to control it but simply aligning our actions with it, the more powerful we become and the more that innovation and creativity takes us to places we could never have imagined we would be.

ABOUT AUSTIN VICKERS:

After graduating from law school with honors, Austin went to work as a trial lawyer for one of the largest law firms in the world. After several years of trial practice, Austin left to work for a prominent American Fortune 100 company, where he ultimately served as General Counsel of one of their European divisions and as a senior business executive. In September 2000, Austin resigned his position at the top of his legal/business career to pursue full-time his passion for changing people’s lives. Since then, he founded the Human Process Mastery Institute, a Fortune 500 leadership training institute. Austin is the writer and producer of “People v. The State of Illusion”, a docudrama based on his work and the science and power of perception and imagination that will be released in the fall of 2011. He is also the founder of The Stepping Up Foundation, a non-profit organization helping people and organizations in need. He is the author of the personal leadership book and program “Stepping Up: to a Life of Vision, Passion and Authentic Power” and is a professional speaker who has educated and entertained audiences from some of America’s leading corporations, including Intel, Wells Fargo, Colgate Palmolive, Merial, Veolia Transport, and 3M.

Austin is a public speaker who provides individual and corporate leadership training, personal development, executive leadership sessions plus leadership and management workshops.
On a personal note, He’s an avid reader, an aspiring musician, is passionate about physical health and the practice of yoga, and as a certified yoga instructor and spin instructor teaches weekly classes in both.

ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY:

Exalt Films, and Movies From The Heart, are proud to present “People v. The State of Illusion,” a film by Austin Vickers.  This feature length documentary/drama, directed by award winning Director Scott Cervine, is set in the notorious “Old Main Prison” of the New Mexico State Penitentiary, and tells the story of Aaron Roberts, a single father who loses his daughter to a state facility after he is arrested and tried on charges following an incident.  While in the state home, an attorney learns of her plight and the story of her father, and decides to represent her in an innovative and surprising case against the State. “People v. The State of Illusion”, features, Dr. Robert G. Jahn, Joe Dispenza, D.C., Brenda J. Dunne, Debbie Ford, Thomas Moore, Dr. Candace Pert, Dr. Peter Senge & Dr. Michael Vandermark.

If you enjoy good documentaries like, “What The Bleep Do We Know”, “The Secret” and other psychological movies, make sure to see, “People v. The State of Illusion” in theaters.

Filed Under: People v The State of Illusion

Addiction Recovery Secrets, How To Stop Addiction Craving Cycles

August 22, 2011 By

Watch this video of Austin Vickers explaining how to break free from the prison of addiction.

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AUSTIN VICKERS: The first thing we have to understand is that the prison walls of addiction are usually self-created.  The addict engages in alcohol, abuse, or drug addiction, not because they think they are whole or because they don’t think they are whole.  There’s some part of themselves that they are judging or feeling very bad about and they use drugs or alcohol as a way of escaping those thoughts about themselves.

So if we’d look at the drug addict that’s having a problem, we are in fact reiterating the very idea that the drug addict or alcoholic has in the first place, that helps to create that drug addiction or the alcohol addiction.  What we really need to do is help the drug addict or alcoholic form a different perception of themselves, one that asks the question, “Why is their drug addiction good?  What is the value of that addiction?  And what values does alcoholism or drug addiction bring to their lives?”

That might seem like a very odd question, but once the drug addict or alcoholic starts to look at themselves as whole, as perhaps having a motivation for that drug addiction that’s actually good, then they can begin to see themselves in a holistic way, and that starts the healing process to happen.  That starts to begin to pull in emotion, the very idea that will be necessary for them to turn to other behaviors rather than drugs or alcohol to fill their lives.

So let’s begin to change our thinking about drug addiction and alcoholism and other behaviors that on their surface appear to be bad, and in fact focus on the underlying values that those addictions and problems bring to people’s lives, like presence.  When the alcoholic is drunk or the drug addict is high, we know they are very present.  They are not thinking about the future, not thinking about the past.  They are simply in the moment being aware of all of their senses.

Well presence is something that we can develop in many aspects of our lives through other behaviors, like meditation or sports or hobbies, and as long as the person begins to understand that there are ways to develop presence in their lives, they will no longer need drugs or alcohol to help create that presence or any of the other values that these addictions bring, and then, of course, they will be free to escape the prisons of those addictions.

 ABOUT AUSTIN VICKERS: For the last decade, Austin Vickers, an executive leadership training expert, has been educating audiences across America on the topics of emotional intelligence, human process, self-awareness, creativity and imagination.  As a public speaker, his keynotes and leadership training programs have been delivered to some of the world’s leading corporations and executives.  As a writer, his personal leadership program Stepping Up To A Life Of Vision, Passion And Authentic Power and his online video coaching series have helped make dramatic changes in people’s lives.  And now, as the writer and producer of the compelling new docudrama People v. The State of Illusion, Austin introduces the science and power of perception and imagination and is supporting this powerful movie through his new live training programs, Human Process Mastery, and The Trial.  We welcome and invite you to participate as a leader in the transformation of yourself and others.

Austin is a public speaker who provides leadership training, personal development, executive leadership sessions, corporate leadership training, plus leadership and management workshops.

On a personal note, Austin is an avid reader, an aspiring musician, and is passionate about physical health and the practice of yoga, and as a certified yoga instructor and spin instructor teaches weekly classes in both.

 

ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY: Exalt Films, and Movies From The Heart, are proud to present ”People v. The State of Illusion,” a film by Austin Vickers.  This feature length documentary/drama, directed by award winning Director Scott Cervine, is set in the notorious “Old Main Prison” of the New Mexico State Penitentiary, and tells the story of Aaron Roberts, a single father who loses his daughter to a state facility after he is arrested and tried on charges following an incident.  While in the state home, an attorney learns of her plight and the story of her father, and decides to represent her in an innovative and surprising case against the State.  ”People v. The State of Illusion, features, Dr. Robert G. Jahn, Joe Dispenza, D.C., Brenda J. Dunne, Debbie Ford, Thomas Moore, Dr. Candace Pert, Dr. Peter Senge & Dr. Michael Vandermark.

If you enjoy good documentaries like What The Bleep Do We Know, The Secret and other psychological movies, make sure to see, ”People v. The State of Illusion“.

Filed Under: People v The State of Illusion, Personal Leadership

Movie Tickets Now Available

August 19, 2011 By
I’m happy to report that movie tickets have now gone on sale – you can get them by visiting Harkins Theaters.  I will be doing a Q&A after the 7pm showing on both Friday and Saturday night of the opening weekend.  So make sure to get your movie tickets and be there!  Promises to be a special evening.

Okay on to the topic of this blog . . . as many of you know for the last 10 years I have been doing Leadership Training with some of America’s top corporations – companies like Intel, Wells Fargo, 3M, and others.  And I talk to them about such things as emotional intelligence, quantum physics, psychology, and self-awareness.  When training executives from these companies, I have noticed that it is not difficult to spot natural leaders.  They are far and few between, but the one thing they always have in common is a great sense of attitude – they understand the important of the “how” of what they do, and not just the “what.”  People who are good managers or followers focus almost exclusively on the getting the job done.  For them execution is paramount.  But great leaders pay close attention to the “how” of goal accomplishment.  They care equally, if not more, about attitude, creativity, and the role of imagination, and often their efforts are focused on cultivating a work environment that is challenging, fun, and creative.  It is important for all of us to remember that attitude plays such a key role in altering our experience in life.  For life is like a rose.  With its gift, you receive not only its precious petals, but also its thorns.  If your attention is given to the thorns, then the gift is likely to become an experience of pain. However, if your attention is given to the petals, then the gift will likely become an experience of joy and beauty.  So the question I always ask, and you should ask yourself, is what part of life is receiving your attention?

Filed Under: People v The State of Illusion Tagged With: , , , ,