The Hidden Messages in Water
by Masaru Emoto
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Book Summary Information
Author: Masaru EmotoTranslator: David A. Thayne
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-09-20
ISBN: 0743289803
Number of pages: 159
Publisher: Atria Books
Accessories:
- The Miracle of Water
- The True Power of Water: Healing and Discovering Ourselves
- Water Crystal Healing: Music and Images to Restore Your Well-Being
Book Reviews of The Hidden Messages in Water
Book Review: _Hidden Messages_ does not hold water
Summary: 2 Stars
Well, the photos are pretty. Cool idea but, as a Ph.D, I am appalled at the research methods. As a spiritual person, I appreciate what he has to say. Much more below:
My contention with this book is that the research is so clinically unsound, unscientific, and haphazardly rendered that it can bear no weight at all. Also, this seems to be a spiritual book looking for a mystifying way to support the author's points of view about conscious life, while showing some pretty photos garnered from water crystals as evidence. I have Ph.D. and I don't buy it -- pun intended. (Actually, the book was a gift :)
Faulty, unsupportable, unsound, unscientific, and extremnely simplistic research experiments. In one type of experiment, the author writes a word on a piece of paper and tape it to a glass of water -- word facing water -- then wait and observe the crystal formations of the water. He takes photos and concludes that the water is responding directly to the word (and not to him, not to anything else that might be in the environment.
However, there is no proof for the "messages from water" theory provided in this book -- he concludes that water creates certain "peaceful" and "beautiful" crystal patterns for positive words, emotions, and icky ones for negative words, emotions. Furthermore, the experiments did not account for the subjectivity of his own culturally-informed value judgments regarding what is considered positive/negative.
For instance, same example: the water's so-called response to the word -- it could be caused by any number of things, including arbitrariness. Say you go with his theory that water has messages for us, which I believe is not proven by his research, which is not to say it can't be "proven" or that water doesn't contain messages, but this is to say that he fails to consider so many other factors and influences such as:
Is the water responding to the experimenter who taped up the word? Is there a difference in crystal depending on the water source? Real science would have incorporated variables, and multiple multiple repetitions. Variables were not used such as different kinds of paper, different shapes, shades, sizes of paper, different writing/typing styles and sizes, different languages, different kinds of tape, different glasses with the same word. Instead, the author simply accepts as objectively given his own interpretation of water crystals as a true spiritual message.
Further, there is no idication of how many times he repeated the same word experiment? Because without repeat experimentations in a controlled environment, nothing is anywhere near proven. In the book it seems like each experiment is a one-time event and the parts about the crystal experiments read like arbitrary trials -- "hey, let's see how water responds to this word. Okay, now let's try another word. Wow, look at that." This doesn't prove anything. But the photos are beautiful. I'll give him that big time.
The author also fails to acknowledge quantum physics long-accepted breakthrough that an expermenter's own involvement with and presence during research effects the results of the research study? Suppose the water is responding to the researcher himself. Or some other factor. What is the margin of error for these so-called studies? I'd say huge, but the author never bothered to try to figure it out. Instead, we get a "beautiful" little "profound" spiritual book which is *really* about the message of the author, which actually may interest readers, because the message is inspirational and lovely and will make you feel good. (Unless you are is irritated as I am about his faulty water experiments held up as proof.)
The random pairing of water's messages and the author's message, while an innovative approach to draw seekers in and introduce them to his spiritual beliefs/philosophy is a dubious combination. I have no problem with his beliefs, but his attempt to "illustrate" them and concretize them with non-scientifically produced evidence is highly suspect. He has A LOT to say about contemporary issues and the spiritual state of the soul and consciousness, and I think his words would hold more water if he just wrote *that* book, instead of looking for proof for his beliefs in water crystals. His writing and thinking are very clear and his theory of life (not of water crystals) is beautiful and inspiring and mindful. but the two don't go together -- he is forcing them together. The theory is beautiful and fascinating (about the water crystals,) and would be moreso if it were true. But he provides no leaky evidence.
Yes, the water crystals are a lovely additionto the book (I guess they are suposed to be the subject of the book, but his spiritual philosophy is the subject -- they just agument, except that they don't. The experiments he did with water are fascinating. They just provide no evidence of anything other than that water forms hundreds (or more?) of kinds of crystals. But hey -- so do snowflakes. (I have no idea what the estimate is for how many different patterns snowflakes make.) But does this mean snowflakes are talking to us? Are their messages in snow?
This book will appeal to hopeful soulful people, and also uninformed, non-thinking people who will believe just about anything if novel enough -- if it is in a published book format, with photo documenation ("evidence.) It seems to be a "feel-good" book aimed at people who do not think too much and who want to be mystified by the universe.
But on a positive note, the author is a fantastic and innovative photographer, so the photographs are really cool -- an exhibit would be worthwhile. Perhaps the novelty of the chance process of how the crystals formed before the photographs were taken (which words, artworks, music) will appeal even more, due to the unusual circumstances under which these photographs came about. It would make for a great post-modern photo art exhibition and he has exhibited.
Conclusion: Phoney science; no statistics, no margin of error, no variables, no controlled environment for doing the water experiments, no accounting for the subjectivity of the author and his expectations of what he will discover -- for these surely influence what he discovers. As I said, he uses the crystals to prove his theory, but they don't hold up as objective messages separate and uninfluenced by the author himself. Representation is misleading. (In one case water provided a diffent "message" than expected, but the authors found a way to account for this difference in a way that that fit it back into their theory.)
There are SO MANY factors that could be going on in creating the water crystals and the only factor the author/photographer provide is that water has a message for us and that message is readible, and predictable, by them, through its crystals. I think MUCH more research would need to be done -- scientifically controlled with variables and so forth -- in order for his water to support his theory.
On another note, this is a spiritual book and it is interesting and in line with contemporary spiritual, consciousness, intelligent universe beliefs. He is an excellent writer and there are *certainly* "grains of truth" and "nuggests" that the reader can appreciate.
Well, drink 6-8 cups of water a day and think happy thoughts. This will produce positivity in your life and the optimism model and the water requirement ARE proven with excellent socio/scientific evidence.
Two stars to give him credit for trying. He really is intelligent, and his photos are lovely
Summary of The Hidden Messages in Water
This book has the potential to profoundly transform your world view. Using high-speed photography, Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health.Gaia Books
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