I'm sort of in the same bind as you myself but I've decided to suspend disbelief and not let doubt interfere with my own PR process. By doing so, I've allowed many positive things to happen that might not if I'd spent time looking for more 'concrete' results.
Overanalyzing PR is pointless because PR is an experiential idea, not a mental one. It only makes sense when you do it. Doubting the process only hinders you; it's like trying to run and sit at the same time.
It feels like your analytical brain isn't in control. But that's the point. It's not supposed to be. And that's a good thing because the creative brain is where all the best ideas come from.
Give yourself a chance to grow into the system by suspending doubt and staying neutral to the process. Creative thought is nebulous and mysterious and you're ahead of the scientific curve as nobody really knows where creativity comes from yet. Until science catches up to mind research, you'll have to take it on faith and accept the results you get. And if the results are still not forthcoming, then redefine for yourself what you hope to get out of the system. PR is about choices and you have to choose which direction you want to go in.
By doing this, you're making different types of 'concrete' results using the system, and far from your subconscious mind controlling your analytical brain, you're increasing your own mental control as you make your conscious choices more precise and less vague, and use the whole brain in the decision making process to generate and organize your ideas.
