A bit too brief for me, 23 Jul 2008
I read the book in about half an hour, the first few pages were relevant and interesting, but the rest of the book, read like a list. In chart format, a whole bunch of diseases were listed, next to each was a comment on what may have lead to each condition. A positive affirmation was given for each listing.

I think the intention of the book, is for the reader to identify his/her condition and then regularly repeat the positive affirmation associated with it. We need to believe, the repeated use of the positive affirmation may help to reverse the disease process. All a little to brief for me, as I was expecting a little more insight on how to deal with each condition.

Not sure what all the hype was about in the other reviews. Not to be too negative, I will try the affirmation associated with my condition, if it works.. I will rewrite the review and definately give it a five.

Prepare to be amazed, 24 Apr 2008
I bought this after my therapist looked up teeth due to some continuous problems I was having, I totally related to what Louise said was causing this. It has just about every illness or ailment known to us. It was suggested that I mark each ailment I had suffered from and see if there was an obvious link - it wasnt just obvious, it shouted at me!. If you keep suffering from an ailment just look it up, it will have a much deeper meaning which could be something that you need to address to move on ( a meditation is then given to help you do this). It works on an emotional and physical level. A must have book for every one interested in self healing and helping others.

Taking personal responsbility, 01 Aug 2007
No matter how many other books on the subject I read, no matter how many other workshos I attend I find myself returning to this 'little blue book' time and time again.

If you want to explore the physical reasons behind a problem/illness then of course see the DR. If you want to explore the emotional reasons behind the problem/illness then see Louise Hay.

I may sometimes deny that she's right but only because it's not alwasy easy to accept she's right about the beliefs I really have about something and accept that I don't already believe the antidote Louise provides by way of wonderful affirmations. Because of course I already feel I flow with and trust life and love and accept myself. This book is a useful reminder when I have a ache or pain that I'm not doing these things.

A book for every household I say.

EnJOY

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, 25 May 2007
This is Louise's original 'Little Blue Book' which lists almost every ailment known to man (and woman!) and provides a guide to where in our thoughts, these ailments and dis-eases may have come from, along with an affirmation designed to help begin the healing process.

As a Reiki Master, I find it an invaluable resource for finding out more about a client's problems and suggesting alternative ways for them to help heal themselves.

Not just for healers, this is one of those books that should be on everybody's bookshelf.

Healing for today, 09 Mar 2007
I am getting well into these sorts of books, all thanks to having read a cosmic ordering book by Stephen Richards. I never knew such a world existed and here it is. This book is not a replacement for a doctor, but great for those nagging things doctors put down to wear and tear, etc which is just an excuse because they haven't a clue. This book is written by someone who knows what they are doing, and that is half the battle, great stuff.

Healing Back Pain promises permanent elimination of back pain without drugs, surgery or exercise. It should have been titled Understanding TMS Pain, because it discusses one particular cause of back pain---Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS)--and isn't really a program for self-treatment, with only five pages of action plan (and many more pages telling why conventional methods don't work). According to John E. Sarno, M.D., TMS is the major cause of pain in the back, neck, shoulders, buttocks and limbs--and it is caused not by structural abnormalities but by the mind's effort to repress emotions. He's not saying that your pain is all in your head; rather, that the battle going on in your mind results in a real physical disorder, which may affect muscles, nerves, tendons or ligaments. An injury may have triggered the disorder, but is not the cause of the amount or intensity of the resulting pain. According to Sarno, the mind tricks you into not facing repressed emotion by making you focus on pain in the body. When this realisation sinks in ("and it must sink in, for mere intellectual appreciation of the process is not enough"),the trick doesn't work any more and there's no need for the pain.(Healing BackPain should not be used for self-diagnosis. Always consult a physician for chronic or acute back pain). --Joan Price

A bit too brief for me, 23 Jul 2008
I read the book in about half an hour, the first few pages were relevant and interesting, but the rest of the book, read like a list. In chart format, a whole bunch of diseases were listed, next to each was a comment on what may have lead to each condition. A positive affirmation was given for each listing.

I think the intention of the book, is for the reader to identify his/her condition and then regularly repeat the positive affirmation associated with it. We need to believe, the repeated use of the positive affirmation may help to reverse the disease process. All a little to brief for me, as I was expecting a little more insight on how to deal with each condition.

Not sure what all the hype was about in the other reviews. Not to be too negative, I will try the affirmation associated with my condition, if it works.. I will rewrite the review and definately give it a five.

Prepare to be amazed, 24 Apr 2008
I bought this after my therapist looked up teeth due to some continuous problems I was having, I totally related to what Louise said was causing this. It has just about every illness or ailment known to us. It was suggested that I mark each ailment I had suffered from and see if there was an obvious link - it wasnt just obvious, it shouted at me!. If you keep suffering from an ailment just look it up, it will have a much deeper meaning which could be something that you need to address to move on ( a meditation is then given to help you do this). It works on an emotional and physical level. A must have book for every one interested in self healing and helping others.

Taking personal responsbility, 01 Aug 2007
No matter how many other books on the subject I read, no matter how many other workshos I attend I find myself returning to this 'little blue book' time and time again.

If you want to explore the physical reasons behind a problem/illness then of course see the DR. If you want to explore the emotional reasons behind the problem/illness then see Louise Hay.

I may sometimes deny that she's right but only because it's not alwasy easy to accept she's right about the beliefs I really have about something and accept that I don't already believe the antidote Louise provides by way of wonderful affirmations. Because of course I already feel I flow with and trust life and love and accept myself. This book is a useful reminder when I have a ache or pain that I'm not doing these things.

A book for every household I say.

EnJOY

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, 25 May 2007
This is Louise's original 'Little Blue Book' which lists almost every ailment known to man (and woman!) and provides a guide to where in our thoughts, these ailments and dis-eases may have come from, along with an affirmation designed to help begin the healing process.

As a Reiki Master, I find it an invaluable resource for finding out more about a client's problems and suggesting alternative ways for them to help heal themselves.

Not just for healers, this is one of those books that should be on everybody's bookshelf.

Healing for today, 09 Mar 2007
I am getting well into these sorts of books, all thanks to having read a cosmic ordering book by Stephen Richards. I never knew such a world existed and here it is. This book is not a replacement for a doctor, but great for those nagging things doctors put down to wear and tear, etc which is just an excuse because they haven't a clue. This book is written by someone who knows what they are doing, and that is half the battle, great stuff.

Worth a look., 29 Sep 2008
I think this book will be most helpful for people who have been suffering with back pain for a long period of time (months to years). Most back pain lasts only a short time, and if it persists, you probably either have a really serious medical problem (that is usually obvious) or there are psychological factors involved.

If you've been through the conventional medical system with your back pain for a long time with no satisfaction, have had many physical treatments (such as heat, massage, manipulation, etc.) with no relief, AND have had serious back pain issues ruled out, then I say it would be well worth your while to at least check out this book. While there are true physical causes of back pain that are not psychological, this book will make you think about any stress related issues that could be a part of your pain. Other self-help books I liked include The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution. Good luck!

Interesting but no help whatsoever, 17 Jun 2008
This is an interesting read but no help at all. It is like going to a doctor with a back pain only to be told that there is a cure but they are not going to tell you what it is. OK I accept that my neck pain is caused caused by my brain not being able to face up to something else and all I have to do tell myself there is nothing physically wrong and ignore my neck pain. Well I have tried that guess what ... it didn't work. Now what ?????? Seems to me this book is nothing more than a brochure for the author's private clinic.

Incidentaly this idea is nothing new. My 88 year old father told them that in the second world war he was told by a psychiatrist that 90% of all pain comes from the mind.

didn't work for me, 06 Feb 2008
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I thought I would share my experience given that when I read the reviews I thought this book would be a great cure-all. I started to suffer from back problems two years ago which as any back sufferer will know completely disrupted my life. You name the treatment I have had it so I was really at the end of my tether when I bought this book. Unfortunately mind over matter when you are in pain only works up to a point. The reality is and Sarno sets it out in his book that most people working in the back pain industry don't understand why some people with serious spinal problems showing up on MRI, x-ray etc have little or no pain and others with relatively little spinal degeneration have severe pain. I am one of the latter people. Sarno advises that back pain is predominantly due to myalgic tension in the back and he uses the variations in people's pain thresholds relative to their level of spinal degeneration as a premise for advising patients that back pain is all in the mind and is the body's way of coping with an unacknowledged psychological problem. Once the psychological problem is acknowledged, the pain should, he posits, go away. Well I have as many psychological problems as the next person but telling myself that did not work for me. The reality is that the huge rise in back problems over the last 50 years or so is due to the increasingly sedentary lives people lead with longer hours spent in cars, in front of computers etc. Jasper Gerrard wrote in the Telegraph two days ago about the hugh rise in back pain syndrome in Africa which hitherto hadn't existed due to the increased employment of the populace in desk bound jobs. It is also a reality that most pain specialists don't know why there is such hugh variations in pain between people with similar back complaints. You really have to persevere with treatments, exercises etc until you find out what works for you. In my own case, after two years of attending nearly every specialist available at great cost and having received varying diagnoses including the appallingly amorphous one of fibromyalgia I have finally discovered what works for me which is low impact aerobic exercise. I do hill walking which is not too taxing on my joints but gets blood into the affected areas - this nourishes them and decreases the pain. When a hill is not available I use a treadmill. I also use pilates but the trick is not to persevere with an exercise that you find painful EVEN if your physiotherapist recommends it. If you have back problems you should think twice before taking an step or yoga class. Some yoga movements involve extreme stretching of the spine which can excerbate a back problem. Similarly if have a back injury hopping up and down on the step box and doing militaristic exercises along with people who are young and fit can make your back worse. I found it easier to exercise on my own. You have to listen to your own body at the end of the day. The reality is that we were not designed to be sedentary and as you get older for some people back problems are inevitable unless you keep your back fit. Unfortunately mind over matter did not work for me.

Healing Pain - A mystery, 06 Sep 2007
The first review makes a fair number of points regarding the apparent arrogance and lack of 'how to' advice. That cannot be denied. I read this ten years ago during a particularly painful time and stressful job and was calling for Sarno to give more detail. I had suffered back pain for 9 years, the last 2 of those dominated by sciatica, and I thought it was mumbo jumbo but having tried every therapist: Chiro; osteo; sacro-cranium and some more besides, I felt I had nothing to lose and gave it a go. Literally 6 weeks later - I kid you not- the sciatica was gone. The back pain was gone. These conditions have NEVER returned. It's still something of a mystery to me.

Very very limited, 11 Aug 2007
First I am a great believer in the mind body connection. Over the years I've found various physical problems had their root in my emotional state, so I'll give it two stars for the fact that if emotions are the cause of your pain emotional release will almost certainly fix it.

He takes it for granted that everyone reading this book is in the emotional cause category, and a lot of what he says is both ignorant and supremely arrogant. I find it hard to have any respect for a man who a) states that all injuries heal within six weeks no matter what and b)that the body doesn't suffer pain from physical damage in the spine.

He also states that no help from osteopathy, chiropractitioners, acupuncture, physiotherapy or exercise is ever worthwhile, useful or lasting. Any intervention that seems to work is in fact a placebo, regardless of how the pain started or its cause. If you believe this as well maybe you will find the book helpful.

I wanted this book to be able to help my agonising pain months after a severe accident, or at least be useful somehow - but his reason for pain lasting was that then you could sue someone. Maybe in some cases but not mine. I didn't like it as you may have guessed, but my main reason for not doing so wasn't his ridiculous observations - there were plenty of them - but the lack of any real help of any kind. His book consists almost entirely of his case histories where he describes the character and suppressions of his clients in detail and then says that after hearing his advice they were healed within a month.

The actual advice is that we all have a well of rage within us and that it is the well of rage that causes all our pain, once we accept this our pain is gone. We don't have to heal the rage, just acknowledge it.

What about those who do accept the well of rage already, who are in touch with their weaknesses, failings, frustrations etc and have already experienced therapy for their minds/emotions? A good question, and one that isn't so much as mentioned in this book. But to me his greatest failing, and - given his blithe 'Do everything and ignore the pain' advice - his most dangerous one, is that nowhere does he acknowledge that there may be times when the damage isn't just in the mind but has real and unignorable physical causes. John Sarno is a perfect example of the old adage 'To a hammer everything looks like a nail'

A bit too brief for me, 23 Jul 2008
I read the book in about half an hour, the first few pages were relevant and interesting, but the rest of the book, read like a list. In chart format, a whole bunch of diseases were listed, next to each was a comment on what may have lead to each condition. A positive affirmation was given for each listing.

I think the intention of the book, is for the reader to identify his/her condition and then regularly repeat the positive affirmation associated with it. We need to believe, the repeated use of the positive affirmation may help to reverse the disease process. All a little to brief for me, as I was expecting a little more insight on how to deal with each condition.

Not sure what all the hype was about in the other reviews. Not to be too negative, I will try the affirmation associated with my condition, if it works.. I will rewrite the review and definately give it a five.

Prepare to be amazed, 24 Apr 2008
I bought this after my therapist looked up teeth due to some continuous problems I was having, I totally related to what Louise said was causing this. It has just about every illness or ailment known to us. It was suggested that I mark each ailment I had suffered from and see if there was an obvious link - it wasnt just obvious, it shouted at me!. If you keep suffering from an ailment just look it up, it will have a much deeper meaning which could be something that you need to address to move on ( a meditation is then given to help you do this). It works on an emotional and physical level. A must have book for every one interested in self healing and helping others.

Taking personal responsbility, 01 Aug 2007
No matter how many other books on the subject I read, no matter how many other workshos I attend I find myself returning to this 'little blue book' time and time again.

If you want to explore the physical reasons behind a problem/illness then of course see the DR. If you want to explore the emotional reasons behind the problem/illness then see Louise Hay.

I may sometimes deny that she's right but only because it's not alwasy easy to accept she's right about the beliefs I really have about something and accept that I don't already believe the antidote Louise provides by way of wonderful affirmations. Because of course I already feel I flow with and trust life and love and accept myself. This book is a useful reminder when I have a ache or pain that I'm not doing these things.

A book for every household I say.

EnJOY

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, 25 May 2007
This is Louise's original 'Little Blue Book' which lists almost every ailment known to man (and woman!) and provides a guide to where in our thoughts, these ailments and dis-eases may have come from, along with an affirmation designed to help begin the healing process.

As a Reiki Master, I find it an invaluable resource for finding out more about a client's problems and suggesting alternative ways for them to help heal themselves.

Not just for healers, this is one of those books that should be on everybody's bookshelf.

Healing for today, 09 Mar 2007
I am getting well into these sorts of books, all thanks to having read a cosmic ordering book by Stephen Richards. I never knew such a world existed and here it is. This book is not a replacement for a doctor, but great for those nagging things doctors put down to wear and tear, etc which is just an excuse because they haven't a clue. This book is written by someone who knows what they are doing, and that is half the battle, great stuff.

Worth a look., 29 Sep 2008
I think this book will be most helpful for people who have been suffering with back pain for a long period of time (months to years). Most back pain lasts only a short time, and if it persists, you probably either have a really serious medical problem (that is usually obvious) or there are psychological factors involved.

If you've been through the conventional medical system with your back pain for a long time with no satisfaction, have had many physical treatments (such as heat, massage, manipulation, etc.) with no relief, AND have had serious back pain issues ruled out, then I say it would be well worth your while to at least check out this book. While there are true physical causes of back pain that are not psychological, this book will make you think about any stress related issues that could be a part of your pain. Other self-help books I liked include The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution. Good luck!

Interesting but no help whatsoever, 17 Jun 2008
This is an interesting read but no help at all. It is like going to a doctor with a back pain only to be told that there is a cure but they are not going to tell you what it is. OK I accept that my neck pain is caused caused by my brain not being able to face up to something else and all I have to do tell myself there is nothing physically wrong and ignore my neck pain. Well I have tried that guess what ... it didn't work. Now what ?????? Seems to me this book is nothing more than a brochure for the author's private clinic.

Incidentaly this idea is nothing new. My 88 year old father told them that in the second world war he was told by a psychiatrist that 90% of all pain comes from the mind.

didn't work for me, 06 Feb 2008
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I thought I would share my experience given that when I read the reviews I thought this book would be a great cure-all. I started to suffer from back problems two years ago which as any back sufferer will know completely disrupted my life. You name the treatment I have had it so I was really at the end of my tether when I bought this book. Unfortunately mind over matter when you are in pain only works up to a point. The reality is and Sarno sets it out in his book that most people working in the back pain industry don't understand why some people with serious spinal problems showing up on MRI, x-ray etc have little or no pain and others with relatively little spinal degeneration have severe pain. I am one of the latter people. Sarno advises that back pain is predominantly due to myalgic tension in the back and he uses the variations in people's pain thresholds relative to their level of spinal degeneration as a premise for advising patients that back pain is all in the mind and is the body's way of coping with an unacknowledged psychological problem. Once the psychological problem is acknowledged, the pain should, he posits, go away. Well I have as many psychological problems as the next person but telling myself that did not work for me. The reality is that the huge rise in back problems over the last 50 years or so is due to the increasingly sedentary lives people lead with longer hours spent in cars, in front of computers etc. Jasper Gerrard wrote in the Telegraph two days ago about the hugh rise in back pain syndrome in Africa which hitherto hadn't existed due to the increased employment of the populace in desk bound jobs. It is also a reality that most pain specialists don't know why there is such hugh variations in pain between people with similar back complaints. You really have to persevere with treatments, exercises etc until you find out what works for you. In my own case, after two years of attending nearly every specialist available at great cost and having received varying diagnoses including the appallingly amorphous one of fibromyalgia I have finally discovered what works for me which is low impact aerobic exercise. I do hill walking which is not too taxing on my joints but gets blood into the affected areas - this nourishes them and decreases the pain. When a hill is not available I use a treadmill. I also use pilates but the trick is not to persevere with an exercise that you find painful EVEN if your physiotherapist recommends it. If you have back problems you should think twice before taking an step or yoga class. Some yoga movements involve extreme stretching of the spine which can excerbate a back problem. Similarly if have a back injury hopping up and down on the step box and doing militaristic exercises along with people who are young and fit can make your back worse. I found it easier to exercise on my own. You have to listen to your own body at the end of the day. The reality is that we were not designed to be sedentary and as you get older for some people back problems are inevitable unless you keep your back fit. Unfortunately mind over matter did not work for me.

Healing Pain - A mystery, 06 Sep 2007
The first review makes a fair number of points regarding the apparent arrogance and lack of 'how to' advice. That cannot be denied. I read this ten years ago during a particularly painful time and stressful job and was calling for Sarno to give more detail. I had suffered back pain for 9 years, the last 2 of those dominated by sciatica, and I thought it was mumbo jumbo but having tried every therapist: Chiro; osteo; sacro-cranium and some more besides, I felt I had nothing to lose and gave it a go. Literally 6 weeks later - I kid you not- the sciatica was gone. The back pain was gone. These conditions have NEVER returned. It's still something of a mystery to me.

Very very limited, 11 Aug 2007
First I am a great believer in the mind body connection. Over the years I've found various physical problems had their root in my emotional state, so I'll give it two stars for the fact that if emotions are the cause of your pain emotional release will almost certainly fix it.

He takes it for granted that everyone reading this book is in the emotional cause category, and a lot of what he says is both ignorant and supremely arrogant. I find it hard to have any respect for a man who a) states that all injuries heal within six weeks no matter what and b)that the body doesn't suffer pain from physical damage in the spine.

He also states that no help from osteopathy, chiropractitioners, acupuncture, physiotherapy or exercise is ever worthwhile, useful or lasting. Any intervention that seems to work is in fact a placebo, regardless of how the pain started or its cause. If you believe this as well maybe you will find the book helpful.

I wanted this book to be able to help my agonising pain months after a severe accident, or at least be useful somehow - but his reason for pain lasting was that then you could sue someone. Maybe in some cases but not mine. I didn't like it as you may have guessed, but my main reason for not doing so wasn't his ridiculous observations - there were plenty of them - but the lack of any real help of any kind. His book consists almost entirely of his case histories where he describes the character and suppressions of his clients in detail and then says that after hearing his advice they were healed within a month.

The actual advice is that we all have a well of rage within us and that it is the well of rage that causes all our pain, once we accept this our pain is gone. We don't have to heal the rage, just acknowledge it.

What about those who do accept the well of rage already, who are in touch with their weaknesses, failings, frustrations etc and have already experienced therapy for their minds/emotions? A good question, and one that isn't so much as mentioned in this book. But to me his greatest failing, and - given his blithe 'Do everything and ignore the pain' advice - his most dangerous one, is that nowhere does he acknowledge that there may be times when the damage isn't just in the mind but has real and unignorable physical causes. John Sarno is a perfect example of the old adage 'To a hammer everything looks like a nail'

The mother of all nutrition books, 13 Dec 2007
This is an East Asian approach to nutrition; don't let that put you off though. Give this book a chance and you will not regret it. I have many books on nutrition both in the western and eastern view and this one I always refer back too.
Eastern approach to nutrition breaks away from the western idea that one diet suits everyone. Follow the guide to your constitution and optimum health will follow. Uses the five element theory.
I could never understand why I was always so tired, lethargic and mucusy until I followed the advice in this book and cut out eating dairy and consumed more bitter flavoured foods recomended for "damp" bodies. My hair/ Skin/ fitness and general zest-for-life have all seen a vast improvement.
If i could i would give this book more that five stars, Still completely in awe of this book and the effect it has had on my life.


The best book for Naturopathic Nutritionists, 10 Nov 2007
This book is the staple textbook for any student naturopathic nutritionist. It combines Asian Traditions and modern nutrition into one text. It is a large book with 753 pages which covers every aspect of this facinating subject. It is a indispensible guide for nutrition studies and much of the work is translatable into practice. As an added bonus it gives the properties and energetics of wholefoods and list recipes for using food as medicine. This book will undoubtably be used for many years to come.

Everyone should have this book, 17 Jul 2007
In my opinion, two of the major determinants of health today are food and attitude. It's true that, 'you are what you eat,' but it must also be said that to a great extent, `you are what you think.'

This book covers the first par excellence and the second comes across in the gentle and enlightened manner of the author. It is a most detailed source book on planning and preparing an optimal diet, giving a really good understanding about the science, eastern and western, and beneficial life habits underlying healthy eating and lifestyle, and aside from that it is just plain fascinating. It is very large, you can dip into it and read the sections that most interest you (all of them) and it has recipes. The section on children's nutrition and upbringing is first rate as well as delightful - read the last sentence. This book will change the way you look at food forever even if you don't take up all of the suggestions.

Every doctor, healer and therapist should recommend it as part of their treatment




Excellent book - well written, 26 Mar 2001
I have read many books on nutrition and health over the years, but this book is one of the best I have seen to date.

Paul Pitchford knows his subject matter and he has had many years of practise as a healer. He has vast knowledge in many areas of Oriental and Indian (Ayurvedic) healing and it comes through in his book.

What astounded me was the length of the bibliography at the back of his book. I could safely say that 'Healing with Whole Foods' is like an encyclopaedia!

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is on a macrobiotic diet and wants to know more about healing through diet, or anyone who wants to really understand the fine art of healing through food

Can you have a 10 star category for truely exceptional books, 20 Aug 1999
This book is absolutely necessary reading for everyone. I wish they taught courses with this book in our public schools. It is easy to read and comprehend, yet contains a wealth of indespensible information. When you read this book you will gain an understanding of food and its relation to your body that will change your view of the world. Fully worth the asking price and more. I would reccomend the hard back because you will be using this book regularly for years to come.

A bit too brief for me, 23 Jul 2008
I read the book in about half an hour, the first few pages were relevant and interesting, but the rest of the book, read like a list. In chart format, a whole bunch of diseases were listed, next to each was a comment on what may have lead to each condition. A positive affirmation was given for each listing.

I think the intention of the book, is for the reader to identify his/her condition and then regularly repeat the positive affirmation associated with it. We need to believe, the repeated use of the positive affirmation may help to reverse the disease process. All a little to brief for me, as I was expecting a little more insight on how to deal with each condition.

Not sure what all the hype was about in the other reviews. Not to be too negative, I will try the affirmation associated with my condition, if it works.. I will rewrite the review and definately give it a five.

Prepare to be amazed, 24 Apr 2008
I bought this after my therapist looked up teeth due to some continuous problems I was having, I totally related to what Louise said was causing this. It has just about every illness or ailment known to us. It was suggested that I mark each ailment I had suffered from and see if there was an obvious link - it wasnt just obvious, it shouted at me!. If you keep suffering from an ailment just look it up, it will have a much deeper meaning which could be something that you need to address to move on ( a meditation is then given to help you do this). It works on an emotional and physical level. A must have book for every one interested in self healing and helping others.

Taking personal responsbility, 01 Aug 2007
No matter how many other books on the subject I read, no matter how many other workshos I attend I find myself returning to this 'little blue book' time and time again.

If you want to explore the physical reasons behind a problem/illness then of course see the DR. If you want to explore the emotional reasons behind the problem/illness then see Louise Hay.

I may sometimes deny that she's right but only because it's not alwasy easy to accept she's right about the beliefs I really have about something and accept that I don't already believe the antidote Louise provides by way of wonderful affirmations. Because of course I already feel I flow with and trust life and love and accept myself. This book is a useful reminder when I have a ache or pain that I'm not doing these things.

A book for every household I say.

EnJOY

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, 25 May 2007
This is Louise's original 'Little Blue Book' which lists almost every ailment known to man (and woman!) and provides a guide to where in our thoughts, these ailments and dis-eases may have come from, along with an affirmation designed to help begin the healing process.

As a Reiki Master, I find it an invaluable resource for finding out more about a client's problems and suggesting alternative ways for them to help heal themselves.

Not just for healers, this is one of those books that should be on everybody's bookshelf.

Healing for today, 09 Mar 2007
I am getting well into these sorts of books, all thanks to having read a cosmic ordering book by Stephen Richards. I never knew such a world existed and here it is. This book is not a replacement for a doctor, but great for those nagging things doctors put down to wear and tear, etc which is just an excuse because they haven't a clue. This book is written by someone who knows what they are doing, and that is half the battle, great stuff.

Worth a look., 29 Sep 2008
I think this book will be most helpful for people who have been suffering with back pain for a long period of time (months to years). Most back pain lasts only a short time, and if it persists, you probably either have a really serious medical problem (that is usually obvious) or there are psychological factors involved.

If you've been through the conventional medical system with your back pain for a long time with no satisfaction, have had many physical treatments (such as heat, massage, manipulation, etc.) with no relief, AND have had serious back pain issues ruled out, then I say it would be well worth your while to at least check out this book. While there are true physical causes of back pain that are not psychological, this book will make you think about any stress related issues that could be a part of your pain. Other self-help books I liked include The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution. Good luck!

Interesting but no help whatsoever, 17 Jun 2008
This is an interesting read but no help at all. It is like going to a doctor with a back pain only to be told that there is a cure but they are not going to tell you what it is. OK I accept that my neck pain is caused caused by my brain not being able to face up to something else and all I have to do tell myself there is nothing physically wrong and ignore my neck pain. Well I have tried that guess what ... it didn't work. Now what ?????? Seems to me this book is nothing more than a brochure for the author's private clinic.

Incidentaly this idea is nothing new. My 88 year old father told them that in the second world war he was told by a psychiatrist that 90% of all pain comes from the mind.

didn't work for me, 06 Feb 2008
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I thought I would share my experience given that when I read the reviews I thought this book would be a great cure-all. I started to suffer from back problems two years ago which as any back sufferer will know completely disrupted my life. You name the treatment I have had it so I was really at the end of my tether when I bought this book. Unfortunately mind over matter when you are in pain only works up to a point. The reality is and Sarno sets it out in his book that most people working in the back pain industry don't understand why some people with serious spinal problems showing up on MRI, x-ray etc have little or no pain and others with relatively little spinal degeneration have severe pain. I am one of the latter people. Sarno advises that back pain is predominantly due to myalgic tension in the back and he uses the variations in people's pain thresholds relative to their level of spinal degeneration as a premise for advising patients that back pain is all in the mind and is the body's way of coping with an unacknowledged psychological problem. Once the psychological problem is acknowledged, the pain should, he posits, go away. Well I have as many psychological problems as the next person but telling myself that did not work for me. The reality is that the huge rise in back problems over the last 50 years or so is due to the increasingly sedentary lives people lead with longer hours spent in cars, in front of computers etc. Jasper Gerrard wrote in the Telegraph two days ago about the hugh rise in back pain syndrome in Africa which hitherto hadn't existed due to the increased employment of the populace in desk bound jobs. It is also a reality that most pain specialists don't know why there is such hugh variations in pain between people with similar back complaints. You really have to persevere with treatments, exercises etc until you find out what works for you. In my own case, after two years of attending nearly every specialist available at great cost and having received varying diagnoses including the appallingly amorphous one of fibromyalgia I have finally discovered what works for me which is low impact aerobic exercise. I do hill walking which is not too taxing on my joints but gets blood into the affected areas - this nourishes them and decreases the pain. When a hill is not available I use a treadmill. I also use pilates but the trick is not to persevere with an exercise that you find painful EVEN if your physiotherapist recommends it. If you have back problems you should think twice before taking an step or yoga class. Some yoga movements involve extreme stretching of the spine which can excerbate a back problem. Similarly if have a back injury hopping up and down on the step box and doing militaristic exercises along with people who are young and fit can make your back worse. I found it easier to exercise on my own. You have to listen to your own body at the end of the day. The reality is that we were not designed to be sedentary and as you get older for some people back problems are inevitable unless you keep your back fit. Unfortunately mind over matter did not work for me.

Healing Pain - A mystery, 06 Sep 2007
The first review makes a fair number of points regarding the apparent arrogance and lack of 'how to' advice. That cannot be denied. I read this ten years ago during a particularly painful time and stressful job and was calling for Sarno to give more detail. I had suffered back pain for 9 years, the last 2 of those dominated by sciatica, and I thought it was mumbo jumbo but having tried every therapist: Chiro; osteo; sacro-cranium and some more besides, I felt I had nothing to lose and gave it a go. Literally 6 weeks later - I kid you not- the sciatica was gone. The back pain was gone. These conditions have NEVER returned. It's still something of a mystery to me.

Very very limited, 11 Aug 2007
First I am a great believer in the mind body connection. Over the years I've found various physical problems had their root in my emotional state, so I'll give it two stars for the fact that if emotions are the cause of your pain emotional release will almost certainly fix it.

He takes it for granted that everyone reading this book is in the emotional cause category, and a lot of what he says is both ignorant and supremely arrogant. I find it hard to have any respect for a man who a) states that all injuries heal within six weeks no matter what and b)that the body doesn't suffer pain from physical damage in the spine.

He also states that no help from osteopathy, chiropractitioners, acupuncture, physiotherapy or exercise is ever worthwhile, useful or lasting. Any intervention that seems to work is in fact a placebo, regardless of how the pain started or its cause. If you believe this as well maybe you will find the book helpful.

I wanted this book to be able to help my agonising pain months after a severe accident, or at least be useful somehow - but his reason for pain lasting was that then you could sue someone. Maybe in some cases but not mine. I didn't like it as you may have guessed, but my main reason for not doing so wasn't his ridiculous observations - there were plenty of them - but the lack of any real help of any kind. His book consists almost entirely of his case histories where he describes the character and suppressions of his clients in detail and then says that after hearing his advice they were healed within a month.

The actual advice is that we all have a well of rage within us and that it is the well of rage that causes all our pain, once we accept this our pain is gone. We don't have to heal the rage, just acknowledge it.

What about those who do accept the well of rage already, who are in touch with their weaknesses, failings, frustrations etc and have already experienced therapy for their minds/emotions? A good question, and one that isn't so much as mentioned in this book. But to me his greatest failing, and - given his blithe 'Do everything and ignore the pain' advice - his most dangerous one, is that nowhere does he acknowledge that there may be times when the damage isn't just in the mind but has real and unignorable physical causes. John Sarno is a perfect example of the old adage 'To a hammer everything looks like a nail'

The mother of all nutrition books, 13 Dec 2007
This is an East Asian approach to nutrition; don't let that put you off though. Give this book a chance and you will not regret it. I have many books on nutrition both in the western and eastern view and this one I always refer back too.
Eastern approach to nutrition breaks away from the western idea that one diet suits everyone. Follow the guide to your constitution and optimum health will follow. Uses the five element theory.
I could never understand why I was always so tired, lethargic and mucusy until I followed the advice in this book and cut out eating dairy and consumed more bitter flavoured foods recomended for "damp" bodies. My hair/ Skin/ fitness and general zest-for-life have all seen a vast improvement.
If i could i would give this book more that five stars, Still completely in awe of this book and the effect it has had on my life.


The best book for Naturopathic Nutritionists, 10 Nov 2007
This book is the staple textbook for any student naturopathic nutritionist. It combines Asian Traditions and modern nutrition into one text. It is a large book with 753 pages which covers every aspect of this facinating subject. It is a indispensible guide for nutrition studies and much of the work is translatable into practice. As an added bonus it gives the properties and energetics of wholefoods and list recipes for using food as medicine. This book will undoubtably be used for many years to come.

Everyone should have this book, 17 Jul 2007
In my opinion, two of the major determinants of health today are food and attitude. It's true that, 'you are what you eat,' but it must also be said that to a great extent, `you are what you think.'

This book covers the first par excellence and the second comes across in the gentle and enlightened manner of the author. It is a most detailed source book on planning and preparing an optimal diet, giving a really good understanding about the science, eastern and western, and beneficial life habits underlying healthy eating and lifestyle, and aside from that it is just plain fascinating. It is very large, you can dip into it and read the sections that most interest you (all of them) and it has recipes. The section on children's nutrition and upbringing is first rate as well as delightful - read the last sentence. This book will change the way you look at food forever even if you don't take up all of the suggestions.

Every doctor, healer and therapist should recommend it as part of their treatment




Excellent book - well written, 26 Mar 2001
I have read many books on nutrition and health over the years, but this book is one of the best I have seen to date.

Paul Pitchford knows his subject matter and he has had many years of practise as a healer. He has vast knowledge in many areas of Oriental and Indian (Ayurvedic) healing and it comes through in his book.

What astounded me was the length of the bibliography at the back of his book. I could safely say that 'Healing with Whole Foods' is like an encyclopaedia!

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is on a macrobiotic diet and wants to know more about healing through diet, or anyone who wants to really understand the fine art of healing through food

Can you have a 10 star category for truely exceptional books, 20 Aug 1999
This book is absolutely necessary reading for everyone. I wish they taught courses with this book in our public schools. It is easy to read and comprehend, yet contains a wealth of indespensible information. When you read this book you will gain an understanding of food and its relation to your body that will change your view of the world. Fully worth the asking price and more. I would reccomend the hard back because you will be using this book regularly for years to come.

Unsatisfying., 15 Mar 2006
I am a yoga practicioner and recently got interest for reiki. After receiving my 1st attunement I was advised by my reiki teacher to read that book. While talking about the subject, I felt it was mixing too many things, throwing in reiki with wicca, yoga, Chi Kung. I understand all therories are similar if not identical, but the book seems to lose its focus on reiki sometimes. I personaly don't feel attracted to wicca at all, and the constant reference to it was a put off for me.
As well the system of prana/light/ki is not very clear, and I would recommend a good reading of "The Heart of Yoga" by TKV Desikachar, where this system is very well explained, especialy the Kundalini chapter.
I have nothing against sexualy oriented spiritual practices but personaly don't feel attracted to it, therefore the 1st ki exercises detailed in the book were not appealing to me.
Altogether the book left me unsatisfied; I don't feel like I learnt much about the actual Reiki techniques and still feel the need to get another book to learn.

One of the best books on Reiki, 16 Aug 2005
This is one of the best books on Reiki. It gives the reader a great insight into the ancient wisdom of the orient, and covers comprehensively the knowledge base needed for Reiki. It systematically covers all the Reiki Symbols. I would recommend it to any serious student of Reiki to Master Practitioners.

one of the best, 22 Jun 2005
This book was suggested to me and I am glad I read it!
It is very easy to follow and everything is clearly explained.
I can easily say that this is one of the best Reiki books around!

Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art, 30 May 2005
An amazing book. I'm doing a review on Spiritual Healing and Reiki for a Cancer Palliative Care course, the subject has become a bit of a mine field. Most books on Reiki keep the mystery but Essential Reiki tells it as it is? However, this is sending me to Attunement in Reiki I with quite a few questions. The book is a bit of a minefield in view of the history outlined which looks at Jesus' life as a healer and how, it claims, his life continued after his crucifixion. A lot of the information can be found in other books but this has more to offer and is excellent. I certainly recommend this book but cannot grade a 5 star because there is so much more reading to do. It has sent me on a mission of discovery that I could not have contemplated.

essential reiki, 24 Sep 2004
I have been a Reiki/Seichim Master/Teacher for over 7 years and a Spiritual Healer for over 20 years. This book is both informative and instructional, unfortunately it feels as if the author has issues with the male gender and Traditional Reiki Masters in general, like one of your other comments I agree that the power excercises are not neccesary since the essence of the spirit does not require power but rather energy, there is a difference. Having said all this I still respect Diane Stein for writing HER book, it has given me another opportunity to learn from others.
Bless you Diane.

A bit too brief for me, 23 Jul 2008
I read the book in about half an hour, the first few pages were relevant and interesting, but the rest of the book, read like a list. In chart format, a whole bunch of diseases were listed, next to each was a comment on what may have lead to each condition. A positive affirmation was given for each listing.

I think the intention of the book, is for the reader to identify his/her condition and then regularly repeat the positive affirmation associated with it. We need to believe, the repeated use of the positive affirmation may help to reverse the disease process. All a little to brief for me, as I was expecting a little more insight on how to deal with each condition.

Not sure what all the hype was about in the other reviews. Not to be too negative, I will try the affirmation associated with my condition, if it works.. I will rewrite the review and definately give it a five.

Prepare to be amazed, 24 Apr 2008
I bought this after my therapist looked up teeth due to some continuous problems I was having, I totally related to what Louise said was causing this. It has just about every illness or ailment known to us. It was suggested that I mark each ailment I had suffered from and see if there was an obvious link - it wasnt just obvious, it shouted at me!. If you keep suffering from an ailment just look it up, it will have a much deeper meaning which could be something that you need to address to move on ( a meditation is then given to help you do this). It works on an emotional and physical level. A must have book for every one interested in self healing and helping others.

Taking personal responsbility, 01 Aug 2007
No matter how many other books on the subject I read, no matter how many other workshos I attend I find myself returning to this 'little blue book' time and time again.

If you want to explore the physical reasons behind a problem/illness then of course see the DR. If you want to explore the emotional reasons behind the problem/illness then see Louise Hay.

I may sometimes deny that she's right but only because it's not alwasy easy to accept she's right about the beliefs I really have about something and accept that I don't already believe the antidote Louise provides by way of wonderful affirmations. Because of course I already feel I flow with and trust life and love and accept myself. This book is a useful reminder when I have a ache or pain that I'm not doing these things.

A book for every household I say.

EnJOY

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, 25 May 2007
This is Louise's original 'Little Blue Book' which lists almost every ailment known to man (and woman!) and provides a guide to where in our thoughts, these ailments and dis-eases may have come from, along with an affirmation designed to help begin the healing process.

As a Reiki Master, I find it an invaluable resource for finding out more about a client's problems and suggesting alternative ways for them to help heal themselves.

Not just for healers, this is one of those books that should be on everybody's bookshelf.

Healing for today, 09 Mar 2007
I am getting well into these sorts of books, all thanks to having read a cosmic ordering book by Stephen Richards. I never knew such a world existed and here it is. This book is not a replacement for a doctor, but great for those nagging things doctors put down to wear and tear, etc which is just an excuse because they haven't a clue. This book is written by someone who knows what they are doing, and that is half the battle, great stuff.

Worth a look., 29 Sep 2008
I think this book will be most helpful for people who have been suffering with back pain for a long period of time (months to years). Most back pain lasts only a short time, and if it persists, you probably either have a really serious medical problem (that is usually obvious) or there are psychological factors involved.

If you've been through the conventional medical system with your back pain for a long time with no satisfaction, have had many physical treatments (such as heat, massage, manipulation, etc.) with no relief, AND have had serious back pain issues ruled out, then I say it would be well worth your while to at least check out this book. While there are true physical causes of back pain that are not psychological, this book will make you think about any stress related issues that could be a part of your pain. Other self-help books I liked include The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution. Good luck!

Interesting but no help whatsoever, 17 Jun 2008
This is an interesting read but no help at all. It is like going to a doctor with a back pain only to be told that there is a cure but they are not going to tell you what it is. OK I accept that my neck pain is caused caused by my brain not being able to face up to something else and all I have to do tell myself there is nothing physically wrong and ignore my neck pain. Well I have tried that guess what ... it didn't work. Now what ?????? Seems to me this book is nothing more than a brochure for the author's private clinic.

Incidentaly this idea is nothing new. My 88 year old father told them that in the second world war he was told by a psychiatrist that 90% of all pain comes from the mind.

didn't work for me, 06 Feb 2008
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I thought I would share my experience given that when I read the reviews I thought this book would be a great cure-all. I started to suffer from back problems two years ago which as any back sufferer will know completely disrupted my life. You name the treatment I have had it so I was really at the end of my tether when I bought this book. Unfortunately mind over matter when you are in pain only works up to a point. The reality is and Sarno sets it out in his book that most people working in the back pain industry don't understand why some people with serious spinal problems showing up on MRI, x-ray etc have little or no pain and others with relatively little spinal degeneration have severe pain. I am one of the latter people. Sarno advises that back pain is predominantly due to myalgic tension in the back and he uses the variations in people's pain thresholds relative to their level of spinal degeneration as a premise for advising patients that back pain is all in the mind and is the body's way of coping with an unacknowledged psychological problem. Once the psychological problem is acknowledged, the pain should, he posits, go away. Well I have as many psychological problems as the next person but telling myself that did not work for me. The reality is that the huge rise in back problems over the last 50 years or so is due to the increasingly sedentary lives people lead with longer hours spent in cars, in front of computers etc. Jasper Gerrard wrote in the Telegraph two days ago about the hugh rise in back pain syndrome in Africa which hitherto hadn't existed due to the increased employment of the populace in desk bound jobs. It is also a reality that most pain specialists don't know why there is such hugh variations in pain between people with similar back complaints. You really have to persevere with treatments, exercises etc until you find out what works for you. In my own case, after two years of attending nearly every specialist available at great cost and having received varying diagnoses including the appallingly amorphous one of fibromyalgia I have finally discovered what works for me which is low impact aerobic exercise. I do hill walking which is not too taxing on my joints but gets blood into the affected areas - this nourishes them and decreases the pain. When a hill is not available I use a treadmill. I also use pilates but the trick is not to persevere with an exercise that you find painful EVEN if your physiotherapist recommends it. If you have back problems you should think twice before taking an step or yoga class. Some yoga movements involve extreme stretching of the spine which can excerbate a back problem. Similarly if have a back injury hopping up and down on the step box and doing militaristic exercises along with people who are young and fit can make your back worse. I found it easier to exercise on my own. You have to listen to your own body at the end of the day. The reality is that we were not designed to be sedentary and as you get older for some people back problems are inevitable unless you keep your back fit. Unfortunately mind over matter did not work for me.

Healing Pain - A mystery, 06 Sep 2007
The first review makes a fair number of points regarding the apparent arrogance and lack of 'how to' advice. That cannot be denied. I read this ten years ago during a particularly painful time and stressful job and was calling for Sarno to give more detail. I had suffered back pain for 9 years, the last 2 of those dominated by sciatica, and I thought it was mumbo jumbo but having tried every therapist: Chiro; osteo; sacro-cranium and some more besides, I felt I had nothing to lose and gave it a go. Literally 6 weeks later - I kid you not- the sciatica was gone. The back pain was gone. These conditions have NEVER returned. It's still something of a mystery to me.

Very very limited, 11 Aug 2007
First I am a great believer in the mind body connection. Over the years I've found various physical problems had their root in my emotional state, so I'll give it two stars for the fact that if emotions are the cause of your pain emotional release will almost certainly fix it.

He takes it for granted that everyone reading this book is in the emotional cause category, and a lot of what he says is both ignorant and supremely arrogant. I find it hard to have any respect for a man who a) states that all injuries heal within six weeks no matter what and b)that the body doesn't suffer pain from physical damage in the spine.

He also states that no help from osteopathy, chiropractitioners, acupuncture, physiotherapy or exercise is ever worthwhile, useful or lasting. Any intervention that seems to work is in fact a placebo, regardless of how the pain started or its cause. If you believe this as well maybe you will find the book helpful.

I wanted this book to be able to help my agonising pain months after a severe accident, or at least be useful somehow - but his reason for pain lasting was that then you could sue someone. Maybe in some cases but not mine. I didn't like it as you may have guessed, but my main reason for not doing so wasn't his ridiculous observations - there were plenty of them - but the lack of any real help of any kind. His book consists almost entirely of his case histories where he describes the character and suppressions of his clients in detail and then says that after hearing his advice they were healed within a month.

The actual advice is that we all have a well of rage within us and that it is the well of rage that causes all our pain, once we accept this our pain is gone. We don't have to heal the rage, just acknowledge it.

What about those who do accept the well of rage already, who are in touch with their weaknesses, failings, frustrations etc and have already experienced therapy for their minds/emotions? A good question, and one that isn't so much as mentioned in this book. But to me his greatest failing, and - given his blithe 'Do everything and ignore the pain' advice - his most dangerous one, is that nowhere does he acknowledge that there may be times when the damage isn't just in the mind but has real and unignorable physical causes. John Sarno is a perfect example of the old adage 'To a hammer everything looks like a nail'

The mother of all nutrition books, 13 Dec 2007
This is an East Asian approach to nutrition; don't let that put you off though. Give this book a chance and you will not regret it. I have many books on nutrition both in the western and eastern view and this one I always refer back too.
Eastern approach to nutrition breaks away from the western idea that one diet suits everyone. Follow the guide to your constitution and optimum health will follow. Uses the five element theory.
I could never understand why I was always so tired, lethargic and mucusy until I followed the advice in this book and cut out eating dairy and consumed more bitter flavoured foods recomended for "damp" bodies. My hair/ Skin/ fitness and general zest-for-life have all seen a vast improvement.
If i could i would give this book more that five stars, Still completely in awe of this book and the effect it has had on my life.


The best book for Naturopathic Nutritionists, 10 Nov 2007
This book is the staple textbook for any student naturopathic nutritionist. It combines Asian Traditions and modern nutrition into one text. It is a large book with 753 pages which covers every aspect of this facinating subject. It is a indispensible guide for nutrition studies and much of the work is translatable into practice. As an added bonus it gives the properties and energetics of wholefoods and list recipes for using food as medicine. This book will undoubtably be used for many years to come.

Everyone should have this book, 17 Jul 2007
In my opinion, two of the major determinants of health today are food and attitude. It's true that, 'you are what you eat,' but it must also be said that to a great extent, `you are what you think.'

This book covers the first par excellence and the second comes across in the gentle and enlightened manner of the author. It is a most detailed source book on planning and preparing an optimal diet, giving a really good understanding about the science, eastern and western, and beneficial life habits underlying healthy eating and lifestyle, and aside from that it is just plain fascinating. It is very large, you can dip into it and read the sections that most interest you (all of them) and it has recipes. The section on children's nutrition and upbringing is first rate as well as delightful - read the last sentence. This book will change the way you look at food forever even if you don't take up all of the suggestions.

Every doctor, healer and therapist should recommend it as part of their treatment




Excellent book - well written, 26 Mar 2001
I have read many books on nutrition and health over the years, but this book is one of the best I have seen to date.

Paul Pitchford knows his subject matter and he has had many years of practise as a healer. He has vast knowledge in many areas of Oriental and Indian (Ayurvedic) healing and it comes through in his book.

What astounded me was the length of the bibliography at the back of his book. I could safely say that 'Healing with Whole Foods' is like an encyclopaedia!

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is on a macrobiotic diet and wants to know more about healing through diet, or anyone who wants to really understand the fine art of healing through food

Can you have a 10 star category for truely exceptional books, 20 Aug 1999
This book is absolutely necessary reading for everyone. I wish they taught courses with this book in our public schools. It is easy to read and comprehend, yet contains a wealth of indespensible information. When you read this book you will gain an understanding of food and its relation to your body that will change your view of the world. Fully worth the asking price and more. I would reccomend the hard back because you will be using this book regularly for years to come.

Unsatisfying., 15 Mar 2006
I am a yoga practicioner and recently got interest for reiki. After receiving my 1st attunement I was advised by my reiki teacher to read that book. While talking about the subject, I felt it was mixing too many things, throwing in reiki with wicca, yoga, Chi Kung. I understand all therories are similar if not identical, but the book seems to lose its focus on reiki sometimes. I personaly don't feel attracted to wicca at all, and the constant reference to it was a put off for me.
As well the system of prana/light/ki is not very clear, and I would recommend a good reading of "The Heart of Yoga" by TKV Desikachar, where this system is very well explained, especialy the Kundalini chapter.
I have nothing against sexualy oriented spiritual practices but personaly don't feel attracted to it, therefore the 1st ki exercises detailed in the book were not appealing to me.
Altogether the book left me unsatisfied; I don't feel like I learnt much about the actual Reiki techniques and still feel the need to get another book to learn.

One of the best books on Reiki, 16 Aug 2005
This is one of the best books on Reiki. It gives the reader a great insight into the ancient wisdom of the orient, and covers comprehensively the knowledge base needed for Reiki. It systematically covers all the Reiki Symbols. I would recommend it to any serious student of Reiki to Master Practitioners.

one of the best, 22 Jun 2005
This book was suggested to me and I am glad I read it!
It is very easy to follow and everything is clearly explained.
I can easily say that this is one of the best Reiki books around!

Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art, 30 May 2005
An amazing book. I'm doing a review on Spiritual Healing and Reiki for a Cancer Palliative Care course, the subject has become a bit of a mine field. Most books on Reiki keep the mystery but Essential Reiki tells it as it is? However, this is sending me to Attunement in Reiki I with quite a few questions. The book is a bit of a minefield in view of the history outlined which looks at Jesus' life as a healer and how, it claims, his life continued after his crucifixion. A lot of the information can be found in other books but this has more to offer and is excellent. I certainly recommend this book but cannot grade a 5 star because there is so much more reading to do. It has sent me on a mission of discovery that I could not have contemplated.

essential reiki, 24 Sep 2004
I have been a Reiki/Seichim Master/Teacher for over 7 years and a Spiritual Healer for over 20 years. This book is both informative and instructional, unfortunately it feels as if the author has issues with the male gender and Traditional Reiki Masters in general, like one of your other comments I agree that the power excercises are not neccesary since the essence of the spirit does not require power but rather energy, there is a difference. Having said all this I still respect Diane Stein for writing HER book, it has given me another opportunity to learn from others.
Bless you Diane.

Learn More, 09 Nov 2006
I used the recommendations in this book when I was ill and it worked for me...worth a go for anybody!

Look at your illness in a metaphysical light!, 11 Mar 1999
So often, patients have no idea why they have brought a certain illness into their lives. Heal Your Body A-Z is a small, easy to use reference book which explains our physical illnesses in a brand new spiritual or metaphysical light.

Each entry shows a problem, its probable mental or psychological cause, and a helpful affirmation for correction. We can then reflect or meditate in the suggested direction and eventually change our thought patterns or heal our faulty beliefs.

The book covers many specific symptoms (like anxiety, constipation, overweight, fainting); some illnesses (like AIDS, lupus, diabetes, cataracts, ulcers, arthritis); and parts of the body (like face, lower back, joints, wrists, and sinuses). Some of the more modern illnesses like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are missing -- but their components are there, i.e. fatigue, pain, skin rashes or appetite problems.

Louise Hay touches us with her true story about overcoming cancer, concisely discusses how we manifest illness, and gives us a truly wonderful meditation exercise for overall healing.

Excellent "hint book" for solving those incredibly difficult personal health mysteries.

A bit too brief for me, 23 Jul 2008
I read the book in about half an hour, the first few pages were relevant and interesting, but the rest of the book, read like a list. In chart format, a whole bunch of diseases were listed, next to each was a comment on what may have lead to each condition. A positive affirmation was given for each listing.

I think the intention of the book, is for the reader to identify his/her condition and then regularly repeat the positive affirmation associated with it. We need to believe, the repeated use of the positive affirmation may help to reverse the disease process. All a little to brief for me, as I was expecting a little more insight on how to deal with each condition.

Not sure what all the hype was about in the other reviews. Not to be too negative, I will try the affirmation associated with my condition, if it works.. I will rewrite the review and definately give it a five.

Prepare to be amazed, 24 Apr 2008
I bought this after my therapist looked up teeth due to some continuous problems I was having, I totally related to what Louise said was causing this. It has just about every illness or ailment known to us. It was suggested that I mark each ailment I had suffered from and see if there was an obvious link - it wasnt just obvious, it shouted at me!. If you keep suffering from an ailment just look it up, it will have a much deeper meaning which could be something that you need to address to move on ( a meditation is then given to help you do this). It works on an emotional and physical level. A must have book for every one interested in self healing and helping others.

Taking personal responsbility, 01 Aug 2007
No matter how many other books on the subject I read, no matter how many other workshos I attend I find myself returning to this 'little blue book' time and time again.

If you want to explore the physical reasons behind a problem/illness then of course see the DR. If you want to explore the emotional reasons behind the problem/illness then see Louise Hay.

I may sometimes deny that she's right but only because it's not alwasy easy to accept she's right about the beliefs I really have about something and accept that I don't already believe the antidote Louise provides by way of wonderful affirmations. Because of course I already feel I flow with and trust life and love and accept myself. This book is a useful reminder when I have a ache or pain that I'm not doing these things.

A book for every household I say.

EnJOY

THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, 25 May 2007
This is Louise's original 'Little Blue Book' which lists almost every ailment known to man (and woman!) and provides a guide to where in our thoughts, these ailments and dis-eases may have come from, along with an affirmation designed to help begin the healing process.

As a Reiki Master, I find it an invaluable resource for finding out more about a client's problems and suggesting alternative ways for them to help heal themselves.

Not just for healers, this is one of those books that should be on everybody's bookshelf.

Healing for today, 09 Mar 2007
I am getting well into these sorts of books, all thanks to having read a cosmic ordering book by Stephen Richards. I never knew such a world existed and here it is. This book is not a replacement for a doctor, but great for those nagging things doctors put down to wear and tear, etc which is just an excuse because they haven't a clue. This book is written by someone who knows what they are doing, and that is half the battle, great stuff.

Worth a look., 29 Sep 2008
I think this book will be most helpful for people who have been suffering with back pain for a long period of time (months to years). Most back pain lasts only a short time, and if it persists, you probably either have a really serious medical problem (that is usually obvious) or there are psychological factors involved.

If you've been through the conventional medical system with your back pain for a long time with no satisfaction, have had many physical treatments (such as heat, massage, manipulation, etc.) with no relief, AND have had serious back pain issues ruled out, then I say it would be well worth your while to at least check out this book. While there are true physical causes of back pain that are not psychological, this book will make you think about any stress related issues that could be a part of your pain. Other self-help books I liked include The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution. Good luck!

Interesting but no help whatsoever, 17 Jun 2008
This is an interesting read but no help at all. It is like going to a doctor with a back pain only to be told that there is a cure but they are not going to tell you what it is. OK I accept that my neck pain is caused caused by my brain not being able to face up to something else and all I have to do tell myself there is nothing physically wrong and ignore my neck pain. Well I have tried that guess what ... it didn't work. Now what ?????? Seems to me this book is nothing more than a brochure for the author's private clinic.

Incidentaly this idea is nothing new. My 88 year old father told them that in the second world war he was told by a psychiatrist that 90% of all pain comes from the mind.

didn't work for me, 06 Feb 2008
I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I thought I would share my experience given that when I read the reviews I thought this book would be a great cure-all. I started to suffer from back problems two years ago which as any back sufferer will know completely disrupted my life. You name the treatment I have had it so I was really at the end of my tether when I bought this book. Unfortunately mind over matter when you are in pain only works up to a point. The reality is and Sarno sets it out in his book that most people working in the back pain industry don't understand why some people with serious spinal problems showing up on MRI, x-ray etc have little or no pain and others with relatively little spinal degeneration have severe pain. I am one of the latter people. Sarno advises that back pain is predominantly due to myalgic tension in the back and he uses the variations in people's pain thresholds relative to their level of spinal degeneration as a premise for advising patients that back pain is all in the mind and is the body's way of coping with an unacknowledged psychological problem. Once the psychological problem is acknowledged, the pain should, he posits, go away. Well I have as many psychological problems as the next person but telling myself that did not work for me. The reality is that the huge rise in back problems over the last 50 years or so is due to the increasingly sedentary lives people lead with longer hours spent in cars, in front of computers etc. Jasper Gerrard wrote in the Telegraph two days ago about the hugh rise in back pain syndrome in Africa which hitherto hadn't existed due to the increased employment of the populace in desk bound jobs. It is also a reality that most pain specialists don't know why there is such hugh variations in pain between people with similar back complaints. You really have to persevere with treatments, exercises etc until you find out what works for you. In my own case, after two years of attending nearly every specialist available at great cost and having received varying diagnoses including the appallingly amorphous one of fibromyalgia I have finally discovered what works for me which is low impact aerobic exercise. I do hill walking which is not too taxing on my joints but gets blood into the affected areas - this nourishes them and decreases the pain. When a hill is not available I use a treadmill. I also use pilates but the trick is not to persevere with an exercise that you find painful EVEN if your physiotherapist recommends it. If you have back problems you should think twice before taking an step or yoga class. Some yoga movements involve extreme stretching of the spine which can excerbate a back problem. Similarly if have a back injury hopping up and down on the step box and doing militaristic exercises along with people who are young and fit can make your back worse. I found it easier to exercise on my own. You have to listen to your own body at the end of the day. The reality is that we were not designed to be sedentary and as you get older for some people back problems are inevitable unless you keep your back fit. Unfortunately mind over matter did not work for me.

Healing Pain - A mystery, 06 Sep 2007
The first review makes a fair number of points regarding the apparent arrogance and lack of 'how to' advice. That cannot be denied. I read this ten years ago during a particularly painful time and stressful job and was calling for Sarno to give more detail. I had suffered back pain for 9 years, the last 2 of those dominated by sciatica, and I thought it was mumbo jumbo but having tried every therapist: Chiro; osteo; sacro-cranium and some more besides, I felt I had nothing to lose and gave it a go. Literally 6 weeks later - I kid you not- the sciatica was gone. The back pain was gone. These conditions have NEVER returned. It's still something of a mystery to me.

Very very limited, 11 Aug 2007
First I am a great believer in the mind body connection. Over the years I've found various physical problems had their root in my emotional state, so I'll give it two stars for the fact that if emotions are the cause of your pain emotional release will almost certainly fix it.

He takes it for granted that everyone reading this book is in the emotional cause category, and a lot of what he says is both ignorant and supremely arrogant. I find it hard to have any respect for a man who a) states that all injuries heal within six weeks no matter what and b)that the body doesn't suffer pain from physical damage in the spine.

He also states that no help from osteopathy, chiropractitioners, acupuncture, physiotherapy or exercise is ever worthwhile, useful or lasting. Any intervention that seems to work is in fact a placebo, regardless of how the pain started or its cause. If you believe this as well maybe you will find the book helpful.

I wanted this book to be able to help my agonising pain months after a severe accident, or at least be useful somehow - but his reason for pain lasting was that then you could sue someone. Maybe in some cases but not mine. I didn't like it as you may have guessed, but my main reason for not doing so wasn't his ridiculous observations - there were plenty of them - but the lack of any real help of any kind. His book consists almost entirely of his case histories where he describes the character and suppressions of his clients in detail and then says that after hearing his advice they were healed within a month.

The actual advice is that we all have a well of rage within us and that it is the well of rage that causes all our pain, once we accept this our pain is gone. We don't have to heal the rage, just acknowledge it.

What about those who do accept the well of rage already, who are in touch with their weaknesses, failings, frustrations etc and have already experienced therapy for their minds/emotions? A good question, and one that isn't so much as mentioned in this book. But to me his greatest failing, and - given his blithe 'Do everything and ignore the pain' advice - his most dangerous one, is that nowhere does he acknowledge that there may be times when the damage isn't just in the mind but has real and unignorable physical causes. John Sarno is a perfect example of the old adage 'To a hammer everything looks like a nail'

The mother of all nutrition books, 13 Dec 2007
This is an East Asian approach to nutrition; don't let that put you off though. Give this book a chance and you will not regret it. I have many books on nutrition both in the western and eastern view and this one I always refer back too.
Eastern approach to nutrition breaks away from the western idea that one diet suits everyone. Follow the guide to your constitution and optimum health will follow. Uses the five element theory.
I could never understand why I was always so tired, lethargic and mucusy until I followed the advice in this book and cut out eating dairy and consumed more bitter flavoured foods recomended for "damp" bodies. My hair/ Skin/ fitness and general zest-for-life have all seen a vast improvement.
If i could i would give this book more that five stars, Still completely in awe of this book and the effect it has had on my life.


The best book for Naturopathic Nutritionists, 10 Nov 2007
This book is the staple textbook for any student naturopathic nutritionist. It combines Asian Traditions and modern nutrition into one text. It is a large book with 753 pages which covers every aspect of this facinating subject. It is a indispensible guide for nutrition studies and much of the work is translatable into practice. As an added bonus it gives the properties and energetics of wholefoods and list recipes for using food as medicine. This book will undoubtably be used for many years to come.

Everyone should have this book, 17 Jul 2007
In my opinion, two of the major determinants of health today are food and attitude. It's true that, 'you are what you eat,' but it must also be said that to a great extent, `you are what you think.'

This book covers the first par excellence and the second comes across in the gentle and enlightened manner of the author. It is a most detailed source book on planning and preparing an optimal diet, giving a really good understanding about the science, eastern and western, and beneficial life habits underlying healthy eating and lifestyle, and aside from that it is just plain fascinating. It is very large, you can dip into it and read the sections that most interest you (all of them) and it has recipes. The section on children's nutrition and upbringing is first rate as well as delightful - read the last sentence. This book will change the way you look at food forever even if you don't take up all of the suggestions.

Every doctor, healer and therapist should recommend it as part of their treatment




Excellent book - well written, 26 Mar 2001
I have read many books on nutrition and health over the years, but this book is one of the best I have seen to date.

Paul Pitchford knows his subject matter and he has had many years of practise as a healer. He has vast knowledge in many areas of Oriental and Indian (Ayurvedic) healing and it comes through in his book.

What astounded me was the length of the bibliography at the back of his book. I could safely say that 'Healing with Whole Foods' is like an encyclopaedia!

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is on a macrobiotic diet and wants to know more about healing through diet, or anyone who wants to really understand the fine art of healing through food

Can you have a 10 star category for truely exceptional books, 20 Aug 1999
This book is absolutely necessary reading for everyone. I wish they taught courses with this book in our public schools. It is easy to read and comprehend, yet contains a wealth of indespensible information. When you read this book you will gain an understanding of food and its relation to your body that will change your view of the world. Fully worth the asking price and more. I would reccomend the hard back because you will be using this book regularly for years to come.

Unsatisfying., 15 Mar 2006
I am a yoga practicioner and recently got interest for reiki. After receiving my 1st attunement I was advised by my reiki teacher to read that book. While talking about the subject, I felt it was mixing too many things, throwing in reiki with wicca, yoga, Chi Kung. I understand all therories are similar if not identical, but the book seems to lose its focus on reiki sometimes. I personaly don't feel attracted to wicca at all, and the constant reference to it was a put off for me.
As well the system of prana/light/ki is not very clear, and I would recommend a good reading of "The Heart of Yoga" by TKV Desikachar, where this system is very well explained, especialy the Kundalini chapter.
I have nothing against sexualy oriented spiritual practices but personaly don't feel attracted to it, therefore the 1st ki exercises detailed in the book were not appealing to me.
Altogether the book left me unsatisfied; I don't feel like I learnt much about the actual Reiki techniques and still feel the need to get another book to learn.

One of the best books on Reiki, 16 Aug 2005
This is one of the best books on Reiki. It gives the reader a great insight into the ancient wisdom of the orient, and covers comprehensively the knowledge base needed for Reiki. It systematically covers all the Reiki Symbols. I would recommend it to any serious student of Reiki to Master Practitioners.

one of the best, 22 Jun 2005
This book was suggested to me and I am glad I read it!
It is very easy to follow and everything is clearly explained.
I can easily say that this is one of the best Reiki books around!

Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art, 30 May 2005
An amazing book. I'm doing a review on Spiritual Healing and Reiki for a Cancer Palliative Care course, the subject has become a bit of a mine field. Most books on Reiki keep the mystery but Essential Reiki tells it as it is? However, this is sending me to Attunement in Reiki I with quite a few questions. The book is a bit of a minefield in view of the history outlined which looks at Jesus' life as a healer and how, it claims, his life continued after his crucifixion. A lot of the information can be found in other books but this has more to offer and is excellent. I certainly recommend this book but cannot grade a 5 star because there is so much more reading to do. It has sent me on a mission of discovery that I could not have contemplated.

essential reiki, 24 Sep 2004
I have been a Reiki/Seichim Master/Teacher for over 7 years and a Spiritual Healer for over 20 years. This book is both informative and instructional, unfortunately it feels as if the author has issues with the male gender and Traditional Reiki Masters in general, like one of your other comments I agree that the power excercises are not neccesary since the essence of the spirit does not require power but rather energy, there is a difference. Having said all this I still respect Diane Stein for writing HER book, it has given me another opportunity to learn from others.
Bless you Diane.

Learn More, 09 Nov 2006
I used the recommendations in this book when I was ill and it worked for me...worth a go for anybody!

Look at your illness in a metaphysical light!, 11 Mar 1999
So often, patients have no idea why they have brought a certain illness into their lives. Heal Your Body A-Z is a small, easy to use reference book which explains our physical illnesses in a brand new spiritual or metaphysical light.

Each entry shows a problem, its probable mental or psychological cause, and a helpful affirmation for correction. We can then reflect or meditate in the suggested direction and eventually change our thought patterns or heal our faulty beliefs.

The book covers many specific symptoms (like anxiety, constipation, overweight, fainting); some illnesses (like AIDS, lupus, diabetes, cataracts, ulcers, arthritis); and parts of the body (like face, lower back, joints, wrists, and sinuses). Some of the more modern illnesses like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are missing -- but their components are there, i.e. fatigue, pain, skin rashes or appetite problems.

Louise Hay touches us with her true story about overcoming cancer, concisely discusses how we manifest illness, and gives us a truly wonderful meditation exercise for overall healing.

Excellent "hint book" for solving those incredibly difficult personal health mysteries.

Recommendable, 18 May 2008
Glenn Harrold does a good job. You get influenced by his voice in a very positive way. I do not agree with his concept of the seven chakras, but that is up to you.

Buy it, 02 Mar 2006
I don't know what he says on this CD, because I am out like a light and sleep like a baby when I use it. I wake up totally refreshed.

Whatever is said on it, it obviously does work when you are asleep!

HEALING, 03 Nov 2001
I have been a regular purchaser of Glenn's tapes for several months now and have done my fair share of recommeding them to people. But this one is my favourite. Confidence building and getting to sleep better and quicker are well trod ground for these sorts of tapes. It is in the more ambigious tapes like this and the Inner Peace one where Glenn comes into his own. Some of the sound effects on this tape calm me down even after the most hectic of days and it is an incredible boost to oneself when one is encouraged to target their mental and physical problems (whatever they may be) with the power of their mind. As with all the tapes, Glenn opens doors. The tapes don't control or take the lead. You do. And in the end, you help yourself realise the postive truths in life. If you buy this, buy the Positive Thinking one with it. That way you can go to the funfair afterwards.