HEALING YOURSELF: A Step-by-Step Program for Better Health Through Imagery

Sound, responsible instruction in the healing process of imagery; this manages to stay away from excessive claims and esoteric rambling. Rossman (U.C.S.F. Medical Center, New York City's Institute for the Advancement of Health) is firm: ""This is not a pie-in-the-sky book."" Imagery uses the mind to promote healing: ""to achieve deep physiologic relaxation, stimulate healing responses in your body, and create an inner dialogue that can help you better understand your health and what you can do to improve it."" He makes two important cautions at the outset: this is never a substitute for medical care--""there is no inherent conflict between good medicine and self-care. . .each complements the other."" Diagnosis is vital so that treatment options can be assessed. And, second, using such self-healing techniques as imagery without making a careful assessment of your condition ""can be dangerous and even life-threatening."" This second caution applies if a specific illness can be triggered by stress or emotional reactions, because if so, imagery may bring on symptoms. Rossman first explains the whys and wherefores of imagery, how it was developed, and what it is now (there is still no detailed understanding of how the technique actually works). He makes the point that it can be helpful in so many ways that it can really be used with any condition or complaint (""it is more accurate to think of it as a way of treating people, rather than a way of treating illnesses""). Rossman goes on to step-by-step instruction in the process: it usually begins with relaxation training, and heightening awareness of symptoms and body parts. This is all clearly laid out, with careful instruction on monitoring one's own progress (including what to do if resistance to the process occurs). A careful guide; clear and detailed instruction in a subject which has few concretes.