Consciousness And Healing: Integral Approaches To Mind-body Medicine

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Summary: The Heart of the Matter
Review: "If I only had a heart," the tin man moans in "The Wizard of Oz" - all the while unaware of the compassion infusing his behavior. This is a book of over 60 healing experts who not only speak their science from compassionate hearts, but remind us that mainstream physicians also have hearts, yet are all too often prevented from practicing from that place by a system gone mad. Opening with Ken Wilber's brilliant introduction and Marilyn Schlitz's eloquent statement of the old/new concept of "integral medicine," my adrenaline was pumping within the first few pages. The spirit of the book models connection and cooperation with all health providers which oils the mechanism of courageous change. This compassionate attitude (careful observation of what works and what does not, as opposed to attacks) beautifully paves the new paradigm path with openness, humility and, yes, love. One is encouraged to step up to the uncertain experince of "a transformation of consciousness," a concept less daunting and decreasingly esoteric as explicated here with the variety of multi-cultural essays covering heartfelt personal experience, simple daily exercises and visionary goals - all carefully supported by mounds of empirical data. The powerful paradigm of "Integral Medicine" seems to suggest the need for an updated Hippocratic Oath. (Somehow, I believe Hoppocrates is cheering us on here.) Rather than "First, do no harm," how about "First, nurture the spirit"?

Rating:
Summary: Get This Book
Review: Now this is a good book. It consists of over 60 essays as well as a DVD with interviews. The book is partially directed at Ken Wilber's concept of integral medicine. Wilber is not a medical authority but an integral philosopher with many novel and important views. He considers integral medicine as a perspective that includes the patient's subjective world space (one's meaning, values, and world view), the patient's social relationships (shared meaning, values and aspirations) as well as the patient's physical condition (the focus of most Western medicine). Those of us who work in the field (mine clinical trials) will appreciate this expanded view. Ironically, each of the essayists to a large degree focus on only one of these three areas of existence. But then this is not a bad thing for each of these authors has something to contribute. It would probably be best to view Wilber's contribution, the Foreward, as a theoretical attempt to expand the concept of medicine. There are other contributors who are transpersonal and humanistic psychologists and provide a theoretical orientation adding much visionary value to this book. There are also a number of practicing clinicians who anchor the book with suggestions grounded in evidence based medicine. These include Michael Samuels, Dean Ornish, Rachel Remen, Deepak Chopra, and Larry Dosey, all both experienced clinicians and visionaries. Other outstanding researchers' essays included in this book are by Candace Pert, Jon Kabat-Zinn, David Levin, and Stephanie Simonton-Atchley. This book offers the researcher, the clinician, and the patient much material to take and from it, synthesize their own view in the crucible of life.

Daryl S Paulson Ph. D.
BioScience Laboratories Inc.