Esoteric Anatomy: The Body As Consciousness

Rating:
Summary: Lots of info - at times overwhelming
Review: Bruce has done a great job collecting the important information from Dr. Stones works and mystical body theory in general. However, the material is hard to read and is perhaps not the best book for getting into the subject of body as consciousness or especially Polarity Therapy. If you are just getting into Polarity Therapy you should look at the book by Franklyn Sills.

Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: Having met Bruce in person and experienced his personal brilliance and the compassionate nature of his work, I would say this book is a must have for any esoteric minded person. The book covers a huge variety of topics all of which I have found utterly profound. Most of the pages could be read over and over again to soak up the cosmic/myopic insight and awareness dripping from the text. This is not just one mans words, but a infinite reflection of wisdom gathered from all corners of the world. Nothing is left out except personal application of this knowledge to manifest its wisdom and reward. Thank you Bruce.

Rating:
Summary: The theme of the book is the body as Consciousness.
Review: I first met Bruce at an American Polarity Therapy Conference in 1990. He is the founder of the Heartwood Institute in California and a respected member of the Polarity Therapy teaching fraternity. His primary emphasis as a teacher and practitioner of Polarity Therapy is that Polarity Therapy is a form of Bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga is one of the eight branches of classical yoga and relates to compassionate service as a yogic practise. Esoteric Anatomy is infused with BruceÕs deep commitment to Polarity as spiritual practise. The book is a credit to both Polarity Therapy and him. It is an extraordinary body of work that displays not only his deep understanding of the art of Polarity therapy but also reflects his spiritual studies in India and Asia and so covers an array of material on all the differing aspects of Polarity theory and practice as well as detail on an esoteric approach to somatic psychology. The philosophical underpinning of the book is derived from Sanatana Dharma which is an expression of the teachings of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the teachings of the Indian sage Shankara. Simply put this teaching offers a profound vision of the unity and sacredness of all life and how "ÉÉ.the living conscious, or self, of each being is unified with the one universal Being." The main theme of the book is the body as a manifestation of Consciousness. Threaded through this matrix are sections on fundamental Polarity energy balancing techniques entitled "loving hands are healing hands" followed by chapters on the breath, the Golden Mean, the mystic spiral in relation to the body and astrology and somatic psychology to name but a few. There is in depth look at harmonic patterns of growth in the physical and energy bodies illustrated with some beautiful diagrams that have not appeared in any other Polarity book all of which combines to give a rich tapestry of over 300 pages of information and insight that is invaluable to every student and teacher of Polarity. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Rating:
Summary: For serious seekers and scholars of the occult
Review: Like Dr, Stone's work, this might take a while to get through, but is worth the time. Read a little, meditate on it. This book is worth taking the time to properly digest. Also great for reference, great charts and diagrams. Great information on indian philosophy, polarity therapy, the elements, the gunas, and many other subjects. Highly reccommended.