Discovering the Body's Wisdom: A Comprehensive Guide to More than Fifty Mind-Body Practices That Can Relieve Pain, Reduce Stress, and Foster Health, Spiritual Growth, and Inner Peace - Softcover

Knaster, Mirka

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0553373277 ISBN 13: 9780553373271

Publisher: Bantam, 1996

Synopsis

In an attractive, oversized format, enlivened with illustrations, sidebar quotes, personal accounts, techniques to try, and profiles of leaders in the field, Discovering the Body's Wisdom is a basic resource for well-being and natural health.

Body disciplines and therapies have enjoyed phenomenal growth in the past decade, becoming a major alternative to mainstream medicine and traditional psychotherapy. But with more than 100,000 practitioners and dozens of methods available in the United States alone, how can consumers choose the right one for themselves?

Mirka Knaster's richly informative guide provides an overview of the principles and theories underlying the major Eastern and Western body therapies, or "bodyways." It shows readers how to befriend their own bodies, getting back in touch with their internal sources of health and wisdom. It also describes more than 75 individual approaches, answering such questions as: How does each therapy work? What can we expect from one session or a series? What are the reasons for selecting this method? How do we find a qualified practitioner? What, if any, are the "consumer-bewares"?

About this title

Review

There are so many different kinds of bodywork available these days, many people find it hard to choose. Massage therapist and health writer Mirka Knaster's comprehensive book is a good place to start. She covers just about everything in both the Eastern and Western traditions--from various types of yoga, martial arts, and massage to newer practices such as Rolfing and the Alexander Technique to esoteric movement and touching practices of which most people have never even heard. The one thing all these techniques have in common is that they seek to bring healing and self-discovery through physical practices. "Many people first turn to bodyways because the pain of an injury or chronic condition forces them to seek alternatives," Knaster writes. "The other motivation ... comes from a natural drive toward healthy or optional functioning." Either way, she says, these practices help us overcome our disconnection from our body and our feelings.

It would be hard to overstate how much sheer information is supplied in this book. Not only does Knaster describe each technique and explain what it's supposed to do for you, she gives its history and a brief biography of the inventors, along with addresses and phone numbers for obtaining more information. A chapter on working with a given practitioner helps answer the multitude of questions readers are likely to have: How do you know if he or she is properly trained? How should you feel after a session? What do you do if your relationship with the practitioner seems too intimate or even improper? While anyone looking to get involved with a given technique would do well to find books that discuss it in greater depth, some may find that Discovering the Body's Wisdom already provides everything they need. Either way, it's a fascinating book, and a great reference to keep around.

From the Back Cover

Discovering the Body's Wisdom is the most authoritative and complete guide available for this fast-growing area of holistic health. Drawing on more than twenty years of research and hands-on experience, Mirka Knaster offers a wealth of information to help you understand and choose among more than sixty mind-body practices - from traditional Eastern disciplines such as T'ai Chi, Shiatsu, and Yoga to modern Western techniques such as Rolfing, Feldenkrais, and Trigger Point Therapy. She answers such questions as: What are the reasons for selecting this method? What can you expect from one session or a series? How can you find a qualified practitioner? What, if any, are the "consumer bewares"? The bodyway entries also contain vivid personal accounts, illustrated "experiences" you can try at home, and fascinating profiles of leaders in the field.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bantam
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0553373277
• ISBN 13: 9780553373271
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 432