References Books

"God On Your Own" is a wonderful, inclusive book that gives readers an invitation to get unstuck from unexamined beliefs and the perceived need to follow the dictums of outer "authorities", and instead, to follow the advice of one of my own spiritual teachers, Jack Schwarz, who said, "Trust your inner authority," or as I would put it, trust your core (inner) wisdom. (Jesus said that the kingdom of God was within us....do you think he may have been on to something?!)

I appreciated how the author kept returning in the book to what really mattered, being able to directly know one's true nature as an expression of the Source of ALL, rather than the delusion of being a separate limited survival oriented entity. His inclusion of such teachings as those of Joel Goldsmith, was useful in giving readers a chance to engage in the possibility that the outer world is a projection of our inner state of Being, and it is one's state of Being more than what they attempt to do from a state of separation that will allow for the shift in the world that people say they want.

Josph Dispenza'a chapters on beliefs, prayer, responsibility, and other aspects are clear and invite the reader to, as Dr. Hazel Parcell's used to say, "Check it out!" for themselves (Dr. Parcells was the subject of an earlier book by Dispenza). I love that that the author has invited the reader to trust themselves to know God as intimately and easily as God know them ---to realize that there is no separation, only particle and wave, content and context--- and without an outer crutch, they can know the world with love and compassion as a "play of consciousness" and be guided by the Source of All.

This book is an excellent guide and roadmap for returning home to your true nature.

Hal Isen
Hal Isen & Associates, Inc.
Author, The Genesis Principle
The Genesis Principle: A Journey into the Source of Creativity and Leadership

Dispenza's unusual persoanl journey -- from deep inside dogmatic religion to a serious spiritual life outside of it -- combined with his rich knowledge of traditional theology and contemporary mystic writers makes this book a most provocative read. It will take you on your own personal journey, for you can't help but think about where you stand on the issues he raises.

He presents several fresh insights. For example, the Lord's Prayer is all about separation and divisiveness!! Amazing! In fact, he demonstrates that much of the Bible is about separation. I have never looked at this -- or seen it -- so clearly. An important theme throughout the book is unity, oneness, mystical union.

Dispenza's personal story woven throughout is fascinating, and I love the way many of his points arise out of his personal experience.

Dispenza brilliantly turns each of his monastic vows into important principles of spirituality. This is a genuinely original argument.

The chapter on peak experience is provocative. And the last chapter about our entering a new age is really wonderful.


Dispenza identifies these as key spiritual concepts: detachment, innocence, responsibility, peak experience, service. These are similar to the key spiritual principles I have independently identified in my own writing: connection, authenticity, love, awareness, surrender, gratitude. (See Chapter 14 in Why Talking Is Not Enough.)Why Talking Is Not Enough: Eight Loving Actions That Will Transform Your Marriage

If you are interested in your own spiritual quest, don't miss this provocative read!

Totally synchronistic! I came upon ordering this book somewhat in error and it was the best mistake I have ever made! I found this book to eloquently (and easily )cover most of the points of the multitude of other spiritually focused books I have read. And I can assure you I have read most of them! This book crosses all religious and spiritual practice lines and really supports a deeply personal spiritual path. I have experienced a pretty significant medical crisis this past year, which became a deeply spiritual experience for me. Joseph Dispenza has helped me to understand my path and in such a down to earth, practical way. I am so grateful that I found this book!

Joseph Dispenza has written a book that is not so radical as much as it is a straightforwardly honest account of his journey, and how "meaning" is not borrowed or bestowed, but is, rather, created from within each person [read A. Damazio's THE FEELING OF WHAT HAPPENS] and is ALWAYS located there as a personal, private phenomenon.
He is also honest about the necessity for each person to question their experience to ascertain what is "relevant" to them, asserting that questions are not only acceptable, but are rquired, in order to locate what is "true for you." [read Neal Postman's chapter "Defending against the indefensible" in CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTIONS]
Consistent with these human traits and capacities, he affirms individual responsibility for choices about what to believe, whom to trust and emulate, and how to respectfully listen to and carefully weigh what any other person expresses about their experience, yet trusting one's own perspicacity. [read R. Baumeister's chapter "The myth of higher meaning" in MEANINGS OF LIFE and P. Tillich's THE COURAGE TO BE, about the importance of doubt]
Dispenza's book is a humane, affirming, encouraging book about growing up and taking full responsibility for what belief and the expression of belief mean in one's personal life and in the global community, which has significant consequences for you and for all of your "neighbors." Read his book, then YOU decide what your life means, and tell your personal story.

This is a comment on the book by Joseph Dispenza, "God On Your Own"I have read the book and found it to be right on target with my own struggle and journey. Every once in a while a book comes along that resonates in that place beyond belief to knowing. This is such a book. I like the fact that he honors the belief system he was raised in as a path that led him to seek his truth.
My own search began with Marianne Williamson's "A Return To Love" and "The Conversation With God" series, then on to Tolle's "The Power Of Now".. This book encouraged me to become even more comfortable with my
"new" truth. It is very difficult to separate from a belief system that has become so much a part of your life and family heritage. I encourage everyone to read this book and find out how great you really are and know that you are co-creating your life.
Namaste
Mary Kay

I bought this book because I enjoyed reading the Grammar Girl transcripts online. What a great buy! I can honestly say that I currently am using it 4 or 5 times a week. I am trying to improve my grammar and sound more educated and this book has been a tremendously help. It is so easy to use the index to look up specific topics. It is fun to read too!

It is a very useful grammar book which helps people correct common errors in writings. Recommanded!!

I've been a fan of Grammar Girl since her podcast was first released, and have since expanded to also listening to everyone on the Quick & Dirty Tips Network. While I am an avid reader, I have problems remembering grammar rules and usually follow what "sounds right" in my writing. Grammar Girl's book and podcast help me gain a deeper understanding for grammar rules and best of all, she makes it ENJOYABLE!

This is a difficult review to write, because if my grammar, usage or punctuation is faulty (as it so often is ... or do I mean as they so often are?), it may occur to readers that the book couldn't have been all THAT useful. The book is so well worth a review, however, that I decided to take the risk. I think that anyone who is interested in clear and effective writing will enjoy Mignon Fogarty's tips.

The book includes so much information that each reader will probably find a few tips that seem elementary (can anyone really be having trouble with set vs. sit?), a few tips that solve long-standing problems (may I use "they" as a singular pronoun if the circumstances are right?), and a few tips that bring a blush of shame (why, why, why have I been using all those dashes incorrectly for all these years?).

Improving the quality of the written word is surely a worthy goal, and Grammar Girl's guide gives solid information in an entertaining way. The book is also blessedly free of the snide tone that seems to occasionally overcome other experts in this field.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the English language and aspires to become a better writer.

I was able to pick up a copy at the local Borders and have been thumbing through it for the last few weeks. I really like this book.

When I'm writing an email, a blog post, or anything else for that matter, I want to know I'm doing it correctly. There's nothing worse than publishing something thinking everything is as it should be only to find out much later that you were using lay vs. lie incorrectly.

Grammar Girl's book offers easy-to-digest mnemonics that help you keep the confusing bits of grammar straight.

I'd give it 10 stars, but there were only 5 available. =)

Well...

27 positive reviews convinced me to buy this book. Unfortunately I did not found anything new, nor interesting, nor inspiring.

Sorry to say but waste of time and money.

In today's atmosphere to do more, with less, faster, with better quality, this book was a true insight into making an organization leaner.

For the past year we have been focused on the Kaizen approach to process improvement; that is the focus on the outside consulting firm that we chose several years ago. Sustaining change, measurement, and ownership of improvements might actually be regressing. While not giving a roadmap to success, this text affirms the missteps that we are experiencing and it has motivated me to take a broader, less event-focused approach. This would not be a strong text for the professional consultant, but for the leader attempting to assimilate change in a corporate culture and for someone who's been standing on the roadside with their 'lean' thumb out and wondering why no one will stop this provides a good review and simple checklist approach. My outside consultants will regret that I read this book.

Allthough the book is fairly short and a fast read in that I think it makes great job in really explaining the thinking behind lean. There are practically no focus on specific application of tools. And that is not a bad thing. Lean suffers from too tool based approach and I think that this book should be on a reading list before tool specific books (not saying that they don't have their place also).

I recommend this book for anyone considering Lean. I am buying it for all department directors. It gives the good and the bad, not just the good. I believe it will help people avoid making mistakes if they decide Lean is for them. A good overview of what to expect and gives examples average readers can understand. Highly recommended.

I have had this book for over a year now. I use a highlight marker to highlite the informative tidbits. This book can be hard to digest because of his knowledge of chemistry and the human body.Most of his health tips are very easy to read though. I have been on a high dose vitamin regiman for most of my life and I have not had any serious health problems. I look, act and feel much better than people half my age. (I was born in 1964).Dr. Pauling started the vitamin revolution back in the late 1960's. This book (How to live longer) is like a Doctors journal. As I said earlier- alot of the book is hard to understand unless you know something about chemistry. Dr. Pauling himself took 18 grams of vitamin C a day and lived to the age of 93. I myself take about 7 grams per day but I feel that is good enough for me so far.Dr Pauling also took his own urine samples to do tests on vitamin C and he found out that only 15% of the vitamin C is excreted through the urine! That means that the other 85% is being used by the body.Go on youtube and you can watch video clips of Linus Pauling discussing the importance of vitamins.
Thank you for prolonging our lives Dr. Pauling!

I don't have enough words to tell how this book is valuable to me.
You gotta read it! It will change your habits and spam your life time on earth!
Good luck!

While I agree with those who contend that even in large doses vitamin C undoubtedly doesn't cure cancer, neither do the deadly poisons of chemotherapy and radiation. Unlike the horrible side effects and life shortening poisons of chemotherpy and radiation, even in large doses vitamin C won't poison your system and shorten your life. Having said that, I convinced that you can take to much of even an excellent vitamin such as C.

The mildest form of chemotherapy, mustard gas was used in WWI. It was so difiguring that it's use was outlawed at that time. The form most often used in present day cancer treatment is the most toxic form available. As it burns the tissues, radiation is no safer than chemotherapy.

In the 1970's Nixon declared a war on cnacer, which meant he was declaring war on our bodies. I'm not war with my body, but rather desire to do all in my power to treat as the fearfully and wonderful made creation of God that it is.

While not a cure for cancer either, a truly healthy diet, optimal doses of all vitamins and minerals, fresh air, moderate sun exposure, plenty of rest, dealing with emotional issures, etc, can prolong people's lifes, give them a better quality of life with less pain and in less advanced cases even reverse the disease. Way to often we are looking for a magic bullet supplement or treatment for disease. There are no magice bullets, but rather we all need to take "responsibility" and care for our bodies the way they were designed to be cared for. Prevention of disease not cure should be our emphasis.

User "L. POWER lp542": while Linus Pauling is a great mind and his vitamin regimine is a wonderful way to maintain a healthy immune system, his mega-doses of Vitamin C are ABSOLUTELY NOT a primary treatment for cancer, as you suggested. It is irresponsible of you to suggest that taking large doses of vitamin C can push one's cancer into remission. The only effective prescriptions for cancer are those offered by leading oncologists, like surgery, if possible; chemotherapy; radiation treatment; radiofrequency ablation; monoclonal antibodies; etc. It is irresponsible and morally abhorrent to suggest that vitamins can be an effective primary treatment for cancer when leading oncologists have never supported this hogwash. You are presenting a supplementary treatment as a primary treatment. And, since cancer is a fatal disease, your advice can actually shorten the lives of patients who would otherwise be receiving treatments that actually work and have been proven to do so in double-blind randomized placebo trials. Do you really believe that a random book (written by a Nobel laureate or not) contains secret cancer fighting tools that leading researchers and oncologists are not aware of? If vitamin C loading was so groundbreaking in the treatment of cancer, don't you think there would be articles about it in major medical journals and presentations on it at the annual ASCO (American Society of Clinincal Oncology) convention? There is a reason that mega-doses of vitamins are not used as primary treatment at cancer hospitals. That reason is that vitamin C loading is NOT a proven primary treatment for any type of cancer. There are NO studies proving that vitamins can push any type of cancer into remission. Those cancer patients you mentioned who are alive today are not living because of their vitamin loading. They're alive because of the primary treatment (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation, monoclonal antibodies, etc.) they received.

I have not read this book, but I somehow doubt that Linus Pauling would suggest in it that vitamins are a good primary treatment for cancer. In fact, I'm sure he didn't. Something this riculous could only come from a crackpot poster on Amazon...

My grandmother was taking about 26 different meds for all sorts of conditions, COPD, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol, fibromylagia, etc. etc. I figured most of her symptoms were a result of over medication and side effects. I first got the book "Best pills, Worst Pills" to review her meds. I highly recommend it. Then I started getting books on nutrition and vitamin supplementation. This book by Pauling is the best I have read. After you read it, it will give you a better understanding of how to look at you health from a big picture point of view. The other book I highly recommend is a book by Hoffer called "Putting it all together: The New Orthomolecular Medicine". He writes more about his clinical experiences. If you read the Hoffer book first, you would probably be a little more skeptical, but if you read the Linus book first, it will give you a better foundation for accepting Hoffer's propositions. GET THE BOOKS!!

Twenty four years ago, I was a ten year old girl who saved every last penny to save $35.00 to buy the Little House on The Prairie boxed set by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was my love of the TV show that started the savings venture...I heard it was based on a true story and I needed to know all the details. What happened when I received those books, and read them one after another that year changed me into a fan of the show, into a full fledge Laura Ingalls Wilder enthusiast. Why? Because of the simple beauty of the pioneer tales within. Stories that show that even when things are worse than you or I can imagine, family and faith still bring hope and contentment. Little Town on the Prairie is one of my two favorite stories. Even as a ten year old I loved watching Laura turn into a lady in this story. Its been several years since I read this one, and taking a break from my regular readings seemed a good idea. I noticed that I picked up new little things this time around. I can read different things into that meeting with Almonzo where he and Laura change cards, I can feel the shame and tension in the school house scene where Laura defends Carrie to Ms. Wilder (I think I felt this horror anew from a parents perspective) and I also noticed Ma's prejudices against the Indians more keenly as well. There was a scene I even felt uncomfortable with. In a social gathering at the school, some of the town's men dressed in black paint and acted like "darkies" to the amusement of the audience. I think Laura herself, would flinch from that in this day and age. But again, it only emphasizes the times the Ingalls family were living in, and how far this country has come. The country has made mistakes along the way (slavery and the Trail of Tears, for example). But where we are now is in no little part, due to the efforts of the brave pioneers like the Ingalls family. This is a historical, christian, pre-romance, and tale of growing from child to woman all in one and there is no doubt in my mind, why this remains a beloved story to children and adults everywhere today.

Laura Ingalls thought that being thirteen was difficult, but now she is on the cusp of her fifteenth year, and things around her are changing like crazy. After a difficult winter full of one blizzard after another, Laura is happy to be back on the claim shanty with her family, away from the hustle and bustle of town. But she knows that her family will most certainly head back to De Smet to live in the shop before winter comes again, to protect them from the harsh weather that may lie ahead. Weather aside, however, Laura can't believe how many new things are arising. Especially the most important one of all - changes for Mary.

Laura couldn't be happier to be back in school again. After so many months of studying on her own, she is thrilled to be back in the classroom with her old friends Mary and Minnie, and Ida. But there's someone new in the classroom. A person from Laura's past who makes Laura shake with anger - Nellie Oleson. Laura, however, is determined to ignore the nasty Nellie and study as hard as she possibly can in order to gain her teaching certificate, and help to send Mary to college. But even without her being a part of the workforce, Mary is able to go off to college, and Laura couldn't be happier - or more devastated. But seeing how much Mary loves college, Laura resolves to study even harder, and begin earning the money to assist in keeping her there. Of course, Laura never imagined that things could possibly stand in her way. Such as the selfish new schoolteacher who thrives on taunting and humiliating both Laura and Carrie in front of the other students; and working as a seamstress in town. But the most shocking of all, is Almanzo Wilder's sudden interest in young Laura. Almanzo is a handsome fellow, whose Morgan horses are the talk of the town, and now Almanzo seems to have taken a fancy to Laura - something that leaves her confused and excited at the same time. But no matter what, she must remember to continue her studies, or else Mary may have to return home before her education is complete.

It seems strange to bear witness as someone ages, but that is exactly what readers have had the opportunity to do as Laura Ingalls grows in age, height, and maturity. The love she holds for her family is so refreshing and charming, and truly keeps the reader's interest peaked; while the constant maturity Laura displays in each and every one of her decisions is just unbelievable. Laura has completely grown up before our eyes, and each year she just becomes more and more lovable. The inclusion of facts regarding the changes taking place during this era are interesting, and present a fun learning experience for readers; while the sudden budding romances springing up around the young people of De Smet indicates just how much older these characters have become. Almanzo Wilder has grown on me over the past few books, and I love reading the scenes where he is present; and Nellie Oleson, as nasty as she is, will always remain a fun character whom you absolutely love to hate, but hate to love. This series just gets better and better!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

For this book review I read Little Town on the Prarie by:Laura Ingles Wilder. This book is good reading for preteen girls. The story is historical and is about living in the pioneer days.

In this book Laura and her family work hard to send her older sister to Collage and keep her there untill she finishes. Laura and her little sister Grace have to go to school when they move to town for the winter. Laura is very exited about going to school because she wants to get her teachers certifacit when she is sixteen. To find out what else happens you will have to read the book.

This book was fun to read and kept my intrest. It was a little confusing at timeskeeping up with who was talking. It was very interesting also to learn about how they lived back then. Over all it was a good book and I would consider reading it again.

I read this book to my two sons, 7, 9 and my husband, during long drives. We all loved it. Even though the main character is a girl, my boys were interested the entire time and identified with Laura. The descriptions are great and the characters are well-drawn. We're now reading These Happy Golden Years and my family is loving that, too. I recommend this book for a family to read together.

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational story about what life was like among homesteaders in the Dakota territories in the 1880s. I mostly agree with the other positive reviews here. But there is a teaching moment in this book that should not be overlooked. The parents in this book are paragons of virtue, and their behavior matches the highest standards - standards of 1880, not 2006. There is a short scene during one of the "literaries" where several men perform in blackface. Although it occurs with innocent intent, modern readers might find it in questionable taste if they don't allow for the historical context.

If they're smart, parents and teachers will embrace this as an opportunity to open a discussion with children about changing standards, and the work it took to improve those standards.

This well written and organized book walks you through the step by step process of setting up a home based book business. The author thoroughly covers all of the important categories:
1. Which books to buy or avoid
2. How to set book pricing
3. Creating a system for shipping and fulfillment
4. How to get listed on Amazon.com
5. How to set up the legal end of a home business

With the current state of the economy, this book will bring value to those looking for a full-time operation as well as those looking to earn a supplemental income. Very detailed and comprehensive, Online Bookselling covers all the bases.

Stacie Vander Pol, author of "Top Self Publishing Firms"

This is an overall good book to own filled with practical advice about how to run an on line book store. Very indepth, sometimes too much so, like the bit about how to package a book for shipping, but you also do not get that level of detail in anyone elses book either. This is one of the quartet of books you should get when you decide you want to open up your own on line book store.

There are a lot of things sellers need to know and lots of support for this need for knowledge in the book from customer service, what to pay for books, how to grade and price books, as well as tons of other great information that you will need.

Overall 5 of 5 books, enjoyed reading this and learning how to apply the well thought out advice presented in this book.

Michael Mould deserves serious kudos from the world of used booksellers. This book is extremely thorough and gives fantastic nuts and bolts advice. Mike is both rational and encouraging--he avoids the hype of "start-ups" which allows his book to be genuine and open-minded. His "day in the life" anticipates the "basic" questions and his lists of services and weblinks are very helpful. I also highly recommend buying copies that come with the CD "Bookkeeping for Booksellers". That Mike shares all the work he has done is generosity on a karmic scale. Not only is the book helpful, but Mike has created and inspired a large and collaborative community of booksellers through his work. Thanks, Mike, for pointing the way.

Michael Mould covers every detail for those who are interested in online bookselling (as a hobby or a business). I keep this book on my desk and refer to it frequently. Personally, I found the photographs on packaging and shipping to be very interesting (and vital, considering some of his own USPS experiences and insights). He even provides an informative "A Day in the Business" section detailing his own daily bookselling procedures. Very helpful. I have yet to see another bookselling guide to offer such detailed information or step-by-step illustration.

I probably purchased every book on selling books online. The book by Michael E. Mould, if purchased first, would have saved me a lot of money and frustration. He has answered every question I could have asked about selling books online in a concise easy to understand format. I have used many of his suggestions from scheduling my time to pricing and grading my inventory and much more in-between. His impressions of where to sell my books was useful since I was already signed up with Amazon but had not begun to sell anything. He gave me the confidence to know I had made the right decision in choosing Amazon. His knowledge of the proper tools and procedures for saving me from wasting a lot of time has been very helpful.
I am a senior citizen and the less I have to handle the inventory the better. That's one of the best suggestions I took away from the book. Thank you, Mr. Mould
Ila J.

I laughed, I cried, I remembered. Great book written by someone who knows. I highly recommend this book. Yes, it tells stories about wartime, but it is written in such a way that the whole family could read it together.

Once I started reading Chuck Truitt's book, I found it very hard to put it down. He writes in a down to earth manner just like you were there with him.

The author and I were in Vietnam during approximately the same time period though in very different roles and locations. The book conveys a sense of immediacy and presence that evokes many memories of that unique conflict, and the story is told with genuine irony and humor unusual in books about Vietnam. The reader will find the book rewarding whether they are veterans of that war or not.

Charles Truitt is a gifted writer whose stories are a pleasure to read. Pop A Yellow Smoke is a refreshingly different outlook on life as a Marine during the Vietnam War. Never has a history lesson been so amusing. A pleasant combination of facts, explanations and real life experiences givers the reader a glimpse of the every day lives our men lived. A soldier of the cross, Charles Truitt is still a true Marine at heart and I would highly recommend this book to anybody!

A refreshing glimpse of reality in the "war zone". Very subtly forces you to reconsider your priorities. After over a year since reading the book, I still find myself reflecting on various episodes that brought back wonderful memories of my own experiences in the Corps and in everyday life. I wish the Commandant would make this required reading for all Leathernecks. Great job, Gunny!

Gary "Gunny" Johnson, USMCR '82-'93

The Prophet's dictionary is a needed resource that will help you see and understand more clearly your spiritual walk with God. When God speaks to me through dreams or through his word, if their is something I'm not clear about I know it can be found in this book. I personaly don't leave home without it.

This is a great reference piece that I use anytime I have a dream or vision. It's a great guide to help you into the right direction when looking for what symbols represent in the super natural. Love it!

It is so fun and so rich in revelations.
A great guide to better understand the Bible.
Multidimensional.
Great for the mind and the soul.

I consider the Prophet's dictionary an invaluable tool in my Bible study time. I use it to help prepare for sermons and writing lesson plans. I highly recommend it to every one that reads the Bible! I praise God for Dr. Paula Price, and for her obedience in creating a tool to help us uderstand the mind of God.

One of the most essential reference books that every Christian should have in their library. Whether you consider yourself as "gifted" in the prophetic or not, you need this book.

If you've ever had a dream or vision that you didn't understand OR you clearly knew that your dream/vision was from God and you had more questions than answers. This book will help you discover the meaning of the images you've been given.

This is an excellent resource book when studying or teaching a Bible class. Well organized and user-friendly.

I love this book. Very useful book. However, when I received the book, I notice the cover was torn.

Beautifully illustrated, colorful and detailed. It's been a great help in studying the Word. Time lines, maps, charts, pictures and more. We love it. I would reccommend it to everyone.

An Excellent resource. Contains an huge amount of information. Good buy. Fast shipping.

Easy way to find information and transport yourself to the different Bible times. It explains and shows how objetcs looked like etc..

The principles of Somatics absolutely address all your aches and pains whereby you take control to put yourself back in place by training your muscles. Best if you can locate an instructor for class instruction to enhance the illustrations as well as add new exercises. It is most unfortunate that Thomas Hanna did not continue on earth to realize his contribution for so many.

The Somatic exercises have given me more fluidity and ease of movement that anything I've tried - Yoga, Pilates, Egoscue, physical therapy. I actually felt an amazing difference the first time I did these exercises. I continue to do them every day, I enjoy doing them because they allow me to move with far less discomfort and pain. The book may be a little challenging, but well worth the effort. Be sure to read it and then begin the exercises so you have a complete understanding of what the exercises are about and why they work. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know that has lower back/hip issues. The exercises have also been helpful in increasing the range of motion of my shoulder which was beginning to 'freeze up' for me. This book can change your life.

A friend recommended this to me after I had been incapacitated by back pain. I just woke up crippled by back pain one morning - the first time in my life. After weeks of doctors and little relief, I read the book and tried out the exercises. I immediately felt the benefits.

The book is organized as first, a series of case studies, which the author uses to illustrate his theory of muscle amnesia, followed by a series of illustrated exercises with detailed instructions. Anyone reading this book should first read the case studies before doing the exercises.

The author's objective is to help you reacquaint you with parts of your body that you have lost touch with - and therefore lost control of. He believes that much back and body pain is due to involuntary actions of muscle groups that we have forgotten how to control. By doing exercises and focusing on how they feel, we can regain sensation and control of our muscles. We can replace painful involuntary muscle actions with graceful voluntary ones.

All I can say is, the exercises - and theory - helped me, and I do the short version of the exercises most days. The exercises are not strenuous or painful - they are pleasurable and relaxing, leaving you feeling invigorated.

Hanna Somatics is very beneficial for all people. It really blows the "your just getting old" myth and is an easy method to feel better in your body at the same time as doing something to make it work better. It is easy reading and the pictures of the exercises at the end are helpful. However, the simplicity of the exercises does not translate well in the explanations, so it would be very helpful to find a Somatic Educator to go over the exercises with you once or twice. Well worth the price of the book.

I had severe chronic abdominal pain for the best part of a year. I had to quit my sport (rowing) and it really affected my studies. Truth is I was already beginning to realise that my problem was somatic and had begun to release the abdominal tension just by thinking about it. I discovered somatics after that. Personally I have found it an effective approach to releasing tension. It has worked for me but what I would like to know is whether it has worked for others?

The thing about this sort of book is that it is likely to attract positive reviews. We only see the successes and the failures are forgotten about thus distorting the reviews. Indeed this is a failure of the book itself. As a practitioner of somatics Hanna must have had people he could not help. What was their situation? How long did he work with them? As such the first part of the book which discusses case studies and its philosophical basis cannot be regarded as scientific. We can learn as much from failure as from success.

The only critical review at the time of writing is right to criticise the poor visibility of the skeleton diagrams. Others have criticised its lack of mention of the fact that there are people trained in somatic education. If you decide to take on the program then I advise you to go to someone trained in the movements otherwise you risk doing it wrong and wasting your time or at worst making your problem worse.

Somatics is not an alternative to Pilates or Yoga rather it takes certain aspects of those disciplines and refines them as well as adding some additional ideas not found in either. Pilates is about core stability, yoga is about... well yoga and somatics is about muscle tension. The book also fails to adequately put itself within context of other related disciplines.

Anyway, Somatics is a great discipline. I hope that the next edition works out these criticisms.