Health Books

This book clearly explains what wellness and how to achieve it. Yes, it may seem like an ad for chiropractors, but not many people know how chiropractic is beneficial outside of neck and back pain. It also is a one stop resource for healthy eating habits, exercise habits, and a good way to restore you mental vitality. THIS IS WHAT WELLNESS IS ABOUT.

After reading Discover Wellness, even the most casual observer can recognize how painfully obvious it is that making better/smarter lifestyle choices will result in an overall improvement of health and well-being. What I like about this book is that it puts all of this information into perspective and makes it not only easy to understand, but actually easy to implement and follow. I can - and now want to - do this! I can AND WILL be healthier!

The information presented in Discover Wellness has been included in some of the hottest discussions in corporate America and is an important part of the platform in the 2008 Presidential Election. It is an easy read intended to provide as much information as possible so you can educate yourselves, family and friends and community about the magnitude of America's health care crisis. Unfortunately, this isn't an issue that we can ignore because it's NOT going away. If you want to keep up on how "staying health can make you rich" then this book is a must read!

Written by Dr. Bob Hoffman and Dr. Jason A. Deitch, Discover Wellness: How Staying Healthy Can Make You Rich is a guide to not only improving one's health and quality of life, but also foster pocketbook savings in the process. Chapters are filled with simple, time-tested methods for fostering improved health, from consciously applying better posture to promote spinal health to simple stretches ideal for engendering flexibility to guidelines for proper nutrition and exercise, the value of eating organic foods, and much more. Discover Wellness is simply a no-nonsense guide to help more people become less sick through inexpensive and easy-to-follow guidelines, and while not a substitute for a doctor's care, is decidedly invaluable for its practical preventative measures. Highly recommended.

When I first opened this book, I thought it was just going to be another "cookie-cutter" health and fitness "how to" book. Boy, was I wrong! This book is filled with things I never even thought about! I've always heard the saying, "you are what you eat" but I never heard "you are what you THINK!" The bottom line is, if you want to have a healthy body, you have to have healthy thoughts and emotions. Just as it's important to avoid toxic chemicals, it's important to avoid toxic thoughts. Easier said then done, but I'm practicing what I learned in Discover Wellness and I already see some impressive improvements.

Reading this book has been wonderful for me. It provides survival tools in the form of stories and metaphors so they are easy to remember and call on when in distress. It separates weight from the issue, and suggests a more holistic and psychological approach toward resolution.

I recommend this for anyone who suffers from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder or compulsive eating disorder.

This is an incredible book. It is beautifully written in a way which is easy to understand. The stories are so profound. I recommend it for all women, especialy those with disordered eating.

"Eating in the Light of the Moon" is hands down the best book on disordered eating I have yet to read, because it sheds light on the painful struggle with uplifting, inspiring storytelling. Johnston's soft, delicate voice will weave you through tales of distant lands which somehow bring you to the shore of self-discovery. This book does use psychology as the basis for its generalizations, but I never found it to be too preachy. Like saying good-bye to your favorite characters at the end of a novel, you will not want this story to end. It is one giant affirmation, and I recommend it especially to women who long to reclaim their hidden or lost feminine.

For people who want to recover from an eating disorder this book is a must for your library. It is conforting, interesting and soulful. It prompts the inner self to open its mouth and get ready to be fed what will truly nourish you.

An eating disorder can be a catalyst to your growth as a person if you surrender to it with awareness and be open to its teachings. This book can help you do that. When you really know what you need besides behaviors of an eating disorder then you can go about the task of learning and working in partnership with life to create what you are really wanting and desiring.

If you are new in recovery this book helps open the door to the deeper self and prepares you for a journey. If you are already in recovery and want another affirming voice to add to your support system, this book will help.

this book was an EXTRAORDINARY experience....it was almost as if I was having a 1:1 therapy session with a psychologist. What a fantastic exploration into an isolated world of eating disorders where no one really knows what it is like until you have been there. This book really gets to the meat of what is underlying an eating disorder. Having experienced this myself, it was nothing short of a incredible awakening as to revealing why I do what I do. Highly recommended

I read this wonderfully written and deeply felt book a few years ago, after my mother succumbed to biliary cancer and long before I triumphed over my own cancer (prostate). During my year of cancer and recovery, I often thought of Remoff's book -- a gem that created a resonance I still feel today -- of her resilience and love of life. Familiar with the setting, Eagle's Mere (a quaint, old Victorian village set atop a picturesque mountain, frequented by folks of means throughout much of the 20th century), I'd say she had ample opportunity to commune with the seasons. But the beauty of her love letter lies in its human light. We see an engaging, luminous spirit that will not yield to the dark, nefarious work of cancer, a woman deeply connected to family, friends and community. Her dog Chuckles, her running, her ruminations, her alternative healthcare approaches, her strong yet sensitive husband -- all give her reason to live. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone whose life has been affected by cancer. This book is life, fully lived, soulfully rendered, teeming with laughter and foolishness amid the fear and pain of facing one's inescapable mortality.

As a book about nature and going through a life threatening disease, this is a lovely portrayal.

If one is looking for indepth personal perspective and insight into (ovarian) cancer and accompanying surgerys and treatments, it is rather weak.

I wasn't moved, at a time when I am easily moved.

While facing a deadly disease, Heather Remoff shows wonderful insight, honesty, and humor. Also, the book is the perfect length and is very readable.

"I'm locked up for a crime I didn't commit," says Remoff, pacing hospital corridors after ovarian cancer surgery. This restless woman describes her greatest adventure, a dance with death in her 54th year. It's not surprising that she despises being cooped up. She lives on a crystal clear lake in small-town Pennsylvania. She adores the outdoors and describest it tenderly -- its changes through the months of that year. In September she pays attention to the Crows and their wisdom. "Crows break my heart in the same way September does," she discloses. In January we see her on the frozen lake to help townsfolk harvest 250-lb ice blocks to build a high and dangerous toboggan slide, a ritual since 1904. She's in chemotherapy, wearing mittens, scarves, boots. She gets too cold and must give up. Feeling guilty, she won't attend the bean feed afterward. Chemotherapy doesn't stop her from running, though, even on dark winter mornings. She's only dissappointed that she must cut her speed as she weakens. This is a strong woman, physically and mentally fit. She flirts with the mystical. A lost pendant is mysteriously found by strangers and delivered to her door. A white light surrounds her one morning in bed -- healing and supporting her immediately before her follow-up diagnosis, one that ultimately finds no trace of tumor. There's much to the body-mind connection that we have yet to learn. This is an educated woman, a researcher who questions issues of economic theories. I wondered, then, why she did not question, as I did, what allowed cancer to enter her strong and active body. Do we remember our grandmothers attending funerals of friends dying from breast or ovarian cancer in their fifties? Or forties? Or thirties? This lovely book is bereft of her probing heart in dealing with these issues with her doctors. Today, some health care professionals and their patients actually take time to track childhood exposure to DDT, toxic waste dumps, farm pesticides and polluted w! ater. I wish she had.

In this brief book, Heather Remoff shows herself to be a funny, gutsy, caring and sensitive woman. She also turns out to be one tough cookie. This memoir of her new life in a remote Pennsylvania village, and of the cancer that nearly ended that life, is well worth reading just for the skill of her writing. But even more, it is a fascinating self-portrait of a whole person, fully engaged in the serious and crazily unpredictable business of life.

Dawn Rochelle has lukemia and her 15th birthday is comming up she starts wondering if she will live to see it.Then she gets a big surprise her big brother comes to town Dawn soon finds out that teddy is getting married Dawn is so excited.When her lukemia takes a turn for the worst how much time will she have before her big 15 or the wedding or will she even live to see it?

I love the Dawn Rochelle novels. I love how the author goes into good detail.

For the past year, Dawn has been in remission. Though she has to be in remission for four more years to be declared "cured", Dawn's blood tests have been coming out positive, and life continues to go on. Then Rob, Dawn's older brother, arrives home from college with great news- he's getting married! His wife-to-be, Darcy, is pretty and nice. But Dawn senses that Darcy doesn't like her because of her cancer. At first Dawn wonders if maybe she's just feeling jealous of Darcy's perfect life and attitude, but when Dawn's cancer returns, with only a bone marrow from her brother to save her life, Darcy becomes more and more upset, which causes her brother to become upset, too, and Dawn is afraid that she is ruining her EVERYONE'S life with her cancer. But that won't last much longer if the transplant doesn't work...

This book was very touching. It talked about the closeness between Dawn and Rob, and Rob's loyalty to her in this rough time, when death is waiting at Dawn's door. It was very interesting, and was a page-turner for me. I ended up reading it from beginning to end in only one morning. Like the last book, it also talks about cancer, and is educational if you want to know what cancer really is. I recommend it to girls who love good books!

The second book of the Dawn Rochelle series...it was astonishing. The book is one true pageturner, and not only that, it brought me to tears. I cried twice in one day, as I've gone on directly to continue with the second book in the series since I got to read the first one.
Lurlene McDaniels has an unbelievably hypnotizing gift with words; she's truly remarkable. Once again, I recommend everyone who has the slightest bit of feeling in them to read it.
It's wonderful and heartbreaking.

I Want to Live is a really good book. I like this book because it tells you what it's like to have cancer. I don't think this book could be any better. If you were looking for a book I would recommend this one especially if you were a girl.

Dawn, the main character, was in remission, but then she needed a bone marrow transplant. Your going to have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

Into the Blue: A Father's Flight and a Daughter's Return
this was a great book. It's really scary from the perspective that it reinforces what we hear that we must take charge (or someone must do so on our behalf) of our healthcare options.

Into the Blue is a funny, touching, inspiring and educational ride that we all need to take to deal with what this life may hand us. Edsall and her sister did amazing work with their dad in a situation many of us have or will have to deal with. Buy multiple copies and send them to everyone you love.

This book is the fascinating story of two sisters and their dad who was suffering from a stroke. The sisters are determined to get him back to his airplane. In this book the author underlines the support a patient needs from his doctor for a fast and safe recovery. This book will definitely be a welcome read to any one suffered from a stroke.

After eliminating my coffee habit with the help of a wonderful coffee substitute made from soya beans called "Soyffee", I'm feeling so much better. My doctor recommended it to help lower my cholesterol and promote strong bones. It's available online at www.S o y c o f f e e.com.

I loved this book! The writing was so sharp and funny, and the story is heartwarming and hilarious, without being overly sentimental.

Susan Edsall does suggest you go off coffee slowly before you start the plan. This would minimize headaches during detox. I couldn't wait to get started so, of course, did it all at once and had the most horrible awful headache for 4 straight days. I finally broke down and had a 1/2 cup coffee one day instead of taking aspirin and that did the trick...for the moment.

You feel as if you've known the author and her family all your life after reading this book, and you really care about them.

OK, I'm humble enough to admit I was wrong. When one of my best friends, a Volvo-driving soccer mom if there ever was one, suggested that I read and PURCHASE "Into The Blue", I was skeptical at best. Scenario: author and sister rehabilitate stroke-afflicted father so he can - *gag* - fly again. Yet another "chick" book. Ho-hum.

So untrue. It's been a long, long while since I've been so entertained, overwhelmed, affected, whatever, by a memoir. Susan Edsall has a great gift for writing, and for viewing the world by crushing the rose colored glasses. If this were simply a novel about how our heroine pulls her dad back from the abyss, it'd probably sell a bazillion copies in the romance section. "Into The Blue" is not simple - not by a long shot.

First off, it should be required reading for every med student, neurology resident, or anyone who has contact with stroke victims. The start of Edsall's tale is pretty grim; not for what happened to her father, but for the reaction of the medical community to his plight - indifference, condescension, and that "oh well, that's what happens, nothing we can do" type of nonsense that we've all seen too well from supposed professionals who you'd think would have more insight and creativity to go with all that specialized education.

Love of a parent pushes the Edsall family into a series of tough decisions, but the neat part of this book is the places that they come to as a result of these mileposts. The author seems as surprised as the reader at times by the way in which her father's stroke and her family's actions cause her (and all of them) to reconnect in new and very meaningful fashion. Susan's descriptions of her relationships past and present with her mother, her husband and above all her sister Sharon are hysterical - and very moving. I could relate 80 percent of her patter to my own family, which was an experience both interesting and disturbing!

This is a tremendous piece of writing, worthy of wide distribution and discussion.

After reading some of the enthusiastic and grateful reviews for this book, there is little that I can add. Clearly, everyone who reads Trisha's tale is able to extract something that aids female life in today's world. Apart from cessation of hot flashes following Trisha's suggestions, the most important information for me was that menopause does not immediately throw ladies into the visage of dried up sexless old crone. No one should start gulping hormones in fear of losing youth and good looks--Trisha has blazed the trail for all of us, looking much, much younger than her years and living and loving life.

I had heard about this book but when I went to get it in the hardcover it was out of print. Well, when it hit my local bookstore in paperback, I got a copy and devoured it in a few hours. It's been a lifesaver! Thank you Trisha for not making menopause into the negative journey that most books cast it as, and thank you for not only giving those of us who fear hormones a choice, but for so clearly setting forth a natural path that works. Since going on Trisha's regimen, my hot flashes are history, and I feel much better and in control (not to fail to mention 12 lbs lighter on the scale!)
With all the new news on hormones, this book is a MUST for any woman approaching menopause!

I have long been troubled by the two available sources of menopause advice: 1) questionable medical research relying on broad generalizations and possible drug company resources; and
2) women who have "passed through," and present their experiences as if they had just fought the Gulf War single-handedly.
I've never trusted "research" on HRT, and I'm very tired of the "rite of passage" horror stories.
There's also the unasked question--HOW DO WOMEN WHO ARE CURRENTLY VERY PHYSICALLY FIT AND EATING WELL FARE IN MENOPAUSE?
Those of us who have been following many of Trisha's suggestions for years are lumped in with all other women and told we're going to shrink/dry up/get fat/fall apart at exactly the same rate as the rest of the female population. I don't buy it. And I'm glad Trisha has written a quick, personable, and very readable book about the alternative opinions and options.
I'm 52 and I've been resisting HRT now for several years. I work out for an hour six or seven days a week--I'm a black belt in Shotokan Karate. I welcome Trisha's suggestions for the non-HRT path. I'm with you, Trisha!

Anyone facing menopause either directly or indirectly (you men out there could benefit from reading this book, too) should read Trisha Posner's account of her own battle with the changes being forced on her, and how she dealt with them. From the most common - hotflashes - to the least - auditory hallucinations (one which I have experienced) - Posner lists the symptoms and side effects of menopause in a highly organized and informative way.

Posner's own interest in a less clinical approach to menopause arises out of her family's history of breast cancer. She had a very real fear that hormone replacement might trigger cancer in her own body, and so she went out to research the alternatives. She's a professional researcher, and has done the research for her husbands books on history and current events. She is meticulous in her work and it pays off for her readers here in the assurance that she has thoroughly investigated the available information on each aspect of menopause.

While she never prosletyzes for any regimen, she does outline her own program very throughly (exercise, nutritional supplements, particularly soy; dietary changes) explains the thinking behind each point, and gives the reader an honest assessment of her progress. It is not her intention to persuade any of us that this is the right way, only to show that there are always alternatives to medical intervention for treatment of menopausal problems.

Her research is persuasive, her plan of action one that virtually anyone could follow. That doesn't mean that everyone will be won over to her way of doing things, but that's okay, too. The benefit of this book is in its wealth of information, not in any plan or magical formula. I recommend it for anyone who wants to understand this life passage a little better, and recommend it highly for those who want to take more control over that passage.

According to Posner, reducing fat intake, running, and weight training are a really great way to lose weight and reduce menopausal symptoms. She expresses great suprise about this, which makes me think that she slept through the 1980s. Who wants to pay for yet another book that discusses this subject in great length without adding a single new thing?

I found the author's perspective rather difficult to take. She repeatedly makes reference to her wealth, yet make no reference to how expensive her herbal recommendations are. She repeatedly makes the point that men are attracted to her still, that everyone is shocked that she's old enough to be going through menopause, and that her husband is the most supportive man on earth, which, frankly, he seems a bit creepy in the book.

If you're not bothered by her narcissicm and ignorance of excercise and diet information popularized in the 70s & 80s, you might find value in her herbal recommendation, so long as you can afford the hundreds of dollars it will cost you each month.

Instead, I recommend: New Menopausal Years : The Wise Woman Way by Susun S. Weed.

Well organized and illustrated. Especially helpful for early stages of diagnosis and in meeting family member's concerns. I wish I'd had it sooner.

The book is really well written. It is chock full of information...figures, web links, and references. Great place to start to educate one's self if newly diagnosed.

I began this battle in the depths of ignorance. After a year+ and ineffective treatment, I began to learn, almost too late, about PCa from this book and to become an empowered patient.

I have studied both the first and second editions, and have them at my side constantly.

When my local medics failed, Strum and Pogliano's work preserved and still preserves my life.

Book Review
A Primer on Prostate Cancer: The Empowered Patient's Guide, 2nd Ed.
Stephen B. Strum, M.D. and Donna Pogliano
Hollywood, FL: Life Extension Foundation, 2005, 124 pp.
Ranked in the Top Ten of my Cancer Bibliography.
Ranked in the Top Five of my Prostate Cancer Bibliography.

I have surveyed or read so far over 100 cancer books in researching my own book. This ranked in the top 10% in both my categories primarily because of the excellence of its useful and professional content and presentation and the sophisticated level of the discussion. After my prostate cancer diagnosis, quickly learning I would not get enough time with my doctor, I dug deeply into many libraries and web sites. Public libraries are helpful, but severely incomplete and rarely up to date. With a background of two college degrees and Managing Director of a large research corporation, I knew how to do research and began to seek deeper information sources and understanding on cancer and medical websites. Here, also, there are problems: insufficient depth, too general, uncertain or dated reliability, suspect motives and dispersed value in millions of locations. Studies have shown that patients have a lot of trouble finding good material on the web, trying to find diamonds in the rubble. Then, I turned to Amazon and began to build my own library of the best available. This solved my problem.

Dr. Strum is a specialist in prostate cancer. This book is condensed and loaded on almost every page with color diagrams, charts, tables, photos, scans, Physician Notes and medical writing and details I would expect in a med school text. With my previous preparation, I was able to understand and apply almost all of it to my own situation, a great leap forward for a non-scientist. Not every prostate cancer patient will be ready for this, but buy it, refer to it as you do your homework elsewhere and your disease progresses, and it will soon become the core of your understanding and view of your future.

Along with the beautiful, colorful and clear presentations, I loved the several examples that were identical to my own journey, followed by the explanation of choices and exact treatment I have had: what a relief to study, decide and then get the same confirmation from my own doctors as we moved through several stages of diagnosis and treatment; what a thrill to study a photo of a problematic bone scan and compare it to my own favorable, cancer-free scan following treatment.

Your doctors are, of course, the final and up-to-date authority: be well-informed, so you can participate in the decision-making with the experts; but recognize that the busy medical community may not have the time or detailed knowledge of your situation to give it the attention you can. As you go, you will find a number of excellent books like this to guide you. It is important to have current information about the fast-moving science of medicine. That makes it a lot easier to get past the basics, ask good questions and accept or refine the doctor's judgment and recommendations. Seek out and devour books like this one, and you will be miles, perhaps even some time, ahead of most patients. With that confidence, your improved mental attitude will assist in your progress.
John Roberts (www.CanFighters.com)

Prostate Cancer (PCa) diagnosis is a scary time in a man's (and his family's) life. While most PCa books are written by doctors stressing the treatment benefits of their own discipline, this book does a wonderful job at explaining the many options without recommending any particular treatment. Many doctors try to push their patients into quick treatment decisions; Dr. Strum encourages patient empowerment through thoughtful education and understanding of the disease. He advises each individual to take their time in locating the best doctor to perform whatever treatment the patient decides upon, as this will result in the best outcome (the least degree of post-treatment problems). Since my PCa diagnosis in May 05, I have recommended this book to numerous friends and their families! It helped me feel 'comfortable' with my disease, it helped me seek the best treatment, it helped me find the best "artist" doctor. This book is a winner, and should be a First Read on your list!!

I have many of Steve Murray Reiki DVDs, and they are the best. The Reiki DVDs do pass the Reiki Attunements very well. And the Reiki Books are very informative and easy to understand. I love the photos and drawings in the books because it makes what he explains very easy to comprehend.

From reading the reviews of the few people who do not like him because of his books and DVDs, it looks like to me these are the Reiki people he writes about in his Reiki False Beliefs Exposed for all. LOL no wonder they dislike him and his work. He has exposed them and they are angry. It is this small group of people who only want you to learn Reiki their way, because they think their way is the only way, and they are always right. And by coincidence it's usually the most expensive way to learn Reiki, and with them giving classes.

The big difference between Mr. Murray and his detractors is that he teaches you can learn Reiki many ways and his teachings are one option; just make your own decision with learning Reiki with what works the best for you. Every person has Reiki naturally. What books, DVDs and classes show you is how to use it for yourself and others. In fact some people use Reiki successfully without any guidance or teachings. Most of Mr. Murray's critics do not want you to know this either.

From reading a few of Mr. Murray's reviews it seems he has changed people's lives around the world, so he is doing a good thing. Mr. Murray's Reiki teachings are not for all, but at least he is open minded to know this, and would never tell you his Reiki path is the only correct one.

Light to All

wm

You edited this post
P. Elfelt says:
As a Reikimaster I agree that although Reiki secrets should not be kept secret, they are still sacred and Steve Murray does a horrible job with his Reiki false beliefs. Having read his ultimate guide he is obviously not a first class Reiki teacher and although students may gain from his books and CD's they are in the market to make money as they are not good quality or proper Reiki training - that ensures that Reiki survives. His books may help some people get into Reiki, but they are certainly not equivalent to in class training from a certified and qualified Reikimaster teacher. Even some of his exposed symbols are wrong. So let us punctuate some of HIS own false beliefs.

Reiki is not unique and different from other healing energy modalities WRONG Usui the founder of Reiki said there is nothing like Reiki in the world. "The Usui Reiki Therapy is something no one before has discovered and bears comparison with no other treatment in the world......"
The Founder of Reiki, Usui Sensei

Is Steve Murray an Usui Reikimaster or conceived Reikimaster then with no respect and knowledge of Usuis teachings?

Non-healers cannot use Reiki Symbols False Belief - Wrong - The symbols have to be activated to work properly - why else would he try to attune people?

- Reiki Symbols have a power of their own False Belief WRONG - The symbols carry innate frequencies (they do have an affect on non-healers as well)

- Reiki lineage is important False Belief - YES AND NO - If you are very in tune with the universal force from which Reiki comes - lineage is irrelevant, but all teachers have to start somewhere - and there is a lot of knowledge and experience to be gained from acknowledging the good teachers that have gone before you. Steve Murray must have disrespect for his own teachers then. Did he teach himself? Did God?

A Reiki Attunement is needed to become a Healer False Belief WRONG Attunements are necessary because one cannot access the higher frequencies that are innate to the Reiki levels unless one is already at that frequency level. Vibrational level varies from one student to another. Steve Murray needs to check his own Reikimaster manual on attunements!!!!!!

It takes years to become a Reiki Master False Belief -WRONG although you can become a Reikimaster in a weekend, that only means that you can teach Reiki to other people, but what is your spiritual and healing knowledge? It takes years to become a proficient and highly qualified Reikimaster teacher capable of teaching all aspects of Reiki. Physical, emotional, mental and spiritual for proper enlightenment and healing purposes.

Other than that his false beliefs are ok, but only false because there are not enough good reiki teachers and the standard of Reiki training has been declining tremendously over the past 5-10 years so that students don't know enough about how to use Reiki.

Steve Murray is doing an excellent job in lowering the standards and spreading further false beliefs with his 4th bestseller on Reiki false beliefs

P.S. Is he taking his royalty money straight to the bank?
Or will some of it go into supporting the Reiki community?

I have purchased Steve Murray's Books, DVD's, CD's and Stones. I review them frequently and every time I do, my experience travels deeper. I have recently performed Reiki on people in New Hampshire, Alaska, California and Pennsylvania. I have also performed Reiki on a client from Aftganistan, I was raised Catholic. The Universal Power has unlimited power, unlike we think here on Earth.

Cheryl Ploetner
Jasper, Indiana

No holds barred in this book, Steve Murray blasts through preconceived notions and myths to bring truth and fairness to everyone for a level Reiki playing field.

This book clearly shows that Steve's mission statement "To make Reiki knowledge, guidance, and attunements available to everyone that seeks them. To make Reiki 1st, 2nd, and Master Level Attunements affordable for everyone, so healing can be spread throughout the world" is borne out in his empowering books.

Mr. Murray doesn't believe in playing "keep away", which we encountered on numerous occasions with other people and classes. This book is NOT welcomed by "traditional" Reiki practitioners that have spent HUGE amounts of money on other courses. Even people we know tried to pooh pooh this and propagate some of the myths, but we know the truth, thanks to Steve Murray! This book is highly recommended for the Reiki seekers.

Though Mr. Murry does present the truth on several reiki misconceptions, he's still incorrect on MANY of the false beleifs he stated. For one, Mrs. Takata DID revive two people, but The Creator used her to do this (basically, she didn't use the power of reiki to do this). Also, symbols are definitely NOT needed in Usui reiki. They may help a reiki practitioner to concentrate on what he/she is doing, but there's no need for them and they won't increase reiki power. Mr. Murray needs to work on some of his assumptions. Overall, I still find him to be a good healer. I've read his books and watched his DVDs.

This was a wonderful book! Having myself been to Addis Ababa recently (July 07) with my daughter to pick up her adopted Ethiopian baby boy (4 months old), you can just imagine how this story of one woman's love for so many orphans resonated with me. The book is a quick read -- something interesting in every chapter. The author intertwined Haregewoin's up and down story with bits of Ethiopian history and the unwinding spread and theories of HIV-AIDs plus added her own experience with H. and the adoption her own Ethiopian children -- which made the reader come away with a true cultural experience. H. is truly a "Mother Theresa" figure and an inspiration to all women. Thank you, Melissa, for introducing us to her. I really enjoyed having the photos of many of the children and their adoptive families to relate to. I will be sure that my daughter reads this book and I have suggested it to my book club in Boulder, CO which will read it in the fall. -- Gayle Weiss

I like what the story is about, however the book has so much detail it is hard to get through the first chapters.

I found the book There Is No Me Without You throughly enjoyable. I learned so much about the AIDS/HIV epedemic in Africa, how it's spread, the devastation of many African countries, the deplorable track record of the major drug companies in denying access of proven AIDS/HIV drugs, and the terrible tragedy of the millions of orphans now without parents. I also appreciated being able to follow the life of one woman who made a difference and how it came to be the Ethiopian orphans are now being adopted around the world. This book touched me personally. Just before Christmas our daughter and son-in-law traveled to Ethiopia and adopted two babies. These two precious children are deeply loved by their new parents, their three older siblings, and us--their grandparents.

There should be another Lady added to the Mother Theresa's of the world!

Haregewoin Teferra, an Ethiopian who has helped many orphaned children. Children who have been left behind because parents either died or left to have a chance at life! This books shares the struggles of Mother Teferra who had a wonderful life with her family to a helping those children with AIDS and with no homes.

My wife was reading this at the same time I was reading Dave Eggers' fantastic novel What is the What. We were supposed to trade when we finished, but she couldn't read this book without wanting to tell me about each chapter.

I finally read it a year later and am sorry I spent the previous year with just my wife's summary. Greene is a great writer --she mixes great storytelling with a reporter's eye for research and information. The book itself, based on any description of it, should be intensely depressing to read, but, because of Greene, I think, is actually very life affirming and energizing.

I think it would be hard to read this book and not feel a certain, almost painful, overflowing love for the world. It's absolutely great.

This system of movement has assisted me to release old tensions that I was unable to access or release in any other way. Truely a way to rejuvenation.

This book really does a good job of explaining standing (Zhan Zhuang) and Qigong to the beginner. My sifu had recommended that I do standing practice, and had taught me a qigong set, and I found that reading this book helped me along. Some of the things (such as the Ba Duan Jin qigong set) differ slightly from the way I was taught, but basically the book is right on the money, and does a good job of helping you understand what everything is for. I also like the warm up exercises before standing that he shows, they really do help. The book is very well illustrated also, which is a plus. Highly recommended, especially for anyone into internal martial arts.

This book is arguably the very finest introduction currently available to the practice of QiGong, especially for those who do not have access to a trustworthy living teacher. QiGong's burgeoning popularity has generated a plethora of both violently skeptical and credulously New-Agey essays. Rather than taking either on faith, you can actually experience internal Qi for yourself and make up your own mind as to its value, using this volume as a guide. Lam Kam-Chuen is one of a tiny handful of QiGong teachers who are fully qualified to write a practical instruction manual geared to the average Western person. For those who want to actually experience the truth about Qi for themselves rather than chew an academic cud of pre-digested dogma, this book is worth its weight in gold!

The past few years I've been practicing various types of meditation and decided I wanted to combine meditating with movement, so I turned to the internal martial arts (Qigong, Tai Chi, Xiang Yi, Ba Gua). After speaking to several internal arts teachers from sound linneages, they all recommended starting with Qigong, and to spend at least half a year only mastering several postures before moving on to the other forms of the internal arts. I bought this book because Master Lam's method seemed in tune with this belief, and I was pleasantly shocked at the results of this book:

--The book says to expect changes over a span of weeks; after the first day alone my back felt more loose, stress free and relaxed then it had in years.
--I no longer have the need to drink caffeine in the morning to keep me up throughout the day.
--I've slowly started to be able to detect an actual physical presence of chi throughout my body (this is coming from a fairly rational/logical, non new-agey type of guy).
--My overall mood and energy has improved.
--I have a much more peaceful state of mind.
--My hypertention has been completely erased; I can calm anxiety driven behavior down much more easily, and have learned to control and regulate my breathing.
--It has helped my cardio activities, long distance running & basketball, immensely. I feel I have more endurance, more balance, and more confident in both sports.

I owe a huge thank you to Master Lam for publishing a book that is simply written and easy to understand, while containing a wealth of information about the forms, postures, breathing, visualizations, anecdotes, meridians, and other information about Qigong, and Lam's specialty of Zhang Zhuang in particular. I'm still shocked at how much learning these postures has improved my life and brought me both physical relief as well as inner peace. Highly recommended.

The Way of Energy provides a step-by-step, almost month-to-month introduction to the practice of Qigong.

Many Qigong books are too "Eastern" for Westerners to read, or are too technical/textbook like, spending many pages going over the meridians, cavities, times of day and orientation. This is required knowledge for advanced practicioners, but gets in the way and is intimidating for introductory students.

The Way of Energy starts of with a simple, straightforward standing meditation. After a brief introduction to Qigong, Part One introduces two standing positions, discusses how to start with a few minutes then work your way up to many, a good section on breathing and has an excellent section describing the sensations most people experience when starting Qigong practice (this section is worth the price of the book for most beginners).

Part Two (which the text recommends proceeding to after a few months) introduces the Eight Pieces of the Brocade Qigong exercies (called Ba Duan Jin in this text) and introduces three additional and advanced standing positions. The reader is instructed on how to integrate these two new pieces into their practice. While the Eight Pieces of Brocade positions vary slightly from other texts, their descriptions are excellent and their purpose briefly but clearly explained.

Part Three describes four advanced standing positions and imagery exercises for the practicioner to begin managing their Chi. The last part of the book describes how to integrate these disciplines into everyday life.

In summary, an excellent introductory step-by-step guide. For more technical works, I would recommend the Qigong Meditation series by Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming (Embryonic Breathing, Small Circulation and the forthcoming book on Grand Circulation).