Complementary-Therapy Books

THE ROOTS OF HEALING is a book that explores how the nature of our soul infuses health and well-being. It is a series of questions and answers provided by leading edge thinkers who understand the power of spirit to heal. This book reminds us of our true nature. More importantly, we are reminded of the roots of healing itself - our soul. When our soul experiences well-being, the possibility for physical, psychological, social, and spiritual unity becomes an expression and extension of the unmanifest becoming manifest. Thanks to all who contributed to the future of medicine. Samuel Oliver, author of, WHAT THE DYING TEACH US: LESSONS ON LIVING.

THE ROOTS OF HEALING is a book that explores how the nature of our soul infuses health and well-being. It is a series of questions and answers provided by leading edge thinkers who understand the power of spirit to heal. This book reminds us of our true nature. More importantly, we are reminded of the roots of healing itself - our soul. When our soul experiences well-being, the possibility for physical, psychological, social, and spiritual unity becomes an expression and extension of the unmanifest becoming manifest. Thanks to all who contributed to the future of medicine. Samuel Oliver, author of, WHAT THE DYING TEACH US: LESSONS ON LIVING.

I love this book. I found it quite by chance, or it found me. The most honest look at the human dilemma. I can feel Sam Woods great desire for healing within each wonderful chapter. I wish I could find out more about this wonderful man. Give this book a try.

SAM WOODS: AMERICAN HEALING is a book i have been reading and re-reading for ten years. The prayers are lyrical, heartfelt, and honest, and the stories and essays are also. This book is magic, and helps us find the magic everywhere.

This is an incredible book and the seller has such great prices I had to buy more than one book! The book is in perfect condition, just like new and such a cheap price!

I did a comparison of this to other higher priced books and honestly I don't know why this one is so cheap. From journaling, to dreams, meditation and self-imagery it has it all. I gave it to my husband for Christmas today and he's been reading it non-stop and this from a guy who thinks these things whacko!

Honestly though, here's a sample of some of the underlyig problems in these diseases: Angina, spiritually the feeling that you don't deserve to be loved. CHF broken hearted. SInusitis, that my environment is against me. Asthma, that I am scared of being free and fully alive.

Oh yes it gives diet, typical medical advice and what they could do to help get your off those expensive meds. One downside is nothing on liver disfunction, but still, how to meditate, how to journal and more. Really this is quite a chock-a-block guide.
Heavily recommended.

written fluidly with the understanding and true intent of shiatsu. explains underlying principles well, and then takes the reader to the deeper understanding of meridians, points, and diagnosis. describes the energies of the meridians and points, telling what stimulation or sedation of them does for the patient/client. excellent pictures showing how to properly stretch meridians and press points for the desired effects. shows much more than the typical "point and press" methods of other systems of shiatsu. the techniques have a similarity to thai massage and breema. after giving a basic understanding of how to give a shiatsu treatment on the surface level, chris jarmey then takes the reader into the more esoteric and deeper aspects of shiatsu, to its core understanding where true healing takes place. i find this book so helpful in that it presents both the mechanics and the more spiritual aspects of shaitsu, and does not speak only to one or the other, but both equally.

This book is the clearest and most inspiring book on Shiatsu that I have read; and I have read lots of books on the subject. As a practitioner, it has helped me enormously.

Well written, interesting lay out, packed with facts on the migration of Chinese methods to Japan and the evolution of current methods. Photography is beautiful. Text is easy to read and understand. Hand in hand they show clearly: how it works, why it works and how to do it. A must for anyone considering learning this form of massage therapy for themselves and others.

Elaine Liechti has done a wonderful job of sharing her passion and knowledge of shiatsu. This book is a complete, concise, yet easy-to-understand introduction to shiatsu; what it is, the history, the different schools of shiatsu, the basic principles, and how to do it. The book is well structured and has lots of diagrams, photos and illustrations to capture your interest. This book is certainly the most comprehensive and comprehensible book on shiatsu I have seen. Apart from one dismissive comment on acupuncture, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in shiatsu.

I mainly bought this book because I was intrigued by Dr. Llera's all-encompassing approach to helping the human body to heal, particularly her use of applied kinesiology to get to the root of issues that seem to defy resolution through traditional healing methods. The protocol is simple yet powerful, and Dr. Llera's writing is clear and easy to understand.

Signature Energy Work is a practical reference for professional healers, and provides empowering insights into the workings of the human body for those who are on their own path of self-healing. I highly recommend it.

"I believe that healing is an art. When you master the technical structure of any healing modality or system, you become a technician, but when you stand on that structure and leap from it into the unknown, you become an artist."

Signature Energy Work describes the original theory and clinical practice developed by Dr. Cora Llera and is meant to be a teaching tool for others to learn her system of healing work that includes the effective use of flower essences. The introductory material provides a summary of the wide range of scientific theories, historical cultural contexts and healing modalities which she has studied that have culminated in her concept of "Signature Energy Work." This theory and practice diverges from the modern western medical model under which she received her training as a chiropractor:

"Years of clinical practice have proven to me that an objective physical examination of my patient is both necessary and valuable, but the information it provides is limited. In addition, my experience has shown me that a diagnosis and treatment based solely on objective modalities provides limited results." This discovery of what lacked in her training led her to the understanding and importance of incorporating "subjective reality" into her approach to providing care for her patients. "It's my willingness to not know ... to recognize the limitations of my objective knowledge, that allows me to relax my ego, expand outward beyond the limits of my five senses - beyond the limitations of objective physical reality - and connect to the subjective."

Dr. Llera has found that her Signature Energy Work has been extremely useful for those with chronic pain or pain that has not been alleviated by traditional medical methods. Discovering the underlying cause of pain - whether the pain is physical or non-physical - is crucial in alleviating it. "Pain and illness are not our body betraying us, but rather attempting to assist us in growing. ... If we trust that our body is trying to communicate with us, rather than hurt us, we will listen to it. It has been my experience, in 20 years of listening to bodies, that when we get the message, the body stops sounding the alarm."

The book provides an overview and historical view of the mind-body connection, and outlines the background from which her theory of Signature Energy Work has evolved. She illustrates this evolution with generously described clinical case studies and visual analogies that allow her intended audience - other practitioners - to make the leap from the scientific base she draws from to understanding the underpinnings of the actual clinical practice of Signature Energy Work.

"Research ... indicates that we humans are composed of physical, as well as mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects, and that these aspects inter-relate. This means that for every physical condition we experience ... there is the potential for an equally important emotional, mental, or even spiritual level of cause for that condition. ... We can make alterations on any level: at the emotional level, by changing how we deal with our feelings, at the mental level, by changing beliefs and ideas, or at the spiritual level, by altering how we pursue the themes and purpose of our life. ...

Our physical body lies within the energy body [which is composed of the emotional, mental and spiritual bodies], and is constantly influenced by its energies. And because these energies are not in physical form, they fluctuate and change as our thoughts, feelings, and self-understanding changes. In addition, these energies have an effect on the people who come into contact with our field... . Research indicates that the human energy field extends anywhere from a few inches to several feet away from our physical body ... each of our thoughts and beliefs, each of our habitual emotional reactions gives off its own characteristic energy frequency. Anyone who enters our energy field can feel it. These signature frequencies can be measured scientifically, and can be seen psychically. The sum total of all of the electromagnetic signatures of every thought, feeling, and belief that we have ever had, as well as the signature frequencies of every organ, tissue, cell, and molecule in our physical structure, are what make up our energy field. You can easily see that the result is a distinctly different energetic pattern for each human being, a pattern as unique as our fingerprint or our handwriting. This overall pattern is what identifies us as individuals; it's our signature in the universal language of energy. I call it our signature energy."

Most of Dr. Llera's book is devoted to a detailed description of the protocol involved in utilizing Signature Energy Work. It begins with identifying the core question which the healing work will address: "what is the problem that needs to be solved, or the understanding that needs to be gained at this time?" Applied Kinesiology, used for decades to determine subjective truth, is central to the process of discovering the core answer to this question. To work with the various energy levels, one must have a communication technique to access the energetic qualities of the necessary information. Dr. Llera studied many muscle testing systems and questioning protocols and devised what she considers to be a simplified version that has worked efficiently for her: "The result is a comfortably simple, but reasonably comprehensive line of questions that I call the SEW (signature energy work) LINE (of questioning)."

Dr. Llera states: "The `work' of Signature Energy Work is about moving and transforming energy. We can analyze the energy ... with the SEWLINE questions, bringing to our conscious attention as many of the qualities of the answer's energetic signature as possible. ... a habitual pattern (of thoughts, feelings, actions, and/or beliefs) that is limiting us in some way, and is presenting itself for change. We can literally change the form of this pattern, by replacing it with a new pattern, based on the energy of the core answer. If, according to our understanding of quantum physics, everything is energy, and takes on physical form only according to our observation of the energy - how we see it, how we feel about it, the meaning we attach to it - then we can actually change the physically manifesting form of an energy by changing how we observe it."

Addressing the core answer to the presenting condition or problem is done either by indirect energy techniques applied externally (moving the energy for the patient) or direct techniques whereby the patient places her non-judgmental, conscious awareness on the problem. "Indirect/external techniques focus on restoring balance to the body-mind. Direct/internal techniques focus on creating growth of the body-mind." Dr. Llera discusses in some detail various modalities and techniques utilizing case studies to illustrate their applications. In addition, she discusses working with the different qualities of energy in respect to the levels of the signature energy field.

Dr. Llera presents several cases in detail, one of which is a man who came to her initially for chiropractic adjustments for stiffness in his mid-back. Over the course of treatments, he also mentioned having digestive problems and "a sense of heaviness around the liver." In addition, he often developed small ulcers in his mouth during times of stress. At one point, he asked Dr. Llera if she might be able to discover the source of his physical difficulties. Via the SEWLINE protocol, she was able to determine that the cause of the patient's back pain was his liver that was deficient in energy. Further, his liver was deficient because its ability to intake energy was being blocked. Testing revealed that the block was physical in nature and had been in place since he was 7 years old. The energy needed in his liver was emotional, characterized by Mariposa Lily, and was related to his mother. In discussion with him, Dr. Llera learned about the history of his mother, his relationship with her, and more about his own childhood. The "active exploration of the nature of the Self-Limiting energy pattern" combined with the external hands-on energy work with Mariposa Lily flower essence on his back, resulted in the almost complete alleviation of the mid-back spasms and mouth ulcers. At times, when the symptoms threaten to return, the patient examines his current circumstances and explores what it is he might learn; this allows his symptoms to fade.

Signature Energy Work is an important guide for those willing to do healing work with their patients on the various energy levels - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual -when it's appropriate to do so. It is warmly subjective as well as carefully referenced, and provides a clear, concise outline of a technique refined from years of clinical practice by Dr. Llera.

Be aware that this seems to the same book as the Secret Language of Signs. I already had that one and ordered this, and was surprised to see the the chapters and all of the content appeared the same. Very confusing!

If you are considering realizing that your life may speaking to you in a number of ways you had never thought of.....Get this book. The beginning is beautiful and a must read. Namaste

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Answer true or false to these ten statements:

(1) Sleep is frequently overlooked as a factor in the treatment of many serious conditions.
(2) There is little evidence to suggest that there is a link between obesity and sleep deprivation.
(3) Your waking life is spent preparing for sleep.
(4) Insomnia, in many cases, simply stems from poor preparation for sleep.
(5) Good sleepers go to bed early while bad sleepers go to bed late.
(6) For most of us, a nap during the day is a good idea.
(7) Excessive daytime sleepiness is essentially the same as insomnia.
(8) It's the ability to sleep, rather than the need for sleep, that seems to decrease with age.
(9) Chronic insomnia is a risk factor for psychiatric illness.
(10) The self-examination of snoring is best done while brushing your teeth; that is, look directly into the mirror, open your mouth, and stick out your tongue.

If you answered true to any of statements (2,5,6,7) or false to any of statements (1,3,4,8,9,10), then you may need the help of this book by Dr. Gerald Lombardo who directs a sleep center in Brooklyn, New York.

This is an easy-to-read, concise book about sleep disorders. In fact, the author says he wrote this book "because the problems associated with sleep disorders are very urgent."

All chapters are broken up into sections so you can access vital information quickly. Below I will either present what I consider are the main sections of a chapter or indicate the main focus of a particular chapter:

(1) Big Numbers ("The numbers of people with sleep problems of all kinds are alarming and very costly for society at large"); Day Doctors and Night Doctors (doctors are many times unaware that a patient's daytime problems are caused by his/her night problem); 24/7 (problems of the 24 hour, 7 day business environment); Sleep and weight; Sleep to save the lives of other people; Sleep to save your quality of life; Sleep deprivation-the next generation.
(2) Why do we sleep; Sleep needs at different stages of life; Memory (and sleep); Keys to your sleeping problems; The drive to sleep-part of our elementary humanity
(3) Getting ready to sleep; Sleep hygiene
(4) Normal and abnormal sleepiness; For the birds (Larks or day people versus Owls or night people)
(5) Snoring
(6) Sleep apnea (involves cessation of breathing due to the blockage of the windpipe during sleeping)
(7) Snoring and sleep apnea treatment
(8) Narcolepsy (results from a faulty switch between waking and sleep)
(9) Restless legs syndrome (the production of uncomfortable sensations in the legs during sleep)
(10) Insomnia (chronic sleeplessness)
(11) Parasomnia (refers to a behavior or condition that takes place around or alongside sleep that has nothing to do with the central purpose of sleep and in fact detracts from it)
(12) Children and sleep
(13) Women and sleep
(14) Seniors and sleep
(15) Shift workers and sleep

In the appendix (not labeled as such), there are examples of "sleep diaries." A sleep diary "is one of the best tools...for treating certain sleep problems at the least cost."

Throughout much of the book are tables, graphs, and illustrations. I found all of these very helpful.

Finally, there is a list of sleep resources in the back of the book. This consists of almost twenty helpful internet sites.

In conclusion, don't let sleep difficulties dominate your waking life. Take positive steps now to solve them by reading this book!!!

(first published 2005; acknowledgements; introduction; 15 chapters; main narrative 280 pages; sleep diaries; references; resources; index)

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Sleep To Save Your Life has helped me and my children, long-time sufferers of various sleep problems. We feel much better in the daytime when we've had restful sleep at night.
Written in a smart and conversational tone, the book is completely scientific, accurate, and thorough while retaining its accessibility to all readers. If your health is not reason enough to read this book by a top sleep doctor, the amusing anecdotes and compelling examples will surely engage you.
Sleep to Save Your Life is a valuable resource for anyone who would like to get a good night's rest!

"I have learned many things from my friend and mentor, Lonnie Joseph Nichols. Lonnie started out as my patient and has become my teacher. In the "Soul as Healer", he gives you(the reader) gems of his own inner wisdom and helps you recognize the healer within you." - Dr. David Vicena, D.C., Host of the talk show, "Natural Healing Arts", Mesa, Arizona

"Lonnie Joseph Nichols has presented us with a text that is as multifaceted and holistic as his philospphy. The affirmations and meditations will benefit students of every meditative discipline. The understanding he brings to the energetic nature of healing should be incorporated in medical, chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage schools throughout the land. The techniques and concepts Mr. Nichols espouses work and are repeateable; they place the power of healing in the hands of the patient where such power belongs." - Dr.Robert Kienitz, D.Ac., M.Sc.O.M.; Director of the Stone Ponte Institute of Oriental Medicine, Mesa, Arizona; Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture, Scottsdale, Arizona

This book popped off the shelf at me when I was last visiting our public library. I have to buy it now because it has already become a treasure. It is one of the best books I have ever had the pleaure of finding. It covers so much ground in such a superbly-written way: theology,history,physics,medicine,healing,psychology, etc. It is grounded in scholarly research and covers thoroughly the ancient history of healing and soul medicine that we have ignored in Western philosphy, psychology and medicine. She defines so well how the Western study of biology/medicine has become completely disconnected from the study and experience of spirituality and soul, and how we suffer because of that split. Graham not only describes this, as many books do, but delineates how that has happened and how we can reconnect those vital channels. She is not afraid to do the research, present it thoroughly, and craft a thesis of (re)integrating the soul in medicine. Helen Graham, thank you for inspiring me.

Wonderful book. The essence of psychology is truly 'the language of the soul,' not simply the materialistic 'study of behavior.' We have lived for too long now with a 'soulless' psychology as it's taught in the universities. Graham's book is a wonderful overview of the deep rootedness of soul in the universe, in the psyche, and a reality that needs to be recovered. I would also strongly recommend that the reader also read Leonard Shlain, M.D. The Alphabet Versus the Goddess. The Conflict Between Word and Image. New York: Viking, Penguin, 1998, 464 pages. ISBN 0-670-87883-9 as well as Paul Keenan. Stages of the Soul: The Path of the Soulful Life. New York: McGraw-Hill, 240 pages. ISBN: 0809298783 These books make for a great trilogy on the centrality of soul, purpose, and meaning.