Discovering the Body's Wisdom
by Mirka Knaster

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• Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

Book Reviews of Discovering the Body's Wisdom

Book Review: The first real road map into the world of alternative health
Summary: 5 Stars

When America was a "new" territory being explored by the Europeans, there were the trailblazers, trackers, pioneers, and others who opened the continent up to eventually millions of new residents. Of those original forerunners, the pathfinders and mapmakers were crucial, for without their vision, expertise and labors, new arrivals would have never found their way into the future and promise of uncharted frontiers.

In the world of holistic health, healing, touch therapies and alternative medicine, a vast terrain has been opened, new ground has been taken and diverse grassroots efforts have grown and flourished. However, for others to find or follow the trails blazed by the ancient and modern pioneers in the healing arts, a guide, a map, was needed.

Like Lewis and Clark exploring and charting the new frontier of America, Mirka Knaster, author of the book, Discovering the Body's Wisdom, traveled around the world, studying, researching and cataloging many methods of healing, observing and recording how people view, take care of and heal their bodies. Ms. Knaster's 20 years of experience in the alternative health field culminate in one of the most comprehensive, useful and powerful beacons to help pilot newcomers onto the shores and across the plains to the "new world" of wellness.

For Massage Therapists, Discovering the Body's Wisdom offers many valuable tools, resources and perspectives on our growing and thriving industry. Covering 75 Body/Mind practices that can "relieve pain, reduce stress, and foster health, spiritual growth, and inner peace," this book has something for just about everyone in the massage profession. Three sections comprise the book, beginning with an overview of "Bodyways," a term Ms. Knaster coined to incorporate the many diverse and distinct modalities and processes by which the body is healed.

Part I covers "causes of body difficulties and what advantages you can derive from working with your body." It also discusses critical and often unaddressed issues such as body alienation, how we lost connection with the body, and how we can befriend the body and learn from its wisdom. As Massage Therapists, this section can give you words and ideas to educate your current clients on a deeper level about how to approach their own healing process, as well as to market to prospective clients by educating them on the value of touch and bodyways.

Part II describes "ways of choosing and interacting with a practitioner as well as deciding on which bodyway approach to work with." While this section is designed more for the general public on how to choose a practitioner, we as Massage Therapists can deepen our understanding of the needs of our clients, the benefits of our work, and measure ourselves by standards befitting professionals.

Part III serves as a guide to the individual bodyways, categorizing them according to modalities or approaches that emphasize working with Western Function, Structure and Movement; Eastern Energy and Movement, plus Body/Psyche methods. This section provides Massage Therapists a perspective on the width, depth and history of a tremendous number of bodyways, revoking any arrogance that there are "right" and "wrong" modalities, while relieving frustration that there is a single "magic bullet" out there that can help every client every time. Whether for identifying new directions for professional growth and training, or for referring clients to other practitioners, this section gives an accessible and even experiential understanding of a wide range of bodyways. Extensive resources are cited at the book's conclusion for those who wish to study a bodyway further.

For those in search of a path for healing, Discovering the Body's Wisdom is an authoritative, masterful guide, a vista point to the world of wellness we are just truly discovering, and a place to which hopefully millions will soon arrive.

Summary of Discovering the Body's Wisdom

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

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