The Power of the Mind to Heal

by Joan Borysenko, Miroslav Borysenko

Describes the effects of the mind on healing, and suggests meditation and other healing techniques

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology, Spirituality

1000 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1993

About the author

This distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine is a world-renowned expert in the mind/body connection.

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most interesting thing about my copy of this book is not the book itself (which happens to be autographed by Joan Borysenko), but the postcard stuck inside of it. I found the book nearly 20 years ago at one of those Free Library things. Those books often come with their own bookmarks, including used lottery tickets and photographs, but this postcard deserved a book in an of itself.

One side is a fuzzy black and white drawing of The Amphitheater in Chataugua, New York. You know -- that town where Salman Rushdie got stabbed. The other side does not contain an address, so clearly this post card was acting as a gift card. It reads:

Dear Tom -- I'm reading "Guilt is the Teacher, Love is the Lesson" by Joan Borysenko. YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY READ THIS. She spoke in the amphitheater yesterday. I think you should know about her. I met her afterwards and had her sign her latest book for you. This isn't the one I wanted to get you but I looked through it and seems good. Here also is the Chataugua Daily There are a couple things on or by her. She went to Bryn Mawr College + Harvard. She was a great speaker. I'd also like to read NY Times Bestseller "Minding the Body, Mending the Mind." Hope all's well with you all. Love to R[indecipherable] and the kids. -- Carol. P.S. I'm reading my book now and just read that she used to suffer from PANIC ATTACKS. Smiley face.

Tom, Tom, Tom ... you can do better, man.

And apparently Tom thought so, too, because both the signed book AND postcard from Carol somehow wound up given away for free. Now, I'm dying to know what happened. Did Tom die and his kids were too embarrassed to have this book in the family house? Did Tom and Carol have a falling out, so Tom gave away ANYTHING that reminded him of that damn Carol? Or, did Tom actually read this book and thoroughly hated it?

Because this book does suck. Filled with dubious anecdotes and contradictory advice, books like this gave the New Age movement in the 1990s clout because it was written by a medical professional. Well, even medical professionals can lie like a rug if it gains them lots of money.

For example, there is a scene of Harvard medical students torturing cats in anesthesia lab. Our Author, a medical student, is justly outraged. Her lab partner suggests that if she learned meditation, she could "change her attitude."

So, instead of doing something practical like getting the Cat Class canceled at Harvard forever, Our Author learns to meditate. Because ... fuck cats, I guess.

I'm really hoping this is when Tom decided to get rid of the book ... and Carol.

[April Kniess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say I learned anything that new that I haven't heard before. I'm happy to read that prayer and science do work together in the research of Borysendko and some others she quoted throughout her book. I have chronic facial pain as a result of a bad accident a year ago and a friend with good intentions lent me her copy of this book with a couple audio cds. I've never been a huge fan of meditation and I'm already a Christian and a very positive person. I've always believed in the power of the mind and of prayer. The section on hypnosis was interesting and perhaps I'll try acupuncture as a "next step" for my personal situation.

[Sharon Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very challenging concepts to what is the accepted ideology of healing.

[Mrsgaskell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a positive and worthwhile read. It provides inspiration and focuses on changes in behaviour and attitude as well as techniques of meditation to be used in conjunction with traditional medicine.

[Kristie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Tried some visualizations to remove things from my cells I didn't need. Might have worked a little. Past life stuff is junk.

[Dawn Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read worthy

[G.G. Grit · Rating 5 out of 5]

POWERFUL! Science pushing the convergence what right brain faith has always know. Still, nothing like proof of life intuited. Oh, what will the people of the 22nd century know!