Healing Myths, Healing Magic: Breaking the Spell of Old Illusions; Reclaiming Our Power to Heal (U)

Even as healthcare technology makes great strides, studies show that the attitude of a person suffering from chronic illness may hold the most sway over the healing process. This book shows that the first step in adopting a positive attitude toward health lies in dismissing harmful myths. "I must forgive before I can heal." "I am sick because God is punishing me." "If it doesn't feel good, it must be an effective medicine." These are outdated concepts that can slow healing -- or make an illness worse. Donald Epstein divides these myths into four categories: social, biomedical, religious/spiritual, and New Age. He discusses each myth individually -- from "healing is expensive" to "every condition can be traced to a demonstrable physical cause" -- and offers replacement myths, or "Healing Magic," to be both meditated upon and declared out loud by the reader in order to create an opportunity for healing. "...examines commonly held, deeply engrained myths about how our bodies heal...offers replacement myths, or 'healing magic', creating an opportunity for healing."