Editorial Review

When you look at the popularity of mind-body medicine today, it's hard to understand what a groundbreaking book this was when it was first published in 1975. Based on studies at Boston's Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Herbert Benson showed that relaxation techniques such as meditation have immense physical benefits, from lowered blood pressure to a reduction in heart disease. Read more

Reviews (14)

Good...but try to find an older edition.
I originally read The Relaxation Response when I was serving in Somalia in 1993. There was a table of free books donated from the states and the title peaked my interest....given the environment. Stress Relief and Indigo Dreams
This is an excellent book for anyone that wants to understand how stress works and how it hurts the body. Based on fact and research it is presented in an easy to read format. You can turn to any page and get something out of it that will make sense to you. I particularly liked the way Dr. Benson takes the mysticism out of meditation and shows scientifically how breathing, visualizing, muscular relaxation and positive statements will help your nervous system, circulatory system, respiratory system and immune system. This book has been around for 30 years and it's information is still powerful.
Excellent for laypersons and practitioners alike
Whether you are a mental or physical health practitioner or simply a person looking to explore relaxation techniques, this is an excellent book.Background information is provided, as well as an in depth look at how this works, why it works, and what effect it has on the body.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Therapies    2. Healing    3. Hypertension    4. Prevention    5. Psychology    6. Relaxation    7. Stress Management    8. Coping with stress    9. Health & Fitness / Healing    10. Popular psychology    11. Self-Help & Practical Interests   

Reviews (3)

Excellent!
Through many of the medical observations made by the authors, this book provides some interesting ideas about the connection between the mind and body. Even though we all know that stress (which comes from our minds) influences our health, many of us find it difficult to put the mind and body together in one equation. This book is a great attempt to begin making the bridge between the subjective and objective world. It is full of insightful ideas and inspiring anecdotes. Just excellent overall. If you'd like to read about a sound theoretical framework that explains many of these things, I strongly suggest "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. When I read Sato's book, everything clicked so much is was unbelievable!

Faith in God turbo-charges our indwelling healing nature
I think what is amazing about this book is that Herbert Benson states without a doubt that faith in God is healthy for us.While our ancestors took it for granted that God healed them, as Dr. Benson explains, we have been taught to see healing purely in technical scientific terms. Dr. Benson explains that when we repudiated the importance of belief in healing we deprived ourselves of a powerful healing force. The Mind/body connection
Dr Benson presents strong evidence for what others have called the "mind / body connection."Mainstream medical science has not yet recognized the importance belief plays in health but, Dr. Benson presents numerous studiesthat validate the major role belief plays in the healing process andwellness. Practitioners of complimentary therapies will find this bookespecially helpful in understanding how many non-drug based therapies canwork. Well written and thought provoking! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Healing    2. Healing - General    3. Health & Fitness    4. Mental healing    5. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    6. Nutrition    7. Self-Help    8. Spirituality - General    9. Suggestive therapeutics    10. Therapeutics, Suggestive    11. Health & Fitness / General    12. Mind, Body, Spirit    13. Religion & Beliefs   

Reviews (4)

Save your time and your money!!!
I have read natural, alternative, holistic books for many years now, most I have recently purchased through Amazon.I rely on the reviews of others to a great extent so when I received this book and was beyond disappointed with its contents I felt annoyed enough to respond with a review of my own to prevent anyone else from this waste of time and money.I am studying to be a relaxation therapist and taking spiritual counseling courses at the same time and both this book and its predecessor, The Relaxation Response, were included on thebook list for these courses, so I was really expecting them to provide new, exciting, helpful information, maybe expecting them to make some heretofore unmade connections for me? The two elements I guess worth pulling out of this book are 1) It provides a relaxation method, however, even this is not new nor particularly advanced? and 2) It introduces the addition of one's belief as being an element which intensifies the method?....well...duh...The only way that I even allow for these points is sheer kindness and not real honesty about the value found in the book as there is none!Granted the publishing of this book is a little dated but even for 1984 this information was really lame and old.I cannot fathom why these books are still being added to reading list which include books that far surpass the information found here?No personal offense to Dr. Benson but the book reads like sitting in the company of one who has been isolated for a long period of time and in desperate need of company so they bore their guests to tears and won't be quiet.It goes on and on and on with no real substance at all....

Straight Forward and Sensible
A good, simple read that's also entertaining. The book discusses the possible effects of adding faith to the relaxation response. It would appear that the original 'relaxation response', while good, has an even more profound impact if coupled with a persons personal belief system. Fascinating as well as Practical
Originally I read this book as a text that I chose as part of a book review assignment I had for a psychology class I was in.For some reason this book really grabbed my interest right away since he was writing about something I knew very little about.Read more

Subjects:  1. Faith-cure    2. Healing    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Meditation    6. Mental healing    7. Psychology    8. Relaxation    9. Stress Management    10. Advice on careers & achieving success    11. Health & Fitness / Healing    12. Popular psychology   

Reviews (1)

Good Advice on Blood Pressure Control
This is an easily read guide to most of the basics on controlling blood pressure. In addition it has 34 pages of interesting healthy recipes. I recommend this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. Diseases - Heart    4. Health & Fitness    5. Health/Fitness    6. Hypertension    7. Hypertensive Diseases    8. Treatment    9. drug therapy    10. Health & Fitness / Diseases / Heart    11. Popular medicine   

Reviews (5)

Wellness Book
My doctor recommended this book for me and I found it very helpful.The chapter on nutrition is lacking in my opinion (see Superfoods RX by Pratt.)I like the fact that there are many practical applications that are not "so far out there" that someone who is not into Eastern healing can still gain much from it.

Healthful Living
The Wellness Book has been extremely helpful to me and is one of the best investments I have made in myself.I first used this book 10 years ago and was able to establish some healthful living goals and actions for myself that improved my physical conditioning immensely.I continue to use it today. What I really like about this book is that it enables each reader to really focus in on their individual lifestyles, needs, and habits and develop specific, realistic, and individualized action plans for improved and healthful living.The improved physical condition that I realized as a result of focusing on a plan and actions enabled me to climb mountains in the Sierra Nevada. I have also used techniques in this book to successfully address anxiety.This week I pulled the book off of my shelf and am going at it again. I am having fun with this exercise because I can compare my "10 loves" from 10 years ago to my "10 loves" of today and put a plan in place to realize them.Many thanks to the authors for such insightful and all emcompassing work. This book is as useful and current today as it was the day it was written.

Healthful Living
The Wellness Book has been extremely helpful to me and is one of the best investments I have made in myself.I first used this book 10 years ago and was able to establish some healthful living goals and actions for myself that improved my physical conditioning immensely.I continue to use it today. What I really like about this book is that it enables each reader to really focus in on their individual lifestyles, needs, and habits and develop specific, realistic, and individualized action plans for improved and healthful living.The improved physical condition that I realized as a result of focusing on a plan and actions enabled me to climb mountains in the Sierra Nevada. I have also used techniques in this book to successfully address anxiety.This week I pulled the book off of my shelf and am going at it again. I am having fun with this exercise because I can compare my "10 loves" from 10 years ago to my "10 loves" of today and put a plan in place to realize them.Many thanks to the authors for such insightful and all emcompassing work. This book is as useful and current today as it was the day it was written. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. General    4. Health/Fitness    5. Healthy Living    6. Medicine, Psychosomatic    7. Prevention    8. Relaxation    9. Stress (Psychology)    10. Stress Management    11. Coping with stress    12. Health & Fitness / General   

Reviews (1)

HeartHealth
This is a good book for all people!! You learn a lot and gain more facts about health. I would give it 5 STARS!! Get this book! You will love it and read it over and over again. Order This Book TODAY. I garantee you will love it..... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Therapies    2. Consumer Health    3. Diseases    4. Diseases - Heart    5. Health    6. Health & Fitness    7. Health/Fitness    8. Healthy Living    9. Heart    10. Mind and body    11. Prevention    12. Cardiovascular medicine    13. Coping with illness    14. Family & Health    15. Fitness & diet    16. Medical / General    17. Popular medicine   

Reviews (1)

Keep This Book Handy
Since buying a copy of this book last spring, I've referred to it many times to get information and moral support.It has helped me to make informed decisions about medical care and feel more relaxed about the bodily changes I'm experiencing.It's clearly written and optimistic in tone.If you don't have the opportunity to participate in the author's menopause group, it's the next best thing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative treatment    2. Behavior therapy    3. Consumer Health    4. Health & Fitness    5. Health aspects    6. Health/Fitness    7. Menopause    8. Mind and body    9. Reference    10. Women's Health - Menopause    11. Encyclopaedias & Reference Works    12. Family & Health    13. Medical / General    14. Mind, Body, Spirit    15. Popular medicine    16. Reference works    17. Women's health   

Editorial Review

If self-help books usually fall short of delivering life changes, Read more

Reviews (13)

Why did I buy this book?
Why did I buy this book?It was one of those darn impulse purchases.I mean it's not terrible or anythingIn some ways it explains the well-known phenomena of creativity after intellectual struggle and more interestingly it provides an explanation of why meditation etc. may work.But there's not much substance and it is certainly not worth full price.Also towards the end it pushes religion on the reader.If this type of thing bugs you, be forewarned.

Empty
Pretty much anything you enjoy doing can be a source of "The Breakout Principle." There. I've read the book for you.

Great for Educators!
Dr. Benson's Breakout techniques have had a significant impact on my life, both in reducing stress and in advising elementary school teachers, whom I supervise. People who are interested in extending their knowledge of brain based learning and reducing stress that is causing chaos in our classrooms need to read this book! I recommend this program to anyone in the field of education. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Mind and body    2. Motivational & Inspirational    3. Peak experiences    4. Personal Growth - General    5. Physiological Psychology    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Self-actualization (Psychology    9. Self-actualization (Psychology)    10. Self-realization    11. Advice on careers & achieving success    12. Physiological & neuro-psychology    13. Self-Help / General   

Reviews (1)

An ecumenical exploration and inspiration

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Subjects:  1. Comparative Religion    2. Devotional    3. Prayer    4. Religion    5. Religion - Inspirational/Spirituality    6. Christianity   

Reviews (7)

Minding your thoughts can mend your body
MINDING THE BODY, MENDING THE MIND by Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., was recommended to me when I was trying to adjust to a new work environment. I found it tremendously informative and helpful in a number of ways.
Simple, But Big Solutions
If you're stressed out or overwhelmed, I highly recommend this book. It gives you simple, workable solutions that make a HUGE difference. This book makes you think!
When I first starting reading this book, I was like "thats my book, thats my life that she is writing about" I loved her writing and examples and stories that she told from other people's experiences. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in people's behaviors and everyday life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Psychology   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Medicine, Psychosomatic    3. Mind and body    4. Psychology    5. Relaxation   

Subjects:  1. Diseases    2. Medical / Nursing   

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Subjects:  1. Mental healing    2. Relaxation    3. Spiritual healing   

Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. General