Customer Reviews

The Healer Within: Using Traditional Chinese Techniques To Release Your Body's Own Medicine *Movement *Massage *Meditation *Breathing

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In clear, non-doctrinaire language, Jahnke lays out four techniques that can be used to open the door to the body's internal healing resources: Gentle Movement, Massage, Breathing Techniques and Relaxation. This book is not going to make you a "master" of any one of these techniques, but that's exactly the point: you don't need to be highly skilled to make a profound change for yourself (or eventually others).

As a long-time yoga practitioner, I was always very interested in the chapters on movement, breathing and relaxation, but for some reason resented reading the information on massage. Once I finally hunkered down and gave the techniques a try, I was amazed at the difference I noticed almost immediately in terms of stiffness and energy levels. I was even aware of some sensations in my organs, particularly my kidneys. This has now become my favorite part of the self-healing "practice".

This is an inclusive blue-print for health maintenance (or improvement). It gives techniques and then variation for all of them, but it demands neither that everything listed be done or that they be done in a particular order. Jahnke stresses several times that the person using the techniques should tailor them as needed. Also, over time the techniques used will change. He also gives permission for people to find other kinds of exercises and modalities that are useful. The motto seems to be "If it works, use it."

I particularly enjoyed Jahnke's chapter on relaxation. Meditation is something that yoga and qigong practitioners can, ironically, get very anxious about. The "ultimate" goal in many traditions is enlightenment, and it's humbling not to get there (time and time again). Jahnke tries to alleviate that anxiety by stressing that the goal here is relaxation, not enlightenment (although he does still leave the door open).

He takes the same soft tone in the chapter on massage. True, the system of acupuncture is vast and (rightfully) takes years to study and master. Jahnke, however, waves much of that off, advising the reader to instead focus on the degree of the sensation experienced rather than obsessing over the "correct" point. For what it's worth, as mentioned above, I have tried the method his way, and I noticed an immediate difference in how I felt.

What I found most compelling were his ending chapters where he discussed the potential of self-healing done in a group setting. While some of this statements may seem far-fetched (self-healing as the first step in a health and welfare revolution?), the descriptions of the "healing field" rang true to anyone who has ever participated in group prayer, chanting, meditation or even a really good yoga class. But if that's too much for some, that's okay- in keeping with his "line item veto" philosophy, it's a possibility, not a requirement.

I look forward to reading more from Jahnke.

This is a neat book in that it has some philosophy and some exercises. I love taoism and much of what this book is based on is that philospohy. We do have a healer within - we are so much stronger than we are led to believe. This book is all about tapping into our own selves and our ability to repair and heal, connecting mind, body, spirit. There is discussion of our immune system, and ceratin issues such as multiple sclerosis and othes are mentioned here and there but its not a book about illnesses at all - its a book about healing and using our own selves, our inner selves to heal us. The exercises reinforce the philospohy, most are stretches/yoga moves, but there are also meditations - all are straight forward. This is simply an amazing work, one that is truly empowering and deep. Highly recommended to anyone dealing with an illness or just looking to be more connected/balanced.

Qigong in America is undergoing a cultural revolution. With the publication of Roger Jahnke's book, The Healer Within, qigong will become a universal method for health enhancement for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Millions of people in China practice qigong daily. This book presents simple practices for health maintenance and improvement--gentle movement, self-applied massage of the acupuncture microsystems (ears, hands, or feet), breath work, and relaxation/meditation. These four components comprise qigong, which literally means "energy cultivation". I use these practices in the martial arts classes that I teach. Yet you do not have to do martial arts to appreciate the centering effect these practices impart. The Healer Within opens the door, and welcomes everyone to improve their well-being.

I read Jahnke's latest book, The Healing Promise of Qi, and loved it. I was so impressed with the clarity of Jahnke's explanations that I bought The Healer Within. I was not disappointed. The exercises in this book are accessible and simple to apply to everyday living, the explanations clear and concise. I have found the techniques beneficial for cultivating health and vitality. An excellent introduction not only to Chinese medicine, but also to the principles of energy medicine and quantum healing.

There's no question that Jahnke's book can be beneficial to anyone. So many easy exercises are described in the book, including breathing exercises, meditation,visualization, self-healing, and Qigong movements. I especially enjoy doing the flowing motion exercise. Jahnke states that the Chinese people say if you do this exercise 100 times a day you will be healthy for a long time. I enjoy doing it daily. It's fun and I feel I'm really improving my health. I also enjoyed the reflexology described in the book. I enjoy massaging the hands and feet. Certain areas on the hands and feet respond to different organs in the body. He also speaks of the importance of laughter in the healing process. He explains how the Cancer Recovery Society in Shanghai makes laughter top priority in social oncology. Yes, laughter certainly is good medicine and it is reinforced in this book. The book provides examples of ill people who have used various healing methods described in "The Healer Within," and how they benefited from them. Mind/Body Medicine is something we should all be aware of and practice to stay well and live longer. I found this book to be a "gem" and often refer to it. It is filled with wisdom, health benefits and a wealth of healthy exercises. I highly recommend this book!

Nancy A. Draper (Author) A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS

Dr. Jahnke's book taught me four easy techniques that helped me to cure my constant fatigue and listlessness. You do not have to become a Tai Chi Master to benefit from these traditional Chinese techniques. The methods he describes in the book are, gentle movements, self-applied massage, breathing exercises and quiet meditation. They helped me. I highly recommend this book for those seeking a way to do something positive about their health.

If you are interested in healing yourself, this book should be one of your collections.
Simple exercises in this book , in fact, are awaress of your daily activites. Nothing to lose if you follow that way.
It at teast, improves your inert unbalanced postures during daytime.
I like most is the chapter 13, What could be.
When he mentioned World Largest medicineless Hospital , chilel qigong. near Beijing.
This group is an example of Group Generated "Qi" field which scientifically proven.
Just like Ocean of Knowledge, we simply discover the small pebbles or sand near shore, while the great knowledge still lie in the ocean.
No one in this planet knows everything about healing, however, you should be your own expert to discover it for your own.

5 stars for beginner's guide.

The Healer Within is more philosophical than a modus operandi but, the breathing techniques & postures are fairly easy to learn and practice. If you have ever ever been exposed to martial arts, Tai Chi, or Eastern Philosophy it will be a fairly simply read and you could skip over some of the semantics and go straight to the exercises however, if not, then you will probably want to study it in depth. It's a little dry at first but, a good resource in general.

I found Roger Jahnke's book " The Healer Within", to be absolutely fantastic! It is not the full circle for all of your answers but it is definatly half of it!! After reading this book you will again have the stregth and self esteem to take matters into your own hands, to start trusting and loving yourself and to not have to always run for help, because it will help you to see that you are your best help, not some educated fool with a diploma pushing drugs making you even more sick than you were to start with! ENJOY!!!!!!!!

I read the "The Healing Promise of Qi"(2002) prior to The Healer Within (1997). The first read was so good it caused me to read the The Healer Within. Both books are good overviews of Chinese medicine and provide great tips for healthy living. I have been practicing Qi Gong for some time. The Healer is a quick easy read and the author's style seems to provide a subtle redundancy which really serves to help the reader remember all the key points presented.