Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (Paperback)

~ Caroline M. Myss (Author) "In the late spring of 1988, I arrived at the Findhorn Community in northeastern Scotland to teach a healing workshop..." (more)
Key Phrases: symbolic sight, tribal mind, astrological ages, Tree of Life, Extreme Unction, Three-Column Sight (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A woman tells you, within minutes of meeting her, that she's in a support group for incest victims. In theory, this woman is trying to recover from her childhood trauma, but in reality, Caroline Myss writes, she's one of a growing army of people who practice "woundology," the use of their pain and suffering to manipulate those around them. Myss first noticed this phenomenon in the late 1980s, and began to analyze why so many people seemed to choose to carry such painful problems so proudly through life, to define themselves by the awful things that had happened to them. She offers a program to use "symbolic power"--a deep, spiritual insight that surpasses any conjured by the conscious mind--to craft a genuine conclusion to the illness or injury. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Myss is a medical intuitive, a person who "sees" illnesses in the body by intuitive means. Here she writes about healing, the various attempts people make to do it, and why they get "stuck." A global thinker, Myss looks at the entire civilization and at "astrological ages" when discussing healing. She also explains the influence of chakras and astrological ages on healing. At the heart of the book is Myss's challenge to five myths that stand in the way of healing: My life is defined by my wound (perhaps the most original concept here); being healthy means being alone; feeling pain means being destroyed; all illness is the result of negativity; and true change is impossible. Myss believes that giving up these myths leads one closer to healing. Many will think her concepts too far out to be of use; others will see her as visionary. The latter will be looking for this book wherever New Age titles circulate well.?Barbara O'Hara, Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Books (May 1, 1998)
• ISBN-10: 0553507125
• ISBN-13: 978-0553507126
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #974,410 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Medicine Doesn't Always Taste Good, May 26, 2000

By	Bruce Boatner (Eagle, Idaho USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (Paperback)

At first I was surprised by the amount of vitriol that this book elicited from some readers. Then I realized, of course - this information is going to be received as a breath of fresh air for those who are really willing to change themselves for the better, and with great angst by others.

That is exactly what this book is all about!

Caroline suggests we look carefully at our words and behavior and note the way we bond over our wounds. We speak "woundology". Wounds give us power over other people and a way to manipulate society. Healing is a very unpopular notion in this world.

Of course this can be regarded as "mean-spirited", but how in the world can we progress without facing the truth once in a while? There is absolutely nothing new in this material - it is just been presented in the context of modern thought - but if one reads any sacred text carefully the echoes of these ideas will be evident.

Caroline Myss is iconoclastic and funny, but she gets the point across. I recommend some of her audio tapes to really hear her in her element - with a live audience. Sure she "talks a lot" and especially as a man this sometimes drives me up the wall. But I think her message is one of gently attempting to point out our foibles for our own good.

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1o of 2 Best Books I EVER Read!, October 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (Paperback)

I read alot,I search alot,for healing,growth and methods that answer my questions on why am I still stuck in a pattern - how can I move to a higher place? This book explains very logically a non-logical reality,and gives one methods to USE! This book I found much more meaningful than her Anatomy of the Spirit. This book covers the exact same info but explains what to do with the chakras in ways that I can use. Thank you Caroline,this was honest and all that many other books promise. (The other best book I ever read was Reclaiming Your Life by Jean Jenson)

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile, inspirational reading!, February 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (Hardcover)

After reading only a little more than half this book, I have already seen changes in my life. This is a must-read for anyone seeking to participate in repairing one's mind, body and spirit as a whole. While many of her concepts may seem a little unorthodox, she is right on target! Her down to earth advice on forgiveness and releasing the ill thoughts we have toward others will inspire you to look at your relationships in a totally different light. Her ideas on how we wear our past wounds like badges and how we can become a victim of our past, instead of getting on with our lives and realizing that we are far more than our wounds, more than our past failings, is truly inspirational. Not necessarily a religious book, she speaks of spirituality and incorporates the best of all religions. Since reading this book, I have turned to a daily practice of calming myself before sleep by listening to soft music, regulating my breathing and thinking about absolutely--nothing. I have experienced restful sleep, a more optimistic outlook during the workday, an increase in energy and have said silent prayers for strangers. I can't say enough about how positively this book has effected my life.