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BOOK REVIEW:
DE-MYSTIFYING MEDICAL INTUITION
By Lori Wilson
Toronto: Lori Wilson Education Corporation, 2005. 408 pp. US $27.00/ Can $32.00.

Review by:
Martina Steiger, ThD, BEd, MA
Dean of Faculty and Academics
Holos University Graduate Seminary
Assistant Editor of the International Journal of Healing and Caring

Lori Wilson, a trained social worker and pioneer in the world of service through teaching and training in the field of intuition, channeling and past life regression, has now provided a wonderful source of information on the subject of medical intuition in her new book De-mystifying Medical Intuition. This book is directed at newcomers to the field as well as expert practitioners. For more than two decades the author has been true to her personal mission to de-mystify, educate, and inspire, and here she has her goals set to make the field of medical intuition accessible to as broad an audience as possible by sharing her own gift of listening, caring and attending. Throughout the book, Wilson also challenges many traditional views and concepts and invites her readers to engage in personal soul-searching to find their own opinion and stand on each topic.

The twelve clearly laid-out chapters can be broken down into three distinct sections. In the first five chapters, Wilson provides background information on her own professional growth and goals, explains her personal approach to attending to the body, supplies historical information on the development of medical intuition, discusses briefly the psychology of the body, and most importantly, addresses the role that fear plays in our lives, both as clients and as practitioners. Under the heading "Would Your Life Change if You Could Simply Know All Things," she discusses the implications of the energetic ethics of 'knowing all things,' her catch-phrase for using intuition as a simple set of skills. She engages the reader in a discussion on fear, which in her opinion "keeps intuition in the hands of the few" (p. 84). In order to frame her discussion, she relates how her own Spirit Guide, Grandmother, views fear - namely as a fearful child whom we simply need to embrace. Wilson reaches the following conclusion:

There is no doubt that fear is powerful. As long as we continue to give it power, it will always feel alone and incompetent. If we fight it, fear will simply grow within us and around us. Fear loves and needs company. Just because we consider Grandmother's wonderful, clear philosophy on fear, does not mean it will simply disappear from our world. It will take a great deal of time, strength and maturity for us to master handling fear in our world. (p. 87)

Students...are very strongly coached to refrain from doing therapeutic energy work, offering health recommendations, or even entering into a therapeutic type of relationship by dialoguing with the body during the scan. We just stand behind our imaginary one-way mirror/glass and report objectively. The reason behind limiting the therapeutic interaction between practitioner and clients is that our sole purpose in providing a medical intuition scan is to provide an accurate portrait of what is so in the client's body. (Ibid.)

Wilson provides a description of each style with a sample reading and the client's response to the reading. Following is a chapter that explores the so-called 'choice points,' which describe from where the practitioner gets the information and how this practitioner proceeds when the information is unclear. A further discussion clarifies the commonalities and differences of each style. Even though the author presents as objective a view as possible, the preference for her own style becomes obvious, which requires the practitioner to "continuously maintain a strict position that observes, attends, and describes rather than jumping to conclusions about what is being seen, sense, or perceived within a client's body." (p. 208). One of the main advantages of this style is seen in the practitioners' ability to "likely uncover more unique factors influencing their clients' health including some of the more subtle, or out of character roots that interface with health challenges." (p. 209).

The last part of the book concerns itself with the practical applications of medical intuition from both a client's as well as a practitioner's perspective. Two thoughtful and thought-provoking chapters provide the author's greatest contributions, in this reviewer's opinion, 'sourcing' and 'energetic ethics.'

'Sourcing' is a term she coined herself, which means "determining who is talking and sharing the wisdom coming from the body during a scan or intuitive reading. Wilson provides many examples of possible sources of information. But why would we need to know and why do we care as long as we get the information? Because, in her opinion and experience, "unless you are clear from the where the information is actually coming, I believe that the information itself can be very misleading or be given inappropriate weight or credence." (p. 276). Such precision will in turn allow medical intuition to become more valuable as a supplementary resource for the healthcare practitioner.

The chapter on 'Energetic Ethics' provides a framework for ethical considerations of intuition. This deserves much further study and attention in the field of medical intuition and must be included in any discussion on intuitive knowing and practice. In her engaging discussion on the topic, Wilson provides suggestions to intuitives on how to take care of themselves, deal healthily and ethically with intuitive information they are receiving, and how to conduct themselves in various demanding situations. In particular, when asked to perform a scan, she admonishes strongly: "Do not do a medical intuition scan unless you have the intended person's express consent. This can be awkward or even confusing for the person asking for your help. They may think you don't care. The reality is that you care deeply." (p. 358). In other words, it is best to be very careful, especially in light of requests concerning loved ones, to assure that boundaries of confidentiality are not crossed. Once again, she challenges the more conventional way of thinking regarding permission to work with a person. According to her, the concept of obtaining permission from the higher self is outdated: "Ethically, 'Your higher self told my higher self' just doesn't wash anymore," (p. 338) a practice that proved to be rather common in the exploratory stages in the eighties and early nineties. Rather than just dismissing the past, the author continues to explain that these kinds of violation of boundaries occurred because it was simply the only way we had to make sense of knowing things, without focus or permission, at the time. It was a popular catch-all phrase to help make sense of how and why we were getting intuitive information popping into our awareness. In reality, intuitive information will always pop in. It always has, and likely, it always will. Just because it pops in, however, does not mean we need to run across the room and announce this wisdom to others or assume their higher self has chosen us to report it as part of our intuitive destiny… Does this mean we cannot access the information without someone's conscious consent? Absolutely not. You can access whatever information you want, about anyone, intuitively, with or without their consent. This is precisely why we need to formalize the process of consent while using our intuitive skills with others. It's not because we cannot get information without their permission, it is because we can. (p. 338-9).

Lori Wilson is leaving her readers with suggestions for simple ethical boundaries and applications, which require lots of practice. She briefly recaptures the four main goals she had set for her book: 1) Define the field; 2) De-mystify; 3) Encourage discernment; and 4) Inspire professionalism. Her final words on "honouring the historical values of mystery and fear" (p. 396) again gently provoke the reader to shed old frames of reference and build new ones.

Overall, Wilson has succeeded in reaching her goals, in particular by remaining transparent and simple in her descriptions of concepts and approaches. Apart from Wilson's unique perspective and effort to categorize the various styles of medical intuition, her most valuable contribution to the field of Energy Medicine and Intuition must be seen in the expansive and thought-provoking chapter on Energetic Ethics. De-mystifying Medical Intuition can indeed serve as a solid introduction into Medical Intuition to both practitioners and clients.


2005

BOOK REVIEW:
DREAM MEDICINE, LEARNING HOW TO GET HELP FROM OUR DREAMS
By Henry Reed
We Publish Books, USA, P.O. Box 1814 Rancho Mirage, California  92270, (276 pps.)

Review by:
Rev. Cay Randall-May, Ph.D.
Intuitive Consultant & Medical Intuitive
Author of "The Intuitive Career, How to Succeed as a Consultant, Reader, or Healer" CayMay Press, 2005

Henry Reed, Ph.D. brings a rare combination of scholarly research and intuitive creativity to the subject of dreamwork. He has been called the father of the modern dreamwork movement and his most recent book, "Dream Medicine", clearly shows why he has earned this title.

This book empowers the dreamer to explore higher creative, healing, and spiritual aspects of their dreams. Reed acknowledges that difficulties with dream recall may be a major issue for many of his readers. He candidly shares his own struggles with remembering dreams.

"I dedicated myself to seek my dreams. I wanted to overcome my "amnesia" for them. My school studies showed me that everyone dreams every night. We remember them, however, seldomly. It was as if I was leading a second life for which I was amnesic during the day." Pg. 21

On New Year's Day, 1969, Reed began his dream journal, but didn't recall any dreams until March. He shares the depth of that first powerful dream, which he couldn't interpret in the usual way. Instead, he benefited from the emotional impact of the dream and its deeper influence on his broader healing struggle.

After graduating with his doctorate from U.C.L.A., Reed accepted a position at Princeton University, later to become Professor of Transpersonal Psychology at Atlantic University. He has continued research into dream recall and interpretation throughout his career. Results of his pioneering studies have been published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology and elsewhere. I am particularly impressed by the power of Reed's personal revelations in "Dream Medicine" of the role that his dreams have played in his sobriety. After having a dream in which he found a bottle of whiskey and poured it down the drain he reflects:

"Perhaps this dream represented an inner decision. In any event, it is the closest I have ever come to finding any act of 'will', anything resembling a decision to quit drinking." Pg. 27

Reed learned from his personal healing journey and research that it is difficult for students to maintain their interest in dreams without being able to interpret them or find some meaningful way to interact with them. In "Dream Medicine" he chronicles his evolving strategies for inspiring others through exciting and productive dreamwork. These include a series of activities to reach a state of mind close to what the ancient pilgrims to dream shrines must have experienced. These timeless processes have revealed to Reed the ultimate archetype of the wounded healer.

"Getting help from dreams can be as simple, and as profoundly mysterious, as falling asleep to awaken a changed person. Even if we don't realize it for some time, it happens, naturally, every night. At least, that's what alcoholism taught this dreamer." Pg. 32

The reader will find much in this book to guide her or him on their individual journey to wholeness through dreams. Reed explores the ancient traditions of dream incubation, interpretation, sharing of dreams and community dreaming, Not only are these processes in themselves highly imaginative, but they nurture greater creativity and artistic expression in the dreamer. The book is rich with Reed's intriguing illustrations, including samples of his healing mandalas (pg. 188, for examples), many of which are based on dream symbols.

"Dreams can be the inspiration for art. They can provide the impetus to create, the seed of what is to be created. For one thing, you can take a dream and draw it. Don't worry whether you think you can make your drawing look like how your remember seeing what was in your dream. Rather think of someone you'd enjoy telling your dream to; only you can't tell it, you must draw it." Pg. 148

As an artist, myself, I am delighted with his "Dream Drawing Story Game", described on page 149. The dreamer gives someone else a drawing of their dream without explaining it and asks the person to make up a story about the drawing. This enables the dreamer to enrich her or his exploration of their dream, but is only one approach which this author provides. He expands on how are dreams have the power to change us, much as theatrical experiences do.

Reed empowers the reader to use dream stories as basis for personal myth through the creation of a dream shield. Each shield is adorned with symbols which are uniquely meaningful to the dreamer. This book guides the dreamer to expanded awareness and intuitive insights through dreams, a process which utilizes and explores synchronicity and Reed's Intuitive Heart Discovery Process, a natural way to share personal wisdom through dreams.

"Dream Medicine" is a rich resource for anyone who would like to achieve a higher level of personal balance, intuition, and creativity.


2005

BOOK REVIEW:
FOUNDING BROTHERS: THE REVOLUTIONARY GENERATION
Joseph J. Ellis
Vintage Books, N. Y., 2002, $14.00

Review by:
C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.
President, Holos Institutes of Health, Inc.
President, Holos University Graduate Seminary

This remarkable Pulitzer Prize masterpiece is one of the most readable historical and vividly psychological works I have seen. Ellis explores with brilliant insight the character flaws and genius of the Founding Fathers, most particularly Washington, Adams and Jefferson, but including small gems about Hamilton, Franklin, Madison and a few others. I was an avid student of history through college but never had the opportunity then to review the more personal aspects of the great founding heroes of our country. Jefferson's remarkable inconsistency and treacherous attacks on both Washington and Adams have not made it into the main stream! Hamilton's distortions are better known, perhaps because he did not have the poetic brilliance of Jefferson.

The quite historic battle between the virtuous Federalists (Washington and Adams) and the much more conniving but ultimately successful Republicans (Jefferson and Madison), who ultimately laid the foundation for the Democratic Party is worthy of much reflection. The Republicans of today are those more or less based on Lincoln's philosophy, not Jefferson's.

More importantly, in view of the vitriolic political battles today, it is valuable to read the remarkably distorted and slanderous libel by the greats of history. The refusal of the founders to address the issue of slavery is one of the key elements that has allowed the political battles to continue for over two hundred years, still not extending full equality to all Americans. Washington clearly wanted it, even attempting to encourage the integration of American Indians and at least freeing all his slaves at his death, as well as providing for their welfare for several decades afterwards. Adams was opposed to slavery, as was the North, except New York, at the beginning of the United States. However, he recognized that the battle between North and South was almost as great as that with England. He and Jefferson, who was essentially the Thurmond of his day, cohabiting with at least one slave, both reasoned that the battle would wait for a later solution, one that ultimately cost 600,000 lives. The battle for semi-equality of women continued for two hundred years. Today the battle for gay equality remains a legacy of the battles between two virulent philosophies. Undoubtedly, there are many others yet to be solved, such as the RIGHT to medical care, housing, food, housing, etc.

The bitter battles between the Federalists who cautiously initiated treaties with England, and the Jeffersonian Republicans, who preferred the French, remind one of the great schisms that exist once again. And indeed, it is that battle between two polar opposites that makes this book so intriguing. Harris Coulter, in his three volume DIVIDED LEGACY (Wehawken Book Co, Washington, 1973) explored the battle between Empiricists and Rationalists in science and medicine. Ellis' book reminds us that these polar opposites exist throughout society-in politics, finances, education and religion, etc. The political battles are actually no different from the conflicts between humanistic psychology and Freudian based theory, or the recurrent wars between Islam and Christianity---not to mention between Catholics and Protestants, Jews and Muslims, and even within the numerous sub sects of Protestantism.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Ellis' work is the remarkable reconciliation and quasi-collaboration between Jefferson and Adams during the last two decades of their lives. They admitted to each other their failures and miserable deliberate attacks and distortions. They argued to the end but in relative equanimity. Jefferson has won the greatest public ardor through the years, probably because he was the more capable poet/artist, despite also being more deceitful. Adams was the more tempestuous but apparently honest. Even so their apparent attempt to establish a true history of the irreconcilable philosophical differences, with their letters aimed clearly at history, gives us hope that current battles might be resolved, hopefully before the antagonists are in their waning years! ---"each came to recognize in the other the intellectual and temperamental qualities lacking in himself:----". Now if only all the current protagonists in medicine, religion and politics can seek the same integration, the world will be safer and more peaceful.


2004

BOOK REVIEW:
CONSCIOUSNESS, BIOENERGY AND HEALING: SELF-HEALING AND ENERGY MEDICINE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
By Daniel J. Benor, M.D.
Holistic Healing Publications
P. O. BOX 502, MEDFORD, NJ 08055
Orders at: wholistichealingresearch.com

Review by:
C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.
President, Holos Institutes of Health, Inc.
President, Holos University Graduate Seminary

A true review of this book would take many pages. This is unequivocally the encyclopedia of evidence for self-healing, a port for holistic, complementary, and alternative medicine approaches, and a look at an overview of subtle energy, especially looking at the human energy field and environmental electromagnetic energy, cosmos-biology and even astrology. In his earlier book, Dr. Benor summarized almost as extensively as in the current book, an extensive body of research confirming claims by spiritual healers that they can "effect improvements in the health of the healees who flock to them, suffering from all the ailments known to human kind." This book in his Healing Research series continues to address the question, "How does healing work?" I have never seen a more concise but adequate definition of personality disorders, neuroses, and psychoses. The book is worthwhile just from that point of view alone. There is an adequate discussion of physical symptoms addressed by psychotherapy, as well as by bodywork and by bioenergy therapy. There is a good overview of psychological conditioning and behavioral therapy. Body/mind therapy, spiritual healing, hypnosis, biofeedback, transpersonal psychology, and even spontaneous remissions are addressed. The emphasis is very much on the fact that "-The world is not all in the mind. It would be more accurate to suggest that the mind is all in the world. That is part of the world, in fact, because we are intimately involved." Lyle Watson

Finally the 168 pages of references alone make this the richest single resource available to us in this field.

CLICK HERE to access the Full Course Catalog and all Syllabi in PDF File Format.

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