by Judith Orloff, MD
A book
review by Danna Langston
Intuitive Healing
is a wonderful book, giving us five steps to achieve our
well-being and how to apply them in various circumstances. It
is also autobiographical as Dr. Orloff shares her own
experiences openly, allowing us to relate to her journey along
the way. She also uses examples of her patients or clients to
illustrate the healing process. In my opinion this book
provides an enriching story and an extraordinary guidebook for
living our life healthfully.
Intuitive
Healing was published in
2000. Last March, 2004 I went to a workshop featuring Carolyn
Myss, PhD for the purpose of getting some spiritual
nourishment. I was not too familiar with Dr. Myss and knew
nothing about Dr. Judith Orloff who was the scheduled speaker
for Sunday, the last session of the workshop. Unfortunately,
Dr. Myss collapsed from exhaustion as she was getting on the
plane to come to Austin and her doctors did not allow her to
make the trip. Dr. Orloff was requested to be the speaker for
the entire weekend and she accepted. Thus, I became acquainted
with her story and her work. I was impressed with her
messages, her vulnerability, her professionalism, her
playfulness and her way of being. She has a new book entitled The
Power of Positive Energy, but it was not yet available at
the workshop, so I bought Intuitive Healing to read
first. The weeks to come after the workshop were busy ones for
me and I read the book in small increments. Then life turned
from busy to chaotic, and it took me a few weeks to get back
to it. Now, I have completed it and can report that I found it
informative, supportive and enlightening.
The five
steps outlined in Intuitive Healing are 1) clarify your
beliefs, 2) listen to your body’s messages, 3) access your
inner guidance, 4) sense subtle energy and 5) listen to your
dreams. Judith Orloff is an intuitive. She uses the term intuitive
rather than psychic or clairvoyant. She followed her
intuition; went to college in pursuit of a medical degree; and
now she is a successful, practicing psychiatrist, lecturer and
author. As she approaches each of the three areas of
discussion (physical, emotional and sexual wellness) she
addresses each of the five steps with detailed suggestions in
accomplishing them. Her engaging style is a blend of clinical
fact and personal experiences.
The
challenge for me is to implement the five steps. I certainly
intend to try, because from my experience, I know that what
she suggests could indeed help me to make important changes in
my health. Whether I follow through or muddle through the
steps, the fact remains that I enjoyed reading Intuitive
Healing. I recommend this book to seekers and helpers
alike for support in your adventures. Use it as a travel
guide!
As
I was finishing up Intuitive Healing, I happened into
the bookstore looking for another book I had on my “to
read” list. I could not find what I was looking for but was
attracted to A Way of Being by Carl Rogers.
I bought it on impulse. Within a day of writing the
following review, I had made good progress into A Way of
Being (Carl R. Rogers [1902—1987] is the respected and
influential psychologist who is best known and loved for his
Person Centered therapy.) In the chapter “Growing Old: Or
Older and Growing” there is a short section “Opening
up to New Ideas”,
p. 82. Here is
what Carl Rogers had to say at age 75 about his past ten
years. “During
these years, I think, I have been more open to new ideas.
The ones most open to me have to do with inner
space—the realm of the psychological powers and the psychic
capabilities of the human person. In my estimation this area
constitutes the new frontier of knowledge.”
So, then here is Judith Orloff who is indeed, among the
trail blazers. In
the afterword of Intuitive Healing she states
“Intuition is the future”.
She then charges her readers, but why wait?
For workshops,
seminars and other news about Judith Orloff, M.D. see her
website www.drjudithorloff.com
(Back)
