Dr. Issac Mathai has always passionately espoused a way of living that integrates various disciplines like naturopathy, yoga, acupuncture, hydropathy, Siddha and meditation. In this book, he deconstructs traditional therapies and intertwines several threads: those chronicling his personal journey as well as that of his holistic healing centre Soukya.
The style is direct and fairly simple, the stories heart-warming, the photographs eye-catching, and the diagrams and graphs fairly comprehensive. What’s more, the tone clearly indicates that the author fully expects the reader to absorb all the information and attempt to follow the regimen he has laid out.
He aids this process by spelling out just why people need to realise how important it is to integrate holistic living into their lives. After which, he offers the tenets they need to adopt and integrate into their lifestyles. It’s all about living better, and this is the how-to book.
All of it, of course, is sound advice and mostly known to the more aware among us: mindful healthy eating, mindful breathing, mindful living, going light on red meats and addictive substances, managing stress.
Dr. Mathai talks eloquently about the body-mind-spirit connect. The body works best if everything is in balance. If that balance is upset, what follows is ill-health, disease. The balance needs to be restored. Once that is done, the mind needs to be balanced too, and detoxed. Lastly, spiritual healing needs to take place. Reflection, appreciation of nature, connecting with God, going for a retreat are some panaceas he recommends. While the mind deals with day-to-day matters, the spirit apparently harks back a long way to imbalances perceived and real, in the past. The good doctor suggests that we learn how to let go, to develop an intrinsic calm.
His message is clear: take charge of your own health. Earlier, health was all about dealing with ailments on an emergency basis: one fell ill, one then rushed to a doctor. Now, Dr. Mathai points out that people are spending their time and energies trying to prevent such medical emergencies. Also, Indians know that homeopathy, yoga, meditation and holistic treatments have minimal or virtually no side-effects.
All the advice needed to get onto what Dr Mathai calls the path to conscious eating, conscious living, is laid out in these pages, for those who would follow them. If the aim is to give homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional therapies a complete overhaul, the book certainly accomplishes it.
Holistic Healing: A Doctor's Guide To Rediscovering Health And Happiness Naturally,
Dr. Issac Mathai, Harper Element, Rs.899.
