Drawing on his clinical experience, Siegel shows how we can alleviate stress and release the body's healing mechanisms. He demonstrates that when terminally ill patients take control of their illness, they change their lives beyond medical hope.

Doctor Siegel cites the famous hospital study which reduced type A behavior in patients, and "halved the reinfarction rate of postcoronary patients". [v] Our society continues--witness the "election" results of November 2016--to regard noisy bullies who rage with hostility as our leaders. They are not. They are suicides. Doctor Siegel spelled out the facts in this 1986 book which arrives at the evidence-based conviction that our best and healthiest guide for behavior is "love for others".

Doctor Siegel writes about the documented connection between mind and body, in our "state of consciousness". I was delighted to see that Doctor Siegel echoes the great Chaplain, Henri Nouwen, for the curative principle of compassion. "Curing" a patient without care, is more harmful than helpful. [vi] The fear of "letting go of childhood pain" and bad messaging, is a much larger failure than dying. Death will visit all of us, because there is really no cure. However, the meaning of life is in loving, which happily happens to cure most of our afflictions.

"The fundamental problem most patients face is an inability to love themselves, having been unloved by others during some crucial part of their lives." [4] By loving oneself, and life itself, the quality of life is improved, and in many cases prolonged.

The epilgraph is from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's, "Cancer Ward". The "self-induced" healing, without drugs or treatments, has long been observed. "Suddenly for some unexplained reason the tumor starts off in the opposite direction! It gets smaller, resolves and finally disappears! See!"

Siegel relies upon science, with research, clinical experience, and facts. The book has two prescient sections: (I) Minding the Body, and (II) Embodying the Mind. ( )

Unconditional love is the most powerful stimulant of the immune system. The truth is: love heals. Miracles happen to exceptional patients every day--patients who have the courage to love, those who have the courage to work with their doctors to participate in and influence their own recovery.

Lessons learned about self healing from a surgeon's experience with exceptional patients.In 1978, Siegel started ECaP (Exceptional Cancer Patients), a specialized form of indivual and group therapy to facilitate personal change and healing. This experience led to the desire to make everyone aware of his or her own healing potential.In this powerful and inspiring book, surgeon Bernie Siegel confronts time-honored perceptions, eloquently explores the link between mind and body and shows how you can become an exceptional patient, a survivor.

Lessons learned about self-healing from a surgeon's experience with exceptional patients.