Mind, Body & Soul: The Body Shop Book of Wellbeing

Mind, Body & Soul is a beautiful book filled with overviews of many areas of women's wellbeing and illustrated by stunning photographs of vibrant bodies and healthy activities. The goal is to repair the sense of estrangement that has come from creating dissociations between mind, body, and soul. Beauty and health, in this book, are holistic--they express inner harmony. The ideal state is a natural balance between mind and body, integrating "the pragmatic concerns of the flesh with the spiritual yearnings of the soul." The Mind section delves into stress: the reasons for it and brief introductions to various therapies, such as hypnotherapy, meditation, biofeedback, and psychotherapy. The Body section explores wellbeing and internal fitness with topics as diverse as diet, the Oriental principles of yin and yang, toxin elimination, natural remedies, exercise (with descriptions of a variety of both familiar and unfamiliar options), appearance, skin care, and massage. The Soul section discusses methods of fostering the holistic spirit, such as ritual, symbol, ceremony, shamanism, feng shui, and understanding and honoring a woman's life cycles. This book is unique because of its combination of ancient wisdom, modern knowledge, and gorgeous photographs. It's an ideal gift for a woman concerned with health and wellbeing. --Joan Price