Product Description

Possibly the most famous and widely used resource in therapeutic bodywork (required for national massage therapy certification), this beautifully written, detailed, and reader-friendly picture of how and why the body responds to touch is both scientifically reliable and inspiring. Furthering the presentation of recent research in biochemistry, cell biology, and energy medicine in the Second Edition, this new update includes advances in neurophysiology and physics, reconfiguring knowledge of mind and body, from "microgenesis" to "quantum consciousness." A rare book that fits general reader as much as professional and student.

"An important and pioneering book. . . ."—Michael Murphy, author

Deane Juhan, formerly an Esalen trainer, lectures nationally and abroad and practices bodywork in Mill Valley.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89499 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 488 pages

From Library Journal
Juhan examines the physiology and psychology of our response to touch, combining excellent illustrations with a detailed but readable technical discussion. Individual sections conclude with his position that through body work, "heightened self-awareness and improved control over conditioned responses" will improve our health and reduce our Job-like suffering. Although Juhan is a professional body worker at Esalen Institute, he does not describe the techniques used and readers will have to test his claims themselves. Recommended for comprehensive collections on human physiology. Michael D. Cramer, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ. Lib., Blacksburg
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
An important and pioneering book. -- Michael Murphy, pre-publication

About the Author
Deane Juhan, formerly an Esalen trainer, lectures nationally and abroad and practices bodywork in Mill Valley, CA.

Customer Reviews

Great technical information, can be intense
This book was required reading at the Brian Utting School of Massage when I attended in 1994. The ENTIRE book, and we were tested on it.

I still refer back to the chapter on muscle physiology frequently, especially when I am writing articles and teaching procedures.

Here is where you will find what you need to know about how actin and myosin overlap, how muscle cells respond only to the signals provided from the brain and spinal reflexes (which means your only hope of relaxing muscle is by appealing to the brain or reflexes, using indirect techniques!)

Here you will learn which spinal reflexes cause the "let go" reflex (golgi tendon organs) and which proprioceptors (annulospiral) communicate two-way with the brain for profound accuracy of movement and options for subtle therapy.

Here you learn what organ (cerebellum) controls whether the muscles will rest or guard.

I have not yet seen a book to replace this one as a required text, but I am reviewing one soon... I think a massage therapist could get away with reading only the muscle chapter though the skin, connective tissue, parasympathetic response vs sympathetic reaction, nerve chapters are interesting if you are interested (like I was). Remember, this information is about twenty years old now.

In addition, I recommend all massage students and practitioners read Laura Bruno's If I Only Had a Brain Injury that came out earlier this year, 2008. It is far easier to read than Job's Body. It is not intended to be a "med school" approach to healing. Instead, you'll learn a symbolic/intuitive approach to healing. In the 80s, intuition was woo-woo but now with human telepathy predicted to begin in less than a decade, you see that Laura's symbolic/intuitive approach to the brain is even more subtle and effective than the connective tissue, indirect nerve/reflex techniques that Deane Juhan was doing back then.

A Wonderful Informative Book
This is a terrific book for anyone interested in exploring the human body. It's good on the details and good on the big picture. It's a fascinating and revealing reference work on the workings of the human body.

Review of Job's Body: A Handbook for Bodywork by Deane Juhan
For anyone interested in anatomy and physiology or alternatives to medicines alone this is a wonderful book to read and reference. It gives some excellent insights into healing by touch and bodywork a must for al types of therapists.