Play Book Tag discussion

I’m interested in the potential for breathing techniques to help treat conditions brought on by the stress of modern living, so I was delighted when my copy of this book showed up at the library. But I’m disappointed in the book. It reads as though the author mostly wanted to wow an audience with sensationalism – and he’s succeeded, based on the book’s position on the NYTimes best seller list. The book is touted as being deeply researched, but what’s presented is anecdotes, mentions of “unpublished studies,” and “expert” opinion. Of course, he was trying to appeal to a general public and not bore them with details, and, to his credit, he does provide an extensive list of references in the back, along with instructions on some of the techniques. He admits that proper breathing won’t cure stage IV cancers. But the overall presentation, and some of the wilder claims, undercut the credibility of the book. I’ll follow up on some of the references in the back and continue my own deep breathing exercises because they DO help me relax. I think there’s something to this – just not all the author wants us to believe.