Mending a Wounded Life: Gentle Words for Healing

Jane Heath teaches psychology at Ryerson Polytechnical University in
Toronto.

The basic premise of this book is that our thoughts can “be changed to
a kaleidoscope of great enlightenment if they are reprogrammed through
acceptance, forgiveness and understanding.” The bulk of the book
consists of “meditations.” A typical example: “The power of the
universe dwells in your inner self. Focus on the positive self that
governs your life. Participate in the dream, visualize it clearly, and
watch it unfold over time.” The reader is informed that “Heaven and
hell reside in us”; “Love is your right and your gift”; “You can
be successful and happy” and so on. To achieve a positive self-image,
we are instructed to focus on the book’s meditations, to the
accompaniment of soft music.

Those who possess, or can summon, the necessary faith to make use of
the author’s “gentle words for healing” will certainly not be
harmed by them. But in the absence of counseling, or at least
instruction in relaxation techniques, it seems unlikely that they will
be helped. Others will simply be left bemused by so much relentless
optimism and positive thought.