Herbert Benson MD - Beyond the Relaxation Response: The Stress-Reduction Program That Has Helped Millions of Americans

Beyond the Relaxation Response prescribes a more powerful way of healing than any antibiotic, any vitamin, any specialists approach that I know of.

David Kwing, Managing Editor, Harvard Business Review

Its all thereDr. Benson makes it easy and practical.

Frank Field, Science Editor WNBC-TV

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Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or service to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book.

BEYOND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE

A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with Times Books

PRINTING HISTORY

Times Books edition published 1984

Berkley mass-market edition / September 1985

Copyright 1984 by Times Books.

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v5.4

a

To Mother

Since the writing of The Relaxation Response and The Mind/Body Effect, I have seen how the principles and practices presented in each can be combined successfully to bring about better health and well-being. The Relaxation Response when coupled with the power of belief can lead to remarkable health-promoting elements, which I have identified throughout as the Faith Factor. This new understanding has led to the publication of Beyond the Relaxation Response.

My work stands upon the shoulders of many observers and investigators who have contributed to the literature concerned with health and disease and with religion and belief. I have acknowledged their contributions when possible in the text and in the bibliography. In the text, case histories are presented. They are from either the medical literature or my own practice. My cases have all been altered so as to disguise the identity of the individual patients.

This book is not intended to give specific medical advice concerning personal health care. If the reader decides to use the principles of the book for the purpose of treating a specific medical problem, he or she should do so with the approval and subsequent supervision of his or her physician.

To avoid awkward sentence structures, the male gender has been used in most instances. I hope this does not offend.

I am very grateful to Claudia Dorrington, Nancy E. MacKinnon, Todd Moore, and Irene L. Goodale for their superb assistance in the preparation of this book. I also acknowledge the contributions of Jennifer C. Yolles, who indirectly aided this book by working on a related research project. For their counsel, I thank David M. Roseman, Robert E. Cowden, III, and Robert L. Allen. Once again, I am ever indebted to my wife, Marilyn, for her continued sound judgments, support, and patience.

Aspects of the book were made possible through funds given by The Ruth Mott Fund, the John E. Fetzer Foundation, William K. Coors, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. I also gratefully acknowledge the financial support given in honor of Pasquale and Lucy Pepe. The research and development of the book were also funded, in part, by grants from the United States Public Health Service (HL-22727 and HL-07374); from the National Science Foundation (NSF INT 8016982); and from the American Institute of Indian Studies.

Herbert Benson, M.D.
December 1983