This very reasonably priced book is extremely well written, the kind of writing you would expect from a former English teacher. But what this book offers goes far beyond good writing technique. It offers a blend of philosophy, science, art and love.

It has an excellent short review of the anatomy and physiology of muscles and their functions. Because we are in the muscle business, it is my opinion that everyone should know origins, insertions, functions and physiology - and this book adequately meets those requirements.

It addresses contraindications for deep tissue manipulation or body sculpting, as the author calls her work. But it is also the insight of someone who is in transition from a technician into an artist. The book covers the psycho-physiological connection and how our spirit intertwines with our physical matter.

Of particular interest is Osborne-Sheets' insistence on analyzing the client using all our perceptual sense. This is something that our profession must address. If we consider the other healing arts professions, we have to sooner or later consider that 90 percent of what a doctor or dentist is trained to do is making diagnoses.

Yet, e are being dictated to and asked to serve people who have psychological and physiological needs without making an adequate, or what Osborne-Sheets calls, "an appropriate analysis." She more than adequately addresses that process.

If there is a weakness to this book, it is that the photographs are not adequate to describe the degree of artistic work the author is trying to convey. Additionally, the part of the book that addresses the client's perceptions and responses could be expanded dramatically. It is that communication and the client's perceptions that add synergistically to their response to our work.

There's a portion that addresses the client's mechanics which is very well done. There are adequate techniques which also offer what the author calls "hints." There are caveats of her perception and her wisdom that she has gained during her artistic journey.

There is an abundance of techniques offered by this book with important considerations to each part of the body. She also offers a view of the future, of how soft-tissue manipulation can be integrated with other modalities. Each chapter is more than adequately footnoted with luminaries in the field of bodywork such as Rolf, Trager and Cottingham as well as others in the psychological field such as Dychtwald and Lowen.

The real strength of this book, though, is its artistic presentation. It offers a rare insight into the psyche of the massage practitioner who has transitioned into an artist. The book adequately states the importance of changing the health care system into a more spiritually based and humanistically evolved profession.

For example, on page 29, we find: "Observation, analysis and intuition produce a knowing of what work will be appropriate. Deep tissue sculpting and all bodywork can affect the client posturally, imagistically, archetypically, emotionally, intellectually, physiologically and spiritually. First there must be an answer or answers tot he question, 'What is the effect I want to create?' The practitioner then needs to hold this intention in her mind."

In my experience, much of what we accomplish or hope to accomplish comes from our intention. It is rare insights like this, and i might add the book is filled with many of them, which makes this book a must for anyone in the massage profession sincerely interested in becoming a professional and becoming an artist.

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