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© REVIEWS to a new post-surgery lifestyle. A great deal he wonders whether we are actually living in B O O k Ss of the authors! advice for the preparation and _a virtual reality that is part of a vastly larger Reviewed by Ruth P. II recovery phases does involve alternative virtual Universe. He goes on to explore the GSU o7 Wn VEL approaches such as using comfrey com- hypothesis that "the world is an illusory con- SURGERY AND ITS ALTERNATIVES presses to help heal incisions and adopting struct of a Ground Reality that includes our by Sandra A. McLanahan, MD and deep-relaxation and visualisation techniques. consciousness". David J. McLanahan, MD The McLanahans devote many chapters to His first few chapters cover computers and Twin Stream Books USA 2003 specific parts of the body, including breast, VR, the laws of physics, quantum mechan- ISBN 0-7582-0201 6 (81 4pp ho) lung, heart and stomach as well as reproduc- _ ics, relativity and time, while his "many tive organs, and provide a balance between worlds" discussion leads into chapters on Availability: Kensington Books, website http://www. kensingtonbooks.com alternative and conventional approaches for how consciousness may affect natural phe- dealing with health problems. Their sugges- nomena. These describe thought and remote Ir the medicatised Wester word. surgery tions make this book a must for health pro- viewing experiments, visions and hallucina- roblems. when the alternative thera fessionals and their patients as well as any-_ tions, OBEs and NDEs, as well as anom- P roach’ which has merits in man PY one who wants to exert some form of per- alous energetic and healing phenomena. PP’ > y cHCUM- sonal control over complex health issues. Thompson's hypothesis reaches the same stances, is barely given a second thought. In their comprehensive volume, Surgery and its Alternatives, brother-and-sister team Sandra McLanahan, MD (a family physician prac- . ips tising complementary and integrative medi- Covardhan Hill Publishing, USA, 2003 nexus as ancient Hindu and Buddhist tradi- MAYA: The World as Virtual Reality tions, in which consciousness is a paradox: by Richard L. Thompson as "the One", it is the source and sustenance of everything; and as "the Many", it is the cine), and David McLanahan, MD (a sur- ISBN 0-9635309-0-9 (292pp tpb) This mind manifest in individual beings. geon with over 30 years in general surgery Availability: Govardhan Hill, website M livin territory to un sown b es 1's rom and teaching), give good reason for not auto- _http://www.simulatedworlds.com; y aya and’ beyond. matically deciding on "the knife" but, Adventures Unlimited, website instead, exploring options. http://www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com Fundamental to the philosophy behind o, this is not a book about the Central their book is that we healthcare consumers American civilisation, but about the SA WLLLAS VRTI need to know how to make the right choices —_ world of maya, illusion—the virtual world. bh Heitass~ for our health. Therefore, we need to con- In Maya, Richard L. Thompson, mathemati- sider our vast range of options when treating _cian and author of seven books covering specific diseases, and these may involve diverse subjects such as archaeology, dietary and lifestyle changes in conjunction —_ ancient astronomy, cosmology, quantum with alternative therapies such as yoga and physics and spirituality, considers virtual meditation. However, if surgery is indeed reality (VR) as a metaphor for our con- the preferred option, there's a wealth of sciousness and our place in the Universe. advice in these pages on how to make an Thompson asks us to view consciousness informed decision, including questioning not as a product of matter— which is the your doctor/specialist, getting second and mechanistic world view —but as a separate third opinions and calculating the risks. element beyond the physical. Using the sce- There are tips on how to prepare for the pre- _ nario of someone entering a computer-simu- to post-operative phases, and how to adjust lated VR world through a sensory interface, he wonders whether we are actually living in a virtual reality that is part of a vastly larger virtual Universe. He goes on to explore the hypothesis that "the world is an illusory con- struct of a Ground Reality that includes our consciousness". His first few chapters cover computers and VR, the laws of physics, quantum mechan- ics, relativity and time, while his "many worlds" discussion leads into chapters on how consciousness may affect natural phe- nomena. These describe thought and remote viewing experiments, visions and hallucina- tions, OBEs and NDEs, as well as anom- alous energetic and healing phenomena. Thompson's hypothesis reaches the same nexus as ancient Hindu and Buddhist tradi- tions, in which consciousness is a paradox: as "the One", it is the source and sustenance of everything; and as "the Many", it is the awareness manifest in individual beings. This mind-expanding journey takes us from Matrix territory to maya and beyond. NEXUS ¢ 65 BOOKS AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2003 www.nexusmagazine.com