Weave your healings into a life tapestry

RENATO GANDIA
WCR Staff Writer

The new book explores this integration process by looking at the interconnectedness of mind, body and soul through stories and commentary drawn from the personal experiences of people who sought the help of massage therapist Ian Soles and pastoral counsellor Holy Cross Brother Thomas Maddix.

Published by Novalis, the book was launched June 3 at Greenwoods' Bookshoppe.

Filled with stories of people's journey from hurt to hope, from a sense of painful isolation to a fully integrated experience of humanity, the book offers reflections from the two experts.

"Telling good stories and giving personal commentary on them has been at the heart of human communication forever," said the authors' note to the reader.

"Stories often reveal how we integrate or fail to integrate, fragments of our lives."

Maddix, in an interview, said, "We saw the importance of body, mind and soul coming together."

They wrote the book for people who are serious about their life journey, people who want to deepen their sense of spirituality and groups who would like to hold discussions.

The book, which has 11 chapters, is divided into three parts: opening to the experience; living the experience; directions, observations and conclusions.

While showing how spirituality and massage therapy blend and complement each other, the book also narrates the stories of ordinary people in search of meaning and healing.

Given the diversity of their life experiences, the authors decided to find a way to share insights from their own journeys and those of the people who have entered their lives.

At the end of each chapter, the book offers questions for reflections for readers to see how they can relate to the stories and how the issues discussed resonate in their own lives.

"It's not difficult to write as two authors, Maddix said. "We planned and from the start we agreed I will write the background for spirituality and he would choose the cases corresponding to the (three themes)."

Soles, founding partner of Elements of Wholistic Centre, currently operates a massage therapy practice in Edmonton. He has an undergraduate degree in physical education from the University of Alberta and a diploma in massage therapy from Grant MacEwan College.

Raised in the United Church of Canada, Soles has since explored many spiritual traditions including native spirituality, Buddhism and transcendental meditation before being fully received into the Catholic Church in the spring of 2000.

Maddix is vice president for organizational advancement of the Caritas Health Group. He also teaches a leadership program for health, educational and social service at the University of St. Michael's College in Toronto as well as courses in Christian spirituality at St. Stephen's College in Edmonton.

He has also co-authored a book with Christopher Levan, entitled Knowing Your Ethical Prefences: A Working Guide.

To order Journey to Wholeness, call 1-800-387-7164.

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