Joy: The Surrender to the Body and to Life (Compass)

This was the first book I read by Alexander Lowen and it has had a profound impact on my life. I first read it two years ago and I've found myself returning to it multiple times for guidance. Reading this book truly has been life changing for me.Why did I read it? I had been struggling with chronic muscle tension, pain, and fatigue in multiple parts of my body including my jaw, neck, shoulders, and pelvis. My pain had gotten worse after a recent car crash. Alongside this, I was often anxious and probably depressed. I ventured down the rabbit hole of books on the body-mind connection, starting with Bessel Van der Kolk's "The Body Keeps the Score", Peter Levine's "In an Unspoken Voice", then all of John Sarno's books. By then I was convinced of the body-mind connection with respect to how emotions and thought processes interact with muscle tension. Then I read this book by Alexander Lowen, in the hopes of learning more about how to express emotions to release muscle tension and increase my pleasure in life.If you’re looking for scientific studies and research on the body-mind connection, don’t read this book; read the other books I mentioned previously. Lowen’s book is not about scientific studies or experimental research. His book includes findings and theory based on a lifetime of practical clinical experience working with both the body and the mind of patients and himself. This book in particular focuses on the nature of fundamental human emotions, the blocks in expressing them, and exercises to bring up feeling and discharge the emotion.Lowen is opinionated, direct, and confident in his writing. I discovered many profound statements in this book that I didn’t expect to. Reading this book gave me guidance for the path forward in expressing emotion and taught me to trust in my body and its sensations, even through the deepest feelings of sadness, anger, and terror. I felt like Lowen understood me.My journey of emotional and physical healing has involved a seemingly boundless supply of tears. This book gave me confidence to embrace my tears and to learn how to cry more deeply. Amazingly, I’ve noticed major changes in my energy, my sense of grace, and my resilience as a result of learning emotional expression. I practice many of the exercises that Lowen recommends, which are detailed in his book, "The Way to Vibrant Health".I highly recommend this book. I’ve since read four more of Alexander Lowen’s books. Each of them has left with me new lessons and I recommend reading anything by Lowen. "Joy" is probably the best starting point.

Best book I've read in a long time.I tried a few exercises mentioned in the book - just to see what they do - and, unexpectedly, it fixed my chronic neck problem! Wow! Finally I found something that works for me!It led me to buy and read 5 or 6 other Alexander Lowen books. And I still find "Joy" to be probably the best of them. (I also loved "Pleasure" and "The language of the body").More people need to know about Alexander Lowen and Bioenergetics!

Alexander Lowen's life's work was not just therapy but helping people restore joy in living. All his books are well written, but some include concepts from psychoanalytic roots that confuse slightly a reader untrained in analysis. This book,however, was written for the general but sincere and curious reader. Not that Lowen watered down his ideas any, but they are described in everyday terms. However,his ideas are not everyday ideas anymore. The mainstream culture has alienated most of us from our bodies and from life which springs from the body.Though at one time the ideas and point of view in this book might have been partly transmitted by folk wisdom, that wisdom has been forgotten or unfairly stigmatized. This is truly a much needed explanation of how a good person can connect to good feelings.

A pretty good book, although I wanted a little more about the psychology part of bioenergetics. This book is mostly bioenergetic exercises which I found useful but my one complaint is that I had to buy "bioenergetics" as well to get an overview of the theory.

Interesting and thoughtful book with good advice to put to use.

Great sequel to his '70's' book ' Pleasure'. Goes into more depth which 30 years of experience can give.If you Like Lowen, this will not disappoint.

Interesting but not backed by scientific studies. This does not make it incorrect, but does mean that it is speculation.

Very insightful about muscular tension and ego death. Dragged a bit but still a good read. That's why I rated it a 3/5.

Amazing book. Helped me a lot.I refer to it very often for insights and answers.

Fantastic, insightful book that really puts body and mind on an equal footing! A must read!!!

of course YES

Very happy with quality!

Good Quality.