At the Still Point of the Turning World

The title of this informative book combines a reference to the founder of osteopathy, A.T Still and a well-known line from TS Eliot. It is about the art and philosophy of osteopathy by an experienced teacher and practitioner. As such, it is more of a textbook of interest to students of complementary medicine rather than the general reader. The three parts explain principles, the art of treatment and the author's own philosophy. He has an interesting diagram with three points of a triangle labelled mind, matter and motion. In the middle is a philosophy of vitalism and homeostasis, which distinguishes it from a more conventional mechanistic approach. This also entails a different understanding of the significance of placebo and ritual in medical treatment. In his chapter on human spirit, the author emphasises the importance of resilience, adaptability and capacity for survival represented in an overall attitude to life; also the importance of forging a bond with the patient and reaching an intuitive place of not-knowing. I liked the quote in the epilogue from Raymond Chandler, saying that there are two kinds of truth: 'the truth that lights the way and the truth that warms the heart.' The practitioner will want to study both.