You Are What You Say by Matthew Budd, MD (book)

If you are interested in how language connects with the body, mind, and spirit, this book should be on your shelf. This book is more than just a modern take on ‘mind over body’ and it is far beyond simple affirmations: it is a strong introduction into Somatics (whole-body health and sensibilities) and a grounded exploration of the power of language to affect, create and manage our moods, our perceptions, and our stories.

With a forward by Dr. Patch Adams, M.D., this book is co-authored by Matthew Budd, M.D. and Larry Rothstein, Ed.D. Budd’s influences and teachers include Humerto Maturana, Fernando Flores, and Richard S. Heckler, Ph.D. These are teachers who go beyond philosophy and words; they have all translated their work and ontologies into action, motion, and emotion. They are more than talking about transformation and stories, they do and teach how to transform ourselves and shift our stories.

In my opinion, this book is a must-have for modern American linguists. It is fresh in the field (published in 2000 by Crown Publishers, New York), and opens the path for language sensibilities in the 21st century. For example, this book has actual body-linguistic exercises (intentional physical motions) to connect you with yourself and the deeper concepts presented. It is a terrific base for creating and expanding Integral Life Practices (ref. Wilber) that are custom-fit and laser-focused effective.

Disclosure: I have no connections with and receive no compensation from the authors, publishers, or distributors of this book; and while I am not in the employ of anyone involved in this book, I was a student of Dr. Richard S. Heckler’s over a three-year period.

Re: You Are What You Say by Matthew Budd, MD (book)

I would highly recommend the following books: 

George Lakoff & Mark Johnson: Metaphors We Live By (1980, New Afterword 2003) and Philosophy in The Flesh: The Embodied Mind and its Challenge to Western Thought (1999)

Excellent books exploring how the mind works and thus how it uses language.