Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence

Being a paraplegic myself and also rehabbing at Mayo Clinic, I certainly could relate to Matts experiences with the medical community. Way to often we are confined to a limited set of therapeutic practices by doctors who refuse to consider anything outside the "normal" western approach to medicine, and who are we as mere patients to argue with them? They are the supposed experts. Matts struggles with his rehabilation efforts echo so clearly in my mind, and his eventual triumph years later using yoga techniques rather than gutting it out with the more conventional approach is a wakeup call to the medical community that there are other methods to rehabilition that should and must be considered. A well written story and an even better message.

I became acquainted with Matthew Sanford through a National Public Radio interview. I was taken with his voice and his experiences. I immediately bought and read Waking. Having had polio as a child, I went through much rehabilitation and many surgeries. Mr. Sanford's discovery of his power to determine his medical treatment was inspiring to me. This book should be required reading for every orthopedic physician, surgeon, and therapist.

Definitely a worthwhile and inspiring read! "Waking" tells the moving story about a young boy who's life is tragically changed by one family car trip. I shed tears over the course of this book, but was also in awe of the journey Matt has taken through his life. He shares how he has connected with his injured, imperfect body, and has inspired me to do the same. This has been a great book for our book club. Highly recommended.

This is a book you will want to share with colleagues, patients, family and friends if you are in an integrative medicine healing practice. Those that "get" what you are doing will love it for its clear description of our vision. Those that don't "get" what you are doing, may very well after reading this extremely well written, passionate story. Matthew understands that yoga goes far beyond his personal experience or any story for that matter. He uses his story to share how yoga is indeed a "waking" of the human consciousness and a responsiblity for us all. His use of humor, irony and candor make for an engaging, personal experience while pushing the reader to look beyond their personal limits.

I picked up this book last night off my side table to read a few pages and get a feel for where it was going. Three hours later I hadn't moved and I didn't stop reading until I finished the book. I kept forgetting to breathe. This book should be required reading for every pre-med student. I was horrified by the stories, not of incompetence, but of disregard by medical professionals of the spiritual and emotional needs of a young boy suffering so much trauma, day after day. The writer's forgiveness for all that he experienced and endured is truly remarkable. Readers should note that this book not only tells a passionate and beautiful story, but the writing is simply superb. Although I read the book through in one sitting, the metaphors and deeper meanings keep bubbling up to me, like all those phantoms and ghosts that circulate through the writer's words. This book is not going to be what you expect: Boy has accident, Boy can't walk again, yet, against all odds, Boy climbs Mt. Everest. The boy in this book takes us on a transformative journey that is far more life affirming. It's ultimately a true story about all of us and our inner capacity for survival.