Abstract

This manuscript is intended for publication and directed at individuals interested in improving health and promoting personal growth and development. The framework is based on acupuncture concepts derived from Taoism: Yin and Yang; Heaven, Earth, and Man; the Five Elements Theory; and the Five Spirits model. ;Chapter One is a theoretical analysis that situates the work in Human Development, Acupuncture, and the literature on love. ;Chapter Two is devoted to the body and relates how the material of the book merged from various experiences that particularly impacted my life and my career as a body-mind therapist. ;Chapter Three focuses on love as a healing transformational process and emphasizes an approach I have developed to assist people in becoming more aware of how heart energy can improve their life. ;Chapter Four describes The Inner Family, how it is programmed by our external family and what we can do to make the internal environment more responsive to our internal and external needs. ;Chapter Five explores how the Inner Mother addresses our emotions. It offers constructive ways to look at negative emotions and many strategies to unlock emotional blocks and promote emotional expressiveness. ;In Chapter Six, the focusing function of the Inner Father is examined and the role of discipline in aligning the will with the knowledge of the heart. ;Chapter Seven looks at the creative power of the Inner Child and emphasizes the fundamental role of the Inner Parents in supporting and directing his/her unique expression. ;Chapter Eight addresses life as an ongoing process of learning. Various types of learning are explored and particular attention is placed on wisdom as the mobilization of deep spiritual qualities