This book is designed as a practical guide from a genuine practitioner of yoga and western medicine. Whilst reducing the traditional concepts and methods to something more understandable, Mumford gives the reader a course that can be utilised immediately. He does not play on mysticism or even discuss philosophy to any great extent - perhaps through experience he knows the folly of endless discursive reasonings. There are quotes from religious texts / philosophers throughout the book, however the focus is on your own WORK which is where the only truth can emerge from. Yes, the methods are highly effective... I have wasted money on countless books and this is perhaps the only book on the subject that gives real results if used, not just read. Should be accompanied by discursive texts, but as the title says - this is a WORK book.