[Following is a volunteer review of “The MISOGI Method” by Jody B. Miller.]

4 out of 4 stars

Jody B. Miller hypothesizes that if you try to do something way outside your comfort zone, you are more self-actualized than you were when you started. Dictionary.com provides this definition for self-actualizing: “The achievement of one’s full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity, and a grasp of the real world.”

Miller is a go-getter person and has thought long and hard about the ancient Japanese purification ritual called MISOGI – standing naked in a stream of ice-cold water. She has developed a modern and more suitable method for the time. The MISOGI Method is written in an easy to read, conversational style. It includes Miller’s revelation that she believes her personality was developed by playing outside as a child with no adult’s present. The kids were inclusive, and everyone was welcome to play – they were needed to play. She says they negotiated what games to play and who would have the starring parts, which all contributed to learning life skills of evaluating risks, visualizing, and innovative thinking.

Miller mentions sardines and hopscotch, which were two of my favorite games back in the day. The book contains a thorough description of Miller’s street-playing childhood and how she came to develop her MISOGI Method, which is an entertaining story in its own right. It includes many interviews with people who practice Miller-style MISOGI and records the effect it has had on them. She spends some time defining the difference between traditions and rituals because in discovering what is important to us, we come to know ourselves better. She provides work-sheets at the end of each chapter to encourage the reader to undertake some self-assessment. She suggests that writing by hand increases your intelligence, memory, creativity, and allows you to analyze, amplify, and consider.

To begin with, you need to know yourself, and then you can decide what your grand adventure in life will be. Even if you do not finish your MISOGI, like climbing Mount Everest, you will still gain the benefits. Miller is an Application Theorist and utilized her professional skills to design and develop The MISOGI Method: doing historical research, she discovered that play is vital in promoting feelings of achievement. She was able to maintain, preserve, and add value to digital research data in relevant studies. Miller also uses her own and other’s experiences of positive change.

I enjoyed learning about the MISOGI Method and realized I had a MISOGI experience when I joined the OnLine Book Club in 2018. I had always wanted to write, but my grammar was non-existent, and I had lived all my life, believing that writing was not for me. But with much trepidation, I started writing book reviews over a year ago, and now I write with confidence and feel empowered.

I rate The MISOGI Method 4 out of 4 stars for its enthusiasm, excellent writing, and clarity of thought. I do not rate it 3 out of 4 stars because of the superior and thorough research, and the masterful printing and layout of the book. I only found one small error, and believe the writing to be professionally edited. I found nothing to dislike. I recommend it to everyone over the age of twelve as we all want to become self-actualized and be the best that we can be. – Abacus

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The MISOGI Method
View: on Amazon

Thank you, Abacus. The Misogi Method is where ‘happiness begins’ and ‘happiness is defined,’ for so many. I appreciate your review.