Judging from the available anecdotal and clinical research data, all the above treatments are effective at least some of the time with at least some people. But is there any common theme or mode-of-action of the above disparate approaches? Why are some people cured of cancer using conventional treatment, while others, incredibly motivated, following a wide range of regimens, die soon? Why are the founders of certain techniques often so successful with their therapy, their followers less so? The simple answer is that we don't know.

Attempts to address these dilemmas feature in several articles, by Hodges and Scofield, John Davidson and in Leon Chaitow's Insights and Questions. In fact, just about every topic in Positive Health, be it homoeopathic case histories, the Alexander Technique or detoxification, can be viewed with such questions in mind.

Although there is so much more to understand regarding fundamental processes of health and well-being, it is becoming self-evident that the patient's role is central to being healed. This insight in itself gives us a valuable clue about the way forward. For, despite our rational tendencies to want to objectify and quantify the healing process, at least if we can be in touch with our innermost and passionate instincts about the best path forward to health, we can be assured that we are on the right path for us at the right moment.