Each section gives a description of the types of trauma, and trauma responses, associated with each condition. Rose offers a list of questions that could be explored in therapy, journalling, or meditation to help you recognise how your symptoms are a trauma response developed out of survival instinct.

Upfront the book explains the fundamental healing concepts in Metaphysical Anatomy (MA) as ‘a trauma-based personal development process’ which seems to be the essence of Evette Rose’s courses and coaching practice. I suspect that the book is most useful for her students rather than casual readers.

Physical, emotional or environmental trauma is the ultimate cause of most human problems. If one’s physical trauma response is not completed, it can cause disease later in life, and trauma responses can be passed on through generations. The trauma cycle is completed by discharging the retained nervous system energy of adrenaline, tensed muscle and other symptoms of stress. A trauma cycle can be completed later, or even in later generations without necessarily even knowing what the origin of the trauma was. It can be enough to recognise how a trauma response serves you now.

The MA approach to healing medical conditions involves completing the trauma cycle by acknowledging that a survival instinct continues holding trauma in your body.

This theory is closely aligned with my own understanding of energetic influences on oral health. However, in my experience (not having studied with Evette Rose), the discussions of oral health conditions in the A-Z section are of limited use. When I first got the book I tried it out with a couple of clients but it didn’t resonate with them at all so I quickly resumed my own, more reliable, intuitive approach.

Should you read it?

Nonetheless, Metaphysical Anatomy has occasionally been helpful for me over the years since then. When I’ve encountered a client with a condition I’m not familiar with, it is one of several books I might turn to help me build a healing story with them (although I never wholly rely on it). As a result, it has helped to influence the ‘Symptoms as Messengers’ chapter of my own book, The Secret Lives of Teeth: Understanding emotional influences on oral health.

Metaphysical Anatomy Volume 1 is a significant investment in money and shelf space for anyone who wouldn’t be using it professionally. I imagine an Applied Kinesiologist might get the best ROI. But for the casual self-help reader (who hasn’t studied with Rose), the value proposition is a lot shakier and it makes an expensive doorstop.