SEBASTIAN KNEIPP

El agua borra la mancha de tinta que ha caído en la mano y limpia la ensangrentada herida. Cuando, tras las fatigosas tareas de un caluroso día de verano, te limpias el pegajoso sudor de la frente con agua fresca, parece que recobras nueva vida; el fluido cristalino refresca, vigoriza, y produce bienestar. No bien la madre percibe en la cabecita de su tierno hijo costras o cualquier inmundicia, se apresura a lavarla con agua fresca o templada, según los casos. Tres son las principales cualidades del agua; disolver, lavar, y vigorizar; que por si solas autorizan asentar el siguiente principio: "El agua, en particular aplicada según nuestro sistema hidroterápico, sana todas las enfermedades no incurables; en razón a que las diferentes aplicaciones del agua tienden a desarraigar los gérmenes de la dolencia y son susceptibles de producir cualquiera de los efectos siguientes: 1. Disolver los gérmenes del mal que existen en la sangre. 2. Separar y eliminar las sustancais disueltas. 3. Restablecer la circulación normal de la sangre así purificada. 4. Vigorizar el organismo debilitado, devolviéndole la actividad perdida".

Una selección de las plantas medicinales más útiles, para resolver los problemas diarios, realizada por Sebastián Kneipp, uno de los impulsores del Naturismo y de la Hidroterapia. Se añaden al final

Los casos de enfermedades y su curación que se citan en esta obra no son hechos imaginarios ni ficticios; son casos reales y el autor responde de su exactitud, tanto por lo que respecta a las enfermedades mismas como a las personas que las han sufrido. Otras obras del autor publicadas por nosotros y q ue la complementan: "Metodo de hidroterapia", "Botiquin de farmacopea casera".

Scarcely ever has a book found its way through Europe and the whole civilized world in so incredibly short a time as the little volume of which this is a translation. Finding help nowhere and lacking both physical and mental strength due to his failing health, the young author was left to spend his time in the royal library. Here one day an old little book attracts his curiosity, he opens it, it treats of water-cures. This moment was to be a turning-point in his life. The contents of the small unsightly volume were to be the rough outline of a plan which, in its completion, has become a blessing for numbers of his fellow-creatures who, laboring under more or less grievous disease, were restored to the full possession of bodily health and mental vigor; for as soon as the author in this early period of his life had experienced the salutary effects of water, it seemed but natural to his noble heart to make as many as possible partakers of the benefit he then enjoyed in the sense of undisturbed health. Since his endeavors in this respect had for their sole objects the glory of God and the good of poor sufferers, since he sought neither honor nor any other earthly reward, he was well armed against the temptation to give up a work which, besides adding considerably to the exertions imposed on him by his sacred office, earned for him much contradiction and ingratitude."The Kneipp-Cure" is not only a fantastic read, but for many sick people a way into a much brighter and healthier future. This book is illustrated.

In this little work Father Kneipp sets forth the happiness, responsibilities and duties of motherhood, and he instructs mothers how to order their lives and how best to bring up their children. Father Kneipp also gives simple directions for dealing with the usual diseases of children. Sebastian Kneipp became known for the "Kneipp cure," which he advocated for years. This method was based on water, fresh air, sunshine and a scheme of regular activity, and included walking barefoot in dew-moistened grass and on snow.

So sollt Ihr leben!" gilt als das erste populare Lehrbuch der Naturheilkunde und fasst Sebastian Kneipps Lebenswerk in einem einzigen Band zusammen. Der Pfarrer aus Worishofen entwirft darin ein ganzheitliches Programm: Wasseranwendungen, Bewegung, Ernahrung und bewusste Lebensfuhrung ausgerichtet auf das Gleichgewicht von Korper und Geist. Was die Lekture auch heute tragt, obwohl sich einige gesundheitliche Lehren seit 1889 weiterentwickelt haben, ist die Uberzeugungskraft einer einfachen Grundidee: Gesundheit entsteht nicht durch Eingriff, sondern durch Einklang mit der Natur. Kneipps Ratschlage sind konkret, alltagsnah und frei von medizinischem Fachjargon ein Buch, das seinen Lesern zutraut, das eigene Wohlbefinden selbst in die Hand zu nehmen. So sollt Ihr leben!" bleibt ein Klassiker der Gesundheitsliteratur.