The body has a mind of its own : how body maps in your brain help you do (almost) everything better / Sandra Blakeslee and Matthew Blakeslee.

Includes glossary and index.

The body mandala, or, Maps, maps, everywhere -- The little man in the brain, or, Why your genitals are even smaller than you think -- Dueling body maps, or, Why you still feel fat after losing weight -- The homunculus in the game, or, When thinking is as good as doing -- Plasticity gone awry, or, When body maps go blurry -- Broken body maps, or, Why Dr. Strangelove couldn't keep his hand down -- The bubble around the body, or, Why you seek elbow room -- Sticks and stones and cyberbones, or, The end of the body as we know it? -- Mirror, mirror, or, Why yawning is contagious -- Heart of the mandala, or, My insula made me do it -- Afterword, or, The you-ness of you.

A critical analysis of the interaction between the mind and the body describes how the brain maps out every part of the body and the space around it and how the brain controls the ability to sense, move, and act in the physical world.

'The Body Has a Mind of Its Own' explains how you can tap into the power of body maps to do almost anything better–whether it is playing tennis, strumming a guitar, riding a horse, dancing a waltz, empathizing with a friend, raising children, or coping with stress.

"Originally published in hardcover in the United States by Random House, 2007."