The world’s largest book fair, Frankfurter Buchmesse, once again opened its doors from October 15–19, 2025, in Frankfurt, Germany—welcoming dreamers, storytellers, and innovators from around the globe. Known as the beating heart of the publishing world, this grand event gathers more than 7,500 exhibitors from over 100 countries, along with an expected 280,000 attendees and 10,000 media professionals. It’s not just a fair—it’s a global celebration of literature, culture, and creativity.
This year’s fair promises to be extraordinary, with over 4,000 seminars and roundtable discussions spotlighting the future of books and storytelling. From bold new voices to legendary authors, the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025 continues to serve as the ultimate hub for discovering fresh perspectives and timeless tales.
This year’s Guest of Honour—Philippines—adds even more vibrance to the event, presenting its rich literary tradition and cultural heritage. With an array of thought-provoking works and captivating stories, the 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse promises to be a celebration of imagination without borders.
https://www.messemasters.com/shows/frankfurt-book-fair/
As the fair celebrates another successful year of bringing together the brightest minds in publishing, Citi of Books proudly joins the festivities at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse, showcasing inspiring titles from its talented authors. Among the featured works in the Book Gallery is “The System of Healing Used by the Filipino Espiritistas” by Dr. Scott Matthew Taubold — it invites us to broaden our understanding of what healing can be, beyond the confines of conventional paradigms—and to consider how systems of meaning shape not only what we heal, but how we heal.
Dr. Scott Matthew Taubold holds a Ph.D. in Humanistic Psychology from Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center (2003). His academic journey includes a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science (Psychology) from University of Hawaii–West Oʻahu (1995) and an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University (1997).
He spent much of his life in Northern California, worked as a counselor and case manager in Hawaii—where he encountered culturally diverse healing practices—and later travelled to the Philippines to study espiritista healing systems firsthand. His background in counselling, psychology, and indigenous healing research positions him uniquely to approach these practices from both a cultural and academic lens.
Dr. Taubold opens by explaining the fascination surrounding Filipino psychic surgery—from the late 1950s onward—and the skepticism it has faced in Western medical and scientific circles. He then organizes the book around key questions: What is the system of healing used by the espiritistas? How do they conceptualize illness, healing, and spiritual agency? What roles do mediumship, discarnate entities, and tradition play in their practice?
Through archival research, fieldwork in the Philippines (including travel in 1995, 2000, 2001, and 2003), and the framework of complementary & alternative medicine (CAM) definitions (from O’Connor et al., 1997), Taubold presents an in-depth description of the healing practices, how the healers understand them, and how they meet the criteria for a “system of healing” as defined by NIH-OAM standards.
In Hawaii he encountered individuals using indigenous frameworks for healing that were largely ignored or dismissed by mainstream Western practitioners. Recognizing a gap in research and documentation, he decided to travel to the Philippines and study the espiritistas’ system—resulting in his dissertation and this subsequent publication. He sought to explore their own conceptualization of illness and healing, rather than interpreting it solely through Western medical or parapsychological lenses.
“The System of Healing Used by the Filipino Espiritistas” is a thoughtful and significant contribution to the literature on healing, culture, and consciousness. For readers interested in indigenous healing, cross-cultural psychology, or the intersection of spirituality and medicine, this book offers depth, nuance, and curiosity.
If you’re intrigued by how healing traditions evolve, how culture and consciousness interplay, or how faith and ritual meet health, this is a book worth exploring.
Purchase book through this link: https://a.co/d/ef02lRC