Customer Reviews

Phoenix Soul: One Man's Search for Love & Inner Peace

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In reading this rich and rewarding book of reflections, I learned more about myself. Throughout the book, the author teaches us to stand mindfully in the totality of the human experience. Whether in pain or triumph, we all have lessons to learn through our experiences. David leads us deeply into his own world and we find out how his quest for self-discovery parallels our own. Reading his words, I saw myself, I saw my peers, and I began to understand how none of us are alone in our feelings. The book is divided into three sections: Searching, Growing, and Loving. Each section contains reflections that demonstrate how through patience, love, and the power of belief, we can rise like the Phoenix through any difficult circumstance. David opens himself up to the world, and makes it safe for us to feel, to experience, and to participate. I'm better for having read this material, and I highly recommend it to men and women alike.

As you look into "Phoenix Soul" you will see a reflection of David Essel's journey during a difficult time in his life. Each step of the way is documented in 151 Inspirational reflections.

These poems and streams of thought mirror David's pain, frustrations, challenges, loneliness, joy, loss, growth, expectations, fear, and desire for answers and personal fulfillment.

His words are at times a guide to awareness (Spectators In Our Life), at times a story of his past experiences (My Experience with You), and then often a revelation of a secret in life (The Key to Life).

The book is divided into three sections. At the beginning of each section, David gives us an insight into the meaning of each chapter.

Within "Searching" we find writings to encourage using personal experiences as a powerful tool to increase learning from awareness. This collection reveals the inner conflicts of the soul. "Growing" explains the concept of becoming more aware in order to grow as a person. In "Loving" we are encouraged to love unconditionally and to take the risk of loving. In this last section there is some delicious imagery and we are encouraged to seek out our inner child.

I loved "Loving You, Loving Me," a beautiful yet profound poem/lesson in how when we love others we are in fact giving ourselves the gift of love.

Through his words, he also addresses issues of self-hate, hiding our true feelings, judging others, understanding differences, hope for the future, healing, loss, patience, renewal, acceptance, respect, friendship, caring, trust in a higher power and the interconnectedness of all life.

The title "Phoenix Soul" comes from the story told by many cultures. "Phoenix is the Greek word for dark red or purple. The Phoenix bird is a symbol of hope and immortality. Through the ages it has meant many things to many religions and cultures. In ancient mythology is it associated with a bird which lives in Arabia, near a cool well.

Every morning the sun god was said to stop his chariot to listen to the bird sing. The splendid red and gold plumage has also given it the name of "The Fire Bird." Only one Phoenix bird is said to exist at a time.

When the bird felt its death was near (every 500 or more years), it would build a nest of incense (cinnamon, spikenard and myrrh) twigs. This was then ignited by the sun and fanned by its own wings. A new Phoenix bird then rises up from the ashes. "The Phoenix Bird" by Hans Christian Andersen in 1850 is well worth a read and tells a similar story.

To David, the bird's anguish and rebirth are symbolic of how we can be vulnerable, heal and rise again to the next challenge. The crucial message of his work is that out of the depths of despair can emerge a new life, a life stronger than before.

~The Rebecca Review

I'm so glad I took the time to buy Phoenix Soul and read it. I really enjoy how the work is presented in poetry-and I don't normally like poetry all that much. I think what won me over was the introduction that was presented before the poems. It gave the work increased meaning-understanding where the writer is coming from instead of just trying to figure it out for yourself and relating those feelings with experiences that I've had-producing empathy which is a gift that in my mind, has no price. The experiences that the author has had seem to reflect some of the feelings that I have experienced throughout life and coming to conclusions that help to inspire.

In that the author has felt feelings that I feel makes the experience of reading Phoenix Soul so much more significant and important. My favorite poem was "It Matters". I didn't find the work dark at all-but more as moving towards a lighter place where you want to be. I enjoyed Phoenix Soul very much.

Hi David, I finished your book tonight and I must say it really hit my soul, deep. Parts of it made me cry like a baby, I mean sob. It was like looking in a mirror at my own soul. You are such a wonderful person David.... You have helped me in ways you don't even know. It's made me look at myself and the wall I've built up for years. Your book has made me see things I couldn't before, things I was afraid to see. I thank you for writing it all out in words. Your words come from my heart and soul. Sincerly w/ love Mona L :)

Walt Whitman wrote,"Without effort and without exposing in the least how it is done the greatest poet brings the spirit of any or all events and passions and scenes and persons some more and some less to bear on your individual character as you hear or read." David Essel has accomplished this in his writings. I felt a connection with this man that so bravely and openly shared his experiences of life, through letters on a page, that became words, that became sentences, that transformed into my own life experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I know that all who read this, men and women alike, will be touched in a profound way.