Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul (Paperback)

by David Simon M.D. (Author) "Why are you the person you are? Why do you respond to situations and circumstances the way you do?..." (more)
Key Phrases: mind body constitution, depleting emotions, mind body nature, Vital Energy Key, Sun Salutations, Slightly Somewhat Moderately Very (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The subject of energy is never far from most people's minds. We wish we had more, we wonder where what we used to have went, and we worry that our future energy is overcommitted to work and other obligations from which we derive no pleasure.

Vital Energy seems the perfect book for solving this increasingly widespread dilemma. Based on the ancient healing system of Ayurveda, which originated in India, it will help you identify yourself as an earth-, fire-, or wind-based personality. (Earth people tend to be more nurturing, fire people more competitive and driven, wind people more flighty and creative.) And then it presents seven key ways in which each of those types can improve their lives: finding yourself, eliminating toxins, feeding yourself better, building loving relationships, exercising, finding meaning in your work, playing passionately, and finding happiness and contentment by simply being alive.

While that may sound like an ethereal set of goals and standards, Dr. David Simon's advice is really focused and easy to apply. For example, in the chapter on exercise, a fire person is told to choose outdoor or water-based fitness activities and to not make exercise another way in which he asserts his competitive drive. In the chapter on building loving relationships, Dr. Simon offers a way to "metabolize" feelings so that you can digest them, absorb what you need, and eliminate the rest, as you would with food. There's even advice on how to have better bowel movements in the morning.

Dr. Simon is medical director of Deepak Chopra's Center for Well Being, so the readers most interested in Dr. Chopra's work will probably be drawn to Vital Energy. But it would be a shame if this book only ended up in the hands of those already familiar with Ayurvedic medicine and philosophy. Vital Energy is a completely engaging, easy-to-follow introduction to Ayurveda, and anyone searching for better health, vitality, and well-being should give it a read. --Lou Schuler --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
By filling out the numerous questionnaires contained in this book, readers can discover which of the seven basic mind-body types they are: earth, wind, fire, or some combination of these. However, Simon explains that we all embody the three basic principles to varying degrees, and he suggests that understanding how these forces interact and affect the mind-body connection can lead to increased vitality. Once medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease, or anemia have been ruled out as causes for fatigue, we need to discover our "inner ocean of vital energy." Chapters instruct readers on how to, among other things, Seek Yourself, Clear Your Toxins, and Work with Meaning. Simon, medical director of the Chopra Center for Well Being and author of Return to Wholeness and The Wisdom of Healing, provides practical advice to help us understand that "we are composed of the same stuff that makes the world and [that] enables us to imbibe the energy we need to create balance and vitality in our lives." For large public libraries.AJodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn.-- enables us to imbibe the energy we need to create balance and vitality in our lives." For large public libraries.AJodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471398594
• ISBN-13: 978-0471398592
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,821 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vital Energy, February 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul (Hardcover)

Every day I meet someone who says to me, "I don't know why I'm so tired" or "I don't feel like eating, food doesn't even appeal to me." It seems in this busy world we live in, people have forgotten how to really enjoy the bounty of a fulfilling life. So many people you meet,including ourselves, just don't seem happy. We have become overworked, undernourished, unappreciated, we lack passion, interest and the energy to enjoy our relationships, our work or anything else in our lives. The title of this book states a very important fact. Energy is vital. Without strong vital energy, we lack the basic tool that allows us to make our lives vibrant and whole. In a very clear, concise and practical way, Dr. Simon, brings us back to the innocence of renewal, finding joy and happiness, the awareness of nature, the importance of nurturing ourselves. We learn that we are part of the universal flow of energy. The book outlines seven steps, providing direction and insight into sparking the vital energy that exists in all of us. Giving us the tools to renew our vital energy and enjoy greater happiness, health and fulfillment in life. I was very inspired and I highly recommond this book....

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Magical - Experience How Good Life Can Be, January 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul (Hardcover)

Because this book was written by a doctor, I expected it to be heavy on advice for improving physical health. To my pleasant surprise, it turned out to be so much more than a diet/physical fitness guide. Dr. Simon gives equal treatment to all three aspects of vital living: body, mind and soul. I was quickly immersed in discussions of how to deal with emotions and the value of incorporating spiritual practices into daily life, in addition to learning about diet and exercise, yoga and meditation, love and relationships. The book is full of easy, practical things you can do right away to begin experiencing enhanced vitality in your life. Dr. Simon's apparent genuine caring and concern encouraged me throughout the book to put the words into action, and for the first time, I was motivated to make some real changes. After only a few days of incorporating just a tiny fraction of Dr. Simon's advice into my daily life, my friends and family noticed the change and remarked on my new vitality, happiness, and general sense of "alive-ness." (Also, as an unexpected benefit from reading this book, my spouse and I have begun experiencing far and away the best sex of our entire lives! What better endorsement could there be? ) This book truly opens the door to living an exciting, magical life.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vital Energy, February 2, 2000

By	Danielle Dorman (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind, and Soul (Hardcover)

I was inspired by Vital Energy. The book is loaded with intimate, revealing questionnaires and specific action steps that I was able to put into practice right away.

This book teaches how to fill ourselves up from the inside, and gain access to the wellspring of vitality that is available to all of Nature's creatures. The seven keys can be followed like a roadmap for happiness. They illuminate the secrets for taking great care of our bodies, purifying our emotions, feeling more love in our lives and fulfilling our divine purpose on Earth. David Simon offers us a profound view of our place in the Universe, while all the time encouraging us not to take ourselves too seriously.

Vital Energy is a potent distillation of spiritual guidance, self help techniques and holistic medicine. Just what the doctor ordered!