Living Well: Heal emotions for a healthy body

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

By Teresa Griswold

If you are struggling with an emotional or physical health challenge, Free to Love, Free to Heal by David Simon, M.D. offers a unique, proven path to authentic healing.

Simon is co-founder and medical director of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and in his newest book he uses his experience as a neurologist and psychologist to guide readers in what he believes to be an important component to health and wellbeing – becoming an active partner on your own healing journey.

As a pioneer in holistic medicine, Simon embraces an approach to healing that explores the context of illness or the “biography beneath the biology.” For 30-plus years, Simon’s focus has been on building a bridge between conventional medicine and holistic approaches while nudging patients to an awareness they can help themselves reach and releasing toxic emotions.

He writes about his experience of unearthing the hidden meaning of illness in his patients – the emotional roots behind ailments and diseases. He shares the integral connection between healing our hearts and our bodies. He draws upon Eastern healing arts and modern science and shows you how to identify and transform the core misunderstandings that inhibit your natural healing response.

His book is as much a workbook as it is a guidebook providing a systematic approach to identifying, mobilizing and releasing the life-damaging beliefs and their corresponding physical imbalances that contribute to chronic pain, anxiety, obesity, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, addictive behaviors, chronic fatigue, immune disorders, and many other psychological and physical conditions.
Starting with the first chapter, there is an emotional assessment and from there the reader can determine whether or not they just need to tweak their emotional level of well-being or follow the steps outlined in the book. Simon offers insight into how our stories affect our perceptions. He introduces heart-opening yoga and breath exercises and provides a primer in meditation.

At the end, he writes, “You’ve now crossed the threshold of healing and cannot return to your previous heart-constricted state. Having freed yourself from the imprisoning effects of limiting stories and beliefs, you have cleared space in your heart for more love, fulfillment, and grace.”

The final chapters are dedicated to helping you cultivate and commit to loving practices. In that way, this book could be described as a love story that begins with learning to love yourself and ends with loving others. JHW

COURTESY PHOTO
David Simon, M.D, author of Free to Love, Free to Heal.

PERMALINK:
Living Well: Heal emotions for a healthy body | Planet JH News Article: Living Well

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