Book review: The Ten Commitments
By David Simon, MD
Review by Katie Elliott
Anybody out there want to live life addicted to the same boring emotions, repeating the same old habits, reacting to the same internal voices, and living in a rut? Didn’t think so. But finding a book that can really make a difference can be tough. Some are too touchy-feely, others are too emotionless, still others are like reading a psychology text. But in the self-help field, The Ten Commitments by David Simon MD really stands out.
Simon’s book translates the Ten Commandments from the Bible from the mode of authoritarian “have to” into ten commitments we can willingly make to ourselves to live a happier and healthier life. I mean “have to” is all about force. Simon makes it clear that commitment is all about self-love. And who wouldn’t want to commit to freedom, authenticity, acceptance, relaxation, wholeness, forgiveness, love, abundance, truth, and peace? He even throws in an extra commitment at the end that would do all of us good - a commitment to celebration! He then sets out to show us how we can turn our good intentions (we all have those!) into great choices.
Even the dedication is great. It reads, “This book is dedicated to my fellow seekers who have Tolerance as their practice, Nature as their house of worship, and A God that answers to all names or none.”
There is an art to writing a book that can truly be of help to people wanting to examine themselves and their lives. We may know enough to see that something in life isn’t right, or could be better, but not know what to do to change. David Simon is definitely one of those people who knows how to coach and authentically inspire others.
Personally, I like a bit of the science and psychology behind why, as humans, we do/think/act the way we do. It really helps to understand why we are the way we are, so we can do a better job of rooting out what it is that needs work. In The Ten Commitments you get just the right amount of this information. Simon is a doctor, trained in internal medicine and neurology, and has extensive life-long experience in Ayurvedic medicine, yoga and meditation. He knows his stuff! But he doesn’t put in so much technical information that you feel like you are studying to get accepted into medical school.
Instead he mostly relies on personal examples from patients and stories that go along with the subject being discussed. These are pertinent, funny, and always easy to relate to. Like most readers, it’s always nice for me to hear that I’m not the only one who reacts the way I do to life - and it’s nice to know that others have changed their patterns so I can too. Simon has a little story in one of his chapters that stuck with me. I won’t write it all out for you here, but the main idea is that a flood comes. Sam, a man whose house is flooding, refuses to leave because he has his faith and he is sure that God won’t let him down. Next > 1 2 3
