Book Reviews - Reclaim your energy

by Purnima Coontoor

This is another in the line of innumerable New Age healing books that builds on the premise that man is the creator of his own destiny. It emphasises that we create, guide and script our own lives by our thoughts, imagination, beliefs and will. The tool the author uses to manifest a good life is energy. Energy, says the author, is behind all that transpires in our lives. Mastering one's energy (or life force) will give clarity, lessen the tensions in the body, cure illnesses, and help to attain personal and professional goals. The author touches upon all aspects of life – such as emotions, behaviour patterns, relationships, and health in five chapters. Of course, the power of positive affirmations is said to be behind every action, and every moment. It is given due importance throughout the book.

The book's intention cannot be faulted, but too much has been said in a masterful way by the likes of Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra to bear mediocre repetition. The language is simple, the ideas laudable if not original, but hardly forceful enough to hold one's attention. The solutions provided seem simplistic and preachy. What is extraordinary is an account of the author's personal journey, revealed in the foreword. Struck by a severely debilitating disease called fibromyalgia early in life, she triumphed over the trauma with courage and conviction, purely on the strength of positive thinking and energy, qualifying her to talk about the same with authority. Coming from that space, the book is a commendable effort.