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Life is Sweet: 333 Ways to Look on the Bright Side and Find the Happiness in Front of You - Happiness
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Editorial Review :

"You will never read a more important book about personal empowerment. Step-by-step, Jim shows you how to use this wonderful process that will liberate you for the rest of your life." -Anthony Dallmann-Jones, Ph.D. author, Phoenix Flight Manual... Rising Above the Ashes of Ordinary Existence, and Resolving Unfinished Business VIVATION -THE SKILL OF HAPPINESS VIVATION is a proven process for creating deliberate happiness VIVATION not only automatically resolves internal emotional conflicts, but VIVATION also creates the strength and skill to resolve dependency, despondency and

depression VIVATION is a tried and true set of skills that can create real independence VIVATION dramatically reduces stress quickly, safely and effectively Vivation is the skill of happiness. It brings the breath and focused awareness together to empower the individual on many levels. Vivation enables an individual to produce superior outcomes by removing negative factors from the subconscious mind. Specifically, Vivation causes integration -the ability to happily accept what is so, while empowering the individual to change the situation if desired. Thousands worldwide have availed themselves of this wonderful and powerful process invented by Jim Leonard, who has personally facilitated more than 40,000 Vivation sessions in twenty countries. This is his third and most definitive book on the subject of Vivation.

Customer Review :

A great book on Vivation!


(This review is for the book "VIVATION: The Skill of Happiness" by Jim Leonard, paperback, 1996; front cover is white with a large purple picture in the middle.)

This book is an excellent companion to "VIVATION: The Science of Enjoying All of Your Life" (1991, by Jim Leonard and Phil Laut) - I will call this first book BOOK 1. So, BOOK 2 then is "VIVATION: The Skill of Happiness".

BOOK 1 is a bigger, more in-depth book on how your mind works overall (about 320 pages). BOOK 2 is only on Vivation (about 174 pages). But there is much more on Vivation itself in BOOK 2 than in BOOK 1.

I would like to suggest that you read BOOK 1 first, then do a few Vivation (or Rebirthing) sessions on your own (or with a Vivation/Rebirthing Professional), then read BOOK 2. If you really study both books, I believe, you will be able to do Vivation on your own.

Once you have studied BOOKS 1 and 2, you'll know just about everything you can learn about Vivation. However, at the beginning, when you are inexperienced, some feelings that may come up (i.e., the pain you may feel) could scare you and cause you want to terminate a session before its completion. This would be a big mistake! Just keep on breathing through the feeling/pain and it will "integrate" fast. Have the courage!

The only draw back of BOOK 2 is the heavy push on visiting a Vivation Professional at the beginning and periodically thereafter (Chapter 10 is all about that). This is fine and dandy - who would not want to have their own Vivation/Rebirthing Professional? However, if you don't have access to one in your area, or if you can't afford their exceedingly high fees, then just study these two books in detail and you'll manage on your own just fine. But keep in mind that even if you are confident on your own, it can still be very beneficial to get one or two sessions at the beginning from a Vivation/Rebirthing Professional.

BOOK 2 contains more about Vivation then BOOK 1, but I truly believe you'll need both of these books. These books are much superior to the flimsy, poorly written Rebirthing books available in the market today. I don't really understand this since all "older" Vivation Professionals started out in Rebirthing first, so you would think that there would be good Rebirthing books available also. But this is not the case; it is very hard to find a good Rebirthing book from which you could learn to do it yourself.


Rating :

Good Introduction, Great Refresher

I'm genuinely confused by the two negative reviews of this book. Mr. Devereux hasn't actually learned Vivation, and the second by 'A Customer' who thought he could learn Vivation from just reading a book! That's just silly. Firstly, there is no possible way to learn Vivation from a book, anymore than you could learn to ride a bicycle or drive a car from reading a book. To suggest otherwise is absurd. All great transformative spiritual practices require a great teacher. However, since it's a book we're talking about, this book is a great introduction to the inner workings of Vivation. This book does such a good job of explaining Vivation, that it remains my primary resource for improving my practice. Everything you could learn from a book, is right here in black and white. If you're looking for a more detailed and technical book, may I suggest Jim Leonard's and Phil Laut's book, `Vivation - The Science of Enjoying All of Your Life".

Vivation is a very powerful system of emotional integration and resolution. With something as powerful as this you'll need a competent coach who can guide you through the wide variety of emotional experiences that are likely to come up as you do Vivation. Often during my early Vivation sessions, I would drift off, go into shallow breathing, or get so activated by the material coming up in a session, that if it weren't for my Vivation coach I wouldn't have applied the techniques properly and achieved the profound healing and integration that results. I know this because when I tried them at home, I would get 'stuck' in those areas, without realizing it. I just figured that's the way reality is, only to find out that after an integration, that its far more pleasurable than I could have ever imagined. When intense feelings came up in the session, my Vivation coach got very engaged and coaching me right through it, with sensitive comments and feedback on my breathing, awareness and other 'elements' needed to efficiently integrate difficult emotional material. The best part is, once the coach worked with me through it I had huge breakthroughs, and it began to dawn on me what and how emotional integrate actually works and how profound and amazing it really is. There is no possible way I could imagine accomplishing that first without a coach to show me how.

So yes, this book is a good introduction to the process and how it works. It was instructive enough to get me to see the truth of how it works. But it is even more valuable after you take the 14-hour training, because then you "get" what all the material is about, not just the words, but from direct experience.

There is no substitute for a good coach in learning this process, not even a simple and well written book as this. Read the book, take the training. It's as simple as that.



Rating :

the skill of happiness

has any one any thoughts on vivation as i am about to take the course and want some feed back on any one who has anything to say good or bad

Rating :

I really liked this book

After a series of tragedie, a friend of mine gave me this book. It didn't take long to realize that what this book teaches is so fundamental to the human condition, that implementing the techniques will result in powerful change. After spending a few weeks practicing the basic skills I realized that it would be even more beneficial to learn the process in detail from a Vivation Professional. This turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I learned what my Vive Pro called the 7 basic lessons to Vivational Autonomy. Each lesson is about 2 hours long, 1 hour lecture and 1 hour Vivation Session. I experienced what Vivation calls "integrations", positive shifts in ones context about oneself and ones relationship to the world. This happened continuously and throughout the Vivation Sessions. I felt totally renewed after these sessions, as if something very permanent had resulted. And that is exactly what actually happens. When one relates positively to a previously suppressed negatively judged emotion, it results in a permanent integration or resolution. This is not only liberating, like a huge load being lifted of, but is extremely pleasurable. Because doing Vivation is so blissful and pleasurable I can't imagine not doing it anymore. The really nice part about it is that once you learn it you have it for life. Since that time, I have incorporated Vivation into all areas of my life. I Vive on my way to work, at work, with friends, everywhere!

Rating :

Disappointing

I thought the book itself was going to describe exactly how to do the Vivation technique, but turns out -- I was disappointed to learn -- that it very superficially describes the technique, and then goes into a sales pitch, more or less, for having a session with a Vivation professional. So I am returning the book. Also, the breathing technique he seems to be describing, the Circular Breath, seems no different from very well-known pranayama I am already doing, not so dissimilar from rebirthing.

Rating :

More reviews...

Editorial Review :

Vivation is a physically pleasurable process that permanently resolves, stress, pain, and negativity. It is learned autonomous skill. When you get The Seven Basic Lessons, you will be able to Vive forever without assistance. Vivation works on anything you can feel, emotions, pain, sensations, energy. This book tells all about the newest methodoly for having very efficient results, with many integrations per session.

Customer Review :

I really liked this book

After a series of tragedie, a friend of mine gave me this book. It didn't take long to realize that what this book teaches is so fundamental to the human condition, that implementing the techniques will result in powerful change. After spending a few weeks practicing the basic skills I realized that it would be even more beneficial to learn the process in detail from a Vivation Professional. This turned out to be the best decision I ever made. I learned what my Vive Pro called the 7 basic lessons to Vivational Autonomy. Each lesson is about 2 hours long, 1 hour lecture and 1 hour Vivation Session. I experienced what Vivation calls "integrations", positive shifts in ones context about oneself and ones relationship to the world. This happened continuously and throughout the Vivation Sessions. I felt totally renewed after these sessions, as if something very permanent had resulted. And that is exactly what actually happens. When one relates positively to a previously suppressed negatively judged emotion, it results in a permanent integration or resolution. This is not only liberating, like a huge load being lifted of, but is extremely pleasurable. Because doing Vivation is so blissful and pleasurable I can't imagine not doing it anymore. The really nice part about it is that once you learn it you have it for life. Since that time, I have incorporated Vivation into all areas of my life. I Vive on my way to work, at work, with friends, everywhere!

Rating :

Good Introduction, Great Refresher

I'm genuinely confused by the two negative reviews of this book. Mr. Devereux hasn't actually learned Vivation, and the second by 'A Customer' who thought he could learn Vivation from just reading a book! That's just silly. Firstly, there is no possible way to learn Vivation from a book, anymore than you could learn to ride a bicycle or drive a car from reading a book. To suggest otherwise is absurd. All great transformative spiritual practices require a great teacher. However, since it's a book we're talking about, this book is a great introduction to the inner workings of Vivation. This book does such a good job of explaining Vivation, that it remains my primary resource for improving my practice. Everything you could learn from a book, is right here in black and white. If you're looking for a more detailed and technical book, may I suggest Jim Leonard's and Phil Laut's book, `Vivation - The Science of Enjoying All of Your Life".

Vivation is a very powerful system of emotional integration and resolution. With something as powerful as this you'll need a competent coach who can guide you through the wide variety of emotional experiences that are likely to come up as you do Vivation. Often during my early Vivation sessions, I would drift off, go into shallow breathing, or get so activated by the material coming up in a session, that if it weren't for my Vivation coach I wouldn't have applied the techniques properly and achieved the profound healing and integration that results. I know this because when I tried them at home, I would get 'stuck' in those areas, without realizing it. I just figured that's the way reality is, only to find out that after an integration, that its far more pleasurable than I could have ever imagined. When intense feelings came up in the session, my Vivation coach got very engaged and coaching me right through it, with sensitive comments and feedback on my breathing, awareness and other 'elements' needed to efficiently integrate difficult emotional material. The best part is, once the coach worked with me through it I had huge breakthroughs, and it began to dawn on me what and how emotional integrate actually works and how profound and amazing it really is. There is no possible way I could imagine accomplishing that first without a coach to show me how.

So yes, this book is a good introduction to the process and how it works. It was instructive enough to get me to see the truth of how it works. But it is even more valuable after you take the 14-hour training, because then you "get" what all the material is about, not just the words, but from direct experience.

There is no substitute for a good coach in learning this process, not even a simple and well written book as this. Read the book, take the training. It's as simple as that.



Rating :

Disappointing

I thought the book itself was going to describe exactly how to do the Vivation technique, but turns out -- I was disappointed to learn -- that it very superficially describes the technique, and then goes into a sales pitch, more or less, for having a session with a Vivation professional. So I am returning the book. Also, the breathing technique he seems to be describing, the Circular Breath, seems no different from very well-known pranayama I am already doing, not so dissimilar from rebirthing.

Rating :

A great book on Vivation!


(This review is for the book "VIVATION: The Skill of Happiness" by Jim Leonard, paperback, 1996; front cover is white with a large purple picture in the middle.)

This book is an excellent companion to "VIVATION: The Science of Enjoying All of Your Life" (1991, by Jim Leonard and Phil Laut) - I will call this first book BOOK 1. So, BOOK 2 then is "VIVATION: The Skill of Happiness".

BOOK 1 is a bigger, more in-depth book on how your mind works overall (about 320 pages). BOOK 2 is only on Vivation (about 174 pages). But there is much more on Vivation itself in BOOK 2 than in BOOK 1.

I would like to suggest that you read BOOK 1 first, then do a few Vivation (or Rebirthing) sessions on your own (or with a Vivation/Rebirthing Professional), then read BOOK 2. If you really study both books, I believe, you will be able to do Vivation on your own.

Once you have studied BOOKS 1 and 2, you'll know just about everything you can learn about Vivation. However, at the beginning, when you are inexperienced, some feelings that may come up (i.e., the pain you may feel) could scare you and cause you want to terminate a session before its completion. This would be a big mistake! Just keep on breathing through the feeling/pain and it will "integrate" fast. Have the courage!

The only draw back of BOOK 2 is the heavy push on visiting a Vivation Professional at the beginning and periodically thereafter (Chapter 10 is all about that). This is fine and dandy - who would not want to have their own Vivation/Rebirthing Professional? However, if you don't have access to one in your area, or if you can't afford their exceedingly high fees, then just study these two books in detail and you'll manage on your own just fine. But keep in mind that even if you are confident on your own, it can still be very beneficial to get one or two sessions at the beginning from a Vivation/Rebirthing Professional.

BOOK 2 contains more about Vivation then BOOK 1, but I truly believe you'll need both of these books. These books are much superior to the flimsy, poorly written Rebirthing books available in the market today. I don't really understand this since all "older" Vivation Professionals started out in Rebirthing first, so you would think that there would be good Rebirthing books available also. But this is not the case; it is very hard to find a good Rebirthing book from which you could learn to do it yourself.


Rating :

the skill of happiness

has any one any thoughts on vivation as i am about to take the course and want some feed back on any one who has anything to say good or bad

Rating :

More reviews...

Customer Review :

I threw it in the garbage

I just threw this book in the garbage. I bought it because I thought it would focus on useful breathing techniques that would give my heart and lungs some healthy exercise. That is not what this book is about. It does spend a little bit of time discussing breathing, but not much, and not enough detail to be of any use to me.

It is mostly about a technique of "integrating" things into your life that you would otherwise "make wrong". For example, someone makes you feel bad, you would normally be upset about it and "make it wrong" but instead you shouldn't do that, you should accept it, surrender to it, allow it into you, don't fight it, and you will see that you will be much happier.

That seems useful to a point. But only to a point. It should make you less defensive and sensitive. It should make you less "reactive" and more laid back. That's a good thing, usually.

But this is not the panacea that it presents itself as. If you have just been shot in the eye by an arrow, and the arrow is sticking out of your eye as we speak, it really isn't all that helpful to refuse to "make it wrong" and accept the arrow in your eye, appreciate it, integrate it into your life. Some things, in other words, are just wrong.

And when a book starts spouting those annoying "affirmations" it always loses me. I hate affirmations. I am a good person. I am wonderful. I am perfect in every way. My life is wonderful. I am happy. Everyone loves me. I love everyone. Gee whiz, ain't I the bee's knees.

Oh I hate those affirmations. I think that anyone found guilty of saying affirmations to themself should be whipped with al dente spaghetti imported from Italy.

Rating :

A practical book that could change your life!

I believe this book was originally published as "REBIRTHING: The Science of Enjoying All of Your Life" in 1983, so Vivation may be synonymous with Rebirthing. I understand this is the best book that Jim Leonard (and Phil Laut) has ever written on Vivation (and the nature and effects of the subconscious mind), even if you consider his newer books.

This is a very thorough, in-depth book; you could even say it is almost like a text book on Vivation/Rebirthing and why things happen in your life the way they do. It is very easy to read and understand (but you may have to read some sections more than once to truly comprehend them). It is printed on heavy, quality paper with an easy-on-the eye black font. You'll get a lot of information from this book and you'll get more out of it if you read it once from cover to cover, do a few Vivation sessions (on your own, if you are the adventurous type, or with a Vivation Professional), and then go back and read the book again. But be careful, doing Vivation/Rebirthing on your own at the very beginning can be a frightening experience, so a Vivation/Rebirthing Professional can provide the comforting mental/emotional support needed at those times.

Once you learn how to do Vivation and understand it better, you can always do it on your own (i.e., you may only need a Vivation Professional at the beginning).

I especially liked Chapter 3, "The Origin of All Negativity" (a chapter about the unconscious mind and the nature of suppression) and Chapter 4, "The Ecstasy Principle" (a chapter about the Experiencer, the real you, experiencing the mind and body in any moment). What an eye-opener! There are also detailed chapters on Affirmations. I mean very detailed and in-depth!

Vivation (like Rebirthing) is a special breathing exercise that you do to eliminate blockages in your physical and mental/psychic level of your being - negative emotions that may have been suppressed (i.e., stored in the body and/or subconscious mind) since as far back as birth, or even before (some other books claim going as far back as prior past lives). As a result, almost all areas of your life should improve. (Caution: Despite the claims of a few other writers, some physical health problems will not be eliminated or avoided just by doing Vivation/Rebirthing!)

From what I've found out from researching this subject, it is generally recommended that in the long term, you should do Vivation/Rebirthing sessions once a week for optimum well being (of course you could also do them daily). Each session should be about 1 hour or even longer. This book claims that you can also do "mini" Vivations at anytime and anywhere (called Vivation-in-action), that can be as short as a few minutes, and still obtain good results. (In my experience, this is not true.)

In summary, this is a really great book. While not perfect (not detailed enough teaching of Vivation/Rebirthing), it is still much better than other books about Rebirthing or books on ancient breathing practices, which use a lot of foreign (Sanskrit, etc.) and confusing words just to make it sound more mystical and mysterious.


Rating :

The single most important book of my life

I personally have found Vivation to be the single best and most useful breathwork technique and self-improvement technique out there (and I have tried several different ones). It's effective, useful in any life situation, and "to the point".

As the title of this book says, it has to do with learning to fully "see", experience, enjoy and embrace all of your life. As you do more and more of that, you will of course discover things in your life that you want to change (i.e., that you could enjoy/embrace even more if they were different). Vivation helps you to find the freedom, knowledge/awareness, motivation and confidence in yourself you need to actually change them.

You don't have to "believe" in Vivation; it is not a philosophy or anything to join. You may have noticed that many authors of self-help books (or inventors of self-help technologies) have certain viewpoints they want to push. Leonard and Laut do that a little bit, but it is all great fun (all about being more positive and enthusiastic in your life), and they are nice about it, and they organize the book so you can skip any extraneous stuff if you want to.

I grew up in a family where "victim consciousness" reigned supreme, and I can tell you that Vivation teaches you the exact opposite of victimhood. Everything in it is about helping you to develop joy and gratitude for your life - and then still changing your life if that's what you want.

Rating :