David Simon

# David Simon, M.D. (1951–2012)

David Simon, M.D., was a pioneering physician, author, and educator who devoted his career to bridging the worlds of modern medicine and ancient healing wisdom. As co-founder and Medical Director of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California — established in 1996 alongside his longtime colleague Deepak Chopra — Simon helped build one of America's foremost integrative health institutions, attracting hundreds of thousands of people seeking a deeper approach to health, healing, and personal transformation.

Board-certified in neurology, Simon brought rigorous medical training to his exploration of Ayurveda, mind-body medicine, and consciousness-based healing. He believed that true wellness required attending not only to the body's biochemistry but to the full range of human experience — thoughts, emotions, relationships, and spirit. His clinical work and teachings wove together the diagnostic precision of Western medicine with the time-tested principles of Ayurvedic practice, offering patients and students an integrated path to vitality and inner freedom.

Simon authored and co-authored numerous books that brought these ideas to a wide audience. His titles include The Wisdom of Healing, Return to Wholeness, Vital Energy, and Free to Love, Free to Heal. Together with Deepak Chopra, he co-authored The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga and Training the Mind, Healing the Body — the latter available through Nightingale-Conant — which guides listeners through the science and practice of awakening the body's innate healing intelligence. His writing combined clinical insight with spiritual depth, making complex ideas about mind-body connection accessible and practical for everyday life.

Beyond books and seminars, Simon was a beloved teacher at the Chopra Center's signature programs, including the Seduction of Spirit meditation retreat and Perfect Health Ayurvedic program. He was known for his warmth, humor, and the rare ability to translate profound healing principles into actionable steps that transformed lives.

David Simon passed away in February 2012 after a courageous battle with a brain tumor. His legacy lives on through the thousands of practitioners and students he trained, the healing philosophy he championed, and the enduring partnership he shared with Deepak Chopra in service of a more conscious, compassionate approach to health. Nightingale-Conant is honored to carry his teachings to audiences seeking to unlock the mind's extraordinary power to heal.