Rating:  Summary: Nothing new and beneath the surface something very old Review: I spent some time with this book and found nothing new in it. You can go back to Capra's books of over 20 years ago and find the same kind of reductionism as Stephen Gould pointed out in his reviews of the The Turning Point and The Tao of Physics. It's all easy answeres and comes down to the anatomy of the brain. It's not faith its "hard wiring" that that counts. There is so much certainty in The authors' belief that he knows God you have to look hard for any sense of humility in the face of the eternal. Other than that the book is interesting and deserves a couple of stars.
Rating:  Summary: Illusion Review: I understand this book much better after read Freud's "The Future of an Illusion", vice versa. Another joke I just heard from Comedy Channel: "Look around your world, if God really created this, you know he could have done much better job." Only unbelievers can truly understand faith. Just like you can only get the full picture of this planet by escaping into the deep space. If God exists, He will not play this seek and hide game; If God creates this world then forgot us, then we have no reason to look for a irresponsible father figure; If God does not exist (in other word, it's nothing but an illusion of us as wish fulfilment), then take a deep breath, try to live a life without Him, it's NOT as bad as it sounds. This book can put your spirit in position, can help you to make peace of anything around you. Though it's said truth can set you free, sometimes lie can do a better job. This explains my 3 star. "Nice try." God says.
Rating:  Summary: Metaphor is the Root of Mystery Review: There's somthing about the way this author writes that's confusing. Chopra lays out the grand scheme in stages as if people are somehow supposed to become attuned to "god" by walking up a staircase. I had a great deal of difficulty trying to sort through all of the images, metaphors and symbols and cutting to the heart (my own metaphor) of just what Deepak is trying to convey. When he writes things such as "anyone who finds satisfaction in being an accomplished, skilled worker will find stage two a very tempting place to rest on the spiritual journey", I have no idea what he means. I think I know what he's trying to say and would simply ask the question, why not say it? Chopra continually refers to a stage as "it" as if these stages somehow exist outside of individuals when in fact he would argue, I presume, that these stages are internal dialogues within each of us- they don't have material or ethereal existence in the external world nor do they, really, in the internal world, they are really only models, philosophical ideas or concepts that frame his idea, I suppose, about ourselves. But why use the literary devise of metaphor and symbol? I gather he uses this technique to "mystify" and confirm his own feelings that the idea of "god" is a "mystery" because aha, the mystery can only be understood using mysterious language and poetic devise. In my opinion I think Dr. Chopra has created an entire argument that is circular and begs the question that if knowing and trying to understand "god" is so mysterious, mystifying and at the end of the day, unknowable, then why bother. I believe that the author has failed in his attempt to clarify or present his ideas in a definitive manner. The book reads very well and like another reviewer Dr Chopra is very good with prose and poetry. As a monograph, his thesis is untenable and doesn't shed anything new on the subject. Some of his ideas would be very helpful in developing a philosophical model around the results being produced by the human genome project. There I think Chopra has a place to break new conceptual ground, particulary around his idea of "energy and information" - the high level concept around DNA sequencing and the applications in understanding human life and evolution. I think Dr. Chopra could be great thinker in this area - the stuggle to understand WHAT we are as beings.
Rating:  Summary: Seven views - seven steps Review: I have always been a fan of Deepak Chopra - but, for some reason, have never finished one of his books - until now. I have gone through a spiritual rebirth this last year - but, had started to flounder. This book helped me see both where I started on this journey - and where I'm headed. Mr. Chopra combines deep Spirituality and Physics in a seamless fashion that makes G-d become a constant Companion for Life. I know I will keep this book close by - as a reminder of the incredible life that's possible. Namaste!
Rating:  Summary: Rousing the experiencing of GOD Review: A bare analysis of thiS brilliant work by Deepak Chopra does it less than justice.Its uniquEness lies in the subtle truths it reveals of God's marvellous power of entering to the minds of human beings.Chopra's references to omniscience and omnipotence would appeal poignantly to countless people whose thoughts are haunted by the doubts propunded by scepticism.Not only does the author convince doubters but also sends spine chilling shivers to non believers.The effect of this book could not be otherwise than profound for it would strike chords of startling experiencING(NOT EXPERIENCES)in the minds of atheists
Rating:  Summary: a noble attempt at integration Review: This book is one of the latest attempts to popularize the idea of meta-maps- ways of understanding the underlying connections and patterns of life- the body and the mind,soul and spirit, science and religion, oneness and duality, east and west, etc. This is a work in progress, and full of inevitable paradox and difficulty- bound to press a lot of buttons, especially among the mythically religious and the materialistically scientific. While not as erudite and comprehensive as Ken Wilber, (perhaps the best and most readable author in this field), Chopra is taking this important new way of thinking forward with this quite readable book. I'm finding this work inspired and inspiring- but if you like this, definately check out Ken Wilber as well.
Rating:  Summary: A fresh look at a profound subject Review: This is a very thought-provoking book, and for anyone with an open mind it will at least give them a new way of looking at the nature of reality and how it might be possible to "know" God. Because Chopra takes a fresh approach and does not follow any particular dogma, some may have a bit of a knee-jerk response and write him off as "New Age." The search for a deeper understanding of God, however, is as old as humankind itself, and hardly started with the "New Age" movement in the modern world. Hinduism and Christianity are two of the world's great religions, and each has contributed great insights to that ancient search. Anyone with a true spiritual motivation will be able to recognize certain universal religious truths revealed in other religions besides their own, even though there may be many differences in terms of methods, traditions, and so on. I'm a bit sorry to see the reviews for this thoughtful book become a forum for aggressive assertions of the superiority of one religion over another. There's no problem whatsoever with the basic teachings of either Hinduism or Christianity, but the problem is the growing tendency toward fundamentalism in both of those religions. With a fundamentalist viewpoint, one sees only the outer form of one's own and other religions, and completely loses the insight into the deeper underlying truths. That seems to be the source of some of the attacks on this book, whereas, ironically, this book itself is a very helpful antidote to that type of closed-minded thinking.
Rating:  Summary: God is everywhere, but takes an open mind to find. Review: This book is good for cultivating an open mind, and accepting (as Jesus did) differences in opinions as being healthy to growth and well-being. The different Attributes given to "Know God" are the prime exmple of this. People have different personalites for differnt reasons -- but the ubnerlying reality is that we are all people. We will be healthy, as a species (Flock, if you prefer) if we incorporate and harmonize with these different viewpoints -- i.e. each other. Anyone giving this book less than 3 stars must not have looked very hard; or is perhaps frustrated with their own inability to find a rewarding answer. Clearly, this book is well thought out, and helpfully informative in some way, as it does cover (although more broad than deep) many different subjects. See Dennet's "Consciousness Explained" for an also ambitiously titled. yet more thorough approach to a rather similar topic
Rating:  Summary: It's All Here! Review: This is the best spiritual book I have ever read. I have been interested in quantum physics since 1980 and other spiritual books such as "A Course in Miracles" most recently. Deepak Chopra has brought it all together in a very easy to understand manner. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for this "guide" to knowing God. It has put a real focus on my spiritual path.
Rating:  Summary: Potentially Life Changing Review: I am excited and inspired. Hearing these ideas, that tie together the fields of human psychology, neurology, history, religion, spirituality and quantum physics, gave me the grandest "aha!", and a bell-ringing "at last!"! My heart, mind, soul and spirit are finally all on the same wavelength. I physically felt my life change with the shift in my perceptions of the universe, and my own humble life, inspired by this book.
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