Short description
In this work we are taken on a journey of self and spirit, teaching us how to come face to face with the beginning of life, eternity and the essence of our being. This is an exploration of seven ways in which God can be experienced.
Long description
The bestselling author of Ageless Body, Timeless Mind has written his most ambitious and important work yet - an exploration of the seven ways we experience God. These are shaped, not by any one religion, but by an instinct that is hardwired into the brain. In this remarkable book, Chopra takes us step by step from the first stage, where the brain's 'fight or flight' response leads us to a God who is an all-powerful and sometimes unpredictable parent, to the seventh stage, where the brain experiences God as pure being, beyond thought, a sacred presence. It is at this seventh stage that we attain a true, life-changing spiritual understanding of the world and our place in it; it is the level at which saints and sages dwell. All seven stages are available to each of us, all the time. Deepak Chopra explores mysticism, religious ecstasy, genius, telepathy, multiple personality and clairvoyance, drawing insights from psychology, neurology and physics, as well as from the great religions. The result is vintage Chopra applied to the ultimate quest.
Review
Chopra is an incisive and persuasive writer. Here, he takes as his subject the most profound mystery of all: how to know God. Chopra, a former doctor, uses anecdotal evidence along with scientific argument, exploring phenomena such as clairvoyance and telepathy as well as aspects of psychology and neurology. It's an interesting and stimulating read, and the authoritative tone does much to sweep the sceptical reader through. However, his premise - to examine God as an objective entity - is almost immediately belied by his stated search for God as subjective; as a component or state of the mind. 'We are trying to find the basic facts that will make God possible, real and useful,' he asserts, adding that 'God is as we are'. A 'useful' God seems an unattractive and rather pointless proposition, but Chopra does not pursue this line, choosing instead to focus on the brighter picture of the divine within - the limitless self. (Kirkus UK)