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Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How to Create a New You
Deepak Chopra presents ten lessons to help build awareness and change the distorted energy patterns that are the root cause of aging, infirmity, and disease.
Fifteen years after his #1 New York Times bestseller, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind , Deepak Chopra revisits "the forgotten miracle"–the body's infinite capacity for change and renewal. You cannot take advantage of this miracle, Chopra says, unless you are willing to completely reinvent your body, transforming it from a material object to a dynamic, flowing process. "Your physical body is a fiction," Chopra contends. Every cell is made up of two invisible awareness and energy.
Transformation can't stop with the body, however; it must involve the soul. The soul–seemingly invisible, aloof, and apart from the material world–actually creates the body. Only by going to the level of the soul will you access your full potential, bringing more intelligence, creativity, and awareness into every aspect of your life.
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul delivers ten breakthroughs–five for the body, five for the soul–that lead to self-transformation. In clear, accessible terms, Chopra shows us how to commit ourselves to deeper awareness, focus on relationships instead of consumption, embrace every day as a new world, and transcend the obstacles that afflict body and mind.
Deepak Chopra has inspired millions with his profound teachings over the years. His bestselling books have explored the mind/body connection and the power of spirit. With his latest book, he invites you to experience with him the miracles that unfold when we connect the body directly to the awesome mysteries that give life meaning–directly to the soul. When you have completed this journey, after reinventing your body and resurrecting your soul, the ecstasy of true wholeness becomes possible for the very first time.
Fifteen years after his #1 New York Times bestseller, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind , Deepak Chopra revisits "the forgotten miracle"–the body's infinite capacity for change and renewal. You cannot take advantage of this miracle, Chopra says, unless you are willing to completely reinvent your body, transforming it from a material object to a dynamic, flowing process. "Your physical body is a fiction," Chopra contends. Every cell is made up of two invisible awareness and energy.
Transformation can't stop with the body, however; it must involve the soul. The soul–seemingly invisible, aloof, and apart from the material world–actually creates the body. Only by going to the level of the soul will you access your full potential, bringing more intelligence, creativity, and awareness into every aspect of your life.
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul delivers ten breakthroughs–five for the body, five for the soul–that lead to self-transformation. In clear, accessible terms, Chopra shows us how to commit ourselves to deeper awareness, focus on relationships instead of consumption, embrace every day as a new world, and transcend the obstacles that afflict body and mind.
Deepak Chopra has inspired millions with his profound teachings over the years. His bestselling books have explored the mind/body connection and the power of spirit. With his latest book, he invites you to experience with him the miracles that unfold when we connect the body directly to the awesome mysteries that give life meaning–directly to the soul. When you have completed this journey, after reinventing your body and resurrecting your soul, the ecstasy of true wholeness becomes possible for the very first time.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published October 13, 2009
805 people are currently reading
4670 people want to read
About the author
Deepak Chopra
700 books19.1k followersDeepak Chopra, MD serves as the Founder and Chairman of The Chopra Foundation, and Co-Founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing.
As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Known as a prolific author of eighty books books with twenty-two New York Times best sellers in both fiction and non-fiction, his works have been published in more than forty-three languages.
Chopra’s medical training is in internal medicine and endocrinology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Dr. Chopra serves as Co-Founder and Chairman of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Founder of The Chopra Well on YouTube, Adjunct Professor of Executive Programs at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, Columbia University, Assistant Clinical Professor, in the Family and Preventive Medicine Department at the University of California, San Diego, Health Sciences, Faculty at Walt Disney Imagineering, and Senior Scientist with The Gallup Organization.
GlobeIn acknowledges Chopra as "one of top ten most influential spiritual leaders around the world." TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as "one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine."
As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Known as a prolific author of eighty books books with twenty-two New York Times best sellers in both fiction and non-fiction, his works have been published in more than forty-three languages.
Chopra’s medical training is in internal medicine and endocrinology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Dr. Chopra serves as Co-Founder and Chairman of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Founder of The Chopra Well on YouTube, Adjunct Professor of Executive Programs at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School, Columbia University, Assistant Clinical Professor, in the Family and Preventive Medicine Department at the University of California, San Diego, Health Sciences, Faculty at Walt Disney Imagineering, and Senior Scientist with The Gallup Organization.
GlobeIn acknowledges Chopra as "one of top ten most influential spiritual leaders around the world." TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as "one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
April 17, 2011
I really didn't like this book. It was too condensed and too
"self-help-y" with all the anecdotes of people with no last names.
Plus there was one anecdote about a woman who "saved her marriage" by doing all the things her husband wanted like "baking fresh-baked bread" out of "selfless love" while stopping the things that he didn't like such as "showing her hurt feelings" because they annoyed him. Yeah, the relationship got better, but at what cost? I don't think that is good relationship advice.
I like Deepak Chopra's book Perfect Health a lot. That one is more grounded in fact. This one is basically one man's musings and personal philosophy, which is interesting, but too many other people are going to take it as gospel because of who he is and I don't think it would work for everyone.
"self-help-y" with all the anecdotes of people with no last names.
Plus there was one anecdote about a woman who "saved her marriage" by doing all the things her husband wanted like "baking fresh-baked bread" out of "selfless love" while stopping the things that he didn't like such as "showing her hurt feelings" because they annoyed him. Yeah, the relationship got better, but at what cost? I don't think that is good relationship advice.
I like Deepak Chopra's book Perfect Health a lot. That one is more grounded in fact. This one is basically one man's musings and personal philosophy, which is interesting, but too many other people are going to take it as gospel because of who he is and I don't think it would work for everyone.
September 27, 2010
It took me a long time to get through this book, but only because I had to digest it every few pages and let it simmer and percolate. I actually need to re-read it again, so that I can actually live, not just read and digest the message. A wonderful book with a great message in living a more concious life.
August 2, 2012
I really don't know where to begin my review but here goes.... I have read many books on mind/body/ spirit, but this one is written in an easy to read/ understand format . I like how Deepak explains the concept of our beings as essentially energy that can be guided or redirected in a desirable direction. His philosophy is Science meets Buddah meets God.... The bottom line to this book is that we all are born with God in us and we must make an effort to connect with the God in us in order to know our real selves and experience a true peace. I also appreciated the exercises on connecting with our bodies... So true that our minds are expert liars while our bodies are only honest and will reveal our true feelings! This book is a keeper and will serve as a permanent reference.
September 5, 2010
I loved everything about this book. I listened to the whole unabridged audiobook twice and couldn't stop taking notes. I finally bought a copy hoping my daughters would read it and will buy another to keep for myself. It is by far the best book written by Chopra.
May 30, 2017
Don't consume this book! Have a relationship with it because it cares about how you look in lingerie. Buying a bra helps you align yourself with your soul. If you don't believe me, take the quiz from the section In Your Life: Tuning In. It was on page 85 of the edition I read/consumed/dated briefly.
This book is chock full of good ideas about taking care of yourself, being calm, and being aware. You will be reminded to be open to new possibilities. You will judge yourself and others less. You may even bake more bread! Definitely slow down.
There is one idea that you can completely ignore. Deepak has this weird notion that you don't have to experience negative emotions. Somehow you can use inner guidance to go through life without confusion, uncertainty, and conflict. To me, that would be missing out on half of the experience. We need guilt, regret, and embarrassment or else the Tree People's 1991 release wouldn't have a title.
Sometimes life sucks. That suckiness is a signpost for you. Yeah, you may feel bad about how a relationship ended or an experience turned out. You ask yourself questions. Was it me? Was it the circumstances? Probably a mixture of both? You can find the underlying message if you are honest enough with yourself. Then, when you find yourself feeling the same way in another relationship/experience, you can put together the clues more quickly to say, "Fuck this noise, I'm out." Don't try to transcend negative emotions, use them to your advantage!
Deepak also uses god and love interchangeably throughout the book to name the great unifying force which your soul can tune into.
Pop quiz time!
Would you rather live in a country whose slogan was "One nation under god" or "One nation under love"?
Give yourself 10 points for choosing an answer.
A metaphor that boggled my mind was when Deepak stated, "Of course you will accept one slice of bread at a time if you don't know the whole loaf can be yours." I love carbohydates as much as the next guy/girl, especially if the next guy/girl is a biologist. I never met a biologist who was on a low carb diet. But still, no thanks, to the whole loaf. I'll just take two slices, some peanut butter, and a smear of apple butter or honey. I will be perfectly content and satiated. Then we can share the rest of the loaf with everyone else. This way people won't think we're arrogant selfish assholes on some sort of holier than thou trip with a "Look, I have the whole loaf" attitude.
This book is chock full of good ideas about taking care of yourself, being calm, and being aware. You will be reminded to be open to new possibilities. You will judge yourself and others less. You may even bake more bread! Definitely slow down.
There is one idea that you can completely ignore. Deepak has this weird notion that you don't have to experience negative emotions. Somehow you can use inner guidance to go through life without confusion, uncertainty, and conflict. To me, that would be missing out on half of the experience. We need guilt, regret, and embarrassment or else the Tree People's 1991 release wouldn't have a title.
Sometimes life sucks. That suckiness is a signpost for you. Yeah, you may feel bad about how a relationship ended or an experience turned out. You ask yourself questions. Was it me? Was it the circumstances? Probably a mixture of both? You can find the underlying message if you are honest enough with yourself. Then, when you find yourself feeling the same way in another relationship/experience, you can put together the clues more quickly to say, "Fuck this noise, I'm out." Don't try to transcend negative emotions, use them to your advantage!
Deepak also uses god and love interchangeably throughout the book to name the great unifying force which your soul can tune into.
Pop quiz time!
Would you rather live in a country whose slogan was "One nation under god" or "One nation under love"?
Give yourself 10 points for choosing an answer.
A metaphor that boggled my mind was when Deepak stated, "Of course you will accept one slice of bread at a time if you don't know the whole loaf can be yours." I love carbohydates as much as the next guy/girl, especially if the next guy/girl is a biologist. I never met a biologist who was on a low carb diet. But still, no thanks, to the whole loaf. I'll just take two slices, some peanut butter, and a smear of apple butter or honey. I will be perfectly content and satiated. Then we can share the rest of the loaf with everyone else. This way people won't think we're arrogant selfish assholes on some sort of holier than thou trip with a "Look, I have the whole loaf" attitude.
April 21, 2018
Definitely not for me. I was curious, and thought that, worse case, this book would give me new tools to deal with stress (and it did, I really liked one of meditation techniques he describes). But his belief system is not my own, and if you are cringing more than enjoying the book, it’s time to stop.
June 9, 2014
There are massive amounts of information in this book. That was my only complaint: that Chopra covered so much, he sacrificed going into specifics.
My favorite part was when he discussed how the body is literally shaped by repressed emotions. By examining someone's posture, you can determine if they (or you) are subconsciously angry, fearful, defensive - even when they (or you) may not realize it themselves. The mind/body connection is, for the most part, dismissed in the western world so I found everything he had to say on the subject fascinating.
I also liked the various meditations that he suggested to release emotional trauma or just to encourage your energy to move around. Chopra excels at meditative techniques. I wish he'd talked more about contemplative practices, but again, he went through so much material that I can see why he didn't dwell too long on one topic.
I'd recommend this for anyone interested in the body/mind connection, spiritually enlightening practices, or if you're just curious about Chopra's thoughts on the nature of the soul.
My favorite part was when he discussed how the body is literally shaped by repressed emotions. By examining someone's posture, you can determine if they (or you) are subconsciously angry, fearful, defensive - even when they (or you) may not realize it themselves. The mind/body connection is, for the most part, dismissed in the western world so I found everything he had to say on the subject fascinating.
I also liked the various meditations that he suggested to release emotional trauma or just to encourage your energy to move around. Chopra excels at meditative techniques. I wish he'd talked more about contemplative practices, but again, he went through so much material that I can see why he didn't dwell too long on one topic.
I'd recommend this for anyone interested in the body/mind connection, spiritually enlightening practices, or if you're just curious about Chopra's thoughts on the nature of the soul.
March 5, 2010
This book taught me a lot about how to think of my body - as the "interface between the material and spiritual worlds" and also how to reconnect to our own souls. Chopra gives a list of ten breakthroughs in how to think of our bodies and our souls - five different ways to think of our bodies and five different ways to think of our souls.
It also reiterates the idea (that Chinese medicine is based upon) that our bodies are made of energy and we can manipulate that energy both with our minds through intention and awareness and also physically. I like the idea that part of the energy field is made up of our spirit (at least if I remember that last part right).
I particularly like the idea that God or the Divine or whatever is not this entity that sits down and observes us from above. Rather we are all God - we are all Divine and we're all part of the same universal entity and it's up to us to reconnect with that part of us that has been taken away by scientific empiricism and religious doctrine that says that the Divine is separate from humans. Once we reconnect to our soul and our divine selves, we can bring about change within us and outside of us.
It also reiterates the idea (that Chinese medicine is based upon) that our bodies are made of energy and we can manipulate that energy both with our minds through intention and awareness and also physically. I like the idea that part of the energy field is made up of our spirit (at least if I remember that last part right).
I particularly like the idea that God or the Divine or whatever is not this entity that sits down and observes us from above. Rather we are all God - we are all Divine and we're all part of the same universal entity and it's up to us to reconnect with that part of us that has been taken away by scientific empiricism and religious doctrine that says that the Divine is separate from humans. Once we reconnect to our soul and our divine selves, we can bring about change within us and outside of us.
June 6, 2011
La prima parte non mi è piaciuta molto. Ravviso un pericolo nell'attribuire tutto questo potere alla mente rispetto al nostro corpo, ossia quello di colpevolizzare consciamente o inconsciamente le persone che si ammalano. Ma la seconda parte l'ho trovata "forte", l'ho sentita risuonare e l'ho percepita vera. Mi sono ricreduta abbastanza. Mi rimane sempre un dubbio rispetto all'abitudine di parlare delle cose spirituali usando una scaletta a punti...
January 8, 2010
“We don’t really know what a body can do,” wrote 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza in a reflection on the body’s unrealized potential. Centuries later, according to physician and mind-body expert Deepak Chopra, we still don’t really know — and this is great news for those of us interested in expanding our physical and spiritual limits. In the first half of the book, Chopra “reinvents the body” as a manifestation of energy, and his five breakthrough ideas show how the body can be changed through alterations in consciousness. The second half offers five more breakthroughs for “resurrecting the soul” that emphasize reestablishing the connection with our inner guidance through “subtle-action” practices like meditation and contemplation. The concluding 10 steps to wholeness include practical, actionable suggestions: Learn to wait for solutions to present themselves, organize your physical environment to support the most efficient use of personal energy, prioritize relationships over consumption, and so on. Along with these simple steps, the book is richly layered with mind-expanding and provocative ideas — like the contented nature of a cell or the timelessness of the soul. For those of us who feel that more profound transformations of the mind and body are possible, this book provides some very satisfying leads.
September 1, 2013
"Your body is boundless. It is channeling the energy, creativity, and intelligence of the entire universe. At this moment, the universe is listening through your ears, seeing through your eyes, experiencing through your brain. Your purpose for being here is to allow the universe to evolve."
In this book, Chopra evokes the Tao Te Ching: without awareness, there is nothing. Naturally, we are aware of the obvious: we have a body, we have our surroundings, we have a soul. But, what does that mean, exactly --having a soul? The purpose of this book is to explain the idea of the soul and to help the reader connect with it through meditation and introspection.
Although many of Chopra's theses are interesting, I often found myself trying to scurry to the end; I couldn't help thinking that a lot of this book was mere fluff. Still, I gave it three stars because I appreciated his meditation techniques.
In this book, Chopra evokes the Tao Te Ching: without awareness, there is nothing. Naturally, we are aware of the obvious: we have a body, we have our surroundings, we have a soul. But, what does that mean, exactly --having a soul? The purpose of this book is to explain the idea of the soul and to help the reader connect with it through meditation and introspection.
Although many of Chopra's theses are interesting, I often found myself trying to scurry to the end; I couldn't help thinking that a lot of this book was mere fluff. Still, I gave it three stars because I appreciated his meditation techniques.
December 5, 2017
I love Deepak. He helps us think in terms of growth and development. We should never stop learning and he teaches us how to achieve this goal. We get stuck in pre set mindsets and that is limiting. We should always grow and develop. Thank you Deepak.. Great book. I was t to get enough words to be able to submit this. Never e Gogh said to publish a comment. He goes beyond conventional wisdom and makes us think. I just can't get enough words to be able to submit. I'm getting tired of having to write more to have a lot of words so this comment thing will let me submit this.
Jeez this makes you go on and on and on and on when you have said what you wanted to say. Enough already. Is this enough? Please accept this thing.
Jeez this makes you go on and on and on and on when you have said what you wanted to say. Enough already. Is this enough? Please accept this thing.
April 28, 2012
I don't know what it was about this book that made me sort of not like it. It has some fascinating ideas about the body and its relationship with the soul. There wasn't anything I found unbelievable or unhelpful. Maybe it was his anecdotal writing style. Maybe it was just a bit too deep for me to comprehend all at once. While I've read other books on this topic and find the subject to be an important one, I don't think this is the best book to read about it. I know this is not a very good review, but then again, I don't think it's a very good book.
January 6, 2020
I love the covers of deepaks books. Maybe that’s why I’m attracted to them. This is my first book of his that I’ve read so I have no idea if any of the concepts in this book are ones he reiterates a lot.
There are a lot of gems in this book. I think he does a good job of introducing certain spiritual ideas under a lense of science and rationality. A lot of it resonates with me but for a skeptic or atheist you might find all of this flowery and useless. It really takes an open mind and an open heart. It’s definitely very new agey- but I like it in that regard. It combines all the best aspects of what religions can teach us and it presents it to us without bias and in ways one can practically apply it to their own life without making a religious commitment. This is not the book the ego would enjoy, because it’s one that directly challenges it. If you haven’t done shadow work or confronted your own ego this book might not resonate with you. No one operating under ego wants to be told to be less selfish, be more open and compassionate, value people over things, or to define the self beyond status or how much money you make.
I personally would not recommend listening to this via audiobook- the book got its point across this way but there just too many nuggets of wisdom that you’re going to want to write down like the following :
“You are not your body. Your real body is pure energy. Everything is conscious. Evolutions goal is total freedom. We are all important parts of a divine plan. The whole universe is conscious. All experience is subjective. The ego is selfish. The soul is selfless. The ego is critical. The soul is accepting. Commit yourself to deeper awareness. Embrace everyday as a new world. Seek after your own mystery. Focus on relationships instead of consumption. Don’t move forward unless it feels right. An artist puts faith in the universe that inspiration never ends or runs out. We supply the magick in our lives. Don’t assign fixed roles on yourself or others. It is better to trust your body than to doubt it or fear it. Learn to personify your body so you’re less likely to objectify it. Time cannot trap the self - the real you. Time submits to your desire - not the other way around. You are awareness. Only when time disappears is it enough. Creativity and pleasure should exist in all areas of life including work. You cannot be whole in isolation. Give abundantly. Give yourself to others first - the soul knows that is draws from a place of abundance. Giving generously undos lack. When we give we acknowledge that God /spirit / soul gives us things for us to share. A fixed thought blocks awareness. (Like I am not good enough. I don’t belong. I am unlovable). We project how we feel onto the world. Place your trust in the flow of abundance. Never withhold the truth. The person you seek is seeking you. When god notices you appreciating his creation he will make himself known to you. God is as much she as he. The creator is in his creation. When you create there becomes new things to create. You are at the center of love and infinity. When you renew your commitment to new eyes, they open. “
These are just an assortment of ideas from the book I thought useful to jot down. There is so much more and thorough explanations of these ideas too. I think it’s worth to read the entire book and I hope to acquire a physical copy so I can revisit the ideas in them.
There are a lot of gems in this book. I think he does a good job of introducing certain spiritual ideas under a lense of science and rationality. A lot of it resonates with me but for a skeptic or atheist you might find all of this flowery and useless. It really takes an open mind and an open heart. It’s definitely very new agey- but I like it in that regard. It combines all the best aspects of what religions can teach us and it presents it to us without bias and in ways one can practically apply it to their own life without making a religious commitment. This is not the book the ego would enjoy, because it’s one that directly challenges it. If you haven’t done shadow work or confronted your own ego this book might not resonate with you. No one operating under ego wants to be told to be less selfish, be more open and compassionate, value people over things, or to define the self beyond status or how much money you make.
I personally would not recommend listening to this via audiobook- the book got its point across this way but there just too many nuggets of wisdom that you’re going to want to write down like the following :
“You are not your body. Your real body is pure energy. Everything is conscious. Evolutions goal is total freedom. We are all important parts of a divine plan. The whole universe is conscious. All experience is subjective. The ego is selfish. The soul is selfless. The ego is critical. The soul is accepting. Commit yourself to deeper awareness. Embrace everyday as a new world. Seek after your own mystery. Focus on relationships instead of consumption. Don’t move forward unless it feels right. An artist puts faith in the universe that inspiration never ends or runs out. We supply the magick in our lives. Don’t assign fixed roles on yourself or others. It is better to trust your body than to doubt it or fear it. Learn to personify your body so you’re less likely to objectify it. Time cannot trap the self - the real you. Time submits to your desire - not the other way around. You are awareness. Only when time disappears is it enough. Creativity and pleasure should exist in all areas of life including work. You cannot be whole in isolation. Give abundantly. Give yourself to others first - the soul knows that is draws from a place of abundance. Giving generously undos lack. When we give we acknowledge that God /spirit / soul gives us things for us to share. A fixed thought blocks awareness. (Like I am not good enough. I don’t belong. I am unlovable). We project how we feel onto the world. Place your trust in the flow of abundance. Never withhold the truth. The person you seek is seeking you. When god notices you appreciating his creation he will make himself known to you. God is as much she as he. The creator is in his creation. When you create there becomes new things to create. You are at the center of love and infinity. When you renew your commitment to new eyes, they open. “
These are just an assortment of ideas from the book I thought useful to jot down. There is so much more and thorough explanations of these ideas too. I think it’s worth to read the entire book and I hope to acquire a physical copy so I can revisit the ideas in them.
March 28, 2024
This book had a deep impact on my life. It helped me connect with my soul and let that be the guiding force in my life. I am learning to trust in myself more because of this book. The fours stars is more based off my tier list of Deepak’s books. This one was amazing but not as profound and impactful as some of his others in my opinion. I’ll always recommend Deepak’s books though!
August 28, 2025
Started great, really drew me in, but this still just isn't what I was looking for on this little enlightenment kick. A personal desire, but I needed more science and studies. Sorry, Deepak, but I can't simply take your word for it. This also could have been substantially shorter; conciseness is an art.
December 9, 2024
If this is your jam please by all means let it give you what you need.
The author makes grand statements without evidence to back these statement’s up. They sound like fact but are mostly a matter of opinion. It’s like he thinks he has all the answers but he can’t quite put his finger on them.
The author makes grand statements without evidence to back these statement’s up. They sound like fact but are mostly a matter of opinion. It’s like he thinks he has all the answers but he can’t quite put his finger on them.
July 13, 2017
I only got halfway through..
April 14, 2022
“It’s not as though a bean knows how to paint a Madonna and Child, or as though a cauliflower can build the Parthenon.”
October 6, 2021
Another great Deepak book.
March 29, 2026
A BOOK AIMED AT RESTORING THE BOND BETWEEN BODY, MIND AND SOUL
Deepak Chopra (b. 1946) is an India-born physician (he was Chief of Staff at the New England Memorial Hospital for several years), alternative medicine advocate, ‘Guru’ of the New Age movement, and author. He was strongly influenced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his Transcendental Meditation technique, although he later broke with the movement.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 2009 book, “I want to prove to you that your body needs reinventing and that you have the power to accomplish that… During the pre-scientific age, the body was deeply distrusted, and it was provided with squalid sanitation, wretched food and barely enough protection from the elements to survive. Thus it became nature to expect a short, nasty life filled with pain and disease. So that’s exactly what the body produced. People lived thirty years on the average, and were scarred for life by childhood illnesses. You and I benefited enormously when this view became outdated. As we began to expect more from our bodies, we stopped mistreating them. Now your body is ready for the next breakthrough, which will reconnect it with meaning, with the deeper values of the soul. There is no reason to deprive your body of love, beauty, creativity, and inspiration. You are intended to experience ecstasy just as much as any saint, and when you do, your cells will join in.
“Life is meant to be a complete experience. People keep struggling with problems both physical and mental, never suspecting the root cause that the bond between body and mind and soul has been severed. I wrote this book in the hope of restoring that bond… The world needs healing. To the extent that you wake up your soul, humankind is waking up the world’s soul. It may yet happen that a wave of healing will sweep over us… one that would swell beyond all expectations in a single generation.” (Pg. 3-4)
He states, “If you want to know where the universe wants you to go next, this list [which Chopra prints] offers a lot to choose from… One you realize how many breakthroughs you’d like to make, the hard part is choosing where to start. Which is why humankind has relied so heavily on great spiritual guides to give us a sense of direction… Jesus and Buddha didn’t leave out any aspect of life. They diagnosed the whole self---physical, mental, emotional, social---with uncanny accuracy. Your soul can take over the function of an ideal physician, because it stands at the junction point between you and the universe. Maybe wherever Jesus and Buddha came from, you can go. The secret is to open yourself up.” (Pg. 15-16)
He summarizes, “I’ve been making an argument that the nonphysical aspect of life is stronger than the physical… Once you stop clinging to the idea that your body is a thing, you realize what should have been obvious: your body is the junction between the visible and invisible worlds… you are constantly advancing into new regions of the invisible world. For every new step you take, your body follows. I call these new steps ‘subtle actions,’ because they involve only the mind, whereas gross actions involve direct contact with the material world… it can be broken down into steps, as follows: 1. You go inside and make your intention known. 2. You believe in getting results. 3. You don’t resist the power of change. 4. Your body shifts effortlessly at the physical level. 5. You repeat your subtle action until you have mastered the change you desire.” (Pg. 27)
He outlines, “There are three ways to break down old conditioning: reflection, contemplation, and meditation. REFLECTION: taking a second look at old habits, beliefs, and assumptions. CONTEMPLATION: focusing on a thought or image until it expands as far as it can. MEDITATION: finding the level of the mind that isn’t conditioned.” (Pg. 59) He elaborates on Contemplation: “[This] involves holding one thing in the mind and letting it unfold. A religious person may contemplate God’s mercy, for example. To do that, he lets his mind roam over the topic, seeing images of mercy, feeling what it’s like to be merciful or receive mercy… Contemplation is a technique that need not be tied to religion or spiritual practices, venerable as that tradition is.” (Pg. 61)
He says of MEDITATION, “It takes the mind in its restless, confused state and leads it to a higher state that is clear and steady. This process is known as ‘transcending.’ … This journey is more than a subjective experience, however. Sitting in silence would be no better than sitting in a whirl of thoughts, if both were merely subjective states. In actuality, you transcend from one level of reality to another. Each level contains different kinds of energy, and as you bring in higher energy, your body adapts.” (Pg. 64-65)
He suggests, “Having a soul could be the most useful thing in your life. So far, however, usefulness hasn’t been the soul’s major attribute… The soul has no function because it hasn’t been successfully defined… The main thing your soul does … [is] it connects you to God… I realize that this description seemingly depends upon the existence of God, but it doesn’t need to. Without resorting to any religious belief, we know that the universe contains almost infinite amounts of energy, and yet Nature has found a way to step down the heat of the nearest star… to support life on our planet… If the physical forces of the universe must be stepped down so dramatically to work on a human scale, it seems possible that God can be thought of as a universal force that must also be stepped down… The soul serves to get us past the blocks put up by materialism, but, surprisingly, at the same time it also gets us past the faith demanded by religion. The obstacle put up by science is that everything must be material; the obstacle put up by religion is that one must believe in immaterial forces without always having direct proof that they exist.” (Pg. 107-109)
He laments, “It’s unfortunate that the word ‘epiphany’ is limited to a religious context. People assume that epiphanies are about God and occur only to saints. An epiphany is really a mini-breakthrough. One piece of conditioning is shattered… you feel released… The soul represents higher awareness in that sense---it is free from all conditioning. Or, to put it most simply, the soul never says no. Anything is possible… To get beyond the power of ‘no’ is crucially important… People reject all kinds of experiences because they believe it’s right to reject.” (Pg. 139-140)
He asserts, “A breakthrough at the soul level expands love, but it also brings challenges. The soul takes God’s infinite love and steps it down to human scale. How much intensity of love you can receive depends on many things… Many people have made momentary contact with the soul’s more intense, purer love. When they do, there’s a wonderful sense of awakening. Love awakens the soul… People experience a surge of the soul’s energy without knowing exactly how they did it… Since you can’t force yourself to embrace something new, what will do it? The answer, I believe, is desire. The desire to love and be loved constantly urges each person forward. When that desire is most active, we seek the most from life. When that desire flickers out, life becomes static.” (Pg. 151-152)
He summarizes, “In short, our boundaries are part of our identities. The soul can change that identity… If you want these things to be real, several new assumptions come into play: *You are not so afraid of risk. *You don’t have to be right all the time. *You trust that love is meant for you. *You welcome the opportunity to expand. *You see abundance as natural to life. *You don’t expect anything. (Pg. 156)
He says, “The fruit of surrender is grace, the all-embracing power of God. Grace is the invisible influence of the divine… Grace is associated with mercy and forgiveness, but in reality, if you strip it of religious overtones, grace is unbounded awareness. Grace abolishes life’s limitations… Grace, like the soul itself, steps down God’s infinite power to human scale… Somehow nothing more is required except surrender. But the process of being born again is recorded in every culture…” (Pg. 192)
He acknowledges, “We have arrived at a point that will be uncomfortable for many people… FAITH is an inner certainty that such radical change can and will happen. But faith needn’t be blind. Nor does it have to be based on anything outside yourself.” (Pg. 200-201) Later, he adds, “The promises of the great spiritual teachers, who told you that grace is freely given, come to fulfillment. Then you know, once and for all, that placing faith in yourself was fully justified.” (Pg. 205-206)
He concludes, “Thinking never invented love, desire, art, music, kindness, altruism, intuition, wisdom, and passion---in fact, all the things that made life worthwhile. When the thinking mind halts in awe before God’s creation, love has light-years yet to go; desire still reaches out for more. The process of re-inventing the body and resurrecting the soul is a journey, and the journey never ends.” (Pg. 276)
This book has more of a ‘spiritual/religious’ focus than some of Chopra’s other books (although he bends over backwards sometimes, to accommodate atheists/nonreligious); it will interest those interested in such things.
Deepak Chopra (b. 1946) is an India-born physician (he was Chief of Staff at the New England Memorial Hospital for several years), alternative medicine advocate, ‘Guru’ of the New Age movement, and author. He was strongly influenced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his Transcendental Meditation technique, although he later broke with the movement.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 2009 book, “I want to prove to you that your body needs reinventing and that you have the power to accomplish that… During the pre-scientific age, the body was deeply distrusted, and it was provided with squalid sanitation, wretched food and barely enough protection from the elements to survive. Thus it became nature to expect a short, nasty life filled with pain and disease. So that’s exactly what the body produced. People lived thirty years on the average, and were scarred for life by childhood illnesses. You and I benefited enormously when this view became outdated. As we began to expect more from our bodies, we stopped mistreating them. Now your body is ready for the next breakthrough, which will reconnect it with meaning, with the deeper values of the soul. There is no reason to deprive your body of love, beauty, creativity, and inspiration. You are intended to experience ecstasy just as much as any saint, and when you do, your cells will join in.
“Life is meant to be a complete experience. People keep struggling with problems both physical and mental, never suspecting the root cause that the bond between body and mind and soul has been severed. I wrote this book in the hope of restoring that bond… The world needs healing. To the extent that you wake up your soul, humankind is waking up the world’s soul. It may yet happen that a wave of healing will sweep over us… one that would swell beyond all expectations in a single generation.” (Pg. 3-4)
He states, “If you want to know where the universe wants you to go next, this list [which Chopra prints] offers a lot to choose from… One you realize how many breakthroughs you’d like to make, the hard part is choosing where to start. Which is why humankind has relied so heavily on great spiritual guides to give us a sense of direction… Jesus and Buddha didn’t leave out any aspect of life. They diagnosed the whole self---physical, mental, emotional, social---with uncanny accuracy. Your soul can take over the function of an ideal physician, because it stands at the junction point between you and the universe. Maybe wherever Jesus and Buddha came from, you can go. The secret is to open yourself up.” (Pg. 15-16)
He summarizes, “I’ve been making an argument that the nonphysical aspect of life is stronger than the physical… Once you stop clinging to the idea that your body is a thing, you realize what should have been obvious: your body is the junction between the visible and invisible worlds… you are constantly advancing into new regions of the invisible world. For every new step you take, your body follows. I call these new steps ‘subtle actions,’ because they involve only the mind, whereas gross actions involve direct contact with the material world… it can be broken down into steps, as follows: 1. You go inside and make your intention known. 2. You believe in getting results. 3. You don’t resist the power of change. 4. Your body shifts effortlessly at the physical level. 5. You repeat your subtle action until you have mastered the change you desire.” (Pg. 27)
He outlines, “There are three ways to break down old conditioning: reflection, contemplation, and meditation. REFLECTION: taking a second look at old habits, beliefs, and assumptions. CONTEMPLATION: focusing on a thought or image until it expands as far as it can. MEDITATION: finding the level of the mind that isn’t conditioned.” (Pg. 59) He elaborates on Contemplation: “[This] involves holding one thing in the mind and letting it unfold. A religious person may contemplate God’s mercy, for example. To do that, he lets his mind roam over the topic, seeing images of mercy, feeling what it’s like to be merciful or receive mercy… Contemplation is a technique that need not be tied to religion or spiritual practices, venerable as that tradition is.” (Pg. 61)
He says of MEDITATION, “It takes the mind in its restless, confused state and leads it to a higher state that is clear and steady. This process is known as ‘transcending.’ … This journey is more than a subjective experience, however. Sitting in silence would be no better than sitting in a whirl of thoughts, if both were merely subjective states. In actuality, you transcend from one level of reality to another. Each level contains different kinds of energy, and as you bring in higher energy, your body adapts.” (Pg. 64-65)
He suggests, “Having a soul could be the most useful thing in your life. So far, however, usefulness hasn’t been the soul’s major attribute… The soul has no function because it hasn’t been successfully defined… The main thing your soul does … [is] it connects you to God… I realize that this description seemingly depends upon the existence of God, but it doesn’t need to. Without resorting to any religious belief, we know that the universe contains almost infinite amounts of energy, and yet Nature has found a way to step down the heat of the nearest star… to support life on our planet… If the physical forces of the universe must be stepped down so dramatically to work on a human scale, it seems possible that God can be thought of as a universal force that must also be stepped down… The soul serves to get us past the blocks put up by materialism, but, surprisingly, at the same time it also gets us past the faith demanded by religion. The obstacle put up by science is that everything must be material; the obstacle put up by religion is that one must believe in immaterial forces without always having direct proof that they exist.” (Pg. 107-109)
He laments, “It’s unfortunate that the word ‘epiphany’ is limited to a religious context. People assume that epiphanies are about God and occur only to saints. An epiphany is really a mini-breakthrough. One piece of conditioning is shattered… you feel released… The soul represents higher awareness in that sense---it is free from all conditioning. Or, to put it most simply, the soul never says no. Anything is possible… To get beyond the power of ‘no’ is crucially important… People reject all kinds of experiences because they believe it’s right to reject.” (Pg. 139-140)
He asserts, “A breakthrough at the soul level expands love, but it also brings challenges. The soul takes God’s infinite love and steps it down to human scale. How much intensity of love you can receive depends on many things… Many people have made momentary contact with the soul’s more intense, purer love. When they do, there’s a wonderful sense of awakening. Love awakens the soul… People experience a surge of the soul’s energy without knowing exactly how they did it… Since you can’t force yourself to embrace something new, what will do it? The answer, I believe, is desire. The desire to love and be loved constantly urges each person forward. When that desire is most active, we seek the most from life. When that desire flickers out, life becomes static.” (Pg. 151-152)
He summarizes, “In short, our boundaries are part of our identities. The soul can change that identity… If you want these things to be real, several new assumptions come into play: *You are not so afraid of risk. *You don’t have to be right all the time. *You trust that love is meant for you. *You welcome the opportunity to expand. *You see abundance as natural to life. *You don’t expect anything. (Pg. 156)
He says, “The fruit of surrender is grace, the all-embracing power of God. Grace is the invisible influence of the divine… Grace is associated with mercy and forgiveness, but in reality, if you strip it of religious overtones, grace is unbounded awareness. Grace abolishes life’s limitations… Grace, like the soul itself, steps down God’s infinite power to human scale… Somehow nothing more is required except surrender. But the process of being born again is recorded in every culture…” (Pg. 192)
He acknowledges, “We have arrived at a point that will be uncomfortable for many people… FAITH is an inner certainty that such radical change can and will happen. But faith needn’t be blind. Nor does it have to be based on anything outside yourself.” (Pg. 200-201) Later, he adds, “The promises of the great spiritual teachers, who told you that grace is freely given, come to fulfillment. Then you know, once and for all, that placing faith in yourself was fully justified.” (Pg. 205-206)
He concludes, “Thinking never invented love, desire, art, music, kindness, altruism, intuition, wisdom, and passion---in fact, all the things that made life worthwhile. When the thinking mind halts in awe before God’s creation, love has light-years yet to go; desire still reaches out for more. The process of re-inventing the body and resurrecting the soul is a journey, and the journey never ends.” (Pg. 276)
This book has more of a ‘spiritual/religious’ focus than some of Chopra’s other books (although he bends over backwards sometimes, to accommodate atheists/nonreligious); it will interest those interested in such things.
April 10, 2022
Some people think of the human body as a complicated machine that is can break down and need repairs. But another view is gaining support: that our bodies are boundless creations shimmering with the energy, creativity, and intelligence of the universe. Deepak Chopra, author of more than 50 books and heralded by TIME Magazine as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine," believes that it is time for us to reinvent the body through a more rigorous and expansive connection with our souls. We can move stuck energy and change old habits through reflection, contemplation, and meditation. We also have the capacity to influence our genes and change the structure of our brains. We can even make time an ally rather than viewing it as a constant enemy.
As we read through these chapters, we thought of a scene in Defending Your Life. The protagonist has died and gone to a place called Judgment City. He is told that human beings only use up to three percent of their mental powers and are referred to as "little brains." Chopra is convinced that we can use more of our brains and also tap the soul's potential. Connecting to this power source means getting beyond the reach of "no."
As we read through these chapters, we thought of a scene in Defending Your Life. The protagonist has died and gone to a place called Judgment City. He is told that human beings only use up to three percent of their mental powers and are referred to as "little brains." Chopra is convinced that we can use more of our brains and also tap the soul's potential. Connecting to this power source means getting beyond the reach of "no."
October 17, 2016
At first, I started this book as an audiobook experiment as I wanted to try listening to something while doing some exercising, but I have a terrible time with audiobooks as my mind tends to want to be everywhere else but on the recording. After a few weeks of such torment, I turned the audiobook back in and checked out the real book from the library so that I could actually read it.
Definitely a much better experience! The main idea in this book is that we have the personal power to change ourselves to become healthier and happier. Our body is composed of ever-renewing energy that can be redirected, and that illness is an unbalanced state of this energy.
The soul is real and not just a part of some finite machine.
I like how this book helps to develop new thought patterns of how we view ourselves and our bodies, and suggestions of how we can recreate the balance in our lives.
Definitely a much better experience! The main idea in this book is that we have the personal power to change ourselves to become healthier and happier. Our body is composed of ever-renewing energy that can be redirected, and that illness is an unbalanced state of this energy.
The soul is real and not just a part of some finite machine.
I like how this book helps to develop new thought patterns of how we view ourselves and our bodies, and suggestions of how we can recreate the balance in our lives.
August 18, 2017
Thinking never invented love, desire, art, music, kindness, altruism, intuition, wisdom, and passion--in fact, all the things that make life worthwhile. (loc 4189 of 4204.)
I've heard enough accounts of how Chopra treats service and stage personnel at speaker events to not be impressed with him or his behavior, but some of his books manage to have nutritional value regardless of that. This one has some "preaching to the choir" going on, but it also had ideas in it that I enjoyed chewing over.
Part of me is a little embarrassed to have it on my read list because of the whole commercial and personality cult thing surrounding this guy; part of me thinks "to hell with that if the book's content is useful."
I've heard enough accounts of how Chopra treats service and stage personnel at speaker events to not be impressed with him or his behavior, but some of his books manage to have nutritional value regardless of that. This one has some "preaching to the choir" going on, but it also had ideas in it that I enjoyed chewing over.
Part of me is a little embarrassed to have it on my read list because of the whole commercial and personality cult thing surrounding this guy; part of me thinks "to hell with that if the book's content is useful."
February 26, 2023
The first half of the book was decent and had a lot of good information on meditations that I’ll take with me but it wasn’t even the fact that a lot of it was about a “god” because I believe in both science and a spirit which he refers to both but it was more pushy on the spirit of god. I almost didn’t finish the book because I kept getting distracted while reading thinking of other things and I think because he just kept talking in circles and repeating himself the only time my attention would come back was when he would tell a persons story. Now whether the story was true or not who knows, I hope for the persons sake it is and I hope to be as lucky as them but who knows it all could’ve been made up to prove his theories.
July 3, 2013
The good news is that there is some good advice in here on how to live a happier and more fulfilling life. Having said that, as you can see, I only gave it three stars. I knew going in that there would be a lot of discussion of eastern spiritualism and I was interested to hear what he had to say on the subject. It is not a religious book and he states this early on in the book. However, for me there was too much discussion of how the “soul” is affected by outside forces, which for me amounted to speculation instead of facts. As a result I didn’t take as much away from the book as I have from other self help type books.
February 4, 2010
I always enjoy books by Deepak Chopra. My only disappointment was that I did not experience any real Aha! moments while reading this book. There was lots of good information, some of it a review of what I know and should be doing, some of it new and expanding.
What I found most valuable was the metaphor he used comparing soul-living to being in the great outdoors and ego-lving to being enclosed in a small shack. Somehow this image is very peaceful, non-threatening, and mind expanding for me.
What I found most valuable was the metaphor he used comparing soul-living to being in the great outdoors and ego-lving to being enclosed in a small shack. Somehow this image is very peaceful, non-threatening, and mind expanding for me.
November 17, 2010
My favorite book by Deepak Chopra. There are so many sections that have the insight and strength to stand alone, yet they're all here. Its genius sometimes catches you off-guard...even as I approached the end, I would come across passages that were so profound, I would think, "Wow...this single section could be the creed for my life..."
If there's ONE self-help book you'll ever own, this should be the one. You can read it over and over and over. Most books of this type, you get the gist of it after a few chapters, but this one presents unique ideas the whole way through.
If there's ONE self-help book you'll ever own, this should be the one. You can read it over and over and over. Most books of this type, you get the gist of it after a few chapters, but this one presents unique ideas the whole way through.
March 14, 2010
Deepak Chopra gives us lots to think about and delivers it in such a way that one can test out easily enough. Having said that, it was a bit confusing from time to time, as there is so much to digest. I want to own this book to refer to again and again. I do believe we can "control" our own health. I do know that love is the key to everything and when we work from that place of love, the rest follows so much better.
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December 26, 2009i don't lean towards d.chopra books, i think because there are so many (50+),it tends to be a deterrent to me. but, this book caught my attention and was excellent. i highly recommend it to all those on the path of trying to be their own director, the one who acts vs. reacts and reaches for that higher calmness..that i call happiness.
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