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Sages & Scientists Symposium
About Deepak Chopra
Time Magazine heralded Deepak Chopra as one of the 100 heroes and icons of the century, and credited him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." Entertainment Weekly described Deepak Chopra as "Hollywood's man of the moment, one of publishing's best-selling and most prolific self-help authors." He is the author of more than 50 books and more than 100 audio, video and CD-Rom titles. He has been published on every continent and in dozens of languages. Fifteen of his books have landed on the New York Times Best-seller list. Toastmaster International recognized him as one of the top five outstanding speakers in the world. Through his over two decades of work since leaving his medical practice, Deepak continues to revolutionize common wisdom about the crucial connection between body, mind, spirit, and healing. His mission of "bridging the technological miracles of the west with the wisdom of the east" remains his thrust and provides the basis for his recognition as one of India's historically greatest ambassadors to the west. Chopra has been a keynote speaker at several academic institutions including Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Divinity School, Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Business School and Wharton.His latest book is "Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul."Subscribe
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96 Responses to Sages & Scientists Symposium
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Gyanama thank you for your post! It’s just what I needed to read right now.
Nah, Ardwork is the patron Saint of Parsnips…….one might consider him mainstream but he never gets much of a following
apparently an Afro Dizzy AK ?
It doesn't take much intelligence to see that meaning of Tara in the Sanskrit dictionary such as waves , guiding light stars ( photons particles ) and carrying across are similar to wave and particle in the poetic, philosophical rendition of scientific knowledge.
We are uncertain if we are Light waves or particles …
Physical bodies seem to be a coagulation of waves that assume a state of matter to assume a state that can know and see itself in action ? Essentially waves not matter.. death merely dissolves itself back into wave form.
One sees a glimmer of hope …. surely for the ancient Indian civilizations to have know even this metaphor shows that either they had that technology and knowledge of science and it was lost and became merely a poetic or religious accounting OR the knowledge of it was coming from some other cosmic source..in all kinds of waves Or it was coming from a mind in meditation of the origin of matter ? I actually opt for the first option – we already knew all this but it was lost in some form of disaster .
wave (v.)
"move back and forth," O.E. wafian "to wave with the hands" (related to w
Aurora,
Often the ego is involved in claiming, or implying, spiritual awareness that is superior to others. I don't claim enhanced spiritual awareness–the meditations I do are designed to increase energy flow in the body. I first practiced them to help beat four bouts of cancer back in the early nineties. I've continued to practice them as I hope to see my grandchildren some day. Not a very ambitious spiritual goal, of course, but it's important to me.
Perhaps I do you an injustice–I apologize. But lately I've been involved in debate with various people who seem to imply that they have great spiritual awareness–and one day if I'm lucky I'll be on their level. Condescending to patronize. Definitely an ego trip. This in answer to questions about their metaphysical paradigms which they could not answer without resorting to metaphysical metaphors which prove essentially meaningless when examined. It's metaphysical gimcrackery, and is the new last refuge of scoundrels, at least on this site. As Voltaire said "When he to whom one speaks does not understand, and he who speaks does not understand, that is metaphysics."
Bob,
I speak with you as a friend and wish to give you a point of view that only you can decide is useful or not on your journey. There are two things I'd like to tell you that I've found useful for myself:
1- don't lose time focusing on the ego. When you see it in yourself or others, nod and walk on. Do not spend time on feeding conflict with eiter yourself or others- this makes your own energy field less clear and peaceful. In general, if you realize that anger/frustration propagates itself, while peace also propagates itself… you will start seeking more inner and outer peace.
2- your spiritual goal is fully valid and as it is important to you, it is important to the whole universe. But there's something very interesting about spirtual practice. It often brings much more than we have even asked for. So if you think that all you are doing is increasing energy flow in the body, then you maybe don't realize that many more things are happening in your consciousness- like the refinement of perception, a sharpening of your intellect and a widening of your capacity to connect in trust and appreciation. If you truly see your progress and don't feed your ego with it, it will help you progress even more. It is not bad to give ourselves and others encouragement for our progress. It is the ego who judges, not spirit.
Friend, there is nothing to apologize for. We are travellers on the same road, exchanging notes. It is a pleasure to have met you, I appreciate our interaction
* just that my notes are beter than your notes hehe .. damn it
Aurora,
Naturally my awareness has increased as a result of my internal energy exercises, as they are designed to strengthen the mind and body I am very aware of the perumbulations of my ego, and the ego of others. I've had no cosmic revelations, however.
I think one has to be aware of the ego and it's tricks. It's like a Russian doll containing myriad layers. The point of the Taoist and Buddhist traditions. The "monkey mind" is a clever trickster. One has to tame it, often a lifetime pursuit. The Buddha himself said that it took him several incarnations to become enlightened. I find it impossible to believe when people claim they have accomplished this–without even meditating.
@ Bob me feels like socking you in the old monkey face – you have a bad case of wind oh great one ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-headed_Capuchi…
do you think that man imitated the monkey god ?
Well, Bob… there is no up and down in the universe … and we are all where we are, and on our way to our next experience and insight. I don't know how productive it is to preoccupy oneself with assessing the accomplishments of others. It is enough to look at the spiritual goals we have set for our own growth and honestly see if we are making progress or not. In the long term, we can all see where we are progressing and where we are fooling ourselves.
Also, the mind is not our enemy. Mind and ego are not the same thing, and neither of them is an enemy. They are ways for the universe to manifest individuality, and the source of all the joyful play we call world. I have never made any progress by strictly monitoring, coercing or pushing the mind. The mind needs to be set free, so it can relax and reveal more. And the ego is just a useful perception of separation, necessary for life to know and enjoy itself in miriads of shapes. We can enjoy it without taking it seriously. Leading a war with the ego is not the way to see through the ego.
helloooooooooooooooo down there this is your delivery service
cancelling a pucker lips ( mudra = postmark )
http://www.britishpostmarksociety.org.uk/U3RhbXBD…
God damn it i wish these aliens would learn how to spell
Aurora,
I can only tell you what my teachers taught me–based on a thousand years of tradition and discipline. The mind is not the enemy–but it must be mastered. The ego also. "To see things as they really are." I will never do it, I will always be a practitioner, as I haven't put the time in. An hour a day or so for fifteen years doesn't cut it. My teacher studied twenty years full-time; his teacher 45; his teacher back in Taiwan 65 years; his teachers in Fujien province on the mainland the same. Tai chi chuan, qigong, and various forms of meditation.
It's not easy; it's hard. Despite the claims of New Age "masters." People think self-mastery comes from attending seminars and reading books. That won't cut it. But that's what America is: a seminar society. Three weekends and $600 bucks and one is anointed a Reiki "master." I know several. One can't master, carpentry, playing the piano, or martial arts in a few weekends. Let alone facilitating energy flow in the body; which takes many years.
"We are the saints." The notion lurks in all of us.
Hi Bob,
Life IS the school
Cheers!
aka, horns of plenty! Google boogle and the Garden of Delights
Mieke,
You know my health history–seven years with a Luger pointed at my temple. It "concentrated the mind wonderfully." And I learned a lot about myself, and what kind of man I am when the wheels come off. But I couldn't have made it without the discipline of standing post meditation. Even my oncologist agrees. Anyone can do it; but you have to put the time in. And I had more incentive than most.
But formal study in the Taoist, Buddhist and Hindu/Vedic traditions goes back thousands of years. It's important to have a teacher who's been there to let you know when your mind is leading you down the garden path; and when your ego thinks you've accomplished something. One needs a teacher to assess one's progress and tell you to shut up and keep meditating when you believe you're special because you're progressing.
Deepak Chopra talks at length about the ego in several of his books, and the value of regular meditation. He knows well; he studied with the Mahareshi Mahesh Yogi and other Eastern masters. That's the crux of the matter in all the Eastern tradtitions. The ego–and the judgements it projects into the mind. Which we are all guilty of to some degree. I have seen over time what my ego projects; defensiveness and "attack" mode. I've witnessed the same in others. Which makes me attempt to monitor it in myself. That's hard for me, as my natural personality is confrontational and critical, relying on satire and sarcasm to shut people down. Can one ever change his spots? Sure, with years of concentrated meditation. I'm just trying to dim my down. But so far my dimmer switch only works intermittently. But I'm working on it.
HI Aurora,
To re-quote you…
"God is not supernatural. It is the very essence of nature. With all my love, and from a desire for your well being",
Just want you to know Aurora, I felt the genuine natural love in your heart, in those words-
Ears that hear-
Love,
Gyanama
Morning,
Sages and Scientists most likely will be an interesting conversation but the proof will still be in the pudding when all is said and done. I have heard interesting life after death stories, I have heard interesting opinions on the view that there is no life after death. Still, I wonder. Actually, I don't, afterall, there can only be life, continued, whether manifested or unmanifested. Death is not. Life is all there is. Who among us can actually understand and truly comprehend the fact that our life began with a single cell that is composed of all the information needed to become a walking, taking, thinking, dreaming, human being? None of us.Yes, you can contemplate this fact but you cannot really put yourself inside that cell and feel it. Once you were a dot, nowyou are not. The ego thinks it has this information covered because the ego is a dead weight opinion maker on it's production line of this and thats but the awesome miracle of it is left where the ego leaves everything it doesn't quite get, in the unmanifested, never, neverland, of woo woo-ness.
Sages and Scientists who is who? Can a scientist also be a sage? Titles, gotta love them otherwise we might not know who is who.
hmmm.
To re-quote Bob,
The mind is not the enemy–
That is true. There is only One Mind and it is all harmonious….Mind/Consciousness/Spirit(all synonymous) , does not have to be mastered—- But realized as One's eternal Life and being. When we realize there is no such thing as an opposing force that separates us from the One Mind individualizes as us All, then we can be at peace, and "one", with all that is…..and see things as they really are—–Perfect
Love,
Gyanama
Hi Micheal….
I can truly appreciate these words of yours…
"Humbly and with the grace of God, I have found a solid place of peace within I can't describe"
That is beautiful and thank you for sharing that….That solid place of peace, is the Eternal Presence of us All
Love,
Gyanama
Bob, I don't know if it would be okay with a hug. Because of nothing at all
If it's okay, here it comes!
Then I'd like to say that … you are not your personality. How can you be your many traits of all kinds, when you are that, which is observing these everchanging traits? That is what we all need to ground ourselves in- the peace and safety as the observer of the thoughts, emotions, personality.
Observation is not hard to do. It is not hard to say – hey, I'm confrontational. What is hard is to cope with the judgment : I'm bad because I'm confrontational. We can be so cruel with our selves, just because we rely on this black and white view from the small perspective.
But why not say: I am the observer of the confrontational trait in me, and I notice it is messing up my health and/or relationships. I will observe this trait with love and detachment until it dissolves, so my awareness and love for myself and others can flow freely.
Maybe it is a long journey, maybe not. But what heals is always awareness, which also means love. One step at a time, one experience at a time, we have a choice- to beat up ourselves and others , or to love and heal.
Yes Aurora I support that statement-
"WHAT HEALS IS ALWAYS AWARENESS"
UNCONDITIONED OBSERVER-
Peace to you all,
Gyanama
Isn't it always that we have to put the time in the problem we face in the moment?
I have always taken the time to listen, listened to so many people. At a certain moment I could not bear it anymore. So much sorrow, so much pain. The only teacher that truly can cure me is my own heart.
Yet by sharing, like we all do here and telling each other our stories we are each other's teachers too.
And what we all are trying to do here is coming straight from the heart. So we are each other's pupils at the same time.
There are no guru's anymore. The interactive socratic dialogue has become our guru. A guru can only bring you on the threshold and then it is up to you.
It is my firm believe that in the end one is ones own teacher and pupil.
Am sending peaceful, loving, healing vibrations to you from my heart and I do mean it
Bob,
"To see things as they really are" is relative. We posses form to have a frame of reference, that's it. Everyone is the composite of their experiences. Because each of us have had our own unique experiences, to see things as they are is going to be different from person to person. Where I am now says all the material world is in an illusion in space-time of which our mind observes outside space-time. I've come to this understanding in my life from meditating, yoga and finding veritable knowledge that reveals scientific proof of the fore mentioned.
I have never heard anyone on this site say they were at a higher level then you. You might interpret from what people share that they are on a higher level than you, but they are just sharing their truths and where they are in their lives now. Nobody is better than anyone else. As Aurora says, the ego judges.
I empathize with you that you think people must go through a rigid process to validate themselves to you. But you can't judge who and what people are on this site from a few words. Like our bodies, blogging doesn't do justice in revealing who we really are.
When we act and react in every moment of our lives, we have two choices. Love or fear. Communion or attack. Unity or separation. One identifies with Spirit and flows effortlessly. The other identifies with the ego and gets stuck from worn out beliefs.
As I've mentioned before, the intent for Intent is for us to inspire, share, grow and heal. I wish only the best for everyone. And I hope they find their truth brings them closer to the Truth of our true nature that is love and light.
Love,
Michael
And another thing that comes to mind is that Deepak believes that if you are able to have peaceful, loving thoughts towards yourself, you radiate this from your being. You breathe it in and you breathe it out so to say and others are able to breathe it in again and breathe it out.
In my humble view that is what Deepak is trying to establish with his 'I Take the Vow' initiative.
Thank You Gyanama for your love, understanding and inspiration.
Michael,
You're one of the people whose defensiveness and condescending attitude in past posts has propelled me to take a bead on my own. "We are the saints."
Bob, actually… it is true. We are the saints. You, Mieke, Gyanama, Kay, Rann, Michael, Skep, Diablo, Ed, me and everyone else is a saint- in the making. If a saint is a pure soul, then we are already saints, waiting to be revealed. We are right here, under whatever limiting beliefs and painful emotional blocks we have. It's only a matter of time until we can see ourselves and everyone as we are. There is a lot of love and kindness in every heart, including yours, waiting to be allowed. That is why every step is a cause for celebration.
the oldtimers are creepin' back…to the campground.
I don't know how I feel about the following – sad maybe
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/01/21/j…
Yeah!!!!! Now that we know that we are "All divine beings, living in Pure Awareness"….lets all continue to have great day and share the delights of this day, with all those in whom we come in contact…
Have fun everyone…..
Well My husband and I are going out to buy a new sofa and love seat for our theater room-
Peace,
Gyanama
Aurora, A saint? Yes, I feel better already. I decided not to beat up any homeless people today!
Kay, if that's the new Buddhism, I've been practicing it for years on weekends. Nothing like tossing back a few pints with the guys and discussing our inherent Buddha Natures. The insights do flow. In vino veritas.
Mr. Corny is like a pesky fly at a picknick table….
Diablo,
You back? I thought I scraped you off the bottom of my shoe, and some stray dog came by and ate you. He must have puked you up; but no worries, they'll eat vomit too.
Aurora, I am not your friend and definitely not a saint.
You say:
Seek,
You are indeed a perceptive man in many aspects.
As far as Diablo, I think I'll put him in touch with my bedpost. More suited for him in a war of wits. Of course, the bedpost can't talk; but in that regard it doesn't say anything stupid. My money's on the bedpost.
"Nothing like tossing back a few pints with the guys and discussing our inherent Buddha Natures. The insights do flow. In vino veritas." says an oddball!
On second thought, maybe he should talk to my toilet brush.
Oh man… Skep…
You haven't put me down yet… (reference to a tale about letting go if you should wonder)
The beauty of this universe is that I can be your friend even if you're not mine. So you mean that if I dare write things that do not agree with your view, or even dare adress you, you will reveal how TERRIBLE I am. I am very scared. Please don't tell anyone I'm a sinner, now that I am a saint!
just a link or two
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holon_(philosophy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Wilber
We always think we have to do something else .. I think that the mind automatically goes into the so called nested states of being ( as does the whole of the universe have its nested states of being ) in our three states of being awake dreaming and deep sleep. What we need to do is take the awareness into those three states as in lucid dreaming and the seemingly comatosed / deep sleep / death state .
Now there are minds in those three states .. so one must not only think of meeting on the physical awake level but on the other two as well . .often the physical brain mind will have a strange or vague memory of this which is most likely a distorted image of it . Often it comes in pure information rather the any personified form.. a knowing something with no apparent idea how one obtained that knowledge.
my mind is thinking about those ' nested russian dolls of being' much like the Egyptian mummy within mummy .. I sense a tremendous force – woo woo fey feelings .
Did I have one two many drinks in the cosmic bar last night ?
** so if we speak of * aliens * or foreigners to our earth .. and the possibility thereof, it is more likely that they would contact in one of those other nested states ( owing to distance problem ) where one has dreams or strange memories which feel real but are more data inserted into subconscious states ?
Yes Aurora,
We are actually the embodiments of love and harmony- There is nothing wrong with having an ego, as long as you understand who the ego is……There really is only One Ego, and it is individualized…I appreciate your post Aurora, as you speak about the true nature of man….
Peace-
You know what I say Bob, have at it…..keep trying to tame the mind……obviously that is the path you have chosen-
You Say…
"I find it impossible to believe when people claim they have accomplished this–without even meditating".
Maybe those people had been successful in meditation in thier last incarnation?????
Peace or struggle or both, whatever you prefer…..I don't have a problem with it…..
Thank you Gyanama, I appreciate your understanding.
After imbibing his many pints in the pub with the "guys"..in his bhudda moments.corny goes home puking in his toilet bowl and then drinks out of same bowl to quench thirst… dang!