If you live in the United States, chances are that you have heard of Dr. Deepak Chopra and his work in the field of alternative medicine. Author of almost 50 books with titles such as How to Know God and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Chopra once directed the Boston Regional Medical Center but began to see health as a combination of factors that included the mind, body and spirit.
This radical approach to health bridged the gap between ancient practices and modern Western medicine. He has served on the National Institutes of Health Ad Hoc Panel on Alternative Medicine in 1992, and he is many times credited as the creator of the mind-body connection in health practices. Along with Dr. David Simon, Chopra created the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, CA as a place where people can come to heal.
Today, Chopra leads retreats at his center and in Europe. His books have been translated into over 35 languages, as well as turned in several audio books and audio files for download. His book Peace is the Way won the Quill Award, while The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of your Life received the Nautilus Award. In addition, he is an adjunct professor for the Kellogg School of Management and University of Nebraska. He has spoken for some of the world’s most well known people in some of the world’s most well known places, and has also won a Toastmaster’s Award.
The ideas of Chopra have had a profound effect on the way United States views health care. There are a growing number of physicians that acknowledge alternative methods to treat illness, and many scientific studies support meditation as a tool to manage stress and improve the quality of life. Chopra uses a Primordial Sound Meditation, which is deeply rooted in Indian vedic practices and involves chanting a personal mantra that will help you develop a deeper state of awareness.
Chopra’s path to wellness is a mix of meditation, yoga and Ayurveda. The meditation used is described above, as well as the use of mandalas and other props. Yoga is an ancient form of movement which is designed to bring the body in line with the spirit. Ayurveda is described as a 5,000 year old health system which involves energy work, focusing on three types of energy. The combination of these three methods is what creates the system used by Chopra to teach one how to gain total health, which includes the mind, body and spirit.
Overall, Deepak Chopra has a sound system which incorporates a wealth of valuable information into a workable program to help one create a positive life. Through the use of books, audio programs, retreats, and other products, his insight into how the world works and what to do to free yourself from your self-imposed limitations creates the type of environment that empowers one to make lasting-permanent changes in your life.
Among the books he has written are