Question:
I was reading some of the different posts on meditation, particularly the post “Length of Meditation”. I personally meditate an hour in the morning, and an hour at night. Is this too long? Should I cut my time down to 30 or 20 minutes? Thank you Deepak, for your insight and wisdom that has totally changed my life.
Question:
How much of our life is really in our control? Are not the events in our life (and maybe also how we react to them) influenced and driven by a higher consciousness, which we are not aware of? Say, for example Arjuna’s life. Isn’t his succumbing to despair in the battlefield of Kurukshetra preplanned, so that Lord Krishna’s purpose of coming to the earth gets fulfilled? Did he really have any choice to make when Lord Krishna asked him to take on the battlefield after explaining to him the Bhagvad Gita? Was there ever a possibility that Arjuna could have said no to the battle? What is the point of ‘our’ being, if we are just following a predestined plan through our hearts, and that our choices also are not actually voluntary.
Question:
I have a niece that I’ve raised for the past 10 years she’s now 20 and she doesn’t share her feelings with me which most teenage young women don’t, but I overheard her on the phone the other evening and it made me so sad to hear her begging a boy to allow her to come over to spend the night. It just makes me feel as if though she doesn’t have love for herself enough to know that she deserves someone whom will want her to spend time with them how do I help to guide her to loving herself so that she can receive the right kind of love from others?
By Deepak Chopra, MD
Modern machines are assembled from separate moving parts, a fact that seems so obvious that we usually don’t notice its vast influence over us. But the image of a machine extends to the human body, which is an assemblage of trillions of separate cells, and ultimately to the universe, which is considered an assemblage of atoms and molecules beyond numbering.
So ingrained is the machine metaphor that it has taken centuries to realize that it has a fatal flaw. The human body and the universe operate as a single wholeness that cannot be explained mechanically or even logically. The general public has a vague acquaintance that quantum physics changed how science views space, time, matter, and energy. What escapes general notice, however, is the revolution that followed the quantum revolution.
Since roughly World War II, the following activities of the universe have sent science scrambling to find a rational explanation:
One could go on, but the upshot of these discoveries is that mathematically speaking, as well as in real-time experiences, the notion of the universe as a machine with tiny moving parts governed by space, time, and everyday logic is totally false. Noted physicists, including the late Stephen Hawking, declare that there is no longer a guarantee that the advanced theories of modern physics actually match reality. (You can get a sense of the prevailing confusion in a recent New York Times article, “Big Brain Theory: Have Cosmologists Lost Theirs?”)
If the universe isn’t a giant machine, there’s every reason to drop the whole analogy of the machine, but what to put in its place? The answer advanced by more and more scientists is “wholeness.” Since space, time, matter, energy, and everyday logic aren’t truly fundamental, it makes sense that whatever controls space, time, matter, and energy must be the universes overriding reality. Wholeness exerts a force, call it “the power of one,” that goes beyond physical forces. Or to put it another way, no combination of physical forces can be sued to explain how the whole maintains and organizes itself.
The power of one can be seen on a small scale as well as a cosmic scale. The fertilized ovum from which the human body develops is a self-organizing system, not a watery bag of chemicals enclosed in a membrane. With infinite precision this first cell begins to send out chemical and electrical signals almost from the instant it divides into two cells, and within weeks stem cells know how to become heart, liver, and brain cells using the same DNA. The concept of the self-organizing system now permeates biology, physics, chemistry, neuroscience, and more.
What science clings to, for complicated reasons that have little to do with the actual evidence, is an insistence that self-organization has to be physical. This insistence runs into glaring contradictions. For instance, if elementary particles can operate three ways—via cause-and-effect, reverse cause-and-effect, and no cause-and-effect—how do they make the choice between them?
Since it has been obvious to a number of cosmologists that the physical universe functions much more like a mind than like a machine, a trend has emerged to include consciousness as fundamental in creation. If consciousness has always been with us, it is the best candidate for explaining where the power of one comes from. The same would then hold true for how atoms, molecules, cells, tissues and organs self-organize into the human body. It has never been shown that the atoms and molecules somehow learned to think through a magical physical transformation. The best explanation is that the brain doesn’t think in the first place. Mind thinks, and on the physical plane it devises a brain to accommodate its thoughts.
Yet in the end a new conception of reality must pass the “So what?” test. Quantum mechanics is considered the most successful scientific theory of all time, but its effect on everyday life—or at least everyday thought—has been marginal. The power of one has a much better chance of passing the “So what?” test, however. By deposing the metaphor of the body as a machine, the power of one allows us to see several vital things.
It is obvious at first glance that human beings are intelligent, creative, and capable of the fastest evolution of any species on earth. This alone testifies to the validity of the power of one. But we can look even deeper. People have reported experiences of meaningful coincidences or synchronicity for a very long time. The key word is “meaningful,” because meaningless coincidences can be explained as random events.
However, a system cannot be meaningless and meaningful at the same time. Synchronicity is a valuable clue. It points toward wholeness as having a meaning to everything it does.
This possibility, that everything truly does happen for a reason, would be a game changer as far as how we live our lives. We’ll explore this possibility and what it would mean for the average person in the next post.
(To be cont.)
Deepak Chopra MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Chopra is the author of more than 85 books translated into over 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His latest books are The Healing Self co-authored with Rudy Tanzi, Ph.D. and Quantum Healing (Revised and Updated): Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine. www.deepakchopra.com
The billionaire Hansjörg Wyss establishes a fund of almost $1 billion to protect 30% of the planet by 2030. Billionaire creates Fund to protect 30% of the Planet by 2030 Many people know that much of our natural resources, including forests and oceans and all life in them, are at serious risk. The challenges of global climate changes and the extinction of many species pose as threats to our survival as Humans and the Planet. But few are in the same position to help as the Hansjörg Wyss, billionaire and wildlife lover. He has just announced that he would donate one billion dollars to environmental causes. Hansjörg Wyss had a career working as an engineer and executive. But it was after he founded Synthes, a medical device manufacturer, that he made his fortune. Much of the foundation money goes to fuel social, scientific and environmental causes, as well as incentives to museums and artistic endeavors. In late October, Mr. Wyss published an article in the NY Times explaining his plans for the next decade. Mr. Wyss believes that conservation institutions like national parks and wildlife reserves should be a priority of our time. He decided to direct future donations to focus on funding such initiatives. Meeting the challenges of our time Nine institutions are in a list to receive $ 48 million each. Mr. Wyss ‘s goal is that by 2030, 30% of the planet’s surface would be taken care of. Hansjörg Wyss also envisions including Indigenous communities, coral reefs, glaciers, and savannas among his leading concerns as a philanthropist. He also intends to persuade other billionaires to join him on the journey of environmental protection. The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable foundation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities, and strengthen connections…
As part of the “Real Love with Sharon Salzberg” event hosted by Women of Wisdom and Mindful, meditation teacher and author Sharon Salzberg discussed the true meaning of love for ourselves, others and life. The following is an excerpt of her talk.
As the world has evolved, whether it’s in a personal way or it’s in a global way, we have tremendous difficulty with people. Now I did a group in Barre, Massachusetts where the Insight Meditation Society is that I co-founded in 1976. And this guy in that group said to me, “You know my whole life I’ve thought that of course we like everybody, but loving somebody—that’s like an extremely unusual, rare, rare state.” And he said to me, “You’re reversing it. You’re saying we can love everybody, and maybe not like maybe anybody.”
And I thought about it and I said, “You’re right, I am reversing it.” Because of the way I’m using the word love, which is that deep acknowledgement of connection, that our lives are connected — Which has nothing to do with wanting to invite someone to dinner, or seeing them succeed, or giving them money, or saying yes or anything like that. It’s the heart’s knowing that we are part of this great picture of life, and that everybody actually wants to be happy.
Love is that deep acknowledgement of connection…which has nothing to do with wanting to invite someone to dinner, or seeing them succeed, or giving them money.
We all want a sense of belonging. We want a sense of feeling at home, somewhere in this body, in the mind, of one another on this planet somewhere. And it’s because of the force of ignorance or confusion that we make so many mistakes. Look at what we are taught about where the greatest happiness has to be found: endless consumption or acquisition.
One of my favorite phrases to examine these days is, “it’s a dog eat dog world.” Many of us have that kind of conditioning—don’t take care of anybody because they can’t take care of you. And it doesn’t matter who you have to hurt or step on to get ahead, you know you’ll only be safe, you’ll only be happy when you’re on top, and don’t worry about anybody else.
I once semi-ruined this young woman’s life when I was teaching a six-day workshop, and the first night I was talking about that phrase. And this woman came up to the microphone and she said, “What a horrible phrase. I never knew that was the phrase. I always thought the phrase was, It’s a doggy-dog world.” Like puppies in meadows, jumping up and down.
So the six days went by, and it was the closing circle and she came up to the mic again and she said, “I’ve decided, I’m not going to live in a dog eat dog world. I’m going to live in a doggy-dog world.”
We can see for ourselves what’s true by paying attention. Learning how to pay attention differently, more accurately, less laden with all that conditioning overtaking our perception.
So look at what we are taught about where happiness is, where strength is, how alone we are. But what’s true? This actually is one of the greatest blessings of mindfulness, is that we can see for ourselves what’s true by paying attention. Learning how to pay attention differently, more accurately, less laden with all that conditioning overtaking our perception. And we see for ourselves that maybe endless vengefulness is not that happy-making, maybe compassion is not that stupid. And we can see very directly for ourselves, there is a kind of compassion we can have for those who are caught in a dog-eat-dog world.
The post Feeling Lonely? Embrace Compassion appeared first on Mindful.
How can one maintain a sense of optimism in the face of tragedy? Sanya Pirani shares her thoughts and actions. My Roots of Optimism By Sanya Pirani Valentine’s Day Feb 14th, 2018 they were 17 people killed by a gunman at High School in Parkland, Florida. That night tears were rolling down my eyes, and many eyes I know were extremely num. Now the question is, how do we find optimism in such tragedy? A few days later, a student Emma Gonzalez spoke at a gun-control rally in Fort Lauderdale and turned her sorrow into a galvanizing cry for change and force policymakers to revisit gun control laws. That is what I call turning tragedy into optimism. All because someone decided to view tragedy with a lance of positivity. Pessimism, Realism, and Optimism are not just textbook ideologies; they are the fuel of life. We should use them for our life’s engine and ultimately reflect and impact our local and global communities’ success. Here’s why I believe if optimism is hardwired in our lives it will automatically bring powerful change in our world. Optimism and Service to Others I grew up with a concept of service. My first gift from my parents was a jar which I empty every month to help others in need. As a young child, I remember three rules of optimism in our family: The first lesson was from Helen Keller “Optimism compels the world forward, and pessimism retards it.” The second lesson was, Forgive and forget the bad things in your life, remember being optimistic and hopeful in each situation of your life is a choice. The third lesson was, the only person you have control over is you. I fixed those lessons in my daily life. I connected dots of my…
Imagine you are walking in the woods and you see a small dog sitting by a tree. As you approach it, it suddenly lunges at you, teeth bared. You are frightened and angry. But then you notice that one of its legs is caught in a trap. Immediately your mood shifts from anger to concern: You see that the dog’s aggression is coming from a place of vulnerability and pain. This applies to all of us. When we behave in hurtful ways, it is because we are caught in some kind of trap. The more we look through the eyes of wisdom at ourselves and one another, the more we cultivate a compassionate heart.
Tara Brach, True Refuge
Do you have questions about the effectiveness of the Law of Attraction? Thoughts on the Law of Attraction You are what you think. Most people don’t realize how powerful thoughts are and how each thought has its own unique energy signature. You’re a magnetic energy being – so that when you have a thought – it’s immediately lodged in your magnetic field, which is more known as your aura. When that thought remains in this field for any length of time, it often radiates out and projected into the Universe. It’s easy to imagine what’s likely to happen to someone who constantly fears certain things will happen in their life. They’re consciously thinking about it, dwelling on it, obsessing on it, feeding their precious energy into it. The net result is that they end up sending that stream of fear-based thought out into the universe. It’s like they’re holding up a sign above their head with a giant arrow saying: “Hey, come to me!” So, it usually does. Then you’ll hear them say: “I knew this was going to happen!” It’s not rocket science to see that ‘we attract what we vibrate.’ It’s all about the frequency! You’ve heard the saying: like attracts like – well it’s more about frequency attracting the same frequency. Everything is energy, which includes you and me. Since we’re energy, it’s we will tune into and attract the same frequency that we resonate. So, it goes without saying that If you’re afraid – you’ll attract fear; if you’re kind – you’ll attract kindness; when you’re grateful – you’ll attract prosperity. As we think, we begin to feel. As we feel, we vibrate. When we vibrate, we start to attract. So remember, you’ll attract exactly what you’re resonating. I was always aware of how…
