February 1, 2013
Few writers command as much attention in popular spirituality as the best-selling Chopra (Spiritual Solutions). This title, unusual for him, alternates fiction with reflection, examining the likes of Job, Socrates, Paul, Rumi, Anne Hutchinson, the Baal Shem Tov, and Rabindranath Tagore, scrutinizing their experiences for increasing our understanding of God. This work should be understood not as historical fiction, but as something more like allegory, and it is written with a care and vigor unusual for the often slapdash Chopra. VERDICT Using fictional narrative and the lessons of real lives as teaching tools, Chopra draws touching and intriguing conclusions; a must for Chopra's fans, and an excellent book for the general spiritual reader.
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September 1, 2012
Billed as a "teaching novel," this book uses examples from the lives of mystics of diverse traditions to pose questions about the origins, significance and reach of consciousness. Chopra is the founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, Calif. He has written numerous books (Spiritual Solutions, 2012, etc.) and has had several titles on bestseller lists. Here, Chopra profiles 10 historical figures in an effort to better understand God: Job, Socrates, St. Paul, Shankara, Rumi, Julian of Norwich, Giordano Bruno, Anne Hutchinson, Baal Shem Tov and Rabindranath Tagore. Along the way, Chopra offers his reflections, which occasionally drift into homily. The central question Chopra raises in each "Revealing the Vision" section is: "[W]here did consciousness come from?" Not all of the figures profiled are well-known. Hutchinson, for example, was an early, radical Puritan; Bruno, a heretic, was burned at the stake in Rome in 1600. Of particular interest are the humorous, humble Baal Shem, the brilliant, witty Shankara and the visionary Julian, a man Chopra calls "the most touching figure in this book." This book will appeal to the spiritually minded.
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