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the 'wisdom' of Deepak Chopra
genkaku
Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
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Those with a taste for the spiritually ludicrous may enjoy this.
Those with a taste for the spiritually ludicrous may enjoy this.
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~I made that one up
on a Buddhist site, but that's another story..hahaha..
Yes, the tweets would be fill-ins...how else would you recycle
new material? Cost of doing twitter business...hahaha
His material is just what I might call light around the edges...which is fine by
me....some people need a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine
go down....
forms of Buddha's teachings but he provided many paths to enlightenment.
Best, Dennis
absorb when you've grown up southern baptist.........Buddhist stuff....
Just getting meditation
out there....having good, sharing, loving conduct, and occasionally listing
favorite candles..lololol, what could you have a problem with?
You guys dont get me started on my Oprah !, hahaha
I have no valid thoughts about it one way or the other because im not very familiar with Deepak or what they are teaching. All I know is that so far what the buddha taught has been proven time and time again to me in my practice and I always encourage others to find what works for them.
It is perfectly acceptable to extoll the virtues of the shallows for the small fry.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/o/oprah_winfrey.html
I can find wisdom at that link . . .
Won't be looking for wisdom from the ever profitable prophet of profit but then I have discernment of sorts . . . :wave:
She has shared a lot more money than I ever
could. She's not that....dangerous, hahaha
Leave the small fries alone....:D
I'll defend her to the end .....*stands on
chair and pulls out pretend sword*
Anyone here taking the meditation course?
They already did one set. I know a woman that
signed up, but didn't start, let alone finish. I haven't
listened to any of his CD's....only saw about 6-7
interviews...haven't read any of his books..
Disclaimer: I don't know much about his profits...hahaha
To people in general I say-
Find the (intentional) harm Oprah has done, to anyone, and let's discuss that, instead of mocking or dismissing her out of hand.
I feel the same way about Paula Deen, Deepak Chopra, and other vastly famous people in their fields, who more often than not are unfairly ridiculed and or demonized simply because they are 'famous'.
Haters gonna hate, as they say.
As a matter of fact, it's their fame that probably keeps them / their faults in check more than the average Joe Shmoe, who doesn't have to worry about gossip columns or paparazzi catching them saying or doing anything "wrong".
Everything famous people say or do is blown waaaay out of proportion by the very people (in media and otherwise) who in some way profit off their gaffs.
Paula Deen for example; Paula has had many POC on her shows. Paula has actually helped POC get their own shows, backing them financially. Paula readily hires POC to work in her restaurant, and (as far as I've seen) on her show. But Paula said a word once, ONE word, 30-something years ago; and here's the thing- she ADMITTED IT, she never lied about it, not even once ... but it hit the media, created a frenzy, and she is now forever branded a "racist".
All the good she's done, all the charities she's given to, all the people she's helped, all the fans who love her style of cooking.... all down the crapper because of her saying that one word, in a context none of us were there to evaluate. I think that's disgraceful, way more disgraceful than Paula's use of a word 30+ yrs ago.
Now Oprah; Oprah has done more, given more, helped more people in the last 25 years, than any of us could even DREAM about helping in our lifetimes- or three lifetimes! But some people hate Oprah. They will hate her and tear her down- Why? Well, they hate that she's black, that she's rich, that she's a successful woman, and that she's fat.
That's how people are. Petty. Jealous. Judgmental. Bigoted. Envious.
And until a famous person does something more "wrong" than saying a word, or being fat, or black, or rich.... I believe one should resist the urge to join the haters in their low-brow behavior against them. Especially so-called "Buddhists"
::: off my soapbox now! :::
As for Deepak Chopra ... I read a couple of his earlier books back in the 90's.
One of them was a very interesting theory that with the right kind of diet and emotional attitude, people could have a lifespan of 150 yrs within a couple of generations.
OK, that's a little 'out there'... and sometimes Deepak does sorta climb out on that Woo-woo limb. But he does mean well, and really, has he harmed anyone? I don't think so. His heart is in the right place, even if he's not my (or your) cup of tea...
He said it was the night that George W. Bush was elected. After watching the election results, his father said something like " I don't like the way this looks", and then passed away during his meditation.
I have some of his books and enjoy his philosophy but his Quantum Healing books left a sour taste in my mouth. Too many extra-ordinary claims. However, when he leaves that stuff out and sticks with religion, I could put him in the same league as Eckart Tolle. I think he's a good guy trying to help the best he can.
He wrote books about the lives of Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed and I thought he did a pretty good job with them.
As a side note: Who could possibly hate Oprah? I don't watch her show as it's obviously aimed at women more than men but she's done so much good for the world. I love Oprah!
I'll have to see what the deepak-Oprah connection is all about.
I don't mean that they should be immune from criticism. If you don't think George Bush was a good president (and I agree), then it's fair to be critical of his decisions without condemning the "whole" man.
Back quite a while, a person was SEVERELY critical of Dick Cheney, expressed hate for Dick Cheney, and hoped his heart transplant surgery should fail. Within a day or two that same person was begging for prayers and meditations for a relative of theirs who was in the hospital.
What happened to metta for all?
People are brought to a greater involvement with the truth through studying Bag1 Shree Oshoo or whatever the cultists are bowing to now. Should we encourage peoples attraction to sham, convicted fraudsters and allow the well meaning Deephack his reasonably benign efforts?
Maybe we get the level of consumer or depth wisdom we karmically deserve? And now back to the persecuting . . .
:buck:
"Deephack?" - was that necessary? Why the childish disrespect?
Deepak Chopra may be "weird", or 'out there'.... maybe a bit too 'new age-y' for you or even me.... But I ask again, specifically, how does he HARM anyone?
I've read some of his books and articles several years back.... and while he's not my cup of tea, I never got the impression he's trying to teach any sort of counter-Buddhist (or counter-ANY-other-religion) message. He has his spiritual theories; his ideas on how to live happier, reduce stress and be healthier in mind and body... so where is the damage?
Is he telling people: " Hey people! Buddhism/Christianity/Judaism/Islam is wrong, wrong, wrong.... THIS is what you have to do to be happy, healthy and live a long life!"
And even if he is... so what?
He's entitled to talk about his preferred method of spiritual health and well being, even if it IS different than the usual religious paths we're taught. No one is being forced to abandon their faith and join his.
But if they do, then perhaps they're really in need of another path.
I don't get where you're coming from on this anti-Chopra thing, Lobster.
Especially you- as one who spews some of the most odd and "out there" stuff sometimes.... and you do it with complete consciousness, too. Pot calling the kettle black?
People get upset when some smooth-talking people make money using spirituality. Nobody is angry with Ajahn Brahm, Goldstein and the like simply because they are not becoming rich/famous using religion as a means. They feel the oprahs and chopras are the new age equivalent of Benny Hinn and the rest.
I don't wanna argue, but I see where they're coming from. Most of them seek spirituality bcos they have been hurt by crude materialism - but when they encounter the spirituality of Chopras and Oprahs they end up finding more materialism disguised as spirituality. This upsets them. I understand. Not gonna judge them.
And honestly, I would prefer that Lobster explain his own opinions/posts.
Gassho
It is why the fluffy bunny new agers, the populists, the rogue gurus (in particular) are so counter productive. Deepwhack Shopper is reasonably ineffective and innocuous.
People such as Choggyeah Trumpet are downright dangerous. They provide genuine depth teachings with the 'by example' teachings of a flounder. They do good by introducing and promoting insight and an incalculable mess that may take decades or longer to sort out.
The problem is very simple and the solution. All teachings boil down to 'be kind' all spiritual means have ways to this goal. However we have to come to this conclusion and what it entails via the available routes . . .
I have no interest in promoting the ego defenders searching with Google for their favourite preacher and unfolding their kindness on the merits of their gnu guru of choice.
Kindness in the spiritual realm is hard to fathom, words are always harsh seeming particularly on the net, open to misinterpretation, defence mechanism, alignment with preferences etc
If we say to a Christian 'Be still, and know that I am God.' from Psalms 46, how many can without being drawn into a whole realm of biblical 'wisdom' that would scare the demons out of hell?
As for my own indefensible behavior, largely it is prescriptive in nature according to my limited skill set. My words includes juggling for the circus goers. A purgative to dissuade those with desires to follow rather than find their way and of course it contains several knots to unravel - got to have something for the pot heads . . .
. . . and now back to another kinder whirled
:wave:
I get what you're saying, but it is a free market ... for ideas as well, not just products/services. Nobody is forcing people to 'buy' from the likes of Chopra.
It is why the fluffy bunny new agers, the populists, the rogue gurus (in particular) are so counter productive. Deepwhack Shopper is reasonably ineffective and innocuous.
People such as Choggyeah Trumpet are downright dangerous. They provide genuine depth teachings with the 'by example' teachings of a flounder. They do good by introducing and promoting insight and an incalculable mess that may take decades or longer to sort out.
The problem is very simple and the solution. All teachings boil down to 'be kind' all spiritual means have ways to this goal. However we have to come to this conclusion and what it entails via the available routes . . .
I have no interest in promoting the ego defenders searching with Google for their favourite preacher and unfolding their kindness on the merits of their gnu guru of choice.
Kindness in the spiritual realm is hard to fathom, words are always harsh seeming particularly on the net, open to misinterpretation, defence mechanism, alignment with preferences etc
If we say to a Christian 'Be still, and know that I am God.' from Psalms 46, how many can without being drawn into a whole realm of biblical 'wisdom' that would scare the demons out of hell?
As for my own indefensible behavior, largely it is prescriptive in nature according to my limited skill set. My words includes juggling for the circus goers. A purgative to dissuade those with desires to follow rather than find their way and of course it contains several knots to unravel - got to have something for the pot heads . . .
. . . and now back to another kinder whirled
:wave:
I'm confused again. Can someone please point out where the ego trip ends and the kindness begins in this post?
If someone benefits from a certain author at a certain time in their journey, where is the kindness in causing them to doubt their choice?
I read many books by Lobsang Rampa as a young person. Later I realized that there were more credible authors out there.
Thankfully I did not have the benevolent lobster to "clear up the mess" that I was left in.
It's one of those " if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" scenarios.
Don't lobsters have mothers?
Keep working on that skill set.
Thank you for directly answering my question. You've never done that before.
I think I know why, now....
It's not the pot calling the kettle black, after all-- it's the pot looking in a fun house mirror and seeing himself dressed as a Dalai Lama.
Good Luck with that, Choggyeah Trumpet wannabe.
On is criticizing the whole person, the other is criticizing a belief that a person has.
To me it's very much like dismissing Buddha or Christ, rather than seeing that both have many areas in which one can find wisdom. The fact that one may disagree with rebirth or karma does not mean that one has to throw out all the wisdom of Buddha.
This is why shallow bubble gum gurus are popular. They provide the platitudes we can nod sagely and knowingly to but carry on the same . . .
However to stimulate the genuine discernment means entering the delusionary subjectivity in a digestible manner. Stating what is not hearable is largely futile. It is clear you are certain about what clarity entails . . . for others. Yep me too. Extend that to our inner confusion. In other words being clear about our motivations and that is where the delusion starts and ends. I think Deerpark Opera sings the same truth . . .
Your favorite guru, CTR, has an extremely novel presentation of Buddhism. My teacher also has a novel presentation.
In fact it wouldn't do me any harm to read that once a week or more.
"When you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit"
There's a platitude for ya. Oh wait, you already practice that one....
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ok, at least you're honest about it. Or are you?
If I'm not mistaken, once the Buddha began teaching, alms were his only source of income. Unless he received money from his family, which would amount to the same thing.
Alms are voluntary. So is the purchase of someone's book.
Most people are not interested in depth teaching, they wish for confirmation of their current comprehension as wisdom.
As they mature, increasingly they question their beliefs about what they know. In other words the wisdom of platitudes, the futility of opposition to peoples 'understanding' which is always less than their imagination or maybe that is just my imagination . . . In other words it is an evolving process and relationship with our experience. So in this sense how we relate to what is present is reflective of our capacity to digest and find nutrition.
This is why breaking our preconceptions about what is virtue, what is profiteering and what instills the capacity to recognise the value in even the struggling, the certain, the deluded, the judgemental etc is part of an ongoing exploration, not a static call to authority.
Dharma has to be inventive because our nature is so inventive and consequently being direct is just too Chopric and platitudinous. When ready, we find the simplicity was always present and always there for us.
:wave:
the spirituality comes later.....?
Maybe not in this case, but some young guy may need to write
20 books to sort out his thoughts and pay the bills...then after
some life experience with it all.....may 'get it'.
The OP was about the tweets....and like i said...that's expected to
happen when someone famous is trying to stay relative with almost
daily reminders. Of course, it all starts to sound the same hahahaha
I personally don't think obsessive judging of others is a necessity, either.
Like heart and mind. We have had a good discussion on what is the same and what might not be the same and it is hard to agree because of different languages and lineages etc. But at least we can talk and agree or disagree and nobody says they will just have to wait till we die in order to overcome our stupidity. There should be a good Buddhist dictionary for English speakers. We should also use the fine dictionaries we already have for English. I say everyone should get to claim the first amendment and smart people use a dictionary so we can understand each other. An I'm includin POCs in that-whatever that means. Best