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Liked It “Many truths hidden in this gem of a book. I enjoyed it.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Somehow the only part I could find useful and I liked it also is the last Part IV and the chapter notes - which i believe are really good and worth exploring further.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Many truths hidden in this gem of a book. I enjoyed it.”
Theresa H wrote this review 11 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Good”
RR2007 wrote this review Thursday, September 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I think its kinda waste of time reading this one.”
Suchitra s wrote this review Wednesday, August 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I read this because I want to know what is on the other side. But after I finished it, I learned that heaven or hell begins here, in whatever consciousness I select to live inside. Death, as a transition, just transports to that next stage of being (or beinglessness).”
Mark V wrote this review Monday, July 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“As a young teenager growing up in evangelical circles, the concept that I would touch a New Age tome written by the likes of Chopra would have been anathema 10 years ago. As my spiritual understanding has evolved and matured, I have opened myself up to newer possibilities as to what, exactly, awaits us behind the veil. Life After Death ("LAD") is an enlightening volume that is a worthwhile read for the information and perspectives it provides, but it should not be, pardon the pun, taken as gospel.
Scott Daniel wrote this review Friday, June 26 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Chopra weaves two predominating themes throughout his exploration of the afterlife, which departs significantly from linear Western understandings rooted in the three monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The first is that the concept of eternity is not simply a period of time after our brief lives on earth, but rather a reality transcending our concept of time and outside it. Consistent with Buddhist and Taoist notions of mindfulness of the present, Chopra postulates that we are anchored in an eternity that, so to speak, fills the void between physical spaces. Thus, eternity is always present, and points to research on near-death experiences (NDE) as evidence of this fact.
The second major theme is empiricism. Chopra's is a truly gifted synthetic mind, in that he is able to blend his understanding of human physiology (he is an M.D., after all), neurology, quantum physics, and metaphysical philosophy to make postulations about what lies beyond. Chopra devotes the bulk of the latter quarter of LAD to this effort as a way of grounding his arguments in science.
While I think Chopra is convincing in presenting his theories about what lies beyond, in terms of our reuniting with a sort of cosmic consciousness we in the West would call "God", he falls prey to a certain dogmatic cultural bias of his own. On the basis of anecdotal accounts, Chopra asserts that he has met the burden of proof not only that an afterlife exists (with which I will agree), but that this afterlife fits within a Hindu framework that demands reincarnation as the ultimate destination for all. The problem is not in his belief in reincarnation -- true open-mindedness must not foreclose that possibility until it is uniformly disproven -- but rather in his absolute certainty in concluding that NDEs and the understanding of how the immaterial mind occupies a material brain and body prove his version of what comes next.
I have queue'd up his next volume, "The Third Jesus". I find Chopra to be an enlightening thinker, and one upon whom God has bestowed blessing and favor. But I urge any of his readers to ignore the Oprah Book Club sticker as a seal of authenticity and absorb the information he presents in your quest for a logical schema of the spiritual realm.”
“Interesting points of view mostly from his Vedanta training. Good discussions but not great proofs but worth the read.”
Tim O wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Somehow the only part I could find useful and I liked it also is the last Part IV and the chapter notes - which i believe are really good and worth exploring further.”
Janardan Misra wrote this review Wednesday, July 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Heard about one such book written by a Doctor, who dealt with patient in comas and their experience after returning back from that state. I am searching for a book called 'MANY MASTERS MANY MIND' also Written by a Doctor who was dealing with patients who were about to die, or suppose to die in some time. Its written by an american who dont believe in re-incarnation. ”
Nanda s wrote this review Monday, March 24 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“What proof is there that there is life after death? Chopra trundles out the obvious arguments: the vast body of anecdotal evidence from people who have had near death experiences all point to the self surviving after clinical death, for several hours at least. Then there is some (again anecdotal) evidence for reincarnation. Chopra also argues that mind exists beyond the brain, and that all forms of matter, living and not living, have "minds". He then cites evidence of telepathic communications between animals and humans as both implicit proof that mind exists beyond death and that mind is not an exclusively human phenomenon.
mikeneri wrote this review Tuesday, January 8 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The problem is, Chopra deals with these major questions with scant regard for the rigorous discussions that have been published on similar matters over the last 50 years. For instance, Chopra challenges the Judeo-Christian notions of heaven, hell, and purgatory on the simplistic argument that they are mere imaginings. How does he know this? From the fact that people who have had near death experiences report encounters with Jesus, Mary, heaven, hell and purgatory if they have been raised in a Christian/Western culture, and report a variety of other experiences devoid of Jesus, heaven and hell if they come from other cultures. By that token, shouldn't Chopra dismiss all near death experiences as mere imaginings ? He clearly should, but if he were to do that, then his whole book falls apart.
Sorry, Deepak, you have goofed up on this one.
”
“I LOVE THIS BOOK! Everything you wanted to know about dying. Chopra serves it up beautifully and stuffed full of convincing research. You won't be afraid to die. You will realize whoever has died in your life is not really gone. ”
Mary G wrote this review Sunday, December 23 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
