Milind recommended this book to me and did one better, he lent it to me. A compact and content rich book that explained the laws of success with the trademark lucidity and simplicity that Deepak Chopra is known for. Without much ado, the seven laws then:
1) The law of Pure Potentiality: Also the law of pure consciousness, of all possibility, infinite creativity and the law of unity. Deepak Chopra talks of self-referral (where you look within for answers) and object-referral (where you seek approval from the outside) and advocates self-referral which is the path of love and all positive emotions while object referral is about fear and approval based. The other attributes of consciousness are - pure knowledge, infinite silence, perfect balance, invincibility, simplicity and bliss.
For Practice - Deepak Chopra advocates spending time in silence, in meditation, practicing non-judgement. And by spending time with nature and being in stillness.
2) The law of giving, and receiving: To keep the flow of life you must learn to give, to receive. If you want to receive, give. Keep the wealth circulating. Give gifts. Especially give that which you want to receive or help people to get that. The best gifts he says are those of caring, affection, appreciation and love.
For Practice - Chopra advocates giving something when you meet anyone. Giving could be in the form of compliments, laughter and smiles. Or give a gift. When you receive be grateful.
3) The law of karma - Also the law of action and consequence. As you sow, so you reap. To think before sowing, which makes it the act of conscious decision making. Deepak Chopra asks us to be aware of the choices we make. To step back and be the witness. One sure way of deciding between choices is by identifying comfort or discomfort. If you are comfortable, plunge headlong. If not refrain.
Practice this - Witness the choices you make, ask yourself the consequences of the choice you are considering and whether those choices will bring fulfillment and happiness to you and those affected by it.
4) The law of least effort: Actions motivated by love. It is about acceptance of all that is. It is as it should be. It is about responsibility - no blaming anyone, including yourself. Instead have a creative response to the situation. Defencelessness is another attribute where you do not feel the need to defend. You are open to all possibilities.
Practice this - Acceptance that things are as they are, taking responsibility to having creative solutions instead of blaming and defencelessness where there is no need to defend and thereby being open to all possibilities.
5) The law of intention and desire: Here he says that attention energises, intention transforms. The 5 steps to set your intention going 1) Slip into the gap (between thoughts) 2) release your intention and esire 3) Be in a state of self-referral 4) relinquish your attachment to outcome 5) and please let the universe handle the details.
Practice this - List your desires, release your list and be aware moment to moment
6) The law of detachment: It is about being open to uncertainty. Deepak Chopra says the security is about one way, while uncertainty opens up an exciting world of the unknown. He says, don't force solutions, regard problems as opportunities. Where preparedness meets opportunity, solutions will appear.
Practice this - Commit to detachment, do not impose ideas on how things should be, factor in uncertainty as an essential part of your life and your actions and remain open to all possibilities
7) The law of dharma: Also about the purpose in life. Deepak Chopra urges you to find the one unique talent that god has given you to express yourself the best. That is the purpose of your life - to discover your true self, your higher self to express your divinity and while expressing it, being of service to humanity. Chopra says that you must look at each act from the point of view of 'how can I help' and not 'what's in it for me'.
Practice this - Seek your higher self, discover your higher talents and see how it serves humanity best.
Tremendous lucidity in this little book. I have no doubt that by following these seven laws one will find bliss and whatever else one truly wants. But let me try and simplify it further and see if I can find one key to the seven.
The practices advocated are -
1) Silence - Looking inward
2) Meditation
3) Non-judgment
4) Stillness - Even in movement
5) Time with nature - Experiencing oneness and separation
6) Giving every time we meet someone - Material and non-material like love, smiles,
7) Making conscious choices - being aware
8) Being the witness - stepping out to make conscious choices
9) Acceptance - that it is all as it should be
10) Responsibility - for everything, there is no blame, just a creative solution
11) Defencelessness - nothing to defend
12) Being aware of your desires - putting your intent forward
13) Detachment to outcome - act but detach to one outcome
14) Being open to uncertainty
15) Seeking the higher self through our unique talents and using it to serve humanity.
Being fully aware 'in the now' appears to be one key. Great read and one that we could do well to practice to make lives more fun and bearable. Recommended without reservation.
1) The law of Pure Potentiality: Also the law of pure consciousness, of all possibility, infinite creativity and the law of unity. Deepak Chopra talks of self-referral (where you look within for answers) and object-referral (where you seek approval from the outside) and advocates self-referral which is the path of love and all positive emotions while object referral is about fear and approval based. The other attributes of consciousness are - pure knowledge, infinite silence, perfect balance, invincibility, simplicity and bliss.
For Practice - Deepak Chopra advocates spending time in silence, in meditation, practicing non-judgement. And by spending time with nature and being in stillness.
2) The law of giving, and receiving: To keep the flow of life you must learn to give, to receive. If you want to receive, give. Keep the wealth circulating. Give gifts. Especially give that which you want to receive or help people to get that. The best gifts he says are those of caring, affection, appreciation and love.
For Practice - Chopra advocates giving something when you meet anyone. Giving could be in the form of compliments, laughter and smiles. Or give a gift. When you receive be grateful.
3) The law of karma - Also the law of action and consequence. As you sow, so you reap. To think before sowing, which makes it the act of conscious decision making. Deepak Chopra asks us to be aware of the choices we make. To step back and be the witness. One sure way of deciding between choices is by identifying comfort or discomfort. If you are comfortable, plunge headlong. If not refrain.
Practice this - Witness the choices you make, ask yourself the consequences of the choice you are considering and whether those choices will bring fulfillment and happiness to you and those affected by it.
4) The law of least effort: Actions motivated by love. It is about acceptance of all that is. It is as it should be. It is about responsibility - no blaming anyone, including yourself. Instead have a creative response to the situation. Defencelessness is another attribute where you do not feel the need to defend. You are open to all possibilities.
Practice this - Acceptance that things are as they are, taking responsibility to having creative solutions instead of blaming and defencelessness where there is no need to defend and thereby being open to all possibilities.
5) The law of intention and desire: Here he says that attention energises, intention transforms. The 5 steps to set your intention going 1) Slip into the gap (between thoughts) 2) release your intention and esire 3) Be in a state of self-referral 4) relinquish your attachment to outcome 5) and please let the universe handle the details.
Practice this - List your desires, release your list and be aware moment to moment
6) The law of detachment: It is about being open to uncertainty. Deepak Chopra says the security is about one way, while uncertainty opens up an exciting world of the unknown. He says, don't force solutions, regard problems as opportunities. Where preparedness meets opportunity, solutions will appear.
Practice this - Commit to detachment, do not impose ideas on how things should be, factor in uncertainty as an essential part of your life and your actions and remain open to all possibilities
7) The law of dharma: Also about the purpose in life. Deepak Chopra urges you to find the one unique talent that god has given you to express yourself the best. That is the purpose of your life - to discover your true self, your higher self to express your divinity and while expressing it, being of service to humanity. Chopra says that you must look at each act from the point of view of 'how can I help' and not 'what's in it for me'.
Practice this - Seek your higher self, discover your higher talents and see how it serves humanity best.
Tremendous lucidity in this little book. I have no doubt that by following these seven laws one will find bliss and whatever else one truly wants. But let me try and simplify it further and see if I can find one key to the seven.
The practices advocated are -
1) Silence - Looking inward
2) Meditation
3) Non-judgment
4) Stillness - Even in movement
5) Time with nature - Experiencing oneness and separation
6) Giving every time we meet someone - Material and non-material like love, smiles,
7) Making conscious choices - being aware
8) Being the witness - stepping out to make conscious choices
9) Acceptance - that it is all as it should be
10) Responsibility - for everything, there is no blame, just a creative solution
11) Defencelessness - nothing to defend
12) Being aware of your desires - putting your intent forward
13) Detachment to outcome - act but detach to one outcome
14) Being open to uncertainty
15) Seeking the higher self through our unique talents and using it to serve humanity.
Being fully aware 'in the now' appears to be one key. Great read and one that we could do well to practice to make lives more fun and bearable. Recommended without reservation.
2 comments:
Good summary..Sounds doable!
Hopefully will make life simpler too instead of going on second guessing it.
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