Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra, M.D., (born 1947 in New Delhi, India) is a medical doctor and popular contemporary writer in the United States on spirituality, synchronicity, integrative medicine and Ayurveda. He claims Hinduism as his main influence, specifically the teachings of Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita.

Alternative Medicine

This article is part of the CAM series of articles.


Alternative medicine

Background

Chopra is a trained physician and was board-certified in internal medicine and endocrinology. He graduated from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in 1968, and after interning at a New Jersey hospital, trained for several more years at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts and at the University of Virginia Hospital. He taught at Tufts and Boston University Schools of Medicine, became the chief of staff at the New England Memorial Hospital and established a large private practice. He became a leader in the transcendental meditation movement, but later branched off on his own, Primordial Sound Meditation.

Dr. Chopra is Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director of The Chopra Center at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

Dr. Chopra completed his primary education at the prestigious St. Columba's School in New Delhi. The same school where Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Gandhi did most of their primary education.

In 2004, Chopra was recruited to provide script advice to Indian film director Shekhar Kapur on a proposed film to be made about the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

In June, 2005, Chopra and Kapur launched a discussion blog Chopra and Kapur's discussion blog www.intentblog.com with a select group of their friends and family. The stated purpose of the blog is to present original voices from South Asia (particularly India) and discuss a variety of topics.

In 2006, Chopra launched Virgin Comics LLC alongside Richard Branson, famed entrepreneur and thrill-seeker. They claim the company will seek to promote and examine Southeast Asian themes and culture through the use of the traditional comic book medium. ^*

Writings

Chopra writes about holistically treating the body and promotes Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. He has also recorded and published some of his writings in audiobooks form.

Criticism

Some criticize his frequent references to the relationship of quantum mechanics to healing processes, which they consider part of a pattern of general confusion in the popular press regarding quantum measurement, decoherence and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.Quantum quackery Article discussing quantum mechanics and new age medicine by Stenger in Skeptical Inquirer magazine.

Deepak Chopra is also criticized for overly mystifying Hinduism and Ayurveda (a system of medicine). His qualifications in Ayurveda are questioned and by shrouding it in elusive language, he is accused of alienating it from the mainstream and de-legitimizing it.

In its May 22/29, 1991 issue, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a controversial article by Sharma, Triguna and Chopra: Maharishi Ayur-Veda: Modern Insights Into Ancient Medicine.Sharma, Triguna and Chopra. Maharishi Ayur-Veda: Modern Insights Into Ancient Medicine. JAMA. 1991 May 22-29;265(20):2633-4, 2637 Discovering that there was a serious problem, in the August 14 edition of JAMA, the editors published a correctionJAMA: Erratum in: JAMA 1991 Aug 14;266(6):798 which included a financial disclosure, followed, in October 2, by a six-page exposé.JAMA. 1991 Oct 2;266(13):1769-74. In response, two TM groups and Chopra sued the author, Andrew Skolnick, JAMA's editor Dr. George Lundberg, and the AMA for $194 million in July 1992. The suit was dismissed by the court without prejudice eight months later. The series of events was later reviewed by Skolnick.Andrew Skolnick. The Maharhish Caper: Or How to Hoodwink Top Medical Journals'' ScienceWriters, Fall 1991

Some critics even accuse Chopra's writings and lectures of being dishonest and hypocritical. For example, Chopra frequently admonishes materialism while living in a $2.5 million home and driving a Jaguar. The Skeptic's Dictionary, whose article about Chopra is particularly critical, states: "Not using a current photo on your web site or on the jacket of your latest book, which would show how you are aging, is deceptive, especially since you claim to know how to overcome aging."The Skeptic's Dictionary: Deepak Chopra

In March 2003, shortly before the US-led Invasion of Iraq, Chopra, upon being asked for creative ideas, gave ten suggestions. These suggestions included that Iraq could be disarmed without force; that religious leaders meet in Baghdad; increasing UN forces by ten-fold; sponsoring 25,000 Iraq exchange students to the West; etc. He also suggested that a new Disney World theme park in the Middle East would help to reduce fear and anger in children and that residents of Iraq should be provided free access to CNN, MTV and Nickelodeon ^* to expose them to the rest of the world.

In August 2005, Chopra posted a series of articles on the blog The Huffington Post (to which he is a frequent contributor) in which he offers his solution to the creation-evolution controversy. In doing so he expressed support for Intelligent Design, and offered a series of questions about evolution he believed could not be answered by science alone (thereby requiring an "intelligent designer").Chopra D, Intelligent Design Without the Bible Huffington Post August 23, 2005. Science writer Michael Shermer, founder of The Skeptics Society and long-time critic of Chopra, posted a response. ^*

Books

1989 Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine ISBN 0553348698
1991 Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide ISBN 0517584212
1993 Ageless Body, Timeless Mind : The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old ISBN 0517592576
1993 Creating Affluence: Wealth Consciousness in the Field of All Possibilities
1995 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams
1995 The Way of the Wizard: Twenty Spiritual Lessons in Creating the Life You Want
1995 The Path to Love: Spiritual Strategies for Healing
2001 The Deeper Wound: Recovering the Soul from Fear and Suffering, 100 Days of Healing
2001 Grow Younger, Live Longer: 10 Steps to Reverse Aging ISBN 0609600796
2000 How to Know God : The Soul's Journey into the Mystery of Mysteries
2003 Golf for Enlightenment: The Seven Lessons for the Game of Life
2003 The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence ISBN 0609600427
2003 Synchrodestiny: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence to Create Miracles ISBN 1844132218
2004 The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life ISBN 0517706245
2005 Peace Is the Way : Bringing War and Violence to an End ISBN 0307236072

Quotes

"The living body is the best pharmacy ever devised. It produces diuretics, painkillers, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and antibiotics. It applies the right dosages with minimal or no side effects, and the directions are inbuilt."

References

Chopra, Deepak (2001). The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams (paperback ed.). Crown Publishing. ISBN 0609802194.
Chopra, D., Skolnick, A.A., et. al. (1992). Letters to the Editor. JAMA. 1992 Mar 11;267(10):1337-1340.
Skolnick, A. A. (1991). Maharishi Ayur-Veda: Guru's marketing scheme promises the world eternal "perfect health". JAMA. 1991 Oct 2;266(13):1741-2, 1744-5.
Skolnick, A. A. (1991). The Maharishi Caper: Or How to Hoodwink Top Medical Journals. Skeptical Inquirer, 1992 16(3)254-259
Stenger, V. J. (1995). The Unconscious Quantum: Metaphysics in Modern Physics and Cosmology. Prometheus Books.

Notes

External links

The Chopra Center Official website.
Deepak Chopra's Events & summary biography by Global Leaders
Deepak Chopra's blog
Big Picture TV Free video clips of Deepak Chopra
Deepak Chopra and the Chopra Center entry from ReligionFacts
SkepDic The Skeptic's Dictionary entry for Deepak Chopra
A critical essay by Stephen Barrett.
Article discussing quantum mechanics and new age medicine by Stenger in Skeptical Inquirer magazine.
Deepak Chopra Audio Books The Higher Self, Magical Mind/Magical Body, Journey to the Boundless & other audio books by Dr. Chopra.
^*"The Maharishi Caper: Or How to Hoodwink Top Medical Journals," published in ScienceWriters.
The Great Debate:Deepak Chopra v. Michael Shermer Chopra and Shermer debate the philosophy of scientific skepticism, with emphasis on intelligent design.

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