Customer Reviews

How to Know God (Miniature)

5 star:		(107)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(34)

 

 

This is a very thought-provoking book, and for anyone with an open mind it will at least give them a new way of looking at the nature of reality and how it might be possible to "know" God. Because Chopra takes a fresh approach and does not follow any particular dogma, some may have a bit of a knee-jerk response and write him off as "New Age." The search for a deeper understanding of God, however, is as old as humankind itself, and hardly started with the "New Age" movement in the modern world. Hinduism and Christianity are two of the world's great religions, and each has contributed great insights to that ancient search. Anyone with a true spiritual motivation will be able to recognize certain universal religious truths revealed in other religions besides their own, even though there may be many differences in terms of methods, traditions, and so on. I'm a bit sorry to see the reviews for this thoughtful book become a forum for aggressive assertions of the superiority of one religion over another. There's no problem whatsoever with the basic teachings of either Hinduism or Christianity, but the problem is the growing tendency toward fundamentalism in both of those religions. With a fundamentalist viewpoint, one sees only the outer form of one's own and other religions, and completely loses the insight into the deeper underlying truths. That seems to be the source of some of the attacks on this book, whereas, ironically, this book itself is a very helpful antidote to that type of closed-minded thinking.

I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned with personal development and transformation. This beautifully written map to soul reveals that whether we realize it or not we are all seeking to unite with God.

The author brilliantly clarifies this profound inquiry with an easy to understand blend of eastern philosophy and science. I was inspired and amazed by the depth of his understanding and his ability to impart this knowledge to his readers.

By using the author's distinctions of the seven different God responses, the reader is able to gauge his own personal evolution at any given moment, from the fight or flight response, to the sacred response. These insights allow for personal choice, intention and awareness, causing shifts in our perceptions, which change our reality. In my experience, nothing is more powerful.

. Chopra has some good concepts. I especially like the concept that along the spiritual path, the ego begins to recede and spirit takes over. I think Lewis in his book Encounter with A Prophet provides some very concrete suggestions to hasten this process. There are some really enlightening books out there if you seek them out.

... I'm now part of a group which is actively studying the book a bit at a time and I can't believe all that there is here.

The first thing to realize is that Chopra doesn't claim that he's going to present some great Truth to you. You don't get the Truth from a book or another person. You get it from yourself. All that Chopra can do and hopes to do is to so stimulate you to find it yourself.

The next thing to realize is that the seven stages that he presents are not necessarily progressive, but merely stages to identify with, presented so that you will recognize what stage you are at so that you will be in a better position to realize how to relate with God at that stage.

And then, opening yourself up to what is presented rather than just reading this is important. ... Krishnamurti is one of several writers Chopra suggests that you read, as well as Hawking, Zukav, Yogananda, the Maharishi, Ken Wilber, among others (This is in the notes at the end of the book.

Another says there's too much Biblical reference. Most western readers are more familiar with the Bible than with any other writing considered by many to be "sacred". You'll also find many Vedic references here.

... This isn't a book on physics, but on spirituality, so if his physics don't seem right to you, little is missed unless you center on points of disagreement.

... One's mind can accept only a certain amount at a time, and if you overdo what you're taking in, you'll fall asleep or just lose attention.

...

It's not necessary to agree on each point Chopra brings up to gain from this book. Heck, it's not even necessary to agree with most of what he says. It is necessary, if you truly wish to gain something useful from this book, to keep your mind open and let him state his case, because there are bound to be elements useful to you among those not so.

The bottom line is that the non-resistant reader who takes this book slowly, re-reading when you miss a point, will be stimulated into his own personal search, and this is what Chopra intends. Not to brainwash you. But to get you to search within.

If you buy this book and are disappointed in your first reading, then put it aside, but where you'll notice it sometimes, then come back in a week, or a month, or a year, and let the person you've become in that period of time read it.

I've been reading spiritual books of all kinds for many years. I found this one especially enlightening because it addressed the entire range of possible reactions to God, over the course of a lifetime...or a day.

What I appreciate the most about the book is the moment-to-moment changes I'm noticing at work and in potentially stressful situations. I'm witnessing my actions and reactions and moving closer to the sacred response, simply by being more aware of my choices.

The experience of reading "How to Know God" has truly been a life-altering one for me!

If you are searching for a relationship with God or trying to decide if you believe in him or not, by all means give this book a try. The author has some very unique and enlightening ideas and does not come across as claiming this is the only way, do it or else.

I found myself putting this book down every 10 to 12 pages just to think about what I had read. It helped me tremendously and I plan on reading it again with no break between readings.

If you are someone who has your mind made up and feel somewhat threatened by new ideas, please don't spend your money. You won't get past chapter two. I don't understand that way of thinking however, and have a hard time believing that the people who wrote negative reviews actually took the time to read this book.

Good luck to all in your search.

Three years ago, when I strictly lived off every word of the bible, I would have considered this book the "work of the Devil." But after a few years of religious research and a tragic death of a cousin, my thoughts and views on God, love and life were redefined. I began to see the beauty of humanity and an entire world of experience and spiritual growth in which I previously denied myself on account of religious dogma. My entire thought process became anew and there was beauty and honesty in the same world I once saw as demonic and chaotic. Deepack Chorpa touches on these experiences and many of the revelations I received on my personal search for understanding were constantly confirmed throughout this book. I could go on and on about how this book has touched me but I'll let you see for yourself. Anyway, one thing I've learned throughout my own pilgrimage for truth is we should never allow any person, religion, organization, country or whomever, strip us of the greatest gift given to us by God, and that is the ability of dream and believe as you see fit. Thanks. Sean C

Brilliant and clear discussion of surely the most difficult and murky topic there is--God. With almost 30 years experience in the field of meditation and spiritualty, I often feel I have read most of what is out there on this topic. So it is truly a breath of fresh air to find such a practical and lucid account of our relationship to God. Not only is the book intelligent and thoughtful, but as with all of Dr. Chopras books, very well written and a real pleasure to read.

This is a challenging book for a reviewer, because it does not follow the normal rules of nonfiction exposition. As such, one has to evaluate the book for what it is . . . not compare it to what it is not. I have read several of Dr. Chopra's books, and find that they are all written at the transcendental level. By that, I mean that they are intended to be tested by your unconscious mind rather than your conscious mind. So the words either resonate or they do not. The way this work communicates has a lot in common with Gary Zukov's works on the soul, such as Soul Stories.

One of the things that this book is not, is a book about religion. That may seem strange for a book about knowing God, but it does permit a more holistic look at the question than the context of a single religion sometimes offers. In a very free-ranging discussion, Dr. Chopra cites examples from all major religions as well as those who report paranormal experiences (whether contacts with angels by ordinary people, mind-reading, or psychic healing).

From these straws in the wind as examples, he constructs a hierarchy of contact to God that is similar to one that Maslow espoused for the human hierarchy of needs. Dr. Chopra's main point is that our psychological development is tied to our spiritual development, which limits or opens us to new ways to perceive God. He neither condemns nor exalts one state greatly over another, although he does put them on a continuum (beginning with God as protector and moving to God as what "I am"). He ties this percpetual ability to make contact in terms of the physical world, the quantum domain (the area where spirit and the material world meet), and the virtual domain (the area of pure spirit).

The work is an original and interesting application of thinking from a variety of fields to find what appear to be their common elements. Whether he is right or not is basically a matter of personal perception and faith.

Most of us could use a novel context for having a good spiritual conversation with a trusted religious or spiritual adviser. How to Know God? would make a great book for such a conversation. Whether you agree with it or not, you are probably going to find yourself opened to the possibility of appreciating God's presence in some ways that you did not appreciate before. That's a very worthwhile accomplishment when it happens, and my perception that it is likely is one reason why I gave the book a five star rating. The other reason is simply that the book resonated with me at a very profound level, which left me with a sense of deep peace. I cannot predict what you reaction will be.

Anyone who wants a tightly woven book about religion, or a logical argument for this point of view, would do well to go elsewhere. This book simply doesn't explore that part of the potential domain about knowing God.

Good luck in transcending whatever limitations you are experiencing now in knowing God!

I understand where the negative reviewers are coming from. I was raised Lutheran and many of the concepts here about the nature of God and reality are very foreign to the Lutheran faith, to say the least.

But this is not about religion. Rather, it is about spirituality. I have come to the conclusion that while many organized religions have plenty of good points such as the fellowship with others and the teaching of values and morals, the benefits are offset by the undeniable fact that religion is a very divisive factor in the world.

How many different religions are there in the world? And how many different factions within THOSE religions are there? (For example, the Missouri Synod Lutherans are much different than the Lutheran faith I grew up with.) And most of them believe that theirs is the *correct* or even the *only* path to Heaven. It would logically follow, then, that everyone else that is different is going to Hell. And to extrapolate that logic out to include every religious faction, if all of the factions believe that theirs is the *right* way and the others are going to Hell, then that means that *everyone* is going to Hell. Right? :-)

So, I've had it with organized religion. But I am still a very spiritual person. I believe in God. My concept of God has expanded since I've been reading books such as the Jane Roberts/Seth works, Edgar Cayce's books, and books about other faiths such as Taoism, Judaism, Hinduism, and the like.

I think that each religion, at its core (before getting distorted/corrupted/split into factions, which has happened to all religions including Christianity), holds innate truths about reality and God. If somehow we could learn to combine all of the *true* parts of all of the world's religions into one faith, then I think we would have a much clearer portrait of reality. (Ah, but what parts are true and what aren't? That is the debate. I believe reincarnation is a fact that was cut out of the Bible -- except for certain references to "morning stars" -- i.e., souls that were there during the dawn of Creation, before inhabiting bodies on Earth. But this is of course a matter of debate.)

A previous reviewer felt offended by the concept of God as more of a "force" or "concept" than a "supreme being." I can understand that. People naturally want to personify that which they cannot fully grasp. So, God becomes a "Him," a "Father," in human form. Jesus knew that, also, and presented God to his followers in such a way -- as "Father." It seems less impersonal than simply describing God as a "force."

But God is all of this, and more than this. God is multidimensional. God is in every atom, every molecule, every thought. And yet this is not all that God is. God does not exist apart from physical reality, nor does God exist only in physical reality. God is All. All is God. God is the Creator of all systems of reality, physical and otherwise. He is within each spider, frog, human, rock, and atom. God is neither male nor female, but is the sum of all existence and is yet more than this. God is a personality, yet our definition of the word "personality" is too limited to embrace all of the facets of God's existence. It is each person's goal to eventually become co-creators with God, to become one with God. This may take many lives, either here on Earth or in different systems (whether physical or non-physical).

But whether you agree with all of that or not, this book will still make you think. I think the main thing you can get from this book is a broader, more enlightened, more sympathetic understanding of your fellow man, and a desire to act in such a way that is more in line with the Golden Rule. If this is all that the book ends up accomplishing for readers, then that is certainly enough.