Customer Reviews

Life After Death: The Burden of Proof

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My wife died two years ago from breast cancer, and I've been studying spiritual principles more deeply than ever since then. For me, the biggest change has been living less in my mind and more in my body, and turning my awareness less to my thousands of daily thoughts and more to my feelings and spiritual awareness. Deepak's book has helped me find hope for fusing scientific thought in the West with the spiritual practices of the rest of the world. He helps me see a balance between science and faith.

In this book, he has introduced me to Vedanta and compared Indian spiritual traditions to other traditions. He helps me visualize a consciousness that lives through all of us and to which we return after death. He has described how this conscious field of being appears from different levels of consciousness and how these different "appearances" manifest to different people at different times to explain the huge variety of religious experience in our spiritual and scientific literature. For example, Near Death Experiences (NDEs) from Jewish people contain Jewish symbology while Christian NDEs reflect Christian symbology and NDEs from other backgrounds reflect the symbology particular to those backgrounds.

Deepak has also helped me visualize a universe that consists largely of subtle matter that is undetectable yet is capable of being instantly collapsed into a reality once an observer notices it. I had heard of the Possibility Wave Collapse Theory (PWCT) already, but Deepak seems to understand it from several levels and explain the ideas in a flexible way that allows for many perspectives on it. Again, levels of conscious awareness seem to impact material reality, both in the body and out of the body. Amazing stuff to think about, I believe.

As I try to send my dead wife my deepest love, Deepak's book comforts me and gives me hope that she feels my love. His book makes it easier for me to accept that the cardinals that dance outside my kitchen window are her way of saying she loves me. The squirrels that frolic on the tree outside the bedroom window are my wife's way of saying hi to me. And, that on our daughter's birthday just before Easter, the infant bunny rabbits I found nesting in our lawn were my wife's way of saying Happy Birthday. Knowing my beloved wife as intimately as I have during her life, this type of gift seems perfectly consistent with how I imagine her to be in spirit.

This book has meant a lot to me. It has helped me find a peace between science and faith in this difficult question of the death of those we love. To me, that is Deepak's greatest contribution in this book.

In this book, Deepak Chopra gives us an intriguing look at both the scientific and spiritual aspects of life after death. For several years I've been looking for a book that helps to reconcile the afterlife with what we are learing in the field of quantum physics and this book comes as close to offering a cogent analysis as anything I have seen. Using a Hindu folk tale about death as a springboard, Chopra examines issues related to Near Death Experiences, Reincarnation, Remote Viewing, ESP and many more by examining the areas in which Science and the Vedic Tradition merge. This book is enjoyable to read, but requires a little time to digest. Although written from a Hindu perspective, Chopra takes the time to discuss other spiritual traditions, including Christianity and Buddhism. This will be a wonderful addition to your collection of philosophical works.

This book presents a very good discussion of the principles of quantum theory that support ancient Vedic beliefs about the consciousness of the universe. Earlier titles that covered similar ground include The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav, The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra and The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot, but Chopra's new work is worth reading because it includes scientific information that was not yet discovered when these other books were written.

Chopra neatly articulates a few of the basic Vedic beliefs about the continuance of human consciousness after the death of the physical body, and then marshalls evidence from quantum physics to support these ancient ideas. This includes the classic idea that human souls "devolve" and incarnate in physical form in order to experience life lessons that are charted while in between lives, a state that the Tibetans called the Bardo. (You can read a lot more about this in a first-rate book by Michael Newton called Journey of Souls.)

The sub-title of the book, "the burden of proof," is somewhat misleading, as Chopra doesn't actually attempt to "prove" anything. Instead he focuses on the quantum concept of randomness at the most minute, sub-atomic levels of the universe and the role that consciousness plays in influencing how that randomness eventually plays out in either/or choices. He eventually leads the reader to the BIG IDEA of the book -- that the whole universe and everything in it is conscious, and that together all conscious beings create reality. That includes rocks, trees, cosmic dust, the works. By the time Chopra gets to this rather awesome statement, the reader (or at least this particular reader) is ready to believe that it could not only be possible, but even likely.

It's a tough topic to summarize effectively in a review, so I will say only that I have read many, many books on the topic of life after death, as well as issues related to it, and this book is above average. I have only one reservation: It is a bit slow going in the beginning of the book, not helped by the fact that Chopra introduces the book by telling an old, rather rambling parable about a woman who tries to cheat death. Stick with it, though, and you will be rewarded because the text picks up speed at the book's mid point, and ends up offering a wealth of ideas to consider regarding post-death survival.

This book is an intellectual discussion/proposal that provides food for thought (not concrete evidence or a "sell") regarding what potentially may happen after physical death, and the possible meaning/reasons for human existence and the journey of the individual soul. The book provides examples (human experiences), arguments, facts as well as theories about physics/science, and also objectively (in my opinion) cites religious teachings. The subject is extremely difficult to discuss, so I don't think anyone should expect to read this book and find it to be an "easy" read, or one that doesn't elicit strong emotions and personal opinions.

Personally (my take/perspective), I think this books is immensely soothing for anyone (of any race, background etc) who has lost a loved one to death, or is worried about his/her own death. It encourages people to believe in their soul, to believe that love continues on even after physical death, to believe that each person's birthright empowers him/her to change not only his/her own life but also that of others, to believe that we each have influence over what transpires to us after death and beyond. It's a very personal choice whether someone chooses to believe all this or not, but that's the point the book makes, we do have a choice, how wonderful is that???!

This book is clearly not meant for folks that are happy with what they know or in some cases, don't know, and prefer to continue on as they are (which can be good for them, or bad); it is especially a displeasing read for those who blindly follow any religion/practices, without question, or discerning understanding. This book is definitely NOT trying to convert anyone, nor is it labeling anything bad or good (if anyone feels otherwise, it may be because he/she is unable to keep his/her own prejudices out of the way - you will see/read into it what you choose to).

Kudos to Deepak Chopra for even attempting to discuss such a challenging subject and risking enmity from a world that is typically intolerant of non-conforming views and people brave enough to freely, honestly voice them.

Deepak Chopra has presented in his latest book 'Life After Death: The Burden of Proof' the one question mankind has commonly been concerned with since our existance: what happens to the spirit and soul after our physical death here on earth? Drawing from his life's work, Chopra positions the reader to take interest in his conclusions through his gifted ability as a storyteller; however, what is more important is his hard conclusion that the soul continues on in journey through presenting concepts that we can all understand. Chopra eagerly points out that death is miraculous and a "doorway to a far more important event--the beginning of the afterlife" and "can be as creative as living."

Overall, this is a spiritually uplifting book that will make readers pause and reflect. I was able to actually hear my heartbeat slow down a bit. If you are interested in further study, I highly recommend Robert J. Geis' book titled 'Personal Existence After Death: Reductionist Circularities and the Evidence'. Chopra touches on what Geis layed out in easy but much more evidentary detail: arguments against immortality have little proof value, while the argument for immortality has concrete data one can examine: long-term memory seems to be non-localizable, hence giving man a possible non-spatial dimension. Consciousness requires a unifying principle to hold together simultaneously all the billions of data bits entering awareness.

Dr. Chopra's has a clear, crisp understanding of the classical Vedic view of life's great questions. He is both able and willing to explain that view clearly, without hiding behind half-explained Sanskrit vocabulary and without getting on any high horse. He is convinced that, at root, the Vedic teachings are extremely reasonable and entirely worthy of everyone's consideration. In that, he appears to be correct.

I read this book just after reading Richard Dawkin's new book titled something like "The God Delusion." From the title, I inferred (incorrectly) that this volume might function as a sort of de facto reply to the siren song of atheism adopted by Dr. Dawkins. It doesn't actually do that.

This is a good, clear exposition of Vedic principles. These principles were set down for us by highly skilled, highly developed "seers" of the distant past. These "seers" are called "rishis." To satisfy me properly, it is not sufficient for Dr. Chopra to explain the content of the rishi's findings. It would be of first importance to explain to me how I can be my own rishi. I want to see for myself. I want to know for myself. How does a person become a rishi, and so empowered to direct experience of these great and majestic truths? (Perhaps we need a next book to explain that.) This might seem flippant. However, if you think about it, the goal isn't to accept the teaching of mighty sages of the past. The goal is to become sages today---ourselves. Without that, what good is it?

For the initiated or uninitiated, this book will get you thinking. It's a good read right up to the final page. I liked that he gave all of the resources used to support his message so that anyone wanting to, can do further research for themselves.

I was broght up in the Christian tradition, but deep in the depths of my heart, I always felt that the dogma I was being fed was just wrong. How can it be, that a God I loved, and loved me, could throw any soul away into a pit of fire forever? Why would only Christians be entittled to eternal peace? (Or eternal assited living, as Deepak described it.)The heaven described to me in church sounded boring, but I was made to feel if that wasn't what I longed for in the next life, I was wrong.
I finally am hearing answers to my soul's questions in this book. He reads his own book with a lilting soft voice that makes listening all the more pleaseing. This book will take you deep into your own soul, and help you listen to your own soft still voice within.

We could not help but feel that it was rather odd that Chopra chose to subtitle his book on death "The Burden of Proof." If he set out to prove that there are many conflicting concepts and belief systems concerning death that have not been resolved, he was successful. If his goal was a unified theory of death, the subject proved to be too complex even for Chopra to master. That said, Chopra offers readers an interesting mix of Eastern and Western concepts, tying them together with recent discoveries from the realm of quantum consciousness. Chopra weaves a delightful Hindu folk tale throughout the book, effectively using it as a springboard for deeper discussions. The wealth of information Chopra presents certainly offers the reader a myriad of ideas to contemplate, and for that reason it is certainly worth the price, but potential readers who are looking for a definitive philosophy or concrete answers will be disappointed.

In our opinion, the book's greatest value lies in its presentation of recent research in the areas of consciousness and the Zero Point Field. Our perception of death is inescapably linked to our perception of who we are. If we believe we are this body, or any other body we may have experienced during a series of reincarnations, we identify with the personality of the body and perceive death as the ultimate loss. The grief experienced at the loss of the personality is further compounded if we connect the concept of sin and punishment to death. If we understand ourselves to be pure eternal consciousness that has projected the illusion of a body, death has no more meaning for us than changing clothes because we know the Self must remain through every permutation. Unfortunately, Chopra connects this state of pure consciousness to the Void, a repository of all quantum possibility, the place where everything begins and ends. This view relegates God and consciousness to nothingness and a complete absence of personality. If Chopra's assumptions are correct, there appears to be no point to existence either in this life or any that would come after it.

We understand that Chopra's book was not intended to be an exploration of the meaning and purpose of life, but it does not appear to be possible to examine the subject of death without addressing the meaning of life. On one hand, Chopra states that the Void is the ultimate goal. On the other, he explains that we exist so that God can experience through us. If we accept the second theory, we could logically conclude that God is conscious, does experience, and could therefore be said to have a "personality." If that's the case, we might also conclude that God would enjoy the companionship of other conscious "personalities." In our opinion, the concept that all potential exists in a Void or field, and the concept that personality exists in pure consciousness, are not mutually exclusive ideas. God can be all things and be known by aware creations. In the end, Chopra proves that there is still much to ponder. Each reader must take from this book the information that rings true to them and leave the rest. After all, if quantum research proves true and we do experience whatever it is we believe we will experience, the experience of "death" may ultimately be whatever we want it to be.

Lee & Steven Hager are the authors of Quantum Prodigal Son: Revisiting Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Perspective of Quantum Mechanics

A good primer for those interested in a broad approach to the question about the existence of consciousness after death. The reading is easy and casual, the anecdotes are charming, and the book overall gives the reader a sense of hope. Any book that succeeds in making its readers less fearful of death deserves to be read.