Comprehensive information and links about Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra , M.D., (born 1947 in New Delhi, IndiaDeepak Chopra 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.

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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 subsequently became associated with the transcendental meditation movement, but later branched off on his own, Primordial Sound Meditation.

In 2004, Chopra was recruited to provide 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 [1] 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 discusses a variety of topics.

Criticism

Of particular concern to his critics are 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.

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 it's May 2229, 1991 issue, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a controversial article, "Maharishi Ayur-Veda: Modern Insights Into Ancient Medicine" by Sharma, Triguna and Chopra. (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 correction which included a financial disclosure (Erratum in: JAMA 1991 Aug 14;266(6):798), followed, in October 2, by a six page expose (JAMA. 1991 Oct 2;266(13):1769-74.). Here is a link to an article by Andrew Skolink, the author of the October 2 expose explaining the event: http:naswmav.htm

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." [2]

In March 2003, shortly before the US-led Invasion of Iraq, Chopra, upon being asked for creative ideas, gave ten suggestions, which included that Iraq could be disarmed without force, that religious leaders meet in Baghdad, increasing UN forces by tenfold, 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 [3] to expose them to the rest of the world. Chopra's proposals were widely ridiculed.

In August 2005, Chopra posted series of blogs on (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"). [4] Science writer Michael Shermer, founder of The Skeptics Society and long-time critic of Chopra, posted a response. [5]

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."

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)254-259Article discussing quantum mechanics and new age medicine by Stenger in Skeptical Inquirer magazine.