DEEPAK CHOPRA QUOTES

If love is universal, no one can be left out.

Take five minutes every day and just sit in silence. In that time, put these questions to your attention and heart: “Who am I? What do I want for my life? What do I want from my life today?” Then let go, and let your stream of consciousness, your quieter inner voice, supply the answers. Then, after five minutes, write them down. Do this every day and you’ll be surprised at how situations, circumstances, events, and people will orchestrate themselves around the answers. This is the beginning of synchrodestiny.

The most creative act you will ever undertake is the act of creating yourself

When I am happy for no reason whatsoever, then I am in bliss, as that comes from going beyond the poles of opposites.

Accept what comes to you totally & completely so that you can appreciate it, learn from it & then let it go.

Be happy for no reason, like a child. If you are happy for a reason, you're in trouble, because that reason can be taken from you.

The secret of attraction is to love yourself. Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others. They are open to gestures of love. They think about love, and express their love in every action. They know that love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe.

Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.

If we are creating ourselves all the time, then it is never too late to begin creating the bodies we want instead of the ones we mistakenly assume we are stuck with.

Holding on to anything is like holding on to your breath. You will suffocate. The only way to get anything in the physical universe is by letting go of it. Let go & it will be yours forever

Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.

Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined.

According to Vedanta, there are only two symptoms of enlightenment, just two indications that a transformation is taking place within you toward a higher consciousness. The first symptom is that you stop worrying. Things don't bother you anymore. You become light-hearted and full of joy. The second symptom is that you encounter more and more meaningful coincidences in your life, more and more synchronicities. And this accelerates to the point where you actually experience the miraculous. 

When you struggle with your partner, you are struggling with yourself. Every fault you see in them touches a denied weakness in yourself.

There are many aspects to success; material wealth is only one component...But success also includes good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, creative freedom, emotional and psychological stability, a sense of well-being, and peace of mind.

Not every sky will be blue and not every day is springtime. So on the spiritual path a person learns to find this kind of happiness without needing nice things to happen on the outside. Rather, you find happiness by being who you really are. This isn't mystical. Young children are happy being who they are. The trick is to regain such a state when you are grown and have seen the light and dark sides of life.

If you’re really spiritual, then you should be totally independent of the good and the bad opinions of the world…you should have faith in yourself.

If you focus on success, you’ll have stress. But if you pursue excellence, success will be guaranteed

Dynamic activity and deep rest of the mind are complementary to each other.

Growth is the willingness to let reality be new every moment.

To acquire true self power you have to feel beneath no one, be immune to criticism and be fearless.

Instead of asking "what’s the problem?" ask "what's the creative opportunity?

To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.

What keeps life fascinating is the constant creativity of the soul.

You are not the drop in the ocean, but the ocean in the drop.

Silence is the great teacher and to learn its lessons you must pay attention to it. There is no substitute for the creative inspiration, knowledge, and stability that come from knowing how to contact your core of inner silence.

Although you love both Goddesses, you must pay more attention to one of them. She is the Goddess of Knowledge, and her name is Sarasvati. Pursue her, love her, and give her your attention. The other Goddess, whose name is Lakshmi, is the Goddess of Wealth. When you pay more attention to Sarasvati, Lakshmi will become extremely jealous and pay more attention to you. The more you seek the Goddess of Knowledge, the more the Goddess of Wealth will seek you. She will follow you wherever you go and never leave you. And the wealth you desire will be yours forever.

Prayer is your speaking to God and meditation is allowing the spirit to speak to you, but it speaks in silence and it then manifests as intuituion.

The best way to get rid of the pain is to feel the pain. And when you feel the pain and go beyond it, you’ll see there’s a very intense love that is wanting to awaken itself.

The third component of the Law of Dharma is service to humanity--to serve your fellow human beings and to ask yourself the questions,"How can I help? How can I help all those that I come into contact with?" When you combine the ability to express your unique talent with service to humanity, then you make full use of the Law of Dharma.

The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers.

If you want to do really important things in life and big things in life, you can't do anything by yourself. And your best teams are your friends and your siblings.

The highest levels of performance come to people who are centered, intuitive, creative, and reflective - people who know to see a problem as an opportunity.

Fear is the memory of pain. Addiction is the memory of pleasure. Freedom is beyond both.

Life is a series of moments. Each moment should be welcomed in joy and relinquished in joy.

The gifts of caring, attention, appreciation, and love are some of the most precious gifts you can give, and they don't cost you anything.

Anything and everything in existence can be mastered when all effort is relaxed and the mind is absorbed in the infinite unbounded nature of consciousness. And then we are no longer upset by the play of opposites. And life is lived in freedom and joy.

I teach people that no matter what the situation is, no matter how chaotic, no matter how much drama is around you, you can heal by your presence if you just stay within your center.

You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.

Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.

If you have your full attention in the moment, you will see only Love.

In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.

The space between your thoughts is the window to the cosmic mind.

There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle.

Genuine gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to invite more goodness into your life.

Looking for God is like a thirsty fish looking for water. What you seek is all around you, but you don’t realize it.

Living our lives with love for all beings helps us realize our spirit’s true nature. Practice living love today by simply offering a kind word or thought to everyone you meet.

The spiritual meaning of love is best measured by what it can do, which is many things. Love can heal. Love can renew. Love can make us safe. Love can inspire us with its power. Love can bring us closer to God.

If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It's very important to be aware of them every time they come up. 

I am here to serve. I am here to inspire. I am here to love. I am here to live my truth.

The soul of leadership

Great leaders have a vision, and the ability to manifest it. Defining your own vision begins with looking and listening. You look and listen to the situation around you, but you also look and listen inside. Four steps are involved:

Impartial observation—Look and listen with your senses.
Analysis—Look and listen with your mind.
Feeling—Look and listen with your heart.
Incubation—Look and listen with your soul.

Once you have gone through these four steps, your personal vision can begin to express itself.

When we look and listen fully, we involve the body, the mind, the heart, and the soul.
Body: The stage of observing and information gathering
Mind: The stage of analysis and judgment
Heart: The stage of feeling
Soul: The stage of incubation

Observation: Begin by being as open and impartial as possible. See as much as you can, and listen to whoever has something to say. In a sense you function like a video camera. Allow sights and sounds to come in freely and objectively.

Analysis: At the same time, your mind is also taking in the situation. It begins to weigh and analyze. Allow any and every idea to come to mind. Watch what arises, and notice wisps of answers, new interpretations, and novel combinations. Once again, steer clear of judgments and preconceptions. Be unbiased and clear-headed.

Feeling: At the level of your heart, notice what feels right. Feeling is subtler and truer than pure analysis. This is the level where sudden insight can strike you. You are bringing intuition into the picture, allowing for the “aha” moment that accompanies quantum leaps of creativity.

Incubation: Now let go and wait. When a vision is incubating, it goes into a deep, invisible place. A profound and infinite intelligence nurses your vision, adapting it to your needs and the needs of everyone around you. You have gained access to something greater than yourself, whether you call it the higher self, pure awareness, or your connection with God. If none of these terms work for you, you might want to think of the soul as “who I really am.”

FINDING YOUR TRUE PURPOSE
Being in touch with the soul is the secret of great leadership. We are all capable of following the path that unites body, mind, heart, and soul. By making a soul connection, your true purpose in life will become the foundation of everything you do. Leaders exist to give of themselves, and you can give only from what you have. The soul—that is, the core of your true self—is the place where you will locate insight, creativity, imagination, and profound intelligence. When you know what is happening at your very core, what you have to give becomes limitless.

Your mission statement will fuse two components:
1. A Soul Profile that reflects your values, and a Personal Vision that reflects your deepest intentions.

Your Soul Profile
Using just a few words or phrases, answer the following questions. Be candid, and don’t dwell too long on the questions before you answer them. Let your first responses guide you.
1. What’s my contribution in life?
2. What’s the purpose in what I do?
3. How do I feel when I have a peak experience?
4. Who are my heroes and heroines (from history, mythology, fiction, religion)?
5. What are the qualities that I look for in a best friend?
6. What are my unique skills and talents?
7. What are the best qualities I express in a personal relationship?

Now, using the keywords you've developed in your answers above, write a brief profile of your soul as if you were describing another person. For example: “Deepak’s purpose is to grow personally and to bring out inner potential and hidden possibilities. He contributes by being loving and supportive. When he has a peak experience, he feels great inner peace and unity with everything around him. His heroes are Gandhi, Buddha, Jesus, Mother Divine, and Krishna. In a best friend he looks for understanding and stimulation. He feels that his unique skill is communication. He has a talent for getting others to look beyond their old conditioning and fixed boundaries. His best quality in personal relationships is to love, support, and appreciate the other person.”

2. Keeping your soul profile close at hand, now move on to the next step: defining your personal vision.

Your Personal Vision
Again using just a few words or phrases, complete the following sentences. Let yourself go. Don't worry about being logical, or about the feasibility of implementing these ideas. Just write whatever comes to you. And above all, be true to yourself.

1. I want to live in a world in which ___________.
2. I would be inspired to work in an organization that ___________.
3. I would be proud to lead a team that ___________.
4. A transformed world would be ____________.

To match your present work with your vision, answer the following:

• How does your work in the world reflect the vision you outlined above?
• What do you need (from your team or organization) to get closer to your ideals?
• What can you offer (to your team and organization) to move it closer to your ideals?

Your Mission Statement
Now that you have written down your values and your vision, merge the two into a succinct statement of your overall mission in this lifetime. Your statement should describe what you want to accomplish as a leader from this point forward. Use the following template:

My mission behind everything I do is _____________.
• Keep it simple and concise.
• A child should be able to understand it.
• You should be able to state it even in your sleep.

Example: My own mission statement originally was “to reach critical mass and achieve a peaceful, just, sustainable, and healthy world.” This needed to be simplified, which led me to come up with a clearer mission: “To serve the world and all who live in it.”

Finally, see if you can crystallize your mission statement into one word. Mine is “serve.” Yours might be “grow,” “evolve,” “inspire,” “peace,” or anything else. The key is that when you hit upon the most succinct way of stating your purpose, you will be listening to your true self, which is the first requirement for anyone who aspires to lead from the soul.

As a leader, your vision exists to be shared with enthusiasm and inspiration. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek root en-theos or “in God,” reminding you that you must look in your soul. Inspiration comes from the same Latin root as to breathe and spirit. When you inspire others, you bring everyone into the spirit of your vision—you motivate them to breathe together in the same atmosphere.

PUTTING YOUR VISION TO WORK
A vision is general; situations are specific. Now you must know how to enter situations and handle them at every level, from superfi cial (but necessary) managerial tasks to articulating the core of values and beliefs that each of us protects and cherishes.

The Needs of the Group
Safety, security
Achievement, success
Cooperation
Nurturing, belonging
Creativity, progress
Moral values
Spiritual fulfillment

As a guide, here are some common situations that revolve around the seven needs:
1. Safety, Security
Situations of threat and instability. People feel insecure. Discontent is in the air. You can see nervous faces, feel the prevailing anxiety. Who is going to make the situation feel safer?
2. Achievement, Success
Situations of unrealized achievement. People feel unsuccessful. They want to be more productive, but there’s not enough fire or passion to make it happen. Who is going to step up and provide the motivation so sorely needed? 
3. Cooperation
Situations of incoherence and fragmentation. There’s no team spirit. The group disintegrates into bickering and petty wrangling. Meetings go on forever but reach no conclusion. Who’s going to be the glue that brings coherence to the situation?
4. Nurturing, Belonging
Situations mired in bad feeling and apathy. Everyone is going through the motions, doing what they need to do, but feeling disengaged. There’s little personal support or trust. Who’s going to bring heart to the situation and make others feel that they belong?
5. Creativity, Progress
Situations dominated by old solutions and stale ideas. People feel stymied. Everyone agrees that something new is needed, but all that emerges are small variations on the status quo. Who’s going to bring the spark of creativity to the situation?
6. Moral Values
Situations that are spiritually empty and corrupt. The weak feel hopeless, and the strong are cynically taking advantage. People talk about righting wrongs, but no one knows where to start. The future feels like wishful thinking; the present is oppressive and suffocating. Who will bring hope and a renewed sense of innocence?
7. Spiritual Fulfillment
Situations that symbolize the human condition. People are asking the big questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Many are seeking God. There is talk of a higher reality, yet faith is lacking. Who can bring the light and demonstrate that holiness is a living reality?

WHAT TO DO TODAY

Need: Safety, security
Leader’s response: I'm strong when it comes to defending others. I keep my head in a crisis; I’m good in an emergency.
Need: Achievement, success
Leader’s response: I know what it takes to win. I can motivate people to achieve. I can make them believe in me.
Need: Cooperation
Leader’s response: I'm a conciliator who can see both sides of a conflict. I'm steady and not impulsive. I know how to get people out of their entrenched positions.
Need: Nurturing, belonging
Leader’s response: Empathy comes easily to me. I understand human nature. I know how to get people to forgive and see the best in one another. Handling emotional situations doesn’t fluster me; I’m comfortable with it.
Need: Creativity, progress
Leader’s response: I can get people to think outside the box. I know what makes creative people tick. I love to explore new possibilities. The unknown doesn’t frighten me.
Need: Moral values
Leader’s response: I feel a calling. I want to heal old wounds, and I can help people see their higher purpose for being here. I want to share my understanding of why we were put on this earth.
Need: Spiritual fulfillment
Leader’s response: I feel whole. I influence others who want the experience of inner peace that I have. My inner silence speaks louder than words. I lead through my presence. Others consider me wise.

http://books.google.co.in/books?id=pZ0P6oJHg3QC&dq=%22Great+leaders+have+a+vision,+and+the+ability+to+manifest+it.%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Amv5U6SPIdKRuATB5YKYBw&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ

Creating Affluence - A–to-Z Steps to a Richer Life

A: All possibilities, absolute, authority, affluence, abundance.
B: Better and best.
C: Carefreeness and charity.
D: Demand and supply, dharma.
E: Exulting in the success of others, expecting the best.
F: Failure contains the seed of success.
G: Gratitude, generosity, God, gap, goal.
H: Happiness and humanity.
I : Intent or intention.
J: Judgment is unnecessary.
K: Knowledge contains organizing power.
L: Love and luxury.
M: Making money for others, motivating others.
N: Saying no to negativity.
O:Life is the coexistence of opposites, opportunity, open and honest communication.
P: Purpose in life, pure potentiality.
Q: To question.
R: Receiving is as necessary as giving.
S: Spending and service.
T: Transcendence, timeless awareness, talent bank, tithing.
U: Understanding the unity behind all diversity.
V: Values.
W: Wealth consciousness without worries.
X: Expressing honest appreciation and thanks to all who help us.
Y: Youthful vigor.
Z: Zest for life.

- Deepak Chopra
http://www.schooloffirstthought.com/a-z-steps/

Laughing Meditation

http://www.youtube.com/TheChopraWell

Questions on Self-Awareness

Michael Shermer and Deepak Chopra | WHO ARE YOU? Part 1

Deepak Chopra Plays Basketball With His Son

Michael Shermer Word Play WHO ARE YOU? Part 2

Michael Shermer fires back at Deepak Chopra | WHO ARE YOU? Part 3


http://www.youtube.com/TheChopraWell

How to Deal with Addiction

Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra

1. APPLYING THE LAW OF PURE POTENTIALITY
I will put the Law of Pure Potentiality into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) I will get in touch with the field of pure potentiality by taking time each day to be silent, to just Be. I will also sit alone in silent meditation at least twice a day for approximately thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the evening.
(2) I will take time each day to commune with nature and to silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. I will sit silently and watch a sunset, or listen to the sound of the ocean or a stream, or simply smell the scent of a flower. In the ecstasy of my own silence, and by communing with nature, 1 will enjoy the lire throb of ages, the field of pure potentiality and unbounded creativity.
(3) I will practice non-judgment. I will begin my day with the statement, “Today, I shall judge nothing that occurs,” and throughout the day I will remind myself not to judge.

2.APPLYING THE LAW OF GIVING
I will put the Law of Giving into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) Wherever I go, and whoever I encounter, I will bring them a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. Today, I will give something to everyone I come into contact with, and so I will begin the process of circulating joy, wealth and affluence in my life and in the lives of others.
(2) Today I will gratefully receive all the gifts that life has to offer me. I will receive the gifts of nature: sunlight and the sound of birds singing, or spring showers or the first snow of winter. I will also be open to receiving from others, whether it be in the form of a material gift, money, a compliment, or a prayer.
(3) I will make a commitment to keep wealth circulating in my life by giving and receiving life’s most precious gifts: the gifts of caring, affection, appreciation, and love. Each time I meet someone, I will silently wish them happiness, joy, and laughter.

3. APPLYING THE LAW OF KARMA OR CAUSE AND EFFECT
I will put the Law of Karma into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) Today I will witness the choices I make in each moment. And in the mere witnessing of these choices, I will bring them to my conscious awareness. I will know that the best way to prepare for any moment in the future is to be fully conscious in the present.
(2) Whenever I make a choice, I will ask myself two questions: “What are the consequences of this choice that I’m making?” and “Will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and also to those who are affected by this choice?”
(3) I will then ask my heart for guidance and be guided by its message of comfort or discomfort. If the choice feels comfortable, I will plunge ahead with abandon. If the choice feels uncomfortable, I will pause and see the consequences of my action with my inner vision. This guidance will enable me to make spontaneously correct choices for myself and for all those around me.

4. APPLYING THE LAW OF LEAST EFFORT
I will put the Law of Least Effort into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) I will practice Acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were.
(2) Having accepted things as they are, I will take Responsibility for my situation and for all those events I see as problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for my situation (and this includes myself). I also know that every problem is an opportunity in disguise, and this alertness to opportunities allows me to take this moment and transform it into a greater benefit.
(3) Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view. I will feel no need to convince or persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view and not be rigidly attached to any one of them.

5. APPLYING THE LAW OF INTENTION AND DESIRE
I will put the Law of Intention and Desire into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) I will make a list of all my desires. I will carry this list with me wherever I go. I will look at this list before I go into my silence and meditation. I will look at it before I go to sleep at night. I will look at it when I wake up in the morning.
(2) I will release this list of my desires and surrender it to the womb of creation, trusting that when things don’t seem to go my way, there is a reason, and that the cosmic plan has designs for me much grander than even those that I have conceived.
(3) I will remind myself to practice present-moment awareness in all my actions. I will refuse to allow obstacles to consume and dissipate the quality of my attention in the present moment. I will accept the present as it is, and manifest the future through my deepest, most cherished intentions and desires.

6. APPLYING THE LAW OF DETACHMENT
I will put the Law of Detachment into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) Today I will commit myself to detachment. 1 will allow myself and those around me the freedom to be as they are. I will not rigidly impose my idea of how things should be. I will not force solutions on problems, thereby creating new problems. I will participate in everything with detached involvement.
(2) Today I will factor in uncertainty as an essential ingredient of my experience. In my willingness to accept uncertainty, solutions will spontaneously emerge out of the problem, out of the confusion, disorder, and chaos. The more uncertain things seem to be, the more secure I will feel, because uncertainty is my path to freedom. Through the wisdom of uncertainty, I will find my security.
(3) I will step into the field of all possibilities and anticipate the excitement that can occur when I remain open to an infinity of choices. When I step into the field of all possibilities, I will experience all the fun, adventure, magic, and mystery of life.

7. APPLYING THE LAW OF “DHARMA” OR PURPOSE IN LIFE
I will put the Law of Dharma into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
(1) Today I will lovingly nurture the god or goddess in embryo that lies deep within my soul. I will pay attention to the spirit within me that animates both my body and my mind. I will awaken myself to this deep stillness within my heart. I will carry the consciousness of timeless, eternal Being in the midst of time-bound experience.
(2) I will make a list of my unique talents. Then I will list all the things that I love to do while expressing my unique talents. When 1 express my unique talents and use them in the service of humanity, I lose track of time and create abundance in my life as well as in the lives of others.
(3) I will ask myself daily, “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?” The answers to these questions will allow me to help and serve my fellow human beings with love.
http://bkc.name/wp-content/uploads/Deepak-Chopra-The-7-Laws-Of-Success.pdf

7 Steps to Forgiving Yourself (or Anyone Else)

1. Responsibility
Tell yourself you will no longer assign blame for the action. 

2. Feeling
Recall what the incident felt like at the time. Feel it in your body. 

3. Labeling
Put an emotion to that feeling. Was it anger? Fear? Sadness? 

4. Expressing
Write down what happened in the incident in the first person, then write it down as the other person. Finally, write it down as an objective 3rd person. 

5. Sharing
Look at the person next to you and share your story, or share it with someone you trust. 

6. Releasing
Tear (or burn) up that paper. 

7. Celebrating
Stand up and celebrate the release. Maybe do a little dance. 
-Deepak Chopra
http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/7-Steps-to-Forgiving-Yourself-or-Anyone-Else

Practicing The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success