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Audio: Training the Mind, Healing the Body
Author: Deepak Chopra, David Simon
Year: 1997

Review

This is a 12-hour audio program that contains a wealth of information. It was impossible for me to digest all of it on the first round of listening. I listened to the complete set of tapes a second time, and then I listened to specific sections that had more personal relevance for a third time. Each time I listened I had more understanding and was able to pick up more ideas. I am sure that further future listening sessions would help in strengthening the understanding and the willpower to turn selected ideas into action.

These 12 hours presented so many new ideas to me that initially I was overwhelmed - in a positive sense. The various messages presented take some lessons from Ayurveda and bring them into the context of the 21st century. Ancient Indian wisdoms are cross references with modern medical studies underlined with specific examples. The tapes deal with spirituality, our mind, health and how the mind can influence health and physical well-being. They present a holistic approach. All is intertwined, all is connected, all is one. As such body (health) can not be seen separately from mind (thoughts) or spirit.

The collective belief system (social norms, cultural standards) influences our expectation. Our expectation influences the outcome. To give an example: If we believe we can't reach the summit, we will not reach the summit. If we have a strong belief, if we are strongly convinced that we will reach the summit, we have better chances of reaching the summit. We can also apply this to our health. If we believe cancer cannot be cured, we will not be cured. Our expectations create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whatever we expect will happen. The expectations in our mind influence our physical well-being. For these reasons we should refuse (not accept, not believe) in the collective belief system (social norms, cultural standards, accepted beliefs). We should refuse believing what others tell us. Ignore comments like "It can't be done. It was always like this. It can't be cured." What is normal? "Normal" is just the average of the collective belief system. Therefore we should refuse "the normal". The "normal" should not apply to us.

Another seed that fell on particularly fertile ground in my own spiritual field is the benefit of touching. Physical touching is so vital to our well-being; it strengthens our immune system, our defenses, creates endorphins and gives pleasure. We should touch a lot, and we should consider self-massages, 5 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes in the evening.

We also have control over our aging process. Aging can be measured with many medical markers (skin thickness, levels of certain hormones, bone density, etc.). It has been shown that through specific actions you can not only feel younger, but become physically/medically younger. The best things to do to limit aging are:

1. Change expectation (expect to live to age 120)
2. Exercise (build muscle and strengthen bones)
3. Meditate (twice a day)
4. Eat/take anti-oxidants (vitamines A, C, E; Biochavan = amalaki = Emblica officinalis = amla = India gooseberry)

Here I have given just a handful of messages/ideas presented in the tapes. The tapes have many more and they present them in a context making them easy to understand as well as more compelling and convincing.

Spiritual Message

In a nut-shell the tapes suggest the following Top-10 Life Philosophies:

1. Listen to your body; there are only 2 signals: comfort or discomfort; do what creates comfort for you and the ones around you.
2. Live in the present; the past and future are an illusion (see also The Power Of Now - Eckhart Tolle)
3. Eliminate toxins (toxic people, toxic emotions, toxic food) from your life
4. Give up the need for approval and control (it does not matter what others think about you; you don't need to control other people)
5. Practice defenselessness (don't defend point of view, don't prove that you are right)
6. Replace fear-based behavior with love-based (=spirit-based) behavior; move from the ego to the spirit
7. Be a passionate lover of life

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