Deepak Chopra - You Are the Universe

I am often asked if Deepak Chopra really believes the many controversial and provocative ideas he espouses in his many writings. Now that I have gotten to know him, I can answer unequivocally in the affirmative, and there is no better encapsulation of his scientific worldview than You Are the Universe, which he coauthored with the highly respected physicist Menas Kafatos, my colleague at Chapman University. If you want to understand the worldview in which human consciousness is primary, and how that perspective can be defended through science, this is the book to read. In my own journey to better understand Deepak and his worldview, this book was the most enlightening path I took.

M ICHAEL S HERMER, P H .D., publisher of Skeptic magazine; monthly columnist of Scientific American; Presidential Fellow at Chapman University; author of The Moral Arc, The Believing Brain, and Why People Believe Weird Things

As a teenager, I used to find it rather curious that people regard their thoughts and emotions as integral to who they are, but their perceptions as something totally beyond themselves. The world we perceive is, after all, part of our mental life just like our thoughts and emotions. In this book, Deepak and Menas take this seemingly innocent idea to cosmic heights, revealing its true force and significance. They do it intelligently, in a scientifically well-informed manner, and with good taste. The result is delightful.

B ERNARDO K ASTRUP, P H .D., author of Why Materialism Is Baloney, Brief Peeks Beyond, and More Than Allegory

You Are the Universe could have been spelled Youniverse, for not only are you in the universe, you are at the start of it all. Chopra and Kafatos have put together a well-written and, as far as any scientist today knows, a completely accurate exploration of how the mystery of subjective consciousness provides the basis for material reality as it is presently understood. I highly recommend this for those who are curiously alive.

F RED A LAN W OLF, P H .D., aka Dr. Quantum, theoretical physicist; author of The Spiritual Universe, National Book Awardwinning Taking the Quantum Leap, Time Loops and Space Twists, and many other books

The latest masterpiece by Deepak is a joint oeuvre with cosmologist Menas Kafatos. It addresses all the most important questions we can ask of ourselves and of science. Questions like who are we, and why are we herewith the science to back our answers. This is the new paradigm we have been talking about!

E RVIN L ASZLO, author of What Is Reality: The New Map of Cosmos, Consciousness, and Existence

In this interesting book, an astrophysicist is uniquely teaming up with a medical doctor. They present a novel, and I dare to say, revolutionary paradigm that has to make us all reconsider our ideas about our place in the universe. It will shake stagnated waters in the shortsighted beliefs of many. It will also make us think and wonder about our real relationship with the cosmos.

K ANARIS T SINGANOS, director and president of the governing board of the National Observatory of Athens; professor of astrophysics, astronomy, and mechanics in the department of physics, University of Athens (Greece)

You Are the Universe discusses the most important aspect of consciousness studies, that is, Does the mind create reality? This book raises a lot of such fascinating issues that may create an environment of new debate.

S ISIR R OY, T.V. Raman Pai Chair at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, IISc campus, Bangalore; (former) professor of physics and applied mathematics unit at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India

You Are the Universe brings the usual gracious clarity of all of Deepak Chopras writings together with the insights of physicist Menas Kafatos to elucidate the most profound and pressing questions at the frontiers of contemporary science. Weaving Dr. Chopras expertise regarding biological systems with Professor Kafatoss work in quantum physics, geophysics, and cosmology, they illuminate the realms where all the most successful contemporary sciences come to the edge of what can be explained with the vital lights from their own lifetimes of deep spiritual practice. The result is no clash of competing perspectives, but a rich, synergistic tapestry of great wisdom, beauty, and comfort for our culture. As such, You Are the Universe is their great and generous gift to each of us.

N EIL T HEISE, M.D., professor of pathology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

For a fruitful collaboration, especially when a book is as complexly woven as this one, many thanks are deserved.

We are extremely grateful to a friend and outstanding physicist, Leonard Mlodinow of Caltech, who gave our manuscript a close critical examination. Similar thanks go to the knowing, talented science writer Amanda Gefter. They served to ensure that our science was as close to note perfect as possible, even when we ventured into controversial areas that challenge mainstream science.

The study of consciousness has moved from being a minor consideration in hard science to a major investigation. We have gained much from three major conferences on the subject and to their tireless organizers:

Stuart Hameroff, a leading pioneer in the field. He heads the invaluable Science and Consciousness Conference: http://consciousness.arizona.edu/ .

Maurizo and Zaya Benazzo, who are the conference founders and organizers of SAND, a science and nonduality conference of international reach and importance: https://www.scienceandnonduality.com/ .

Sages and Scientists Symposium, hosted by the Chopra Foundation: www.choprafoundation.org.

On the publishing arm, we were extremely fortunate in the team who made this book possible, beginning with our patient, dedicated editor, Gary Jansen, as well as the working team at Harmony: Aaron Wehner, publisher; Diana Baroni, vice president and editorial director; Tammy Blake, vice president and director of publicity; Julie Cepler, director of marketing; Lauren Cook, senior publicist; Christina Foxley, senior marketing manager; Jenny Carrow and Christopher Brand, our jacket design team; Elizabeth Rendfleisch, director of interior design; Heather Williamson, production manager; and Patricia Shaw, senior production editor. Thanks also go to the executives, Maya Mavjee, president and publisher of the Crown Publishing Group, and again, Aaron Wehner, senior vice president and publisher of Harmony Books.