You Are the Universe

If you have a passion for science, cosmology and Eastern Philosophy this is a must read book. This 276 page hardcover volume (You are the Universe: Discovering your cosmic self and why it matters by Deepak Chopra and Menas Kafatos) explores the many mysteries of the universe and how it relates to our place in the cosmos. This book attempts to unite the scientific facts and positions with the mysticism, spiritualism, and mysteries of humankind.Though I found this treatise both interesting and thought provoking; nevertheless, I am not sure it has proved its case enough to be accepted by traditional hard science. Since many of the issues brought out in this book may not be resolved with our present knowledge and experience, we may have to face the fact that we may never have the answers to all the mysteries of the cosmos. Indeed, we may have to realize our own intellectual limitations.This book is organized into two parts. Part one (The ultimate mysteries) explores what came before the Big bang, How does the Universe fit together so perfectly, where did time come from, what is the universe made of, is there design in the universe, is the Quantum world linked to everyday life, do we live in a Conscious Universe, how did life first begin and does the brain create the mind. The second part (Embracing your cosmic self) explains the power of personal reality, where you really came from, and home free. The appendix sections are also very important to read in this book.In conclusion, this is the kind of book that will force you to think more deeply on the many mysteries and questions concerning the universe and humankinds place in the Cosmos.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Martial Art and Warrior Haiku and Senryu).

Awesome book and despite the subject matter being complex at times, the authors did a great job relating hard to understand scientific concepts with real life analogies. The greatest sages and prophets throughout time have espoused the same things but did not have the science to go along with their teachings. As stated in the headline, Stephen Hawkins needs to change his book from "The Theory of Everything" to "You Are Everything." If we humans had the capability to see the smallest subatomic particles, when we looked at trees, houses, other humans,...everything would look the same. You wouldn't see an outline of a human, the inside of the human, or things outside the human. The "inside" of the body would look just like the "outside" of the body. There would not be a location for "me or I." There would be no inside/outside concept. The sun, trees, plants,... are just as important to us as any organs "inside" our bodies.I read a one star review for this book that related it to the same snake oil Deepak has been preaching for 40 years. My question, how did snake oil work? How does the placebo work? Where is the mathematical equation for the effect of the mind on the cells in the body? And if the mind can effect cells that are inside the body why wouldn't it have the same effect on things "outside" the body? Thank God (as the expression goes or in this case the Universe) that we do have the observer effect in quantum mechanics. Maybe the greatest breakthrough in science - along with this book!

As a non-scientist, humanities person this book was wonderful and at times difficult for me. But it has done a very fundamental thing. I now know that the world of ordinary experience is quite different from the cosmic consciousness perspective advanced here. It has also sent me on to further study to complete the transformation to the full human the authors envision. I am grateful and eager to move forward.

It is sad that the reviews thus far, as of this writing, are so limited in generalities that they give YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE a dismissive attitude. I hope to correct this nonchalant audacity in my review by presenting this book by following the words by Pabla Picasso, "Every act of creativity is first an act of destruction." YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE is a blistering attack on the claims of scientific materialism. And, it introduces us to a quantum leap, that is, the observer now sees something new - a new consciousness that is unfolding a new potential human purpose. Hence, we are grounded in the future potential rather than chasing materialism.I gathered the above information in a book written in 2004 by Deepak Chopra called THE BOOK OF SECRETS, Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life. And guess what. Secret # 2 bears the title THE WORLD IS IN YOU. We are the center of the universe. "To embrace one reality again, we must accept that the world is in us." page 25. That is to say, 'The one reality has already revealed a deep secret: Being a creator is more important than the whole world." page 27. This last quote get's to heart of YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE. "I have no need to control anyone or any thing: I can affect change by transforming the only thing that I have ever had control of in the first place, which is myself." page 28. I suggest that you should purchase THE BOOK OF SECRETS as a companion resource for the book YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE.As I place the book,YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE, on my lap I stared at the title and subtitle and asked these questions. How shall I experience the YOU in the title? How shall I experience the "you (r) as a cosmic self"? How shall I experience the YOU in our 13.7 billion year evolutionary history?The agenda of this book is on page 3 and has similarities with THE BOOK OF SECRETS. They want to demonstrate "that this is a participatory universe that depends for the very existence on human beings." The YOU.Now let's get into the construction of this agenda. How does Freeman Dyson contradict the scientific materialism credo that nature is both randomrandom and mindless? Dyson states: "... It appears that mind , as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extend inherent in every atom." page 19-20 This the core of the paradigm shift in this book. So, keep this vital thought by Dyson in your mind as you begin your tour of this book. From my own personal conclusion I state this observation that human beings are children of Atoms, not Adam."The answer, if Dyson is right, is mind. If mind links little things and big things, then dividing the universe into random and nonrandom events misses the point. The point is that mind may be everywhere, and our lives happen to reflect this fact." page 21.Therefore, Tagore on page 24, defines our world and YOU not as mere materialistic beings. He states, " This world is a human world ... the world apart from us does not exist. It is a relative world depending for its reality upon our consciousness."I have given you a real foretaste in order to experience YOU in this book. I suggest that you purchase both books THE BOOK OF SECRETS and YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE. From these books YOU will get a second birth from materialism to the enlightenment of your cosmic self.