Deepak Chopra: A New Age Empire

Source: flickr_photos/maidelba/297693420

In the age of Artificial Intelligence and high-end technology, it is easy to find someone who is a big fan of how advanced our society has become. But what of people who don’t buy into mainstream things and try to find a path of their own? Let’s talk about someone like that in this article- Deepak Chopra.

Who is Deepak Chopra?

Deepak Chopra is someone who has been working since the 1990s to create and establish a new approach towards medicine and living life. He is an Indian-American who studied medicine in India and emigrated to the United States later on. While working as the chief of staff at New England Memorial Hospital, he picked up a book by chance which was about transcendental meditation.

By reading this book, he was able to decompress and quit some unhealthy habits, like smoking, as he started learning more and more about his traditions and cultures back in India. He also listened to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who inspired him to write his first book in 1989 titled ‘Quantum Healing: Exploring the frontiers of mind/body medicine’. As he wrote more books, he developed his philosophy which revolved around taking care of the body to ensure longevity and immunity against diseases.

Soon, he ventured into business and became a household figure in alternative medicine and new age philosophies. He has everything one needs to become successful- good communication skills, a degree in medicine, perspectives of eastern medicine, cultures and the traditions. These qualities helped shape the foundation of the empire he has built today.

Today, he is the founder of The Chopra Foundation which is a non-profit organization aiming to perform more research on human well-being. He also found Chopra Global, another venture in the form of a company which has more or less the same goals.

What is New Age?

Sources: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tobint/5353497557

What is this New Age Movement I spoke of in the earlier section? Well. It’s a movement. And a prominent one at that.

The New Age Movement originated in the 1970s and 80s which was based on personal transformation and selfcare. Followers of this movement believe in two things. First and foremost is the idea of a spiritual transformation on the individual level. This would strengthen the believer and set them on a path of growth. Second to this is the belief that there will be a massive spiritual awakening which would bring an end to all societal evils like racism, war, etc. So, it becomes obvious that this movement has been influenced by various other previously existing philosophies from Taoism, Buddhism, and more.

Since this beginning, there have been many instances of a savior appearing but this has been in vain. No savior has appeared but we do see a lot of gurus on the scene. One of them is- you guessed it right- Deepak Chopra.

What is Alternative Medicine?

The medical industry has progressed quite a bit in the last few centuries. We have developed the scientific method and incorporated it into the production of medicine. Our tech is what makes these medicines foolproof and protective.

Okay now imagine you have a fever. You have to get better and will require medicine. Will you pick antibiotics to get better or look for something that doesn’t involve such modern medicine solutions? Many people I know will choose the first option. But many other people choose to go down the unconventional way.

The unconventional methods of developing medicine and cure which are not endorsed by mainstream medicine are known as alternative medicine. These involve practices which don’t have anything to do with pills, syrups, or anything else your doctor would recommend. An example of this looks like using energy healing to make the fever go away.

It has a partner- complementary medicine- which is a branch of medicine which is incorporated in mainstream medicine to increase its effectiveness. Meditation is an example of this method. Together, complementary and alternative medicine are known as CAM and have been evolving even after advancements in modern medicine.

A research based on their combined effectiveness shows that properly training individuals with knowledge of CAM can drastically increase chances of improvement in patients. But this is only when these systems work together. Not alone.

The philosophy Chopra pushes forward

Source: https://choprafoundation.org/education-research/recommended-reading/

Now, we get onto the main topic of discussion- what does new age guru Deepak Chopra has to say about alternative medicine amongst other things?

Chopra himself turns 73 this year and believes that humans can reach a point in time when they don’t die or age. This, of course, would be achieved by evolving one’s mind. These are controversial views but Chopra went on with writing books and building upon his ideas.

When asked if he thinks modern medicine is important or not, he stressed upon the fact that he is a doctor himself and encourages using mainstream medicine. He says “I think medicine is very useful for acute illness. If you have pneumonia, I certainly tell you to take an antibiotic. You break your leg; I’d have you see an orthopedic surgeon.” He further added that integrating this type of medicine with practices like meditation, stress management, etc., is what will help you more.

Furthermore, Chopra also declared that he has never been sick! Now this sounds like a miracle.

Currently, Chopra’s ‘The Chopra Foundation’ is working on various new medicine which, according to him, are extremely good for mental health. This is the psilocybin or as they call it- the ‘magic mushrooms’. It counts as alternative medicine since this medicine isn’t part of mainstream medical science. According to Chopra, while these mushrooms are very good for patients, one needs to have a ‘mind/body connection’. The book you see in the image attached is one of his many writings which advocate for this mind and body connection which can work wonders for the human brain and body.

Is it really effective though? Well, the tests for this are still ongoing and Chopra insists that this should only be taken in small doses in the presence of a clinical expert. Otherwise, it could become addictive and cause negative trauma in the patients.

Is his philosophy effective? That’s for the reader to find out ;).

Resources

Who is Deepak Chopra?

Perry, T. (1997, September 7). So Rich, So Restless. Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-07-tm-29576-story.html
https://www.deepakchopra.com/author/dc_admin. (2021, August 10). About – Deepak ChopraTM️. Deepak ChopraTM️. https://www.deepakchopra.com/about/

What is the New Age?

New Age movement | Spiritualism, Holistic Health & Mysticism | Britannica. (2024). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Age-movement
What is the New Age Movement? – ReviseSociology. (2018, September 25). ReviseSociology – a Level Sociology Revision – Education, Families, Research Methods, Crime and Deviance and More! https://revisesociology.com/2018/09/25/new-age-movement-what/

What is Alternative Medicine?

Mortada, E. M. (2024). Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Current Medical Practice. Curēus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52041
Huizen, J. (2021, July 6). What is alternative medicine, and does it work? Medicalnewstoday.com; Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/alternative-medicine#definitions

The philosophy Chopra puts forward