Living Beyond Miracles
The authors seem to be a match made in heaven, here on earth. They are both practitioners of “self-development” and believers in the powers of holistic health care. They appreciate the power of humor, believe in divine inspiration, and are acutely attuned to humanity’s need to pursue wisdom. Each has had amazing success as a writer and a speaker, as well as in his chosen profession. The two men believe in the ability of the mind to “create miracles” and “the power of meditation.”
This CD set marks the first time they’ve publicly worked together, after decades of working separately. Their talks take a broad approach, with self-realization and spiritual fulfillment as the two most recurring themes. Recorded live at a Unity Church, the CDs feature musical interludes that separate the talks, and audience response is audible.
The audio triptych opens with Dyer discussing how he met Chopra, their differences (specifically, their backgrounds, educations, social status), and the similarities of how they each came to use meditative practice in their professional careers. Describing their “immediate friendship,” Dyer praises Chopra, and expresses thanks for Chopra’s medical training, which Dyer credits with his wife’s recovery from a major health problem. His gratitude and admiration are palpable. As in his earlier works (Your Erroneous Zones, Real Magic, You’ll See It When You Believe It, and The Power of Intention), Dyer uses personal stories to illustrate the universal. Weaving familial and scientific references into his narrative, he chats about the “deep knowing” that is available to everyone.
Chopra, in turn, opens his section with praise for Dyer, telling his version of how the two met, and how he, likewise, felt an instant kinship. He draws from the tradition of Vedic wisdom from India. Believing much of the ancient wisdom to be “the cutting edge” of contemporary medicine, he urges the use of meditation as a “powerful, transformative practice.” He’s long urged his patients to use meditation, and has found it speeds up recovery time and eases pain.
Chopra (the author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Creating Affluence, Quantum Healing, Perfect Health, and Ageless Body, Timeless Mind) thinks that humans need to open themselves up to the “field of possibilities,” and that “everything in the universe is connected.”
The concluding conversation between Chopra and Dyer is the liveliest section. Full of humor and mutual respect, the two authors question and challenge one another in hopes of bringing out each other’s finer nature. The conversation includes topics such as debating the necessity for the coexistence of opposites, the need to cultivate love, the importance of controlling fear, and the possibility of moving beyond time, particularly when being pigeonholed by age. The two men work well together, creating a lively and intriguing dialogue regarding the possibilities inherent in every human.
Reviewed by
Pam Kingsbury
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
