Power, Freedom, and Grace - Living from the Source of Lasting Happiness author: Deepak Chopra Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc. 2006 ISBN #1-878424-81-5 "Power, Freedom, and Grace" is stunning template for living from the soul. Chopra address such issues as: "Where am I?", "Where did I come from?", and "Where do I go when I die?" From the author of "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success", we are gifted with an in-depth look at the mystery of life - of who we are, and how we can all accomplish our greatest goal, that of living a life of lasting happiness. For many years I worked on a daily basis with "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success", going through two copies and presently working on a third. (No, I am not that hard on my books, but with several moves and life in general, things happen.) Chopra writes with a sense of clarity and purpose, speaking with his audience, never down to them. Nor does he "dumb down" his concepts for public consumption. He writes from the heart, and the soul, to the heart and soul of his audience. Dedicated to the "immortal Being in all of us", this book is divided into three parts: Part I - The Problem: not knowing who we are; Part II - The Prescription: remembering who we are; and Part III - The Practice: Experiencing who we are. Each chapter begins with a question, which is answered with one word, and a definition of that word. The text that follows is based on the teachings of the Vedanta, and discusses how this issue presents itself in our lives. At the end of each chapter is a listing of the key points covered. From the book (Chapter 1): I What do I want? ~~~~~ hap - pe - ness (hap' e nes) A feeling of great pleasure, contentment, or joy. ~~~~~ Key Points Happiness is the goal of all goals, and its a state of consciousness that already exists within you. Happiness for a reason is a form of misery because the reason can be taken away from you at any time. To be happy for no reason is the happiness you want to experience. When your life is an expression of your inner happiness, you feel a sense of connection to the creative power of the universe. Having that connection you feel that you can accomplish anything you desire. Chopra walks us through defining ourselves (who we are, what we want in life, and how we can take an active part in creating our reality), learning to experience who we are (what is there after death, what the keys to happiness are, and how to live an effortless life), and how to actually take part in the experience of who we are (understanding what power is and how to obtain it, how to experience freedom, and how to live in grace). Chopra has included an appendix at the end of the book that will be of interest to many - a comparison of old and new paradigms. For example, an old paradigm would be that the world is composed of visible, solid matter, and invisible, nonmaterial energy. The corresponding new paradigm would be that the world is composed of one underlying, unmanifest field of intelligence that manifests as the infinite diversity of the universe. This is not a book that is meant to be read and put down, it is a way of life to be experienced. © October 2006 Bonnie Cehovet Personal Lifestyle Reading - I offer a Personal Lifestyle Reading using Tarot that looks at past, present and future influences in your life, at the energies that are currently available to help you along your path, and at those energies that are appearing as challanges. My goal is to offer you insight into your decision making process, as well as tools that you can use to both better understand your path and make conscious, choice centered decisions. Home Personal Empowerment links Personal Empowerment articles Graphics by Art for the web