Renowned spiritual guru Deepak Chopra gave me a metaphysical news flash.
“You don’t exist,” he told me in a recent telephone interview. “So what are we talking about, anyway?”
Chopra is the author of nearly 50 books on everything from knowing God to playing golf. He used to be an endocrinologist. Now, after selling 20 million books worldwide, he’s “one of the most lucid and inspired philosophers of our time,” according to former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.
Chopra spoke with such authority that I had to look in the window bordering my desk to be sure my reflection was still there. Thankfully, it was. But this trick of light was hardly proof of my existence.
“The idea of a separate self is a very convincing hallucination,” Chopra said. “The sooner we get over it, the better.”
Chopra told me it takes a lifetime of introspection to understand that we are slivers of a universal consciousness.
I suppose that’s why people need an endless supply of books, motivational CDs and seminars such as the ones that will be featured at the World Wellness Weekend at the Colorado Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday. (Information: www.worldwellness.org.)
Here, several platitude peddlers, including Chopra, will lead 90 classes and workshops on “physical, financial, emotional, environmental and spiritual well-being” as well as “professional success.”
Chopra is a master of professional success. He has made millions regurgitating ancient ideas. He has even sold his name to a chain of spas, as well as to some condominiums planned for Westminster.
“In America, you never apologize for being too successful,” said Chopra, who was born in New Delhi, India.
I asked Chopra why – given his material success and spiritual enlightenment – he keeps doing seminars. He’s 59 years old. He’s been in Time magazine. He’s got world leaders singing his praises. Why can’t he just be blissfully content?
“I get high when I speak to people,” Chopra said. “It’s my drug, you might say.”
So imagine my confusion. First, I learn that I don’t exist.
Then I discover that the renowned spiritual guru who gave me this insight is addicted to podiums.
Will Chopra say anything to fill up an auditorium or launch another book?
“I write about whatever is of interest to me,” Chopra said. “My books are immensely popular. … When you become popular, people will buy everything you write. … I’m not even sure if those who buy my books read all of them.”
After talking to Chopra, I called T. Harv Eker, author of the best-selling book “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth.”
Eker, who is also speaking this weekend, became a millionaire when he sold a chain of retail fitness-equipment stores in 1987. Then he blew through most of it.
Then he became a consultant. Then he became a motivational speaker, charging folks as much as $2,590 for a three-day seminar. Then he wrote the book.
Eker said he learned that if you want to stay a millionaire, you’ve got to think like one. Unfortunately, most people were programmed as children with counterproductive ideas about money: 1) Rich people are greedy; 2) You can’t serve God and money; 3) You’ll always be just like your parents.
These ideas create a low setting on people’s wealth thermostats. When folks surpass this internal setting, their subconscious thermostats pull them back.
Eker tries to help people turn up their settings. This involves manipulating bad files in their subconscious minds.
“We have some very, very profound physical experiences that people actually do in this seminar that literally, on a cellular-memory level, will change the file so that it’s never the same again,” Eker said.
I had no idea what he was talking about, so I skimmed through his book.
It said: “Place your hand to your heart and say, ‘I create the exact level of my financial success!’ Touch your head and say, ‘I have a millionaire mind!”‘
I tried this. It didn’t work. Chopra, a more powerful guru, had already tampered with my wealth thermostat. It’s now stuck on zero, thanks to this idea:
I don’t need money. I don’t even exist.
Al Lewis’ column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. Respond to Lewis at , 303-820-1967, or alewis@denverpost.com.
