Deepak Chopra transcript; views on Schiavo; feeding tube should be pulled

Earlier on Live From interview with Kyra Phillips today:

Most sensible discussion of any spiritual leader to date in my opinion. He is now on live with Anderson Cooper. (Basically it was a repetition of what he said earlier)

PHILLIPS: I guess just for our viewers and to establish where you stand on this issue, first with regard to Terri Schiavo, do you believe that she should remain on a feeding tube, or do you think what is happening now is the right decision?

CHOPRA: I think what's happening now is the right decision, but let me also say that, you know, the very fact that there's so much controversy means that nobody is 100 percent sure. You know? Because, otherwise, there wouldn't be the controversy.

Freud once said the definition of neurosis is the inability to tolerate ambiguity, ambivalence and uncertainty. So we should start with saying we really in the ultimate don't know.

But having that said, life is defined by consciousness, by perception, by cognition, by emotions, by relationships, by behavior and by biology. In her case, there's only one component there that would signify that there is some life there, and that is biology. And moreover, it's autonomic nervous system that we're looking at.

You know, you can take a human heart out. You give it the right nutrition and it can beat for a long time. That doesn't mean it's living. That's not the definition of life.

I think what we're doing right now, by withdrawing this feeding tube, is actually alleviating the suffering of many, many people and, moreover, I think what the really bad about this whole thing is, that her life and her body have become a weapon of political exploitation. And that -- that's a very sad commentary on our times.

PHILLIPS: That's a good point, and I want to talk more about that. But when we talk about Terri and is she suffering, because this is a word that has been used quite a bit lately. Is she suffering? And is she suffering mentally, physically or is she suffering more spiritually?

CHOPRA: Well, she's not suffering because, you know, suffering is in consciousness, and in the absence of consciousness, there is no suffering. If anybody is suffering, it's her parents, who can't decide, you know, who are not so -- who are having anguish. Her husband and all of the people who are attached to very rigid points of view and belief systems. So her soul is already liberated. It's not localizing through her body, so there is nothing there that is suffering. There's an autonomic nervous system that is playing itself out. And that's only one component of how we define life. She is already liberated, and she is incubating non-locally so she can express herself again if you would just let her go.


CHOPRA: I think it's a great paradox, actually. You know, the suffering of Christ and the suffering of the pope are suffering examples of great dignity, which has meaning for the rest of the world.

The suffering, the so-called suffering of Terri Schiavo has no dignity there. What we're doing is keeping certain autonomic functions going in the absence of any life.

And I said earlier what has happened is that Terri Schiavo has become a weapon, literally, for political exploitation and also exploitation by religious groups. And I think we are not actually interfering when we let nature take its course. Fifty years ago or a hundred years ago, we wouldn't have this kind of intervention, because nature would have taken its course anyway.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/25/lol.04.html

:kick:

sandwich. Jeb on top and dubya on the bottom.

Chopra did a good job. I'm surprised more feminists aren't up in arms about the exploitation of this woman.

posed the question; Would this be happening if Schiavo was Male? (or something) I didn't read it, but now that I see your post, I'm wondering...

at least thats my thoughts on his work. I respect his opinions and his words are the best Ive read describing this situation (even though its a TV transcript).

...but that is too much to hope for.

In general, I don't think much of his books. But here he is exactly accurate.

That do not believe that Chopra is a credible spokesperson on such matters. I will not drag this topic down into arguments of his merrits beyond saying that there are many that believe he is just as credible as John Edward the spirit medium seen the other day on MSM.

BTW you misspelled merits. Who else has as much merit to speak on matters of life and death? His entire life is dedicated to such issues.

until I read some of his works. I think that he is one of the greatest spiritual leaders of this century. BTW, the guy that wrote Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren) was on A. Cooper tonight also, and I read that book. It was good in the sense that it inspired me to read the bible again, but his philosophy has so many holes in it, and it was repetitive and mostly pablum IMHO. And he argues for the tube staying in.

The transcripts for this would be worth reading too. He was really brilliant.

said before...I mean how many ways does it take to state the truth? The truth in this case is simple. Poor Terry Schiavo has been brain dead for 15 years, she has become a tragic political and religious pawn, and the humane treatment is to discontinue her feeding and let her die with some morsel of dignity. I believe as Chopra stated, that her consciousness is what is human in her, and as long as her body is here without consciousness, she is in a state of Limbo. Let her go. Release her body to God.

am very happy it happened. He is also a physician as well as a practitioner of Ayurveda, not necessarily a religious leader as we in the West know them, but a follower of Yoga.

leader. And I am very happy that his viewpoint was allowed also.

I highly recommend his book, "Peace is the Way"

very comforting, very conducive to attaining clarity.

Spontaneous Fullment of Desire"...the title sounds kind of hoaky (sp?)
but it is about coincidence (I've become interested in Jung's synchronicity as of late, and happened 'by coincidence' to read of Chopras book on coincidence.) So had to read it; I'm about 1/4 into it and it is fascinating. Quantum physics Heisenberg Uncxertanty Principle, etc.

I will definitely read "Peace is the Way." All of the greats have said the same things, right? That's how we all recognize it as truth. Strange that the religions that spring from these simple truths get so perverted so as to cause wars and complete loss of tolerance.