Teens Ask Deepak: All the Right Questions
Deepak Chopra, Damien Barchowsky (Illustrator), Damien JayBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
"Adults squirm when the big questions come up, especially the big spiritual ones. They don't want their kids to worry, so they give answers that all say one thing: 'Don't worry. It's all okay.'
"And yet the big questions still keep coming up. At every age we all need to know what life is really all about. Not just on the surface, but deep down.
"Teenagers are no exception. They deserve a spiritual life all their own. One that offers the kind of comfort we hope to give our children, but is different at the same time. More full of ideas. More mature. More fitting for the whole wide future that lies ahead.
"That's what I've tried to do in this book, as fully and as honestly as possible."
— Deepak Chopra
Synopsis
"Adults squirm when the big questions come up, especially the big spiritual ones. They don't want their kids to worry, so they give answers that all say one thing: 'Don't worry. It's all okay.'
"And yet the big questions still keep coming up. At every age we all need to know what life is really all about. Not just on the surface, but deep down.
"Teenagers are no exception. They deserve a spiritual life all their own. One that offers the kind of comfort we hope to give our children, but is different at the same time. More full of ideas. More mature. More fitting for the whole wide future that lies ahead.
"That's what I've tried to do in this book, as fully and as honestly as possible."
— Deepak Chopra
Publishers Weekly
The spiritual guide Deepak Chopra addresses teens with a highly accessible guide, Teens Ask Deepak: All the Right Questions, illus. by Damien Barchowsky. Taking teens' own questions as his starting point, the author puts forth some thought-provoking ideas. Beginning with a 14-year-old's question about what Deepak would change "if you could change one thing about the history of our Earth," the author says, "I wish everyone knew from birth that they had a soul." He follows up with spiritual quizzes, checklists, anecdotes and explorations of the corporal, such as the breath, as well as more abstract ideas such as inspiration and motivation. An ideal introduction to this leader's ideas. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
The spiritual guide Deepak Chopra addresses teens with a highly accessible guide, Teens Ask Deepak: All the Right Questions, illus. by Damien Barchowsky. Taking teens' own questions as his starting point, the author puts forth some thought-provoking ideas. Beginning with a 14-year-old's question about what Deepak would change "if you could change one thing about the history of our Earth," the author says, "I wish everyone knew from birth that they had a soul." He follows up with spiritual quizzes, checklists, anecdotes and explorations of the corporal, such as the breath, as well as more abstract ideas such as inspiration and motivation. An ideal introduction to this leader's ideas. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.Children's Literature
From popular spiritual guru Deepak Chopra comes a book based on real questions young people have asked. Some of the questions in this book were asked to Chopra directly while at lectures; others emerged from the author's conversations with his own children as they grew up. Still others were submitted over the Internet, at a site inviting teenagers to ask Chopra questions on their minds. The questions, and Deepak Chopra's answers, are divided into several chapters. An introductory chapter addresses the nature of spirituality—in particular how teens can judge their own spirituality (take a quick quiz), and how spirituality differs from religion (Chopra makes it clear which side of the divide he's on). Subsequent chapters address success, well-being, relationships, and, yes, God. The answers to questions are direct and honest, and, in general, place responsibility squarely back on the individual. Chopra quotes the Bible in places but, in general, refuses to identify with any one religion. In fact he manages to discuss karma without identifying it as a concept integral to both Hinduism and Buddhism. Personal anecdotes dot the chapters and add context. Additional material includes self-help surveys and checklists, as well as informative and occasionally amusing sidebars ("How to Tame a Wild Parent"). Cartoon-like drawings illustrate the text. 2006, Simon and Schuster, Ages 14 up.—Uma Krishnaswami