Author: Deepak ChopraPublisher: Harmony Books
Pages: 327
Price: Rs 849
Eisha Sarkar
Posted on Times Wellness on Saturday, March 20, 2010
If you've read Deepak Chopra's books before, you know what to expect in Perfect Health - an introduction to Ayurveda, different body types, the significance and interplay of the three operating principles (doshas) and what you should do to keep them in balance. Then why should you read this one? It's the bizarre medical stories that he uses to illustrate his point and the instances in the book where he draws parallels between the ancient and the modern form of medicine that make the book worth a buy.
When the body decides
Going beyond Western medicine's treatment of symptoms, Chopra explains that the treatment of the quantum mechanical body (the quantum equivalent of organs and processes in the body) by Maharishi Ayurveda can bring about changes far beyond the reach of conventional medicine. Sounds deep? Here's an example.
In the very first chapter of the book, Chopra mentions the case of one Timmy, 'a perfectly ordinary-seeming six-year-old who suffers from one of the strangest of psychiatric syndromes - multiple personality disorder'. Timmy has more than a dozen separate personalities, each with its own emotional patterns, vocal inflections, likes and dislikes.
The author writes, "Timmy is particularly amazing because one of his personalities and only one, is allergic to orange juice and breaks out in hives if he drinks it... What is more, if Timmy comes back if the allergic reaction is present, the itching of the hives will cease immediately and water-filled blisters will begin to subside. This is a perfect example of how signals from the quantum mechanical body can cause instantaneous changes in the physical body... it appears that as molecules of the orange juice approach his white cells, a decision is made whether to react or not. This implies the cell is intelligent."
While the author doesn't elaborate on Timmy's line of treatment, he does propose that we confront the possibility of choosing our diseases.
A fine balance
In Perfect Health, you take tests to learn your body type - Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, or a combination thereof and how to balance those doshas through diet, exercise, daily routine and seasonal routine. And then you get to opening the channels of healing, which encompasses encompasses panchakarma, meditation, primordial sound, pulse diagnosis, marma therapy, bliss technique, aroma therapy and Gandharva music therapy.
A good PR job
Now, if you think this book's going to teach you any of the above, you may be disappointed to find the author repeatedly note, "needs to be taught by a qualified Ayurvedic doctor". You may be further disappointed to find that all those oils, teas, raw silk gloves, aroma pots and diffusers will be available at "sources listed on page 317".
Chopra treads the fine line between an author and a practioner. He gives you just the right dose of information to get you interested but doesn't offer the remedy for your cures. He presents the benefits of Transcendental Meditation, for example, without offering any insights on how to perform the meditation. Want to learn? Chopra advises you to call your local Maharishi Ayurveda clinic.
Whether it works for him or not it's difficult to say, but even some of the most positive reviews of the book make a note of the veiled advertisements.
The verdict
Like most of his books, Chopra's Perfect Health is also tailored for a primarily Western audience so do not be surprised if you come across words like cayenne, romaine lettuce or persimmons. If you're new to Ayurveda and want a handy guide, this book could be a start. The sensational anecdotes and medical facts spice up the text-bookish narrative. Particularly noteworthy are the illustrations by Stephan Van Damme.
Read this book for its stories, for those invisible people who suffer from chronic diseases and find miraculous cures in alternative therapy. He may be a pushy advertiser, but Chopra makes for a surprisingly good story-teller.
Pages: 327
Price: Rs 849
Eisha Sarkar
Posted on Times Wellness on Saturday, March 20, 2010
If you've read Deepak Chopra's books before, you know what to expect in Perfect Health - an introduction to Ayurveda, different body types, the significance and interplay of the three operating principles (doshas) and what you should do to keep them in balance. Then why should you read this one? It's the bizarre medical stories that he uses to illustrate his point and the instances in the book where he draws parallels between the ancient and the modern form of medicine that make the book worth a buy.
When the body decides
Going beyond Western medicine's treatment of symptoms, Chopra explains that the treatment of the quantum mechanical body (the quantum equivalent of organs and processes in the body) by Maharishi Ayurveda can bring about changes far beyond the reach of conventional medicine. Sounds deep? Here's an example.
In the very first chapter of the book, Chopra mentions the case of one Timmy, 'a perfectly ordinary-seeming six-year-old who suffers from one of the strangest of psychiatric syndromes - multiple personality disorder'. Timmy has more than a dozen separate personalities, each with its own emotional patterns, vocal inflections, likes and dislikes.
The author writes, "Timmy is particularly amazing because one of his personalities and only one, is allergic to orange juice and breaks out in hives if he drinks it... What is more, if Timmy comes back if the allergic reaction is present, the itching of the hives will cease immediately and water-filled blisters will begin to subside. This is a perfect example of how signals from the quantum mechanical body can cause instantaneous changes in the physical body... it appears that as molecules of the orange juice approach his white cells, a decision is made whether to react or not. This implies the cell is intelligent."
While the author doesn't elaborate on Timmy's line of treatment, he does propose that we confront the possibility of choosing our diseases.
A fine balance
In Perfect Health, you take tests to learn your body type - Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, or a combination thereof and how to balance those doshas through diet, exercise, daily routine and seasonal routine. And then you get to opening the channels of healing, which encompasses encompasses panchakarma, meditation, primordial sound, pulse diagnosis, marma therapy, bliss technique, aroma therapy and Gandharva music therapy.
A good PR job
Now, if you think this book's going to teach you any of the above, you may be disappointed to find the author repeatedly note, "needs to be taught by a qualified Ayurvedic doctor". You may be further disappointed to find that all those oils, teas, raw silk gloves, aroma pots and diffusers will be available at "sources listed on page 317".
Chopra treads the fine line between an author and a practioner. He gives you just the right dose of information to get you interested but doesn't offer the remedy for your cures. He presents the benefits of Transcendental Meditation, for example, without offering any insights on how to perform the meditation. Want to learn? Chopra advises you to call your local Maharishi Ayurveda clinic.
Whether it works for him or not it's difficult to say, but even some of the most positive reviews of the book make a note of the veiled advertisements.
The verdict
Like most of his books, Chopra's Perfect Health is also tailored for a primarily Western audience so do not be surprised if you come across words like cayenne, romaine lettuce or persimmons. If you're new to Ayurveda and want a handy guide, this book could be a start. The sensational anecdotes and medical facts spice up the text-bookish narrative. Particularly noteworthy are the illustrations by Stephan Van Damme.
Read this book for its stories, for those invisible people who suffer from chronic diseases and find miraculous cures in alternative therapy. He may be a pushy advertiser, but Chopra makes for a surprisingly good story-teller.
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