A "Book Review": 'THE THIRD JESUS' (Part Two by Deepak Chopra)

Article Title: A " Book Review ": 'THE THIRD JESUS'
(Part Two by Deepak Chopra)
Submitted by Craig Lock
Key words: Deepak Chopra, Jesus, Jesus Christ, , spirituality, spiritual growth , enlightenment, inspiration, empowerment, personal growth
Web sites: www.deepakchopra.com and www.rbooks.co.uk
The submitter's new blog with thoughts and extracts from various writings is at craiglock.wordpress.com and
http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22
Other Articles by the submitter are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help , writing, internet marketing, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management (how boring now, craig!)

I'm sharing these these thoughts, these writings by Dr Deepak Chopra with the world in a 'spirit of enlightenment ').
"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

*Sharing some Thoughts (Spiritual) on Jesus from 'THE THIRD JESUS' by Dr Deepak Chopra

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Submitters's Note:Craig is studying the teachings of different religions, as he researches and writes his latest novels 'A New Dawn' and 'From Seeds of Hate to the Bonds of Love', which are set in the Middle East and his latest "labour of love" ' The Real, The True Jesus... the One That I Really Know and Love!)'.

This article (in point form) was based on notes and some short extracts I've taken directly from Dr Deepak Chopra's fascinating and thought-provoking new book, 'The Third Jesus', whilst studying the link between the human mind and spirituality. As I take notes, contemplate and share these most revealing thoughts from Dr Chopra, I learn more about my own spiritual journey. So am sharing this piece from Part One ( "a great enlightening read") in the spirit of hopefully stimulating thinking and discussion on the life and mission of Jesus from Chopra's writings and beliefs along the 'spiritual journey'. I have added a few of my own thoughts (in intalics). I recommend that you read this book, if you are interested in spiritual (or "airey-fairey" as my very "down-to-earth", practical friends call this subject matter) matters. (Incidentally, I do 'try to test', futher explore and apply these principles in 'real life' and they DO work). Hope sharing this short extract, these 'eternal truths' from an excellent book may be of interest, uplifting... and perhaps even inspirational to you too.

Enjoy "THE WORD"...

* *

'THE THIRD JESUS' by Deepak Chopra: How to Find Truth and Love in Today's World
Published in the UK in 2008 by Rider, an imprint of Ebury Publishing www.rbooks.co.uk and www.deepakchopra.com

PART TWO THE GOSPEL OF ENLIGHTENMENT

"Jesus said, 'Be in the world, but not of it.'Love and Grace:

Jesus treats love as something radical - a life-changing event. Love will bring God back into our existence. Love will make peace with our enemies and bring joy into our hearts. Jesus says that people must believe in him as Messiah to earn salvation and please God in material ways through doing good works. However, a God capable of being pleased and displeased isn't a God of Grace, since the essence of grace is unconditional love. The only viable way to follow Jesus's teachings on love is to match them with your own level of consciousness.

Jesus's teachings are truly learned only when you become the teaching. The lesson about divine love that Jesus taught is that love is so full of grace, it leads to transformation -: changing a person's whole being.

'Abide in Me!'*

FAITH:
The Jesus who speaks in the gospels seems obsessed with faith . He makes faith a condition for entering Heaven and escaping Hell. When Jesus tells someone whom he has just healed, that their faith made the miracle possible, the implication is that God doesn't send miracles to the unfaithful. Jesus could be referring to faith as experienced in a higher state of consciousness.

Believe in a vision
"Without a vision the people perish."
- Proverbs

'But strive first for the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you as well.'

Everyone who asks, receives. Every thought triggers a response; nothing is lost in the universe.

The door will open.

He makes a promise: 'And you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free.' (John 8:32). Here he means revealed truth, the kind that arises directly from a real connection to God. Anyone who reaches God consciousness will experience revealed truth.

Jesus encourages each of us to find God within ourselves. The path is completely open through knowledge and love ( wisdom too), the only obstacles being those you raise yourself.
*

Jesus and the Self (ie. ego, personality and the soul):

Being one with God is our natural, higher state.

Meditation

Jesus didn't come from a meditative tradition, as Buddha did, and he placed his emphasis on prayer, faith and knowledge. Christianity went on to worship over self transformation , prayer over meditation , and faith over inner growth.

Being is timeless. When Jesus says of himself, 'Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am' (John 8:58), he is referring to his state of being (spirit - part of God's plan for the universe).

PRAYER

Pray to be worthy (and of significance, value to others). Remember who you really are, live to be worthy of God, and pray so that you will be connected to him. Prayer should be intimate, a private communion, not a public show.

Spirit communicates not through words, but through direct experience. Jesus is underscoring the need to be in the presence of spirit yourself and to be affected by it personally. It clarifies the mind to ask specifically for what you want God to do in your life. (God wants you to ASK, so it can be delivered to you!).

I believe Jesus valued prayer as a process of inner growth. As a teacher of enlightenment , prayer is in service to that end.

Pray with faith (great)

BELIEVE that you WILL receive. 'Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.' - Matthew 21:22

At the highest level, a prayer is no different from any other thought; because all thoughts bring about a result. Jesus told us simply to believe that our prayers will come true.

Jesus Christ came to heal the broken-hearted, the broken in spirit (like you and I at some point in our lives). As in the story of the prodigal son, he came to give hope, the greatest hope: that of new life - hope for a new beginning.... one not divided by the past, but with hope for the future."

Dr Deepak Chopra
www.deepakchopra.com and www.rbooks.co.uk

"Let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt 5:16)

"You are the light of the world; a city cannot be hidden, if it is built on a mountain top. A lamp is not lighted to be put away under a bushel measure; it is put on the lamp stand, to give light to all the people of the house; and your light must shine so brightly before men." (Matt 5,14-16. Knox).

Shared (with thanks) by "not so goody-goody airey fairey spiritual" Craig Lock
("Information and Inspiration Distributor, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder")

"People fight and die for religion but they seldom live for religion ."
- former Indian Prime Minister, Jahrulal Nehru

"Let the light of your BEING shine brightly; so revealing Who You Really Are. Be a Bringer of the Light, which emanates from our soul, God, our Creator, the Source, the Essence of Life (and Ground of our very Being). Therefore, it can do more than illuminate your own path.YOUR spirit will help makes the lives of others easier by illuminating others paths. For this light is our humanity, the spirit of God, truth, wisdom, beauty and especially love...and it lies within each one of us. Through your actions and your being, let your light, YOUR spirit truly shine brightly on the world, like the radiance emitted by a candle at midnight." - Craig Lock (as adapted from and inspired by Neale Donald Walsch's 'Conversations with God'

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?'
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking;
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."
- Marianne Williamson

I love these words from Marianne Williamson as used by Nelson Mandela in his inaugeration speech as State President at South Africa's first Democratic Election in 1994.

"Deep within us there is a flame that burns, and that flame is the spark of God. In some it burns brightly, in others it is barely distinguishable; but always it burns...and with love and acceptance the flame gets higher and brighter. We can help others to kindle this flame by seeing the good in them, even if they don't see it themselves."- anon

"Together, one mind, one life at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower , uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.
Change YOUR world and you help change THE world... for the better."

End of Part Two(Part Three to follow)

"Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits ,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny."
- Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world."- the Buddha

"God is a mystery, the 'mystery of life', a Creative Presence, Who/That allows me to be who I really want to be and become."

"God, the Essence of Life, is the great mystery in the vast unknown; yet He(??) is understandable."

Craig's new blog with thoughts and extracts from various writings is at craiglock.wordpress.com and http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22

Shine YOUR own bright light on humanity