CONTENTS
Cover
About	the	Book
About	the	Author
Also	by	Deepak	Chopra
Praise	for	‘Life	After	Death’
Title	Page
Dedication
Memoir:	The	Life	Beyond
PART	ONE:
	
L
IFE
	A
FTER
	D
EATH
1. Death	at	the	Door
2. The	Cure	for	Dying
3. Death	Grants	Three	Wishes
4. Escaping	the	Noose
5. The	Path	to	Hell
6. Ghosts
7. The	Invisible	Thread
8. Seeing	the	Soul
9. Two	Magical	Words
10. Surviving	the	Storm
11. Guides	and	Messengers
12. The	Dream	Continues
PART	TWO:
	
T
HE
	B
URDEN	OF
	P
ROOF
13. Is	Akasha	Real? 14. Thinking	Outside	the	Brain
15. The	Mechanics	of	Creation
Epilogue:	Maha	Samadhi
Reading	Notes
Index
Acknowledgments
CopyrightAbout	the	Book
What	happens	when	we	die? In	
Life	After	Death
,	Dr	Deepak	Chopra,	the	world-famous	pioneer	in	the	field
of	mind-body	medicine,	addresses	one	of	the	fundamental	questions	of
existence. Drawing	upon	personal	experience,	the	wisdom	of	ancient	Vedic
philosophy	and	state-of-the-art	particle	physics,	Chopra	helps	us	overcome
our	fears	about	dying	and	to	consider	the	fantastic	possibilities	that	may	await
us	in	the	afterlife. This	is	the	book	that	Dr	Chopra	has	been	preparing	to	write	his	entire	life. In
it,	he	considers	the	theory	that	death	is	an	illusion	of	the	senses	and	that	the
soul	survives	in	an	ongoing	spiral	of	refinement,	ending	in	enlightenment. Thought-provoking	exercises	offer	a	first-hand	experience	of	these	and	other
ideas,	helping	you	to	make	sense	of	your	own	spirituality	whatever	path	you
choose	to	follow,	and	offering	you	your	very	own	map	of	eternity.About	the	Author
D
EEPAK
	C
HOPRA’S
	many	books	have	become	classic	texts	of	health	and
spirituality	as	well	as	national	bestsellers. He	is	the	founder	of	the	Chopra
Center	for	Well	Being	(
www.chopra.com
)	and	the	president	of	the	Alliance
for	a	New	Humanity	(
www.anhglobal.org
).Also	by	Deepak	Chopra
Creating	Health
Return	of	the	Rishi
Quantum	Healing
Perfect	Health
Unconditional	Life
Ageless	Body,	Timeless	Mind
Journey	into	Healing
Creating	Affluence
Perfect	Weight
Restful	Sleep
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	of	Success
The	Return	of	Merlin
Boundless	Energy
Perfect	Digestion
The	Way	of	the	Wizard
Overcoming	Addictions
Raid	on	the	Inarticulate
The	Path	to	Love
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	for	Parents
The	Love	Poems	of	Rumi
(edited	by	Deepak	Chopra;	translated	by	Deepak	Chopra	and	Fereydoun	Kia)
Healing	the	Heart
Everyday	Immortality
The	Lords	of	the	Light
On	the	Shores	of	EternityHow	to	Know	God
The	Soul	in	Love
The	Chopra	Center	Herbal	Handbook
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
Grow	Younger,	Live	Longer
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
The	Deeper	Wound
The	Chopra	Center	Cookbook
(coauthored	by	David	Simon	and	Leanne	Backer)
The	Angel	Is	Near
The	Daughters	of	Joy
Golf	for	Enlightenment
Soulmate
SynchroDestiny
The	Book	of	Secrets
Fire	in	the	Heart
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	of	Yoga
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
Magical	Beginnings,	Enchanted	Lives
(coauthored	by	David	Simon	and	Vicki	Abrams)Praise	for
	
L
IFE
	A
FTER
	D
EATH
“Deepak	Chopra	has	written	a	masterpiece	that	is	long	overdue	in	our
spiritual	culture. Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
	is	a	bold	and
comforting	guide	into	the	afterlife. Eternity	is	the	true	home	of	the	soul,	yet
we	fear	to	explore	experience	of	death	and	our	place	beyond	now. Deepak	has
brilliantly	accomplished	this	journey	on	our	behalf.”
—
C
AROLINE
	M
YSS
,	author	of	
Anatomy	of	the	Spirit
	and	
Sacred	Contracts
“Here	is	the	paradox:	life’s	greatest	mystery—death—seems	to	be	its	opposite
and	its	very	denial. However,	anyone	who	reads	Deepak	Chopra’s	penetrating
and	insightful	investigation	into	this	great	mystery	with	an	open	mind	will
come	to	realize	that	the	opposite	of	death	is	birth,	not	life. Life,	which	in
essence	is	consciousness,	is	eternal	and	has	no	opposite. There	is	no	death,
only	the	metamorphosis	of	life-forms,	consciousness	appearing	as	this	or	that. This	is	the	liberating	truth	the	book	continuously	points	to.”
—
E
CKHART
	T
OLLE
,	author	of	
The	Power	of	Now
“Wide-ranging	and	thought-provoking,	this	book	puts	the	question	of	life
after	death	in	a	vast	perspective. It	is	an	excellent	antidote	to	any	self-imposed
limitations	we	may	have	on	our	thinking	about	the	nature	of	life,	death	and
consciousness.”
—
R
UPERT
	S
HELDRAKE
,	Ph.D.,	biologist	and	author	of	
The	Presence	of	the	Past
“Who	is	not	curious	about	what	happens	after	death? And	even	when	there
are	many	answers	available,	both	ancient	and	modern,	even	some	based	on
new	science,	the	question	‘What	does	Deepak	Chopra	have	to	say	about	this?’
is	an	important	one	for	our	age. Well,	finally,	Deepak’s	answer	is	here,	and	it
is	very	affirming	on	meaningful	questions. I	like	that. Need	I	say	more? This
is	a	great	book	for	your	easy	reading.”
—
A
MIT
	G
OSWAMI
,	Ph.D.,	author	of	
The	Self-Aware	Universe,	Physics	of	the
Soul
,	and	
The	Quantum	Doctor
“This	fascinating,	provocative	and	profound	book	is	written	with	exquisite
ease	and	with	a	very	personal	warmth	that	makes	its	invitations	to	expansion
of	consciousness	all	the	more	delicious	and	powerful.”
—
A
NDREW
	H
ARVEY
,	author	of	
The	Direct	Path
	and	
Sun	at	Midnight
“What	if	life	and	death	are	like	two	locked	boxes,	each	containing	the	key	tothe	other? In	this	book	Dr.	Chopra	looks	at	life	after	death	from	this	intriguing
perspective	and	proposes	that	death	may	not	constitute	the	extinction	of	life,
as	usually	imagined,	but	rather	its	extension	by	other	means. He	draws	upon	a
dazzling	array	of	sources,	from	ancient	myths	to	the	findings	of	modern
science,	to	produce	a	work	of	compelling	novelty	on	an	eternal	mystery.”
—
A
RVIND
	S
HARMA
,	Birks	Professor	of	Comparative	Religion,	McGill
University
“Deepak	Chopra	has	been	my	friend	and	mentor	for	nearly	twenty	years. Now,	when	we	baby-boomers	are	finally	admitting	our	own	mortality,	he	has
tackled	the	ultimate	subject	which	fascinates	us	all:	life	after	death. Drawing
from	many	cultures,	and	emphasizing	the	idea	of	Karma	from	his	own,
Deepak	interweaves	mythical	lore	with	first-hand	spellbinding	anecdotes	to
somehow	make	the	subject	of	death	very	useful	and	relevant	to	making	the
most	time	on	the	Earth	here	and	now. A	must-read	for	everyone	who	will
die.”
—
C
ANDACE
	B.	P
ERT
,	P
H
.D
.,	author	of	
Everything	You	Need	to	Know	to	Feel
Good
“In	this	remarkable	book,	Deepak	Chopra	turns	to	the	anomalies	in	science
that	modern	physicists	are	trying	to	explain,	and	considers	how	the	rishis,	the
ancient	sages	of	Vedanta,	dealt	with	the	very	same	questions. According	to
the	‘observer	effect’	in	physics,	for	example,	the	very	act	of	looking	at	an
electron	forces	it	to	leave	the	quantum	soup	of	pure	potential	and	take	specific
form. Vedic	rishis	believed	that	seeing	is	the	ultimate	act	of	creation—that
through	consciousness	each	of	us	shapes	the	universe	we	experience. By
marrying	science	and	wisdom	in	
Life	After	Death
,	Chopra	builds	his	case	for
an	afterlife	in	which	our	most	essential	self,	the	seer	that	observes	our
experiences	in	this	temporary	home	that	we	call	the	self,	uses	the	end	of	this
lifetime	to	pass	over	into	the	next. This	is	an	intellectual	and	spiritual	tour	de
force.”
—
P
ROFESSOR
	R
OBERT
	T
HURMAN
,	Columbia	University,	author	of	
Infinite	Life
and	
The	Tibetan	Book	of	the	Dead
“In	this	book,	Deepak	brilliantly	creates	a	remarkable	tapestry	for	opening	our
hearts,	minds	and	consciousness	to	explore	for	ourselves	the	mysteries	of	life,
death	and	the	mind. He	cleverly	interlaces	mystical	stories,	childhood
memories,	thoughts	on	creation,	scientific	data	about	many	areas,	and
questions	that	will	allow	the	reader	to	reexamine	and	to	question	old	beliefs
about	our	own	identity. With	an	open-minded	approach,	this	book	stretches
our	mind	and	our	imagination	to	explore	a	reality	of	truth	that	is	far	beyondour	physical	reality.”
—
G
ERALD
	G.	J
AMPOLSKY
,	M.D.,	author	of	
Love	Is	Letting	Go	of	Fear
	and
founder	of	the	International	Center	for	Attitudinal	Healing	(Sausalito,
California)
“If	I	had	any	doubts	about	the	afterlife,	I	don’t	have	them	anymore. Deepak
Chopra	has	cast	his	inimitable	light	on	the	darkened	corners	of	death. I	think
this	is	his	greatest	contribution	yet.”
—
M
ARIANNE
	W
ILLIAMSON
,	author	of	
The	Gift	of	Chang
“As	I	shuttled	between	East	and	West	cultures,	the	greatest	difference	that	I
have	found	has	been	attitudes	toward	death	and	life-after-death. Deepak
Chopra	has	combined	East	and	West	in	his	Being. He	is	familiar	with
Vedanta,	the	laws	of	Karma,	and	Hindu	myths	for	he	grew	up	in	a	Hindu
family	in	India. But	then	he	went	to	a	Catholic	school,	where	he	learned	the
fathers’	take	on	death	and	afterlife. He	is	familiar	with	Western	science	so	we
have	quantum	physics	and	consciousness	theories	in	the	mix,	and	then	he	is	a
Western	physician,	which	makes	him	familiar	with	Near-Death	Experiences
(NDEs). In	this	book	he	incorporates	these	parts	of	his	Being	to	provide	us
with	a	masterful	treatment	of	life-after-death.”
—
R
AM
	D
ASS
“Chopra	illuminates,	brilliantly,	a	wonderful	variety	of	extraordinary
experiences	documented	by	scientists	and	engineers,	and	weaves	them	into	a
tapestry	embracing	different	religious	traditions,	by	grouping,	comparing	and
analyzing	them. This	radical	empiricism	in	the	William	James	tradition
succeeds	beautifully,	as	did	James,	in	putting	the	‘burden	of	proof’	squarely
on	the	reductionist	materialists	who	have,	for	several	decades	now,	while
claiming	to	speak	for	science,	been	allowed	to	ignore	the	bedrock	of	science:
facts. Chopra	then	compares	these	data/experiences	with	some	of	the	metaphors
with	which	we,	in	the	world	of	science,	amuse	ourselves,	and	impress	the
masses. Deepak	has	thrown	down	the	gauntlet	demanding	the	burden	of	proof
from	the	reductionist	materialists. I	can	confidently	predict	that	the	best	they
will	do	is	to	try	to	ignore	it.”
—
R
USTUM
	R
OY
,	professorships	at	Pennsylvania	State	University,	Arizona
State,	and	University	of	Arizona;	elected	to	the	National	Academies	of
Science	or	Engineering	of	The	United	States,	Sweden,	Japan,	Russia,	and
India
“As	we	enter	the	twenty-first	century	it	is	clear	that	we	have	crossed	into	anunprecedented	global	age	in	which	widely	diverse	worldviews	intersect,	meet,
and	often	compete	or	collide	in	the	marketplace	of	our	cultures. Deepak
Chopra	has	established	himself	as	a	unique	global	voice	for	our	time	who
lives	and	speaks	from	the	global	perspective	and	through	a	global	lens	that
brings	our	diverse	worlds	together. In	his	global	story	it	is	clear	that	the
collective	wisdom	of	the	ages,	including	the	wisdom	of	frontier	science,
concurs	that	Reality	must	be	an	infinite	unified	field	of	interconnectivity	that
calls	for	a	radical	revision	in	how	most	of	us	see	and	understand	ourselves
and	approach	our	life	and	death. In	his	powerfully	accessible	narrative	Chopra	helps	all	readers	cross	into
this	ancient,	yet	newly	revealed,	global	perspective	that	clarifies	a	new
common	sense	that	overcomes	chronic	ignorance,	fear	and	denial	of	our
passage	through	death. This	lucid	book	shifts	the	burden	of	proof	about	life
after	death	onto	the	older	dysfunctional	egocentric	cultures	and	myopic
perspectives	whose	time	have	now	passed. This	book	is	another	clear	historic
marker	of	our	transition	into	our	new	global	story	and	self-image	in	which
humans	may	flourish	together	across	all	our	old	artificial	borders.”
—
A
SHOK
	G
ANGADEAN
,	Professor	and	Chair	of	Philosophy,	Haverford	College;
founder-director	of	the	Global	Dialogue	Institute;	co-convenor	of	the	World
Commission	on	Global	Consciousness;	host	of	the	TV	show	Global	Lens;
author	of	
The	Awakening	of	the	Global	Mind
	(
www.awakeningmind.org
)
“
Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
	opens	the	doorway	to	an	ever-
evolving	future	Now. With	mastery	and	compassion,	Chopra	combines	the
wisdom	of	the	Vedic	tradition	with	quantum	physics,	and	his	experience	as	a
doctor,	to	reveal	that	we	are	not	and	never	have	been	limited	creatures	trapped
in	physical	bodies,	but	are	already	multidimensional	beings,	creating	our
future	beyond	this	life	through	every	thought,	word	and	deed. His	view	of	the
nature	of	reality	is	precious,	illuminating,	life-giving. I	love	the	book.”
—
B
ARBARA
	M
ARX
	H
UBBARD
,	President,	Foundation	for	Conscious	Evolution
“A	unique	initiative	to	understand	Life	After	Death	and	dispel	one	of	our
greatest	fears	of	the	unknown:	death. Weaving	between	religious	scriptures,
science,	and	our	common	cultural/societal	understanding,	Deepak	has	very
articulately	reasoned	the	myth	of	death	and	simply	made	it	just	another	aspect
of	life. Surely	this	book	serves	to	expand	our	understanding	to	go	beyond	and
deeper	into	the	unknown,	cherish	life,	and	embrace	death	with	love.”
—
B
AWA
	J
AIN
,	Secretary	General,	World	Council	of	Religious	Leaders
“Three	cheers	for	Deepak’s	courage	to	express	his	beliefs	and	wisdom	about	a
subject	many	fear	and	avoid. This	book	will	help	us	to	open	a	door	to	asubject	few	seemed	prepared	to	explore	because	they	cannot	explain	it. I
know	from	personal	experience	that	near-death	and	past-	life	experiences	are
not	a	matter	of	the	imagination. I	can	believe	because	I	have	had	the
experience. Consciousness	exists	when	our	bodies	do	not. From	my	own	life
and	my	work	with	patients	I	know	that	we	are	aware	of	the	future	and	the	past
at	an	unconscious	level,	which	when	made	conscious	helps	us	to	understand
and	survive. Life	is	a	mystery,	so	read	on	and	help	us	to	enter	the	darkness
and	light	a	candle.”
—
B
ERNIE
	S
IEGEL
,	M.D.,	author	of	365	
Prescriptions	for	the	Soul
	and	
101
Exercises	for	the	Soul
“I,	perhaps	like	many	others,	most	often	think	of	and	look	to	Deepak	Chopra
as	a	physician,	pioneer,	and	major	influence	in	the	huge	positive	change	in
Western	attitudes	toward	holistic	medicine. In	this	book	he	is	much	more	than
that. He	addresses	the	ultimate	mystery—death—as	a	physician,	a
philosopher,	and	a	teacher. His	presentation	of	concepts	such	as	the	‘journey
of	the	soul,’	or	the	‘music	of	the	spheres,’	reminded	me	of	the	readings	of	my
grandfather,	Edgar	Cayce,	who	many	years	ago	also	provided	the	world	with
a	more	hopeful	view	of	the	transition	we	are	all	destined	to	make. I
recommend	this	book	for	all	of	us	who	are	concerned	about	our	own	eventual
death,	and	the	death	of	those	closest	to	us.”
—
C
HARLES
	T
HOMAS
	C
AYCE
,	Executive	Director,	Association	for	Research	and
Enlightenment,	Inc.;	President,	Edgar	Cayce	Foundation,	Inc.
“Deepak	Chopra	masterfully	navigates	a	bewildering	but	profoundly
important	landscape	in	
Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
. Gracefully
weaving	parables,	poignant	experiences,	religious	lore	and	scientific
evidence,	Chopra’s	survey	of	the	afterlife	is	at	once	contemplative,	heartening
and	satisfying.”
—
D
EAN
	R
ADIN
,	Ph.D.,	senior	scientist,	Institute	of	Noetic	Sciences. “This	is	not	an	‘easy’	but	thoroughly	fascinating	book	that	could	well	become
one	of	the	important	reads	of	your	lifetime.”
—
D
ORIS
	W
ILSDORF
,	Professor	Emeritus,	University	of	Virginia,	and	inventor
“A	fabulous	read! While	western	science	continues	to	watch	the	world	with
its	nose	pressed	to	precise	lenses	with	limited	focus,	Deepak	takes	you	by	the
hand	and	leads	you	on	a	wonderful	journey	right	through	those	looking
glasses	to	the	very	inside	of	eternally	creative	consciousness	as	revealed	by
the	Vedic	rishis	and	reflected	in	other	great	world	cultures. Then	he	shows
you	why	this	inside	view	better	explains	the	data	of	western	science	than	itsown	worldview! In	short,	this	is	a	highly	effective	preview	of	the	integral
global	science	of	the	future	that	will	dramatically	change	the	way	we	see	and
act	in	our	world. As	you	take	this	fascinating	journey	with	Deepak,	the
immortality	promise	of	its	title	is	easily	fulfilled	along	the	way.”
—
E
LISABET
	S
AHTOURIS
,	P
H
.D
.,	evolution	biologist	and	futurist;	professor;
author	of	
EarthDance:	Living	Systems	in	Evolution
“In	his	captivating	book	
Life	After	Death
,	the	immensely	talented	Deepak
Chopra	invites	us	to	join	him	in	an	exhilarating	and	irresistible	eternal	dance
whereby	death	equals	love	and	freedom. Chopra,	with	his	distinctive	wisdom
and	ingenuity,	takes	us	deeper	into	a	timeless	consciousness	that	encompasses
all	of	life. Life	After	Death
	is	a	scintillating	amalgamation	of	science	and
spirit	as	it	lyrically	intertwines	ancient	tales,	modern	literature,	and	Chopra’s
own	intriguing	encounters. Life	After	Death
	is	a	stunning	work,	a	magnificent
achievement,	and	an	inspiring	antidote	to	mankind’s	anxiety	and	despair!”
—T. B
YRAM
	K
ARASU
,	M.D.,	Silverman	Professor	and	University	Chairman	of
the	Department	of	Psychiatry	and	Behavioral	Sciences	at	Albert	Einstein
College	of	Medicine;	author	of	the	best-selling	
The	Spirit	of	Happiness
“Deepak	Chopra	presents	a	compelling	portrait	of	the	afterlife,	one	he	bases
on	the	wisdom	of	religious	teachings	and	supports	with	the	findings	of
scientific	research. The	result	provides	readers	much	food	for	thought	as	well
as	the	opportunity	to	approach	death	in	a	new,	more	hopeful	way.”
—
J
IM
	B.	
T
UCKER
,	M.D.,	researcher	at	the	University	of	Virginia	Division	of
Perceptual	Studies,	and	author	of	
Life	Before	Life:	A	Scientific	Investigation
of	Children’s	Memories	of	Previous	Lives
“‘The	shortest	distance	between	the	human	heart	and	truth	is	a	story,’
according	to	one	wisdom	saying. The	story	Deepak	Chopra	tells	of	Savitri	in
his	insightful	and	wonderful	book	
Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
	not
only	makes	the	human	heart	and	truth	kiss,	but	also	penetrates	to	the	heart	of
this	extraordinary	insight	into	life	after	death. Reading	this	book	as	a	Catholic
priest	and	spiritual	teacher,	I	am	amazed	at	the	way	Dr.	Chopra	is	able	to
make	sense	to	a	Christian	of	the	profound	truth	of	life	and	death	from	his	own
culture	and	deep	learning. I	encourage	everyone—be	he	or	she	Christian,
Buddhist,	Hindu,	or	atheist—to	read	this	extraordinary	work. Your	mind	and
your	soul	will	be	uplifted	and	enlightened.”
—
R
EV
. J.	
F
RANCIS
	S
TROUD
,	S.J. DeMello	Spirituality	Center,	Fordham
University
“East	meets	West	in	
Life	After	Death
. This	treasure	of	a	book	is	graceful	andthoughtful,	inspiring	and	enlightening,	practical	and	mystical,	an	adventure	of
the	mind	and	heart. If	Deepak	Chopra	is	correct—and	contemporary	afterlife
research	supports	his	belief—we	should	not	fear	death,	but	‘respect	it	as	a
miracle’	and	celebrate	our	inherent	ability	to	conceive	and	experience	the
eternity	of	life. Prepare	to	be	awakened.”
—
G
ARY
	E.	
S
CHWARTZ
,	P
H
.D
.,	professor	and	director,	Laboratory	for	Advances
in	Consciousness	and	Health,	University	of	Arizona,	and	author	of	
The
Afterlife	Experiments
	and	
The	G.O.D. Experiments
“Deepak	Chopra	continues	to	be	a	significant	figure	in	the	emerging	dialogue
of	world	cultures	and	faiths. Here	he	deepens	the	conversation	by	tackling	the
‘Big	One,’	the	eternal	issue	of	death	and	the	possibility	of	life	on	another
plane. Instead	of	focusing	on	beliefs,	he	turns	to	the	medium	through	which
most	people	receive	the	ancient	wisdom	of	a	tradition:	stories. Thus	he
expands	the	whole	idiom	in	which	such	questions	are	understood	by	recalling
the	ancient	Indian	insight	that	we	exist	at	the	intersection	of	multiple	realities
and	that	the	line	between	life	and	death	is	not	a	wall,	as	we	often	imagine,	but
one	permeable	crossing	point	among	many,	many	others. Also	by	drawing	on
the	most	recent	science,	he	makes	this	book	thought-provoking	for	people	of
any	faith	or	none	at	all.”
—
H
ARVEY
	C
OX
,	Harvard	University,	author	of	
When	Jesus	Came	to	Harvard
“Deepak	Chopra,	M.D.,	has	become	a	physician	to	our	time. His	latest
medicine	is	
Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
. With	care	and	humility	he
uses	story,	the	teachings	of	the	masters	of	wisdom	in	the	East,	new	science,
and	cosmology	to	hospice	the	fatally	constricting	reductionism	of	the
materialist	worldview	and	open	our	minds	and	souls	to	a	universe	permeated
with	consciousness,	spirit	and	Life. Be	prepared	for	a	truly	masterful
exposition	on	the	nature	of	karma	that	brings	together	Eastern	philosophy	and
modern	neuroscience. Chopra	reminds	us	that	both	ancient	wisdom	and
frontier	science	point	us	toward	a	Reality	that	will	persist	long	after	the	sound
bites	of	contemporary	culture	have	bitten	the	dust. I	loved	the	book.”
—
J
AMES
	O’
D
EA
,	President,	Institute	of	Noetic	Sciences
“Harvesting	the	wisdom	of	East	and	West,	of	science	and	spirituality,	Deepak
Chopra	carries	the	reader	on	a	profound	exploration	of	the	greatest	of
mysteries. It	is	a	revelation	to	waking	consciousness	of	the	source	of	our
existence,	the	passion	of	our	unending	journey,	and	the	Field	of	Being	that
calls	us	into	Union.”
—
J
EAN
	H
OUSTON
,	P
H
.D
.,	author	of	
A	Passion	for	the	Possible“Mind-expanding! Acting	as	a	trusty	guide	whose	words	spring	not	from	this-
is-so	or	believe-this	but	from	what-if? and	why-not?,	Deepak	Chopra	takes	us
on	a	fascinating	exploration	of	a	vast	continent	of	beliefs,	stories,	myths,
testimonies	and	brain	research,	demystifying	a	hitherto	foggy	domain	while
facilitating	our	self-examination. Like	the	rishis	of	old,	Chopra	invites	us	to
participate	in	an	endless	experiment. The	journey	includes	surprises	(our
reality	here	may	determine	our	afterlife)	as	well	as	comforts	(death	is	a
creative	leap). One	cannot	read	
Life	After	Death
	with	any	degree	of	openness
without	being	delighted,	empowered,	and	changed.”
—
J
IM
	B
ALLARD
,	author	of	
Mind	Like	Water
“Some	books	are	divinely	inspired	transmissions	with	the	power	to	change	the
way	we	think,	act	and	live. This	is	one	of	them,	written	by	a	scientist	and
physician	who	is	also	one	of	the	most	luminous	spiritual	teachers	of	our	time. If	you’ve	ever	wondered	about	the	meaning	of	life	and	longed	to	awaken	to
your	full	potential,	this	book	is	sacred	treasure.”
—
J
OAN
	B
ORYSENKO
,	P
H
.D
.,	author	of	
Minding	the	Body,	Mending	the	Mind
and	
Seven	Paths	to	God
“Belief	in	life	after	death	is	a	universal	constant. This	book	will	help	many
find	certainty	and	comfort	in	this	possibility	by	exploring	many	lines	of
evidence	pointing	to	the	infinite,	eternal	nature	of	human	consciousness.”
—
L
ARRY
	D
OSSEY
,	M.D.,	author	of	
The	Extraordinary	Healing	Power	of
Ordinary	Things
“Deepak	Chopra	has	written	what	will	be	considered	his	most	brilliant	book
yet:	Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers. He	skillfully	draws	the	reader
into	his	inquiring	and	limitless	mind	on	a	topic	relevant	and	fascinating	to	all
of	us,	Death	itself,	and	he	does	that	in	a	way	that	we	are	profoundly	touched,
expanded,	and	inspired. In	his	writings	and	talks,	Deepak	always	gives	us	the	gift	of	freeing	us
from	the	limitations	of	our	mistaken	confining	identity. Readers	of	Deepak’s
also	know	we	can	always	count	on	him	to	liberate	us	from	the	prison	of	our
greatest	and	most	petty	fears. In	this	breathtaking	book,	he	does	all	of	that
again	and	more. Through	exquisite	prose,	mystical	poetry,	and	riveting
storytelling,	the	reader	is	given	a	whole	new	way	of	seeing	death	and
therefore	life	itself. As	a	scholar	and	teacher,	physician	and	healer,	master	communicator	and
twenty-first	century	sage,	Deepak	Chopra	has	written	a	masterpiece	that
draws	on	many	disciplines,	communicates	on	multiple	dimensions,	and
delivers	a	sweeping	transformation	on	every	level. I	was	hooked	from	themoment	I	started	reading	and	found	myself	buzzing	with	excitement,	moved
to	tears,	filled	with	awe,	and	profoundly	altered	by	this	book. My	unexamined
and	unconscious	beliefs	and	assumptions	about	death	have	been	unearthed
and	overturned. I	absolutely	loved	this	book	and	am	transformed	by	its	message	in	ways	I
am	just	beginning	to	understand. I	urge	everyone	to	read	it. It	will	change
your	life	and	your	death.”
—
L
YNN
	T
WIST
,	President,	Soul	of	Money	Institute
“In	
Life	After	Death
,	Deepak	Chopra	opens	the	door	to	our	true	potential:	the
afterlife. He	shows	us	that	death	can	be	a	profound	confrontation	with	the
radiance	of	our	soul. And	he	guides	us	in	a	hundred	irresistible	ways	into	this
journey	which	begins	now. This	book	is	a	must-read	for	those	who	want	to
find	out	how	‘passing	on’	can	be	the	most	meaningful	adventure	of	your	life.”
—
M
ARGOT
	A
NAND
,	author	of	
The	Art	of	Everyday	Ecstasy
“In	an	age	of	materialism,	Deepak	Chopra’s	
Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of
Answers
	lifts	one’s	spirit	with	new	hope. Full	of	spiritual	wisdom,	this	book
opens	new	vistas	on	the	afterlife	and	points	to	new	worlds	of	freedom,	love
and	joy.”
—
M
ICHAEL
	M
URPHY
,	author,	chair,	and	cofounder	of	Esalen	Institute
“Once	again	Deepak	Chopra	lights	the	way	through	the	darkness	of
confusion,	illuminating	the	glory	of	our	true	selves. Now	he	takes	us	to	the
edge	of	our	own	deepest	inner	truth	about	life	after	death	by	sharing	with	us
his	vision	and	his	wisdom,	which,	as	always,	is	breathtaking,	healing	and
soul-opening. This	book,	and	Deepak	Chopra	himself,	are	enormous	gifts	to
humanity.”
—
N
EALE
	D
ONALD
	W
ALSCH
,	author	of	
Home	with	God	in	a	Life	That	Never
Ends
“Dr. Chopra	here	takes	on	the	answering	of	major	questions	to	which	Western
religions	often	give	little	help. Death	is	a	New	Beginning. Consciousness
holds	the	personality	together	through	death	into	the	Interlife	before	another
incarnation.”
—
J
OHN
	O’M. B
OCKRIS
,	Professor,	University	of	Pennsylvania	(1953–1972);
Distinguished	Professor,	Texas	A&M	University	(1978–1997);	author	of
The	New	Paradigm
“Birth	is	a	miracle	…	so	is	death. With	his	customary	wit	and	intelligence,
Deepak	offers	us	teaching	stories,	childhood	memories,	quantum	puzzles,neuroscience,	religion,	and	common	sense	in	a	rich	and	very	satisfying
exploration	of	what	we	really	are,	what	the	hell	we’re	doing	here,	and	where
we’re	going. It’s	all	a	journey	towards	liberation	and	bliss.”
—
R
ICHARD
	G
ERE
,	actor	and	humanitarian
“In	
Life	After	Death
	Dr.	Chopra	offers	us	the	benefit	of	his	own	unique	life
experience	from	emergency	room	medicine	to	his	adventures	into	Eastern
metaphysics. This	book	is	inspiring,	comforting	and	authoritative. It	presents
convincing	data	for	the	survival	of	bodily	death,	while	instructing	us	on	a	path
toward	joy,	spaciousness,	and	the	discovery	of	who	we	truly	are,	which	is
much	more	than	just	a	physical	body.”
—
R
USSELL
	T
ARG
,	physicist	and	author	of	
The	End	of	Suffering
. “With	profound	wisdom	and	clarity,	Deepak	Chopra	reveals	an	awesome
kaleidoscopic	view	of	infinite	possibilities	in	the	akashic	field. Crystallized	in
story	form,	one	can	easily	identify	with	personal	experience	in	the	cycle	of
everyday	life. Every	culture,	religion	and	individual	can	access	the	spiritual
path	of	their	choice	in	this	remarkable	work	where	‘love,	truth,	compassion,
birth	and	death	are	equal’	and	eternity	is	NOW.”
—
S
ISTER
	J
UDIAN
	B
REITENBACH
,	R.N.,	Catholic	Order	of	the	Poor	Handmaids
of	Jesus	Christ,	Namaste	Center	for	Holistic	Education,	La	Porte,
Indianapolis
“In	
Life	After	Death
,	Deepak	Chopra	takes	his	readers	to	the	gateway	that	is
death	and	encourages	them	to	keep	their	eyes	open	for	what	lies	beyond. Exploring	different	traditions,	he	shows	death	not	as	a	threat,	but	an
opportunity. Chopra	deftly	combines	ancient	mythology	with	cutting-edge
science	and	psychology. He	is	a	master	storyteller	who	makes	Eastern
wisdom	accessible	for	the	Western	reader.”
—
V
ICTOR
	C
HAN
,	Founding	Director,	Dalai	Lama	Center	for	Peace	and
Education;	coauthor,	with	HH	the	Dalai	Lama	of	
Wisdom	of	Forgiveness:
Intimate	Conversations	and	Journeys
“In	
Life	After	Death
,	Deepak	Chopra	proves	himself	to	be	a	spiritual
alchemist. Using	the	power	of	language,	he	takes	diverse	elements	such	as
Vedic	philosophy,	particle	physics,	psychology,	and	neuroscience	and
transforms	them	into	literary	gold. His	insights	into	what	happens	after	we	die
will	transform	the	way	you	see	what	lies	ahead. An	inspiring	and	profoundly
reassuring	book.”
—
A
RIANNA
	H
UFFINGTON
,	editor,	huffingtonpostTo	my	beloved	parentsM
EMOIR:
	T
HE
	L
IFE
	B
EYOND
WHILE	WRITING	THIS
	book	on	the	afterlife,	I	kept	being	drawn	back	to	stories
that	I’d	heard	in	India	as	a	child. Parables	are	a	powerful	way	to	teach
children,	and	many	of	the	ones	told	to	me	have	lasted	all	my	life. So	I	decided
to	weave	the	book	around	tales	of	the	kind	I	heard	at	home,	around	the
temples,	and	at	school,	hoping	that	the	reader	would	be	enticed	by	a	world
where	heroes	battle	darkness	in	order	to	emerge	into	the	light. In	this	case	the	hero	is	a	woman,	Savitri,	and	the	enemy	she	must	defeat	is
Yama,	the	Lord	of	Death. Yama	shows	up	in	her	front	yard	one	day,	waiting	to
take	away	her	husband	the	moment	he	returns	from	his	work	as	a	woodcutter. Savitri	is	terrified. What	strategy	could	possibly	turn	Death	away	from	his
inexorable	mission? I	had	no	trouble	imagining	these	characters. I	was	frightened	for	Savitri
and	anxious	to	find	out	how	her	battle	of	wits	with	Death	turned	out. Their
world	flowed	easily	into	my	own,	because	the	India	of	my	childhood	was	not
that	far	removed	from	ancient	India. I	want	to	take	a	moment	to	convey	what
death	and	the	world	beyond	meant	back	then. It	may	seem	like	a	very	esoteric
place. If	so,	you	can	come	back	to	it	after	reading	the	main	body	of	the	book. However	mysterious	and	exotic,	here	is	where	I	began. What	was	most	magical	in	my	childhood	was	transformation. Death	itself
was	seen	as	a	brief	stopping	point	on	an	endless	soul	journey	that	could	turn	a
peasant	into	a	king	and	vice	versa. With	the	possibility	of	infinite	lifetimes
extending	forward	and	backward,	a	soul	could	experience	hundreds	of
heavens	and	hells. Death	ended	nothing;	it	opened	up	limitless	adventures. But	at	a	deeper	level,	it’s	typically	Indian	not	to	crave	permanence. A	drop	of
water	becomes	vapor,	which	is	invisible,	yet	vapor	materializes	into	billowing
clouds,	and	from	clouds	rain	falls	back	to	earth,	forming	river	torrents	and
eventually	merging	into	the	sea. Has	the	drop	of	water	died	along	the	way? No,	it	undergoes	a	new	expression	at	each	stage. Likewise,	the	idea	that	I
have	a	fixed	body	locked	in	space	and	time	is	a	mirage. Any	drop	of	water
inside	my	body	could	have	been	ocean,	cloud,	river,	or	spring	the	day	before. I	remind	myself	of	this	fact	when	the	bonds	of	daily	life	squeeze	too	tight. In	the	West	the	hereafter	has	been	viewed	as	a	place	akin	to	the	material
world. Heaven,	hell,	and	purgatory	lie	in	some	distant	region	beyond	the	sky
or	under	the	earth. In	the	India	of	my	childhood	the	hereafter	wasn’t	a	place	atall,	but	a	state	of	awareness. The	cosmos	that	you	and	I	are	experiencing	right	now,	with	trees,	plants,
people,	houses,	cars,	stars,	and	galaxies,	is	just	consciousness	expressing	itself
at	one	particular	frequency. Elsewhere	in	spacetime,	different	planes	exist
simultaneously. If	I	had	asked	my	grandmother	where	heaven	was,	she	would
have	pointed	to	the	house	we	lived	in,	not	only	because	it	was	full	of	love,	but
because	it	made	sense	to	her	that	many	worlds	could	comfortably	inhabit	the
same	place. By	analogy,	if	you	are	listening	to	a	concert	orchestra,	there	are	a
hundred	instruments	playing,	each	occupying	the	same	place	in	space	and
time. You	can	listen	to	the	symphony	as	a	whole	or,	if	you	wish,	put	your
attention	on	a	specific	instrument. You	can	even	separate	out	the	individual
notes	played	by	that	instrument. The	presence	of	one	frequency	does	not
displace	any	of	the	others. I	didn’t	know	it	as	a	child,	but	when	I	walked	around	the	crowded	Delhi
market	where	more	humanity	was	packed	into	one	bazaar	than	was	possible
to	imagine,	the	world	I	couldn’t	see	was	even	more	crowded. The	air	that	I
breathed	contained	voices,	car	noises,	bird	songs,	radio	waves,	X-rays,	cosmic
rays,	and	an	almost	infinite	array	of	subatomic	particles. Endless	realities	lay
all	around	me. Every	frequency	in	nature	exists	simultaneously,	and	yet	we	experience
only	what	we	see. It’s	natural	to	fear	what	we	can’t	see,	and	since	death
snatches	a	person	out	of	sight,	we	react	to	it	with	fear. I	certainly	wasn’t
immune	to	this. The	death	of	a	pet	made	me	anxious	and	sad;	the	death	of	my
grandfather,	which	happened	suddenly	in	the	middle	of	the	night,	was
devastating. My	younger	brother	kept	running	around	the	house	crying,
“Where	is	he? Where	is	he?”	It	would	be	years	before	I	realized	that	the
correct	answer	was	“Here	and	everywhere.”
Different	planes	of	existence	represent	different	frequencies	of
consciousness. The	world	of	physical	matter	is	just	one	expression	of	a
particular	frequency. (Decades	later,	I	was	fascinated	to	read	that	according	to
physicists,	there	is	a	background	hum	to	the	universe	that	is	so	specific	as	to
sound	like	the	note	B-flat,	although	it	vibrates	millions	of	times	lower	than
human	hearing.) In	India	a	child	would	never	hear	such	a	complicated	quasi-
scientific	idea,	but	I	did	hear	about	the	five	elements,	or	
Mahabhutas
:	earth,
water,	fire,	air,	and	space. These	elements	combined	to	form	everything	in
existence,	which	sounds	crude	to	someone	versed	in	Western	science,	but	it
contained	a	valuable	truth:	All	transformations	come	down	to	a	few	simple
elements. In	the	twentieth	century	Western	science	came	to	understand	that	all	solid
objects	are	actually	made	of	invisible	vibrations. In	my	childhood,	solid
things	were	seen	to	have	a	large	portion	of	the	earth	element. To	put	it	another
way,	solid	things	had	dense	vibrations,	or	
vibrations
	on	a	lower	plane.Vaporous	things	had	a	fine	vibration,	on	a	higher	plane. Just	as	there	are	different	planes	of	material	things,	there	are	also	different
spiritual	planes,	a	shocking	notion	to	the	pious	Catholic	brothers,	mostly	Irish,
who	were	my	teachers	at	school. To	them	the	only	spirit	was	the	Holy	Ghost
that	lived	in	heaven. We	children	were	politic	enough	not	to	disagree,	yet	in
our	cosmos	it	only	made	sense	that	if	the	Earth	was	a	dense	spiritual	world,
there	must	be	higher	spiritual	planes,	known	to	us	as	
Lokas
,	which	in	Western
mystical	circles	became	known	as	“astral	planes.”	There	are	an	almost	infinite
number	of	astral	planes,	divided	into	a	higher	and	lower	astral	world,	and
even	the	lowest	ones	vibrate	at	a	higher	frequency	than	the	material	world. Long	ago	the	West	gave	up	trying	to	hear	the	music	of	the	spheres,	but	in
India	it	is	believed	that	a	person	with	finely	tuned	consciousness	can	go
inward	and	actually	hear	the	vibration	of	various	higher	planes. In	the	astral
plane	you	can	see	your	own	body,	for	instance,	yet	it	might	change	in	age
from	moment	to	moment. In	the	lower	astral	planes	we	find	clairvoyance,	telepathy,	and	other
refinements	of	the	five	senses,	as	well	as	ghosts,	disembodied	souls,	and
spirits	that	for	one	reason	or	another	are	“stuck.”	As	a	child	I	was	certain	that
when	a	cat	or	dog	paused	to	assess	the	air,	it	saw	something	I	couldn’t. So	it
came	as	no	surprise	to	later	read,	in	various	texts	both	Eastern	and	Western,
that	lower	astral	planes	sometimes	sensed	by	humans	in	higher	states	of
awareness	are	often	sensed	by	animals. Nor	was	I	surprised	to	meet	a
psychiatry	resident	who	told	me	that	if	the	hospital	room	was	dimly	lit
enough,	he	could	see—on	the	very	edge	of	visibility—when	the	soul	left	a
dying	person. Every	Indian	child	devours	comic	books	about	the	exploits	of
various	heroes	who	fought	their	battles	in	faraway	Lokas. Slipping	in	and	out
of	material	existence	was	our	version	of	traveling	to	outer	space. Our	comic
book	heroes	would	come	across	thought	forms	and	
thought
	clouds,	astral
bodies	traveling	during	sleep,	astral	colors	and	auras. All	these	are	vibrations
in	the	lower	astral	plane. In	the	Indian	tradition	every	physical	body	is	assigned	an	accompanying
astral	body. Your	astral	body	is	a	complete	mirror	of	your	physical	body;	it
has	a	heart,	liver,	arms,	legs,	a	face,	etc.,	but	since	it	operates	at	a	higher
frequency,	most	people	are	unaware	of	it. During	life,	the	physical	body
provides	a	garment	for	the	soul;	it	gives	it	the	appearance	of	being	localized
in	the	material	world. In	death,	as	the	physical	body	begins	to	disintegrate,	the
departing	soul	enters	an	astral	plane	that	corresponds	to	its	existence	on	the
material	plane,	the	frequency	that	corresponds	most	closely	to	its	former	life. The	general	notion	that	you	go	where	you	belong	rested	easily	in	my	mind
back	then. I	imagined	dogs	going	to	dog	heaven,	and	people	who	loved	dogs
joining	them. I	imagined	bad	people	no	longer	hurting	anyone	except
themselves	because	they	were	isolated	in	a	kind	of	karmic	jail. This	wasconsoling,	an	assurance	that	the	good	people	who	loved	me	but	were	now
gone	lived	in	a	place	of	goodness. But	my	view	had	limitations. I	was	never
sure	whether	my	wise	grandfather	met	his	wise	grandfather	in	the	hereafter,
who	showed	him	how	to	proceed,	or	if	that	job	was	carried	out	by	angels,	or
enlightened	spirits. Much	later	when	I	began	to	research	karma	I	found	that
after	we	die,	we	remain	self-motivated. A	soul	moves	according	to	its	desire
from	one	astral	plane	to	another,	projecting	as	in	a	dream	whatever	sights	and
people,	guides	and	astral	entities	it	needs	for	its	own	advancement. All	these	planes	ultimately	were	imagined	by	Spirit,	just	as	it	imagined	the
material	world. The	Indian	word	for	Spirit	is	
Brahman
,	which	is	Everything,
the	one	consciousness	that	fills	every	plane	of	existence. But	Indians	are
relaxed	about	terminology,	as	befits	a	very	old	culture. We	said	God. Rama. Shiva. Maheshwara. The	important	thing	wasn’t	the	name	but	the	concept	of	a
single	consciousness	that	creates	everything	and	continues	to	do	so	in	infinite
dimensions	at	infinite	speed. On	the	astral	planes	Spirit	continues	to	play
roles. There,	one	can	actually	see	images	of	gods	and	goddesses,	angels	and
demons. These	are	ultimately	illusions,	however,	for	each	astral	plane
provides	the	experience	of	Spirit. Here,	on	our	plane,	we	experience	Spirit	as
matter,	solidity. On	the	astral	planes	we	experience	subtle	beings	and	the
landscapes	they	inhabit—what	we	might	call	dreams. The	cosmos	is	nonlocal;	that	is,	it	can’t	be	mapped	as	a	location. After
death	we	gradually	stop	being	local. We	see	ourselves	as	we	really	are	from
the	soul’s	perspective:	everywhere	at	once. This	adjustment	is	probably	the
biggest	obstacle	any	of	us	will	encounter	in	the	astral	planes. Right	now	you
are	at	the	center	of	the	universe	because	infinity	extends	in	all	directions,	yet
someone	on	the	other	side	of	the	world	is	also	at	the	center	of	the	universe,
because	infinity	extends	on	all	sides	of	him,	too. If	both	of	you	are	centers	of
the	universe,	you	must	both	be	at	the	same	location. The	fact	that	you	appear
to	be	in	different	places	is	a	sensory	artifact. It’s	based	on	sights	and	sounds,
which	are	local	events. You	are	not	a	local	event. Similarly,	each	moment	is	the	center	of	time,	because	eternity	stretches
around	each	moment	in	all	directions. Therefore	every	moment	is	the	same	as
every	other. The	cosmos,	being	nonlocal,	has	no	up	or	down,	north	or	south,
east	or	west. These	are	only	points	of	reference	for	our	convenience	at	our
particular	frequency	(i.e.,	inside	a	body). The	transformational	process	after
death	is	not	a	movement	to	some	other	place	or	time;	it	is	just	a	change	in	the
quality	of	our	attention. You	can	only	see	what	you	vibrate	to. I	had	an	uncle	who	loved	to	travel	and	visit	the	various	saints	and	sages
who	so	densely	populate	India. Sometimes,	to	my	fascination,	he	brought	me
along. I	saw	renunciates	who	sat	in	one	posture	for	years	at	a	time;	others	who
barely	breathed. I	know	now	that	my	eyes	were	deceiving	me. I	only	saw	achrysalis,	inside	of	which	marvelous	transformations	were	taking	place. Silently,	these	figures	were	tuning	in	to	different	frequencies	beyond	the
outside	world. Through	a	shift	
in
	attention	they	could	speak	to	Rama	(or
Buddha	or	Christ,	though	that	was	less	likely	in	India). Deep	meditation
wasn’t	an	inert	state;	it	was	a	launching	pad	for	consciousness. In	the	ER
when	someone	dies	of	a	heart	attack,	only	to	be	resuscitated	with	reports	of	a
near-death	experience,	he	or	she	uses	a	different	launching	pad. In	both	cases
there	was	a	shift	in	the	quality	of	attention. The	big	difference	is	that	when	a	cardiac	patient	goes	into	the	light,	the
journey	is	involuntary. Those	silent	yogis	from	my	past	were	exercising	an
intention. By	having	a	desire	at	a	deep	enough	level	of	awareness,	they	went
through	a	process	that	parallels	death. The	senses	fade	one	by	one. (The	last
one	to	leave	when	a	person	dies	is	sound,	which	was	the	first	to	come	in	at
birth. This	fits	the	Indian	notion	that	the	five	elements	come	and	go	in	a
specific	order;	since	sound	is	the	equivalent	of	vibration,	which	holds	the
body	together,	it	makes	sense	that	it	would	be	the	last	to	go.) As	the	gross	senses	become	duller,	the	subtle	senses	sharpen. We	still	see
and	hear	after	we	die,	but	now	the	objects	aren’t	physical. They	consist	of
anything	we	want	to	see	on	the	astral	plane:	celestial	sights	and	sounds,
heavenly	beings,	and	brilliant	lights. In	near-death	experiences	the	most
typical	manifestations	are	faces,	voices,	or	an	emotional	presence. In	other
cultures	people	might	expect	to	encounter	ghosts	or	animals. Often	a	dying
person	feels	something	subtle	around	him—a	certain	warmth,	a	faint	form	or
sound	before	leaving	the	body. Somehow	these	can	be	accessed	on	the	dying
person’s	vibrational	frequency. Anyone	who	has	spent	time	with	the	dying
knows	that	they	may	say	that	they’ve	been	joined	in	the	room	by	a	departed
spouse	or	other	long-dead	loved	one. Some	kind	of	astral	contact	is	being
made	in	the	transition	zone	from	physical	to	subtle. At	death	the	astral	counterpart	of	the	physical	body	separates	from	it. According	to	Vedic	teachings,	the	departed	soul	then	sleeps	for	a	time	in	the
astral	region,	which	I	translate	as	its	incubation	period. New
	ideas	percolate	in
the	mind	before	they	lead	to	action,	and	something	similar	happens	with	the
soul. Normally	the	soul	sleeps	peacefully,	but	if	a	person	dies	suddenly	or
prematurely,	or	has	many	unfulfilled	desires,	this	sleep	may	be	restless	and
disturbed. The	horrors	of	a	violent	death	would	continue	to	reverberate,	and
so	would	more	mundane	torments	like	unrequited	love	or	grief. Suicides
experience	the	same	inner	pain	that	led	them	to	take	their	lives. Unfulfilled	desires	don’t	have	to	be	negative. A	longing	for	pleasure	also
represents	an	inability	to	let	go. My	uncle	the	spiritual	devotee	heard	many
detailed	accounts	of	souls	stuck	in	lower	astral	planes. Days,	months,	and
years	aren’t	the	yardsticks	of	the	soul’s	perspective. When	people	die
suddenly	or	unnaturally,	they	haven’t	had	time	to	work	out	their	personalkarma;	until	they	fully	process	their	attachments	and	obligations,	they	will
remain	drawn	to	this	denser	plane. Saints	and	sages	have	the	advantage	of	being	able	to	travel	freely	through
astral	planes,	unrestrained	by	desires. Disturbed	souls	remain	caught	between
two	worlds,	and	if	loved	ones	left	behind	keep	calling	to	the	soul	through
prayers,	grief,	unfulfilled	love,	or	attempts	to	contact	the	dead,	the	soul	will
continue	to	be	perturbed. The	soul	is	meant	to	sleep	in	the	astral	body	as	it	did
in	the	womb,	and	peaceful	death	makes	this	possible. Then	there	is	the	matter	of	seeing	your	life	flash	before	your	eyes. Since
this	is	experienced	by	people	on	the	brink	of	dying,	such	as	drowning	victims,
it	must	be	part	of	a	transition,	not	actually	connected	to	death	per	se. I	was
never	told	about	this	as	a	child,	although	I	did	meet	a	doctor	later	on	who	told
me	that	he	had	nearly	drowned	off	the	Great	Barrier	Reef	in	Australia. He
described	it	as	a	peaceful	experience	accompanied	by	a	rapid	sequence	of
images	spanning	his	whole	life—more	like	a	slide	show	than	a	movie,	he	said. (I	wonder	if	he	would	have	become	a	restless	soul	had	the	lifeguards	not
reached	him	in	time.) Swamis	talk	extensively	about	the	afterlife,	and	according	to	a	number	of
them,	seeing	your	life	flash	before	your	eyes	is	a	specific	karmic	process. Karma	is	wound	around	the	soul	like	thread	around	a	spindle. Whenever	a
person	is	exposed	to	the	possibility	of	sudden	death,	the	thread	unwinds
rapidly,	and	one	sees	images	of	the	events	that	have	already	occurred. In	this
sequence	only	significant	karmic	moments	become	visible. In	cases	where	someone	is	dying	over	a	period	of	weeks	and	months,
karma	unwinds	slowly. The	person	may	become	intensely	absorbed	in	the
past,	reflecting	upon	it. At	the	moment	of	dying,	entering	into	the	astral	plane
is	accompanied	by	a	quick	karmic	review,	with	images	unwinding	like	a	film
unspooling	off	its	reel. However,	purists	in	India	might	see	this	image	too	as	pure	illusion. The
phenomenon	of	seeing	your	life	flash	before	you	in	a	split	second,	they	say,	is
a	demonstration	that	every	second	contains	the	whole	of	eternity. During	the
deep	sleep	of	the	soul	between	births,	all	the	memories	of	past	events	in	the
physical	body	get	impressed	onto	the	soul,	forming	the	karmic	software	that
will	give	rise	to	its	future	life. One	spiritual	practice	that	I	still	perform	is	to	lie	in	bed	before	falling
asleep	and	review	the	events	of	the	day. I	do	this	in	backward	order,	for	the
same	reason	karma	unspools	in	this	way:	to	understand	and	come	to	peace
with	what	has	happened	to	me. My	own	feeling	is	that	a	dying	person	must	be
given	the	same	opportunity. The	period	of	the	soul’s	slumber	varies	according	to	how	evolved	the	soul
is	at	the	time	of	death. The	main	reason	for	the	sleep	of	the	soul	is	to	shed	its
attachments. The	strength	of	its	attachments	will	determine	how	long	it	takesto	shed	them. When	the	soul	awakens	it	can	only	enter	a	plane	of	existence
that	is	familiar. If	you	were	to	enter	a	plane	higher	than	your	level	of
evolution,	you	would	become	confused	and	uncomfortable. Likewise,	you
cannot	go	backward	in	your	evolution:	you	can	only	progress. A	kind	of	cocoon	surrounds	the	sleeping	soul. When	it	wakes	up	it	sheds
this	shell,	which	eventually	fades	away. During	the	astral	journey	souls	meet
other	souls	vibrating	at	a	similar	level	of	evolution. You	may	meet	some	souls
that	you	encountered	in	the	physical	world	if	they	are	on	your	frequency. Most	people	deeply	desire	to	join	their	loved	ones	in	the	afterlife. Their	souls
aren’t	drifting	through	the	astral	atmosphere	but	are	directed	by	love	itself. Love	is	a	vibration,	older	than	humanity	itself. But	the	principle	of
directedness	is	very	human:	we	go	where	our	deepest	desires	take	us. When	Spirit	moves	in	the	world	of	physical	objects,	its	vibration	is	very
slow	and	dense,	almost	stilled	by	the	physical	casing	of	the	body. When	it
operates	at	a	very	high	vibration,	Spirit	is	also	still	because	it	experiences
only	pure	awareness—in	other	words,	itself. In	between	those	two	extremes
lies	the	whole	range	of	creation. In	the	astral	world,	the	soul	can	visit	planes
of	vibration	lower	than	itself	at	will,	but	can	only	visit	higher	planes	through
evolution,	much	the	way	when	you	pass	particles	through	finer	and	finer
sieves,	any	particle	can	always	pass	back	to	a	grosser	level	but	can	only
advance	when	it	has	reached	the	correct	level	of	refinement. The	Christian	brothers	who	taught	me	loved	to	talk	about	what	life	would
be	like	in	heaven,	and	for	them	God’s	home	was	as	real	and	solid	as	any
building	in	Delhi. The	swamis	and	yogis	agreed	with	that,	but	only	because
they	believed	that	Spirit	permeates	every	plane	of	existence. Depending	on
your	level	of	awareness,	you	project	your	own	heavens,	hells,	and	purgatories,
to	work	through	on	the	physical	plane	as	well	as	astral	planes. In	the	physical
world,	if	you	want	to	build	a	house,	you	need	to	collect	the	bricks,	put	them
on	top	of	one	another,	and	so	on. In	the	astral	world	you	could	just	imagine
the	house	the	way	you	want	it,	and	it	will	appear	seemingly	as	real	and	solid
as	the	one	in	the	physical	world. In	the	astral	plane	suffering	and	enjoyment	occur	in	the	imagination,	even
though	they	appear	to	be	real. Ironically,	someone	who	has	
been
	a	skeptic	in
this	world	will	likely	be	a	skeptic	in	the	astral	planes;	he	won’t	realize	that
he’s	in	the	very	place	he	doesn’t	believe	exists. The	body	you	inhabit	in	the
astral	world	is	the	one	you’ve	most	identified	with	in	the	previous	physical
life. Since	this	is	an	imaginary	body,	you	can	keep	it	or	change	it	during	your
astral	life. Evolution	on	both	the	physical	or	astral	planes	is	gradual—it	takes
time. My	Christian	schoolteachers	relished	the	idea	that	every	desire	would
come	true	in	heaven,	and	once	again	the	swamis	agree	in	their	way. Desire	is
still	crucial	after	death. Evolution	is	really	the	process	of	fulfillment	of	desire.In	the	astral	world	you	fulfill	and	refine	desires	left	over	from	your	last
physical	life. You	also	refine	your	knowledge	and	experiences	from	the
material	world. The	astral	is	like	a	graduate	school	for	your	previous	physical
incarnation. Here	the	soul	also	stores	up	energy	for	its	higher,	more	evolved
desires	so	that	they	might	be	fulfilled	on	its	next	visit	to	the	physical	plane
when	it	inhabits	a	new	body. I	wasn’t	sure	why	people	died	in	the	Christian	scheme. Some	who	died
were	loaded	down	with	sin,	it	seemed,	like	criminals	who	have	come	to	the
end	of	their	bad	actions,	while	others	died	to	meet	God,	eager	that	their	time
had	come. In	India	someone	dies	after	reaching	the	maximum	evolution
allotted	to	that	lifetime;	they	have	come	to	the	end	of	what	their	karma	can
teach	them. The	same	holds	true	in	the	mirror	of	the	astral	world. The	cycle
closes	on	itself	to	produce	a	rebirth,	which	seemed	totally	natural	to	me	as	a
child. So	natural,	in	fact,	that	it	didn’t	occur	to	me	how	mysterious	the	process
must	be. Somehow	the	soul	finds	a	set	of	suitable	parents	so	it	may	be	reborn
to	continue	its	evolution. Thanks	to	what	has	taken	place	on	the	astral	plane,
reincarnation	occurs	at	a	higher	level	than	where	one	left	off. The	specific
calculations	are	made	by	the	universe	itself	or,	as	some	scriptures	claim,	by
the	lords	of	karma. As	a	child	I	imagined	a	scene	rather	like	a	courtroom	in	which	wise
judges	sit	and	consider	every	case—so	wise,	in	fact,	that	they	
know
	every
lifetime	a	soul	has	ever	had. With	complete	impartiality	they	mete	out	the
events	that	will	arise	in	the	next	lifetime. Their	aim	isn’t	to	reward	or	punish,
but	to	lay	out	opportunities	to	evolve. Later	on	in	life,	it	occurred	to	me	that
there	is	no	need	for	lords	of	karma,	since	the	universe	is	already	correlating
not	just	every	lifetime	but	every	event	in	nature. The	courtroom	scene	stands
as	a	symbol	for	our	own	clarity	of	judgment. Between	lifetimes	we	are
perfectly	capable	of	making	our	own	evolutionary	choices	for	the	future. For
the	great	sages	and	saints	none	of	this	happened	unconsciously. They	recalled
their	own	past-life	experiences	as	clearly	as	you	or	I	might	evoke	yesterday’s
events. But	for	those	of	us	without	their	liberated	awareness,	only	a	faint
memory	remains	of	what	has	gone	before. Being	born	means	arriving	at	a	new	level	of	insight	and	creativity. The
process	repeats	itself	over	and	over,	each	time	progressing	to	a	slightly	higher
plane. When	your	karma	has	been	sufficiently	worked	out,	you	reach	the
maximum	limit	for	that	plane,	your	soul	slips	back	into	slumber,	and	the	cycle
continues. The	soul’s	trajectory	is	always	upward. Any	suffering	on	the	astral	plane,
even	the	most	tormenting	hell,	is	only	a	temporary	detour. By	working	itself
out,	your	karma	sees	to	it	that	your	actions	will	always	be	better	next	time. I
know	this	contradicts	the	popular	belief	that	reincarnation	can	demote	a
person	to	the	level	of	an	animal	or	even	an	insect	if	one’s	actions	merit	it.India	is	a	very	old,	complex	culture,	and	when	I	grew	up	I	was	astonished	to
discover	how	contradictory	its	spiritual	teachings	could	be—beliefs	changed
from	town	to	town	like	the	food. Indians	are	omnivorous. At	one	time	or
another	they	have	believed	everything. My	Catholic	schoolteachers	were	just
the	latest	item	on	a	centuries-old	menu. Eventually	I	concluded	that	the	only
way	to	learn	anything	about	spiritual	matters	was	to	experience	and	read	as
much	as	I	could. According	to	the	India	of	my	childhood,	we	don’t	choose	our	next
incarnation	voluntarily,	but	an	element	of	choice	does	come	into	play. The
degree	of	choice	you	have	depends	on	how	clearly	you	can	view	yourself	in
the	astral	plane. This	faculty,	called	witnessing,	is	comparable	to	what	we
experience	here	and	now. Those	who	have	the	least	freedom	of	choice	are
driven	by	obsessions,	compulsions,	addictions,	and	unconscious	impulses. To
the	extent	that	you	become	free	of	these,	you	have	more	choice. The	same	is
true	of	a	soul	contemplating	its	next	physical	incarnation. Saints	and	sages	are	clear	witnesses	in	this	lifetime. The	Buddha	was	said
to	be	able	to	close	his	eyes	and	in	an	instant	see	thousands	of	his	past
incarnations	in	complete	detail. By	contrast,	most	people	are	so	preoccupied
with	desire	that	when	they	try	to	see	themselves	truly	as	they	are,	they	see
only	fog	or	blankness. By	developing	your	ability	to	witness,	to	be	aware	of	your	situation,	you
will	be	able	to	influence	the	lives	you	incarnate	into. You	will	also	be	able	to
speed	up	the	process	of	working	through	your	karma. In	the	same	way,	you
can	also	develop	skills	and	talents	on	the	astral	plane. (This	explains,	among
other	things,	how	great	artists	and	musicians	can	exhibit	their	abilities	at
uncanny	ages,	often	before	they	turn	three;	being	born	with	a	talent	is	no
accident.) When	you	are	born,	you	bring	along	the	talents	you	have	developed
from	all	your	previous	existences. Soul	bonds	occur	on	the	astral	plane	just	as	they	occur	in	the	physical
world. Relationships	in	the	astral	plane	mean	that	you	are	vibrating	in	concert
with	someone	else’s	soul	and	therefore	feel	a	heightened	sense	of	love,	unity,
and	bliss. It	is	not	a	relationship	in	spatial	or	physical	terms,	because	the	astral
world	is	populated	only	by	thought	forms. When	the	disembodied	soul	tunes
in	to	the	frequency	of	a	loved	one	back	on	the	physical	plane,	that	person	may
feel	the	presence	of	the	departed;	two	souls	can	commune	even	though	one	is
vibrating	in	the	material	plane	and	the	other	in	the	astral	plane. The	soul’s	motivation	to	keep	coming	back	to	the	material	plane	is
twofold:	to	fulfill	desires	and	to	rejoin	with	familiar	souls. We	
relate
	now	to
those	people	whose	souls	we	related	to	in	the	past;	we	end	relationships	with
people	whose	souls	no	longer	vibrate	with	ours. When	I	was	a	boy	the	only	thing	that	really	troubled	me	about	this	scheme
was	how	the	story	ended. In	the	West	it	has	been	a	long	time	since	peoplelonged	for	the	next	life	more	than	they	did	this	one. Since	the	Middle	Ages
we	have	become	firmly	entrenched	in	the	desirability	of	being	here. India	has
always	been	more	ambivalent. There’s	enough	pain	in	life	that	the	prospect	of
repeating	it	forever	creates	anxiety. How	does	one	get	off	the	wheel	of	karma? In	one	version	of	Indian	belief,	once	a	soul	has	completely	worked	out	all
its	karma,	it	loses	all	earthly	desires. It	has	transcended	material	objects	and
attachments	to	become	enlightened. And	once	it	is	free	of	karma,	there	is	no
need	to	be	reborn	on	either	the	physical	or	astral	planes. Such	a	soul	continues
to	spiral	upward	in	its	evolution,	but	on	planes	we	cannot	imagine. In	Eastern
philosophy	these	are	known	as	causal	planes;	here,	consciousness	takes	on
such	a	subtle	form	that	it	offers	no	visual	image	for	us	to	cling	to. We	will
know	the	causal	world	only	when	we	are	ready	to	experience	it,	and	that	time
is	different	for	each	person. We	may	glimpse	it	in	an	epiphany,	but	we	will
dwell	there	only	when	the	soul’s	vibration	is	high	enough	to	sustain	it. In	another	Indian	variation,	karma	is	infinite	and	is	constantly	being
renewed. Trying	to	get	to	the	end	of	your	karma	would	be	like	emptying
water	out	of	a	boat	with	one	hand	and	pouring	it	back	in	with	the	other,	so
evolution	works	somewhat	differently	in	this	scheme. When	you	achieve	self-
realization,	you	no	longer	identify	with	your	body,	mind,	ego,	or	desires. You
become	a	pure	witness,	and	in	that	state	you	can	choose	to	transcend	karma. The	end	of	karma	isn’t	the	end	of	life,	however. It’s	like	getting	out	of	debt
and	being	left	with	the	freedom	to	spend	money	without	constraint. The	impulse	to	be	liberated	has	waxed	and	waned	in	me,	as	it	does	in
everyone. In	the	Indian	tradition,	we	are	reborn,	after	all,	for	a	positive
reason,	to	express	and	exhaust	the	force	of	desire. Even	as	a	boy	I	knew	that
the	Christian	brothers	didn’t	agree,	since	the	only	good	reason	to	be	born	into
their	world	of	sin	was	to	find	a	path	to	Jesus. The	ideal	Christian	would	be	in
such	a	rush	to	be	redeemed	that	he	would	renounce	this	world	altogether,	as
many	Christian	saints	did—and	many	Indian	ones,	too. India	has	imbibed	from	ancient	cultures	that	long	preceded	the	rise	of
Hinduism,	and	even	under	the	influence	of	Islam	and	Christian	conquerors
has	kept	its	eye	on	eternity. In	the	Indian	mind	there	is	no	end	to	the	celestial
realms	that	belong	to	higher	frequencies	of	existence,	but	as	we’ve	seen,	at	a
certain	high	level	of	evolution,	some	souls	may	choose	to	complete	their	path. Once	a	soul	has	reached	these	levels	it	would	not	normally	want	to	take
another	human	birth	except	to	provide	a	particular	service,	but	these	souls	are
exceptions. Buddhism	calls	these	souls	
bodhisattvas
,	those	who	don’t	return
to	Earth	driven	by	the	force	of	evolution,	but	choose	to	come	instead	to	serve
the	cause	of	enlightenment. When	I	asked	a	Tibetan	lama	what	a	bodhisattva
was,	he	said,	“Imagine	that	you	are	no	longer	dreaming,	and	although	you
enjoy	being	awake,	you	also	enjoy	helping	others	who	are	still	asleep.”
Of	course	most	people	are	unaware	of	all	this,	and	for	them	the	karmiccycle	continues	spontaneously. Right	here	and	now	we	are	surrounded	by	an
infinity	of	planes. If	you	could	shift	your	awareness	into	a	higher	frequency,
you	could	be	with	the	angels	this	very	minute,	if	you	so	desired. In	the	field	of
infinite	possibilities	you	exist	on	all	these	levels	at	the	same	time,	but	at	the
level	of	experience	you	exist	on	only	one. According	to	some	Indian
teachings,	we	all	yearn	for	these	other	planes	so	much	that	we	travel	to	them
at	night	in	our	sleep. Then	the	astral	body	actually	leaves	the	physical	body,
remaining
	attached	by	a	filament	that	brings	it	back	again. If	the	filament	gets
severed,	the	way	back	is	lost. It	is	also	dangerous	to	flirt	with	the	lower	astral
planes	if	you	don’t	understand	them. However,	once	you	truly	realize	that	the
whole	scheme	of	worlds	is	imagined	by	Spirit,	from	the	lowest	to	the	highest,
from	demons	to	angels,	there	can	be	nothing	dangerous	about	creation. In	this	overview	I	have	tried	to	immerse	you	in	the	world	I	found	myself
in	sixty	years	ago. This	was	the	Vedic	perspective	as	I	understood	it. It	was	a
vast	spiritual	ocean,	and	in	typically	Indian	fashion	you	were	invited	to	dip
your	cup	in	and	take	as	little	or	as	much	as	you	wanted. It’s	nearly	impossible
for	a	society	to	embrace	infinity,	and	India	is	no	exception. People	remain	as
troubled	there	about	death	and	dying	as	do	people	here,	and	there	are	those
who	have	completely	turned	their	backs	on	the	ocean	of	knowledge	that	laps
at	their	feet. In	the	West	we	have	our	own	version	of	this	phenomenon. We
deny	that	anyone	could	know	what	lies	beyond	death,	which	conveniently
closes	the	door	on	our	anxiety	for	a	time. Or	we	say	that	spiritual	knowledge
is	relative;	all	that	matters	is	faith,	not	the	thing	you	have	faith	in. It	is	these	limitations	that	this	book	strives	to	overcome. Ultimately	the
question	of	“What	happens	after	we	die?”	comes	down	to	“What	happens
after	I	die?”	The	issue	becomes	personal,	emotional,	and	inescapable. If	a
devout	Muslim	landed	in	a	Christian	heaven	(or	vice	versa),	he’d	be	very
unhappy:	eternity	wouldn’t	meet	with	his	expectations. I	was	fortunate	as	a
boy,	because	the	simple	scheme	I	was	presented	with—and	which	I’ve
elaborated	on	in	this	overview—	allows	for	every	soul	to	find	the	home	to
which	it	belongs. What	has	also	remained	with	me	are	certain	themes	that	will	figure
prominently	in	this	book:
The	afterlife	is	a	place	of	newfound	clarity. The	afterlife	isn’t	static. We	continue	to	evolve	and	grow	after	we	die. Choice	doesn’t	end	with	death;	it	expands. Earthly	images	carry	us	into	the	afterlife	(we	see	what	our	culture	has
conditioned	us	to	see),	but	then	the	soul	makes	creative	leaps	that	open
new	worlds. I	set	out	to	see	how	credible	these	premises	are,	since	they	go	far	beyondthe	Christian	story	of	heaven	and	hell	that	most	children	learn	in	the	West. An
old	culture	makes	room	for	love	and	death	together,	not	as	enemies	but	as
entwined	aspects	of	one	life. The	great	Bengali	poet	Rabindranath	Tagore
wrote,
The	night	kissed	the	fading	day
With	a	whisper
. “I	am	death,	your	mother
,
From	me	you	will	get	new	birth.”
The	afterlife	I	grew	up	with	is	open-ended,	like	life	itself. The	old	spiritual
wisdom	has	stuck	with	me	for	decades,	modified	by	experience	and
reflection. The	only	conception	of	death	that	makes	sense	to	me	allows	us	to
experience	everything. Now	I	hope	to	give	readers	a	chance	for	that	same
freedom,	here	and	in	every	world	to	come.Part	One
L
IFE
	A
FTER
	D
EATH
1
D
EATH	AT	THE
	D
OOR
LONG	AGO,	IN
	the	dense	forests	that	once	encircled	the	holy	city	of	Benares,
there	was	ample	work	for	woodcutters. One	of	these	was	the	handsome
Satyavan,	who	was	all	the	more	handsome	because	he	had	so	much	love	for
his	wife,	Savitri. Many	mornings	Satyavan	found	it	hard	to	leave	his	hut	to
work	in	the	woods. One	day	Savitri	lay	dreamily	in	bed	contemplating	her	happiness,	which
seemed	complete. Suddenly	she	noticed	a	figure	sitting	cross-legged	in	the
dusty	clearing	that	served	for	a	front	yard. A
	wandering	monk,	she	thought. She	put	rice	and	vegetables	in	a	bowl	and	rushed	out	to	offer	them	to	the	holy
man,	since	hospitality	was	a	sacred	duty. “I	need	no	food,”	the	stranger	said,	pushing	away	the	bowl	that	Savitri	had
placed	on	the	shade-dappled	ground. “I	will	wait	here.”
Savitri	drew	back	in	horror,	because	suddenly	she	knew	who	her	guest
was. Not	a	wandering	monk	but	Death	himself,	who	is	known	in	India	as
Lord	Yama. “Who	are	you	waiting	for?”	she	asked,	her	voice	trembling. “For	one	named	Satyavan.”	The	Lord	of	Death	spoke	politely. He	was
used	to	having	absolute	authority	over	mortals,	and	he	approached	them
simply,	with	just	a	touch	of	imperiousness. “Satyavan!”	Savitri	cried	out. She	could	hardly	keep	from	fainting	when
she	heard	her	husband’s	name. “But	he’s	strong	and	healthy,	and	we	love	each
other	dearly. Why	should	he	die?”
Yama	shrugged. “Everything	will	be	as	it	will	be,”	he	said	indifferently. “But	if	you	care	so	little,”	Savitri	said,	her	wits	coming	back	to	her,	“then
why	not	take	someone	else? There	are	sick	and	wretched	people	begging	for
the	release	of	death. Visit	them	and	leave	my	house	in	peace.”
“I	will	wait	here,”	Yama	repeated,	unmoved	by	her	plea	and	by	the	tears
welling	in	Savitri’s	eyes. In	Yama’s	face	she	saw	a	world	where	everything	is
nameless	and	without	pity. The	young	wife	rushed	back	inside. She	paced	the	floor,	frantic	in	the
knowledge	that	her	husband	would	come	home	to	meet	his	doom. Tigers
feared	the	swing	of	brave	Satyavan’s	axe,	but	here	was	an	enemy	no	blade
could	touch. Then	Savitri	had	an	idea	born	of	desperation. Throwing	a	cloakaround	her	shoulders,	she	ran	out	the	back	door	into	the	woods. Savitri	had	heard	that	there	was	a	sacred	place	on	the	mountain,	a	space	in
the	earth	as	large	as	a	cave	formed	by	the	roots	of	a	huge	banyan	tree. A
reputed	holy	man	lived	there. Savitri	would	beg	for	his	help. But	she	didn’t
know	her	way	and	soon	found	herself	following	deer	paths	and	washed-out
gullies. Fear	drove	her	as	hard	as	breath	and	strength	would	allow,	and	so
Savitri	wandered,	higher	and	higher,	until	she	was	totally	exhausted. She
collapsed	on	the	ground	and	slept	for	a	time;	she	couldn’t	tell	how	long. When	a	shaft	of	sunlight	opened	her	eyes,	Savitri	found	herself	at	the	foot
of	a	huge	banyan	tree. She	spied	the	cavernous	hole	among	the	roots	and
peered	into	it	anxiously. Before	she	could	summon	the	courage	to	enter,	a
voice	from	inside	said,	“Go	away!”	It	was	so	loud	and	sudden	that	she
jumped. “I	can’t	go	away,”	Savitri	replied,	her	voice	trembling. She	explained	her
desperate	plight,	but	the	voice	from	the	darkness	said,	“How	are	you	different
from	everyone	else? Death	is	two	steps	behind	us,	from	cradle	to	grave.”
Tears	welled	up	in	Savitri’s	eyes. “If	you	are	wiser	than	ordinary	people,
you	must	have	something	more	for	me.”
The	voice	said,	“You	wish	to	bargain	with	Death? All	who	have	tried	that
have	failed.”
Savitri	got	to	her	feet	with	dignity. “Then	let	Yama	take	me	in	my
husband’s	place. What	everyone	says	is	true. Death	is	absolute. My	only	hope
is	that	he	will	kill	me	and	spare	someone	who	doesn’t	deserve	to	die.”
The	voice	was	more	gentle	this	time. “Be	calm,”	it	said. “There	is	a	way.”
Savitri	heard	a	stirring	in	the	darkness,	and	then	the	holy	man	emerged	from
his	cave. He	was	an	ascetic,	his	thin	body	clad	in	a	loincloth	with	a	monk’s
silk	shawl	thrown	over	his	shoulders. He	looked	surprisingly	young,	however,
and	he	told	Savtiri	that	his	name	was	Ramana. “You	know	a	way	to	defeat	Death? Tell	me,”	Savitri	implored. The	monk	Ramana	squinted	in	the	sunlight,	ignoring	her	for	the	moment. He	had	a	gaze	that	she	couldn’t	read,	then	he	stooped	down	to	pick	up	a	worn
old	reed	flute	lying	on	the	ground. “Come,”	he	said. “Perhaps	you	will	be	able	to	learn.
Life_After_Death_by_Deepak_Chopra.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        CONTENTS
Cover
About	the	Book
About	the	Author
Also	by	Deepak	Chopra
Praise	for	‘Life	After	Death’
Title	Page
Dedication
Memoir:	The	Life	Beyond
PART	ONE:
	
L
IFE
	A
FTER
	D
EATH
1. Death	at	the	Door
2. The	Cure	for	Dying
3. Death	Grants	Three	Wishes
4. Escaping	the	Noose
5. The	Path	to	Hell
6. Ghosts
7. The	Invisible	Thread
8. Seeing	the	Soul
9. Two	Magical	Words
10. Surviving	the	Storm
11. Guides	and	Messengers
12. The	Dream	Continues
PART	TWO:
	
T
HE
	B
URDEN	OF
	P
ROOF
13. Is	Akasha	Real. 14. Thinking	Outside	the	Brain
15. The	Mechanics	of	Creation
Epilogue:	Maha	Samadhi
Reading	Notes
Index
Acknowledgments
CopyrightAbout	the	Book
What	happens	when	we	die. In	
Life	After	Death
,	Dr	Deepak	Chopra,	the	world-famous	pioneer	in	the	field
of	mind-body	medicine,	addresses	one	of	the	fundamental	questions	of
existence. Drawing	upon	personal	experience,	the	wisdom	of	ancient	Vedic
philosophy	and	state-of-the-art	particle	physics,	Chopra	helps	us	overcome
our	fears	about	dying	and	to	consider	the	fantastic	possibilities	that	may	await
us	in	the	afterlife. This	is	the	book	that	Dr	Chopra	has	been	preparing	to	write	his	entire	life. In
it,	he	considers	the	theory	that	death	is	an	illusion	of	the	senses	and	that	the
soul	survives	in	an	ongoing	spiral	of	refinement,	ending	in	enlightenment. Thought-provoking	exercises	offer	a	first-hand	experience	of	these	and	other
ideas,	helping	you	to	make	sense	of	your	own	spirituality	whatever	path	you
choose	to	follow,	and	offering	you	your	very	own	map	of	eternity. About	the	Author
D
EEPAK
	C
HOPRA’S
	many	books	have	become	classic	texts	of	health	and
spirituality	as	well	as	national	bestsellers. He	is	the	founder	of	the	Chopra
Center	for	Well	Being	(
www. chopra. com
)	and	the	president	of	the	Alliance
for	a	New	Humanity	(
www. anhglobal. org
). Also	by	Deepak	Chopra
Creating	Health
Return	of	the	Rishi
Quantum	Healing
Perfect	Health
Unconditional	Life
Ageless	Body,	Timeless	Mind
Journey	into	Healing
Creating	Affluence
Perfect	Weight
Restful	Sleep
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	of	Success
The	Return	of	Merlin
Boundless	Energy
Perfect	Digestion
The	Way	of	the	Wizard
Overcoming	Addictions
Raid	on	the	Inarticulate
The	Path	to	Love
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	for	Parents
The	Love	Poems	of	Rumi
(edited	by	Deepak	Chopra;	translated	by	Deepak	Chopra	and	Fereydoun	Kia)
Healing	the	Heart
Everyday	Immortality
The	Lords	of	the	Light
On	the	Shores	of	EternityHow	to	Know	God
The	Soul	in	Love
The	Chopra	Center	Herbal	Handbook
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
Grow	Younger,	Live	Longer
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
The	Deeper	Wound
The	Chopra	Center	Cookbook
(coauthored	by	David	Simon	and	Leanne	Backer)
The	Angel	Is	Near
The	Daughters	of	Joy
Golf	for	Enlightenment
Soulmate
SynchroDestiny
The	Book	of	Secrets
Fire	in	the	Heart
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	of	Yoga
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
Magical	Beginnings,	Enchanted	Lives
(coauthored	by	David	Simon	and	Vicki	Abrams)Praise	for
	
L
IFE
	A
FTER
	D
EATH
“Deepak	Chopra	has	written	a	masterpiece	that	is	long	overdue	in	our
spiritual	culture. Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
	is	a	bold	and
comforting	guide	into	the	afterlife. Eternity	is	the	true	home	of	the	soul,	yet
we	fear	to	explore	experience	of	death	and	our	place	beyond	now. Deepak	has
brilliantly	accomplished	this	journey	on	our	behalf. ”
—
C
AROLINE
	M
YSS
,	author	of	
Anatomy	of	the	Spirit
	and	
Sacred	Contracts
“Here	is	the	paradox:	life’s	greatest	mystery—death—seems	to	be	its	opposite
and	its	very	denial. However,	anyone	who	reads	Deepak	Chopra’s	penetrating
and	insightful	investigation	into	this	great	mystery	with	an	open	mind	will
come	to	realize	that	the	opposite	of	death	is	birth,	not	life. Life,	which	in
essence	is	consciousness,	is	eternal	and	has	no	opposite. There	is	no	death,
only	the	metamorphosis	of	life-forms,	consciousness	appearing	as	this	or	that. This	is	the	liberating	truth	the	book	continuously	points	to. ”
—
E
CKHART
	T
OLLE
,	author	of	
The	Power	of	Now
“Wide-ranging	and	thought-provoking,	this	book	puts	the	question	of	life
after	death	in	a	vast	perspective. It	is	an	excellent	antidote	to	any	self-imposed
limitations	we	may	have	on	our	thinking	about	the	nature	of	life,	death	and
consciousness. ”
—
R
UPERT
	S
HELDRAKE
,	Ph. D. ,	biologist	and	author	of	
The	Presence	of	the	Past
“Who	is	not	curious	about	what	happens	after	death. And	even	when	there
are	many	answers	available,	both	ancient	and	modern,	even	some	based	on
new	science,	the	question	‘What	does	Deepak	Chopra	have	to	say	about	this. ’
is	an	important	one	for	our	age. Well,	finally,	Deepak’s	answer	is	here,	and	it
is	very	affirming	on	meaningful	questions. I	like	that. Need	I	say	more. This
is	a	great	book	for	your	easy	reading. ”
—
A
MIT
	G
OSWAMI
,	Ph.
The book explores the topic of what happens after death, and how to overcome the fear of death by understanding the spiritual and scientific aspects of the afterlife.
What is the topic of the book "Life After Death: The Book of Answers" by Dr. Deepak Chopra?
Dr. Deepak Chopra, a world-famous pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine.
Who has written this book?
The book suggests that death is not an end, but a transition or a transformation, and that the soul continues to evolve and grow.
What is the book's perspective on death?
The author combines ancient Vedic wisdom, scientific research, and personal experience to provide a unique perspective on the topic.
What is the author's approach in addressing the topic of death and the afterlife?
The book presents a holistic and spiritual approach to understanding the afterlife, emphasizing the idea that consciousness is eternal and that the soul continues to evolve and grow after death.
What is the main theme of the book?