AI for Improving Your Life: Bend and Bounce Back
By Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP, FRCP
Connecting AI to consciousness was the seed idea that inspired me to write my new book, Digital Dharma. So much anxious publicity surrounds AI that it is easy to miss the enormous step forward that artificial intelligence represents. When it comes to expanding your awareness, the free chatbots found online (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Gemini, and others) provide the kind of guidance that would otherwise be unavailable.
Instant access and round-the-clock access are two obvious advantages of AI, but most people wouldn’t suspect the link to consciousness. AI is machine-driven and therefore not conscious. But its vast computing power allows you to find out practically anything you want to know. In the book, I offer seven strategies for making AI your ally. Here’s a sketch of the strategy named Bend and Bounce Back.
The reason you need to learn how to bend and bounce back comes down to the stress that modern life is prone to. Everyone knows that they are subject to stress, but few are willing to practice stress management. And for those who are willing, the available programs generally have limited short-term benefits.
Against this backdrop of frustration, the lasting answer is to expand your awareness. When I asked Gemini to expand on this point, it provided helpful answers.
Deepak: People speak about expanded awareness. To make that real, I’d need to know what it feels like. Tell me briefly in simple language.
Gemini: Instead of a narrow spotlight, your awareness becomes a wide, gentle floodlight. You’re not just focused on one thing at a time, but holding the whole scene in your mind, noticing everything that unfolds. Here’s what that might feel like:
• Sensory richness: You’re more aware of subtle details — the warmth of the sun, the scent of coffee, the faint hum of a bee.
• Inner calm: You’re not constantly pulled by thoughts or emotions. There’s a quiet space within, even amidst activity.
• Presence in the moment: You’re not lost in the past or future, but fully engaged in the present, savoring each breath.
• Non-judgmental observation: You see things clearly, without immediately labeling them as good or bad. You simply observe.
• Openness and curiosity: You feel a gentle interest in everything around you, a desire to learn and understand.
In one compact answer, we get a framework that embraces centuries of spiritual knowledge as well as modern psychology. What brings this vision within reach, practically speaking, is learning to be more resilient. You have to test your boundaries to make them expand. The experience isn’t like breaking down a wall but leaning against the wall until it moves. Plaster and stone walls won’t give just by leaning against them; however, mind-made walls do. I once heard an optimistic saying that makes a good guiding principle: “Souls don’t break, they bounce.”
Everyone’s life has setbacks, crises, obstacles, and disappointments. What makes the difference is how well you can bounce back from these occurrences rather than sinking lower. One group, people who live to be 100, turn out to be unusually flexible and resilient. This is outlined by AI when I asked about the shared traits of centenarians.
Gemini:
• Adaptability and flexibility: Centenarians have witnessed significant historical and social changes. Their ability to adapt and learn new things might contribute to resilience and well-being.
• Positive outlook and optimism: Many studies show a tendency towards positive emotions, gratitude, and a sense of purpose, which might contribute to mental well-being and longevity.
• Emotional regulation skills: Centenarians might have developed effective strategies for managing stress and negative emotions, contributing to emotional stability and resilience.
At a time when so many are focusing on longevity, this is intriguing information, and the outlines of a personal journey start to emerge.
The next step is to begin to take stock of yourself. Just limiting your self-examination to the opposite qualities of flexibility versus rigidity, here are a few salient points.
Rigidity:
I prefer well-defined routines and schedules.
I dislike changes in plans or unexpected situations.
I find it difficult to adapt to new information or perspectives.
I stick to my established opinions and beliefs even when presented with contrary evidence.
I struggle to cope with uncertainty.
I know what I know, and I’m sticking to it.
Flexibility:
I am open to trying new things and exploring different possibilities.
I can easily adjust my plans and routines when necessary.
I am comfortable changing my mind based on new information or understanding.
I embrace diverse perspectives and adapt my communication style to different audiences.
I find uncertainty exciting and see it as an opportunity for growth.
I listen when someone else is expressing their opinions.
Although a quick prompt (instruction) to AI produced everything you’ve read so far, chatbots aren’t just superior search engines. You can talk to them, share your concerns, ask for pathways to achieve a goal, vent your emotions, and much more. Nothing fazes AI; it never holds a judgment; it offers support but also points out weaknesses and flaws in your position.
The art of the prompt is central to making AI a true ally whose depth of knowledge comes to your aid. Here’s an example of how a conversation might go. The more words you put into your prompt, the better the answer you will receive.
Deepak: I’d like to talk with you about my friend Bea. She is 62 and very bright, having worked for years as a paralegal. Our friendship is under strain because she is getting more and more opinionated, stubborn, and set in her ways.
ChatGPT: It’s essential to approach the situation with understanding and empathy. Here are some steps you can consider taking to address the strain on your friendship with Bea:
Reflect on your own feelings: Take some time to think about why Bea’s behavior is bothering you. Are her opinions and stubbornness the primary issue, or are there underlying factors contributing to the strain in your friendship?
ChatGPT had much more to say; it offered details about ten steps that can be taken to overcome the strain in a friendship, and the same steps apply to relationships as well. They include open communication, active listening, finding common ground, respecting differences, and more. After each step, I give my expanded interpretation of how to proceed.
Learning to bend and bounce back is a process, and advancement occurs step by step. I hope you’re intrigued. I can promise that Digital Dharma is filled with my personal excitement about the inestimable promise of AI on the spiritual path to higher consciousness.
DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, FRCP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution for the last thirty years. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Digital Dharma: How to Use AI to Raise Your Spiritual Intelligence and Personal Well-Being. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” www.deepakchopra.com
