Ancient Wisdom Meets AI: Trusting the Process
By Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP, FRCP
In my latest book, which is about using AI as a major ally in life, the issue of trust arises. It is the core of a strategy I call Trust the Process. It’s an updated version of the ancient Indian concept of Dharma. Dharma is the support we all need, and your awareness provides Dharmic support when you make choices that are life-affirming, positive, and evolutionary. As the title Digital Dharma indicates, the entire book is about finding your Dharma.
Trust is a major issue in relationships, but on the spiritual path much more focus is placed on trusting yourself. That’s not just a spiritual value. Everyone, whatever their belief system, is constantly processing the life they lead. Every time your awareness registers an experience, you act as perceiver, interpreter, and knower.
Dharma is linked to these roles by being aware of much more than the limited ego can be. The whole point is to have this expanded knowledge support you in your life choices, large and small. On the path of Dharma processing is an activity that calls on your deeper self. Personal evolution is about bringing light to the places that lie in shadow.
Self-trust begins with a trusting attitude instead of a skeptical one. This runs counter to the trend of public attitudes, which are highly distrustful, as revealed by asking AI.
Deepak: We live in untrustworthy times. Name the top 10 things people say they distrust the most.
ChatGPT
Distrust in various aspects of life can vary from person to person, but here are ten common things that people may express distrust in:
1. Politicians and government officials
2. News and media outlets
3. Big corporations and businesses
4. Social media platforms and online privacy
5. Financial institutions and banks
6. Healthcare system and pharmaceutical companies
7. Internet security and data protection
8. Foreign governments and international relations
9. Religious institutions and leaders
10. Lawyers and the justice system
I’m sure you can scan this list and see more than a few points that mirror your own distrustful attitudes. Without carrying things as far as believing in conspiracy theories, the worldview that prevailed in an age of faith has been turned on its head today. Placing your trust in a higher power isn’t the norm. Persistent mistrust is. AI can put the situation starkly when it comes down to each of us caught in this tangled web.
Deepak: If a person cannot trust, what does that feel like? Tell me simply and briefly.
ChatGPT
When a person cannot trust, they often feel anxious, uncertain, and guarded. They may struggle to rely on others, worry about being deceived or hurt, and find it challenging to form close relationships. This lack of trust can lead to emotional distance and difficulty in feeling secure in their interactions and connections with others.
Despite the pressure to join the prevailing distrust and skepticism, nobody is forced to process their experiences the same way as everyone else. The way out is through enlightened processing. Only then can you truly trust your judgments, beliefs, and choices.
We need a starting point for such a major change, which AI can instantly provide in the form of a quiz to show you how trusting you actually are.
Deepak: Give me a quiz so that I can find out if I am a trusting person. Limit it to 10 questions.
ChatGPT
Sure. For each question, choose the option that best describes your typical behavior or feelings:
- When meeting someone new, do you tend to: a) Approach them with an open and friendly attitude. b) Remain cautious until you get to know them better.
- If a friend asks to borrow a significant amount of money, would you: a) Lend it to them without hesitation. b) Be hesitant and ask more questions before deciding.
- How often do you believe people have good intentions? a) Most people are generally well-intentioned. b) People often have hidden agendas.
- If someone you know makes a promise, do you usually: a) Trust that they will follow through. b) Doubt their commitment until they prove themselves.
- When sharing personal information or secrets, do you: a) Feel comfortable sharing with close friends and family. b) Tend to be more guarded and selective about what you share.
- If a stranger asks for assistance or directions, do you: a) Offer help willingly. b) Feel cautious and may hesitate before helping.
- In a work or team setting, do you trust your colleagues to: a) Do their part and contribute effectively. b) Doubt their abilities and monitor their work closely.
- When faced with a decision that requires trust, do you: a) Generally lean towards trusting others. b) Often need concrete evidence before trusting.
- How often do you worry about being deceived or taken advantage of? a) Rarely or almost never. b) Fairly often or occasionally.
- In romantic relationships, do you tend to: a) Trust your partner fully until they give you a reason not to. b) Have trust issues and find it challenging to fully trust someone.
Calculate Your Score
- Count the number of “a” answers you selected.
- Count the number of “b” answers you selected.
If you mostly answered “a”: You are likely a trusting person who tends to give others the benefit of the doubt and believes in the goodness of people. If you mostly answered “b”: You may have trust issues or be more cautious when it comes to trusting others. You likely prefer to verify intentions or gather evidence before fully trusting someone.
The book has much more to say about turning distrust into trust, including relationships as well as self-trust. Underlying this strategy for finding your Dharma are several truths encountered on the spiritual path.
· Consciousness becomes more knowledgeable when it gets deeper.
· At a certain level, consciousness knows everything.
· All of its knowledge is available to you.
· In fact, your deeper awareness is constantly sending you messages.
· Opening yourself to these messages softens the impressions left by the past.
What centuries of spiritual teaching have concluded is that the most important relationship you can possibly have is with Dharma, because only a higher awareness can escape the boundaries of time, place, ego, and old conditioning. You are designed in your own awareness to be free, which is ultimately what the process is all about.
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
