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Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being
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A manual for relating to the brain in a revolutionary new way, Super Brain shows you how to use your brain as a gateway for achieving health, happiness, and spiritual growth. The authors are two pioneers: bestselling author and physician Deepak Chopra and Harvard Medical School professor Rudolph E. Tanzi, one of the world's foremost experts on the causes of Alzheimer’s. Th
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Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
November 6th 2012
by Harmony
(first published January 1st 2012)
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Start your review of Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being

I enjoyed this book, and found it intellectually stimulating. It's an odd mix--part popular science, part metaphysics, and part self-help book. It could easily have turned out as a mess.
But the recipe works. Here self-help guru and spiritualist Deepak Chopra and neuroscientist Rudy Tanzi reject both materialist reductionism and sharp Cartesian dualism in favor of an integrated view of the mind-body relationship in which the mind is distinct from the brain but interacts with and affects it.
I'll ...more
But the recipe works. Here self-help guru and spiritualist Deepak Chopra and neuroscientist Rudy Tanzi reject both materialist reductionism and sharp Cartesian dualism in favor of an integrated view of the mind-body relationship in which the mind is distinct from the brain but interacts with and affects it.
I'll ...more

I feel terrible giving this book a negative review since I won an ARC in a First Reads giveaway, but it was honestly SUCH a disappointment. I entered to win because I was intrigued by the claims that Super Brain could help you be a happier and more relaxed person - yeah maybe if I understood what the hell it was talking about.
After the first 30 pages or so were completely over my head talking about neurons, synapses, and neuroplasticity, I decided to skip around to the more interesting chapters ...more
After the first 30 pages or so were completely over my head talking about neurons, synapses, and neuroplasticity, I decided to skip around to the more interesting chapters ...more

This is not a book about improving your brain. It's a self-help book with all the platitudes and verbal cheerleading of that genre. I couldn't stomach most of it.
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A mish mash of earlier Chopra books with some neuroscience thrown in. I appreciated the physical stuff. Sometimes the abstract mindfulness, intuition, meditation mantras get tedious and too difficult to grasp. A little physicality mixed in with the philosophy is useful to me if nothing more than to give me a break/balance. Still, I disagreed with stuff said about pills vs talk therapy (sometimes fundamental chemistry issues simply cannot be helped with talking). Also, according to his listed cri
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This is one of the best books that I have read on the working of human brain. Book has made a huge difference in my life, especially the way I look at my life now with a meaning to it. Authors brilliantly explain how each one of look at the world differently and why we think that our imagination is reality whereas that may not be true in many cases.
The best part of the book is where author explains “why your brain does not represents your true you" i.e. you are not what your brain is, use your b ...more
The best part of the book is where author explains “why your brain does not represents your true you" i.e. you are not what your brain is, use your b ...more

This book could have been great, if it had picked one of its many identities to be. Instead it comes across as a jumbled mess of recent neuroscience, self-help, and spirituality.
I was most interested in the neuroscience bits. I really would like to know how to expand my brain's capacity. I was enamored by the geniuses and polyglots described in the book. It was interesting to hear how these concepts connect to disease, depression, and healing.
The first problem I encountered is in the self-help l ...more
I was most interested in the neuroscience bits. I really would like to know how to expand my brain's capacity. I was enamored by the geniuses and polyglots described in the book. It was interesting to hear how these concepts connect to disease, depression, and healing.
The first problem I encountered is in the self-help l ...more

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A let down, though debunking claims like "Brain cells can't be regenerated." Exciting title, but 80% of his ideas can be found in the intro chapters of any Brian Tracy book. Vedanta is rehashed, but Chopra's lovely words gloss over gaps in logic... like I ate poor cake iced with rich frosting :)
First some quotes, then one example of a glittery glitch :
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“Without a new relationship, the brain cannot be asked to do new unexpected things.”
“What should be ...more
First some quotes, then one example of a glittery glitch :
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“Without a new relationship, the brain cannot be asked to do new unexpected things.”
“What should be ...more

The book will not turn you into a total recall hyperthymesiac, but it will help you improve your memory.
You will learn how to use your mind to control your brain. You will experience some paradigm shifts as you improve your life. You will become self-aware.
Through questions, thought patterns, and suggestions, the book will guide you toward a clear vision of the enlightened life you want to lead.
The book is outstanding in both content and organization.
I received this book free through the goodre ...more
You will learn how to use your mind to control your brain. You will experience some paradigm shifts as you improve your life. You will become self-aware.
Through questions, thought patterns, and suggestions, the book will guide you toward a clear vision of the enlightened life you want to lead.
The book is outstanding in both content and organization.
I received this book free through the goodre ...more

I won this book as part of Goodreads' first read program. While I didn't find anything groundbreaking in the book, it was still a good book to remind us how powerful our brains could be. The book hit its high note when talking about the separation of our mind and brain. Most of ingrained reactions stem from the brain dictating our response. But once we realize that, we can use our mind to overcome that natural reaction. This is most beneficial in overcoming fears, urges to overeat, depression, e
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The idea of a super brain is not to have a cape streaming out of your ears. But literally anything is possible, so don't rule it out.
Deepak Chopra and Rudy Tanzi integrate the latest research on the brain and general science with the spiritual wisdom of the ages to propose how, through increased self-awareness and conscious intention, the brain can be taught to extend far beyond fulfilling the tasks of everyday life. In extremely accessible prose, the authors illustrate how consciousness control ...more
Deepak Chopra and Rudy Tanzi integrate the latest research on the brain and general science with the spiritual wisdom of the ages to propose how, through increased self-awareness and conscious intention, the brain can be taught to extend far beyond fulfilling the tasks of everyday life. In extremely accessible prose, the authors illustrate how consciousness control ...more

Really enjoyed this book. Rudolph and Deepak do a great job providing scientific information about the processes in the brain while shedding much light on the importance of the mind. There is a lot of self-help kind of dialogue, but this could also be seen as a means to help you raise your own self-awareness. The way they describe their way of utilizing the brain, mind, and consciousness is both educational and inspiring. I recommend it to anybody as a new way to approach our understanding of th
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When I first received this book, I didn't expect it to be related to many aspects of our lives and health. It touches upon many subjects and there were tidbits of facts every now and then, which were nice to relate the topic to.
I thought the points provided in this book were also very helpful and accepting. It's grammar and word choice also make it a great book for people with not much medical terminology background. ...more
I thought the points provided in this book were also very helpful and accepting. It's grammar and word choice also make it a great book for people with not much medical terminology background. ...more

I like SCIENCE books-not self help books. And this was DEFINETLY a self-help. And even with that I didn't learn anything new. Yes, we know The Key is to be alert and present in your life every minute. And to actually THINK about your decisions instead of just reacting to a situation. Der. And this was my first Deepak book. Sigh, and probably my last. Fluffy, fluffy Deepak. Bad Deepak! Bad!
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This book is co-authored, and that's exactly what it feels like; schizophrenic. It covers a huge swath of topics related to the physical brain and consciousness, including disease prevention, overall well being, depression, weight loss, child rearing, and faith. And with so many topics it's unlikely that all will speak to you, but across the board, the book is just lazy. Dubious pseudoscience is referenced as a counter argument to innumerable scientific evidence; constantly. For example, a nonch
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This book starts well enough, but as others have noted descends into a typical self-help book. The basic message is to think positively and to keep your mind open to new things.
The chapter of weight loss is particularly bad. It basically says that most people can't achieve good bodies (Odd in a book about being "super") and that if you only eat when you are actually hungry you'll lose weight. I had to check the copyright date after reading that crap. Yep, 2012. Apparently all the information tha ...more
The chapter of weight loss is particularly bad. It basically says that most people can't achieve good bodies (Odd in a book about being "super") and that if you only eat when you are actually hungry you'll lose weight. I had to check the copyright date after reading that crap. Yep, 2012. Apparently all the information tha ...more

Some years back my son told me I needed a Nintendo DS and the Brain Age game because I 'was getting old and was starting to forget things'. I wondered if this book would be more brain games and puzzles, and it did refer to those kinds of exercises but it also covered so much more. Instead of being just brain focused, it emphasized mindfulness and awareness and how they shape the brain, even evolving it to transform one's world and reality. In addition to general well being, the book presented st
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The book provides a lot of information about how the brain works and amazing stories about how people recovered from brain injuries. Then it covered various topics like anxiety, depression, over eating, God, and on and on. It was like listening to a series of sermons and the actions for you to do are you control your mind and you take small steps to go from a bad state to a good state. While the mind is powerful, the answer to every problem isn't simply to think positive.
The only takeaway I got ...more
The only takeaway I got ...more

I gave this 3 stars because I did learn some thing like "maturity is a choice." Hmmm. And it supplemented meditation practice a bit. But maybe I am not completely ready for the message as it lost me a bit or it seemed to repeat itself or it wasn't all that new. I'm not sure but ready some of the other reviews, I don't feel so odd with having expectations that - for whatever reason - were not quite met.
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Great teacher
Deepak as always has the ability to take complex concepts and make them easy to understand. I love that he brings together the east and thewest, science and spirit. the book also takes ideals and breaks them down into chunks that can be addressed in one's life. ...more
Deepak as always has the ability to take complex concepts and make them easy to understand. I love that he brings together the east and thewest, science and spirit. the book also takes ideals and breaks them down into chunks that can be addressed in one's life. ...more

This was a "deep" (excuse the pun!) book by DEEPak Chopra, but a lot of the book is relevant and interesting and not ALL of it was difficult to comprehend. AN insight into how the brain works, and CAN be modified by our conscious self-aware minds. Good read!
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That book can change someone's way of thinking. It is definitely one of my favorites and I highly recommend it for those who want to improve their self (in many different ways)!
The author describes some basics for our brains from the biological's side, and the interesting part is that it gives you examples and arguments on how your brain's structure (neural networks) affects your skills, talents, thoughts (psychology), and generally your daily life. The really exciting thing is that you can impr ...more
The author describes some basics for our brains from the biological's side, and the interesting part is that it gives you examples and arguments on how your brain's structure (neural networks) affects your skills, talents, thoughts (psychology), and generally your daily life. The really exciting thing is that you can impr ...more

If only I could upload a picture of my copy of Super Brain.. colored flags jutting from the pages of highlighted text, pen underlinings, and inked notes... then maybe I wouldn't need to write a review. But here I am.
This book moved me. A complex topic, written by arguably the best minds in neuroscience, was described in such an approachable way that I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a greater sense of awareness. Particularly intriguing and invigorating to me was the idea of conscious ...more
This book moved me. A complex topic, written by arguably the best minds in neuroscience, was described in such an approachable way that I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a greater sense of awareness. Particularly intriguing and invigorating to me was the idea of conscious ...more

I enjoy listening to Deepak Chopra audiobooks; his voice is so smooth! His written works, however, are hit or miss, though a few of his are outstanding, like The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire. This book was decent, but not awesome.
I was expecting more stories and data. Instead, there was a lot of conjecture, how-to and overt self-help speak. In a way, the book was very easy to read and accessible. This was the problem. The accessibility came at the cost of depth and technicality, which I pr ...more
I was expecting more stories and data. Instead, there was a lot of conjecture, how-to and overt self-help speak. In a way, the book was very easy to read and accessible. This was the problem. The accessibility came at the cost of depth and technicality, which I pr ...more

I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. I was excited to win and receive it and looked forward to reading it. I have read other works of Deepak Chopra and am fascinated by the science of brain plasticity. A neurosurgeon and a mind-body doctor with a gift for speaking in plain language? Seemed like a dream come true.
Why one star? This book was so repetitive as to be almost insulting. It bounced all over the place alternating overly-technical information with overly simpli ...more
Why one star? This book was so repetitive as to be almost insulting. It bounced all over the place alternating overly-technical information with overly simpli ...more
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Deepak Chopra, MD serves as the Founder and Chairman of The Chopra Foundation, and Co-Founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing.
As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Known as a prolific author of eighty books books with twenty-two New York Times best sellers in both ...more
As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Known as a prolific author of eighty books books with twenty-two New York Times best sellers in both ...more
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“One of the unique things about the human brain is that it can do only what it thinks it can do. The minute you say, "My memory isn't what it used to be ..." you are actually training your brain to live up to your diminished expectations.
Low expectations mean low results.
The first rule of super brain is that your brain is always eavesdropping on your thoughts. As it listens, it leans. If you teach it about limitation, your brain will become limited.
But what if you do the opposite? What if you teach your brain to be unlimited?”
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Low expectations mean low results.
The first rule of super brain is that your brain is always eavesdropping on your thoughts. As it listens, it leans. If you teach it about limitation, your brain will become limited.
But what if you do the opposite? What if you teach your brain to be unlimited?”
“Nobody really enjoys having to pacify their feelings. It's too much like failure; it reminds you of weakness. but feelings don't want to be pacified, either. They want to be fulfilled. You fulfill your positive feelings (love, hope, optimism, appreciation, approval) by connecting with other people, expressing your best self. You fulfill your negative feelings by releasing them. Your whole system recognizes negative feelings as toxic. It's futile to bottle them up, divert them, ignore them, or try to rise above them. Either negativity is leaving or it's hanging on - it has no other alternative.
As you fulfill emotions, your brain will change and form new patterns, which is the whole goal.”
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More quotes…
As you fulfill emotions, your brain will change and form new patterns, which is the whole goal.”