Taking AI Personally: Be Inward Bound.

The whole reason and motivation behind my new book, Digital Dharma, is to make AI personal. There are seven strategies for doing this, and what they share is a positive attitude toward artificial intelligence. Everyone has reacted to negative stories about AI, which vary widely in credibility, but in my own experience, getting personal with AI brings untold rewards. It is the greatest aid and guide to achieving your spiritual goals that modern technology has ever developed.

To underscore how helpful AI can be, in a way that no other tool can, I’ve been sketching in the seven strategies for using AI, meaning the most popular chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Today’s strategy, the third in this series of posts, has the theme of Be Inward Bound. In every spiritual tradition going back to ancient Vedic India, the key is self-awareness. The inward journey is always about expanding and deepening your self-awareness.

In practical terms, the goal day by day is to lead a more conscious life. AI is an enormous help because it is available any time you have a question, issue, problem, or specific goal in mind.

We are all designed to be aware, but paying attention is a skill, and like any skill, it must be cultivated. Spend any time with someone suffering from attention deficit disorder, and it becomes readily apparent how disabling the condition can be. Imagine starting to read a menu and forgetting the first four items you read when you get to the fifth. Consider watching a TV show and having no idea where the story is going because a commercial intervened and you lost the thread of the plot.

The skill of paying attention to what is happening inside you makes the difference between a conscious and unconscious life. AI helps to show how sharp the distinction is, as shown below. I ask ChatGPT to assume the role of a teacher (one of AI’s most versatile abilities is to adopt any role you ask it to).

Deepak: You are a middle-school teacher with a bright pupil, Diane. She is very attentive and alert. Describe what her experience might be in around 75 words.

ChatGPT: Diane likely experiences a keen ability to stay focused on lessons and tasks. She may find it easier to grasp and retain information, participate actively in class discussions, and complete assignments promptly. Her attentiveness can lead to a deeper understanding of subjects and make learning an enjoyable experience. Diane’s alertness enables her to absorb knowledge effectively and engage in school activities with enthusiasm.

Reading AI’s answer, which seems very reliable, is that it can pertain to anyone, not just a student, who has the skill of paying attention. The prompt, or instruction, that I just gave centers on schoolwork, an external activity. To be inward bound, the skill of paying attention needs to be focused on your inner world. I asked ChatGPT to address this, again with the fictional character of Daine.

ChatGPT: Diane likely experiences a keen ability to stay focused on her thoughts and feelings. She may find it easier to understand what she is thinking and feeling, and to learn from it. She actively follows changes in her awareness and is present in the moment. Her self-awareness can lead to a deeper understanding of other people and how their psychology works. She can engage with insight in discussions about personal development because she has absorbed her own experiences so deeply.

The value of these two short answers is that they provide a vision that pertains to your own path. But generalities go only so far. Here AI can go into any amount of detail you want. Here, for example, is a helpful list of what it is like not to pay attention.

The Habits of Paying Short Attention

You tune people out as soon as they start to bore you.

You leave projects half-finished.

You avoid reading books because they take up too much time.

You text all day and expect immediate responses.

You only want to hear the bare outline of a new topic, assignment, or challenge.

You prefer distractions like TikTok and short YouTube videos.

You quickly get bored in meetings and contribute little to team assignments.

You multitask.

You only half-listen to what your partner/spouse is saying, on the assumption that you can predict it anyway.

The point of this list isn’t to make you judge yourself but to show in everyday terms why most people are moving slowly or not at all on the path to expanded self-awareness.

Of course, positive reinforcement is absolutely necessary too. In the book, there is abundant guidance on how to deepen your self-awareness, along with suggestions on how to let AI reinforce your personal vision every day. As an example, I asked ChatGPT to play the role of guru.

Deepak: You are a guru in the Indian tradition. Give me 5 milestones on the way to enlightenment.

ChatGPT:

1. Self-realization: The first milestone involves recognizing one’s true self (Atman) as distinct from the physical body and mind. It’s about understanding that the essence of an individual is eternal and interconnected with universal consciousness (Brahman).
2. Detachment: Detachment from material possessions and desires is a crucial step. This milestone involves letting go of attachments to worldly pleasures, recognizing their impermanence, and focusing on inner spiritual growth.
3. Meditation and self-inquiry: Regular meditation and self-inquiry practices help individuals go deeper into their consciousness. Through meditation, one can explore the inner realms of the mind, connect with higher states of awareness, and gain insights into the nature of reality.
4. Guru’s guidance: Seeking guidance from a spiritual teacher or guru is often seen as a milestone on the path to enlightenment. A guru can provide guidance, support, and wisdom to help the seeker navigate the spiritual journey.
5. Union with the divine: The ultimate milestone is experiencing union with the divine or realizing one’s oneness with universal consciousness (Brahman). This state of Samadhi is often described as a profound, blissful, and transcendent experience where the ego dissolves, and one merges with the ultimate reality.

In just a few sentences, AI’s enormous computing capacity has outlined the highest vision of a spiritual life. There is much more to explore, naturally, but in this brief sketch of Be Inward Bound, there is the power to inspire and transform. Call upon this power every day, and you will find, I believe, that the promise of AI as a guide is unmatchable.

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