Sen. Obama has written eloquently about his search for identity, and those who have met him personally come away believing that he knows himself deeply, sincerely, and truly. With such grounding in self-awareness, Obama gave himself something that can't be gained from the outside: the ability to evolve personally and the flexibility to adapt quickly as the times demand.In essence Sen. Obama's speech said, "I am America," and amazingly enough, people from all walks of life, political persuasions, faiths, and ethnic backgrounds believe him. . . . Obama made himself both lighthouse and lightning rod. (I imagine some part of himself quakes to think on what he's done.) Watching cynical reporters and political commentators believe in him almost instantaneously is breathtaking. . .
I'd suggest that the X factor which sets Barack Obama aside as a unique candidate is his hard-won self-awareness. If we are lucky, we will wake up and begin the journey back to self-awareness as a people. . . . If Barack Obama makes it all the way to the White House, it will represent a quantum leap in American consciousness and a promise to restore America's position in the world.
Deepak Chopra, Huffington Post January 5, 2008.
