"You are old enough to learn about things," he says mysteriously. "And who is going to teach you but me?"

The old man gives the boy four days of "soul training," a time of riddles, tricks, parables, and incredible twists that brings out surprising answers to each of four burning questions about spirituality:

Do I have a soul?
How do wishes come true?
What is the supreme force in the universe?
How can I change the world?

"The old man with the white beard showed me the spiritual side of life," writes Deepak Chopra, "where real passion and excitement come from. So before you begin, take a deep breath. This story could turn out to be yours."