Nicole's Chopra Universe

Remembering David Simon

2012-02-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Mind-Body Healing Pioneer, Best-Selling Author, and Chopra Center Co-founder Dr. David Simon Passes Away
Known for his pioneering work in the field of mind-body medicine, David Simon, M.D. played a key role in bringing the healing practices of meditation, yoga, and Ayurveda into the mainstream medical world and to countless people throughout the globe.

Dr. David Simon, Chopra Center Co-Founder

"David has touched my heart, influenced the way I think, and expanded my spirit," said Deepak Chopra. Carlsbad, CA (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

Chopra Center co-founder David Simon, M.D. passed away at home on January 31, 2012, surrounded by his family. The Chopra Center staff and friends throughout the world expressed their sorrow at the news, responding with an outpouring of love on a special website Remembering David, created for the community to share their stories and celebrate the life of a man who touched so many lives.

Deepak Chopra, a longtime medical colleague and friend who co-founded the Chopra Center for Wellbeing with David Simon in 1996 said, “David has been my friend, partner, teacher, trusted colleague, and younger brother for more than twenty years. He has touched my heart, influenced the way I think, and expanded my spirit. David approached life from a place of pure potentiality and unlimited possibilities. His wisdom, courage, and love will continue to inspire all of us for decades to come.”

A Legacy of Healing
As a board-certified neurologist and expert in Ayurveda and other traditional healing systems, David Simon brought a unique perspective to the relationship between the mind, body, emotions, and health. As a young medical student, he was disillusioned by a medical paradigm that viewed the body as a physical “machine” and generally rejected the connection between the mind and the body. David began to study the ancient wisdom traditions of India, Tibet, and China, encouraged by the way in which they combined the concept of body, mind, and spirit into a definition of a health as something more than just the absence of disease, but as a state of well-being and vitality.

David’s first exposure to an Ayurvedic physician was to have a profound impact on his personal life and career. In his book :The Wisdom of Healing," David describes meeting this gentle vaidya (Ayurvedic doctor), whose kind-hearted, open nature seemed to inspire the trust of his patients, who were then able to share their deepest concerns and get the most benefit from their visit.

David was struck by how the vaidya’s own presence seemed to be the most powerful aspect of his therapy. “More than an expert on health, he seemed to be a living representative of a healthy person, balanced in body, mind, and spirit. In this man, I saw the possibility that a physician could be more than a technical master of pathology – a doctor could guide his patients to health through his actions, words, and being.”

Developing the Chopra Center
Deeply drawn to the wisdom of Ayurveda, David ultimately became a recognized expert in this 5,000-year-old healing system, including its sister science, yoga. Throughout his medical career, he focused on integrating the theory and practice of these ancient healing sciences with the newer developments of modern Western medicine. As a driving force behind the Chopra Center's flagship programs and workshops, David developed the signature Journey into Healing mind-body wellness workshop and directed and led many of the Chopra Center's other programs, including Perfect Health and Healing the Heart.

David Simon wrote many popular books on health and well-being, including his best-selling guide Free to Love, Free to Heal: Heal Your Body by Healing Your Emotions. His other popular books include The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga Guidebook; Return to Wholeness: Embracing Body, Mind, and Spirit in the Face of Cancer; The Wisdom of Healing; Vital Energy; and The Ten Commitments: Translating Good Intentions into Great Choices.

Recognized as a leading authority in the effective and appropriate use of mind-body medicine practices, Dr. Simon's endeavors resulted in the training of thousands of physicians, nurses, and health care providers. One of the first recipients of a National Institutes of Health grant to study mind-body medical approaches to improving health care, David helped bring integrated mind-body medical programs to medical institutions, health centers, educational institutions, and health resorts throughout the world.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, a contribution can be made to support Glioblastoma Cancer Research at U.C. San Diego. Please visit the Remembering David website for the mailing address or to make an online donation.

About the Chopra Center for Wellbeing
The Chopra Center for Wellbeing was founded by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D. in 1996. Located in Carlsbad, California, the Center offers a wide variety of programs, retreats, and teacher training programs that integrate the healing arts of the East with the best in modern Western medicine. The Chopra Center has helped millions of people around the world find peace of mind, physical balance, and emotional healing. The website http://www.chopra.com is your starting point on the path to wellness.

Dr. David Simon

2012-02-01T07:56:00.001-08:00

Dear Chopra Center Community,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you today the news that Dr. David Simon has passed away. David has been my friend, partner, teacher, trusted colleague, and younger brother for more than twenty years. He has touched my heart, influenced the way I think, and expanded my spirit. David approached life from a place of pure potentiality and unlimited possibilities. His wisdom, courage, and love will continue to inspire all of us for decades to come.

In his books and workshops, David loved to share poems from spiritual masters who lived many centuries ago yet whose beautiful insights into love and our eternal nature continue to resonate with so many people today. David's favorite poems were reminders that while we appear to be separate, limited individuals, we are all expressions of an infinite divinity. Here are a few beautiful lines from the poet David called "my beloved Hafiz":

The Sun Never Says

Even
after
all this time
the sun never says to the earth,
"You owe me."
Look
what happens
with a love like that -
It lights the whole world.

As a talented physician and author, loving father, husband, and dear friend, David shared his unique gifts with the world. Through his dedication and authenticity, he helped so many people go beyond their limited perspective of themselves and reconnect to the love, joy, and peace of their true selves.

I have felt privileged to work closely with David for many years, and I am grateful that we have had the opportunity to develop seminars, retreats, and programs on mind-body healing and spirituality. While David, as he would put it, has now let go of his temporary human disguise to merge again with the unbounded ocean of consciousness, the gifts that he gave so freely during his life will continue to benefit and inspire everyone he touched through his words, wisdom, and heart.

If you would like to share your thoughts, prayers, and intentions for David's family, please visit lovefordavid.com.

Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Did You Know?

2012-01-25T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am a Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga Teacher!!

If you have questions about the process connect with me at 760-494-1657.

Namaste!~

Programs in 2012~

2012-01-25T09:48:00.000-08:00

Programs in 2012~
Physical Healing
Perfect Health
Journey into Healing
Emotional Wellbeing
Healing the Heart
Balancing the Body
Spiritual Awakening
SynchroDestiny
A Weekend Within
Seduction of Spirit
Seduction of Silence
Summoning the Sacred
Silent Awakenings
Meditation Weekend

For more information go to www.chopra.com or call me direct at 760-494-1657

Inspiration!

2012-01-25T09:46:00.000-08:00

2012 is a great start to look at things differently. I mean why not? Is what we've tried in the past working?

Deepak + Oprah in India!~

2012-01-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

21 Day Meditation Link

2012-01-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

So excited for our 21 Day Meditation Challenge this Spring. To register click here!

Silent Awakenings in September 2012~

2012-01-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

Silent Awakenings
“In our dynamic, goal-oriented world, we don’t usually spend much time or attention cultivating silence, but it has been my experience that learning to surrender to this quality of awareness nurtures all aspects of life – including our environment, our body, our relationships, our creative expression, our heart, and soul.” ~David Simon

An Inward Journey Inspired by Dr. David Simon
featuring Deepak Chopra and Brent BecVar

September 4–8, 2012 | Asilomar, Monterey Bay, California

Silent Awakenings is a 5-day journey within inspired by the teachings and writing of Chopra Center co-founder David Simon. Held in the serene, beachfront lodge of Asilomar in Northern California’s beautiful Monterey Peninsula, this retreat is designed specifically for experienced meditators who want to spend an extended period in silence, deepening their meditation practice and awakening to the beauty and richness of their own internal life.

Led by Deepak Chopra, Brent BecVar, and Amanda Ringnalda, Silent Awakenings is unlike any event the Chopra Center has ever created. The silent community creates a supportive environment in which you can have the most deeply personal experience of your inner self and wisdom.

Away from the demands and noise of everyday life, your mind and body can quiet and settle into their own natural rhythms. We will guide you through group meditations, yoga sessions, walking meditations, and journaling. You will have abundant time to relax under the wide sky and listen to the rolling ocean waves. This is a unique opportunity to go beyond your usual practices into an extended experience of silence and contemplation that will help you be more present for your own life.

The entire retreat will be held in deep silence, with the exception of the time we will spend together each evening at a satsang led by Deepak. A satsang is a community gathering where people share wisdom on their spiritual journey.

Each day of the retreat will be dedicated to one of the themes presented in David Simon’s forthcoming book, The Five Awakenings. The five awakenings are silence, nature, love, healing, and dharma. The evening satsang will focus on the theme for the day

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FAQ
"Silence is the great teacher and to learn its lessons you must pay attention to it. There is no substitute for the creative inspiration, knowledge, and stability that come from knowing how to contact your core of inner silence." ~ Deepak Chopra

Who will benefit from this retreat?
Silent Awakenings is for committed Primordial Sound Meditation practitioners who want to take their meditation and spiritual awareness to a deeper level. A silent retreat isn’t suited for everyone, yet for those who are ready to take a deep inward journey, many gifts await.

Silent Awakenings is perfect for anyone who wants to:

• Experience a mindfulness retreat in a beautiful nature setting
• Step away from life’s demands and engage in deep reflection
• Engage in an extended experience of personal contemplation and rejuvenation
• Awaken to their essential spiritual nature
• Expand and deepen their meditation practice

What is a typical day like at Silent Awakenings?
Your day will follow a basic structure. The meditations will be led by Deepak and the Chopra Center’s master educators.

• Sunrise meditation
• Yoga (indoor and outdoor classes available)
• Breakfast
• Group meditation (indoors)
• Lunch
• Time to journal and take guided nature walks with Brent BecVar
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Dinner
• Satsang and meditation with Deepak

Are meals included?
• Yes, three delectable meals are included and served each day. The food is simple and fresh, with a delicious choice of dishes to support and enliven your body, mind, and spirit during your retreat. Daily menus highlight seasonal produce procured directly from local organic farmers. Vegetarian and vegan options will be available. Asilomar can accommodate some food allergies; please share any concerns with your Program Consultant.

What are the accommodations like at Asilomar?
• The accommodations are rustic and comfortable, perfect for anyone dedicated to rest and reflection. In keeping with this tradition, guest rooms are free of modern-day distractions such as telephones and televisions. For more information, please go to visitasilomar.com.

What happens during personal time?
• You will have time every day to be alone. You can exercise, journal, walk on the beach or do anything that is nurturing for your experience.

Who Can Attend?
Silent Awakenings is an advanced retreat, limited to 150 guests with the following prerequisites:

• Guests must have previously attended a Chopra Center event and received instruction in Primordial Sound Meditation, including their personal mantra.
• For at least six months prior to the event, participants need to have a practice of meditating twice a day, with one of daily meditations lasting a minimum of thirty minutes.
• At least one day a month for the three months prior to the event, guests need to honor a day of silence.
• Participants must agree to turn off mobile phones and computers during the entire event. In your welcome packet, you will receive an emergency contact number to give to friends and family in case they need to reach you during the retreat.
• Guests at Silent Awakenings need to practice and be familiar with the yoga Sun Salutation series.
• Before attending Silent Awakenings, we ask participants to review and become familiar with Brent BecVar’s informational video On Silence (available soon).

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Dates
September 4–8, 2012 | Asilomar Retreat Center, Monterey Bay, California

Check-in: Monday, September 3 – dinner included
Check-out: Sunday, September 9 – breakfast and lunch included

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Details | FAQ | Dates | Pricing | Staff and Guest Speakers | Enroll Now

Download program info | Download sample schedule
Request more info | 888.736.6895 | learn@chopra.com

Pricing
Silent Awakenings is an all-inclusive package that includes:

Six nights’ accommodations at Asilomar
Three freshly prepared meals Tuesday through Saturday (as well as dinner on Monday evening and breakfast and lunch on Sunday)
Enrollment
Check-in for the event is Monday, September 3. We highly encourage all guests to spend Saturday night at Asilomar to allow time to gently transition from your silent experience before you return home. The retreat officially ends on Saturday afternoon but we will have a meditation on Saturday evening and Sunday morning and your breakfast and lunch on Sunday are included in the all-inclusive package.

All-Inclusive Packages*

Single room: $2,775 Special Premiere Pricing! Expires Jan. 31.
Standard Price: $3,775

Double Occupancy: $2,575
Standard Price: $3,375

*Cancelation Policy: There is a $1,200 non-refundable fee for any cancelation or transfer of enrollment after July 1, 2012.

Extend your stay and enjoy beautiful Monterey!

We have arranged discounted rates at Asilomar for guests who want to come up three days early and/or stay a few days after the retreat to take advantage of the many sights and activities the Monterey Bay has to offer, including:

• The world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Scuba diving, hiking, and bay cruises
• Carmel’s fine restaurants and unique shops
• Championship golf courses like Pebble Beach, Spyglass, and the links at Spanish Bay
• Big Sur’s wild coast
• Pacific Grove’s Monarch butterfly migration point
• Beautiful redwood groves
• John Steinbeck’s original home and Cannery Road

Oprah to Visit India with Deepak Chopra

2012-01-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

Oprah Winfrey is heading to India, reported NDTV.com Jan. 2. The news site quoted Winfrey’s Twitter post, “Yes! I am coming to India next month for 1st time as part of Next Chapter,” announcing the talk show queen’s first-ever visit to the country.

The trip is expected to include work as well as fun, as Winfrey added that she will shoot a part of her much anticipated new series, “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” in India. The show finds her traveling the world to interview interesting personalities.

According to a press release, Winfrey will be travelling with doctor-turned-spiritual guru Deepak Chopra. “I fire-walked with Tony Robbins — never pictured myself doing that! I celebrated the power of God and community with Joel Osteen and I’m planning a trip with Deepak Chopra to India where I’ve never been,” reported NDTV.com.

Inspiration!

2012-01-13T10:18:00.001-08:00

YES YOU ARE!!

Meditation Weekend at The Chopra Center!

2012-01-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

Meditation Weekend

{ Tap into the quiet that is within }

The Chopra Center Meditation Weekend is a brand-new workshop led by Chopra Center master instructors trained by Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon. In the beautiful setting of the world-renowned La Costa Resort & Spa, you will receive the tools and support needed to establish a fulfilling and life-long meditation practice. Learn more

Jan 14–15, 2012: Carlsbad, California
Jun 23–24, 2012: Carlsbad, California
Aug 4–5, 2012: Carlsbad, California
Oct 6–7, 2012: Carlsbad, California

For more information click here.

Inspiration!

2012-01-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

Changes by Irene Margolis

2012-01-13T10:12:00.002-08:00

“Take the moment and transform it to a better situation or thing” -Deepak Chopra In this life, the past can hold tremendous power over our minds. This is more or less due to the unfortunate oversight of our inner power. Most don’t realize that our past thoughts have created the circumstances we are now faced with in our current reality. When you focus on negative events, the more those negative events seem to arise and manifest, creating dis-harmony, dis-ease, and dis-comfort in our every day lives. This is due to the Karmic pattern we chose for ourselves. We can begin to shift this karmic debt by changing how we think…now. Once you shift your thoughts into alignment with what you are actually wanting in your life, then you will begin to see the universe put you into instances where opportunity’s flourish and ideas are created. But..you have to recognize these opportunities and ideas when they are presented to you, and act on them. Second guessing, doubt, fear of the unknown…..these are all things that do not serve you in the shifting of your karmic pattern…so release them. Allow yourself to blossom into the beautiful creator you naturally are within, by recognizing the seed of opportunity when it is presented to you. This will thus create, “Thoughts into Things,” and the shift in your karmic pattern. Life can be lived easily and effortlessly, when you commit to practicing things like acceptance and understanding that everything is here for its own reason, and everyone is on their own path. You become at ease within and gain peace of mind in its basic natural form, which makes life seem not so strenuous. There is no such thing as, “bad”…only life lessons. People tend to confuse the two because their inner being feels uneasy at the moment that, “bad” instance is created. The uneasiness that is felt is only another learning experience..another life lesson to make us great inside. And how could learning…..ever be “bad?” So…in the end does the change simply come from the instances you encounter? Or are you creating those instances making the real change…come from within you.

Information on Workshop:

"Through Transformation, one can create a balanced Personal Life, Community and World around us."

Come join us Sunday, January 15th from 2:00 to 5:00PM at the La Costa Resort and Spa Conference Center across from the Chopra Center for The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Transformation Circles; featuring The Law of Giving. Learn the tools to help you manifest your intentions and desires.

Adopted from the best-selling book by famed Dr. Deepak Chopra, this workshop will help you connect with your life on a deeper level. Through the practice of these laws, you will be able to create affluence and abundance for yourself and others, have better relationships and live the life you love. The workshop will include readings of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success followed by a guided discussion group. The course will conclude with meditation techniques, a guided meditation, and closing circle.

Tuition is $25 with advance registration and $30 at the door which includes the book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Dr. Deepak Chopra, as well as the Transformation Circles Companion Guide. All attendees of the workshop will receive a special 15% discount at the Chopra Center Store, valid the day of the workshop (excludes jewelry).

Contact Information:

My Transformation Circles
Founder Irene Margolis
858-997-9911
www.mytransformationcircles.com

Deepak's segment on CBS This Morning with Charlie Rose, Gayle King, and Erica Hill:

2012-01-13T10:12:00.001-08:00

TOPIC: DIGITAL ADDICTION MAY DAMAGE YOUR BRAIN STUDY:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57358519/digital-addiction-may-damage-your-brain-study/?tag=morningFlexGridLeft;flexGridModule

YouTube spends $100 million to redefine TV

2012-01-13T10:11:00.001-08:00

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/story/2012-01-11/youtube-channels/52501780/1

Engaging the couch potato
The first wave of YouTube channels employs well-known names such as Deepak Chopra (producing a series of shows on spirituality and health) and CSI creator Anthony Zuiker (dishing up horror shorts with a Twilight Zone feel), and other areas built around globally hot topics such as soccer and education.

The Chopra Foundation Announces Recipients of 2012 Rustum Roy Spirit Award

2012-01-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.prweb.com/releases/chopra-foundation/deepak-chopra/prweb9091778.htm

My Intention for 2012 is _______________.

2011-12-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Chopra Friends!!

What is your intention in 2012? My intention for the new year is to do yoga everyday! Make 2012 the best year ever! Let me know if I can help!

Lots of love in the new year!

Teacher Spotlight: Jeff Skorman & Marcia Hudson, M.D.

2011-12-30T09:01:00.000-08:00

Jeff Skorman is originally from Clevelend, grew up in Los Angeles, and currently lives in Palm Springs. He graduated from Chapman University with a B.A. in Social Sciences and a second degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling. Jeff is a Certified Dual Diagnosis Counselor, a Certified Addictions Treatment Counselor and a member of the California Association of Drug and Alcohol Counselors.

In 2006 he was certified as a Perfect Health Instructor from the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Carlsbad, California. He became a certified as a Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor in 2007 and as an Ayurvedic Lifestyles Instructor in 2008. He was certified in Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga instruction in 2009.

Jeff has worked as a counselor in the Addictions and Mental Health field for 18 years. He currently teaches Yoga Meditation weekly at the Braille Institute and Yoga Meditation and Ayurveda at a cancer center.

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Marcia grew up in San Diego, California. She attended the University of California, Riverside for two years after high school, and then received an A.A. degree in computer science from Coleman College. She worked as a computer programmer and systems analyst for seven years. While she enjoyed a successful career in the computer field, Marcia felt that her purpose in life lay in a different direction.

She returned to school to pursue a career in medicine and completed a B.A. degree in psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She received an M.D. degree from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico. Her internship and residency were done at the University of Texas, Houston in psychiatry, and she is board certified in psychiatry. Since residency, Marcia has been practicing psychiatry with the under-served, chronically mentally ill in the Coachella Valley, California.

Throughout her life Marcia has been interested in the role that the mind, stress, lifestyle, and spirituality play in creating health and in the disease process. Along with her husband, she began taking seminars at the Chopra Center to learn about Ayurvedic medicine, and completed the Chopra Center Perfect Health certification in April, 2007. Marcia promotes an Ayurvedic lifestyle as a healthy complement to traditional medicine.

To connect with these amazing teachers click here!

Knowing the Power Within

2011-11-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

Knowing the Power Within

by Irene Margolis

In our modern culture, we have become a technology-oriented society where people have become accustomed to communicating by texting, e-mail, and Facebook, and relying on Google to find the answers. On a deeper level, when you go beyond cyberspace, people really have the desire for a more human connection with others. This is why there are so many varieties of online dating services—Match.com, Christian Singles Meet, Senior Singles Meet, etc.—all with the goal of helping people create relationships with other like-minded people, and people within their community. But in search for that perfect companion, I believe many people have overlooked a very important aspect of being, which is their own personal power, or as Deepak Chopra mentions in the Law of Pure Potentiality in his book, “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success,” “Your power is that of bonding…a bonding that comes from true love…”

What is it that makes us feel empowered? Self power—the love and awareness that you can create your physical world and connect with everyone in it. Creating reality comes from knowing you have the power to do so. The power within you has the ability to attract to you, situations, opportunities, people, and circumstances on a daily basis—forever. When you fully understand that power, you learn to control it and shift your attention into a progressive direction that will help you bask in all life has to offer. You are the most powerful creator in the world.

Your thoughts can literally shape your future, and this is why it is good to be aware of that fact, because if you are thinking, “I don’t want to do that,” then you are literally attracting “that” in which you don’t want because you are giving power to it. Why focus on that which does not serve you, when you can be playing in the field of creative infinite consciousness, building your internal power? Would you not then begin to realize how incredible you truly are and how silly it was to think anything less than that? Life is a playground, and we are all here playing in the same realms of existence together. Knowing our power within allows for the funnest games, for real power is love of all that is.

Irene Margolis is a certified Chopra Center Primordial Sound Instructor and has been involved with Dr. Deepak Chopra and the Chopra Center for over 14 years. Several years ago, she created the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Transformation Circle, a fun and informative workshop, which is presented on Sundays each month at the La Costa Resort and Spa. For more information, visit www.mytransformationcircles.com.

My Transformation Circles

2011-11-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Bliss
"Pure knowledge, unboundedness, perfect balance, infinite silence, invincibility, simplicity and bliss..this is our essential nature." -Deepak Chopra   Bliss...is the natural state of our being. It is the inner potentiality that we all possess. Living our pure potentiality, means learning how to live in that bliss in every moment of our lives. Every moment of your life, can be a moment you live for. Instead of looking forward to vacations, and holidays, you will look forward to every moment. You will wake up in the morning feeling infinite gratitude for having the ability to wake.....to see....to be alive. When you adapt that mindset, it transforms your entire outlook on life, to feeling bliss in all instances..as you were always meant to. Loving all, everyone, and yourself allows you to feel bliss at all times...for when you are in love with life, you are basking in the deep essence within, that is your pure potentiality. Take a walk....sip tea near the fireplace...do something just because it is simple and enjoyable...and while you are basking in these moments, reflect on all the things within you that could be brought to the service with a simple shift in attitude. Re-align your internal being by recognizing the potential of every day....the air you breathe, the warm water from the shower, the softness of the pillow.....and it will no longer be a task to achieve bliss in every given moment....you will simply "be" Bliss.

Approval
"We constantly seek the approval of others...it is therefore fear based" -Deepak Chopra  There is a spreading belief among the mass that we "need" each others approval....that we are only as good as those that can judge us. This is a false reality. Due to media, (TV, movies, the news) and all other forms of mental brainwashing we encounter on a daily basis, we have trained our minds to think we are less then divine and only good enough if we have the, "approval" of society, peers, or parents. The reality is..we don't need anyone's approval but our own. When we our happy with ourselves we are blissful and young at heart. The young children of this planet don't judge one another, for when they are on the playground together all they find is another playful soul, wishing to experience fun in its simplicity. They are not worried about what clothes they are wearing, or what car their parents drive....they do not seek approval, they simply "Are"....they live in the moment, understanding one truth.....their imagination is their greatest quality, and every other child they come into contact with that can partake in that cosmic field of play....is worth sharing that small moment in life with. Be as a child....approve of yourself, and all others for whatever it is they do...so you can play this lifetime

Information on Workshop:

"Through Transformation, one can create a balanced Personal Life, Community and World around us."

Come join us Sunday, November 13th from 2:00 to 5:00PM at the La Costa Resort and Spa Conference Center across from the Chopra Center for The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Transformation Circles; featuring The Law of Dharma. Learn the tools to help you manifest your intentions and desires.

Adopted from the best-selling book by famed Dr. Deepak Chopra, this workshop will help you connect with your life on a deeper level. Through the practice of these laws, you will be able to create affluence and abundance for yourself and others, have better relationships and live the life you love. The workshop will include readings of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success followed by a guided discussion group. The course will conclude with meditation techniques, a guided meditation, and closing circle.

Tuition is $25 with advance registration and $30 at the door which includes the book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Dr. Deepak Chopra, as well as the Transformation Circles Companion Guide. All attendees of the workshop will receive a special 15% discount at the Chopra Center Store, valid the day of the workshop (excludes jewelry).

Contact Information:

My Transformation Circles
Founder Irene Margolis
858-997-9911
www.mytransformationcircles.com

Reversal of Aging by Deepak Chopra

2011-11-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Reversal of Aging

Reversal of Aging Part : 1 Timeless Mind
Our relationship to time influences our biological clock
http://youtu.be/dWGs1jmP7X0

Reversal of Aging Part 2: Resetting your Biological Clock
Relationship between biological, psychological and chronological age
http://youtu.be/Lz27bIqPlos

Reversal of Aging Part 3 : Experience your body as energy & information field
Maximize energy ,comfort & bliss in your body
http://youtu.be/y_BidkyrMgo

Reversal of Aging Part 4 : Foods that Heal
Phytochemicals are healing & anti aging
http://youtu.be/_8Ia2_FJeJw

Reversal of Aging Part 5: Maintaining Biological Rhythms
Entropy and Life compete.
http://youtu.be/P5rBL9RM_BQ

Reversal of Aging Part 6 Passion & Detachment
Attention Intention Detachment Passion are key to aliveness
http://youtu.be/MGuYOSIIN2I

Weekend Within Comes to The Chopra Center in 2012!

2011-11-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

A Weekend Within at La Costa Resort from Chopra Center on Vimeo.

A Weekend Within is a 3-day comprehensive workshop in meditation and intuition taught by Deepak Chopra, lead meditation teacher davidji, and other Chopra Center master educators. You will explore expanded states of consciousness, learn the timeless practice of Primordial Sound Meditation, and experience a gentle yoga practice for body-centered restful awareness.

Included at A Weekend Within is a session with Deepak Chopra, who will guide you to go beyond your current limiting beliefs and experience deeper layers of yourself. The Chopra Center's expert teachers will coach you on how to communicate more consciously with those in your life, heal your emotional discomfort, and create nurturing relationships. You will connect with like-minded individuals and spark or re-engage practices that will make your life more fulfilling.

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Inspiration!

2011-10-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

Seduction of Spirit at The Chopra Center This Week!

2011-10-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

Seduction of Spirit is our signature meditation and yoga retreat, where Deepak Chopra, lead meditation teacher davidji, and other master certified teachers will guide you in a week of deep meditation, heart-opening yoga, and other timeless practices for spiritual awakening.

Seduction of Spirit is a rare opportunity to step away from life’s daily pressures and connect to your essential spiritual nature in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Each day Deepak will guide you in a deep meditation technique taught nowhere else – the wisdom and practice of the 28 sutras.

Many participants return year after year to enjoy meditative bliss and a lifetime of friendships with like-minded individuals from around the globe. Graduates of Seduction of Spirit are also eligible to attend Seduction of Silence, our most intimate silent meditation retreat, where you will learn advanced meditation techniques and attend small group sessions with Deepak Chopra.

Inspiration!

2011-10-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

Chopra Love!!

2011-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

The Chopra Center - An Introduction from Chopra Center on Vimeo.

Inspiration!

2011-10-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

Experience Perfect Health at The Chopra Center!

2011-10-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Perfect Health - An Overview from Chopra Center on Vimeo.

Are you feeling stressed out and anxious? Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Are you struggling with pain, a chronic condition, or a difficult diagnosis?

If physical and emotional roadblocks are preventing you from fully enjoying your life, it’s time to experience Perfect Health.

Perfect Health is one of the Chopra Center’s most popular signature programs – a 6- or 10-day mind-body immersion that blends the healing arts of the East with the best in modern Western medicine.

In the Chopra Center’s beautiful nurturing setting, you will feel your stress and tension melt away as our highly trained team of physicians, certified educators, and healing arts masters help you restore your balance and address your personal health concerns.

The Perfect Health program’s unique approach is based on the powerful principles of Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old healing system. Ayurveda focuses on the whole person – the mind, body, and spirit – seeking to correct the imbalances that cause distress and disease. Health is not just the absence of illness or symptoms, but a state of expanded wellbeing, vitality, and joy.

Seduction of Spirit with Marianne Williamson! - This Month!!

2011-10-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

Marianne Williamson at The Chopra Center's Seduction of Spirit from Chopra Center on Vimeo.

The choice is YOURS!

2011-10-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yoga Teacher Training Starts this Week at The Chopra Center!!

2011-10-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

GO YOGI'S!!!!

Seduction of Spirit Comes to Chicago!!

2011-09-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

Meditate with Deepak Chopra in Chicago !!!
July 9-15 , 2012

Chicago IL, Eaglewood Resort and Spa
The Chopra Center invites you and a companion to join us at Seduction of Spirit, our Signature Meditation and Yoga retreat. Deepak Chopra, lead meditation teacher davidji, and other master certified teachers of the Chopra Center will guide you in a week of deep meditation, heart-opening yoga, and other timeless practices for spiritual awakening.
Deepak and explore the power of meditation and its life transforming energy.

Graduates of Seduction of Spirit are eligible to attend Seduction of Silence, our most intimate silent meditation retreat, where you will learn advanced meditation techniques and attend small group sessions with Deepak Chopra.

2012 Chopra Center Events- Available Now!!

2011-09-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Perfect Health Panchakarma

{ Balance. Heal. Transform. }

Our six-day wellness program. Experience panchakarma detoxification therapy, daily ayurvedic spa treatments, a medical consultation, and instruction in meditation, yoga, and Ayurveda.
Learn more about this transformative program

Offered each week: Exclusively at the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California.

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Journey into Healing
{ Mind-Body Wellness Workshop }

Our signature mind-body ayurvedic immersion workshop. Learn the wisdom of Ayurveda from Deepak, David, and a team of renowned guest experts.
Learn more about Journey into Healing here
March 7–11, 2012: Carlsbad, CA
August 16-19, 2012: Carlsbad, CA

Free to Love
{ Feel Whole Again }

At the Free to Love workshop, David Simon, M.D. will guide you in a unique five-step process that has helped thousands let go of their pain, find freedom from the past, and rediscover joy and fulfillment in your life. Read more

November 11–13, 2011: Carlsbad, California
January 20–22, 2012: Carlsbad, California
June 1–3, 2012: Carlsbad, California

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Free to Heal
{ Restore Health and Balance }

A powerful program designed exclusively for those who have completed the Free to Love workshop. At Free to Heal, you will continue to integrate the profound emotional healing you have experienced at Free to Love as you nourish your body and soul six days of panchakarma cleansing, daily ayurvedic massage treatments, meditation, yoga, and instruction in the healing practices and wisdom of ayurveda.
Read more about this emotional panchakarma program here

November 14–19, 2011: Carlsbad, California
January 23–28, 2012: Carlsbad, California
June 4–9, 2012: Carlsbad, California

SynchroDestiny – FINAL SynchroDestiny workshop!

{ Harness the Power of Coincidence }

A self-empowerment workshop. For more than a decade, the SynchroDestiny empowerment workshop has shown thousands of seekers and high achievers how to harness the creative power of coincidence to achieve their deepest desires.
Learn more

February 8–12, 2012: Carlsbad, California

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Seduction of Spirit
{ Meditate with Deepak }

Our premier meditation retreat. Spend six days with Deepak and David, learning deep meditation techniques, practicing the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and exploring other practices for higher consciousness.
Learn more about this transformative retreat here

October 23–29, 2011: La Jolla, California
April 22–28, 2012: Carlsbad, California
July 9–15, 2012: Chicago (area), Illinois
October 29-November 4, 2012: Carlsbad, California

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Seduction of Silence
{ Spiritual Silence Retreat }

Graduates of Seduction of Spirit learn advanced meditation techniques during Seduction of Silence, an intimate spiritual experience. (Seduction of Spirit graduates only) Learn More

October 23–29, 2011: La Jolla, California
April 22–28, 2012: Carlsbad, California
July 9–15, 2012: Chicago (area), Illinois
October 29-November 4, 2012: Carlsbad, California

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Summoning the Sacred

{ Your Path to Enlightenment }

Join us for the premiere of Summoning the Sacred – our most intimate workshop with Deepak Chopra, created exclusively for Seduction of Spirit and/or SynchroDestiny graduates who want to open to new levels of spiritual wisdom.

Summoning the Sacred is a unique experiential workshop that is limited to just 75 participants so that the experience can be personalized to the group’s individual questions and explorations. Read more

Dec 1–4, 2011: Carlsbad, California
Mar 29–Apr 1, 2012: Carlsbad, California
Nov 29–Dec 2, 2012: Carlsbad, California

Inspiration!

2011-09-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."
Lao Tzu

The Meditation Challenge Reunion Hour

2011-09-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Yes we are rescheduling . . .
The Meditation Challenge Reunion Hour:
Beyond 21 Days - Taking Your Meditation Practice to the Next Level

We apologize if you tried to join us and experience the Meditation Challenge Reunion hour. Unfortunately the Chopra Center was a casualty of the electrical blackout experienced in San Diego on September 8th. To keep your meditation momentum flowing we have included a special healing meditation from Deepak Chopra from The Secret of Healing meditation CD.

Please join us for our rescheduled broadcast of "Beyond 21 Days - Taking Your Meditation Practice to the Next Level" on - Thursday, September 22, 4:00 p.m. (PDT)

During this special broadcast led by davidji, you will have an opportunity to get answers to any questions that have come up for you as you continue to meditate and deepen your practice. Davidji will also offer tips and wisdom for successfully making meditation a daily ritual that will help you release stress as you experience more peace, harmony, laughter, and love. And, he will lead us in a live intention-setting meditation together!

Thursday, September 22, 4:00 p.m. (PDT)

We look forward to sharing this opportunity with you!

SynchroDestiny

2011-09-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

Journey Into Healing this week at The Chopra Center!

2011-09-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

The Secret of Love

2011-09-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

A Cosmic Book with Human Insight

2011-09-20T15:13:00.001-07:00

I found my eyes opened, along with my mind, by an intriguing book, The View from the Center of the Universe, by Joel R. Primack, a distinguished physicist at the University of California Santa Cruz, and his wife, Nancy Ellen Abrams, an excellent writer. There have been a spate of books extending our concept of the universe and how human beings fit into it. In an earlier post I listed some of the most exciting concepts that are potentially revolutionizing cosmology, among them, that we live in a conscious universe, that the universe is a living thing, and that evolution drives the cosmos. Primack and Abrams continue to explore such ideas in their newest book The New Universe and the Human Future

But they also campaign persuasively for a meaningful universe, contending that we no longer live in the ancient or medieval conception of the cosmos and not the empty, meaningless universe of Newton. "The lack of a meaningful universe is a modern mental handicap." They are not aiming to reclaim old religious ideas, however. "There is a real dissonance between the colorful, volatile, science-expanded world we actually inhabit and the monotonously recycled language that religions use to describe 'ultimate reality.'" So what kind of meaning do Primack and Abrams find in the cosmos? Their book answers this question through a totally engaging and very readable exploration of "the new universe" explained by quantum physics and contemporary astrophysics.

In a nutshell, "...the Big Bang powers us all, galaxies and human beings alike, in different ways on our respective size-scales." This last phrase refers to how Nature operates differently depending on how big or small the scale is, moving from the subatomic to the universal. Primack and Abrams put great store in the unique scale of the human world and how our minds have turned to explain ourselves as well as the cosmos. They continue, "Every one of us is entitled to say, 'I am what the expanding universe is doing here and now.'" This startling declaration isn't solipsism. In fact, it echoes a sentence I remember from a noted Indian guru, who said, "You need to realize that the entire universe collaborated to create this exact second and everything that is happening to you right now." Bringing such a perspective into practical life, as Primack and Abrams want to do, is not easy.

In the ancient world there was no strict division between cosmology and spirituality. Primack and Abrams remain firmly on the cosmological side when they argue that "Earth does reflect the cosmos." Their data and the theory of an eternally expanding universe delves deeply; I won't try to summarize it here. What opened my eyes was the notion that each of us is the center of the universe, which reinvigorates a crucial thesis of the world's wisdom traditions. As Primack and Abrams do, we can lament that what the ancients saw so clearly has an enormous reach that moderns are blind to. At a time when a band of scientific atheists are hardening the divisions between science and religion, Primack and Abrams are inclusive as well as far-seeing: The future of the planet, which they envision in the slogan "Think cosmically, act globally,’ will need "to inspire huge creativity, intense commitment, and immense stores of enthusiasm and new hope."

This is a very sympathetic appeal, and it sets Primack and Abrams apart from the strictly technological futurists, marching under the banner of research and development (plus a huge dose of science fiction) and yet equally far from the strict spiritual camp, which worships Mother Earth and prays for the regeneration of humanity under God. Primack and Abrams, quite rightly, ask for all hands on deck. "To guide and use this human energy will require every powerful tool that people have ever come up with, including religious truths, ancient mythology, science, and art, plus a detailed picture of reality." This could be read as mere idealism of the kind that many friends of the Earth espouse. But Primack and Abrams are bolstered by the imagination and knowledge that they have poured into their "details picture of reality," bridging the Big Bang with a host of ancient representations that have in common one thing: we are the point. The cosmos is about us.

Realizing that such a radical idea will never take hold without proof – Primack and Abrams are not remotely interested in returning to an age of faith - they list seven propositions in support of human uniqueness.

1. We are made of the rarest material in the universe.
2. We are at the center of our Cosmic Sphere of Time.
3. We live at the midpoint of time.
4. We live at the middle of all possible sizes.
5. We live in a universe that may be a rare bubble of spacetime.
6. We live at more or less the midpoint in the life of our planet.
7. We live at a turning point for our species.

Stated baldly, these statements may sound esoteric or speculative, but they aren't. When religionists and atheists clash, or when science places itself as the alternative to myth, a larger trend is at work, the trend from a unified sense of humanity to a splintered sense of humanity. Unity may have been an illusion - the world that revolved around God for Christians wasn't the same world of Buddhism or Islam. But the splintering of a coherent worldview goes hand in hand with a meaningless cosmos and fear born of doubt about who we really are.

By attempting to make coherence possible once more, Primack and Abrams open the only way forward that can possibly work. The existential alternative is grim for all of us, and that grim outcome will be the consequence of holding on to a cliché that science has drilled into us, "that in an expanding universe, 'human' is a small, even pathetic identity. " Real optimism and true hope lie in finding a new home in the universe, so that its expansion doesn't intimidate us or make our lives seem like insignificant specks in the vastness of space. An expanded science is called for, not for its own sake, but to expand human potential to the point where we can rescue ourselves. The View from the Center of the Universe goes a long way in that direction, and it should be read by anyone, not just scientists, who worry about the human condition.

Ending Diets That Don’t Work: How People Actually Lose Weight

2011-09-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

Our bodies are designed to remain in balance, and when they go out of balance, a natural mechanism has been interfered with. Usually this occurs through decisions that we make that turn into habits. Decisions are conscious and can be reversed. Habits are unconscious and are considerably harder to reverse. Even so, the more awareness you can bring to any health issue, the better your chances of reaching a solution.

This is certainly true of a problem that nags at the majority of Americans, their weight. No one can claim that weight loss isn’t a struggle. “But I’m on a diet” is the cry of countless people. These are not the same as countless thin people. Yet we can start to end the struggle by looking soberly at the part being played by conscious choices.

About one-third of Americans are overweight, and an additional third are obese. But the problem isn’t limited only to the US: obesity has become a global problem. More than one in ten persons, worldwide, is obese. Nor are overweight and obesity problems only of rich nations. About 65% of the world’s population lives in countries where the problems of being overweight kills more people than being underweight. And the costs of obesity are immense, in personal, societal, and economic terms. In the US, the medical care costs of obesity totaled about $147 billion in 2008.

Obesity is generally defined using the body mass index (BMI). BMI is an individual’s weight multiplied by 703 and then divided by twice his or her height in inches (BMI calculators are available online. Many doctors think your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is a better indication of disease risk. Your WHR, which is found by dividing the circumference of your waist by that of your hips, is a relatively good indicator of whether you have excessive visceral fat inside your abdomen. A ratio of under .8 for women or .9 for men is thought to be healthy.

Obesity factors. Our country’s current obesity epidemic is due to a “perfect storm” of cultural, social, economic, psychological, and economic factors. Getting older and your genetic inheritance are two set risk factors that influence your likelihood of becoming obese, but they don’t determine it.

Fortunately, other risk factors for obesity can be changed. Social and economic influences, like your regional culinary traditions, and the way you ate growing up play a big part. Surprisingly, lack of a good night’s sleep—7-8 hours is considered healthy for most people—is a factor in weight gain. What kind of food and how much food you eat, and the amount of physical activity you get, are vitally important. Eating “junk” food—highly processed foods, fast foods, and refined carbs like white sugar, white flour, and white rice—is a major risk factor.

Forget dieting. Although we are a nation of dieters, that has done little or nothing to stem the tide of obesity. Studies have shown that a minuscule percentage of dieters, generally less than 5%, are able to lose weight and keep it off for two years. In addition, the cycle of gaining and losing the same ten or twenty pounds places an unhealthy stress upon your body.

The best way to lose weight is to make long-term changes in the way you eat, changes you can live with for the rest of your life. There are many ways to do this. You can limit calories or portion sizes, or you may choose to limit certain foods (the unhealthy, fattening ones!) and emphasize others.

Ensure your daily diet includes whole, nutrition-dense foods like whole grains, good fats (olive oil and other foods with omega-3 fatty acids), lean protein, and whole fruits and vegetables.

If you do nothing else, do the two following things. First, avoid eating at fast-food restaurants; learn to make quick, healthy meals at home. Second: whether you’re single or in a family, make eating an occasion: sit down at the table for real meals and keep the TV off. Fast food and constant snacking are two major reasons for the obesity epidemic.

Exercise is your best friend when it comes to weight loss. If you haven’t exercised for a long time and are very out of shape, start out by exercising for just 10 minutes a day, and add on over time to build up to 30 minutes to an hour every day. Do both aerobic exercise (like walking, swimming, and cycling) and anerobic exercise (resistance training, weight lifting) for best results. Aerobic exercise has many benefits: it improves insulin sensitivity, strengthens your heart, gives you more energy, and much more. Anerobic exercise strengthens your muscles and boosts your metabolism so that you burn more calories, even when you’re not exercising.

If you dislike exercising, you can find other ways to become more physically active: do your own housework, plant a garden, dance to your favorite music, park farther away from work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or find a sport you enjoy.

Surgical and Medicinal Solutions. There are many different types of gastric bypass surgery, but all involve bypassing part of your small intestine. If you have gastric bypass surgery, you still need to eat a healthy diet and exercise. So looking to surgery as a quick fix, or fantasizing that you can put off changing your habits because excess fat can be magically eradicated only leads to disillusionment.

Types of bariatric surgery include gastric bypass surgery, gastroplasty, and gastric banding. Bariatric surgery is risky and may only be considered if you have a BMI of 40 or higher or if your BMI is 35-39.9 and you have a serious weight-related health problem, such as diabetes or hypertension. It should also be kept in mind that the failure rate of people who have taken the surgery route, along with the risk of serious surgical complications, is no small problem. Even a tiny stomach can hold enough food to lead to obesity if your unhealthy habits don’t change.

Prescription weight-loss medications may be used if you have a BMI of 30 or higher or if your BMI is 27 or above and you have an obesity-related condition, such as hypertension, diabetes, or abnormal blood fat levels. There are two main types of weight-loss medications: appetite suppressants and lipase inhibitors. Appetite suppressants help you to lose weight by decreasing your appetite or by making you feel more full. Lipase inhibitors are drugs that reduce (by about one third) your body’s ability to absorb fat from the food you eat. Current research seems to indicate, however, that weight loss is modest for those using such drugs, on average less than ten pounds.

We are still left with the role of decisions and conscious choices. Look to the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR)
The NWCR tracks people who have lost large amounts of weight—and kept it off. Here’s what participants in the Registry have done to lose an average of 66 lbs. and keep it off for an average of 5.5 years.

Physical activity
• 94% increased their physical activity (most frequently through walking)
• 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day
• 62% watch fewer than 10 hours of TV per week

Diet
• 98% modified their food intake in some way to lose weight
• 78% eat breakfast every day

Keeping track
• 75% weigh themselves at least once a week

Group support
• 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program
• 45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own

Start Early to Prevent Obesity It will always be true that losing weight is much harder than not putting it on in the first place. There is no safety zone that is immune to this fact. Children who are obese are at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and more at an early age. Children too easily model their habits on their parents’ habits, and thus the cycle of obesity is passed on from one generation to the next.

Society has given us ways to remain more sedentary as we become a culture dependent on computers and video games, added to our addiction to television and eating out. Stress mounts every year. All of these factors have one thing in common. They make us exchange conscious choices for unconscious habits. The solution is staring us in the face: reclaim your right to decide who you will be and how you will live. There are no other shortcuts, even though millions of people hope and pretend that there are. The good news is that a conscious lifestyle is not just the healthiest but the happiest.

By Deepak Chopra

"Through Transformation, one can create a balanced Personal Life, Community and World around us."

2011-09-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Come join us Sunday, September 25th from 2:00 to 5:00PM at the La Costa Resort and Spa Conference Center across from the Chopra Center for The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Transformation Circles; featuring The Law of Detachment. Learn the tools to help you manifest your intentions and desires.

Adopted from the best-selling book by famed Dr. Deepak Chopra, this workshop will help you connect with your life on a deeper level. Through the practice of these laws, you will be able to create affluence and abundance for yourself and others, have better relationships and live the life you love. The workshop will include readings of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success followed by a guided discussion group. The course will conclude with meditation techniques, a guided meditation, and closing circle.

Tuition is $25 with advance registration and $30 at the door which includes the book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Dr. Deepak Chopra, as well as the Transformation Circles Companion Guide. All attendees of the workshop will receive a special 15% discount at the Chopra Center Store, valid the day of the workshop (excludes jewelry).

Contact Information:

My Transformation Circles
Founder Irene Margolis
858-997-9911
www.mytransformationcircles.com

Inspiration!

2011-08-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Check out Dr. Simon's video here.

Inspiration!

2011-08-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

"Everyone has a purpose in life... a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals."
Deepak Chopra

Weekly Health Tip: Take A Load Off Your Knees: Dealing With Osteoarthritis

2011-08-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Your knee joints are one of the unsung heroes of your body. If you're like the average American, you take just over 5,000 steps a day -- and each one of those steps places a force equal to three to six times your body weight on your knee joints. It's no wonder that by the time you reach age 60, chances are good you will have developed osteoarthritis of the knee, a sometimes-painful condition caused by wear and tear to the knee joint. More than 20 million Americans currently have this condition, and that number is expected to soar as high as 70 million during the next two decades as baby boomers age and become obese, a major risk factor for the disease, increases. While many people with knee osteoarthritis never have symptoms, others experience stiffness and dull pain, especially upon waking, or, in extreme cases, severe pain that limits their mobility.

What is osteoarthritis? In a healthy knee joint, a slippery tissue called cartilage fills the spaces between the bones and cushions the bones as they move. Osteoarthritis (OA) occurs when the cartilage wears away due to daily use -- or overuse. The ends of the bones begin to rub against each other and often develop spurs and cysts. In addition, the tissue that lines the joint may become inflamed and the ligaments and muscles that support the joint weaken.

Most people who develop knee OA are over 45. The disease is more common among women than men, and having osteoporosis or a previous knee injury increases your risk. While genetics plays a role in about 20 to 35 percent of cases, one of the biggest risk factors is something you can control -- your weight. Overweight women (defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25-28.9) have a four times greater risk of knee osteoarthritis, and overweight men (BMI 26-29.9) have five times the risk of normal-weight men.

Prevention and relief: There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of developing the disease and to manage the symptoms if you already have it.

1. Control your weight. You can greatly reduce your chances of developing knee OA by maintaining a normal weight or shedding at least some of any excess weight. Losing even a few pounds can make a big difference in the load you place on your knees. Recent studies have found that when overweight people with knee arthritis lost just one pound, it resulted in anywhere from a twofold to fourfold reduction in the load placed on their knee joints. One report estimated that losing 10 pounds would take 48,000 pounds of weight off the knee joint for every mile walked. That, in turn, can reduce wear and tear on the cartilage and prevent osteoarthritis from developing. In fact, losing 11 pounds over a 10-year period decreases the chances of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by 50 percent, according to one recent study. Losing weight can also help reduce knee pain if you already have arthritis.

If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about a healthy weight loss program that includes eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, lean protein and whole grains.

2. Exercise. Regular, low-impact exercise will not only help you to lose weight, it can help prevent knee OA and manage symptoms in other ways. Often people who have arthritis of the knee cut back on their physical activity to avoid pain. But that's the worst thing you can do. It's critical to keep the knee joint mobile and flexible and to strengthen the muscles around it. You can do that by combining aerobic exercise with strengthening and flexibility exercises.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of low-impact aerobic exercise five days a week. Walking, biking and golfing are all good choices because they don't place stress on your knee joints. Exercising in water is also a great way to work out because the water supports your weight and gives your knees a break. Studies show that water exercise such as swimming or water aerobics can be especially helpful in reducing pain and improving function in those who already have knee OA.

Exercises that strengthen the muscles around the knee and the quadriceps (thigh) muscle can help protect your knee joints and may actually help prevent osteoarthritis. These exercises can also reduce pain and improve your mobility if you have arthritis. Try isometric exercises where you push or pull against resistance. Stretching exercises like yoga and tai chi can prevent and reduce stiffness in your knee joints.

Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program -- especially if you have pain in your knees. You may need to begin by working with a physical therapist to learn how to strengthen the muscles around your knees in a safe way.

3. Protect your joints. An injury to your knee can alter the alignment in the joint and that can make the cartilage wear away. So take precautions to avoid injuries to your knees if possible, especially if you do a lot of sports. If you do injure your knee, get immediate treatment to reduce your risk of damaging the cartilage. Wearing a knee brace may help support your knee and reduce pain if you already have arthritis.

4. Pain relievers. Aspirin and other non-prescription pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen can reduce arthritis pain, but regular use can produce serious side effects. Talk to your doctor about the safe use of these pain relievers.

5. Other treatments. Glucosamine and chondroitin are two natural substances that are found in cartilage. Researchers have been studying whether or not they help relieve arthritis pain when taken as a dietary supplement. Recent studies suggest that they don't help any more than a placebo, but some doctors suggest taking them for three months to see if there is any benefit.

Some doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory gel to relieve pain or injections of hyaluronic acid to lubricate the joint and act like a shock absorber. In very severe cases where other treatments do not provide relief, your doctor may recommend surgery to replace the knee joint.

The best treatment of all is prevention, of course, and the best way to prevent osteoarthritis is to keep your weight down and get in the habit of regular exercise. If you do develop osteoarthritis, an early diagnosis can mean a better outcome -- so see your doctor right away if you notice pain or swelling in your knee.

By Deepak Chopra Author, 'Soul of Leadership'; Founder, The Chopra Foundation

"Seduction of Spirit" Meditation Retreat this October in San Diego

2011-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) August 11, 2011

This October 23-29, the Chopra Center's Seduction of Spirit meditation and yoga retreat, led by founder Deepak Chopra, M.D., will feature guest speaker Marianne Williamson, an internationally renowned spiritual leader and best-selling author. Seduction of Spirit has been one of the Chopra Center's most popular events for more than a decade, and now for the first time, participants at this October's retreat will be able to experience the dynamic combination of Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson exploring the power of meditation and its life-transforming energy.

"I'm very happy that Marianne will be joining us at Seduction of Spirit," said Deepak Chopra. "She has been a friend, inspiration, and fellow co-creator for many years, and we're all looking forward to experiencing her wisdom, insight, and guidance."

Marianne Williamson has shared the gifts of meditation and prayer with thousands of people throughout the world. She is the founder of Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area. Project Angel Food serves more than 1,000 people daily. Her best-selling books and audio programs include Meditations for a Miraculous Life, Meditations for Weight Loss, A Return to Love, and The Gift of Change. She and Deepak Chopra are the co-authors (with Debbie Ford) of the popular book The Shadow Effect.

"As you find greater peace through the practice of meditation, not only does that mean that you've released stress and you can stay at peace within your heart but when you're not meditating, you can go out into the world and take peace with you," said Marianne Williamson.

Seduction of Spirit will take place October 23-29 at the Estancia Hotel & Spa in the Torrey Pines area of La Jolla, California. The Chopra Center has reserved a limited number of guest rooms at the Estancia Hotel & Spa for Seduction of Spirit participants. Guests will enjoy staying in luxurious accommodations for a special discounted rate.

To register for Seduction of Spirit, please call 760-494-1657 or visit www.chopra.com/seduction/lajolla2011. Special companion pricing is available.

The Secret of Love

2011-08-18T07:25:00.001-07:00

Tory Burch, Deepak Chopra, Chloe Flower at an event for patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

2011-08-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

MANHATTAN — Deepak Chopra is already considered a rock star in the world of spirituality and mind-body medicine — and now he's taking his clout to the music world.
Chopra, the author of "Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" and other books, is working on a new album with New York-based pianist Chloe Flower and producer Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds.
Chopra and Flower gave New Yorkers a taste of their musical talents during a trip to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Tuesday, where they performed for a room full of patients.
As Flower tickled the keys, Chopra did a spoken work performance, reciting a Hebrew poem over the music of one of her four songs.
"It was amazing," Flower, a Gramercy Park resident, said by phone after the event. "Music has the ability to activate certain regions of the brain that release dopamine and serotonin. I chose music that give you 'goose-bump moments.' I hope it worked."
Before the duo performed, dozens of patients in their bathrobes were greeted by an introduction from fashion designer Tory Burch, who founded the hospital's "A-Team" of the Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, a volunteer-run fundraising group.
Since 2009, Burch has been bringing actors, artists, authors, fashion designers and others, such as Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow and Vera Wang into the hospital's patient recreation room to speak with cancer patients and raise their spirits.
"It was beautiful," Dr. Annette Rickel, a psychiatry professor at Weill Cornell Medical College who became president of the Society of MSKCC in June, said of Tuesday's performance. "Chloe played a lovely piece that was perfect for Deepak's recital of an inspirational Hebrew poem."
The A-Team series brings special guests to cheer up patients on a monthly basis, she said.
"I think it's important we keep this idea of integrating the physical with the mental," Rickel said. "It's so important for people to feel a sense of peace in what they're doing… and that they focus on getting better."
Flower, a classically trained pianist who performs with a contemporary beat, had never played at a hospital before. But when she was a child, she was on the nursing home circuit.
"When I was little — 4, 5, 6 years old – I would play nursing homes," she said. "I was terrible, but I loved doing it. The people in the homes would come every time."
Flower teamed up with Chopra after meeting him at a talk he gave. On the album — which has no title yet — Chopra speaks over Flower's piano playing in interludes that guide listeners through three acts that travel from innocence to suffering and finally to hope and healing.
A portion of the proceeds from the album, set to release its first single in October and the full record in January 2012, will go to the Somaly Mam Foundation to help fight human trafficking.
Flower is also teaming up on a forthcoming book about the healing power of music for Alzheimer's patients with Harvard Neurology Professor Rudolph Tanzi.

Just a reminder!

2011-08-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

Yoga Teacher Training Starts this Week at The Chopra Center!!

2011-08-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga teacher training certification is a Yoga Alliance 200-hour compliant program developed by Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon, and directed by Professor Claire Diab. This practice integrates 5,000 year-old Vedic wisdom with modern yogic interpretations, creating a daily yoga practice to help you unite body, mind, and spirit. Based on Deepak Chopra and David Simon's book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, this beautiful practice blends meditation, pranayama, yoga philosophy, sun salutations, and asana development to bring you into alignment with the magnificent rhythms of the cosmos.

This consciousness-based yoga teacher training begins with experiencing higher states of consciousness at Seduction of Spirit and mind-body healing at Journey into Healing. Your personal practice continues to deepen with regular connection through webinars and teleconferences and a powerful home study process that concludes with two interactive certification weeks at the Chopra Center (Part A and Part B).

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga teacher training certification infuses your practice with spirit while bringing the seven laws into action each day. Every class plays a crucial role in yoga's path to unity and wholeness, while providing you with a wealth of meditation techniques, mantras, breathing exercises, and yoga poses.

"Enhancing flexibility and releasing stress are as noble a purpose for performing yoga as the awakening of spirituality. This is the great gift of yoga - it serves and nourishes us at every level of our being and spontaneously contributes to greater well being in all domains of life. Yoga will help you discover gifts within yourself that have remained unopened since your childhood - gifts of peace, harmony, laughter, and love." The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga by Drs. Deepak Chopra & David Simon

Whether you are new on the path of yoga and self-discovery or you are looking to deepen your existing practice, becoming a certified yoga teacher will take your practice and your understanding of the true principles of yoga and conscious living to the next level.

As a Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga certified teacher, you will be able to set up, market, and teach classes in a manner and frequency that works with your schedule (subject to a few basic guidelines). Chopra Center University will provide ongoing training, marketing support, and business development. You will also receive guidance through teleconferences, webinars, newsletters, and access to our international referral service. In addition, certified instructors receive substantial discounts on all Chopra Center events, workshops, programs, and products.

Upon completion of this program, you will be qualified to teach Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga classes throughout the world. You will become part of the Chopra Center's global network of certified instructors.

Special Return Rates till Aug 15th!!

2011-08-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

If you have already joined us for a Chopra Center event- then connect with me to learn more about our special return rates on events like SynchroDestiny and Seduction of Spirit. Theses special rates are good till Aug 15th. Call me at 760-494-1657!

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Transformation Circles

2011-08-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Through Transformation, one can create a balanced Personal Life, Community and World around us."
Come join Chopra Center Teacher, Irene Margolis at the La Costa Resort and Spa for this informative, fun, and inspirational workshop. Sunday, Aug. 14th from 2:00 to 5:00PM at the La Costa Resort and Spa Conference Center across from the Chopra Center for The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success Transformation Circles; featuring The Law of Intention and Desire. Learn the tools to help you manifest your intentions and desires.

Adopted from the best-selling book by famed Dr. Deepak Chopra, this workshop will help you connect with your life on a deeper level. Through the practice of these laws, you will be able to create affluence and abundance for yourself and others, have better relationships and live the life you love. The workshop will include readings of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success followed by a guided discussion group. The course will conclude with meditation techniques, a guided meditation, and closing circle.

Tuition is $25 with advance registration and $30 at the door which includes the book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Dr. Deepak Chopra, as well as the Transformation Circles Companion Guide. All attendees of the workshop will receive a special 15% discount at the Chopra Center Store, valid the day of the workshop (excludes jewelry).

Love from Deepak!~

2011-08-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

Inspiration from Deep Forest

2011-07-28T08:13:00.001-07:00

A story of being one with the Universe. A Neurologist studying her own brain while having a stroke.

2011-07-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

A story of being one with the Universe. A Neurologist studying her own brain while having a stroke.

This is so inspirational!

Free To Love, Free To Heal This Week At La Costa!

2011-07-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Free to Love (Healing the Heart)

Dates and Location

July 29–31, 2011: Carlsbad, CaliforniaNovember 11–13, 2011: Carlsbad, California

January 20–22, 2012: Carlsbad, California

June 15–17, 2012: Carlsbad, California

Emotional pain takes many forms: the grief of loss, overwhelming stress and anxiety, major or chronic depression, job burnout, feeling stuck or trapped, heart break, lingering guilt, regret, fear of trusting again, pent-up anger, worry about the future, and shame from the past.

In the face of difficulty, most of us do our best to cope with the situation, hold it together, and keep going, but we often end up carrying emotional pain that we don’t know how to heal or release. The toxic residue of painful experiences gets stored in our emotional heart, limiting our ability to give and receive love. If you want to break free from the past and experience emotional freedom, we invite you to join us at the Free to Love workshop. In our safe, nurturing setting, you will be guided in the unique five-step healing process developed by Chopra Center co-founder Dr. David Simon that has helped thousands let go of their pain, find freedom from the past, and rediscover joy and fulfillment.

Free to Love is led by the Chopra Center's Medical Director, Dr. Tim Brieske, and Trista Thorp, the Certification Program Coordinator of Chopra Center University. Along with other loving members of the Chopra Center staff, they will support and guide you in freeing yourself from the burden of accumulated pain, anger, guilt, and other difficult emotions.

Free to Love is an intensive weekend workshop that allows you to reach deep levels of emotional release and healing in a short amount of time. Whether you’ve recently experienced an upsetting event or loss, or you’ve been carrying the burden of old emotional wounds for many years, Free to Love will help you find emotional freedom.

Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher Training This Week

2011-07-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Congrats to all our Summer 2011 PSM Grads!!

To learn more about The Chopra Center University click here!

The So Hum Meditation

2011-07-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

The So Hum meditation is a simple but powerful technique that uses the breath and the repetition of a mantra to quiet the mind and relax the body. This meditation will help take your awareness from a state of constriction to a state of expanded consciousness.

1.Choose a place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit in a chair or on the floor, using blankets and pillows to make yourself as comfortable as possible.
2.Close your eyes and for a few minutes and take a few moments to observe the inflow and outflow of your breath.
3.Now take a slow, deep breath through your nose, while thinking or silently repeating the word So.
4.Then slowly exhale through your nose while silently repeating the word Hum. Continue to allow your breath to flow easily, silently repeating So . . . Hum . . . with each inflow and outflow of the breath. Whenever your attention drifts to thoughts in your mind, sounds in the environment, or sensations in your body, gently return to your breath, silently repeating So . . . Hum.
5.Whenever your attention drifts to thoughts in your mind, sounds in your environment, or sensations in your body, gently return to your breath, silently repeating, So . . . Hum.
6.Do this process for 20 to 30 minutes. Just breathe easily and effortlessly, without trying to concentrate. When the time is up, sit with your eyes gently closed, taking a moment to rest in the stillness and silence of your meditation. At the Chopra Center there is only one meditation rule: Never rush to or from meditation. Just allow the peace and calm to soak into your body, and you will carry a little bit of this peace and calm with you as you move into the activities of your day. Learn more about meditation here.

Vata Imbalanced??

2011-07-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Vata governs movement in the body, the activities of the nervous system and the process of elimination. Vata influences the other doshas.

Qualities of Vata:Cold, light, dry, irregular, rough, moving, quick, changeable

If Vata dosha predominates, movement and change are characteristic of your nature. You will tend to always be on the go, with an energetic and creative mind. As long as Vata is in balance, you will be lively and enthusiastic, with a lean body.
Physical Characteristics: Those with a predominance of Vata dosha are usually have a thin, light frame and excellent agility. Their energy comes in bursts, and they are likely to experience sudden bouts of fatigue. Vatas typically have dry skin and hair and cold hands and feet. They sleep lightly and their digestion can be sensitive. When the Vata dosha becomes imbalanced, it manifests in the body as weight loss, constipation, hypertension, arthritis, weakness, restlessness, and digestive challenges.

Emotional Characteristics: Vatas love excitement and new experiences. They are quick to anger but also to forgive. When Vatas are in balance, they are energetic, creative, and flexible. They also take initiative and are lively conversationalists. When unbalanced, they are prone to worry and anxiousness and often suffer from insomnia. When they feel overwhelmed or stressed, their response is, “What did I do wrong?”

To learn how to balance your vata click here!

Deepak Chopra to Lead Summer Meditation & Yoga Retreat in Whistler, B.C.

2011-06-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

The “Seduction of Spirit” retreat this July 3–9 will be the last Chopra Center event offered in Canada until 2013.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) June 30, 2011

This July 3–9 the Chopra Center for Wellbeing is coming to Whistler, B.C., with the Seduction of Spirit meditation and yoga retreat. For more than a decade, participants from throughout the world have been drawn to this popular event, offering a week of deep meditation, heart-opening yoga, and other timeless practices for renewal and well-being.

Chopra Center co-founder and mind-body healing pioneer Dr. Deepak Chopra said, “Seduction of Spirit is one of my favorite events . . . an opportunity to go deeply into these profound yet simple practices that gradually release stress, tension, and emotional toxicity from our mind and body.

“Each day, as we meditate, practice yoga, and engage in meaningful discussions with like-minded people, we reconnect to why we are really here –– and how we can live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives,” Dr. Chopra said.

Seduction of Spirit will take place this July 3-9 at the Fairmont Chateau Resort in Whistler, B.C. There are a few remaining seats, and guests are eligible to receive resort special rates that can be extended after the event so that they can stay in Whistler and enjoy the many local attractions and activities.

“We’re excited to bring Seduction of Spirit to this gorgeous area of the world for the third time,” said Chopra Center Event Director, Amanda Ringnalda.

“Summertime in Whistler is spectacular, and guests will experience beautiful sunrise meditations at the Woodlands Terrace overlooking the entire village, connect to nature with morning trail walks, dine on delicious meals prepared with herbs picked fresh from the Fairmont gardens, and enjoy nightly entertainment with special guest performers.”

At this special Seduction of Spirit, the Chopra Center will be releasing a new CD –– Sacred Chants –– with world-renowned platinum recording artist and songwriter Beth Nielson Chapman. Beth will offer a live musical performance with songs from the new album at the event.

For more information, call 760.494.1657, or visit http://www.chopra.com/seduction

About the Chopra Center
The Chopra Center for Wellbeing was founded by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D. in 1996. Located in Carlsbad, California, the Center offers a wide variety of programs, retreats, and teacher training programs that integrate the healing arts of the East with the best in modern Western medicine. The Chopra Center has helped millions of people around the world find peace of mind, physical balance, and emotional healing. The website http://www.chopra.com is your starting point on the path to wellness.

Update on David’s surgery: Good news!

2011-06-30T09:37:00.001-07:00

To learn more click here!

Seduction of Spirit in Whistler This Week!

2011-06-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

To learn more about Seduction of Spirit click here!

Join us the fall in La Jolla for Seduction of Spirit: October 23–29 , 2011: La Jolla, California

Perfect Health at The Chopra Center!

2011-06-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

Perfect Health is a 6- or 10-day healing immersion that combines a renowned medical staff, a time-tested detoxification and cleansing process known as panchakarma, and intimate, daily classes in meditation, Ayurveda, and yoga.

The Perfect Health program’s unique approach is based on the powerful principles of Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old healing system. Ayurveda focuses on the whole person – the mind, body, and spirit – seeking to correct the imbalances that cause distress and, ultimately, disease. In contrast with conventional medicine, Ayurveda defines health not just as the absence of illness or symptoms, but as a state of higher consciousness that allow us to experience greater energy, creativity, wellbeing, and happiness in our daily lives.

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"I would like to like to say a big ‘Thank You' to the therapists and doctors of the Chopra Center for successfully getting me back to work! As a 54-year-old computer guy, I’d been through a tough time, with months of 20-hour workdays. I was unable to continue using a computer mouse due to the pain and increasingly limited mobility from overwork of my right hand and elbow. A similar work crunch a few years ago had already left me with a damaged left hand and elbow, so in addition to the discomfort, I was faced with being physically unable to do my job."

"My doctor prescribed a painkiller, but although it dulled the pain and let me sleep, did nothing for my mobility. For New Years my wife checked us into the Chopra Center for the Perfect Health Panchakarma program for a general health and de-stress break – not actually for my hand problems. Still, after the first day's treatment the pain had largely gone from my right hand, and by the end of the program I had pain-free mobility in both hands and elbows."

"I felt the excellent massage therapy helped the most, but this is a balanced program and it may well be the combination of treatments that made it so effective for me. The therapies are certainly powerful, pleasant, and healing, and the therapists are very caring, giving people."
—Howard Proops

Learn more about Perfect Health here!

Free To Love, Free To Heal

2011-06-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Free To Love, Free To Heal

Carlsbad, California | July 29–31, 2011
Carlsbad, California | November 11–13, 2011

“We are innately creative beings capable of writing a love story worth living, and we cannot afford to miss out on the opportunity to experience nourishing relationships.” ~ David Simon

Emotional pain takes many forms: the grief of loss, overwhelming stress and anxiety, major or chronic depression, job burnout, feeling stuck or trapped, heart break, lingering guilt, regret, fear of trusting again, pent-up anger, worry about the future, and shame from the past.

In the face of difficulty, most of us do our best to cope with the situation, hold it together, and keep going, but we often end up carrying emotional pain that we don’t know how to heal or release. The toxic residue of painful experiences gets stored in our emotional heart, limiting our ability to give and receive love.

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Click here for details!

Teacher Spotlight: Claire Diab

2011-06-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Claire Diab

Claire Diab is founder of The American Yoga Academy and is an internationally renowned Yoga Therapist and Fitness Specialist with more than 18 years of experience. In addition, she is currently adjunct Professor of Asian Studies at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. For more than 10 years,she has taught and designed yoga programs for Dr. Chopra at more than ten Seduction of Spirit and Journey to the Boundless seminars, including those at Oxford University, England, Geneva, Switzerland and Goa, India. She lectures nationwide on "Zen & Yoga: The Art of Living."

Claire, currently the Director of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga program, is also a certified Chopra Center instructor in Primordial Sound Meditation, and Seven Laws of Engaging Spirit in the Workplace. Her teaching of Mind/Body Integration in the business environment has provided real-world solutions for corporations such as Dunn & Bradstreet, Honeywell, AT&T, MSNBC, CNBC and Exxon.

Journey Into Healing In Asheville This Week!

2011-05-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

Journey into Healing is the Chopra Center’s most profound mind-body healing workshop, a five-day immersion that integrates modern Western medicine with Eastern healing arts, teaching you how to assist your body in healing itself.

Join us for this rare opportunity to expand your understanding of the power of self-care, guided by a panel of world-renowned experts as they lead you on an exploration of ancient wisdom and the newest discoveries in self-healing. Discover your mind-body personality type through a unique analysis based upon ayurvedic principles and learn other powerful tools to awaken the natural wellness within you.

Join us for Journey Into Healing at The Chopra Center: September 21–25, 2011: Carlsbad, California

To learn more about Journey Into Healing, click here!

Passport Sale - Extended! - Call Me for More Info!

2011-05-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

I wanted to extend this special rate to anyone who is ready for their next step with The Chopra Center. The special rates are good till May 30, 2011. Please call me at 760.494.1657 for details and rates. Check out our programs here!

SynchroDestiny Comes to Sedona this Week!

2011-05-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

What is SynchroDestiny?
Extraordinary coincidences, events, and ideas come into our lives every day, governed by the infinite field of intelligence underlying all creative activity. While most people only see opportunities in hindsight, SynchroDestiny is the ability to recognize and take advantage of the abundant possibilities that always surround us.

At the SynchroDestiny workshop, you will learn specific skills that will enable you to become a successful leader in any environment. SynchroDestiny will provide the tools and inspiration to help you move to your next phase of success and fulfillment.

Learn more about SynchroDestiny here!

Summoning the Sacred - New Dated Added!

2011-05-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

March 29- April 1, 2012: La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, CA
Join us for the premiere of Summoning the Sacred – our most intimate workshop with Deepak Chopra, created exclusively for Seduction of Spirit and/or SynchroDestiny graduates who want to open to new levels of spiritual wisdom.

Summoning the Sacred is a unique experiential workshop limited to a small number of participants so that the experience can be tailored to the group's individual interests and explorations.

One of the cornerstones of your experience will be sessions led by Deepak and Dr. Jean Houston, a prolific author, visionary, and world-renowned expert in mythology, archetypes, and spiritual traditions. We will discuss the science of mythology and archetypes – powerful energies that are within us and demonstrated within our cultures. We will learn how to activate these archetypal energies within us to inspire, guide, and transform our lives.

Each day you’ll also explore the timeless spiritual philosophy of Vedanta, which is the foundation of many of the Chopra Center’s teachings. The teachings will be made personal through the lecture sessions as well as a combination of experiential activities that include advanced yogic practices and a unique experience of pranayama techniques to expand consciousness and the body's vital energy. Awaken the divine within you through a daily practice of Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and sacred silence.

Summer Gift is Here Till May 15th!

2011-05-11T07:39:00.001-07:00

Check out http://www.chopra.com/programs for more information or call me at 760.494.1657!

Transformation Circles with Irene Margolis

2011-05-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Seven Spiritual Laws of Success - Transformation Circles - The Law of Karma

Time: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in the Marigold Conference Room across from the Chopra Center

To register and sign up for this fun and informative workshop please visit www.mytransformationcircles.com

"Through Transformation, one can create a balanced Personal Life, Community and World around us."

Adopted from the best-selling book by famed Dr. Deepak Chopra, this workshop will help you connect with your life on a deeper level. Through the practice of these laws, you will be able to create affluence and abundance for yourself and others, have better relationships and live the life you love. The workshop will include readings of the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success followed by a guided discussion group. The course will conclude with meditation techniques, a guided meditation, and closing circle.

Tuition is $25 with advance registration and $30 at the door which and includes the book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success"; by Dr. Deepak Chopra, as well as the Transformation Circles Companion Guide. All attendees of the workshop will receive a special 15% discount at the Chopra Center Store, valid the day of the workshop (excludes jewelry).

The Seven Spiritual Laws At-a-Glance (print this for your desk or refrigerator)

The Law of Pure Potentiality Take time to be silent, to just BE. Meditate for 30 minutes twice a day. Silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. Practice non-judgment.
The Law of Giving Today, bring whoever you encounter a gift: a compliment or flower. Gratefully receive gifts. Keep wealth circulating by giving and receiving care, affection, appreciation and love.
The Law of Karma Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Choosing actions that bring happiness and success to others ensures the flow of happiness and success to you.
The Law of Least Effort Accept people, situations, and events as they occur. Take responsibility for your situation and for all events seen as problems. Relinquish the need to defend your point of view.
The Law of Intention and Desire
Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment. Make a list of desires. Trust that when things don’t seem to go your way, there is a reason.
The Law of Detachment Allow yourself and others the freedom to be who they are. Do not force solutions—allow solutions to spontaneously emerge. Uncertainty is essential, and your path to freedom.
The Law of Dharma Seek your higher Self. Discover your unique talents. Ask yourself how you are best suited to serve humanity. Using your unique talents and serving others brings unlimited bliss and abundance.

SynchroDestiny Comes to Sedona this May!

2011-05-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

May 18–22, 2011: Sedona, Arizona

The Well-Being Effect with Deepak Chopra!

2011-04-28T15:20:00.001-07:00

Watch live streaming video from healthways at livestream.com

The Perfect Health

2011-04-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

Archetype: Shiva

2011-04-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

Known as both the destroyer and protector, Shiva is the third member of the Hindu trinity or Trimurti that includes Shakti the creator and Vishnu the preserver. Shiva, whose name means “the auspicious one” in Sanskrit, is viewed as a positive force because he destroys evil, ignorance, and death. He also ensures the cycle of life because his destruction of negativity clears the way for renewal and growth.

One of the most complex ancient gods in the Hindu pantheon, Shiva takes many – often paradoxical – forms. As the god of the yogis, Shiva is an ascetic, celibate, and self-controlled. The ascetic Shiva is usually portrayed deep in meditation on top of Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. In his role as a householder, Shiva has a consort, Parvati (Shakti), with whom he has two sons: Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles; and Skanda, god of war.

One of the most popular representations of Shiva is as Nataraja, the lord of the dance. As Nataraja, he dances in a ring of flames atop the back of a tiny demon named Apasmara-Purusha, who symbolizes ignorance, laziness, and evil thoughts. Nataraja’s dance symbolizes the rhythm of the universe and the cycles of creation and destruction.

In images of Shiva, the water flowing from his hair represents the River Ganges, considered a goddess in Hindu mythology. According to legend, when Ganga came down from the heavens, the earth was overwhelmed with torrential floods. Shiva offered to serve as a conduit so that human beings could benefit from the purifying water without drowning in it. It is also said that Shiva’s skin is blue because when Ganga flooded the earth, he swallowed the poison that was churned up in the oceans, thus saving the universe.

The snake coiled around Shiva’s neck represents kundalini or the spiritual energy of life. In one hand he holds a trident symbolizing his power to destroy evil and ignorance. The three prongs of the trident stand for Shiva’s fundamental powers: will, action, and wisdom. Shiva also holds a drum that resonates with the sound Om – the universal sound of creation in Vedic philosophy.

$900* off All Summer Events!

2011-04-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Call me at 760-494-1657!

Living Namaste

2011-04-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you."

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. This gesture, called Añjali Mudrā (or Pranamasana), can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning.

Perfect Health Teacher Training This Week!

2011-04-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

Perfect Health Teacher Training

The Perfect Health course offers a five-step exploration of mind body medicine and ayurveda. The course is designed for the general public who have had little or no previous understanding of these concepts. Each of the five lessons includes instruction in practical approaches of mind-body medicine that participants can begin using in their daily lives.

Spring Sale!

2011-04-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Call me for details!
760-494-1657~

$900 off all event between May 1, 2011- August 30, 2011!!!

Perfect Health
Seduction of Spirit
Journey Into Healing
SynchroDestiny

Introducing Tim Brieske, M.D. to The Chopra Center!

2011-03-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Dr. Tim Brieske is a board-certified family physician, mind-body healing expert, and core member of the Chopra Center medical staff. With his characteristic compassion, wisdom, and lighthearted nature, he provides medical consultations for guests and patients and offers mind-body guidance at the Center’s events and programs. He also teaches the healing tools and techniques of Ayurveda and leads walking meditations in nature.

Before coming to the Center, Dr. Brieske was in medical practice for more than 13 years in Southeast Alaska and rural Wisconsin, where he was able to experience and practice the full range of primary care and emergency medicine while developing and performing the skills necessary to care for people in all stages and transitions of life.

In working with patients, Dr. Brieske combines the wisdom of traditional healings arts – including Ayurveda – with modern medicine. “Ayurveda teaches that our natural state is balance and health, and that illness is the result of imbalances or stresses that disrupt this equilibrium. I have found my dharma or purpose in life is helping people restore their balance and experience greater levels of happiness, purpose, and optimal health,” he said.

Dr. Brieske’s path to becoming a doctor began with service as a medic in the military. He then completed an undergraduate degree in biochemistry, geology, and bacteriology, reflecting his love of nature and a strong desire to understand how the world works. Continuing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Enjoying all aspects of medical care, he completed residency training and board certification in Family Medicine at Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, California.

Walking long distances is a passion that allows Dr. Brieske the continued evolution and development of a meditative and contemplative practice. He enjoys and regularly practices meditation and yoga. He is a certified instructor of Perfect Health and is currently completing his certification as a Primordial Sound Meditation teacher. He is on the Chopra Center University Teachers’ Path for certification as a Vedic Master.

“Fully recognizing and appreciating our divine ability to participate in the enjoyment and understanding of this existence allows us the opportunity to discover, manifest, and promote balance as a means toward optimal health,” he said.

As a family physician, Dr. Brieske has a wide range of expertise in many areas of health and wellbeing, including the treatment of:

• Heart disease
• Addiction
• Depression and anxiety
• High cholesterol and blood pressure
• Men’s health issues
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Stress-related illness
• Lung disease
• Skin problems
• And many other health concerns

Deepak Chopra on Becoming a True Leader

2011-03-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

Seduction of Spirit in Georgia This Week!

2011-03-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

Seduction of Spirit from Chopra Center on Vimeo.

“The most direct and consistent way that I know to bring peace into every aspect of your life is through the regular practice of meditation.” ~ David Simon

Teacher Spotlight: Karen Whynott

2011-03-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Karen Whynott has been a meditator since 1987, and has been drawn to and has studied many energy based therapies. She is a registered Acupressure Massage Therapist, a certified Reiki Master/Teacher and is certified in advanced techniques in Quantum-Touch® practicing these therapies at White Point Ocean Spa since 2000. Since the spring of 2007, she has been studying with Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in California. Karen is Chopra certified in Primordial Sound Meditation and Perfect Health Ayurveda she is on the Vedic Master teachers’ path through Chopra Center University.

Karen is excited about sharing meditation and the ancient principles of Ayurveda which she teaches in retreat weekends at White Point Beach Resort, in Nova Scotia.

Contact Karen by email : karenwhynott@choprateachers.com or telephone 902 354 5793.

Question:Meditation and Fulfillment of Desire

2011-03-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

When meditating, especially in relation to the law of attraction, should one focus on the feeling of the fulfillment of one’s desire? Or should one focus on the feeling of Oneness? Or should one focus merely on love? Or all of these (as wordless feelings)? Or should one focus on nothing at all, simply existing within the realm of inner silence?

Deepak's Response:The objective of meditation is Self realization, so when you are practicing a silent meditation, then you should follow the instruction of your meditation, and not be trying to fulfill your desires. When you are doing a practice like the sutras that aim toward a specific outcome, then you simply introduce the intention/thought neutrally, and then let the attention go back to the silence of the non-local Self. This process ensures that whatever ability within you is actualized, it will be in your highest spiritual interest. If you incorporate feelings, images, and intense focus into this process, it may (or may not) accelerate the manifestation of the desire, but that individual focus will likely separate you from the pure intelligence of the cosmos and so the manifested desire won’t necessarily be the best thing for your spiritual evolution.
Love,
Deepak

Teacher Spotlight: Irene Margolis

2011-03-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

Connect with The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success at a much deeper level.

Come join Chopra Center Teacher, Irene Margolis at the La Costa Resort and Spa for this informative, fun, and inspirational workshop. This event will be held at the conference area across from the Chopra Center on Sunday, April 10the from 2 - 5 PM.

Tuition is $25 with online registration and $30 at the door and includes the book The Seven Spiritual Law of Success by Deepak Chopra and the Transformation Circles Companion Guide.

For more details and to register visit http://mytransformationcircles.com/

Weekend Within Highlights!

2011-03-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Program Consultants: Emily Gray, Gabrielle Forleo, Nicole Bondurant & Libby Carstenson
Team Chopra: Sara Harvey, Erin Riehle, Nicole Bondurant, Rae Marie Jaeger, Michael McShane, Gabrielle Forleo, Megan Monahan, Deirdre Murphy, Emily Gray & Libby Carstenson

Weekend Within was so amazing! We laughed, we cried, we even did ZUMBA!~ It was such an honor to have Deepak, David Simon and Davidji leads us on this inspirational journey!

Teacher Spotlight: Maggie Grueskin

2011-03-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Maggie Grueskin, RYT / Perfect Health Instructor
Maggie is the founder and director at Ekam, having received multiple teaching certificates, primarily though The Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago, Lex Gillian in Houston, and most recently through The Chopra Center in Carlsbad, CA. Her teachings are influenced in large part by Paramhansa Yogananda, Gary Kraftsow and Deepak Chopra. She is a 200 hr Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance and a Perfect Health Instructor through The Chopra Center. Maggie created Ekam Yoga Center, to be a community-based mind/body/spirit wellness center, where people can gather in peace, heal and nurture themselves, and spread love and compassion everywhere.

Ekam Yoga Center
7036-B FM 1960 Rd East
Atascocita, TX 77346

Telephone: (281) 358-9642

E-mail: peace@ekamyoga.com

Weekend Within Comes to The Chopra Center

2011-03-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

A Weekend Within provides a perfect introduction to the vast teachings of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, including the foundational practices of meditation, yoga, and ayurveda ― the oldest healing system on the planet. Each day you will learn tools and techniques to balance and heal your body, your emotions, and your soul.

Your weekend begins with Primordial Sound Meditation instruction by master meditation teacher davidji. You will receive your Primordial Sound mantra in a personal session, and there will be ample opportunity to get answers to all of your meditation questions. We will explore the power of meditation to relieve stress and access your untapped reserves of creativity.

Teacher Spotlight: Sukhdeep Brar

2011-02-28T14:55:00.000-08:00

Certified in 2010 as a Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher, Sukhdeep Brar shares her teachings and talents with the Brampton community, near Toronto, Canada. Sukhdeep also owns Brampton Skin Care Academy.

Contact Sukhdeep at sukhdeep@bramptonskincare.com or at 905-453-3566.

Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher Training This Week

2011-02-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher Training

Primordial Sound Meditation is a time-tested meditation technique dating back thousands of years to the ancient Vedic traditions of India. As a certified instructor, you will have the knowledge and skills to teach Primordial Sound Meditation, the most powerful tool we have for direct contact with Spirit and rediscovering our unique essential nature. Drs. Chopra and Simon have revived this ancient process and made it available in a format that can be easily learned by everyone.

To learn more click here.

Sages & Scientists Symposium

2011-02-25T14:40:00.000-08:00

In just a few days, Deepak Chopra and a panel of the world' leading scientists and sages will merge ancient insights with modern scientific theory at the Sages + Scientists Symposium. This February 25-27 at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, the Chopra Foundation will host its annual fundraising event - 3 days of leading-edge envisioning, experiential exhibits, and inspiring performances.

"We're looking forward to an extraordinary experience at this year's Sages and Scientists, which will include panel discussions and dialogues with pioneers from a wide variety of fields as we explore a future for humanity that can embrace both science and spiritual wisdom," said Deepak Chopra, founder of the Chopra Foundation.

To read the full article, click here.

Deepak Interview in Playboy

2011-02-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Deepak Chopra has arguably been the most public face of the New Age movement in America. A physician, public speaker and spiritual advisor to celebrities like Michael Jackson, he is the author of 57 books (including the number one best-sellers Ageless Body, Timeless Mind and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success), which together have sold more than 30 million copies. Drawing on elements of Eastern and Western spirituality, metaphysics, medicine and science, with dashes of self-help and happiness psychology, Chopra has become a sort of Lao-tzu for the iPod generation. His “simple yet powerful” principles mostly involve ridding oneself of negative emotions to transcend the obstacles that afflict body and mind. Strip away selfish conditioning, he says, and we can discover our true purpose in life. Skeptics scoff at his fuzzy language and poke holes in the quantum theories he invokes, yet Chopra’s message of hope spreads like galactic dust via book, blog, e-mail and Twitter feed.

To read the full interview, click here!

What is Yoga?

2011-02-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

Deepak Chopra on What Yoga Is

Journey Into Healing In Vancouver This Week!

2011-02-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

Journey into Healing Details

Journey into Healing is the Chopra Center’s most profound mind-body healing workshop, a five-day immersion that integrates the Eastern healing arts with the latest advances in medical science. In 2009, the University of California San Diego School of Medicine designated this educational activity for a maximum of 24.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Join us for this rare opportunity to learn with Chopra Center co-founders, David Simon, M.D. and Deepak Chopra, M.D., and a team of guest mind-body experts that has included Dr. Vasant Lad, Jamieson Jones, M.D., Dr. Suhas Krshisigar and Jeremy Geffen, M.D. Slated to appear in 2010 are the Chopra Center’s Director of Women’s Health, Valencia Porter, M.D.; ayurvedic scholar Dr. David Frawley; oncologist Daniel Vicario, M.D.; and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Attendees will also learn Primordial Sound Meditation with Chopra Center lead educator and meditation teacher, davidji.

Dates and Locations
February 16–20, 2011: Vancouver, BC, Canada
June 1–5, 2011: Asheville, North Carolina
September 21–25, 2011: Carlsbad, California

SynchroDestiny Comes to Puerto Rico!

2011-01-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

“SynchroDestiny is a unique program that dives deeply into the principles for true success. This February in Puerto Rico, participants will learn how to move beyond limiting conditioned beliefs and tap into their own creative potential.” ~ Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Extraordinary coincidences, serendipitous events, and valuable ideas come into our lives every day. While most people only see opportunities in hindsight, at the SynchroDestiny workshop, you will learn how to recognize and make the most of the rich potential and opportunities that always surrounds you.

For the first time ever, the Chopra Center is offering this popular signature workshop in the Caribbean paradise of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. In this striking retreat setting, you will receive hands-on training from Deepak Chopra and David Simon as they guide you on an inspiring four-day exploration of the field of pure potentiality and teach you how to harness the powers of coincidence to manifest your deepest desires.

SynchroDestiny will unfold in the lush setting of the Gran Meliá Golf Resort graced by the brilliant turquoise waters of the Atlantic and the natural beauty of the surrounding rainforests. Each morning you will enjoy blissful meditations and heart-opening yoga sessions on the pristine shores of Coco Beach. In February, while most of the U.S. is coping with snow and freezing temperatures, you will be learning the secrets of SynchroDestiny as you nurture your body and soul in the gentle warmth and soft sea breeze of the Rio Grande.

The Gran Meliá offers a soothing atmosphere with abundant tropical gardens, magnificent guest rooms, and the highest levels of service and hospitality. The resort also boasts a renowned Spa Wellness Center where you can experience signature Rainforest and Aroma treatments and healing rituals enriched by the traditions of the local healing arts.

For more information, click here.

Free To Love, Free To Heal This Week At La Costa!

2011-01-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

“We are innately creative beings capable of writing a love story worth living, and we cannot afford to miss out on the opportunity to experience nourishing relationships.” ~ David Simon

Emotional pain takes many forms: the grief of loss, overwhelming stress and anxiety, major or chronic depression, job burnout, feeling stuck or trapped, heart break, lingering guilt, regret, fear of trusting again, pent-up anger, worry about the future, and shame from the past.

In the face of difficulty, most of us do our best to cope with the situation, hold it together, and keep going, but we often end up carrying emotional pain that we don’t know how to heal or release. The toxic residue of painful experiences gets stored in our emotional heart, limiting our ability to give and receive love.

To learn more, click here.

Teacher Spotlight: Diego Gesualdi

2011-01-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

Diego Gesualdi teaches Mantra Meditation at the Yoga Loft in the heart of Woodland Hills.

Introductory class to meditation with Diego Gesualdi this Sunday the 9th from 5:00pm to 6:30pm

YOGALOFT studio at 21228 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills CA 91364.

Deepak on Dr. Oz!

2011-01-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Deepak Chopra shares his revolutionary ideas on how meditation can reverse aging. Learn more about the mind-body connection. Click here for your...

In this exclusive extended video, Deepak Chopra explains the meditation techniques that can help you slim down. Learn how to harness the power of...

Real Love.. and Handling Your Stuff

2011-01-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

2010-12-31T06:17:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our ACT Graduates!

2010-12-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

We are proud to present to you the first graduates of the Ayurvedic Consultant Training. Please join us in congratulating this first class on their successful completion of this very intense yet special advanced training course. They were guided by ayurvedic masters Drs. David Simon, Vamadeva Shastri, Valencia Porter, Sheila Patel, and Suhas Kshirsagar; Christie Lees, RN; davidji; and CCU staff members. The graduates have completed many hours of study and independent projects with an enfoldment of life-changing experiences.

If you are ready for the next level of your ayurvedic training, we invite you to consider becoming an Ayurvedic Consultant. Learn more here. This Chopra Center advanced training is open to all certified Perfect Health instructors.