Seduction of Spirit at The Chopra Center This Week!

New in 2012!
This year we have carefully selected a special theme for each of our three Seduction of Spirit retreats. The three themes are Music and Meditation, Pathway to Happiness, and Discover Your Purpose.

Every Seduction of Spirit includes the core elements of meditation, yoga, sutra instruction by Deepak, and other practices for inner calm and expanded awareness. In addition, each individual retreat will feature new experiences, individual and group activities, guest experts, and life-transforming tools and techniques related to the retreat’s guiding theme.

Seduction of Spirit is a rare opportunity to step away from the constant demands on our attention – the emails, text messages, phone calls, meetings, errands, and conferences – and dive into the stillness and silence that flows beneath life’s chaotic surface.

This beautiful retreat is about slowing down and tuning into the peace of present moment awareness. Through the practice of Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and other timeless tools, you will begin to:

Deepen your meditation practice
Reconnect with your deepest dreams and desires
Move beyond limiting conditioned beliefs
Tap into your hidden inner reserves and potential
Appreciate the gifts of your life as it unfolds
Let go of the struggle and achieve more by doing less
Experience the mind-body harmony of yoga
Release the stress and obstacles to balanced living
In a supportive group of like-minded individuals, Deepak Chopra and other Chopra Center master educators will guide you in Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, visualizations, creative activities, and discussions that will help you move from constriction to expansion, from fear to love, and from heaviness to happiness.

Seduction of Spirit is suitable for people of all faiths, and for both beginning and experienced meditators.

Who Will Benefit?
Seduction of Spirit is a profound experience that offers a lifetime of healing benefits to anyone seeking spiritual awakening, emotional wellbeing, and greater physical health and vitality. The many gifts of Primordial Sound Meditation and Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga include:

Higher states of consciousness
Greater levels of intuition and creativity
Increased flexibility and energy
Relief from stress and anxiety
Restful sleep and inner calm
Awakening to deeper purpose and fulfillment
Many participants return year after year to deepen their meditative bliss and connect with the friends they’ve made.

Journey Into Healing Special Guest: Byron Katie!

This March 7–11 at the signature Journey into Healing workshop, Byron Katie will join Deepak Chopra and other renowned experts in exploring the power of the mind to heal the body and unleash our unlimited potential for authentic happiness and wellbeing.

March 7–11, 2012 | La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, California
Guest speakers include Byron Katie, Dr. Valencia Porter, and Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar

For more information call me at 760-494-1657 or click here!

21 Day Meditation Link

Join us for our Winter 21 Day Guided Meditation Challenge here!

Programs in 2012~

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

Deepak + Oprah in India!~

21 Day Meditation Link

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

Silent Awakenings in September 2012~

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

Seduction of Spirit at The Chopra Center This Week!

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.

The Meditation Challenge Reunion Hour

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!

The So Hum Meditation

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.

Question:Meditation and Fulfillment of Desire

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

Love from Seduction of Spirit!~

We had so much fun this past week at Seduction of Spirit!! Big thanks to everyone who joined us. We miss you already!! Happy meditating!

What is Panchakarma?

What is Panchakarma?

Panchakarma is the ultimate mind-body healing experience for detoxifying the body, strengthening the immune system, and restoring balance and well-being. Developed thousands of years ago in India, panchakarma is the cornerstone of the Chopra Center's Perfect Health program. It is recommended on a seasonal basis, as well as when an individual feels out of balance or is experiencing illness.

Panchakarma Detoxifies the Body and Mind
According to ayurveda, good health depends upon our capability to fully metabolize all aspects of life, assimilating that which nourishes and eliminating the rest. When we can’t completely digest our food, experiences, and emotions, toxins accumulate in our bodily tissues, creating imbalance and – ultimately – disease. Panchakarma is an elegant cleansing process that releases stored toxins and restores the body’s innate healing ability.

When our digestive energies, known as agni (fire), are robust, we create healthy tissues, eliminate waste products efficiently, and produce a subtle essence called ojas. ojas, which may be envisioned as the innermost sap of our psychophysiology, is the basis for clarity of perception, physical strength, and immunity. On the other hand, if our agni is weakened, digestion is incomplete and creates toxins that get stored in the body. This toxic residue is known as ama.

The Foundation for Health and Well-being
When ama accumulates in the body, it blocks the flow of energy, information, and nourishment throughout the system. Ayurveda considers this build-up of toxins the underlying cause of all disease. A common example of this is the accumulation of saturated fat and cholesterol that is beyond the body’s capacity to metabolize. Over time, this leads to the blockage of the blood vessels and arteries and, ultimately, to heart attacks.

While it’s easy to understand agni and ama in terms of food, it’s important to remember that your mind and heart are continually digesting energy and information as well. Right now your mental digestive powers are working right now to break down these ideas into components that your intellect can assimilate. Similarly, your emotional agni is responsible for processing your experiences and feelings, including the smile of a loved one, unexpected criticism at work, or the excitement of a new relationship.

Restoring the Body's Natural Balance
If your emotional agni is strong, you are able to extract whatever is nourishing and eliminate the rest. The inability to metabolize emotions, however, produces just as much toxic residue as undigested food. In fact, pent-up anger, long-held sadness, and lingering guilt are more debilitating for most people than problems with physical digestion.

If we want to experience optimal health, it is crucial to maintain a strong digestive fire and eliminate toxins from the body. Panchakarma is a time-proven natural therapy that detoxifies and restores the body's inner balance and vitality.

At the Chopra Center's Perfect Health program, you can experience the healing power of panchakarma in our safe, nurturing setting.

Holiday Gift is HERE!!

We are pleased to offer you a gift of $900 towards enrollment on any 2011 Chopra Center event or retreat.


To activate your holiday gift, click here.

See check out all the event offerings from The Chopra Center, click here.

Deepak Comes Back to British Columbia!

Seduction of Spirit: July 3–9, 2011: Fairmont Chateau, Whistler, BC, Canada:

What is Seduction of Spirit?
Seduction of Spirit is the Chopra Center's most profound spiritual experience – an extraordinary week of deep meditation, heart-opening yoga, and timeless practices for fulfilling your highest human potential.

Journey into Healing: February 16–20, 2011: The Fairmont Hotel, Vancouver, BC, Canada:

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.

Weekend Within Comes to Minneapolis!

A Weekend Within: The Chopra Center's Introduction Workshop

Aug 19–21, 2011: The Depot Renaissance Hotel, Minneapolis, MN

Unsure of your next step? Or ready to take your first step toward a more fulfilling life?

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.


Click here for more information.

Davidji on Fox News!

 

Visions of Summer

With Summer right around the corner, I wanted to share a guided meditation with you to help inspire your intentions for this Summer. Will it be a Summer full of work? Will you spend the Summer with your family? Will you be cleaning the house up? What are you going to do this Summer to work on your mind, body and soul?

Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real.
Deepak Chopra

Listen to a inspirational guided meditation here.

Weekend Within This Weekend at The Chopra Center

What is a Weekend Within?
A Weekend Within is the Chopra Center's introduction workshop ― an ideal starting point for individuals who want to begin their personal exploration of meditation and mind-body medicine but aren't sure where to start. This intensive weekend workshop introduces you to the Chopra Center co-founders, Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D., and lead educator, davidji, as they share many of the timeless teachings of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. At a Weekend Within you will finally learn how to meditate, calm your mind, and experience greater happiness and fulfillment.

Unity of Love

In duality love comes and goes; in unity there is only love. -Deepak Chopra