Deepak

The stage was fairly bare, a podium, a chair, table with water and a large projector screen hanging from the ceiling. As he walked onto the stage he was equally unobtrusive although his red sneakers scream “I’m cool!”  He began with a 3 minute film focused where we each come from.  The film focused on how the development of an embryo to the birth of a baby. He used that as his jumping off point to discuss the Future of Wellness; focused on all the energy matter that make us up, and how mind, body and soul are connected. He uses science to help us all understand that our true being is our soul and that our body is energy and is not us. Fascinating.

He was funny and provocative. He used plain language to explain complex issues. And his voice, as soothing as they come, helped us all to meditate in the end with a mantra of “I am.”

He was Deepak Chopra.

I had the good fortune to hear him lecture for 2 hours this week at a The Count Basie Theatre. I have seen great music acts like Heart and Marshall Tucker Band at this theatre. I recently saw the MidTown Men there. But a lecture was something new in this venue. At times I forgot we were with 1000 of our best friends and he was talking just to me.  We were able to meet Deepak and have him sign his new book, “You are the Universe.” A large part of his lecture was focused on how stress causes inflammation in the body and that inflammation is at the root of most diseases. The inflammation can be controlled at the gene level, meaning when we are stressed, the genes that cause inflammation increase and when we are happy and grateful, the genes that control healing increase. The stress wasn’t just hair on fire types of things but even the everyday news story in today’s world that causes us all to pause and stress a bit, I know my safety these days is a bit of a stressor.

His discussion showcases 6 ways to improve wellness, decrease inflammation and heal the body. They were sleep, meditation, emotions, movement, nutrition, and grounding. As he shared these, I started to realize that when I practiced all of these, I did feel better. My body wasn’t as achy, my ankles and my knee didn’t feel like sharp knives going through them with each step. I was kinder to people and was happier in my everyday humdrum life.  

He ended the lecture with a guided meditation that allowed you to release and let things go that are stressors, and get to “I am.” Release the attachment to the stressors, to the body and to the image of who we are and be happy in the fact that we are. During the meditation I found I had a lot of trouble being comfortable, I kept fidgeting in my chair and trying to ground myself. My body temperature changed dramatically. I was cold when the mediation started. As he guided us to bring all of our stressors into our minds, my head and shoulders became hot. I mean hotflash type of hot! And once we released those and brought happy childhood memories into our minds, my body cooled and my head felt normal again. I knew at that moment that I needed to get back to meditating each day, as I felt different when we were done.

Healing in general is of importance to me, you all know that. I work to heal emotional wounds and issues to develop, to become a better and better version of me, to raise my energetic vibration and ultimately be happier putting more happiness into this world. I saw one of my nieces yesterday who talked about doing the work to develop and grow as a person. We weren’t talking the normal develop yourself by learning, school, etc, but emotional and spiritual growth. We talked about how so many people don’t do the work on themselves because they don’t want to look at that ugly part, they want to avoid looking at all of that muck.  

When I think of the 6 ways to heal the body, I think focusing on our emotional well-being seems to be where so many of the people I know stop. Many people will sleep, will eat right and will move and exercise, but meditation, emotional well- being and grounding are other facets that will help us all heal. As we each heal, we help to heal the world.

I, for one, am committed to healing my body and my mind so my soul and spirit can soar! Let’s all begin a journey of wellness by committing to changing something in our lifestyle to heal. I am committed to using the 6 ways to heal that Deepak shared as my guide to wellness. I challenge each of us to make some change to heal; sleep 7 hours a night, add a 10 minute meditation to your day, move 30 minutes a day, eat the colors of the rainbow (not in M&Ms), and walk on the earth or the beach to stay grounded with and in sync with the earth.  Let’s start a movement among this group at least to begin the healing. Perhaps then, the world will begin to heal. It so needs it!