On November 7, 2008, at 9:45 A.M., I, Deepak Chopra, took a vow of non-violence in my thoughts, in my speech, and in my actions. I then also had an opportunity to ask the almost 500 people attending the plenary session for the Alliance for a New Humanity in Barcelona if they would join me in this commitment.
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Where's Deepak

Feb 3-7 Tampa, FL
Feb 20 Vancouver, BC
Feb 23 Madison, WI
Mar 8-14 New Orleans, LA

What We Are Eating

The Chopra Center’s
Unbelievable Double Chocolate Cake
Our recipe can be found here

What We Are Reading

Just Released!

Yoga Planet Cards
It’s a big planet and the Chopra Center is excited to introduce Yoga Planet Cards, designed to make our world a bit greener. Visioned by Tara Guber, author of Contact Yoga, creator of Yoga Pretzel cards and founder of Yoga Ed., Yoga Planet Cards are a fun, lighthearted, and interactive way of combining the practice of yoga and awareness of our duty to nourish mother Earth. “Tara is a magnificent force in our world, interweaving yoga, education, and love of children. Yoga Planet continues honoring that tradition.” Purchase your yoga cards here

Living Perfect Health

Every day we are assailed by viruses, bacteria, and the toxins swirling in the quantum molecular soup that surrounds us. Since we are able to ward off illness most of the time, why is it that sometimes our defenses can’t keep up?

Chopra Center Spotlight

Juan Carlos, Program Consultant, Chopra en Español

Read about Juan Carlos in English here

Leer en Español acerca de Juan Carlos

Meditation Q&A

Q: Sometimes when I meditate I feel sensations in my body – I experience warm, tingly feelings. Other times, I feel a sense of lightness in my temples or right between my eyes. Is this normal?

As we roll into the second month of the year, we each carry with us the faint wisps of commitments, resolutions, intentions, and vows that we made to ourselves and to others only a month ago. Are they about to slip away until next year? Or have you taken the next step on your path to actualizing your deepest desires. Look at the word actualizing – it starts with ACT. And making commitments, planting intentions, and taking vows can only become tangible, palpable, real . . . when we act on them. This month Namasté celebrates love – self-love, love for others, the concept of love, and love in all its manifestations: attraction, infatuation, romance, surrender, friendship, intimacy, acceptance, forgiveness, joy, passion, ecstasy, and communion. These are just a few of the faces of love – universal aspects that we all experience as we flow through this lifetime.

But what about self-love? What about self-acceptance and self-forgiveness? Is that wrong or weird, inappropriate or self-centered?

Loving, accepting, and forgiving yourself is the first step – the doorway – the entry point of being able to truly give love. We often distance ourselves from self-love when we feel un-entitled to it, or less than, or unworthy, or even guilty. But without self-love, there can be no love of others. Without your glass of love being filled to the brim, none can flow over the sides. Every time you fly on a plane, just before take-off the flight attendant says, “In the event the cabin loses pressure, oxygen masks may deploy. If you’re traveling with a small child, make sure you put on your own oxygen mask first before putting one on your child.” The concept stems from the Buddhist traditions. Strengthen yourself so you can serve strongly.

You cannot have love for anything outside of yourself if you do not feel that same love for yourself. Your life is a mirror of relationships. Every person in your life is a mirror of you. Every love in your life is a reflection of your ability to love. In essence, your life only has meaning in proportion to the love you will allow in your own heart. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was known to say, “I love you. But that’s no concern of yours.” True, real, innocent love flows from a fountain within your heart – fill your heart with love and the world outside you sees it and feels it. Your love showers upon everyone you touch, but only if the fountain is filling you up. Constrict that fountain to a trickle and there’s nothing left for the rest of the world. Is filling your car with gas selfish? Is filling your lungs with air self-centered? Actually, quite the contrary . . . you breathe so you can live.

Loving yourself is no different. Close your eyes and repeat the affirmation: My life only has meaning in proportion to the love I allow in my heart.

Now that you believe you are indeed pure love, let’s make a difference. With all the commitments, intentions, and vows going on in the world right now, we have the ability to ACT right now and transform the planet. So TODAY PERFORM ONE ACT OF LOVE. Kiss someone, give a gift to someone, smile at someone, call someone, give an extra tip to someone, wink at someone, hug someone, praise someone, email someone, give a piece of chocolate to someone, help someone grieve, text someone a kind word, forgive someone.

JUST ONE ACT will add a bit more love into your world and keep the energy flowing. There are more than 200,000 Namasté readers who are reading this right now. Forward this Namasté to three people you care about, and we can achieve one million acts of love –within 24 hours!! Let’s make a tangible difference in the world right now. Have fun, keep meditating, and email namaste@chopra.com after you have performed your act of love. Let us know what you did and we will share your stories in our next Namasté.

You can tell we’re in a pretty loving mood right now as we near Valentine’s Day, and the spring release of David Simon’s new book, Free to Love, Free to Heal. You have the ability right now to act on your commitments and live a more self-loving life. Don’t carry your baggage into 2009; don’t carry your emotional pain any longer. If anything is holding you back (an experience, a person, a limiting belief) consider giving yourself permission to emotionally heal.

Whatever the method you choose: journaling, reading a book, performing some ritual, or attending an emotional release workshop (we’d recommend one of the Chopra Center’s emotional healing programs), take the first step now by giving yourself permission to heal. The next step is TODAY PERFORM ONE ACT OF LOVE.

You’ll feel the difference in your smile, in your step, in your eyes. But most of all, you’ll feel the difference in your heart.

Namasté,
The Chopra Center staff

P.S. As always, we encourage you to share your insights, comments, and ideas at feedback@chopra.com.

Balancing Your Doshas

In Ayurveda, therapeutic massage is one of the most enjoyable and healing treatments. The skin, after all, is the largest organ in the body, and it contains almost every neurotransmitter that can be found in the brain, including peptides that are closely related to antidepressants.

Natural pain relievers are widely distributed in our skin, which may explain why massage is such a powerful mood enhancer.

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What's in Store

Relax and improve your health with Chopra Center Self-Abhy Oils

Take 20% off all Bath & Body Care products. At checkout, simply enter code: SELFLOVE. Click here to begin shopping.

Featured Workshop

Experience your deepest spiritual self at
Seduction of Spirit.

August 23–29 • Whistler, B.C., Canada

Learn about more programs for emotional healing here

This August the Chopra Center is coming to one of the most pristine areas of the world – Whistler, B.C. – with the Seduction of Spirit meditation retreat.

At Seduction of Spirit, Deepak Chopra and David Simon teach profound meditation techniques that give beginners a very solid foundation in meditation – and take experienced meditators to the next level. Each day, you will explore the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, dine on delicious Ayurvedic meals, practice yoga, and celebrate with nightly entertainment.

Join us for this special retreat and connect to the bliss and wisdom of your true Self! Learn more here.

Please click here to read more or call 888.736.6895 to speak with a Program Consultant.

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The sacred challenge of human beings on a spiritual journey is to reconcile the opposing experiences of being both personal and universal. Your day-to-day existence is woven around choices that reinforce your sense of individuality. Keep Reading

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New Feature

Make your nomination here

Namasté Reader Spotlight

Jorge Colmenares,
is one of the youngest members of the Namasté community – as well as one of the most inspiring. Read about Jorge here

Words of Wisdom

"As we let our life shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

“Self-love is the instrument of our preservation.” ~ Voltaire

How We Are Stretching

The essence of yoga is cultivating an inner state of body-centered awareness that allows us to walk calmly amongst the chaos. Yoga teaches us both to let go and to have exquisite awareness in every moment. We become aware of our breath, its ebb and flow, and the energy and relaxation that brings us. We learn how to move with grace.  Keep Reading

Teacher Feature

Joan Dickinson,
Anna Maria Island, Florida
Vedic Master.
Read about Joan here

Find a teacher in your hometown

Namasté Reader Spotlight

Peter Platel, Antwerp, Belgium
Read about Peter here

Seduction of Spirit
March 8-14, New Orleans, LA
30-day special ends Feb 8

August 23-29, Whistler, B.C.
6-month special ends Feb 23

SynchroDestiny
April 29–May 3, Sedona, AZ
60-day special ends Feb 29

Journey into Healing
May 28–31, Chicago, IL
90-day special ends Feb 28

Our Six-Day Wellness Program
Perfect Health

Sign up before February 28 to receive $450 off enrollment!

March 2–7, Carlsbad, CA
30-day special ends Feb 2

March 16–21, Carlsbad, CA
30-day special ends Feb 16

Words of Wisdom

“I must learn to love the fool in me the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs, and cries.” ~ Theodore Isaac Rubin