February 2008

The divine mother is an essential nurturing, life-giving energy. She represents the power of beauty, the power of intuition, the power of creativity, the power of compassion, and the power of love. In many Eastern traditions, this dynamic, potent energy is known as Shakti, which means feminine power. Keep Reading

Where's Deepak

Deepak and Yahoo!

What We're Reading

NEW from Deepak

The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
by Eckhart Tolle

Words of Wisdom

“We do not, in fact, have a body and a mind, but a mindbody – one seamless web of intelligence.”
–Deepak Chopra

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

"Don't fight darkness.Bring the light, and darkness will disappear"
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Chopra Center Spotlight

This month our Chopra Center Staff Spotlight features our Program Consultant team. Read about more here

Emotional Freedom
April 21–25, Carlsbad, CA
60-day special ends Feb 21

Soul of Healing
March 17–21, Carlsbad, CA
30-day special ends Feb 17

What We're Watching
and Listening to

Beth Nielson Chapman
Prism: The Human Family Songbook

You Can Heal Your Life
with Louise Hay

We have a few places left for our upcoming Journey into Healing program taking place this Feb. 14–17 at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. Journey into Healing is an in-depth exploration of healing led by Chopra Center co-founders Deepak and David. Guest speakers include Ayurveda expert Dr. Vasant Lad; holistic oncologist Daniel Vicario, M.D.; and neonatology specialist Jamieson Jones, M.D. Read more about Journey into Healing here

On the Air

Tune in to Sirius Stars Channel 102 every Saturday at 10am EST for your weekly dose of Chopra balance and wellbeing. Not a subscriber yet? Learn more about Deepak's Wellness Radio show

Your BodyMind

In the magnificent month of May, we bring our awareness to the gifts of creation and motherhood, and we celebrate the loving souls who brought us into this world ― our mothers. Whether we were raised in Papua New Guinea or New York City, the energy of the divine mother made it possible for each of us to emerge from the field of pure potentiality into the manifest world.

This issue of Namasté honors the mother, the earth, and the goddess Shakti, a popular and powerful archetype that embodies the feminine aspect of creation. In Hinduism, Shakti is the divine mother who gives birth to and nurtures new life, whether a newborn baby, a brand-new relationship, a fresh idea, or a magical manifestation.

Although Shakti transcends the boundaries of gender, form, and race, she is called the divine mother because she’s considered the source of all creation. Shakti, a name that means “sacred force” or “creative principle,” represents the all-pervading energy that creates our universe and all the beings who occupy it.

In the Hindu pantheon, each of the major female deities possesses an aspect of Shakti’s energy: the goddess Parvati epitomizes the feminine energy of love, devotion, and protection. Saraswati, whose name means “the flowing one,” is the power that represents wisdom, learning, and musical expression. And Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, purity, and generosity. Without their divine energy, there would be no existence; without their nurturing love, there would be no tenderness and joy.

This month Namasté honors mothers, mothering, and motherhood in all its forms and energies. In his column, David shares insights of the divine mother in classic Indian philosophy, while Deepak explores the sacred feminine and its promise for humanity. The Chopra Center Spotlight features our senior Ayurvedic spa therapists, healing arts masters who embody the feminine aspects of nurturing care. As always, we’ve included a delicious recipe, words of wisdom, a meditation Q&A, and news about our upcoming events, including Renewal Weekend workshop in New York City. We hope you will enjoy this issue and we encourage you to share it with those you love by forwarding it to your friends, family, and co-workers.

We wish all the mothers in our readership the happiest of Mother’s Days!

In infinite gratitude,
The Chopra Center staff

P.S. Please share your comments, questions, and suggestions with us

Meditation Q&A

Q: Will I need to meditate for a certain number of weeks ― or months ― before I can begin notice the benefits of my meditation practice?

A: From the first time you sit down to meditate, you begin to benefit. If you continue to meditate on a regular basis, transformation will unfold at whatever pace is most comfortable and appropriate for you. Some people notice benefits immediately, while others may meditate for weeks or months before they really see the changes. Sometimes our friends or family members notice how we’re changing before we do!

As long as you are meditating on a regular basis, transformation is happening. It’s like the process of bleaching a cloth in the sun . . . you repeatedly wash the cloth and let it dry in the sunlight. Each time, the material changes imperceptibly until the cloth is pure white.

How We're Stretching

Pranayama – the formal practice of regulating the breath – allows us to calm, cleanse, or invigorate our bodymind. In fact, many master yogis believe that pranayama is the essence of yoga. Keep reading....

We are pleased to present Kids Yoga, a special new class that weaves the powerful principles of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success with yoga family fun. Kids Yoga takes place every Saturday at the Chopra Center. You and your children will experience yoga’s amazing power to nurture your body, mind, and soul. Kids attend free!

Dr. Malynn Utzinger Radio Special

This Feb. 28 the Chopra Center’s director of women’s health, Malynn Utzinger, M.D. will be the guest on the Breaking Free radio show hosted by Sarah Maria Dreisbach. They will be discussing what women can do to feel great about their bodies and themselves, and the keys to optimal health. Sarah Maria is a certified Primordial Sound Meditation instructor, body-image expert, and the founder of Break Free Beauty, an organization helping women love their bodies and overcome eating disorders. Tune in to the Voice Americachannel from 9 to 10 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Living Perfect Health

Your body already knows how to cleanse and rejuvenate itself. You are constantly shedding toxins and waste through elimination, and every night when you sleep, your body completes a "mini-fast."

However, this natural cleansing process often isn't enough. The constant exposure to the toxins now found in water, air, food, and medications places a huge burden on your body. How to detoxify the Ayurvedic way

Words of Wisdom

A basic premise of Ayurveda is that our experiences in consciousness translate into patterns in our bodies. We frequently cite the expression, “If you want to understand a person’s experiences in the past, examine their body now. If you want to predict what their mind and body will be like in the future, examine their experiences now.” Another way of saying this is: “Biography becomes biology.”
Keep Reading

Featured Programs

Soul of Healing returns to Carlsbad, California! Join us this March 17–21 for a week of healing at the deepest soul level. Limited to only 40 participants, Soul of Healing is a rare opportunity to learn with holistic experts Deepak and David while you are pampered in the Chopra Center's loving setting. Soul of Healing includes:

• Daily Ayurvedic massage treatments
• Primordial Sound Meditation
• Guidance from Deepak
  and David
• One-on-one mind-body medical consultation
• Detoxifying rasayana
• Creating a daily routine to release stress and anxiety
• Morning and evening Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga sessions

Read more about Soul of Healing

In Loving Memory

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
"I will fill the world with love and create Heaven on Earth"

Balancing Your Dosha

In the Ayurvedic view, exercise is meant to leave you feeling invigorated, happy, and ready for the day’s activities ? not exhausted and in need of painkillers.

The secret is finding some physical activities that you like and that are suited to your mind-body type or dosha. Here are a few guidelines

What We're Eating

Morning Bliss Shake
Our recipe can be found here

Teacher Feature

Mary Callaghan
Dublin, Ireland
Primordial Sound Meditation instructor
Read about Mary here

Learn about becoming a Chopra Certified Instructor or find a teacher in your hometown

What's in Store

The Gift of Love
A beautiful gift package to invigorate the senses. A great Valentine's Day gift idea!

Words of Wisdom

“The important thing is this: to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.”
–Thich Nhat Hanh

Alliance for a New Humanity

The Alliance for a New Humanity invites you to join the Human Forum this March 11–13 in Costa Rica as world leaders, humanitarians, and those from every walk of life come together to create a world based on social justice, peace, and human rights. Keep on reading

Dream On

Discover balance, healing, and transformation

This February 23–24, the Chopra Center & Spa @ Dream in New York invites you to learn Primordial Sound Meditation. You will let go of stress and access your inner silence, calm, and creativity. To learn more, please call 212.246.7600, Option 2, or visit the Chopra Center NY website

We're Proud to Suppport

Survey Winners

Congratulations to the winners of our Namasté Survey drawing! See the list of winners here