May 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

What We're Reading

Steering by Starlight: Find Your Right Life, No Matter What!
by Martha Beck

100 Questions from My Child
by Mallika Chopra

What We're Eating

Green Quinoa Pilaf
Our recipe can be found here

Words of Wisdom

Chopra Center Spotlight

Seduction of Spirit
July 7-11, Dublin, Ireland
30-day special ends May 7

Journey into Healing
June 19-20, Lake Lanier, GA
30-day special ends May 20

SynchroDestiny
Sept 25-28, Portland, OR
90-day special ends Jun 27

Featured Massage Treatment

Pizzichilli or "Royal Treatment" is the ultimate therapy for relaxing mind and body. Keep reading...

How We're Stretching

According to The Yoga Sutras, “Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature, which is unbounded consciousness.” Keep reading....

Conscious Pet of the Month

This month we are pleased to announce a new Namasté feature – The Conscious Pet of the Month keep reading.....

The Divine Mother

Painting by Josephine Wall

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.

What We're Watching

The HAPPINESS PRESCRIPTION
The Secret to Experiencing A Joyful Life

In The Happiness Prescription DVD, DEEPAK CHOPRA takes us on a journey that shows that by transforming our consciousness, as the Buddha did, and embracing altruism and compassion, we can find a way out of our own personal and planetary suffering.

He discusses modern research on what makes people happy and how happiness relates to health, wellbeing and overall success in life. Topics also include the Buddha's Four Noble Truths, the Eight-Fold Path to Enlightenment, and the Ten Keys to Happiness.

“Understanding Buddha's teachings and relating them to a contemporary understanding of consciousness helps us to see and deal with the hidden dimensions of our lives,” Chopra said.

Practical exercises, meditations, and a candid conversation with Deepak round out this 2-DVD set. Order your copy here

Featured Workshop: Renewal Weekend

Your Gateway to The Chopra Center

Special Discount for Friends and Family!
May 23–25 New York City

If you are curious about the world of meditation, mind-body healing, and Ayurveda, the Renewal Weekend workshop is your ideal starting point. Renewal Weekend is designed and led by Chopra Center co-founders, Deepak Chopra and David Simon, to make it easy to take your first steps into the timeless teachings of The Chopra Center.

Even if you’ve never meditated, practiced yoga or explored the Eastern healing arts, Renewal Weekend will teach you practical tools that you can immediately use in your daily life. Deepak, David, and The Chopra Center’s master educators will guide you in holistic practices for renewal and health, including Primordial Sound Meditation, the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, mind-body balance, conscious communication, and more.

Join us for this profound weekend and begin your journey to happiness, fulfillment, and peace of mind. There are only a few seats left for Renewal Weekend in New York City, so please register as soon as you can. Request more information here

Pet Corner

In the rural community of Menton, Masachusetts, Maple Farm Sanctuary offers refuge and care to farm animals that have been neglected, abused or abandoned. Maple Farm co-founders, Jim and Cheri Ezell-Vandersluis, have created a safe, loving place where rescued animals can live for the rest of their lives, free to roam the farmland.

Currently there are approximately 80 animals living at Maple Farm, including cows, horses, sheep, llamas, ducks, chickens, pigs, turkeys, dogs, goats, and a miniature pony. Maple Farm is a non-profit organization supported by volunteers and financial doners. To learn how you can support Maple Farm Sanctuary, please click here.

Were it not for the Divine Mother, there would be no Universe. According to Sankhya, one of the six systems of classical Indian philosophy, in the beginning there was Pure Potential. Known as Avyakta ― the Unmanifest ― this infinite, timeless field underlies all form and phenomena but remains transcendent to experience.
Keep Reading

Growing Our Community

We are considering the creation of new Chopra Center communities in locations around the world. We would love to have your feedback on our ideas!
Click here to take the survey

In Their Own Words

Listen to what attendees had to say about our recent event Seduction of Spirit in Austin, Texas.

Watch the video here

Listen to David Simon

Listen to the podcast of David Simon’s recent interview with Sarah Maria Dreisbach – a certified Primordial Sound Meditation instructor and expert in the field of eating disorders and body image.
Click here to listen

Living Perfect Health

Ayurveda teaches that the best diet is one that keeps our mind clear and promotes the experience of bliss and higher consciousness. An excellent, balanced diet allows our body to digest food completely and extract a subtle substance known as ojas or “the vital nectar of life.” Keep reading...

Balancing Your Dosha

Shatavari to balance your dosha

Teacher Feature

Ezgi Sorman
New York & Turkey
Primordial Sound Meditation instructor
Read about Ezgi here

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

What's in Store

Mother’s Day is May 11th! Pamper mom this Mother’s Day with the exclusive Chopra Center Relaxation Collection.

Dream On

To learn more, please call 212.246.7600, Option 2, or visit the Chopra Center NY website

What We're Supporting

The Celebrate Your Life event is coming to Chicago this May 30–June 1. This is a full weekend of workshops and lectures from renowned authors and speakers, including Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Debbie Ford, Gary Zukav, Neale Donald Walsch, and many others. Call 877.300.7352 or click here for more information.