Chopra Center Staff Spotlight
Namasté is proud to feature The Chopra Center’s Director of Marketing, Cindy Salmon. A graphic designer, web master, meditator, and yogi-in-training, Cindy brought her strategic vision and her command of atmospheric imagery to the Center more than two years ago. She is responsible for the look, feel, and resonance of all Chopra Center print materials and online branding. She also creates and/or locates all the pictures included in Namasté. For this month’s Chopra Center Staff Spotlight, we had an opportunity to sit down with Cindy and discuss the art, books, films, and experiences that inspire her work at the Center.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Reston, Virginia – a suburb of Washington, DC.
What drew you to The Chopra Center?
Two and a half years ago, I moved to San Diego after ten years of living at Lake Tahoe. I was looking to further my life both professionally and personally by moving to the "big city"! I had been looking for a job in the area for over six months and was getting discouraged. I was just beginning to think that San Diego might not be the place for me and was considering moving again when I saw the ad for a graphic designer here at The Chopra Center. I came in for an interview and felt like I had found my home. The Chopra Center came into my life at a pivotal moment and I am constantly challenged and provided with growth opportunities on many levels.
What do you love most about your work here?
I love the work we do here at The Chopra Center. I take pride in the fact that I am part of an organization that is contributing to what I see as a positive shift in global consciousness, helping one person at a time. I love to hear stories about our guests experiencing deep personal transformation at our events. To be part of that moment when the light comes on for someone when they connect to an inner peace they may have never known before is priceless.
Do you have a favorite Chopra Center program?
My favorite program is SynchroDestiny. I am constantly in awe of the amazing precision and ease with which the universe orchestrates its dance. SynchroDestiny is a special opportunity to hear Deepak and David share their wisdom and insights from their years of study into this marvelous orchestration we call life.
What is your primary dosha and how do you stay in balance?
I am a Vata-Kapha with a tendency for my Kapha to easily get out of balance. Mostly I try to listen to what my body is telling me I need each day. When I’m feeling like I have excess Kapha, I’ll go out for a walk on the beach or get together with friends for a lively debate. Sometimes I’ll even rearrange furniture, do a deep clean at home or paint a wall in my house! To make sure I keep my Vata balanced, I make lists of projects and stick to it. Completing each item and crossing it off my list feels really good. And daily meditation is my base for keeping everything in balance.
Do you have a favorite Chopra Center product?
I absolutely love using our dosha-balancing Abhy oils. Doing a self-abhy with these oils is like giving myself a gift each time.
Who are your archetypes?
Three of my favorites are Saraswati, Athena, and Kwan Yin. They represent many of the facets in life that I like to explore and instill in my being: Saraswati for her creative endeavors, Athena for her strength and pursuit of knowledge, and Kwan Yin for her calm amidst the storm and her endless compassion for all.
Where would you most like to travel?
Egypt, Cambodia, Thailand, and Peru. I want to see the monuments that ancient cultures built in reverence of their experience with the great mystery.
What are your favorite films?
I am a huge movie fan (my friends tease me about it!). Some of my all-time favorites are One Giant Leap, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Donnie Darko, and The Matrix. Recently I really enjoyed Into the Wild. Both the movie and the soundtrack complement each other so much, yet each can stand on its own.
What is your favorite book?
Reading is one of my frequent indulgences. I have a huge library of books at home. I enjoy the sprawling epic stories, including Dune and The Lord of the Rings. I love reading the universal mythological stories told through different writer’s voices. Some of my favorite writers who have impacted my life are Aldous Huxley, R.A. Wilson, Tom Robbins, Kurt Vonnegut, Deepak Chopra, Ram Dass, and Krishnamurti.
What kind of music do you enjoy?
Nothing beats closing your eyes and being transported to another place while listening to your favorite music. My favorites range from John McLaughlin, Beethoven (Moonlight Sonata!), to Neil Young, Nick Drake, and Pink Floyd. For me, listening to music can be transcendental . . . I feel that sharing the same space with musicians and artists who are 100 percent in the flow of their dharma is inspirational. To sum up my answer, I defer to Kurt Vonnegut, who said, “Music to me is proof of the existence of God.”
How do you spend your Sundays?
I start off with a meditation in my backyard, or if it’s a particularly beautiful day, I’ll venture out to the meditation gardens on the coast here in Encinitas. Lately I’ve been spending most of my free time painting and drawing. I recently took a drawing class. I had a fantastic teacher who didn’t just teach me to draw, but she taught me how to see.
Do you have a list of dreams that you want to fulfill in this lifetime?
Be grateful. Be compassionate. Be joyful. Be.
Who would you most like to invite to a dinner party?
A short list off the top of my head would start with J. Krishnamurti, R.A. Wilson, Joseph Campbell, Pablo Picasso, Bob Marley, Gandhi, Cleopatra, and George Carlin. I’d ask them each to bring a guest too . . . I like surprises.
Do you have a favorite quotation?
I have several:
“Everyone is doing the best they can from their own level of consciousness.”
– Deepak Chopra
“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our mind.”
Bob Marley
And finally,
"Again and again
Some people in the crowd wake up.
They have no ground in the crowd
And they emerge according to broader laws.
They carry strange customs with them,
And demand room for bold gestures.
The future speaks ruthlessly through them."
– Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Stephen Mitchell
About Us | Programs | Deepak Central | Community | Shop | Teacher's Path