Deepaks Guide to

HOLISTIC
HEALTH

THE

CHOPRA
CENTER
2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing
chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | learn@chopra.com
2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

DEEPAKS GUIDE TO HOLISTIC HEALTH

Learn Daily Practices for Health and Wholeness
by Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing
The word holistic has come to refer to everything from organic food and massage therapy to herbal
supplements and Eastern healing practices, all of which are undeniably valuable and evidence of a growing
consciousness that earlier generations only dreamed of. At the Chopra Center, we define holistic in its
original sense as related to wholeness. Wholeness is the union of mind, body, and spirit. It means that you
are a totality, not the sum of countless moving parts. In wholeness, you arent divided against yourself, and
the choices you make benefit you at every level. Just as the quality of your food, water, and exercise directly
affects the health of your body and mind, so the energy and information you take in through your mind and
sensory organs influence your body and spirit.
There is a growing body of research establishing the inextricable connection of the mind, body, and spirit and
the value of health practices that encompass all three aspects.
The following guide to holistic health wont tell you what kind of diet to follow or whether you need to
take vitamins. It will instead help you experience your own innate wholeness and your own inextricable
connection to the universe as you nurture your mind, body, and spirit.

THE BODY IS A FLOWING RIVER

Your body is not a structure; it is a river that never stays the same. In every moment, your body is changing,
continuously exchanging its atoms and molecules with the rest of the universe. Right now hundreds of
thousands of chemical changes are taking place at the cellular level, transforming your body faster than you
can change your clothes. These changes arent random but are focused on serving the purpose of moving life
forward and preserving whats best from the past.
Yet change is also a choice. Your body has an infinite number of unknown possibilities, but it looks to you for
direction. When you introduce an intention, your body finds a way, on its own, to adapt to anything you want
even to experiences that most people would describe as spiritual.
For example, researchers have known for the past twenty years that the brain is plastic that it isnt fixed at
birth as previously believed but adapts to change. They have found that simple daily activity can quickly create
new neural networks. Even more remarkably, studies are now showing that mental activity alone can alter the
brain. With the cooperation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a group of brain researchers conducted a study of
Tibetan Buddhist monks who had been meditating regularly for between fifteen and forty years. In a laboratory,
the monks were hooked up to a functional MRI, a brain scan that can monitor changes in real time. When the
monks meditated on compassion, the scans showed that their brains generated the most intense gamma waves

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

ever seen in a normal brain. Gamma waves are associated with keeping the brain functioning as a whole and
with higher cognitive processes.
The monks displayed the most intense area of activity in the left prefrontal cortex, an area associated with
happiness and positive thoughts. This study was remarkable because it was the first time that anyone had been
able to show conclusively that mental activity alone can alter the brain. We now have evidence that a mere
intention or desire (in this case, the desire to be compassionate) can train the brain to adapt.

EXERCISE: TAKING SUBTLE ACTION

While gross actions involve direct contact with the physical world, subtle actions involve only the mind. Subtle
action comes naturally to all of us, but it can be easier to apply when you break it down into the following
steps:
1. Enter a state of restful awareness (through practices such as meditation and yoga) and make your
intention known.
2. Believe in getting results.
3. Flow with the process of change, letting go of resistance.
At this point, the body will shift effortlessly at the physical level. Then you can repeat your subtle action until
you have experienced the change you desire.

DISCOVER YOUR TRUE NATURE

Our authentic true self is pure, unconditioned consciousness. Until we remember that, however, we tend to
accept the illusion that we are our ego. The ego is essentially a gatekeeper. It allows in certain experiences,
which become mine, and rejects other experiences. The ego is fundamentally insecure and defensive
because it believes that it is separate from the world and therefore must struggle to survive.
The egos perspective inevitably leads us to experience unnecessary suffering, stress, and often even illness.
But what can we do? This tendency to accept and reject comes naturally to the ego, for its job is to define I,
and you cant be everything to everybody you must define yourself as I in some way.
I have never favored trying to defeat, kill, or discipline the ego. My reasoning is that if life isnt meant to be a
struggle, then it isnt meant to be a struggle against the ego, either.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

BEFRIENDING THE EGO

Instead of simply trying to get rid of the ego, which only puts it on the defensive, it is more effective to apply
yourself to discovering your real essence, your foundation of being.
This is most effectively experienced through meditation or other mindfulness practices. As you meditate, the
presence of your deepest self will radiate its own truth to every cell in your body. It may display its quality as
peace or joyfulness. For others, it may have more of a flavor of universal love and compassion.Still others may
experience the presence as divine light, creativity or intelligence. As self-awareness dawns, the ego no longer
has to be a worried gatekeeper, a defender of the status quo.
I also recommend a simple form of self-inquiry, such as the method taught by Byron Katie, to dismantle the
egos unexamined beliefs. You can learn more about Byron Katies inquiry process at thework.com.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODYS WISDOM

Without a sense of the rhythms and intelligence inherent in our physiology and consciousness, we ignore the
critical signals that our body has been cultured over eons to express in order to maintain balance. We neglect
to sleep and exercise, indulge beyond our capacities, go to bed too late, and then arise when the sun is well
aloft, wondering why we feel out of synch. We sabotage the delicate harmony and order encoded in our
chromosomes, our genetic gift of longevity that comes from keeping our tissues free from plaque and debris.
A little imbalance in time becomes a disorder and then a disease, bringing on more stress and neglect.
On the other hand, when we flow in harmony with our bodys natural rhythms, getting restful sleep, feeding
our senses with experiences, tastes, touch, aromas, sounds, and sights that uplift and nourish us, we usually
experience a greater state of health and wellbeing.
Such a life promotes an integrated interaction of our brains one trillion neurons, allowing us to be present to
the multitude of perceptions that incessantly bombard us, to enjoy them for their beauty, to process them into
creative action, and to intuit the future and our role within it.

TUNING IN . . .
How do you make choices that keep you in harmony with your inner intelligence and rhythms? By tuning into
your bodys messages. The body always expresses itself through signals of comfort and discomfort.
When choosing a certain path or behavior, ask your body, How do you feel about this? If your body sends
a signal of physical or emotional distress, pay attention and consider a different choice. If your body sends a
signal of comfort and eagerness, you may proceed. Whereas the mind lives in the past and the future, the body
resides in the now and never doubts itself. It knows the truth and will guide you toward the most evolutionary
choices.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

TAKE TIME TO BE SILENT

The silent witness within each of us is the light of our pure consciousness. It is present at all times, in every
experience. Interestingly, Agni, the Vedic god of fire, is also known as the eternal witness. In Ayurvedic
physiology, the eight agnis are the fires of digestion, which must all be functioning properly for our body to
extract the full essence and benefits of the food, experiences, and sensory impressions we ingest. If these are
not fully digested, a metabolic residue or toxin known as ama remains in the body and can impair our health.
When the light of our consciousness is awakened, our silent witness is fully present in every moment. That
light of witnessing completely metabolizes whatever experience we are having, whether pain or pleasure. It
also prevents the experience from becoming a future source of attachment, suffering, or delusion. The silent
witness keeps us in the present, unencumbered from our past conditioning or fear of the future.

THE INNER QUIET OF MEDITATION

When you meditate, your internal dialogue becomes quiet. In silence, you experience the light of pure
consciousness. There are many ways to meditate. At the Chopra Center we teachPrimordial Sound
Meditation, which is a form of mantra meditation. The mantra is selected based on your Vedic astrology chart.
A mantra is a sound that has no history or meaning associated with it, which allows you to bypass the minds
natural tendency to get wrapped up in stories and thoughts.

EXERCISE: THE I AM MEDITATION

If you dont have a mantra, another meditation technique you can use is to close your eyes and simply repeat I
am silently to yourself. Remember that when Moses went to the burning bush and asked God his name, God
said, I am that I am. I am represents infinite possibilities. There is no baggage attached to it. In Sanskrit, the
word aham refers to this same concept.
Start with five minutes of meditation, then gradually build up to longer meditation periods. Youll notice that
when you introduce the repetition of I am into your consciousness, it competes with your other thoughts until
gradually both your thoughts and the words I am become vague and abstract. Ultimately youll experience no
thought and no repetition . . . just the silence and peace of pure consciousness.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

CULTIVATE SELF-REFERRAL
Self-referral is identifying with your inner self the unchanging essence of your soul. This state has certain
characteristics, including an internal sense of joy or wellbeing regardless of what is happening in the exterior
world.
In self-referral, youre not attached to outcome or obsessed with power, money, or control; youre in touch
with your feelings and you feel what you feel. Youre not easily offended and you dont feel superior or inferior.
In self-referral you have infinite freedom and are able to make spontaneous evolutionary choices. Youre not
anticipating a response and youre not victimized by memory.Youre literally in the flow of the evolutionary
impulse of the universe.

EXERCISE: THE FIRE IN YOUR EYES

Conscious inner dialogue is a powerful tool for expanding the state of self-referral. Whenever you look in the
mirror, even if just for a few seconds, make eye contact with yourself and silently repeat the three principles of
self-referral:
I am totally independent of the good or bad opinion of others.
I am beneath no one, and no one is beneath me.
I am fearless in the face of any all challenges.
Look into your eyes to see these attitudes reflected back at you. Look just at your eyes, not at your facial
expression. Look for the shine in your eyes that reflects the fire in your soul. If you do this exercise for a few
minutes every day, it can create profound shifts in your life.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

BE GENEROUS OF SPIRIT
Wholeness is generous because it feels no lack. No matter how much you give, if you give freely more will
come to you. On the other hand, if you feel a pinch of lack underneath, it wont be easy to give and you wont
experience the joy of giving and receiving.
Generosity begins at the level of the soul, which has an inexhaustible source of the two things that are vital
to life: energy and awareness. When you know at the deepest levels that you can never run short of these two
things, you will become generous of spirit and giving on any level will feel natural and easy.
Here are the major gifts we all can give when were generous of spirit:
Offer yourself first. This means sharing the real you instead of the false self that most people offer the world.
The false self is a something we develop to fit into societys expectations and win external approval, while
the real self is open and vulnerable. It doesnt feel a division between one soul and another. While social
conditioning can make it feel frightening to offer the real you, remember that fear often gives false counsel.
When you offer the real you, you become stronger, stripping off the flimsy suit of armor that was an illusion all
along. When you share your true self, you offer your wholeness of spirit.
Dont withhold the truth. Whatever is false blocks spirit and prevents the flow of energy and awareness.
Every time you speak your truth, you establish your own wholeness and evolution. This isnt about standing
up for absolute truths but about being authentic and honest on the most intimate scale. In families where
someone has an alcohol or drug addiction and the other family members keep silent, they feel a sense of
helplessness and the problems fester. Speaking the truth opens up options and empowers. It shows caring.
Be a force for harmony and coherence. Wholeness is a state of harmony, while fragmentation is a state of
conflict. The soul is a harmonizing influence that can transform any situation if you stay aware and focus your
intentions. In the face of conflict, you can act as a peaceful influence, whether silently or speaking up if that is
needed.
Place your trust in abundance. Since wholeness contains everything, it draws on the infinite resources of
spirit. Trust that there will always be enough of what your soul has to give enough love, compassion, caring,
intelligence, creativity, and attention. Abundance is about trusting the flow, knowing that wholeness doesnt
have holes in it and never leaves a void. You can be generous with all the gifts of the soul and more will flow in.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

RELEASE GRIEVANCES AND FORGIVE

The best way to understand forgiveness is to realize that to forgive and to ask for forgiveness is the best use of
ones energy and also one of the most important paths to self-healing. The absence of forgiveness is holding
a grievance or resentment and also a subtle desire to seek vengeance. In short, it is hostility. Many studies
have shown that although anger can be a healthy release of pent-up energy, hostility is not healthy, and it is the
number one emotional risk factor for premature death from cardiovascular incidents (stroke and heart attack).
Learning how to let go of toxic emotions such as hostility is the essence of learning how to forgive, because
forgiveness is about releasing your attachment or identification with a conditioned response.
If you are holding onto a grievance or resentment or you feel hostility toward someone and are unable to
let go, I encourage you to read David Simons book Free to Love, Free to Heal. If you want to be personally
guided in the emotional detoxification and forgiveness process David presents in his book, you can attend the
Healing the Heart workshop at the Chopra Center (learn more at chopra.com/healingtheheart).
In the end, to forgive another is to forgive our self. What we think we are forgiving in another is an act of
freedom for our own soul. Every situation that calls for forgiveness is a step in our own evolution to higher
consciousness.

PRACTICE THE LAW OF LEAST EFFORT

The Law of Least Effort is the principle of doing less to accomplish more. This involves a shift in awareness
more than anything else.Sometimes hard work, exacting plans, and driving ambitions will allow you to
accomplish goals in the material domain, yet at a huge cost because of the massive stress involved. Youre
relying on your own individual mind and efforts, which are tiny in comparison with the infinite intelligence of
the universe. By tapping into intelligence of the universe rather than relying on your egos limited strength, life
becomes much easier.
Spiritual flow is effortless, spontaneous; it is full of flexibility and creativity. Its a realm where you learn to let
go detach from the outcome, and experience life-centered present moment awareness. And its so joyful that
it cant even be described. It seems like you and the universe are dancing together.Theres a song in your heart
and you dont really care whos listening or what they think. You just want to sing that song and you want to
move in tandem with the impulse of evolution which we call dharma.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

Deepaks Guide to Holistic Health

The more time you spend in silence and meditation, the easier it becomes to align yourself the natural
harmony of the universe. There are also three useful steps you can take to benefit from the Law of Least Effort
in your life:
1. Practice Acceptance. Each day, have the intention to accept people situations, and events as they
occur. Know that this moment is as it should be because the universe it as it should be.
2. Take responsibility. Once youve accepted things as they are, take responsibility for all those
situations you may see as problems. This doesnt mean blaming yourself or others, but taking
whatever steps you can to transform circumstances into a greater benefit.
3. Establish your awareness in defenselessness. Let go of the need to defend your point of view. Stay
open to all perspectives without being rigidly attached to any of them.

NURTURE YOUR INTENTIONS EVERY DAY

Daily life presents many unexpected demands and challenges, and its easy to fall into the grip of our egos
fears, demands, and confusion. Its important to remind yourself of your intentions and spiritual purpose.
Some people find it helpful to write down their intentions and review them each day; for others, periods of
regular meditation and prayer are invaluable.
Spend time in silence, connect to your infinite nature, and center your intention inside yourself. Intend for
everything to work out as it should, and then let go and allow opportunities and openings to come your way.
Practicing the above steps will help you experience your innate wholeness. When that happens, you will feel
subtle changes in the feelings and thoughts, including a sense that all is well. You will feel a lightness in your
body, deep peace, and the realization that your internal dialogue has become quieter. You may experience
healing on a physical or emotional level. You may also notice that youre acting out of complete integrity and
that synchronicities and unexpected opportunities are becoming more abundant in your life. These are all signs
that you are connecting to your true nature, which is whole, infinite, and unbounded.

2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing | chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | 2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009

THE

CHOPRA
CENTER
2012, The Chopra Center for Wellbeing
chopra.com | 888.736.6895 | learn@chopra.com
2013 Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009