and( 3) Cortical brain that gets activated through self-reflection, creativity, imagination, storytelling and meditation. The reptilian brain only gets activated in life-threatening situations; the limbic brain is nourished by healthy emotions and the cortical brain through practices such as mindfulness, meditation and transcendence. What we call the super brain is an integrated brain where three parts of our brain evolve into different parts of biological evolution and work in harmony with each other.
P: In your opinion, what are some of the challenges medical, health and spa industries are facing in shifting the mindset from cure to prevention? C: The future of medicine and health in our culture is going to be personalized, preventable, predictable, participatory and processoriented. We now have easy ways to quantify the effects of behavior change, including measuring the effects of sleep, meditation, movement, yoga, breathing emotions and nutrition. With our own research in collaboration with University of California San Francisco, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Harvard Medical School, we have clearly shown the effects of lifestyle changes on gene expressions, the epigenome, inflammatory markets, brain and healing system. I do not foresee significant challenges in the near future. Mind-body medicine and whole systems biology have entered mainstream.
P: What health and well-being trends are you seeing that spa professionals need to be aware of to ensure they have their pulse on consumers’ most pressing health needs? C: The major trends today are the introduction of technology which includes monitoring devices as well as biofeedback and BioRegulation devices, and virtual reality experiences. We are offering this through our platform jiyo. com. We also use devices such as Muse, Dreamweaver, Virtual Reality Meditation – Finding Your True Self. and wisdom and helping to create a more peaceful, just, sustainable, happier and healthy world.
P: Many struggle to find the meaning of life. What do you think is the real meaning and purpose of life? C: The real meaning is first to expand the experience of happiness, but ultimately find our true self beyond our ego identity. The true self is the source of all our experiences and is a field of infinite possibilities, synchronicity, creativity, love, joy and equanimity. Wisdom traditions tell us the purpose of life is enlightenment, which is finding your source in the light of pure awareness. n
Personal Side Notes
My idea of a perfect afternoon tea involves: A meaningful conversation with my higher self in deep stillness while savoring the delicate flavors grown in the foothills of the Himalayas. What the world needs is: Less melodrama and more compassion. I feed my soul with: Silence and deep connection with nature periodically. Today, I will let go of: All grievances and resentments and judgment. Regret is: Wasted energy. What’ s done is done. To be present, I: Settle in being and rest in awareness. I live the spa lifestyle by: Periodically renewing myself through detox, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Taking a period of silence yearly and getting a massage occasionally.
P: In today’ s world wherein our busy lifestyles have turned sleep into a luxury and technology has wired us 24 / 7, what’ s your advice to help us shut off and recharge? C: Practice meditation daily, get good sleep and exercise, avoid foods that are refined, processed, manufactured or contaminated. Engage in conscious communication. Set aside time for technology. Technology is neutral. How you use it is up to you. Do not allow technology to be your master. It should be your servant and should be used with the intention of good knowledge
WANT ADDITIONAL READING on wellbeing? Click here to access resources shared by Chopra on The Self Directed Biological Transformation Initiative and Well-Being( published by the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine) and Systems Biology Research Study Reveals Benefits of Vacation and Meditation( published by Sprinter Nature’ s journal, Translational Psychiatry).
January / February 2017 ■ PULSE 25