Icon Index: Deepak Chopra & Devi Brown On Marrying Wellness & Technology
Deepak Chopra (@deepakchopra) is a pioneer in wellness. His decadeslong practice of connecting mind, body and spirit has clear, connective tissue to the current $1.5 trillion wellness market. At 75, he has published his 91st book, Total Meditation, and launched new endeavors such as Mindful Method with Fitbit, the Digital Deepak App, Chopra Whole Health Retreat at Civana and Chopra Mind-Body Zone.
We recently caught up with busy guru Deepak Chopra and Devi Brown, Chopra Global’s chief impact officer, about rituals, technology and wellness from their unique vantage point.
At this moment, what is your purpose?
DC: Everything I do is with the focus and intention of one mission: to create a critical mass of 1 billion people. A community to help make a more peaceful, sustainable and healthier world. Every technology that helps me connect with the well-being ecosystem allows me to reach this goal.
What wellness technology excites you?
DB: I am passionate about technology supporting our bodies’ emotional regulation and regeneration. I use an infrared PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) therapy mat for my morning meditation and to relax before bed. It has enhanced my sleep quality and my daytime energy levels.
What’s your favorite wellness product—aside from the Chopra app?
DC: It’s a nutraceutical that goes by the generic name of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). It is a signal molecule that helps DNA repair itself, and it supports the self-regulation of metabolism. But the best wellness product is your mind if you learn to harness its genius.
What is next for the Chopra app?
DB: I am leading a six-part meditation series on coming back to the workplace and how to support your mental, emotional and spiritual health in your working life. We are so excited to now be available for Android users worldwide!
“SOCIAL CHANGE ONLY HAPPENS WITH PERSONAL CHANGE.” –DEEPAK CHOPRA
Do you have any go-to traditional wellness practices?
DB: I engage in a daily sacred ritual. It is how I feel most grounded, awakened and able. I take soaking baths with salt and herbs three times a week to destress, release and clean my body (daily showers for cleanliness and a sacred bath as a spiritual experience). I also love dry brushing and self-abhyanga, an ayurvedic self-massage that stimulates the nervous system and promotes self-healing.
How does a person change the world?
DC: In the absence of personal transformation, there is no social transformation. My goal is to help everyone have a joyful, energetic body; a loving, compassionate heart; a reflective, alert mind; and a lightness of being. If enough people change, that change will transform the world.