SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Deepak Chopra, an MD and icon in the field of personal transformation, acknowledges the coronavirus pandemic is causing global havoc on several fronts.
Morbidity, mortality, the economy, and stress. He says the data is proving it’s a dangerous cocktail that can send our bodies into chaos.
"Chronic inflammation, chronic depression, chronic anxiety, and stress are correlated...And chronic inflammation is correlated to the devastation of COVID," Chopra said.
Chopra says the first thing we need to do to decrease our likelihood of getting sick is to follow all the guidelines of social distancing and wearing masks. Then, work to alleviate inflammation.
"Inflammation is the culprit. And we can counteract the inflammation with anything that mitigates stress ... Whether it's yoga, deep breathing, mind/body techniques, martial arts, even healthy emotions...Love, compassion, joy, equanimity, and proper nutrition," Chopra says.
We cannot control the pandemic, but we can accept it and ask what's the meaning?
"One meaning is ... It’s an opportunity to renew our bodies, resurrect our soul, connect with loved ones, be grateful for what we already have, be grateful for the fact that we exist," says Chopra.
For those who have lost a loved one: "Grief is something we must embrace. You can't bypass...If you resist grief you get worse, it causes more stress," Chopra added.
But for everyone else, the worst use of our imagination is fear.
"That fearful thought is recycling through social media, through television, through everything that we see ... So first recognize that 99% of your thoughts is just recycling of everyone else's fear. So why do you take ownership of thoughts that didn't come from you?" asked Chopra.
Professional and personal change, forced on so many now, is a moment to look inside. It's time for self-care and it starts with our thoughts.
"Ask yourself who am I? Want do I really want? What's my purpose? What am I grateful for? And you'll pivot," says Chopra. "So, mindfulness is nothing more than being aware of the choices you're making, and the experiences you're having right now, and if your experiences are not pleasant."
The world in crisis, can also be inside us as hostility, resentment, and grievances — all toxic.
"So, get rid of toxicity in your life, this is the opportunity ... Toxic emotions, toxic relationships, toxic environments, toxic food...Time to detox," Chopra said.
Chopra is blunt about the turmoil in the world. But as we rely on science and technology to find a creative response to COVID, we can lessen exhaustion by not living in the future.
We must right now confront that reality. Strident, extreme atmosphere, politically, racially. What's it doing? Creating a world that frankly speaking is idiotic," Chopra said. "If you live in the present, then all you do is say: I want today, my body to be joyful and energetic, my emotions to be loving, have empathy and compassion ... My mind to clear and my
soul to be light, today. That's it."
