Question:
What do I do when half of me wants to dive into yoga and health and meditation while the other half is still clinging to the easy, normal way of living? I don’t know how to become what I know I can be when there is still something holding me in the college mindset. I’m 29, so I still like to go out with friends on the surface, but while I’m out drinking I always realize that it’s not making me happy and I never have as much fun as I thought I would. To me, it seems it’s got to be one or the other – grow up and become a serious, spiritual person or give up and stay where I am… How can I marry the two sides of myself?
Answer:
Continue to favor your inclination for yoga and meditation, and simply observe yourself and your feelings without judgment when you are involved in activities associated with old habits and conditioning. You don’t need to struggle or resist it, nor do you need to try to reconcile the two lifestyles. Let your natural growth sort all that out naturally.
Love,
Deepak
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About Deepak Chopra
Time Magazine heralded Deepak Chopra as one of the 100 heroes and icons of the century, and credited him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." Entertainment Weekly described Deepak Chopra as "Hollywood's man of the moment, one of publishing's best-selling and most prolific self-help authors." He is the author of more than 50 books and more than 100 audio, video and CD-Rom titles. He has been published on every continent and in dozens of languages. Fifteen of his books have landed on the New York Times Best-seller list. Toastmaster International recognized him as one of the top five outstanding speakers in the world. Through his over two decades of work since leaving his medical practice, Deepak continues to revolutionize common wisdom about the crucial connection between body, mind, spirit, and healing. His mission of "bridging the technological miracles of the west with the wisdom of the east" remains his thrust and provides the basis for his recognition as one of India's historically greatest ambassadors to the west. Chopra has been a keynote speaker at several academic institutions including Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Divinity School, Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Business School and Wharton.His latest book is
"Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul."
Beautiful Answer!! That certainly resonates well with me. Couldn't imagine adding a word to that either!
Peace Is Simplicity Of Heart, Serenity Of Mind, Tranquility Of Soul, The Bond Of Love.
— St. Pio "Padre Pio" of Pietrelcina
well, i'm 29 too. i understand the notion of what would be a good time and actually having a good time. one definitely calls out to the ego-self and is a function of desire as well as the lack-of-something feeling.
the other is a reflection of true abundance and it's time-less. which i mean to say is not a function of time. that's what i call a good time
i want to know what surrendering one's conscious will feels like. being mindful all the time.
on a separate note:
sometimes i wonder when an intention manifests whether the intention caused the manifestation, or whether the intention was a sort of an intuitive precursor to the manifestation about to unfold..
This was my question originally, so I'd like to thank you for your answer. Not judging myself for not being instantly good at enlightenment will take some time. When I write it like that, it makes me laugh, but I've always expected myself to be instantly good at things I want. I honestly hadn't realized that I'm judging myself for not immediately becoming Buddha upon the thought of it. Thank you.
hi there. thank you for writing (and making me read my note – it sounds almost unintelligible – see, there i judged myself for not even writing a decent note!).
i'm in a dilemma usually when things are not unfolding the way they i expect them to. because the sense of 'have-not' triggers some atavistic responses and the ego steps in crying hurt.
when intentions are manifesting and that happens so often, i just feel like i'm gliding effortlessly into experiencing. which is such a delight.
i just don't know. i guess to be aware of experiencing and being non judgemental is the only way..
but it's just so.. i dont know