We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Deepak Chopra for some light-hearted trivia. It was a gift to be able to ask him these questions. His answers are wise, refreshingly to the point, and give us a little glimpse into the mind of this remarkable man.
Yogapedia: Deepak, what’s your own personal mantra?
Deepak Chopra: I have four intentions that I start with every day. Joyful, energetic body. Loving, compassionate heart. Reflective, alert mind. And lightness of being. That’s my mantra for life.
Yogapedia: Those are great. What is the most important lesson you learned from your mother?
Deepak Chopra: My mother was a storyteller and she made sure they were all love stories.
Yogapedia: All love stories? That's beautiful. If you could teach your grandchildren the single most important lesson you've learned, what would it be?
Deepak Chopra: "Be the change."
Yogapedia: "Be the change": the lesson Mahatma Gandhi taught. That's a good one. You have done so much in your lifetime. What is the next thing or the last thing you want to do before you leave this earth?
Deepak Chopra: Prove scientifically, mathematically, with the help of other scientists, that consciousness is fundamental in the universe. That whatever you want to call it, God, the Divine, it’s more real than this.
Yogapedia: And final trivia question, we’ll jump right down to it. You say you've won over your biggest critics?
Deepak Chopra: Yeah, skepticism and cynicism are two different things. Skepticism says prove it, give me the data. Cynics say I don’t believe it no matter what because they’re already biased. They're two different things.
Deepak Chopra, MD FACP, is the founder of The Chopra Foundation and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing. He is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism he is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Clinical Professor in the Family and Preventive Medicine Department at the University of California, San Diego; Health Sciences Faculty and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Additionally, Dr. Deepak Chopra also serves as Co-Founder of Jiyo, an Adjunct Professor of Executive Programs at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and of Columbia Business School. Columbia University TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” The Chopra Center for Wellbeing holds sought-after workshops and retreats, including programs such as Perfect Health, Seduction of Spirit, and Journey Into Healing.
(Read more from Deepak in Why should we be taking care of our Earth?, What advice can you give those of us looking for our life's purpose? and What advice do you have for us on being engaged parents?)
During These Times of Stress and Uncertainty Your Doshas May Be Unbalanced.
To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.
Try not to stress over every question, but simply answer based off your intuition. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else.