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My wife commented to me one day that she had wanted to go to a Deepak Chopra for some time. Later that same day, she was startled to receive an unexpected call from the Chopra Center in California, inviting her to attend a weeklong meditation seminar to be held in Florida in March 2007. Of course, her response was an enthusiastic “Yes!” We attended the seminar and it was a marvelous experience. The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club was a great site for the conference, but it was the Chopra staff that made the seminar truly remarkable. Doctors Deepak Chopra and David Simon led the main events each day. Their authenticity clearly flowed from deep knowledge and experience. The support staff kept the program moving smoothly, tying it all together into meaningful wholeness. They had put this, and other similar programs, together many times, and their teamwork was seamless. Nearly 300 people representing many walks of life and countries all over the world attended the seminar. It was an ordinary, but remarkably diverse group. Each day began with a gentle yoga class at 7 AM. Under the expert guidance of Claire Diab, the hour-long meditative yoga class went by quickly, leaving us nicely energized for the rest of the day. Another optional yoga class was offered every evening. In the general sessions, Deepak Chopra and David Simon integrated the cutting-edge findings of Western medicine and science with ancient Eastern healing traditions and philosophy, doing so in a masterful way. It was surprising to learn how well the ancient wisdom of the East dovetails with the newest findings of quantum physics. The heart of each morning and afternoon session was devoted to meditation under the guidance of someone on the Chopra staff. We spent an average of three hours a day in meditation, something I would not have imagined myself doing prior to this seminar. During meditation, mental turbulence subsides as the body shifts into a state of restful awareness. Heart rate and blood pressure normalize, stress hormones are reduced, and immunity is strengthened. According to both East and West, meditation is a powerful healing tool for body, mind, and spirit. All of us at the seminar felt this quiet power. Aside from the classes and meditation sessions, an outstanding buffet lunch was provided daily. Based on recipes from the Chopra Center, and prepared by the chefs of the five-star Ponte Vedra Inn, the food was simply fabulous. Anyone not previously vegetarian could have easily become a convert. At the end, everyone gave the chefs a heart-felt ovation. In his final talk, Deepak spoke passionately about the need for peace in our world. Because meditation is such a powerful help to inner peace, he asked each of us to commit to its practice twice a day. After the final session, everyone went out to the beach to join in closing peace circles. In a glorious finale, we all danced on the beach in joyous celebration of an unforgettable week of meditation!
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