Deepak Chopra's 3 Must-Have Spirituality Tips To Boost Longevity

It's safe to say we love all things longevity here at mindbodygreen (my wife, Colleen, and I even have a whole newsletter dedicated to extending health span!). But while we tend to talk a lot about nutrition, supplements, exercise, and even biohacking, we don't spend nearly enough time on the spiritual side of longevity and health span. 

That's where Deepak Chopra comes in: In his latest bestseller, Living in the Light, the spiritual icon and world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine provides an inspiring and thoughtful program to unite the mind, body, and soul—all of which are equally important when it comes to longevity. 

"The great wisdom traditions say if you want to conquer death, you want to actually have a good exit strategy," says Chopra. It sounds counterintuitive: People who focus on longevity and biohacking are all about prolonging the exit—they don't necessarily think about the exit strategy itself. But according to Chopra, separating your consciousness from your physical body is how you truly enhance longevity. After all, when you leave your physical form, your consciousness lives on. 

Chopra is a prolific walker—he's famous for clocking around 20,000 steps per day. And walking, we know, is great for extending health span: In one 2022 study of more than 400,000 adults in the UK, researchers found that as little as 10 minutes of brisk walking per day was associated with longer telomeres—enough that their biological age appeared 16 years younger by midlife1. 

But Chopra takes the practice a step further. Rather than looking at text messages or checking his watch, "I use my walking as a process of awakening," he says. He looks at the people around him, he looks at buildings, and as he sees everything around him, he realizes that everything physical is actually a product of his perception. "The world exists in me," he says. "The body exists in me. The mind exists in me. But that 'me,' is not a person. That 'me' is the spirit." 

Social connections are downright crucial for longevity. Research has shown that social isolation was associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. But high-quality connections are perhaps more abstract than a fully developed eating or exercise regimen—social bonding is also closely related to purpose, which is connected to a sense of spirituality. 

Spirituality doesn't get enough credit in the longevity conversation. But if you're serious about increasing health span, you should consider a holistic approach to well-being, which includes mental, physical, and spiritual health.