How Deepak Chopra Is Using This Time For A Spiritual Reset

While we're facing uncertainty and anxiety during this global pandemic, we can also use our time at home to reconnect with family and friends or jump-start a new hobby. And according to Deepak Chopra, we can use this time at home to slow down and focus on our health: "This is an opportunity to maximize your well-being right now," he tells me on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast. 

Whether that means getting more sleep, managing your stress levels, doing more yoga, or just enjoying the slow pace of your otherwise hectic schedule, maximizing your well-being might look completely different depending on your health goals—and your at-home quarantine itinerary will reflect that. 

According to Chopra, a spiritual reset means identifying new ways to find happiness. Now that we can't shop, see a movie, or even spend time with friends, we have to reconfigure what brings happiness to our lives. "All of that has come to a stop, which, of course, has a big effect on the economy but also forces us to ask how we can be healthy and happy as life goes on," Chopra says. 

Amid the panic, you might hear things like, "Stay positive!" and "Think positive thoughts!" But according to Chopra, having a positive mind and having a quiet mind are completely different. 

"An artificially positive mind can be a turbulent mind, especially if you're feeling stressed," he says. "It can be inflammatory if you're trying too hard to pretend to be positive." What he means is, pretending to exude positivity is not only draining but might actually have the opposite effect. 

Instead, try to have a quiet mind: "A quiet mind is a healing mind. The slower your internal dialogue is, the more self-regulation kicks in."

Reducing stress is critical for a spiritual mindset. Especially during this global pandemic, Chopra advises us to minimize our stress and hysteria as much as we can. "Try to abstain from getting panicked. Panic leads to irrational behavior, and irrational behaviors can become contagious." 

Much like the virus itself, our global panic is spreading at quite the rate, with scary headlines and alarming news stories on practically every media channel. The good news is, there's a spiritual way to minimize our stress, according to Chopra. He says the first key step is to practice empathy. 

In addition to thinking of others, Chopra is using this time to create what he calls "love in action." While we might tell our friends and family members that we love them, Chopra wants to take it a step further. 

"We need to help all of us feel safe, help us all feel secure, help us all that we are engaging in love in action, not just love in theory," he says. "Love in action can create miracles."

Consider this the spiritual version of "show, don't tell." Chopra wants us to take action and care for others; in a time of social distancing, words can only do so much—it's the actions that truly make a difference. 

That's not to say you should ignore the rules of a home quarantine. Chopra says there are ways to make sure those in need feel safe: "Use technology—make sure those in distress and those you care about know you can engage with them and help them in some way."