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By Jon Jackson
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Practically everyone experiences stress on a routine basis, whether it be in the form of mild pressure or a more encompassing anxiety. Fortunately, Deepak Chopra knows a thing or two about finding calm, and he recently shared some tips for Newsweek readers about how to achieve instant relaxation.
Chopra—an alternative-medicine expert and world-renowned spiritual teacher—sat for a recent interview with Newsweek to discuss his new book, Living in the Light, which was released on January 3. Co-authored with his yoga teacher Sarah Platt-Finger, the book teaches the ways of Royal Yoga, which is also known as Raja Yoga, and contains an instructive 30-day program.
Practicing the lessons in Living in the Light is one way in which someone can decrease stress, Chopra said. He also noted that yoga has many other health benefits, including that it can decrease inflammation, increase heart rate variability, and can even repair the gut microbiome.
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"I think that if people really understand what's in this book, they will be very confident in what we call self-regulation or self-healing. Because healing is real," Chopra said. "As a medical doctor, I was taught to never use the word healing. You practice or you treat people, but you never heal them. But the body has the capacity to heal itself. So this book is actually about self-healing."
Tips to Quickly Reduce Stress by Deepak Chopra
Read below for Chopra's tips on how to quickly reduce stress.
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S.T.O.P. Formula
"Anytime you feel stressed, you can adopt what I call the S.T.O.P. formula," Chopra said.
"'S' stands for Stop. 'T' stands for Take three deep breaths and smile from your head to your toes. 'O'—observe your breath, and 'P'—proceed with awareness and compassion," he said.
Press the Pause Button
Chopra continued, "Now if that sounds too complicated, then anytime you are reactive, press the pause button and observe your reaction to react.
"That will break the circuit of reactivity. Normally, people don't have a pause between the sensory information and the output. So before you react to anything, just press the pause button. Watch yourself and your reaction to react."
"This is the highest intelligence: To be able to observe yourself without judging yourself," he said.
Focus on Space
Chopra also offered another technique for relaxation, which he said begins with simply focusing on space.
"Instead of looking at an object, be aware of the space you're in. The space is always silent. And if you connect with space, your mind will also go silent," he said.
"Observe space, and your mind will go still."
As for his own relationship with stress, Chopra said his "mind is quiet."
"I'm always in a state of equanimity, so I don't have highs and lows," he said. "I'm at peace."
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