As I am getting ready for my trip to India, I want to learn more about what the country can offer.

I stumbled across an interview that Oprah did on Deepak Chopra. He is one of the great thought leaders of our time and advocates mind-body connection. He talked about the purpose of life and finding happiness. Deepak pointed out on the way how we are educated in the West, we are always looking towards the future. Which means we’re never in the present. By the time we arrive at what we were looking for in the future, we completely missed it, because we are not being present for it. This is the perfect example of not being mindful. Missing out in the beauty of details that surrounds our present.

Some of my patients ask me how to be present when I am going through so much pain at the moment. Deepak Chopra presents the best solution for that: In 2010 he became a monk for a month. He took baths in the stream, he begged for his food in the streets, he shaved his head and walked barefoot. His head monk asked how it was like walking barefoot. He said it hurts without shoes. And the head monk responded, ” It hurts on the foot that’s down, but the one that’s up feels really good – so focus on that one.”

So if you ask me about the secret of finding happiness, I would say is all a choice. All the pain and pleasure as Deepak states it is where you put your attention.

Be present,

Coralis Solomon