I still remember the first day when my teacher, Pat, taught me the technique. We were sitting cross-legged with our eyes closed on the Persian carpet in the living room of her apartment in Beaverton. But, while Pat sat still, Buddha-like, her breath steady, body relaxed and face serene with peace, my breath was erratic and my mind wandered to the many things I need to do and hadn’t done that day – the laundry, the groceries, the dishes, the bills, my daughter’s dentist appointment, her play date, the itch in my back……

 “Don’t worry Gayathri” Pat had said sensing me squirm, “Just allow your mind to effortlessly transcend your thoughts.” “With practice you will experience a deep state of restful consciousness.”  Although I hadn’t believed Pat that first session or in the several sessions that followed, eventually, after weeks of practicing, I was able to tap into the hitherto unexplored tranquility of my mind.

 Over the last twenty-three years, the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation has transformed my life. Despite the ups and downs of life, and recurrent bouts of depression, meditation centers and calms me, and fills me with creativity. And, it has greatly enhanced my overall health and well-being.

 I sincerely hope you give Transcendental Meditation a try. Among many other benefits, consistent practice of Transcendental Meditation relieves stress, promotes deep relaxation, and produces a wide range of positive effects on a person’s mind, body, and behavior.

To learn more about Transcendental Meditation and its benefits, and to find a teacher near you, please visit www.tm.org

Wishing you wellness,

In April 2010, I was invited to present a Keynote at a mental health advocacy conference in Los Angeles. During lunch break, I had the privilege of meeting Robert Vijay Gupta, a highly acclaimed violinist and member of the LA Philharmonic, and I was deeply inspired by his passionate parallel interests in neurobiology and mental health advocacy. Over the next 30 minutes, as Robert and his ensemble captivated the 300 conference attendees with their divine music, I stood in awe, witnessing the transcendent power of music to unite us as a people, comfort, inspire, and heal our souls.

Please click on the titles below, and be inspired by Robert’s testimonial to the healing power of music.

United in Bach’s universe and in Beethoven’s soul

Music is Medicine. Music is Sanity.

Wishing you wellness,

I wish you and your family health and happiness in the year ahead.

For the last 23 years, I have practiced pranayama every day and it has profoundly transformed my life. Despite recurrent bouts of depression, anxiety and panic attacks over the years, the consistent practice of pranayama has helped me thrive in life.

I start each morning with 10 minutes of  pranayama, an ancient form of deep breathing technique that originated in India, my country of birth. Pranayama is derived from two Sanskrit words – Prana (life force) and Ayama (control). Therefore, in its broadest description, prananyama would mean the control of the flow of life force. The yogis believe if you can control your breath, you can control your life. I have certainly found it to be true.

While there are many forms of pranayama that are highly effective, I practice nadi sodhana pranayama – a form of alternate nostril breathing which induces calmness and tranquility. Among many other benefits, consistent practice of pranayama provides deep relaxation to the body and mind, strengthens the nervous system and respiratory system, improves concentration, and relieves stress, depression and hypertension.

To learn how to perform nadi shodhana pranayama and learn about its many benefits, please click here…

To watch a video of how to perform nadi sodhana pranayama and learn its many benefits, please click here…

 To explore other forms of pranayama, please click here…

I sincerely hope you give pranayama a try, and let me know how it works for you. Thanks!

Wishing you wellness,