Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra, M.D., is the author of more than 65 books, including numerous New York Times best-sellers. His medical training is in internal medicine and endocrinology, and he is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and an adjunct professor of Executive Programs at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is also a distinguished executive scholar at Columbia Business School, Columbia University, and a senior scientist at the Gallup organization.

For more than a decade, Chopra has participated as a lecturer at the Update in Internal Medicine, an annual event sponsored by Harvard Medical School’s Department of Continuing Education and the Department of Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Chopra is the focus of a new documentary called “Decoding Deepak.” His fame as a health and lifestyle guru has made him a frequent guest on daytime and late-night talks shows, and landed him a role playing himself in the film “Little Fockers.” 

ROBIN BRONK: If you had five minutes in the Oval Office with President Obama, what would you discuss with him?  What issue would you like him to know about?

DEEPAK CHOPRA: I would introduce him to the idea of Just Capitalism, so that we could create a society that moves in the direction of a peaceful, just, sustainable and healthy world.

RB: If you could ask President Obama one question, what would that be?

DC: Mr. President, what will be your legacy?

RB: What piece of advice would you give President Obama as he’s campaigning for the upcoming election?

DC: There are four things that will win you the election, guaranteed. Inspire the following four things:

1. Hope

2. Trust

3. Compassion

4. Stability

I would also tell him that as long as he stays present and centered in the moment, comes from a place of total authenticity, and radiates kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, he will remain invincible. 

RB: If you were going to send the president to one of your favorite places in the United States for one day, where would that be? Why?

DC: I would send him to the Chopra Center for Wellbeing at La Costa Resort and Spa [in Carlsbad, Calif.] for one day of deep meditation. Why? The reason for this would be to unveil to him his soul in its purity, where the solutions of all problems exist.

RB: What piece of music would you recommend that President Obama add to his collection? Why?

DC: I would recommend that he have a collection of Mozart, Beethoven’s 5th and Vivaldi. Between these three, he would move into expanded awareness, where problems become opportunities.

RB: Would you ever consider a political career?

DC: Never.

Robin Bronk is CEO of The Creative Coalition — the leading national, nonprofit, nonpartisan public advocacy organization of the entertainment industry. Bronk is a frequent speaker on the role of the entertainment industry in public advocacy campaigns and represents The Creative Coalition and its legislative agenda before members of Congress and the White House. She produced the feature film “Poliwood,” airing on Showtime, and edited the recently published book Art & Soul. Bronk pens this weekly column with assistance from Risa Kotek.