August 1, 2025 • 19 mins
How do life's unexpected twists lead to profound transformation? In Episode 73 of Plus Fitness with Tara, I open up about my personal journey through health challenges and career pivots. From battling a benign tumor to navigating a taxing Canada Revenue Agency investigation, I share how these experiences steered me from the film industry to the wellness sector. Discover how adrenal fatigue and carotid artery plaque buildup forced me to reevaluate my path, leading to new ventures like NS Fit for You and Find Your Feet.
I delve into my spiritual exploration, inspired by luminaries like Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey, and discuss the transformative power of love and consciousness. With the support of friends, family, and professionals like Danielle Melanson and Michelle Pfile, I found healing in mindfulness and meditation. Join me as I reflect on the journey of self-love, gratitude, and the profound impact of compassion in overcoming life's hurdles. Tune in for an inspiring tale of resilience and growth!
For more info and helpful tips visit my website at taraCmacdonald.com
Connect with me and my growing community on Facebook and Instagram!
Yours in health,
Tara
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tara (00:01):
This is the EWN Podcast Network.
Hi. I'm Tara from Plus Fitness with Tara.
I'm a
curvy, fun, body positive coach and personal trainer. I
love business and fitness. Doyou have the tools you need to
be a rock star in fitness? Ahealthy love of yourself and
help from me in sifting throughhealth news will do that. I've
got fitness topics and guests.
(00:21):
Rock stars aren't born. They'rebred in experience and fire.
Let's do this together.
Hello, and welcome Plus Fitness with Tara, the podcast.
Today's episode, I am talkingabout my recovery, my recovery
from a benign tumor. I justwanna share with you. I don't
know. I don't personally, Idon't know if I was naive.
(00:42):
I mean, maybe. Maybe I justthought my entire life I'd go
without any serious problems.You know, brought on by
surviving Canada Revenue Agencyinvestigation on my dad's estate
that lasted six years andresulted in his estate being
kept open for over fourteenyears after his passing. Trying
to run my first business inshort film and video content was
almost impossible at that time.To this day, I make sure my
(01:04):
texts have their t's crossed andi's dotted perfectly because my
first business suffered, and myenthusiasm for the film industry
died pretty fast withpoliticians closing the tax
credit for any work beingbrought in to the province from
away.
So when I was considering growthinto a marketing agency work and
launch film content, I reallyhad to ask myself, is this what
I wanted to do? I went to theBanff Media Festival, networked,
(01:27):
you know, talked to people, andbasically, I just, you know, had
to take a pause. And during thattime, I also had to say goodbye
to a lot of people along the wayfor financial reasons. So it
wasn't for me. I jumped ship.
I changed industries and usededucation and testing by coaches
training institute to become acertified coach. I explored
(01:48):
wellness options with mynonprofit at the time called NS
Fit for You and my walking clubcalled Find Your Feet. I still
have that walking club Find YourFeet, but we haven't done much
this past year as I've been inrecovery. But these are all
things I had worked on during mybusiness undergraduate study at
Mount Saint Vincent Universityin Bedford, Nova Scotia. The
(02:08):
first business, Charlie MackProductions, I was diagnosed
with adrenal fatigue.
Cortisol levels were tested andfound to be too high. Well, not
surprising considering thefinancial stress I was going
through. The second business, myfitness club with two locations,
I thought was going well, youknow, going through different
things with personal trainersand, you know, working on
clients and gaining more groundand getting a better location.
(02:31):
You know, I even worked on myown certification so I could
fill in with personal trainerscalled in sick or change club
professions. But then, you know,I had, like, a little bit of a
health scare.
I was diagnosed with plaquebuildup in the choroid artery in
my neck. I was told I lookedlike a 65 year old smoker
instead of someone who had justdone training for half marathons
and walk runs and soul sistersand the whole thing. So, you
(02:53):
know, what do you do? I have topivot. So I pivoted during that
time once again with my secondbusiness.
And then finally, a heart issuein 2019 at the Soul Sisters race
made me realize that I had to,you know, really reconsider my
options and see what I wanted todo. I retreated. Just as COVID
hit, was considering options inhow to run classes out of my
(03:15):
home gym. So pivot again.Enrolled and finished my MBA at
the, Australian Institute ofBusiness and my master's in
kinesiology at the CaliforniaBaptist University during long
it was just doing long distanceeducation had gotten easier
during this time due to COVID,but, took a lot of self
(03:36):
discipline and hard work.
I did school every day, six toeight hours a day, and, still
managed to find time to travel,but, got all the assignments
done. Lots of video work for allmovements and, you know, labs
and stuff, and had to, you know,order equipment from Amazon to
get in so that I could completethe labs. I completed the MBA in
August 2020 and the master ofkinesiology in December 2023.
(03:58):
And so here I sit in recoveryfrom surgery that I was told I
would go deaf from. Haven't gonedeaf, not yet at least.
It went better than expected.The removal of a glomus
tympanicum in my right earrequired an extraction of my
right eardrum and a blind slackclosure on that ear. When my
(04:18):
surgeon saw me on my firstcheckup after four weeks, he
said, keep doing what you'redoing. So I am. I'm Ari products
with Danielle Milan Sun andHuman Grace Supplements Michelle
Phile.
Find them at danny m cameron onInstagram and it's michelle
phile on Insta. That's Danny mCameron, d a n I m c a m e r o n
(04:39):
on Instagram, and I t It'sMichelle Phile, I t s m I c h e
l l p f I l e on Insta. Theypivoted to a different
experiences at Beachbody,Nailbody, and have built, you
know, a strong foundation inthese new businesses of theirs.
Happy to be a customer because Iknow that those supplements are
helping my recovery. I am stillmyself a body affiliate and a
(05:01):
super patch consultant.
Those patches have also kept megoing in recovery, helping with
sleep and stress daily. But whatare the lessons? Because I have
to tell you, I'm a constantstudent in life, not just for
the certifications I have, butfor how to interact with
everyone around me in my world.To add value to my friendships
and my relationship with mypartner, to jump into a world
where I believe love can conquerfear and hate. In July 2019, I
(05:24):
made the trip to seduction ofspirit in Hawaii.
I was looking for answers. I hadmade the decision to pursue the
Primordial Sound Meditationteacher certification. So, you
know, together with the TraffordCenter, we handle this education
through distance education andtesting. It led me to realize my
fuel in love, that love is love,and that it is a shared belief
with some of our spiritualleaders for our society. Here's
(05:46):
one.
Deepak Chopra. Deepak Chopra isan Indian American author,
speaker, and prominent figure inthe field of integrative
medicine, spirituality, andpersonal transformation. He's
best known for blending Westernmedicine with Eastern
philosophical and healingtraditions, particularly those
from Ayurveda and Vedanta.Chopra is considered one of most
influential figures in the newage and mind body wellness
(06:06):
movements. Deepak Chopra wasborn on 10/22/1946 in New Delhi,
India.
His father, doctor KrishanChopra, was a prominent
cardiologist and served as aphysician to India's army.
Inspired by his father, Deepakinitially pursued a conventional
medical path. He studiedmedicine at All India Institute
of Medical Sciences in New Delhiand immigrated to United States
(06:29):
in nineteen seventy seventy tofurther his medical training. He
completed residencies ininternal medicine and
endocrinology and became boardcertified. Chopra also taught at
Tufts University and BostonUniversity Medical Schools and
worked as chief of staff at NewEngland Memorial Hospital.
By the nineteen eighties, Choprabecame disillusioned with the
(06:50):
pharmaceutical driven approachof Western medicine. His
interest in holistic health,meditation, and Ayurveda,
India's traditional system ofmedicine, led him to explore
alternative approaches tohealing. Deepak Chopra's
perspective on love is rooted inboth spiritual tradition and
quantum consciousness, blendingeastern wisdom with modern mind
body science. For Chopra, loveis not merely an emotion or
(07:12):
relationship status. It is theultimate reality and the highest
form of intelligence.
In relationships with others, heemphasizes that love must be
based on authenticity, presence,and spiritual connection rather
than control, possession, orneed. True love arises when we
see the divine in each other andrecognize that we are not
separate beings but reflectionsof the same universal
(07:35):
consciousness. Chopra teachesthat healthy relationships begin
with the self. He often says,you cannot give what you do not
have. Cultivating self love, notrooted in ego, but in the
awareness of one's inherentwholeness is foundational.
When individuals becomeconscious of their true nature,
which he describes as purepotentiality or spirit, their
(07:56):
relationship shifts from fear,dependency, and judgment to
compassion, acceptance, and joy.Love in this context is not
something we fall into. It'ssomething we become. In a
broader cosmic sense, Chopperviews love as the binding force
of the universe. It is theenergy that creates, sustains,
and connects all things.
The more we align ourselves withlove through mindfulness,
(08:17):
meditation, and consciousliving, the more we feel
connected not only to thoseclose to us, but to the entire
web of existence. This universallove is unconditional and
transcends from time andseparation. It is what allows us
to experience unity with nature,with humanity, and ultimately
with the divine. In Chopra'steachings, to live is in love is
(08:38):
to live in alignment with thecreative intelligence of the
universe. Deepak Chopra viewslove as the fundamental essence
that connects us to ourselves,to others, and to the universe.
Chopper emphasizes that truelove begins with self awareness.
When we are fully present andaware of our inner self, our
pure consciousness, we becomealigned with the source of all
love. This alignment enables usto form deeper, more authentic
(09:00):
connections with others, rootedin compassion, empathy, and
mutual respect rather than needor attachment. In relationships,
Chopper encourages us to movebeyond transactional or
conditional love. Instead, heteaches the importance of being
love, radiating acceptance andappreciation without trying to
control or possess.
He often refers to love as astate of being rather than
(09:22):
doing. In the state we don'tfall in love, we rise in love,
expanding our capacity tounderstand, forgive, and nurture
others. Love becomes an energyexchange, not a negotiation. On
a universal level, Chopra tieslove to the field of pure
potentiality, the infinitecreative intelligence that
covers all life. He teaches thatwhen we cultivate love through
practices like meditationmindfulness and intentional
(09:43):
presence, we choose ourselves tothe divine order of the cosmos.
Love then becomes a bridgebetween the human and the
divine. It's through love thatwe experience unity, transcend
separation, and access deeperlevels of spiritual truth.
Ultimately, Deepak Chopra's takeon love in relationships as a
spiritual path. It's aninvitation to evolve, to see
others not as separate beings,but as mirrors of our own soul,
(10:06):
and to recognize love as themost healing and transformative
force in the universe. During my'20 19 seduction of spirit
retreats in Hawaii with theTrappa Center, we heard from Ron
Dass.
This is about about a month orso before he passed, but he gave
a meditation. And so I'mmentioning him here. I may not
(10:29):
agree with his complete methods,but I can tell you that he has
wisdom in his teachings. Andlike anything, including like
I've talked to on previouspodcasts about the nutrition
buffet, there's also spiritualand soulful buffet. But I'm
putting it Ram Dass because theyhim and chief actober share a
deeply aligned belief system onlove as a transformative
(10:49):
spiritual force that transcendsego, attachment, and fear.
Both view love not as emotiondependent on circumstances or
others' behavior, but as a stateof consciousness and an inner
awareness that connects us toour highest self, each other,
and the divine. Ram Dass, knownfor be here now, teaches that
love is our true nature. Hisspiritual journey influenced by
(11:10):
Hinduism and his guru, NeemKaroli Baba, led him to embrace
loving awareness as the essenceof enlightenment. He believed
that if we let go of ego andjudgment, what remains is
unconditional love. Similarly,Deepak Chopra emphasizes that
love arises from pureconsciousness, the universal
field that connects all life.
For Chopra, love is theexpression of that field in
(11:31):
human form accessible throughmeditation, presence, and inner
stillness. Both teachers rejectthe idea of love as something to
be earned, possessed, or lost.Instead, they urge us to be
loved, to live from a place ofcompassion, empathy, and unity.
This philosophy is profoundlyimportant for society today. In
a world often dominated bydivision, fear, and
(11:52):
transactional relationships,their teachings invite us to
return to a state ofconnectedness and authenticity.
When individuals recognize loveas a state of being rather than
a fleeting emotion, it createsthe foundation for more
compassionate families,communities, and institutions.
Ram Dass and Deepak Chopra offertimeless wisdom that love
grounded in awareness and soulis not only who we are, but also
(12:13):
the healing force we mosturgently need. Their shared
belief reminds us that as weevolve spiritually, we help
shape a more peaceful, consciousworld. Oprah Winfrey's belief in
love and acceptance is alignedwith Ram Dass and Deepak Chopra.
Oprah Winfrey, one of the mostinfluential culture figures of
our time, shares a deep rootedbelief in love and acceptance
(12:35):
that closely aligns with theteachings of spiritual leaders
like Ram Dass and Deepak Chopra.
Though Oprah's platform is moremainstream and media driven, her
spiritual philosophy expressedthrough decades of interviews,
conversations, and personalreflections mirrors the core
insights shared by Chopra andRam Dass, that love is not
merely romantic or emotional,but a transformative conscious
(12:55):
state of being. For Oprah, loveand acceptance are not optional
luxuries. They're essentialtools for self realization,
healing, and creating a morecompassionate society. At the
heart of Oprah's message is theidea that everyone is worthy of
love simply because they exist.This mirrors Ram Dass' teachings
that we are all divine souls ona human journey and that real
(13:15):
love arises when we see beyondthe ego and connect with the
soul and another person.
Oprah often speaks about theimportance of seeing and being
seen, what she calls the humandesire to know. Do you see me?
Do you hear me? Does what I saymatter to you? This need for
recognition and unconditionalacceptance reflects Ram Dass'
emphasis on loving awareness,where we witness and hold space
(13:36):
for others without judgment oragenda.
Similarly, Oprah's belief is thein the power of presence, of
being fully in the moment, is afoundational principle on the
work of both Chopra and RamDass. She frequently credits
Eckhart Tolle and her work withDeepak Chopra for deepening her
understanding of the presentmoment as the gateway to love,
joy, and peace. Hercollaborations with Chopra on
(13:58):
meditation experiencesintroduced millions to concepts
like non attachment, innerpeace, and universal love. These
practices emphasize the truelove begins within by accepting
ourselves fully and releasingthe mental stories of lack,
unworthiness, and separation.Oprah's journey through trauma,
self doubt, and healing has alsogiven her a powerful voice in
advocating for self compassion.
(14:19):
Like Chopra who teaches thatself love is a reflection of
spiritual consciousness, Oprahbelieves that embracing your own
truth, flaws, wounds, and all isan act of courage and grace. She
often says, you are enough,echoing the same soul level
affirmation that both Ram Dassand Chopra teach, that love
doesn't have to be earned, it iswhat we are. When we fully
(14:41):
accept ourselves, we naturallyextend love and acceptance to
others. On a society level,Oprah uses her platform to
amplify amplify these spiritualtruths. She champions empathy,
mindfulness, forgiveness, andvulnerability, encouraging
people to live with intentionand to foster meaningful
connections.
Like Ram Dass, who taught thatserving others is a form of love
and action, Oprah believes thatwe are taught or we're called,
(15:03):
sorry, to use our lives andservice to others. Whether
through philanthonyphilanthropy, storytelling, or
soul centered conversations, sheurges people to see the divine
in themselves and others. Inconclusion, Oprah Winfrey
embodies and shares the samebelief system on love and
acceptance that Ram Dass andDeepak Chopra explore through
their spiritual work. All threesee love as the essence of our
being and not something to chaseor control, but to awaken within
(15:26):
and offer freely. They remind usthat acceptance is not passive.
It's a powerful force forhealing, connection, and
awakening. In a world often tornby judgment and fear, their
collective wisdom offers a pathback to our shared humanity and
the universal truth that lovewhen lived from the soul can
change everything. What I wannashare with this message of
(15:46):
recovery from surgery, from myglomus tympanicum, is that I
honestly believe that the loveof my friends and family at the
time who helped support methrough it was really something
I leaned into. That's somethingthat I have to say, finding love
with a partner like I have forthe past few years has been the
(16:06):
most rewarding, most fulfillingexperience. And knowing that I
just have to dive back into selfmeditation, self compassion, and
care for myself so that I canexpress love and feel love for
my partner has been fantastic.
It is probably one of thehardest tests. I know, for
example, people think, I go tomeditate and I zone out and I'm
(16:30):
and that's it. I'm all zen, andthen I go back to work and
everything's fine. What whatChopra teaches us or taught me
at least is that when you domeditation, you're gonna try to
find a presence in what's calledthe gap, which is like a state
of deeper consciousness. And asyou dip into the gap, you come
back into, a better presentmind, a better awareness.
(16:51):
So while you are trying to dothis, you can experience random
thoughts while you meditate. Andwhat you wanna do is acknowledge
and bless and release and let itgo into a totally different
background so that you are not aslave to the thoughts that you
are driving that day, so thatyou are not out of control of
(17:13):
your own ability to provideyourself with peace. It is
taught in yoga that we are notin control, that we need to
accept that we have an, youknow, outside universe, that we
have an outside influenceguiding us and helping us
through the day. But what Iwanna tell you is that all of
these tools are here to help youfind something I believe that we
all lack sometimes, is selflove. And once we have self love
(17:37):
and self awareness, then as saidin previous recordings, we can
share love and find a love withothers around us.
And what I wanted to share withyou today is that my recovery
from surgery has been fantasticdue to the love that I've tapped
into from professionals likeDanielle and Michelle for Amari
and Hugh and Grace because theylove what they do. They love
(18:00):
sharing the products, but theyalso understand that they went
through some trauma with aprevious experience and are now
working to help others throughself awareness and compassion as
they went through this traumaand finding products and
services that improve and helpthe lives of others. It may
sound a little transactional,but what I can tell you is that
(18:23):
these two women operate from thedepth of their being to try to
improve people's lives aroundthem. And I'm very happy I'm
part of their circle. I'm veryhappy that I'm one of their
clients and the products work.
Search and said, keep doing whatyou're doing. So, you know,
until until I pass, I will bemeditating and dipping into
Chopra's belief of the gap,pulling in the present moment so
(18:45):
I can find calm amidst the stormof life. I mean, every day, we
have something going on thenews, something happening
politically, spiritually, youknow, physically. Let's, you
know, dip into that gap, findour calm, and reset, and
discover our shared humanity,and open our hearts to love.
That's all for now.
Yours in health, Tara.
This is the EWN Podcast Network.
Hi. I'm Tara from Plus Fitness with Tara.
I'm a
curvy, fun, body positive coach and personal trainer. I
love business and fitness. Doyou have the tools you need to
be a rock star in fitness? Ahealthy love of yourself and
help from me in sifting throughhealth news will do that. I've
got fitness topics and guests.
(00:21):
Rock stars aren't born. They'rebred in experience and fire.
Let's do this together.
Hello, and welcome Plus Fitness with Tara, the podcast.
Today's episode, I am talkingabout my recovery, my recovery
from a benign tumor. I justwanna share with you. I don't
know. I don't personally, Idon't know if I was naive.
(00:42):
I mean, maybe. Maybe I justthought my entire life I'd go
without any serious problems.You know, brought on by
surviving Canada Revenue Agencyinvestigation on my dad's estate
that lasted six years andresulted in his estate being
kept open for over fourteenyears after his passing. Trying
to run my first business inshort film and video content was
almost impossible at that time.To this day, I make sure my
(01:04):
texts have their t's crossed andi's dotted perfectly because my
first business suffered, and myenthusiasm for the film industry
died pretty fast withpoliticians closing the tax
credit for any work beingbrought in to the province from
away.
So when I was considering growthinto a marketing agency work and
launch film content, I reallyhad to ask myself, is this what
I wanted to do? I went to theBanff Media Festival, networked,
(01:27):
you know, talked to people, andbasically, I just, you know, had
to take a pause. And during thattime, I also had to say goodbye
to a lot of people along the wayfor financial reasons. So it
wasn't for me. I jumped ship.
I changed industries and usededucation and testing by coaches
training institute to become acertified coach. I explored
(01:48):
wellness options with mynonprofit at the time called NS
Fit for You and my walking clubcalled Find Your Feet. I still
have that walking club Find YourFeet, but we haven't done much
this past year as I've been inrecovery. But these are all
things I had worked on during mybusiness undergraduate study at
Mount Saint Vincent Universityin Bedford, Nova Scotia. The
(02:08):
first business, Charlie MackProductions, I was diagnosed
with adrenal fatigue.
Cortisol levels were tested andfound to be too high. Well, not
surprising considering thefinancial stress I was going
through. The second business, myfitness club with two locations,
I thought was going well, youknow, going through different
things with personal trainersand, you know, working on
clients and gaining more groundand getting a better location.
(02:31):
You know, I even worked on myown certification so I could
fill in with personal trainerscalled in sick or change club
professions. But then, you know,I had, like, a little bit of a
health scare.
I was diagnosed with plaquebuildup in the choroid artery in
my neck. I was told I lookedlike a 65 year old smoker
instead of someone who had justdone training for half marathons
and walk runs and soul sistersand the whole thing. So, you
(02:53):
know, what do you do? I have topivot. So I pivoted during that
time once again with my secondbusiness.
And then finally, a heart issuein 2019 at the Soul Sisters race
made me realize that I had to,you know, really reconsider my
options and see what I wanted todo. I retreated. Just as COVID
hit, was considering options inhow to run classes out of my
(03:15):
home gym. So pivot again.Enrolled and finished my MBA at
the, Australian Institute ofBusiness and my master's in
kinesiology at the CaliforniaBaptist University during long
it was just doing long distanceeducation had gotten easier
during this time due to COVID,but, took a lot of self
(03:36):
discipline and hard work.
I did school every day, six toeight hours a day, and, still
managed to find time to travel,but, got all the assignments
done. Lots of video work for allmovements and, you know, labs
and stuff, and had to, you know,order equipment from Amazon to
get in so that I could completethe labs. I completed the MBA in
August 2020 and the master ofkinesiology in December 2023.
(03:58):
And so here I sit in recoveryfrom surgery that I was told I
would go deaf from. Haven't gonedeaf, not yet at least.
It went better than expected.The removal of a glomus
tympanicum in my right earrequired an extraction of my
right eardrum and a blind slackclosure on that ear. When my
(04:18):
surgeon saw me on my firstcheckup after four weeks, he
said, keep doing what you'redoing. So I am. I'm Ari products
with Danielle Milan Sun andHuman Grace Supplements Michelle
Phile.
Find them at danny m cameron onInstagram and it's michelle
phile on Insta. That's Danny mCameron, d a n I m c a m e r o n
(04:39):
on Instagram, and I t It'sMichelle Phile, I t s m I c h e
l l p f I l e on Insta. Theypivoted to a different
experiences at Beachbody,Nailbody, and have built, you
know, a strong foundation inthese new businesses of theirs.
Happy to be a customer because Iknow that those supplements are
helping my recovery. I am stillmyself a body affiliate and a
(05:01):
super patch consultant.
Those patches have also kept megoing in recovery, helping with
sleep and stress daily. But whatare the lessons? Because I have
to tell you, I'm a constantstudent in life, not just for
the certifications I have, butfor how to interact with
everyone around me in my world.To add value to my friendships
and my relationship with mypartner, to jump into a world
where I believe love can conquerfear and hate. In July 2019, I
(05:24):
made the trip to seduction ofspirit in Hawaii.
I was looking for answers. I hadmade the decision to pursue the
Primordial Sound Meditationteacher certification. So, you
know, together with the TraffordCenter, we handle this education
through distance education andtesting. It led me to realize my
fuel in love, that love is love,and that it is a shared belief
with some of our spiritualleaders for our society. Here's
(05:46):
one.
Deepak Chopra. Deepak Chopra isan Indian American author,
speaker, and prominent figure inthe field of integrative
medicine, spirituality, andpersonal transformation. He's
best known for blending Westernmedicine with Eastern
philosophical and healingtraditions, particularly those
from Ayurveda and Vedanta.Chopra is considered one of most
influential figures in the newage and mind body wellness
(06:06):
movements. Deepak Chopra wasborn on 10/22/1946 in New Delhi,
India.
His father, doctor KrishanChopra, was a prominent
cardiologist and served as aphysician to India's army.
Inspired by his father, Deepakinitially pursued a conventional
medical path. He studiedmedicine at All India Institute
of Medical Sciences in New Delhiand immigrated to United States
(06:29):
in nineteen seventy seventy tofurther his medical training. He
completed residencies ininternal medicine and
endocrinology and became boardcertified. Chopra also taught at
Tufts University and BostonUniversity Medical Schools and
worked as chief of staff at NewEngland Memorial Hospital.
By the nineteen eighties, Choprabecame disillusioned with the
(06:50):
pharmaceutical driven approachof Western medicine. His
interest in holistic health,meditation, and Ayurveda,
India's traditional system ofmedicine, led him to explore
alternative approaches tohealing. Deepak Chopra's
perspective on love is rooted inboth spiritual tradition and
quantum consciousness, blendingeastern wisdom with modern mind
body science. For Chopra, loveis not merely an emotion or
(07:12):
relationship status. It is theultimate reality and the highest
form of intelligence.
In relationships with others, heemphasizes that love must be
based on authenticity, presence,and spiritual connection rather
than control, possession, orneed. True love arises when we
see the divine in each other andrecognize that we are not
separate beings but reflectionsof the same universal
(07:35):
consciousness. Chopra teachesthat healthy relationships begin
with the self. He often says,you cannot give what you do not
have. Cultivating self love, notrooted in ego, but in the
awareness of one's inherentwholeness is foundational.
When individuals becomeconscious of their true nature,
which he describes as purepotentiality or spirit, their
(07:56):
relationship shifts from fear,dependency, and judgment to
compassion, acceptance, and joy.Love in this context is not
something we fall into. It'ssomething we become. In a
broader cosmic sense, Chopperviews love as the binding force
of the universe. It is theenergy that creates, sustains,
and connects all things.
The more we align ourselves withlove through mindfulness,
(08:17):
meditation, and consciousliving, the more we feel
connected not only to thoseclose to us, but to the entire
web of existence. This universallove is unconditional and
transcends from time andseparation. It is what allows us
to experience unity with nature,with humanity, and ultimately
with the divine. In Chopra'steachings, to live is in love is
(08:38):
to live in alignment with thecreative intelligence of the
universe. Deepak Chopra viewslove as the fundamental essence
that connects us to ourselves,to others, and to the universe.
Chopper emphasizes that truelove begins with self awareness.
When we are fully present andaware of our inner self, our
pure consciousness, we becomealigned with the source of all
love. This alignment enables usto form deeper, more authentic
(09:00):
connections with others, rootedin compassion, empathy, and
mutual respect rather than needor attachment. In relationships,
Chopper encourages us to movebeyond transactional or
conditional love. Instead, heteaches the importance of being
love, radiating acceptance andappreciation without trying to
control or possess.
He often refers to love as astate of being rather than
(09:22):
doing. In the state we don'tfall in love, we rise in love,
expanding our capacity tounderstand, forgive, and nurture
others. Love becomes an energyexchange, not a negotiation. On
a universal level, Chopra tieslove to the field of pure
potentiality, the infinitecreative intelligence that
covers all life. He teaches thatwhen we cultivate love through
practices like meditationmindfulness and intentional
(09:43):
presence, we choose ourselves tothe divine order of the cosmos.
Love then becomes a bridgebetween the human and the
divine. It's through love thatwe experience unity, transcend
separation, and access deeperlevels of spiritual truth.
Ultimately, Deepak Chopra's takeon love in relationships as a
spiritual path. It's aninvitation to evolve, to see
others not as separate beings,but as mirrors of our own soul,
(10:06):
and to recognize love as themost healing and transformative
force in the universe. During my'20 19 seduction of spirit
retreats in Hawaii with theTrappa Center, we heard from Ron
Dass.
This is about about a month orso before he passed, but he gave
a meditation. And so I'mmentioning him here. I may not
(10:29):
agree with his complete methods,but I can tell you that he has
wisdom in his teachings. Andlike anything, including like
I've talked to on previouspodcasts about the nutrition
buffet, there's also spiritualand soulful buffet. But I'm
putting it Ram Dass because theyhim and chief actober share a
deeply aligned belief system onlove as a transformative
(10:49):
spiritual force that transcendsego, attachment, and fear.
Both view love not as emotiondependent on circumstances or
others' behavior, but as a stateof consciousness and an inner
awareness that connects us toour highest self, each other,
and the divine. Ram Dass, knownfor be here now, teaches that
love is our true nature. Hisspiritual journey influenced by
(11:10):
Hinduism and his guru, NeemKaroli Baba, led him to embrace
loving awareness as the essenceof enlightenment. He believed
that if we let go of ego andjudgment, what remains is
unconditional love. Similarly,Deepak Chopra emphasizes that
love arises from pureconsciousness, the universal
field that connects all life.
For Chopra, love is theexpression of that field in
(11:31):
human form accessible throughmeditation, presence, and inner
stillness. Both teachers rejectthe idea of love as something to
be earned, possessed, or lost.Instead, they urge us to be
loved, to live from a place ofcompassion, empathy, and unity.
This philosophy is profoundlyimportant for society today. In
a world often dominated bydivision, fear, and
(11:52):
transactional relationships,their teachings invite us to
return to a state ofconnectedness and authenticity.
When individuals recognize loveas a state of being rather than
a fleeting emotion, it createsthe foundation for more
compassionate families,communities, and institutions.
Ram Dass and Deepak Chopra offertimeless wisdom that love
grounded in awareness and soulis not only who we are, but also
(12:13):
the healing force we mosturgently need. Their shared
belief reminds us that as weevolve spiritually, we help
shape a more peaceful, consciousworld. Oprah Winfrey's belief in
love and acceptance is alignedwith Ram Dass and Deepak Chopra.
Oprah Winfrey, one of the mostinfluential culture figures of
our time, shares a deep rootedbelief in love and acceptance
(12:35):
that closely aligns with theteachings of spiritual leaders
like Ram Dass and Deepak Chopra.
Though Oprah's platform is moremainstream and media driven, her
spiritual philosophy expressedthrough decades of interviews,
conversations, and personalreflections mirrors the core
insights shared by Chopra andRam Dass, that love is not
merely romantic or emotional,but a transformative conscious
(12:55):
state of being. For Oprah, loveand acceptance are not optional
luxuries. They're essentialtools for self realization,
healing, and creating a morecompassionate society. At the
heart of Oprah's message is theidea that everyone is worthy of
love simply because they exist.This mirrors Ram Dass' teachings
that we are all divine souls ona human journey and that real
(13:15):
love arises when we see beyondthe ego and connect with the
soul and another person.
Oprah often speaks about theimportance of seeing and being
seen, what she calls the humandesire to know. Do you see me?
Do you hear me? Does what I saymatter to you? This need for
recognition and unconditionalacceptance reflects Ram Dass'
emphasis on loving awareness,where we witness and hold space
(13:36):
for others without judgment oragenda.
Similarly, Oprah's belief is thein the power of presence, of
being fully in the moment, is afoundational principle on the
work of both Chopra and RamDass. She frequently credits
Eckhart Tolle and her work withDeepak Chopra for deepening her
understanding of the presentmoment as the gateway to love,
joy, and peace. Hercollaborations with Chopra on
(13:58):
meditation experiencesintroduced millions to concepts
like non attachment, innerpeace, and universal love. These
practices emphasize the truelove begins within by accepting
ourselves fully and releasingthe mental stories of lack,
unworthiness, and separation.Oprah's journey through trauma,
self doubt, and healing has alsogiven her a powerful voice in
advocating for self compassion.
(14:19):
Like Chopra who teaches thatself love is a reflection of
spiritual consciousness, Oprahbelieves that embracing your own
truth, flaws, wounds, and all isan act of courage and grace. She
often says, you are enough,echoing the same soul level
affirmation that both Ram Dassand Chopra teach, that love
doesn't have to be earned, it iswhat we are. When we fully
(14:41):
accept ourselves, we naturallyextend love and acceptance to
others. On a society level,Oprah uses her platform to
amplify amplify these spiritualtruths. She champions empathy,
mindfulness, forgiveness, andvulnerability, encouraging
people to live with intentionand to foster meaningful
connections.
Like Ram Dass, who taught thatserving others is a form of love
and action, Oprah believes thatwe are taught or we're called,
(15:03):
sorry, to use our lives andservice to others. Whether
through philanthonyphilanthropy, storytelling, or
soul centered conversations, sheurges people to see the divine
in themselves and others. Inconclusion, Oprah Winfrey
embodies and shares the samebelief system on love and
acceptance that Ram Dass andDeepak Chopra explore through
their spiritual work. All threesee love as the essence of our
being and not something to chaseor control, but to awaken within
(15:26):
and offer freely. They remind usthat acceptance is not passive.
It's a powerful force forhealing, connection, and
awakening. In a world often tornby judgment and fear, their
collective wisdom offers a pathback to our shared humanity and
the universal truth that lovewhen lived from the soul can
change everything. What I wannashare with this message of
(15:46):
recovery from surgery, from myglomus tympanicum, is that I
honestly believe that the loveof my friends and family at the
time who helped support methrough it was really something
I leaned into. That's somethingthat I have to say, finding love
with a partner like I have forthe past few years has been the
(16:06):
most rewarding, most fulfillingexperience. And knowing that I
just have to dive back into selfmeditation, self compassion, and
care for myself so that I canexpress love and feel love for
my partner has been fantastic.
It is probably one of thehardest tests. I know, for
example, people think, I go tomeditate and I zone out and I'm
(16:30):
and that's it. I'm all zen, andthen I go back to work and
everything's fine. What whatChopra teaches us or taught me
at least is that when you domeditation, you're gonna try to
find a presence in what's calledthe gap, which is like a state
of deeper consciousness. And asyou dip into the gap, you come
back into, a better presentmind, a better awareness.
(16:51):
So while you are trying to dothis, you can experience random
thoughts while you meditate. Andwhat you wanna do is acknowledge
and bless and release and let itgo into a totally different
background so that you are not aslave to the thoughts that you
are driving that day, so thatyou are not out of control of
(17:13):
your own ability to provideyourself with peace. It is
taught in yoga that we are notin control, that we need to
accept that we have an, youknow, outside universe, that we
have an outside influenceguiding us and helping us
through the day. But what Iwanna tell you is that all of
these tools are here to help youfind something I believe that we
all lack sometimes, is selflove. And once we have self love
(17:37):
and self awareness, then as saidin previous recordings, we can
share love and find a love withothers around us.
And what I wanted to share withyou today is that my recovery
from surgery has been fantasticdue to the love that I've tapped
into from professionals likeDanielle and Michelle for Amari
and Hugh and Grace because theylove what they do. They love
(18:00):
sharing the products, but theyalso understand that they went
through some trauma with aprevious experience and are now
working to help others throughself awareness and compassion as
they went through this traumaand finding products and
services that improve and helpthe lives of others. It may
sound a little transactional,but what I can tell you is that
(18:23):
these two women operate from thedepth of their being to try to
improve people's lives aroundthem. And I'm very happy I'm
part of their circle. I'm veryhappy that I'm one of their
clients and the products work.
Search and said, keep doing whatyou're doing. So, you know,
until until I pass, I will bemeditating and dipping into
Chopra's belief of the gap,pulling in the present moment so
(18:45):
I can find calm amidst the stormof life. I mean, every day, we
have something going on thenews, something happening
politically, spiritually, youknow, physically. Let's, you
know, dip into that gap, findour calm, and reset, and
discover our shared humanity,and open our hearts to love.
That's all for now.
Yours in health, Tara.
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