Christopher talks about his sleep difficulties, use of a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, and lack of energy. He shares his experience with a special yogic breathing and meditation sequence, which inspired the "best sleep since he was a child."
Dr. Vie
Welcome to Dr. Vie Radio where we chat with some interesting Souls around our planet. In 2012 we launched an online Mind-Body-Spirit series of three seminars in the Dr. Vie Academy. The purpose of the seminars was to stimulate an interest to tap into your natural sustainable source of power deep within yourself.
Our guest today is Christopher who had just completed the three seminars. Welcome Christopher.
To listen to the Podcast click here: https://youtu.be/sNf5HE24bM4?si=cnkErHX4bwbrcO_e
Christopher
Hello, how are you?
Dr. Vie
Well, thanks and where are you calling from Christopher?
Christopher
Right now? I am in British Columbia, Canada.
Dr. Vie
Wonderful BC, great, so tell us Christopher, based on the fact that you're in this beautiful area of the world what's your lifestyle?
Christopher
I would consider myself healthy, that's why I was interested in the academy to always learn more. But I exercise every morning. Just to give you a quick rundown:
- I get up every morning usually 5: am
- I'm in the gym at 5:30. I live very close to a gym and I actually chose the area because of my lifestyle and you know for me exercise is a huge part of my my daily regime.
- I meditate daily and
- I try to watch what I eat very closely.
Nutrition has always has been important to me. Nutrition is particularly interesting to me because I know with myself that when I don't eat properly I feel it physically and I also not that I have trouble with my weight, but I can I notice when I'm sensitive to certain foods. And sometimes when I'm not you know particularly good, I'll eat something too much, too many sweets, I'll instantly put on weight the next day, and then that's followed by a day of complete abstinence.
So I'm pretty healthy. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but I eat meat rarely. For the most part I eat a salad every single day for my lunch. I make different salads and I use beans and lentils and different assortments of fruit and vegetables. And other than that I eat a light supper.
I also coach soccer, so I'm usually outside every night on a soccer field so I would say about on average, if I looked at myself and was comparing myself to other people, which I try not to do, I think I'm a fairly healthy individual as far as that goes.
Dr. Vie
Wow that sounds wonderful. So you have this healthy lifestyle, you live in a beautiful region of the world, so Christopher what were you seeking to get out of these seminars? Was there something in your life, or some parts of your life, that you would like to improve?
Christopher
Like I said, for myself, I'm always interested in nutrition because as healthy as I am, I still seem to run out of energy and I seem to also get fatigued. And recently what I started doing was supplementing my diet with vegan protein. So I had started to supplement vegetarian protein, and that helped a little bit but still it really didn't improve my exhaustion. But you know, I seem to gain a little bit more muscle, so that was you know maybe the benefit from that.
And the other thing I want to look at was my sleep. Because I seem to wake up in the morning, and even though I sleep quite well, I actually I have a machine, a sleep-ap machine that I was put on because I always thought I slept very well but they actually tested me for apnea, and I have mild apnea. So they put me on a CPAP machine but still the quality of my sleep never seemed to be deep enough.
So I really wasn't really seeking that, but actually I should say it's one of the benefits I got from the academy, so it was an unexpected benefit from the academy.
And other than that, I always try to get into these things with an open mind just to see what I will learn and to see what different perspectives are of health.
- And what was interesting about the academy was the approach. I don't know how to say it, but it was completely from a complete spiritual approach.
- I found I loved the way that it mixed in your brain and the function of your mental health with your physical health and in the end your spiritual health, and that was really unusual.
- I usually read stuff that's very focused on nutrition and focused on exercise.
- This didn't so much focus on exercise, and a little bit on nutrition, but more on where you were mentally, and the benefits you are getting for your physical wellbeing if you followed these certain steps.
- That was what I was really surprised about. And it was refreshing to be honest.
Dr. Vie
Well that's very good to hear Christopher and you've mentioned a few items of course the nutrition, but you've mentioned something quite interesting, and that is in regard to your sleep. Your sleep patterns. And you said you were not able to sleep or enjoy a deep enough sleep. And then you mentioned that having done the seminars something changed or is changing. Can you talk to us more about that in particular? Which seminar did that? Because there are three seminars. And could you explain to us what you've been incorporating now into your life that's made this difference to you?
Christopher
I always did meditate and meditation is a focus in seminar three. What I encountered was that to actually change the way I meditate. And there's a breathing exercise, and an introduction to meditation, with some great fantastic music. What I now do before I go to sleep is I actually put that seminar three on, and then I practice the breathing. That you put us through the actual steps, and you begin counting, and I'm able to focus on the counting through my breathing, and get into a state where I'm relaxed. And then and the music comes on and for four minutes. You listen to that music. And what's happened in the night before was, the music stopped. And it must have been maybe 8 to 10 minutes later I kind of came out of it. I was very deep in a in a meditative state. And I used to meditate usually every morning right after I work-out. I will go into the sauna and hot tub and I will meditate then and I thought that was just you know the great way to start my day off and it is, but I don't think I was getting the benefits that I was missing out on doing that process at night.
And one of the other things the academy taught me was that my sleeping area should just be a sleeping area. Because what I'll do is I'll go into bed and I will start reading, and I get sidetracked. So what I did is I don't read anymore in my room. And after I meditate I go straight into bed, and I say a quick prayer and I get into bed. And I just seem to go very quickly to sleep, and I seem to get very deeply into sleep. I don't remember waking up in the night. Usually I will get up and go pee, and but that I don't do that for the last I would say three or four nights. I'm pretty sure I haven't.
And I also know that I dream and my dreams are very vivid and they're very, very, deep and almost lucid-like. I wake up in the morning and I can remember quite a bit of them and it's been amazing kaleidoscopes of colors. It's bizarre! It's almost like a trip! But that's what's been happening. And in my day I noticed that I seem to be calmer and I just seem to wake up and I feel like I've rested.
And that hasn't happened to me in a long time, I think since I was a child. And I went to the doctor two years ago seeking a solution to my sleep problem and they put me on a sleep-ap machine and that helped a little, but it's nothing like the benefits I've been receiving from the meditation at night, not nowhere near.
Dr. Vie
So interesting that you say that. And I'll bring up another topic here because as you mentioned each of the seminars are linked, and they do also focus on the brain and the spirit a lot. That really pulls into play an entire holistic approach to health and wellness and one of the seminars as well tests the body type.
And you have a particular body type. And because of that, different times of the day affect you differently. So because you've now pushed the meditation or included it in the night routine it has actually helped your body to balance itself. So that's also very interesting to me to see it actually in practice with you. Because I've been also reading your comments and noting which pitta dominance you have. And then to guide you through that as well. Because each person is unique. Your body is unique but also your body type changes over time, it's seasonal as well, so all of these aspects need to be taken into account. And we've seen it now in practice with your sleep patterns being changed. So that's very positive Christopher I'm very happy for you.
So tell me from some of the tips that you've been of course practicing, have there been others that you've included into your routine? The other health tips?
Christopher
Yes well to be honest with you, when I went through the lists, that was one part of the seminars, I was kind of actually happy. Because I believe that was in the first seminar, you were able to look at your current health status, there was a questionnaire and that kind of established for me, okay here's where I'm at right now. And then of course we talked about reversing damage in that seminar as well. So that's good. If I know what problems I've caused, there's also a solution, there's also hope for any of the damage that I've caused in the past. And then I liked that there was the health tips, and when I read through the health tips, I was actually happy that most of those I actually do already in my day. But I just wasn't doing them the right way. And that was what I think was the most important thing for me. All the little details right. I mean getting into the way of arranging your room. You know those kinds of aspects. Getting into seminar two, and talking about body type. I had no idea about that. That was completely like wow! I had no idea, and I consider myself pretty well read as far as health goes. But it's all in Western health philosophy and this was a real eyeopener because there's thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom in the academy that you now have access to.
And the one thing I would say about the academy, that all I was left with was a craving to learn more. What I was missing. I wanted to learn more and more and more about pitta dominance and so I'm hoping that the academy almost has little subcategories where you can veer off. Because you could literally spend a lifetime just reading and reading about all of the little aspects to health as far as the individual goes. Because you're right, you tend to get put into a category in Western health, like a one- size fits all. And we're not. You know our fingerprints? We are individually fingerprinted for a reason. There's nobody like us, and so why would we all have the same patterns as far as health? And why would we all expect to have the same results if we did the same things? So that's what I found fascinating.
As far as doing things differently, I've changed up my pattern as far as I've kind of put in a best day now. It's in my exercise regime where I won't just focus on doing weights and cardio, but I'll do weights or cardio, and I'll do a day of swimming, just to give my body that bit of a break. And that was after gaining the knowledge and reading about pitta dominance.
So my diet hasn't changed too much, but that's the next thing I want to look at. It’s not about perfection it's about progress, and that's where I'm at right now. I'm going to go back into the Academy and gain you more information and probably spend more time working on writing new comments, so I can get more information back, and really access the site because that's really what's the fantastic thing about it. You've got this at your fingertips, it's great resource. So that's what I've been happy about.
Dr. Vie
Well that's very, very good to hear. And again Christopher, you're in fact at an advanced level in your health. You have a lot of information about health, your lifestyle is very healthy and yet you feel that you've still benefited from this seminar.
So would you recommend the Dr. Vie Academy seminars to others who are in fact at the similar level like yourself, who are have a healthy lifestyle? Do you think they as well can benefit as you have?
Christopher
Oh absolutely! I've actually been telling people about it. I mean to me some of the people that go to the gym I know have similar Lifestyles to me. I've told them about it because I know basically in a way I’m preaching to the choir, but they are captive audiences. They like to know more and more about their health especially at the age I'm at. I'm middle-aged and health is a concern because basically the philosophy that I have is, if you don't use it, you're going to lose it. And unfortunately, there are a lot of people that I do know that live unhealthy lifestyles. And those people I always try to tell, you know you should look at this these are these as an easy resource. I am fortunate that people come to ask me a lot about health because they see how I eat and they see I am healthy. That I look healthy, so I do get a lot of questions. And recently a friend of mine at work came to me and asked me, and I was able to actually use some of the things that I learned in the seminar in regards to the top healthy tips. I mean are you using alcohol are you, do you eat red meat every single day, what is your exercise, and how's your emotional well-being, do you feel balanced or do you feel anxious? And those are the things that I just learned from the seminar. And that you become a member.
My father just finished a bout with prostate cancer and he was asking me about it, because I was telling him about my sleep. And you know he was curios and he's asked a couple more questions. He's very rigid as well. Whatever his doctor tells him, is what he wants to stick to. But he also has an open mind when he hears that people are having success in different ways with their health. So he's in his 70s and I guarantee you he'll be looking at the site and to get more information for himself.
Personally, I just wanted to say too, the one thing I really enjoyed too was the part about the spirit. That was something you don't always see and rarely see for health. Where are you at, as part of your spirituality? And where is your place in the universe? And you know that was something that got me thinking. I am just a small speck in this big picture and it's important to be a positive influence in your little world around you. I think that that was really healthy to point that it's also not just about you. I mean it's like I said earlier like when I feel healthy and I feel good, I attract healthy people, but I also have people that aren't so healthy come and ask me, and maybe that'll make a change in their lives for the better right? So yeah, great, great resource. I really enjoyed it.
Dr. Vie
Wonderful. So would you also recommend these seminars for a beginner? For someone who is not as advanced as you in their healthy lifestyle? Do you think they could benefit from these seminars as well?
Christopher
Yes absolutely! Yeah. I don't think there's anybody that wouldn’t benefit from it. In fact the one thing I'd like to see in the future is some way to teach parents, or even better, some way to teach children. That one thought was in my mind. Children. And like I've got a teenager and I can see the choices that he makes sometimes in his health. I mean he I coach him at soccer and yada, yada, yada, but I mean his access to health education is limited because he's in a Public School System. But my thoughts were, you know, jeez, if I could get teenagers, especially those that are suffering from obesity which is you know rampant in our society now, and especially among his age group. Fortunately, he's you know he lives in that group of kids that still play sport, and so he's with a healthier group of kids. But at his school during his graduation ceremony I saw some very troubling signs that kids are very overweight and that was the one thing I thought about was how do we get the seminar and and how do we get the academy to these kids? How would they benefit from it? I know they would benefit, so that something to think about in the future I think for the academy and maybe for parents to teach younger children because as far as beginning goes I think the earlier you begin the better off you're going to be. The earlier we start with kids today the the better off we're going to be in the future.
I hope that answers your question.
Dr. Vie
Yes it does and it's very exciting for me Christopher because my goal actually is to focus on the youngsters and as to get them at an earlier age than ever.
And you're actually tapping into your spirituality right now Christopher because you're trying to help the planet. You know in the best way possible is to actually help our youngsters because they really can change the world. Yes we're much older, we can change a few aspects of our lives, but the life of our plant is really truly in the hands of our youngsters and so that is tapping into your spirit Christopher. That's great. Didn't know you were doing that, did you?
Christopher
No I did not. (Laughs)
Dr. Vie
So that's wonderful. I so glad that you could benefit from this, and that you're enthused about it. And yes so with the next series of seminars is looking at several of the aspects that many of our members have commented on, and would like more information about, so it's very important to go ahead put in all your questions all your comments, about anything that you want for us to include, and for me to include in the live question and answer webinar sessions, during which you can actually pose questions and I can answer them directly. And I will also have some special guests during the webinars as well from different areas of our planet to answer your questions. So go ahead and ask as many questions as you want and suggest topics that you want more information about as well.
Christopher
Fantastic, yeah for sure the one thing I do want is in seminar 3 part three, there' be good to have an extended version for the meditation. The four minutes is great for people to start but already I love that music, and I love that it just carries me because one of the things you speak about is just letting your mind wander and not try to control your thoughts. And I just find myself floating and I find myself in, you know, I don't even know where I go, but I love that. I'd love to have different options. Like you could extend it up to 10 minutes and so on as you're able to go deeper. I don't know if that's viable or if that's a wise thing but that was something I was thinking about and having different selections. for I assume that different music has different maybe different positive benefits.
Dr. Vie
That's an excellent idea. and you're very right Christopher. Sound vibrations actually stimulate different aspects of our inner being, so depending on what you want to achieve there are different sounds that can help you achieve that. So you you're absolutely right and that is one of the reasons why I selected that short four minute excerpt. And you also mentioned this to me, in fact you started experiencing exactly what I I was intending. Because with the four minutes I was trying to help the members like yourself to try to get into the meditative zone and then as the music stops to do exactly what you did, to continue in your own zone, and that's where the enlightenment begins. And that's where you are right now. Even though the music has stopped you continue with your own meditation that's actually looking at yourself in your purest form.
So I'm very excited about that as well. I want also bring into play different sound mantras to stimulate different vibrations and energy levels, depending on what your needs are you could go ahead and select that.
Christopher
Fantastic well I look forward to more for sure. I just want to thank you too, you know. It's really great. The real reason I really agreed to the interview is because it's just my chance to give back for the time and work that you've put in. You can just really sense that it's pure love that this is done out of, and this is done for us, and it's just fantastic. The benefits I've got I could never repay, so I just wanted to maybe encourage other people to definitely do it. I mean I can't put into words the feeling, just in the last couple of weeks alone, that how much better I feel. So thank you.
Dr. Vie
That's so wonderful to hear Christopher, and you're right, when we do things out of sheer compassion and love it actually triggers something within ourselves, but with people around us as well, and that is one of the keys to our existence. And if we can just truly tap into that then we really do have the key for everlasting happiness, and that's what you're doing right now, you're sharing that as well and you're tapping into your compassionate zone. Which is so wonderful to hear. So I'm happy for you, and I'm happy that you're happy.
So there you go. Okay, is there anything else that we need to discuss, or have we almost tapped into everything?
Christopher
You know to be honest with you, I'm going to go back again and just basically review everything. But look at again the food and regard to how my choices of food relate to my body type and that's where I need to spend time now. Because I mean I went through it once and I did take my time, and I even went through them twice, but now I kind of know the areas where I need to get back to spend a little more time, and a little more energy right you know. I have basically cut breads and gluten, so cereal I got rid of completely. I haven't touched cereal I think since I read that area in seminar one. And so yeah there's some things I definitely have to make some dietary changes and knowledge is power. So that's what I just want to do for my own health, just focus on a couple of those areas and that's about it, keep fine tuning you know. I'm pretty excited about the future now, that's for sure.
Dr. Vie
Well that's good and I'm glad that you're enjoying the homework!
Christopher
You got to do the work. If you don't do the work you're not going to get the benefit. And I think with a something like this people will sit down and not take the time to do it. And the thing I liked about it was that they're broken up into 10 you know five 10-12 minute segments you can spend your the time absorbing it, and then you can go back and look at it. You haven't spent a huge amount of time. You've been able to take some time during your day. Maybe for the regular person they would be able look at it for 10 minutes, they're able to absorb it, and then they're able to put that into practice, do their homework and feel good that they've taken a step one step further into better health. And I think once you start, that moment, you start to crave more and more and more, then you'll spend more time on it and that's what I think these seminars will achieve if someone just takes the time to actually for themselves, and that's really what it is you know, you take the time for yourself, and it's worth it. You're the one who benefits
Dr. Vie
That’s wonderful. I'm glad firstly that you've enjoyed that you've benefited from it and that you also recommend it to others, and I think that's just wonderful. So Christopher thank you so much for your time and well and I wish you all the best in the wonderful area of the world that you're located in, with all nature around you, and wish you all the best and perhaps we could hear you live during one of our webinars and perhaps many of the other members would get a chance to interact with you as well.
Christopher
Absolutely anytime. I really enjoyed it and I look forward to to you know to more experiencing more seminars absolutely fantastic thank you so much.
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