Deepak Chopra Brings One Woman’s Manifesting Journey Full Circle

“Here’s how you manifest your best life,” he said. “It’s the secret of my life. Quiet the mind through meditation and ask yourself these four questions: Who am I? What do I want? What is my purpose? What am I grateful for? Then,” he continued, “Wait for any sensation, image or feeling that comes naturally. Don’t force it.”

“And then?” I asked.

“That’s it,” he said. “Follow the clues. That will create synchronicity — meaningful coincidences, or what I call the spontaneous fulfillment of desire. Your awareness — not your mind — is a field of infinite possibilities. The best life comes when you live from the level of your soul. If you ask, it will organize your best life for you.”

Some scientific evidence for the effects of manifestation

Science may support some of Chopra’s claims. A 2016 Harvard study found that mindfulness meditation could be linked to increased gray-matter density, improved cognitive function and reduced stress. And research from the HeartMath Institute, a nonprofit that studies the connections between the mind and heart, suggests that when people cultivate emotional balance, their bodies synchronize in ways that improve decision-making, well-being and even external experiences. Finally, a 2025 study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found that meditation leads to changes in deep brain areas tied to emotional regulation and memory, which could explain how it influences mindset and manifestation.

Deepak Chopra rendered in AI. The best-selling author and New Age personality is exploring artificial intelligence via a new interactive platform, DeepakChopra.ai.

Courtesy Deepak Chopra

Before my time with Chopra was up, I snuck in one last question. “If I wanted to make one change to feel happier and more aligned, what should it be?” He suggested I visit DeepakChopra.ai — a platform that brings his teachings to life through interactive AI — and ask for The Happiness Formula.

Intrigued, I tried it.

A blue lotus flower spun on the screen before presenting me with the formula for happiness, based on a 2005 study published in the Review of General Psychology. It read: “Happiness (H) = Set Point (S) + Conditions of Living (C) + Voluntary Activities (V): Set Point 50% (S): Our natural predisposition for happiness, influenced by genetics and early experiences. Conditions of Living 10% (C): External circumstances like financial status, relationships, and environment. Voluntary Activities 40% (V): Intentional actions — engaging in meaningful work, fostering relationships, and practicing gratitude — that have the most profound impact.”

Then, just as I was ready to dive deeper, I hit a paywall. That was as far as I was willing to take that line of reasoning.

Still, the words echo those of another mentor, Suzanne Eder, author of What You Want Wants You. During our sessions, she has emphasized slowing down and concentrating on my feelings. What Chopra calls awareness, Eder calls One Source (and others call God) — a loving presence that wants us to be happy.

Signs, signs, everywhere signs 

After my conversations with Chopra and Eder, I noticed that without even trying, my perception of the world was shifting.

Inspired by my Dry January friends, I cut back on drinking. More than one glass of wine ruined my sleep. Instead, I experimented with mocktails — rituals of refreshment that left me clear-headed and, surprisingly, content.

Nature began demanding my attention in ways it never had. I found myself mesmerized by pink and purple clouds scrolling effortlessly behind the skeletal branches of winter trees. Had they always been this beautiful, or was I just now learning how to look?

Melina Bellows' rescue cat, Marky, suddenly became much more affectionate after Bellows began making her way through her manifestation experiment.

Courtesy Melina Bellows

Maybe my vibration — which I still wasn’t sure I believed in — was changing, too. My handsome but aloof rescue cat Marky, who had spent eight years refusing to be held, suddenly started curling up in my lap and purring every time I meditated. It was proof of a life change (his, at least) that was so surprising, I sent photographic evidence to my skeptical college kids.

And some things began falling into place with eerie ease. Inconvenient plans canceled themselves. Invitations arrived out of nowhere — one to an intimate cocktail party where, in a casual conversation over passed crab cakes, I learned about the perfect internship for my daughter. It felt as if the universe were whispering, “See? This is how it works. This is how it has always worked.”

The following week, I made my way to a gleaming classroom at Johns Hopkins’ Washington, D.C., campus to teach my master class, “Joy Ride: How Happiness Can Drive Success in Your Career and Life.” It happened to be Valentine’s Day, a day on which I had no conflicting plans, thanks to my newly single status.

When I returned home, I found a silk bag hanging from my front door. Inside, there was a stone heart with the word “Happiness” etched into it. There was no note, and the mystery made me smile. 

“Synchronicity is how the spirit operates,” Chopra once told me.

This was a sign. Happiness really was on my doorstep.

AARP essays share a point of view in the author’s voice, drawn from expertise or experience, and do not necessarily reflect the views of AARP.