How meditation changed Jay Chodagam’s life (and how it can change your life too)

On this episode of The Health Feast, Dr. Rak and Po welcome their first guest, Jay Chodagam.  Jay is a good friend and spiritual teacher of Dr. Rak. Jay's story really exemplifies the unexpected nature of our lives and the power of meditation in changing the trajectory of our lives. If you've contemplated starting a meditation practice but don't know how to start, this conversation is for you.  Before welcoming Jay, Dr. Rak and Po do their usual mind/body/spirit check-in.  Dr. Rak shares he is working with a virtual Spartan SGX trainer to help him prepare for his next Spartan race.  Dr. Rak’s coach is Keith Stockwell, and you can learn more about Keith’s training plans and services at runliftwin.com The two then welcome Jay to The Health Feast. To begin the conversation, Jay shares his story of going from being an engineer at a Fortune 500 company to becoming a monk and meditation teacher.  While getting his master’s degree in Engineering, Jay realized that a life of fulfillment and service to others trumps a life of achievement. He eventually left a lucrative career in engineering to move into an ashram in San Francisco, where he practiced, taught, and lived as a yogi for 14 years. Jay has centered his life and career around asking how he can be in service to others, and he reflects with Dr. Rak and Po on what a purposeful life in service to others looks and feels like.  As Jay reflects on pursuing his passion, he notes how ignoring the whispers of your calling can be a form of suffering, as your truth will haunt you if you choose to ignore it. Jay talks about why meditation is needed in our lives, particularly with all the distractions we are bombarded with regularly. He shares why everyone should aim to start their day with reflective silence and meditation.    Jay also talks about consistency and getting to a point where your mind and body want to meditate because of how good it feels, which can take some time to develop a habit. The conversation ends with Jay discussing his next pivot in his career, where he looks to fulfill a vision of creating intentional urban villages that will create community and address the epidemic of loneliness our society is experiencing.  To help you get started with a meditation practice, Jay offers a free 21-day meditation challenge to start the New Year, and you can sign up for and access a daily meditation at his website joywithjay.com.  Jay also has hours of free guided meditations available through online videos and apps, which you can also find on his website.  You can also watch Jay's illuminating TedX talk on YouTube here.  Have a question or comment for Dr. Rak and Po?  You can submit them on our website at thehealthfeast.com  Disclaimer: The Health Feast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. As with any changes affecting your health, we recommend and encourages you to consult with your medical doctor or other qualified health care professional before embarking on this journey.  The opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions our employers.