For those of you who do not know, Deepak Chopra is a medical doctor who has previously written about topics in mind-body medicine and spirituality. Having written over 40 books, ranging from health to spiritual topics, Chopra has been influenced by the teachings of quantum physics, Bhagavad Gita and even Vedanta, so seeing his name displayed on a Wii video game — Deepak Chopra Leela — was kind of surprising, so I looked forward to trying it out.
First thing’s first: Calling Deepak Chopra Wii is somewhat of a stretch. There are no real levels or bits of action that gamers will recognize. Rather, Leela is primarily focused on medication and relaxation software based on the ancient seven Chakra system, or the understanding how energy tends to flow within and throughout the mind and the body. Every Chakra has its own specific position within the mind, the body or spirit — the lower belly, the heart, the naval, the third eye, the throat the crown and the root.
When you are playing the game, Leela requires you to us the Wii remote in a horizontal position using both of your hands while you are performing certain movements and tasks in order to stimulate each of the Chakras. The movements are by no means difficult, but they are in fact quite simple, complemented by colorful visuals, and I have to say that the music that played during each exercise was also very relaxing.
Immersion is one of my primary objectives when I play a video game, and there was no better way for me to use this game as a method of escaping; I turned off the lines, increased the volume and let myself sink away in Leela. I cannot recommend playing this game in any other way. I must admit though that while I played, the part of me that gets somewhat competitive did tend to rise, trying to get the best score on each task. Then I remembered that the purpose of the game is not to "win" but rather to just relax and enjoy myself, and I suddenly had a much better idea of what Leela is supposed to accomplish and what Deepak Chopra intended to create with this.
When you complete a task, you unlock a new level. At the start of each new section, the new Chakra you are about to stimulate is explained to you in great detail. Before I bought this game, I did not know very much about Chakras or how many there were, let alone what each of them meant. As I learned more about them — I’m someone who actually enjoys learning — this ended up being my favorite part of the whole experience.
This is far from a traditional video game, but it’s still something you should consider picking up if not just for the immersive experience and relaxation.