Mark Bertolini Reveals How Yoga and Meditation Saved His Life
When discussing his early life in an interview with the New York Times – Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna spoke on how a near death experience changed his perception on yoga forever.
He looked closely back at 2004, when he first joined Aetna, and after a serious injury from a ski accident, nearly passed away.
Mark stated how after the injury, he tried a number of different Western medicine only to receive poor results in the end. Having tried seven various narcotics, with none of them providing him with the result he wanted, he finally gave up and looked towards other forms of treatments. This is where he found a multitude of Eastern therapies, including yoga, meditation and craniosacral therapy – and it changed his life forever.
Utilizing these Eastern methodologies, he quickly managed to return back to his former self, and returned back to work to work at Aetna, soon becoming the CEO of the company in 2010. According to Mark, the event brought about a number of changes in his life – particularly an interest in yoga, to such a point that he offered yoga and meditation classes across his company. Not only that, he also boosted minimum wage, began providing benefits, and generally having a better and healthier outlook at life.
From the looks if it, it does become quite clear that partaking in yoga was able to provide him with an enriching experience that not only took him away a place of pain and vulnerability, but also empowered him enough to joining Aetna in 2004, to becoming its CEO in 2010. Mark states that it was an interesting journey – and the effects of it are clearly visible to one and all. Whether the effects are seen in the form of Mark boosting the wages of his workers, or providing them with meditation or yoga services – it does seem like they brought about a huge change in him.
Many experts have discussed the topic of yoga – and have arrived to the conclusion that aside from the many different physical benefits it provides, it also remains one of the premier options for mental assistance. Meditation and yoga for a few hours each week can allow a person to reflect back on their life and ensure that they are clearing their mind. This practice is often helpful to a wide array of people – who are simply unaware of the many changes it can bring in life for them.
Aside from this, yoga can assist one greatly even in flexibility and muscle strength training. Additionally, one can expect their weight to reduce, and their energy, and breathing to be more stable. If it could fundamentally change the life of Mark Bertolini – the CEO of Aetna, allowing him to remain safe from a life-threatening injury, and giving him the physical and mental relief he needed to drive his company to a place of great success, then it can surely affect regular people as well.