By Charmian Christie

The barefoot woman calmly walking a labyrinth in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success DVD resembles the stiletto-heeled bombshell strutting her stuff in Grease. At 59, olivia newton-john remains petite, blonde, and beautiful, but the sprightly energy that once bounced “Let’s Get Physical” to the top of the charts has been replaced by the tranquil, unruffled confidence that comes only with experience. Perennially youthful, she remains vibrant and enthusiastic, growing gracefully into herself.

Olivia’s serene and lasting beauty didn’t get help from a soft focus lens or the pampered existence of a top international star. It came from facing the challenges thrown in her celebrity path, such as breast cancer in the early 1990s, and using them to grow, not wither. While her fans might feel life has been cruel and unfair to the clean-living singer, Olivia thinks she’s blessed. “For me, breast cancer was a gift. A gift,” she says with emphasis. “I was so lucky to have survived. It left me with a lot of benefits I can now share with other people.”

Perhaps her optimism springs from her unusual willingness to share some of the responsibility for its cause. “I read old interviews of myself before I went through [breast cancer], and I used to talk about being worried about getting old or getting sick. Who knows if I created it just to have to face my fear? I often wonder about that,” she says, quickly adding, “Be careful what you think. Your thoughts create your world.”

Olivia’s brave new world
And Olivia has created a new world for herself, her fans, and those facing cancer. Along with evolving her music, she’s added healing to her long list of credits. Not only did she collaborate with self-help authority Deepak Chopra on his new DVD The Seven Spiritual Laws of Healing, she’s partnered with a line of breast health products, called simply Olivia. Turning her personal experience into a platform for helping others, she has enthusiastically stepped outside the music industry box to promote a breast self-exam kit and dietary supplements specifically targeting breast health. “When you go through [cancer], things open up,” she says.

Olivia’s world opened so widely, she founded GAIA Retreat & Spa in Australia, a holistic center focusing on the mind-body connection. With a capacity of only 40 guests, the spa offers organic food, often grown in the spa’s own garden, and beautiful views of Byron Bay. Here, she says clients feel “nurtured, pampered, and restored,” and she describes the intimate spa as “barefoot Armani—classy but relaxed and casual.”
Stepping further into the realm of healing, Olivia has given her name and substantial funds to a wellness center in Melbourne’s Austin Hospital. Clearly passionate about the center, her words reveal her sense of ownership. “We’re building a wonderful wellness center as part of the hospital grounds where, before and after therapy, you can go and pray, meditate, get a cup of tea, relax, or talk to other people who are going through [cancer].”

Olivia seems equally glad to be involved with Chopra’s new film since his meditations and healing suggestions helped her cope with her cancer. “He was wonderful to me,” she says. More than a celebrity spokesperson, she opened her home to the film. The labyrinth she walks at the beginning of Seven Spiritual Laws ... [continue to next page]