Hypnotherapist Dino Hira Helps Hong Kong Heal with Mindful Meditation

Dino Hira, professional hypnotherapist, life counsellor, and energy healer, was a mining engineer in his former career in Australia. Back then, he already possessed an immense love to help others overcome the same mental health struggles that plagued him.

The Hong Kong-born meditation expert left his life in Perth as a miner and reality TV star to pursue a path dedicated to assisting his community in growing and healing through the power of meditation. This passion grew deeper when he travelled to north India to understand more about meditation, a practice introduced to him at a young age by his Indian-born parents.

In 2021, Dino and his wife, Laurena Law, co-founded Choy Sum Health Clinic, a holistic health practice in Hong Kong, assisting clients in meditation and science to “transform human health and beauty.”

The Beat Asia sat down with Dino to talk about his journey, from his former life as a miner struggling with depression in Australia to persevering as a leading figure in the holistic medicine space in Hong Kong. 

On his former life as a miner in Australia and dealing with mental health issues

Mining is a big industry in Perth, [Western Australia] and I began my working life in the fields and in the mines. A lot of men bottle everything up in life and I was one of them.

At the time, I had depression and was a people pleaser. I said yes to everything and pushed myself. I became very stressed out, short-tempered and really irritable. In 2015, I went through a whole transformation with meditation. I didn’t need pills to make me happy; I practiced meditation.

I would get up at 4 AM to meditate, work out, and refresh myself with the right mindset. The more I did that, the more I said no to something that didn't resonate with me and knew I had to stand up for myself. My friends and colleagues were reliant on substances. I was reliant on meditation.

On discovering the power of meditation in north India

I took a break for eight months and travelled to Rishikesh, India to stay with monks in different ashrams, temples, and monasteries. At the time, I wondered, how come these people have so little, yet they're so happy? What makes them so content with not even having a car or clothes?

I learnt discipline in India, waking up in the morning to look after yourself first and foremost. If your candle isn’t lit, you can’t light another candle. Staying with these monks, I learnt their characteristics and habits.

In my time in India, I learnt 112 different techniques of meditation. After I returned to Australia, I wanted to spread my wisdom because I found that I wasn’t reliant on anything but myself. If you feel that you are peaceful within, your whole external world turns peaceful.

On teaching meditation in Australia’s toughest prison

With the knowledge of these 112 techniques, I attended a monastery every Friday in Perth to meditate. My coordinator asked for volunteers to teach meditation at maximum security prisons and drug and alcohol rehab centres. Something inside of me said, “go for it.”

They had me sent to Casuarina Prison in Western Australia, which was featured on Netflix’s World’s Toughest Prisons series. I went into the prison with a purpose not to judge but to give something valuable back.

I worked with each of the 15 candidates in the three-month programme to assess their goals, perspectives, and how they wanted to contribute to society in the future. I looked at their birth chart and astrological background and approached each person with a tailored plan for meditating.

Within four weeks, the programme already had a good success rate. I was fully booked with a waiting list. The guards were shocked. The prison noticed the recidivism rate down too.

On writing his autobiographical tutorial book, “A Miner Who Wins Inner Peace”

During my reality TV stint, where I was featured on “Married At First Sight,” I wanted to do something with my fame and promote something with a purpose.

I decided to document my story of how I went from being a mining engineer to guiding meditations in prison and working in the holistic spaces. I documented the journey and shared practical techniques.

I wanted to give back to the people who helped and light other people’s candles.

On returning to Hong Kong and setting up Choy Sum Health Clinic

The pandemic caught me stuck in Hong Kong in early 2020 when I was visiting family. My whole life changed for the better. I was a robot working in engineering and the mines in Perth, then I got to explore my passion for meditation when I returned to Hong Kong.

In June 2020, I met my beautiful wife, Laurena Law, married her, and set up Choy Sum Health Clinic in mid-2021. Laurena is a medical doctor and I bring the spiritual and holistic side of healing to address the physical and mental health issues of our clients.

At Choy Sum, we believe that science and spirituality can coexist and support each other to help humans thrive. Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world, and this comes with a lot of stress. We provide alternative therapies to help others to grow and heal.

On the power of past life regression in mental health building

We routinely use past life regression with our clients to offer guidance to see the root of one's fears, phobias, and mental health struggles. We work with our clients to use breathing techniques to delve into a relaxed state of deep consciousness called the Theta brainwave state.

In this state, we can access what happened in your previous life to unearth what is creating a block to your maximum potential lifetime. We guide you to let go of what happened to progress and fulfil your life.

Being born as a human is a real gift. There's more to life than just working, paying bills, and just coming home, sleeping, eating. With past life regression, I can help open the door to your own healing and determine your purpose and passion in life.

On his meditation programme employing the technique of Panch Tatva and hypnotherapy

I am currently working on this new programme [based on] Panch Tatva, a technique [related to] the five elements to heal at the deeper level. Within this body of meditation, we look at releasing and cleansing your energy in the fire, air, water, earth, and space areas.

This allows you to have more contentment in your purpose, changing your mindset into looking at the good in everything that happens. You can manage your emotions.

Working with reiki and hypnotherapy, I can help people physically change in adopting new behaviours and quit old habits.

To know more about Dino and Laurena’s meditation and well-being programmes, visit Choy Sum Health Clinic’s website.