Dandapani, a Hindu priest and former monk, shares profound insights on concentration from his ten years of monastic training. He distinguishes between mind and awareness, emphasizing how attention shapes our lives. Dandapani discusses the importance of making daily activities a practice in focus, rather than relying solely on meditation. He highlights the connection between awareness and emotional energy, advocating for the cultivation of concentration to foster meaningful connections and enhance overall happiness.
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insights INSIGHT
Focus Defined
Focus involves keeping awareness on a person or thing until consciously shifted.
It's about controlling your awareness, not just passively observing.
insights INSIGHT
Awareness vs. Mind
Awareness and mind are distinct; you are awareness, not your mind.
Control your awareness instead of letting your environment control it.
insights INSIGHT
Where Awareness Goes, Energy Flows
Direct your energy (awareness) to cultivate positive qualities.
Whatever you focus on grows stronger, influencing your experiences.
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When you were a kid, teachers and parents probably told you to concentrate. And as an adult, you likely often think about how much more productive, present, and happy you'd be if only you had better focus. But despite how much we think about our desire to improve our focus, no one ever gets any training in how to do it and even explains what focus is, exactly.
My guest today is an exception to that rule. He was taught the secrets to concentration when he spent ten years as a Hindu monk, and today he's on a mission to share them with others. His name is Dandapani, and he continues to live as a Hindu priest, though he's now also an entrepreneur and author, with a book just published called The Power of Unwavering Focus. Today on the show, Dandapani defines focus and shares the existential reasons why developing yours is so vital. He explains how that development begins with understanding how the mind is different from awareness, that where awareness goes, energy flows, and the need to bring awareness to attention. We walk through how to stop practicing distraction and start practicing concentration by making each of your daily activities a focused practice, and ultimately, making your whole day a practice. We also discuss how daily sessions of meditation are inadequate for developing focus, how mindfulness is different than concentration, and how the ability to control and direct your awareness is one of the greatest powers you can possess.
The Art of Manliness 
