In this episode of the Get Loved Up podcast, Koya talks to Co-Founder & Vice President of Mindfulness at Open, Manoj Dias. Manoj opens up about his own journey towards becoming a student of Buddhist wisdom, and how that learning paved the way towards becoming more mindful about life in general. As a teacher of meditation, Manoj urges us to surrender ourselves to cultivate flow and alignment and achieve stillness of the mind, body and spirit.

GUEST BIO

Through mindfulness & meditation, Manoj has helped thousands of people around the globe trade mania for pause, so that they can live fearlessly in honor of a happier, more meaningful life. 

In 2015, he co-founded A—SPACE, Australia’s first multidisciplinary drop-in meditation studio with a special focus on creating access for BIPOC and youth. Through his philanthropic work with lululemon he has supported trauma-informed therapeutic programs for refugees in Melbourne, social justice movements in Oakland, and mindfulness scholarships in New York City. Last year his debut book, “Still Together” was released to critical acclaim.

Manoj is currently a co-founder of Open, a modern mindfulness studio merging technology, culture, cinematography, and proven practices to create community and presence.

Whether he’s teaching through words or the silence in between them, Manoj’s great love for Buddhist wisdom and contemporary science is present in every encounter.

Connect with Manoj and follow his work through the links below:

• Listen to Manoj's book: https://www.audible.com/pd/Still-Together-Audiobook/B09FFHXT3V
• Website (Open): https://o-p-e-n.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manoj-dias-46b857a7/

HIGHLIGHTS

03:05 What's keeping Manoj busy these days 

04:58 Ways to stay grounded while traveling

07:01 How Manoj learned the art of meditation

20:08 Developing a self-compassion practice

26:07 Dealing with comparisons 

38:52 'No' is sacred

QUOTES

08:11 Manoj: "When I did have the panic attack it was a moment in my life where it was like the universe was slapping me and it's like, well you can't keep living like this. You can't keep doing this. And so it manifested in a whole host of other physical conditions. There was depression for a period of time, there was chronic insomnia for about two years, there was an eating disorder for a period of time."

14:20 Manoj: "Surrendering to just what is in front of us sometimes can feel like resistance. But it's actually the easiest thing to do to cultivate flow and alignment." 

18:52 Manoj: "I generally meditate everyday. I have done so for the majority of the last 15 years. But I remember there was a period in 2022, there was so much going on and I was glued to the news. And all of this where I just couldn't sit."

38:45 Manoj: " I felt like if I tell someone no, they're not gonna love me. I'm gonna lose their friendship. That's something I had to heal from and realize that no is sacred. Actually you should be able to tell everyone in your life no at some point and not feel like you're gonna lose their love." 

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To hear more about Koya Webb and Get Loved Up episodes, please visit her website at https://koyawebb.com/.