As we move into 2014 it is very much a time to reflect, review and create. I’ve never been big on New Years resolutions – but I do always take the time to create a plan. My partner and I also create a theme for the year. This year we have chosen ‘Simplicity’. As a professional couple with a combined four young adults in our family – life is very hectic. This theme caused me to reflect on my meeting with Dandapani in 2013 (pictured) I have listened intently  – and embraced what he shares about energy. What I learned from his session has given us inspiration for 2014.

One of our children said to me yesterday ‘I’m getting there” – I asked him “Where is there?” – It created an opportunity to really think about the notion that ‘one day’ when everything is perfect life will begin – once I have a degree, a house, a job, a family – what ever one’s aspirations are. The reality is though that life happens every single day – it is not something that we are waiting to ‘start’ when we ‘get there’.

I pose the question – “Is living a good life the same as a happy life?” The relentless pursuit of happiness is in itself more likely to cause unhappiness.

Does success mean to live every day in happiness… or is success to live a good life? A life full of many human emotions that we experience – not just happiness — does that equate to a successful life?

I found Dandapani’s work insightful and uplifting as part of my relentless quest for understanding the ‘experience of happiness’ and well-being.

As a child my parents would say to me “practice makes perfect.” – And they were absolutely right. What we practice (over and over again) is how we create the neuro pathways in our brains – these pathways can be altered but it takes a great deal of conscious thought.

Dandapani shared:

• “Practice does not have the ability to discriminate between constructive and destructive patterns.
• “What ever you practice is what you become good at.
• “It is a conscious choice about what you want to practice.
• “There is a difference between the mind and awareness.
• “Imagine your awareness is a ball of light – As an exercise to see how this works let your mind focus your awareness on a particular thing (the last wedding you attended) – that area of your mind lights up – when it lights up that area of your mind becomes conscious.
• “Using your will power and your consciousness you can take your awareness to any area of the mind you want to – and you can hold it there for a period of time.

Where awareness goes energy flows

Four areas of focus

1. Learn to Concentrate:

• Concentration is the ability to keep your awareness on one thing for a prolonged period of time.
• The more you practice concentration the better you get at it
• The power of observation is a natural by product of the ability to concentrate
• The best way to improve your concentration is to practice every day – integrate it into your daily life.
• (May I suggest you put away your smart phone whilst you practice concentration – and turn off your emails and facebook alerts)

2. Developing your Will:

• The ‘Will’ has to be cultivated, the more we use your will the stronger it becomes
• Ways to develop your Will Power:

a. Finish those things you start (do you finish the sleeping process by making your bed?)
b. Finish tasks well beyond expectations
c. Do a little more than you think that you are able to do

3. The art of a balanced life:

“A balanced life is about managing your energy. A balanced life is when we are able to consciously direct awareness in turn energy, in a proportionate way to all the people and things in our life that matter to us.

4. Courage:

• It takes tremendous courage, will and self-compassion to break habits. To challenge yourself to live a different way.
• Life is energy – harness it and direct it to the ones that you love and what matters most in your life and to the things that are fulfilling to you.
• By wisely discriminating where your energy flows we channel it to the people and things that uplift us. We can remain respectfully detached from others.

The key to success is practice – all success comes from within.

As I say “If it meant to be it is up to me.” – I have the power to determine where my energy flows – and as such practice leads to success

(If you have a chance to attend one of Dandapani’s session – absolutely do.)