Ep 61: Still Together with Manoj Dias
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Ep 61: Still Together with Manoj Dias
Episode 61: Show Notes.
At the End of the Tunnel is a podcast about hope, inspiration, and people who have found their calling. This is likely something we all fantasize about; finding our life’s purpose or our ‘why’, and this week’s guest has a backstory that many listeners will find extremely relatable. It's the story of being seduced by what Light refers to as the acquisitive approach to happiness. In other words, it's the thinking that as soon as you make a certain amount of money, or get promoted, or find your soulmate, then you will be truly happy.
From the outside looking in, Manoj Dias had it all. A decorated corporate marketing career, an enviable paycheck, his good looks, but something still felt off. That persistent ‘offness' ultimately culminated in a panic attack at his high-paying job, which then spiraled into 18-months of depression, insomnia, and disordered eating, with the occasional suicidal ideation thrown in for good measure. Then, he discovered the magic of meditation and found what he'd been looking for all along: a connection to something real.
Since first being introduced to meditation and embarking on his own journey to become a teacher, Manoj has helped thousands of people to embrace the stillness of mind and body, enabling them to live fearlessly on the path to a happier and more meaningful life.
In this episode, we dive into his early childhood in Sri Lanka and his fascination with becoming a Buddhist monk, his deep desire to belong as an immigrant child in Australia, and what he modeled success on as an 18-year-old father. Manoj shares his belief that he wasn’t afforded the power of choice in his career and what meditation taught him about compassion, suffering, ego, and generosity, and we discuss the value of spiritual nourishment, community, and honing in on your purpose.
Ultimately, this is an episode about the importance of deeply connecting with what matters to you most, a topic about which Manoj has a wealth of wisdom and lived experience to share, so make sure to tune in today for a truly enlightening conversation!
Key Points From This Episode:
An introduction to Manoj Dias, his heritage, and his early childhood in Sri Lanka.
Find out why Manoj’s father was opposed to him becoming a Buddhist monk.
What his favorite toy or activity was as a child, now living in Australia: cricket and dancing.
Some of the sayings he remembers from growing up in an immigrant family.
Manoj shares the isolation and loneliness he felt in school and his deep desire to belong.
How racism affected Manoj as a young person of color in Australia.
How he was reintroduced to Buddhism as a reminder of his Sri Lankan culture.
Manoj speaks candidly about having a child at 18 and how it changed the course of his life.
What his model of success was as an 18-year-old father: money and security.
Why he didn’t believe that he had the power of choice when he was at college.
How feeling that his life was one-dimensional led to a panic attack at work, which then led Manoj down the path of addiction and disordered eating.
The reasons that Manoj didn’t follow through on his suicidal ideations at the time.
Find out how compassion transformed his life and began his journey of healing.
Manoj tells the story of how a new friend introduced him to meditation.
Learn about the experience he had at his first meditation class that kept him coming back.
The emphasis on compassion and community and how he saw it transform many lives.
Manoj reflects on the lessons he learned by working with Channa Dassanayaka, about compassion, suffering, ego, and generosity.
The significance of the word “witness” for him and what he learned about observation.
Manoj describes the ‘me’ he returned to after a year of working with Channa Dassanayaka.
How he came to teach his first meditation class, and ultimately quit his job to pursue teaching.
The value of spiritual nourishment, community, and honing in on your purpose.
Hear about the origins of A-SPACE and Manoj’s journey of co-founding it in 2015.
Some of the lessons he learned from running a meditation studio, like being clear on his why.
The uncertainty Manoj felt at the start of COVID and how he was introduced to Open.
What is unique about the Open app; experiencing meditation classes live and on-demand.
Learn more about Manoj’s book, Still Together, and the irony of writing a book about connection during a global pandemic.
How he defines success today: how connected he is to the things that matter most to him.
The thread that runs through Manoj’s life; the moment of surrender needed before change.
Tweetables:
“I had a strong fascination with Buddhism and spirituality, without really properly understanding it, from a very young age.” — @ManojDias1 [0:11:30]
“There was a certain level of moral conduct that I wanted to adhere to. I wanted to show up in the world in a way that felt good, and not just take and be nihilistic about it.” — @ManojDias1 [0:20:10]
“I knew the definition of success was equated with money and security. That was what was embedded into my psyche. Be a doctor, or be a lawyer, or be a businessman, or be an engineer.” — @ManojDias1 [0:27:36]
“I knew I was stressed and I knew I was very internally conflicted about what I had chosen to do with my life, but I didn't think I had any mental health issue. Back then, we never spoke about mental health. If you had anxiety, there was something seriously wrong with you.” — @ManojDias1 [0:34:29]
“There was just something about this practice and the emphasis on compassion and community that transformed so many lives.” — @ManojDias1 [0:51:35]
“It became very clear at that point that I had to take control of my life at some point. I didn't know what I wanted to do, still. I didn't even think about becoming a teacher. It wasn't in my life goals, on my path. I just knew I didn't want to do [marketing].” — @ManojDias1 [0:59:40]
“Be really clear on your why, which is not just a business philosophy, but a life philosophy. If you have a very strong and clear reasoning as to why you're doing what you're doing, you can ride out the difficult times.” — @ManojDias1 [1:13:43]
“The one thing I had struggled with my whole life was to feel connected. As an immigrant child, feeling connection to others, feeling connection to myself, feeling connection to this present moment. I had this idea [to write] a book about connection.” — @ManojDias1 [1:19:51]
“There's a certain amount of money that one needs to feel safe. That number is different for everyone. Beyond that, you can have a lot of money and still be very unhappy. I've done that, too. Now, for me, it's how deeply connected I am to the things that matter the most.” — @ManojDias1 [1:21:48]
“Where can you just let go? At this moment, where is it that you let go? Even if it's a thought. Even if it's just an idea. Even if it's just a physical releasing of your shoulders. Where can you let go?” — @ManojDias1 [01:25:24]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: