Book Review: Gauranga Das' The Art of Focus captivates readers with endearing simplicity

Gauranga Das is a leadership and mindfulness coach who graduated from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and realised that he wanted to become a monk. He is currently the administrative director of the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre, an initiative of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness popularly known by its acronym ISKCON.

I enjoyed reading his new book The Art of Focus, published by Penguin Ananda, particularly because it contains practical, accessible wisdom that would benefit anyone who engages seriously. The book does not require the reader to be a Hindu, a Krishna worshipper, or a disciple of ISKCON’s founder acharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. All it requires is an open mind, an appreciation for values that are cherished across faiths and communities, and a desire to bring one’s life in alignment with one’s innermost aspirations.  

The book is divided into 45 chapters. I hope this does not scare you because the chapters are short, and the entire book runs into less than 300 pages. The introduction makes it clear that Das wants his readers to gain something, not fall asleep, because he refers to “recent research” which has concluded that the human attention span is less than that of a goldfish (at nine seconds). Since the book itself is about building focus, he practises exactly what he preaches. His writing style is uncluttered. He uses vocabulary that does not demand a dictionary, and presents his points and arguments in a manner that can be easily digested.

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Each chapter begins with a story, and concludes with a discussion around the value emphasised in the story. This is a common pedagogical technique employed in folktales and fables. The author uses the format to his advantage while ensuring that the story is interesting in itself and not merely a container to shove a message down the reader’s throat.  

Through a story titled “The Battle of Insects”, which revolves around a conversation between a son named John and a father named Philip walking through the woods, Das draws our attention to the fact that our downfall usually comes from “dangerous elements like lust, anger, greed, envy and illusion within us” rather than external calamities. Instead of talking down to John, Philip uses the analogy of a birch tree that was brought down not by an avalanche, thunderstorm, cyclone, or tornado but by insects that ate the bark from within.

In another story titled “The Foolish King”, Das invites us to witness the plight of a disciple who refuses to listen to his guru and almost loses his life. The story is quite effective in communicating how important it is to “discriminate between right from wrong, appropriate from inappropriate and make the right choices”. Das does not present discernment as a skill that is needed so that we can judge other people and pat ourselves on the back. This quality can help us fine-tune our powers of observation so that we can protect ourselves from danger.

Some of the chapters include excerpts from the Bhagavad Gita to clarify that Das is not the originator of the ideas in the book; he is merely a conduit to share what he has learnt. This is done in the spirit of humility, which is a cornerstone of spiritual practice across faith traditions. My unfamiliarity with the Bhagavad Gita did not keep me from enjoying the stories and discussions. I could connect with the author’s ideas because the characters and plots in his stories are quite contemporary. He does not presume knowledge of mythology.

Another reason that made me warm up to the book is the author’s skillfulness in understanding the concerns and anticipating the needs of his readers.

Spiritual leaders who do not appreciate the significance of such skillfulness waste their time talking down to people, and then wondering why no one wants to listen to them. Reading the room is essential.  

Das displays a nuanced awareness of the challenges that urban dwellers face, whether it is fragile relationships, fear of missing out (FOMO), loneliness, competition, or thirst for novelty. He picks stories that engage with these issues because he wants a captive audience.  

Once he has their attention, he can earn their trust and take them deeper into the process of transformation, which is all about directing one’s focus within because all the distractions that seem alluring eventually bring dissatisfaction and keep us from experiencing fulfilment.  

I recommend this book because it expresses profound truths with endearing simplicity.

Chintan Girish Modi is a journalist, commentator, and book reviewer

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