The Economics of Attention

Mirabai's entire life was an economy of attention: she concentrated her focus, energy, and devotion on one Beloved, refusing to disperse her heart among competing claims. For modern couples, this concept asks: where does your attention actually go? Communication in love requires negotiating the economics of presence. In relationships, attention is currency—how much presence do you give your partner versus work, family, children, devices, ambitions? Mirabai's practice suggests that depth requires concentration. Rather than divided attention, can you create spaces of undivided presence? This might mean phone-free dinners, walks where you focus only on each other, or conversations where you're fully there. The economics of attention also means explicitly discussing what competes for your focus and why: Is career advancement pulling you away? Are children consuming all energy? Are you each feeling insufficiently chosen? Mirabai shows that commitment means directing your most vital energy toward what you love most. For couples, this requires honest communication about allocation: agreeing together on where love's resources will flow.