Author Archives: Sutapa das

Tuning into our inner calling is where the real journey begins, otherwise we may well be careering down a no-through road.

With genuine spiritual advancement comes the capacity and capability to have friendly relationships with one and all.

Maybe we tend to prioritise external achievements over internal purification – after all, that’s what gets the claps and nods from our social circle.

We look for happiness on many levels; through our bodily faculties, through emotional comfort and through intelligence and ego.

Over the years, abilities were developed, achievements came and accolades were received, but with it has surfaced a mentality that is calculative, complicated and corrupted. How can I turn back the clock?

We’ve seemingly lost our freedom. But when ‘freedom’ means that everything is so available that we become complacent, what’s the benefit? If ‘restriction’ generates an appreciation and gratitude of what we&…

A deep fear about losing family and friends… but are we as worried about how we relate to them while their alive?

The word “kovida” appears in a celebrated verse from the Bhagavata-Purana: “Those who are intelligent and philosophically inclined (kovida) should endeavour for that which is beyond the material world.” Let the mantra b…

Someone asked me if we should pray for the protection of our loved ones – of course we should! But it got me thinking.

Millions of people are lying low to limit the spread of COVID-19. Self-isolation and social distancing, they say, will help curb the crisis. Next problem: how do you cope with being cooped up for days on end? How do we use this time wisely?
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“Somewhere along the lines I veered off track. I’ve lost my simplicity, my childlike innocence and the humble sincerity that I started this journey with.”

The best things I ever did were often the very things I passionately resisted in the beginning. The things I avoided, argued against and convinced myself were unnecessary – those were the things that brought me the invaluable jewels of …

You have a 20-second window to make an impression – they stop, you size them up, put in a spiritual pitch, something interesting, inspirational and endearing, and wait for a reaction – hit, miss or blank… anything could hap…

Hope, faith, inspiration and enthusiasm, which give us the hunger for life, are perhaps our most precious assets – if we have those, we have everything.

It’s easy to get boxed into our own little worlds, sealed in a bubble and oblivious to reality, losing perspective and drowning in ethereal thoughts.

Every single day, without fail, he cooks three huge meals, goes out onto the streets, and personally feeds the mendicants. “This is the happiness of my life” he said, “there is nothing else of value.”
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I’m getting old. I admit it – the hair is disappearing, the back is failing and the glasses are coming. Materially speaking, it’s a downhill story. Spiritually, however, the passing of time should deliver a range of invaluab…

I once asked a saintly devotee how we should read. He looked somewhat surprised – “I don’t read these books” he said, “I relish these books!” I loved it.

Surrounded by a plethora of convenient justifications, we often avoid doing the internal soul-searching required for any sincere spiritualist.

People have heart attacks in Vrindavana – not just physical, but spiritual ones too. Holy places ooze with a divine influence that overthrows material consciousness and inexplicably ushers one towards transcendence.

Most times we can’t make up our mind. Even when we do, we keep changing our mind. When there are challenges, we lose our mind.

Vrindavana is like a hall of fame. Everywhere you turn there are stories, landmarks and temples commemorating the saintly people who lived here. Ironically, they never wanted any fame.

The message runs through loud and clear – a casual approach will inevitably cause casualties. We’ve witnessed it in catastrophes of the past, we’re witnessing it now and if we look closely, we’ll witness this principle…

There is a whole realm of spiritual development, which is about shedding, cutting, letting go and downsizing.

Death, need not be seen as an inconvenient truth, but rather the ultimate meditation to reinstate clarity and perspective into every aspect of our life.

One of the biggest criteria for deepening our spirituality is the strength to be open and honest. Instead, however, we are often closed and pretentious. In the name of saving our face, we kill our soul.

When surface approaches of sensitivity and strength are founded upon a sincere selflessness, balancing the two emotions becomes effortless and natural. When our underlying motivation is to genuinely help someone, and that becomes the universa…

Don’t be surprised to catch yourself playing ‘God’ even when you know better. The scientist wants the credit of universal explanation. The philosopher bathes in the credit of insight, originality and wisdom. The celebrity en…

Various leadership responsibilities, whether manager, mother or mentor, offer us the privileged opportunity in assisting people to excel. Though the most rewarding role in life, they all come with a good dose of frustration and annoyance.&nbs…

Learning to live with chaos is more realistic, progressive and pragmatic. Like running water effortlessly flows around the obstructing rocks, moving steadily to its destination, so in the face of inevitable challenges and unexpected reversals…

Atheists come in a variety of shapes and sizes: default, philosophical, atheist and covered atheists. Over 30% of UK residents are self-proclaimed atheists. I would hazard a guess, that a good few of the 70% of ‘believers’ ar…

We live in a noisy world, and, in the midst of it, struggle to hear the heart. Ironically, tuning into our inner calling is where the real journey begins, otherwise we may well be careering down a no-through road. Happy and fulfilled people u…

The sanskrit word for gratitude is “krta-jna” – literally meaning “to know what has been done for you.” Truly valuing the miracle of our present state, opens the doors to limitless and abundant potential. 
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The Biblical reminder of money and evil, still stands strong today. In the pursuance of profit, lawyers have destroyed justice, and the media has destroyed information. But clearly we need money – to buy groceries, to pay rent, to …

Without giving attention to and genuinely caring about relationships, situations and aspirations, how can we achieve any real traction in life? Where the attention goes, energy flows, and results invariably show.

High streets are intriguing places; a microcosm of modern life. It’s where people descend in their thousands, searching for something extra to enrich their existence. Enter the monks. This is where we spend many days and weeks; sta…

Time is ticking and I’m reflecting on what I’ve actually contributed to the world. Though trying to avoid the egotistical desire to ‘make a mark,’ we are impelled to share the ‘fruits’ we have received.

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While the unhealthy world loses its physical edge, we may also consider how we’re losing our mental edge. Just as we exercise the body and keep it tuned, we also need to exercise our mental capacity.

Welcome to the material world, I thought! Without alarming anyone, be prepared that life has its way of rudely ejecting us from our comforts at any moment. Change is unstoppable, uncontrollable and unpredictable.

Looks can be deceiving, and often far from the full story. It is said that one who laughs too much, even at small and insignificant things, may well be harboring dissatisfaction and sorrow within. A person who feels impelled to keep talking a…