I confess to feeling some trepidation when asked to interview Suma Varughese, former editor of Life Positive and Society magazines, about her new book, 50 Life Lessons: A Practical Guide on How to Maximise Happiness. Suma had been my boss, soon became a wise friend I could turn to, and more recently, my writing mentor. I picked up her book with great joy as her writing has always touched a chord in me.
Suma's personalised set of lessons is a combination of personal incidents and stories that allowed me to see the bigger picture. As I turned the pages, it seemed like Suma was talking to me over the phone—warm and nonjudgemental, urging me to go ahead and create a glorious life for myself.
Suma begins by saying that she follows the dictates of her inner guide and, at retirement, felt ready to step into the new path and dream that was unfolding. Her awakening at age 33 had filled her with a deep understanding of life and how to lead it. From then on, she worked hard to grow beyond being a fearful, limited, and unconfident person to becoming the person she was meant to be. Drawing on these tough experiences in order to recommend complementary life lessons, the book's explanations of ideas like 'It is the other person's happiness that counts' and 'Failure can also, if we are not careful, emerge out of success,' are written with a warm vulnerability.
My favourite lesson? Lesson #22. Yet I know that the pages of this book are ones I will visit time and again. And my favourite lessons will change as I go about trying to live life vulnerably.
In this interview, Suma explains how to cultivate the wisdom we need to unlock the puzzle of life and maximise our happiness.
Q. Suma, would you say that the 50 lessons you have shared in your book would help anyone navigate life?
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Denne historien er fra April 2022-utgaven av Life Positive.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Miracles of Mount Maunganui
A hike to Mount Maunganui in New Zealand filled Rashi Bunny with a sense of awe and wonder equivalent to witnessing the glory of the Divine Himself
Navigating Your 20s: A Simple Guide
By embracing the tumultuous journey through her 20s, Abhilasha Srivastava learnt to triumph over the challenges encountered and carve the path for her future
Inducing Sweet Slumber
As we are well aware, lack of sound sleep can give rise to physical and mental problems. To ensure a good night's rest, you could follow the suggestions given by Jamuna Rangachari in the next few pages
Days for the Divine
Guided by her mentor Megha Bajaj, Meghana Acharya sends positive vibes into the Universe to ensure the well-being and success of others
Voices from the beyond
Near-Death Experiences (NDES) have long fascinated humanity-a glimpse beyond the veil, a sneak peek into the unknown that pulsates with wonders, mysteries and intrigue. Jamuna Rangachari takes us through the narrations of a few who went to the other side and returned to share in great detail what they experienced and how it transformed them
All for the best
An academic disaster turned opportunity led Rajeev Hallur to understand the jigsaw puzzle of life, initially incomprehensible to most of us
Many Lives, One Master
Dr Bijal Maroo probes into the enigmatic charisma of Swami Omkaranandaji to discover the story behind his uncanny healing powers
Modern art with a tribal touch
Gautam Bharati and Avani Jain, based in Dungarpur, Rajasthan saw the incredible ability and passion of tribals for arts and decided to do something about it.
Laugh your way to health
Rupa Bannur, a former IT professional turned holistic health coach from Bangalore began turning to laughter yoga in 2001 after she faced profound loss of precious family members.
Healing Hands
When Rupesh Budh Ahmedabad from was 15 years of age, he learnt meditation from his martial arts (Karate) teacher. His teacher also introduced him to Reiki as a healing modality that can cure with just a touch. He told him that advanced Reiki practitioners can cure even from a distance without touching.
