Everything important in our life lies far beyond our explanations when you fall in love,

when you're moved by a sunset, when a forest fire suddenly wipes you out,

when a virus suddenly forces you to stay at home. We can't really explain any of that and yet it's the main force that's shaping most of our days and explanations are almost like little boxes we place on this tidal flood,

have nothing to do with anything and can't begin to explain the flood or to stop it in its flow.

So that's the shortcoming of religion I think is if it's trying to put a box on

eternity or if it's trying to give a reason for something who's only paralyzed and the fact that exists far beyond the reach of reason.

I'm Srenny Rao and this is the unmistakable Creative Podcast where you get a window into the stories and insights of the most innovative and creative minds, started movements, built thriving businesses, written best selling books, and created insanely interesting art.

For more, check out our 500 episode archive at unmistakable Creative. to be here. Thank you. Oh, it is my pleasure to have you here. You have a new book out,

the Half Known Life in Search of Paradise, and I have known about your work for quite some time.

I read your other book, The Art of of Stillness and absolutely loved it.

So having sort of dug into your body of work,

I wanted to start by asking what I think is a very sort of relevant question

given the nature of your work and that is what spiritual or religious

beliefs were you raised with and how did those end up impacting the choices that

you have made with both your life and your career?

Well I love that question.

I'm not sure if any of this applies to you, but I was born to Hindu parents, both my parents are

from India.

But likewise.

Yeah, I guess that part.

But I was born and grew up in England, so all the schools I went to were Anglican.

And I've lived for 35 years in deeply Buddhist Japan. I've been traveling with

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