Having discovered Bhagavān Sri Ramana and his teachings online, I quickly consumed as much information about his teachings as possible. I found Tom, his YouTube and his website a few months later, and was awed (and continue to be to this day) by the breadth and accessibility of the material. I came in with fixed ideas about how a “liberated sage” or “spiritual teacher” should behave, speak or look like, ideas that have no basis in reality, as an aura of peace and stillness is a better identifier of a genuine teacher than any behaviour – an aura which I feel is palpable when coming in touch with Tom and his sharing. However, Tom charging money for satsangs and 1:1 meetings initially did make me somewhat suspicious of him.
Despite this, Tom makes a concerted effort to accommodate low or no-income seekers by publishing all his writings for free, have download links to books on the recommended reading list and refusing to price anyone out of attending satsang, all you have to do is email him to let him know. With the recent addition of the 1:1 fund, where satsang attendees are free to, if they so choose, generously contribute in order to allow those without the means to pay access to the meetings, I’ve had the privilege to take advantage of this scheme, by which I am humbled, and for which I am grateful.
Tom as a teacher and person in general is very kind, warm, and easy to chat to, our session at times felt more like hanging out with a close friend rather than some sort of super serious spiritual talk. His unique blend of affirming where you stand and making you feel secure while still challenging your mind’s patterns and beliefs and encouraging you to re-frame and re-examine ideas and behaviours you struggle with make him an excellent fit for seekers who struggle with anxiety, depression or low self-esteem.
While often these non-dual teachings can feel like having the rug pulled out from under your feet out of nowhere, in my experience, Tom’s gentle approach can leave you feeling (in the short term) like not a lot has actually happened or changed, but over time, you notice the subtle differences in the way you think, practice and interact with the teachings and life at large. This extremely fundamentally sound approach focuses not on the “bells and whistles” one may associate with spirituality, but rather on genuinely bringing the seeker towards peace and contentment in their daily life.
After attending satsang regularly for around 13 months now, I can tell it’s making a huge difference in terms of reducing negativity and suffering I was experiencing. The ease and convenience of accessing Tom’s presence 2x weekly is just the cherry on top. If any of this sounds remotely interesting to you, I highly recommend you check it out – we’re very privileged to have such a profound source of spiritual support a few clicks away. Between the YouTube channel, blog posts, recommended reading texts, zoom satsangs and 1:1 meetings, it’s very simple to slowly empty your mind of the harmful and extraneous and fill it with stillness and intense desire for liberation, regardless of your life situation.
Achlys, Poland
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Tom Das 