LOSS Archives - Self Discovery Wisdom Podcasts

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Mohan Ranga Rao, on air from April 15th

A Life of Seeking, Seeing, and Surrender

Grief isn’t something to “get over,” especially when it comes to the unique, soul-shattering pain of losing a child. It becomes a companion, sometimes silent, sometimes screaming, but always present. Faith, once simple or unquestioned, often morphs through suffering—shifting, deepening, or even breaking before it rebuilds. Relationships, too, must be rewoven, as loss strains connections and reshapes how we relate to others. The myth of healing as a destination and the insistence on positivity can feel like a betrayal of the real, raw emotions that come with mourning. Numbness, confusion, and emotional disorientation often take over, especially when you’re parenting while processing trauma, walking the line between being present for your children and drowning in your own sorrow. Yet within that darkness, a strange light can flicker—purpose found not in spite of pain, but because of it. Real resilience doesn’t deny emotion; it holds space for it, even when it hurts. And in the quiet of suffering, profound truths often rise—truths that transform, not erase, the person you were before.

Mohan Ranga Rao never imagined he would become a writer. He was an entrepreneur, building businesses and chasing success, grounded in the world of numbers, strategy, and ambition. His life followed a structured, intentional path—until that path collapsed beneath him.

Mohan’s daughter, Yogita, was born blind—a moment that shattered every expectation he had about fatherhood, love, and the future. What followed was not just a medical journey but an emotional and existential one. He had to unlearn everything he thought he knew about strength, masculinity, and success. He had to sit in the discomfort of uncertainty, in the shame of societal judgment, and in the raw, unfiltered love of a father who could not “fix” his child. And just as he was beginning to understand what it meant to see beyond vision truly, she was gone.

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His first book, Inner Trek: A Reluctant Pilgrim’s Journey to Tibet, was born from an unexpected calling. What began as a physical challenge—a trek through the Himalayas Kailash Mansarovar, a holy mountain pilgrimage in Tibet, became a profound spiritual reckoning. Struggling with altitude, exhaustion, and self-doubt, Mohan found himself stripped of the control and certainty that had once defined him. Each step through the ancient, mist-covered mountains peeled away layers of his identity, revealing something deeper: an invitation to surrender. The book became a reflection of that awakening, resonating with readers searching for meaning beyond the material world.

His new book, Myopia: A Father’s Journey into Love, Loss, and Sight Beyond Vision, is not just the story of Yogita’s brief but luminous life. It is the story of a man undone by grief, reshaped by love, and ultimately transformed by a painful but profound truth: that suffering, if we let it, can be our greatest teacher. Myopia does not offer platitudes or closure—it is a raw, unfiltered meditation on loss as an invitation to wake up.

His latest book, Myopia: A Father’s Journey into Love, Loss, and Sight Beyond Vision, is not just a story of grief—it is a meditation on love stripped of all conditions, on pain as a force of transformation, on the kind of sight that only comes when the world as you know it disappears. Unlike books that seek to inspire, Myopia does not offer easy resolutions or clichés about healing. It is raw, unflinching, and honest about what it means to love deeply and lose completely.

From the ashes of his grief, Mohan founded Amopia™, a philosophy and community that helps individuals see suffering not as an enemy but as a guide. The name itself is a fusion of “Amo” (Latin for love) and “Opa” (Greek for vision), representing a practice rooted in the love of seeing oneself fully—even in pain. Amopia™ blends science, spirituality, and personal resilience into a framework for growth, offering courses, workshops, and a community for those ready to engage with suffering as a path to wisdom.

Today, Mohan is more than an author—he is a guide for those navigating the depths of loss and transformation. His work, whether through his books or Amopia™, does not seek to provide comfort; it seeks to provoke a deeper understanding. His question is not how we escape suffering but rather what if suffering is the doorway to something greater?

Through his words, journey, and teachings, Mohan invites us to step into the unknown—not with fear, but with the courage to truly see.

Mohan Ranga Rao, an accomplished Indian entrepreneur based in Mysore, built a successful career in pharmaceuticals and manufacturing as the founder of Arvee Chem Pharma Pvt. Ltd., continuing the legacy of enterprise instilled by his father, N. Ranga Rao, who established the renowned incense and fragrance company N. Ranga Rao & Sons in 1949. While born into business, Mohan carved his own unique path—one deeply shaped by personal transformation after the birth of his daughter, who was born blind. His global search for answers, including time spent in the U.S., expanded his understanding of disability, healing, and cultural perspectives on suffering. These insights became the foundation for his two books: Inner Trek, a memoir of spiritual awakening in the Andes, and Myopia, a heartfelt reflection on love, loss, and seeing beyond the physical. From this journey emerged Amopia™, a movement he founded to reframe suffering as a gateway to self-discovery—blending love (“Amo”) and vision (“Opa”) into a guiding philosophy that unites science, spirituality, and resilience.

Mohan Ranga Rao was a hard-driving entrepreneur until the birth of his blind daughter, Yogita, shattered everything he thought he knew about success, strength, and love. His new book, Myopia, is a raw, unflinching look at grief—not as something to fix, but as something that reveals. It’s about what we start to see when the world we built disappears.

https://www.amopia.co

mo@amopia.co

http://amopia.co/myopia-nonprofits

https://www.instagram.com/discoveramopia

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For many people, holidays are the hardest part of grieving. When you have lost someone special, your world loses its celebratory qualities.

Holidays only magnify the loss.

David has put together 7 strategies to help get you through the holidays.

Be honest about your grief. There’s pressure to have a joyful holiday even when nothing has gone wrong in life. You’re not a Grinch, you’re in grief! Don’t feel the need to fake it or be happier than you actually are. You don’t have to have a holiday joy!!

Include the loss into your holidays. The grief is there anyway. Light a candle in their honour. Dedicate the prayer before dinner to your loved one. Have everyone at the dinner table share a favourite story about your loved one that died.

Take your grief online. Facebook in the new town square. Share photos of past Christmas. Also, there are many closed Facebook groups, just for those grieving. You will quickly see others are also feeling loss during the holidays.

For events, always have an exit strategy. You don’t have to stay. Feel free to say, you just wanted to drop by or you have another event to get to. You can even text yourself if you need to…time to go!

Re-evaluate your rituals.Choose what works and doesn’t. You can even cancel a holiday. You don’t have to do those 200 Christmas cards. You don’t have to cook the dinner. Free yourself.

“No” is a complete sentence.You should not have to do anything you don’t want to do. And you don’t have to explain it. “No, thank you” also works well.

Pay attention to the children.They are often the forgotten grievers. We think since kids seem busy in school they are fine. Or it’s easier to focus on the adults. But children feel the grief and have less life experience and tools to deal with the loss.