Ram Appalaraju on rethinking success & choosing a new path
Season 1, Episode 3
WAYFINDING series
In Episode 3, we speak with Ram Appalaraju, who spent more than 30 years in the tech industry, following a path shaped by family, culture, education, achievement, and the promise of a secure livelihood. But as his Buddhist practice deepened, he began to question the relationship between his work and his values, eventually leaving a successful career to make space for something less certain: a life guided by presence, service, and deeper meaning.
Ram shares his journey from India to the United States, from engineering to Buddhism, and from a goal-driven life toward one he describes as unfolding. We explore right livelihood, meditation, and the ways mindfulness can transform our relationship with everyday life.
We also delve into Ram’s work as a Buddhist and eco-chaplain, accompanying people experiencing grief, isolation, and ecological loss, and ask what it might mean to live with greater agency, compassion, joy, and trust in the unfolding of our lives. Enjoy!
Links:
The Sati Center for Buddhist Studies, where Ram teaches regularly
Music by Sunsette - check it out!
