Are you feeling stressed out? Is the rat race getting you down? Are you looking for those elusive answers to life’s little enigmas? If you answered yes to any or all the above, the solution is quite simple, really – just have some TEA.

In Ratanjit S. Sondhe’s new novel,  “TEA: The Recipe for Stress-Free Living,” he uses the letters in the word TEA to help his readers learn how to banish the overwhelming stress so often present in our everyday workaday lives. The acronym is skillfully employed by the inspirational speaker/author/international radio and television personality as the characters in his book listen to the wise words of a monk from India while calmly sipping cups of tea. It was during a taping of one of his popular television shows that the inspiration for “TEA” hit Sondhe.

“Believe it or not, I was doing a television show when the idea came to me,” said Sondhe, 65, who lives in Chagrin Falls with his wife, Dolly. “It was early morning and I was having a cup of tea when the director said, ‘Okay, let’s get on with it.’ Since most of my shows are unscripted, the concept of TEA became the show. It has nothing to do with tea itself, it’s the mystery hidden in the word. Anyway, even I am amazed that it came out of me. I don’t even think it’s me talking sometimes – I’m just lucky because this universal wisdom happens to come through me.”

Following the taping of the pivotal show, Sondhe felt the need to explore the concept further.  “One day I sat down and said, ‘Let’s see if I can put

this idea on paper,” said Sondhe, the founder of Poly-Carb, a company that produces – among other products – the adhesive that is used to secure reflectors to high-way pavement. “ I am amazed that some of the stories in this book came to me. The concept is so powerful, yet it’s presented simply. I really spent a lot of effort making the book simple and conversational.”

The conversation played itself out in Sondhe’s head over the course of about a week – the time it took to write “TEA.”

 “It came right through me, it poured through me,” said Sondhe. “I was absolutely amazed at myself because I had not done something like that before. It was a new experience for me, and every time I read it, I always find something intriguing. It doesn’t even feel like I wrote it – it’s almost as if I’m reading somebody else’s book.”

Whatever – or whoever – the source, the message in “TEA” remains the same for all who read it.

“The message is really a unifying message,” Sondhe said. “Rather than focusing on what is mine and bickering and negativity, the focus is on how to give back to society. Ultimately, joy comes from giving back to others, and that’s the message. It’s a message that crosses all the boundaries of religion, gender, age and profession. It’s more or less a very universal message that gives us back the control of our own lives.”

As much as Sondhe Hopes that “TEA” changes the lives of his readers, there’s one life that it’s already touched – his own.

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“The old saying goes, ‘The best way to learn is to teach,’ so when I’m writing, I’m reading and listening and understanding.” He said. “It has had a profound effect on my myself, because it reminds me of what my purpose of life is. It’s like a cleansing instrument. Whenever I read this book, it’s like having a shower and becoming fresh again. This book has a special way of conveying that message.”

Sondhe, who came to the United States from India in 1968, studied polymer chemistry at the University of Akron. He holds a seat on several boards, including those of the Red Cross, Kent State University and the Urban League.

“TEA: The Recipe for Stress-Free Living” is now available on Amazon.com It will hit store shelves in September.

“The main incentive for writing the book is not for money,” Sondhe said. “The message is so powerful and meaningful that I hope it will help make a difference in people’s life. That’s what I’m hoping for.”