Dr Shiam Chuttoo

A booklet by Dr Shiam Chuttoo, life coach. Six habits drawn from one remarkable tree.

The tree that lost its trunk and kept growing

Near Kolkata stands the Great Banyan. In 1925 its main trunk was removed after disease, and most people would have expected the tree to die. It did not. Over the years it had sent roots down from its branches into the soil, and those roots became new trunks. Today it spreads like a small forest from a single tree.

I have thought about that tree many times. It tells me that strength is built quietly, long before we need it. The habits we plant on ordinary days become the trunks that hold us up on hard ones. That idea grew into my BANYAN Model.

The BANYAN Model

© Dr Shiam Chuttoo 2026. My own six-habit model, in three parts: roots, trunk and branches.

The roots: what feeds you

• B, Be thankful: notice what is already good, and say so out loud.
• A, Act kindly: small, free acts that lift another person, often more than you know.
• N, Nurture the long view: choose today what your future self will thank you for.

The trunk: what holds you steady

• Y, Your peace is yours: clear, kind limits, and care about what you share and with whom.
• A, Anchor the worried mind: bring a racing mind back to now, one breath and one task at a time.

The branches: what you give

• N, Nourish others: lead through daily habits that help the people around you grow.

Questions to sit with

• Which of my roots needs water this week?
• Where would one clear, kind limit protect my peace?
• Who could I nourish today without being asked?
• What small habit, planted now, could hold me up in ten years?

Read the full guide

The full guide gives each habit a short story, a finding from research, questions to ponder and a seven-day challenge. Read it here: The BANYAN Way: Full Guide.

The complete 23-page booklet is free. Ask for your copy by emailing shiamduth@outlook.com.

A word of caution

This piece is for education and personal reflection. It is not medical, psychological or legal advice, and it does not replace care from a qualified professional. Please understand any technique before you use it. Anyone who uses these ideas does so by their own choice and is responsible for their own actions. If worry, low mood or stress stays with you, talk to your GP or another health professional. In the UK you can call NHS 111, Samaritans free on 116 123, or 999 in an emergency.

© Dr Shiam Chuttoo 2026. The BANYAN Model is the original work of Dr Shiam Chuttoo. Credit: BANYAN Model, created by Dr Shiam Chuttoo. You may share or use this model only with my permission, or with clear credit to me as its author. Work record: Ref DSC-2026-BANYAN-01, model created 11 October 2026, posted 15 October 2026. All rights reserved.