Friday, July 31, 2026

Ornithography – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91SPJbcrhlL._SL1500_.jpg

Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism (Hidden Languages)
by Jessica Roux

Birds and What They Mean to Us

I am a huge fan of dinosaurs and (I think) have a pretty good knowledge of these fascinating creatures. I decided to pick up this eye-catching book because I realized that, even though I was quite familiar with Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, and other such ancient dinosaurs, I had to expand my knowledge of the only surviving ones: birds. And I'm glad I did.

Ornithography by Jessica Roux is a lovely book celebrating birds and their connections with us humans. The author presents readers with 100 of her favorite birds (including the albatross, cassowary, heron, lapwing, raven, toucan, wren, and even the unfortunately already extinct dodo), each entry showing the meaning of the bird, the lore surrounding it, and a beautiful illustration drawn by the Nashville-based artist. I find Roux's writing style absolutely charming and delightful, and her unique, gorgeous drawings are something you should not miss out on! Thanks to Ornithography. not only have I acquired massive amounts of knowledge about our feathery friends, but I have also learned so much about human history and culture – in reading this amazing avian book, I could clearly see the great propensity our species has for symbolism and superstition. If you'd like to know about birds and how we perceive them as humans, I highly recommend reading this gem of avian literature by Jessica Roux!

Have you read Ornithography? What do you think about this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Know Your Own Power – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/715bk9zDJsL._SL1500_.jpg

Know Your Own Power: Inspiration, Motivation and Practical Tools For Life
by Dr Radha Modgil

Flawless Victory

Life is life, with all its chaos and tranquility, with all its "good" and "bad". Crises, challenges, and changes are bound to strike us at some point in our lives and we can feel frustrated, depressed, despondent, down in the dumps... You have come to a dead end, and it is as if your world is crumbling, burying you deep under the rubble and leaving you utterly helpless. Dr Radha Modgil wants you to know that this is NOT the case. You can rise up, go through those life dynamics, and end up conquering life as your true self.

Know Your Own Power by Dr Radha Modgil is an absolutely wonderful gift for humanity, for those facing hardships and hurdles in life. She writes passionately, affectionately, and empathetically, and I could really feel that Dr Radha deeply cares about the readers. Divided into three major sections: Getting Through, Stepping Up, and Moving Forward, this wisdom-laden, uplifting book is full of practical tips to help readers overcome what life hurls at them. If I have to describe this book in only one word, I'd say "home", because it is something that I will return to again and again... It is a place where you can feel comfort, consolation, and reassurance when life feels harsh, menacing, or hostile. Thank you for writing such a much-needed and incredibly impactful book, Dr Radha! Know Your Own Power by Dr Radha Modgil is a flawless victory!

Have you read Know Your Own Power? What are your thoughts about this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Sunday, April 19, 2026

Earthen Lamps – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61TyIfkPHBL._SL1000_.jpg

Earthen Lamps: 60 Parables and Anecdotes to Light Up Your Heart
by Osho

Invaluable Source of Wisdom

It is no surprise at all that Osho is called "the master of masters". His words are mind-blowingly insightful and ethereally heartwarming, flowing deep into the very soul of man. Earthen Lamps is the third book by him that I've read. It consists of 60 stories recounted by the eccentric mystic which will lead you to reach godliness. If you have a thirst for knowing the essence of life, I heartily recommend this book. Osho naman~ 🙏🏻

Have you read Earthen Lamps? What do you think about this book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Sunday, March 8, 2026

Your Own Path

It's 2026. I can't believe that I am in my mid-30s, closer now to the age of 40 than to 30! Despite this physiological facade, I am still a child at heart. (Aren't we all?) I am still that Chindo male who is enamored of the fascination brought by the dinosaurs, who is mesmerized by the celestial nature of Jay Chou's musical creations, and who is engrossed by the beauteousness of the English language. This is related to what I'm going to discuss in this article.

Photo by Jack Skinner on Unsplash

In a world that presents countless ideas, ideals, ideologies, etc., we can be overwhelmed by the sheer number of those surrounding and pelting us. The advent of the internet has enabled unprecedented global interconnectedness, which inevitably gave rise to potentially unstoppable data consumption for humans. Travel has become unbelievably easy, allowing one to hop from one continent to another in a matter of hours, providing an endless platform for cultural exchanges. While there is undoubtedly positivity coming out of this, if we are not wise enough, it can lead to some sort of existential giddiness – you don't know how to stand, you don't know what to do, and ultimately, you don't know who you are.

Thus, in my view, life is about setting priorities and sticking to them. With the ridiculously strong maelstrom of choices, options, or alternatives, we have to decide which one(s) are worth devoting our energy, time, and effort to. Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something. That something is what we need to focus on and what should direct and guide us in our lives. Pick something, be content with it, and follow it will all your heart. Everybody has their own role and this separation is something we should greatly and gleefully celebrate as humankind.

If you are a frequent visitor to my blog or have been following me on social media for a while, you may be aware that I've been crazy about the indescribable mystic Osho relatively lately – I've read two books by him (The Book of Understanding and Life Is a Soap Bubble) and am currently reading another two. Here is an enlightening quote from one of them, entitled Earthen Lamps: "A person can only be himself. It is impossible to become like someone else." Aren't these true words? You will never become somebody else, no matter how hard you try. If you do, you'll get exhausted and eventually run out of your life energy. The greatest delight can be attained only if you follow your own path. Preserve your quiddity, indulge in it, and become your true self.

Continue reading

Monday, March 2, 2026

Quote #127

"Wholeness is one characteristic of truth. Truth embraces everything; if there is segregation, it is not truth." - Klinsman Hinjaya
Continue reading

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Life Is a Soap Bubble – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81RkoK4vguL._SL1500_.jpg

Life Is a Soap Bubble: 100 Ways to Look at Life
by Osho

An outstandingly beautiful gem crafted by a life master!

Osho is such an indescribable individual. Life Is a Soap Bubble is a book consisting of 100 letters, originally written to his disciple Yoga Sohan, about the very life all of us are in. The wonderfully magical words in these letters will penetrate into the innermost part of your being, waking you up to the reality of life and priming you for the ultimate unleashing of your own potential. I couldn't agree more with llarod r hernaiz's words in their Amazon review of this fundamentally transformative book: "Osho has a special way to take you to the center." Suffused with the Indian mystic's timeless wisdom and incomparable poetry, Life Is a Soap Bubble by Osho is a must-read for those seeking to live their lives to the fullest.

Have you read Life Is a Soap Bubble? What is your opinion about this book? Share what you think in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Quote #126

"Your quiddity is inimitable and irreplaceable, a fact that you should celebrate and bask in." - Klinsman Hinjaya
Continue reading

Friday, December 26, 2025

Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81DaTgHgrnL._SL1500_.jpg

Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely: 3500 Most Beautiful English Vocabulary Words
by Robin Devoe

I've been trying to supercharge my vocabulary by consuming books on this subject. The year 2024 concluded with me finishing up Big & Fancy Words That Might Make You Smarter...er by Albert B. Squid, which presents one big and fancy word (as the title says) for every day of the year. In the middle of this year, I wrapped up my reading of the lexically luminiferous resource The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain. Now here I am reviewing Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely by Robin Devoe, which, in a sense, is the ne plus ultra of all such I've read to date.

Why so? Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely by Robin Devoe lists English words that you would most likely not encounter in everyday life. Here is a selection of random expressions from the book: amaranthinelimerence, oneiric, catachthonian, mansuetude, quiddity, gourmandism, esprit d'escalier, plumigerous, hesternal, zeitgeist, redivivus, encincturedevenustate, and spizzerinctum. On the whole, the definitions are easy to understand, and I like the fact that the author also provides information about etymology, parts of speech, synonyms & antonyms, rarity, obsoleteness, etc., although this doesn't apply to every entry. A tiny number of entries show how to pronounce the words – I kind of wish each and every one had such information; natheless, I realize that it would probably be too massive an undertaking. Hence, I had to use other resources, such as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), to grok this aspect of the vocabulary.

All of these notwithstanding, I have encountered a number of inaccuracies, without which the dictionary would be more outstanding. Here are several examples:
  • In the entry for "nanization", "bonzai" should be "bonsai" – a mistake probably caused by the similarity between "bonsai" and "banzai" (another word of Japanese origin). (p. 86)
  • As the definition is that of a verb, the word "scintillant" (adjective) should be "scintillate". (p. 118)
  • In the entry for "spiracle", "anthropods" should be "arthropods". (p. 125)
All in all, Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely by Robin Devoe is an absolutely frabjous English resource! I am sempiternally grateful for its existence and wholeheartedly recommend this dictionary to any logophile, poet, or one who wants to delve deep into the English lexicon.

Have you read Dictionary of the Strange, Curious & Lovely? What would you say about this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Quote #125

"There are two kinds of people in this world: those who die doing what they love and those who don't." - Klinsman Hinjaya
Continue reading

Friday, October 24, 2025

Monster Rancher 2 DX: Favorite Monster Breeds Poll

What is your favorite monster breed in Monster Rancher 2 DX? The uber-powerful Golem? 🗿🪨 The pretty but lethal Pixie? 🧚🏻‍♀️ The extraordinarily smart Suezo? 👁️ Take the poll and find out which monster breeds are the most popular! 😄✨


Here are the poll results (automatically updated):



Links:
Credit to MonsterFenrick for giving me the idea of using Google Forms for this poll. 😊
Continue reading

Saturday, August 23, 2025

The Jay Chou Poem

The magical counter-clockwise clock transports me back to the past
I gaze with wonderment at the King of Mandopop being born with a grand piano, his nimble fingers dancing on its black and white keys
The coruscant golden armor
The circumambient enchanting melody
The eight dimensions are so enthralling that I find it hard to speak

Every moment is always the era
No matter how split I am
You are always the train's destination
The incomparable virtuosity and feat
I ride all the way north to rejoice in the sheer music-cum-magic spectacle

Your fantasy is olamic
How could one resist the canorous beauty of Opus 12?
All you create are undoubtedly the greatest works of art
From old Shanghai to modern Istanbul, from the Coral Sea to the 'Pink Ocean'
Any biont is obliged to step aside in your territory

The bucolic view of rice and terrace fields on a sunny day
Hearkens back to class 3-2, where I excitedly savor Grandpa's tea and Turkish ice cream
Then I am reminded of how sweet your smile is
Of how I do not care whether or not it is the end of the world
Making a love confession has never been this easy

The hair-raising atmosphere of William Castle
Does not deter the fearless dragon rider
Dashing through the formidable tornado as fast as the four seasons train
With a pair of steel nunchucks on his back and a razor-sharp double blade at his side
Hero Chou proves not to be a coward in the slightest, slaying half-beast humans without a step back

Silence
The time machine has obviously come to a halt
Soon afterwards I can hear the rhythm of the rain and the occasional drop of maple leaves
Is it time for a lulling bedtime story?
I flip my romantic handphone open and read the ataraxic handwritten past in my diary of love

In Chapter Seven, I fall abysmally into a dream
Thereupon, I find myself under a fun fair rainbow, thanking Yeh Hui Mei profusely in one breath
No sooner has it concluded than Jay utters from far away, "Long time no see!"
I say I won't cry but tears of scattered emotion instantly stream down my face
Please do not say goodbye, but give me the time of one song, and I will turn it into the longest movie

This poem contains 62 references to Jay Chou's songs and 10 references to his albums. Below is the version with links to the corresponding songs and albums on Jay Chou's official YouTube channel. In the cases where a song reference coincides with an album reference, the link to the song, instead of to the album, is used.

The magical counter-clockwise clock transports me back to the past
I gaze with wonderment at the King of Mandopop being born with a grand piano, his nimble fingers dancing on its black and white keys
The coruscant golden armor
The circumambient enchanting melody

Every moment is always the era
No matter how split I am
The incomparable virtuosity and feat
I ride all the way north to rejoice in the sheer music-cum-magic spectacle

Your fantasy is olamic
How could one resist the canorous beauty of Opus 12?
All you create are undoubtedly the greatest works of art
From old Shanghai to modern Istanbul, from the Coral Sea to the 'Pink Ocean'
Any biont is obliged to step aside in your territory

The bucolic view of rice and terrace fields on a sunny day
Hearkens back to class 3-2, where I excitedly savor Grandpa's tea and Turkish ice cream
Then I am reminded of how sweet your smile is
Of how I do not care whether or not it is the end of the world
Making a love confession has never been this easy

The hair-raising atmosphere of William Castle
Does not deter the fearless dragon rider
Dashing through the formidable tornado as fast as the four seasons train
With a pair of steel nunchucks on his back and a razor-sharp double blade at his side
Hero Chou proves not to be a coward in the slightest, slaying half-beast humans without a step back

The time machine has obviously come to a halt
Soon afterwards I can hear the rhythm of the rain and the occasional drop of maple leaves
Is it time for a lulling bedtime story?
I flip my romantic handphone open and read the ataraxic handwritten past in my diary of love

In Chapter Seven, I fall abysmally into a dream
Thereupon, I find myself under a fun fair rainbow, thanking Yeh Hui Mei profusely in one breath
No sooner has it concluded than Jay utters from far away, "Long time no see!"
I say I won't cry but tears of scattered emotion instantly stream down my face
Please do not say goodbye, but give me the time of one song, and I will turn it into the longest movie
Continue reading

Saturday, August 2, 2025

Me: Then and Now

Perhaps to most people the phrase "time flies" feels more and more true with age. Here I am in 2025, a quarter of the 21st century having flown by unthinkably powerful AI tools such as ChatGPT being household names all across the world such that "digital gods" might be an apt name for them. I was born on the pale blue dot in 1990, which means 35 years has passed since my accouchement and I have, more or less, another 35 years of having the privilege of residing on this Brobdingnagian life-supporting rock. (Or is it? We'll see.) Everything evolves, and so do I. Looking back to my much younger self, I can see quite a significant difference between him and my present self.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

The most striking change I have experienced has to do with my holistic view on life. I grew up becoming a religious bigot who harbored bitter hatred for those not adhering to my deeply held belief. That period of my life was indeed grueling years, filled with continual unsatisfaction and intense stress which rendered me alamort. I could not become my real self and had to suppress the naturality inside me, which would otherwise have entered its anthesis in that timeframe. As odious as this psychological and behavioral phenomenon may seem, I am confident that I have figured out how it managed to grip my being, and others' for that matter, so firmly. The infectious ideological bigotry in human mind could be easily explained by our desire to extinguish fear in the simplest way possible. The problem is what is simple is not necessarily good, and what is simplest is not necessarily best. Science has enabled me to unmask this false thinking. It goes without saying that, as a dinosaur maniac, paleontology is the science that has played a vital role in decimating the pernicious mental illness.

I could almost laugh when thinking about the naivety exhibited by my past self. In my mind, life was destined to be a bed of roses. Justice would eventually prevail, everyone would inevitably reach happiness if they really wanted to, and so on and so forth. As dreamy as this thinking may appear, so far as I can tell, it is not in line with reality. If you are born in a war-torn country, the odds are your well-being will not be as good as those who aren't. Where your parturition takes place is aleatory – it is not something you can choose. You could win the lottery today and go into a coma the next day because some inebriated guy's car ploughs into your unfortunate body. There is just an unending list of things that are outside our control. This is where Stoicism comes into play. This ancient school of philosophy seems to have been gaining traction in recent years, and its popularity is a testament to its efficacy and practicality. While terrible things do happen, we can still (and have to) make the most of it. Focusing only on things within your control and loving the fate handed to you (amor fati) are two examples of Stoic practices and I find them incredibly potent and fulfilling.

"Purpose inherently exists in every human being." This is another thing in my mindset that has become obsolete. From a cosmic point of view, we have no purpose in this world. This may sound overly depressing and can leave us disoriented, but it can be liberating and uplifting instead. Although the universe did not impart purpose to us, we can create our own. Meaning is something that we ourselves determine and not something automatically dealt to us. Here is a profound quote from the extraordinary thinker Osho Rajneesh:

"People wonder why there seems to be no meaning in life. Meaning does not exist a priori. There is no meaning existing in life; one has to create it. Only if you create it will you discover it. It has to be invented first. It is not lying there like a rock, it has to be created like a song. It is not a thing, it is a significance that you bring through your consciousness." - The Book of Understanding: Creating Your Own Path to Freedom

Related to this is my realization of the vague distinction between good and bad. Dwelling in absolutism will not bear real fruit and only result in desperation. Which is better, being an employee or an entrepreneur? Is working as a doctor better than as an accountant? Should you get married or stay single? No one can say that one is absolutely good and the other is absolutely bad. I completely agree with Osho on this matter and I'd like to end this article with another eye-opening quote from the Indian guru:

"People have remained concerned about their acts: Which act is right and which act is wrong? What is good and what is evil? My own understanding is that it is not a question of any particular act. The question is about your psychology.

"When you are total, it is good; and when you are divided, it is evil. Divided you suffer; united, you dance, you sing, you celebrate." - The Book of Understanding: Creating Your Own Path to Freedom

Continue reading

Friday, June 27, 2025

The Lexicologist's Handbook – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/815Vk7cqbaL._SL1500_.jpg

The Lexicologist's Handbook: A Dictionary of Unusual Words
by Dane Cobain

I have been fascinated by English for eons. The joy of learning and exploring this language is immense, so much so that I ended up becoming an EFL teacher in my country, Indonesia. Although grammar is the aspect that got me hooked in the first place and played a primary role in setting my life trajectory, the beauty and richness of the English vocabulary is unlimited food for my insatiable linguistic appetite. The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain is such a terrific resource for this never-ending adventure.

This book is basically a dictionary – but not a usual one. It is jam-packed with unusual, rare, fancy, or otherwise cool English words that will imbue readers with lexical superpower. In each entry, there is information on the word's pronunciation, type(s), definition(s), and example sentence(s), which enables you to understand the word thoroughly and primes you to use it in real-life situations, impressing your fellow humans linguistically.

Howbeit, considering The Lexicologist's Handbook is aimed at learners of English and educational in nature, I wish the accuracy of the content were higher. I have encountered a number of mistakes, one of which is "Amphitheatre" being misspelled as "Ampitheatre". On top of that, the pronunciation feature could be enhanced by adding information on stress position.

On the whole, The Lexicologist's Handbook by Dane Cobain is a spectacular addition to English literature. If you are bored of using ordinary expressions or looking to diversify your vocabulary, I highly recommend reading this tremendous lexical booster!

Have you read The Lexicologist's Handbook? Do you agree with my opinion? Share what you think in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-uDFQ4rpL._SL1500_.jpg

Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know
by Dr Dean Lomax

Wow, wow, wow! What a stupendous book! In an "eggshell", Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know by Dr Dean Lomax is a superlative summary of the dinosaur world, perfect for people who are curious about the prehistoric icons but do not have much time to devote to studying them in depth.

Just like the author's last name – low but max (tongue in cheek) – this book is a paradox. It is very modest in size but contains a wealth of information on dinosaurs, which has been carefully selected such that only the most important is presented (for example, while terminology inevitably exists, it is not overwhelmingly present). Dr Dean Lomax is an exceptionally fine writer; he writes with remarkable clarity and I am really fascinated by his style, which is conversational but engaging and absorbing! It is also evident throughout the book that the British paleontologist is so deeply in love with the subject. His contagious exuberance reminds me of fellow paleontologist Steve Brusatte, the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, another dinosaurian tour de force.

If you are in a hurry but dying to know more about the dinosaurs, I wholeheartedly recommend Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know by Dr Dean Lomax, a magnificently written and enormously enjoyable piece of dinosaur literature!

Have you read Dinosaurs: 10 Things You Should Know? What is your opinion on this book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Eternality

The sloshing pristine water at the pond's edge
Nudges me to your reflection
The unmatched grace
Your pulchritudinous face
All your flawless features floating in front of my melancholic visage

The good old days
Were buried deep in the past
Yet our romantic scenes are still pellucid as ever
Numberless rainy days
Never blemish our trysts anywise

The dulcet tune of your existence
Is a spring of joy for mine
I will embosom it
Preserving this priceless piece of yours
To futurity and beyond

Sipping warm latte in the mahogany ladder-back chair
Crepuscular light streaming through the bamboo Venetian blinds
I can't help but smile
Realizing that this is just another day
For our everlasting rendezvous

The creation of this poem was requested by Melvina and inspired by Yu Xia Yi Zheng Wan (雨下一整晚) by Jay Chou.
Continue reading

Friday, May 23, 2025

Homophones Visualized – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Mbg9+eWVL._SL1500_.jpg

Homophones Visualized
by Bruce Worden

Watt a grate book!

Homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings, can be annoying (the title is a good example). Homophones Visualized by Bruce Worden is a wonderful reference which showcases simple yet informative illustrations explaining the differences between a good selection of homophones in English. If you want to learn this linguistic phenomenon in a fun, playful, and entertaining manner, this witty book is just for you! I also find it intriguing that the author's name, Bruce Worden, contains "word" in it (it is as if he is destined to write such books). I really enjoyed Homophones Visualized greatly (no mistake this time) and I hope you do two! ;-)

Note that this book is to be read from the American English standpoint. Thus, some of the content may not make sense, say, from the perspective of British English.

Have you read Homophones Visualized? What are your thoughts on this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!
Continue reading

Friday, May 16, 2025

A Reflection on Death

My dad has just passed away. At the age of 67, after battling liver cirrhosis for many years, he finally succumbed to the medical condition. My relationship with him would not have been described as best; we had a multiple-year-old feud until recently, when we naturally made it up. One thing I will never forget is the fact that he took me on his motorcycle to Jay Chou's first concert in Jakarta back in 2013, for which I am infinitely grateful. (Thank you, Dad! 🙏🏻💙✨)

My late father, Hendry Budiman, resting in his casket in Husada Funeral Home, Mangga Besar, Jakarta (photo taken on May 1, 2025)
A portrait of my late father, Hendry Budiman (photo taken probably on May 3, 2013)

Despite our not-so-close relationship, I couldn't prevent myself from shedding tears. I think it's perfectly natural for us humans to cry for a deceased person who has been with us for a long time; their departure from life is a natural tearjerker. This was certainly a sad moment for me and my family, and I would like to thank everyone who expressed their love and support during the bereavement period. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

The death of my direct male progenitor has consequently shoved me into a state of reflection. That day would and has come. My father has ceased living in this world, completely losing consciousness and transforming into nonliving matter. This serves as a poignant reminder of the ephemerality of our lives. Our time on this planet is incredibly short, and the clock is continuously ticking, unable to be stopped. Conscious of this fact, we need to get our act together, before it is too late. Sing, dance, travel, smile, play, love, explore, ... the list is endless. Do what you want while time is still available, and relish the present to the fullest because now is the most important moment of all. This is the essence of the Stoic practice of memento mori; the great philosopher Epictetus instructs us to "let death put everything in perspective".

Death can seem odious and petrifying. The thought of having your mind shut down and your existence zapped can certainly drive you nuts! However, if we take a helicopter view of life, we can see it through a completely different lens and stop being neurotic. Dr. Kenneth Lacovara points out in his interview with FRANCE 24 English: "Everybody dies. That's what people do. That's what organisms do." It is just part of the workings of nature. Rather than lamenting this biological phenomenon, I think it is prudent to "celebrate" it as a fact of life. Dwelling in romanticization will bring about more bad than good. Reality will not change through wishful thinking: facing up to it is the only way.

I would like to conclude this article with words from the preeminent guru Osho Rajneesh:

"I do not want life to be taken seriously. Seriousness is a kind of psychological disease. Life has to be a fun. Life has to be a rejoicing, a dance, a song, a love affair. In such a small life, being serious is simply wasting the opportunity. That's what I mean when I said it is a circus; it should be everywhere a circus, and we should turn everything in playfulness. But people are so heavy and long-faces, and so burdened and carrying loads on them. And life is so short, soon you will be reaching to your grave. Before reaching to the grave, have a little dance, a little drink."
Continue reading

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The Book of Understanding – Book Review

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Idafiw3xL.jpg

The Book of Understanding: Creating Your Own Path to Freedom
by Osho

Warning: If you are not open-minded or cannot resist taking offense, do NOT read this book.

The Book of Understanding by Osho is certainly one of the most mind-boggling and thought-provoking books I've ever read. The Indian mystic gracefully explains what understanding really is in lyrical language of his own style. The concept of "Zorba the Buddha" is absolutely fascinating, but this book is much, much, much more than that. Brilliant. Eye-opening. Electrifying. Powerful. Moving. All the same, it doesn't necessarily mean I agree with all of his points. I am completely sure, though, that it is quite impossible to finish reading The Book of Understanding by Osho without taking something home.

Unfortunately, due to local circumstances, I cannot fully express my view on the self-development book in this blog. If you are interested to know more of my thoughts, I would be more than happy to discuss The Book of Understanding by Osho with you personally.

Have you read The Book of Understanding? What is your opinion of this book? Share what you think in the comment section below!
Continue reading