Know Your Own Power – Book Review

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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!

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Earthen Lamps – Book Review

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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!

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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.

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Quote #127

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

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Life Is a Soap Bubble – Book Review

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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!

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Quote #126

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

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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

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Quote #124

"The very essence of existence is going forward." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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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.

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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

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Quote #123

"In a sea of the insane, the sensical are deemed to be the insane and vice versa." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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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."

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The Book of Understanding – Book Review

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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!

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The Lesson from the Bakery

It is quite difficult to cease reading the profoundly thought-provoking The Book of Understanding by Osho for a short while, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right? My writing mind has been throbbing, aching to share a sort of epiphany that pierced through my brain on my recent visit to a bakery near my home.

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Inside the relatively small establishment, I was suddenly enthralled by the beauty of the creations displayed there. The experience was kind of peculiar since I had been there so many times but never felt the same way before. The cakes I saw imbued me with a very strong and deep feeling of appreciation and admiration; it was as if I was about to weep tears of joy for the wonderful works, created with an incredibly high level of precision and dedication. Marvelous! Perfection! Masterpieces! The feeling was so overwhelming that, had the baker(s) been present right in front of me, I would probably have commended them directly.

But then, my mind made a shocking, sudden turn, swerving into another dimension. What is the meaning of all of these? It felt as though poignancy was starting to sprout in my soul. All the grandeur the cakes were carrying, is it really something that people can enjoy? Is it something that can genuinely satisfy someone to their very core? These fancy products can certainly be purchased by those with enough money, but can these items really form bona fide smiles in their receivers?

In the same place, I noticed that there was a little girl accompanied with who I believe was her dad. Apparently, she was buying a birthday cake for her mom, uttering to the cashier the birthday greeting to be written on it. Judging from their appearance, they were not a part of the affluent, probably getting a cake that was cheaper than most of what were on offer. However, there was one thing catching my attention: her attitude. She seemed so genuinely happy to be able to buy the cake for her mom. While the cake might not be of the exquisite kind, she felt full, complete, overflowing with bliss originating from her desire to make her mom happy on her birthday. (And I believe her mom would be really happy and grateful for the birthday present as well.)

Then, I answered my own question. Life is how you view it. Luxury can mean nothing, simplicity can mean everything. Pursue what makes genuine happiness bloom in your heart. That's the lesson from the bakery.

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A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth – Book Review

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A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Chapters

by Henry Gee

Perhaps, for most people, the word "history" invokes monumental events that have peppered humanity's communal trajectory – the Industrial Revolution, the Second World War, the invention of the internet, etc. That's the upshot of us being so accustomed to peering into life through an infinitesimal lens, which, in a sense, doesn't do justice to the grand scheme of things. A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth by Henry Gee provides an easy, almost cheating-like way to grok life in a vastly larger picture.

As the title says, this book summarizes what has transpired to date in relation to life on our planet. Compressing 4.6 billion years into 12 chapters in 230 pages or so is no mean feat, and the author deserves lavish praise for doing that. A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth is brilliantly "written with style" (as Sunday Times testifies) and emanates a modicum of humor. The fact that this book also projects life in the future is to be celebrated, and, as a dinophile, I love the fact that the author has devoted an appreciable portion of it to discussing the icons of the ancient past.

All that being said, despite the inclusion of timeline diagrams, I wish this book was accompanied with more pictures, as it would help readers with imagination in regard to the points of discussion. What I read is the Kindle version, though, so the paperback and/or hardcover version might feature the visual aids.

All in all, if you are interested in or curious about the history of life on Gaia, including that beyond our own species', it is well worth dedicating a tiny part of your own history/life to reading A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth by Henry Gee.

Have you read A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth? What do you think of this book? Share your opinion in the comment section below!

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Quote #122

"Silent moderates are (at least partially) responsible for the action of violent extremists." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #121

"Be completely at ease with certain uncertainty." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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The Nature of Nature

Having finished chowing down on the exciting action-adventure novel ARK FOUND: An Omega Files Adventure (Book 2) by Rick Chesler, I feel it's time I wrote this article before setting off for my next read by the same author: Luna. I hope the seemingly redundant use of the word "nature" doesn't discourage you from resuming your perusal (I can assure you the title is carefully thought-out).

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What stimulated me to write this post is something along the lines of people vociferously complaining  about the existence of a video on social media showing the gory depiction of an animal killing and/or eating another animal of a different type. Think about lions hunting a zebra, for instance. (If you'd like to go back much further in time, imagine a Tyrannosaurus assailing a Triceratops in Late Cretaceous North America.) Such things are natural phenomena, and vehemently resenting and detesting them would naturally prompt me to raise my eyebrows.

I understand that such macabre events can make some (or many) flinch, but that's the harsh reality of nature. That's the nature of nature. Lions are predators and carnivores (their dental apparatus is not "designed" for ingesting vegetation) and without consuming flesh, they would simply vanish into thin air. They have evolved this way, and it is not their fault that they have to kill other animals in order to survive. Taking sides is a mind-bending thing to do and can lead to cognitive dissonance. Nevertheless, it seems that nowadays many people are drawn to this sort of behavior and continue engaging in mental masturbation – X is an extremely cute animal! Nobody and nothing should ever hurt it! The more videos of X thriving on social media I see, the more ecstatic I am!

An implication of the nature of nature pertains to morality. I have changed my mind on more than one thing in my life and this is one example of those. I used to firmly believe in absolute morality, but the nature of nature has simply crushed this way of thinking. Let's take birds and worms, for example. Is it morally right to catch worms and feed them to birds? Well, from birds' point of view, definitely yes, as it will give them the nutrients they need, but it's certainly a huge no from worms' standpoint, as it will contribute to their demise. Talking of this matter, Dr. Henry Wu's quote in Jurassic World has had a deep impact on me: "Monster is a relative term. To a canary, a cat is a monster. We're just used to being the cat."

Then, a question naturally arises: How should we live our lives? I think the best approach to answering this question is shown by the following quote from Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a.k.a. Osho: "You should care only about one thing, that you are happy, that you are blissful, that you are silent, that you are at ease with existence."

Related article: Animal Abuse

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Quote #120

"Simply staying alive may be a monumental achievement far too often overlooked." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #119

"Genuine humility is a prerequisite for fully embracing evolution." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Quote #118

"The attainment of peace of mind involves resigning yourself to everyday misfortunes and inconveniences." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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