Welcome! This is the very first blog I’m writing for my dream goal and my life’s calling. What I struggled with most, and what I see many people struggle with, is learning how to take care of themselves.
What does self-care mean? It was never about pampering myself by going to the salon, or spa, indulging in retail therapy, and so on.
It’s always in the basic thing – Looking Within and knowing myself.
The books I’m about to share with you were more like confirmations of what I had already been observing within myself and around me. They gave me the feeling that people like me do exist in this world, and even if I do not fit in, it doesn’t mean I’m on the wrong path.
No one ever suggested these books to me, and I’ve rarely seen others reading some of them either. Plus, there’s one book for which I watched the movie first and then read the book. When I came across it, I had never heard anyone talk or write about it.
I feel so blessed that I stumbled upon these books—it’s as if they found me.
The quote “What you seek is seeking you” worked out well for me.
1. Buddhism is Not What You Think It Is
Instant relief! It was as if all my burdens were dropped. That’s what it felt like when I finished reading this book.
I could never agree with the rules people had built for themselves and others to follow; this book confirmed to me that thinking from my conscience and acting upon it is the right thing to do.
To see and know for myself, not to blindly follow the beliefs and teachings of others without verifying them through my own experience.
2. The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
This one came before any other, while I was still in school. I had watched the movie but hadn’t read the book yet. I found myself unable to connect with anyone. Feeling so deeply and becoming more sensitive year after year, I couldn’t find anyone like me.
Later, I decided to read the book, and it took me on a journey to discover what real common sense is.
I highly recommend reading the book and watching the movie as well.
3. The Power of Now
The mind always fascinates me, and the things I observed in myself were written out in this book.
I always heard people say that one should control their mind, but it felt more like suppression and constant fighting. I felt like I was always in survival mode, neither living nor cherishing my life. I couldn’t feel the world around me; everything was bottled up inside me, to the point where I couldn’t function anymore. I didn’t know what it meant to live anymore.
I learned that awareness is the key, not control. How could I ever truly live when I was always suppressing what I truly felt and desired? Neither would I be able to overcome my fleeting desires nor would I ever know myself—my essence, my being.
4. The Laws of the Spirit World
This one is something many people won’t readily read or accept. There will be many questions and speculations. A lot of meditation, self-awareness, research, understanding, and open-mindedness are required to read it.
I can’t say that I fully accept or believe in it, because it’s not in my experience yet.
But if you’re questioning life, carrying negative thoughts about the people around you, or looking for answers as to why good people often experience bad things or suffer, or if you’re grieving, you might find some relief here.
5. The Book of Five Rings
This book came to me when I was training for my dream goal and gave me the right mindset to pursue it.
It taught me the perspective of a warrior in the truest sense—the rules to live by and the mistakes to avoid when pursuing a goal.
Please Note: The one I read was back in 2017 and it was a PDF which isn’t available anymore. I can’t find it online and neither any book translation I want to suggest without having read it. Sorry, but you’ll have to figure out which edition to buy.
Personal Reflection
Everyone’s interpretation of any book is based on their own experiences, current level of consciousness, and much more.
If you read these books and don’t gain much insight into yourself, or if they don’t help answer the questions within you, it’s okay.
We are all different in many ways.
There are other books that have impacted me, but the peace and guidance these books have given me, especially when I felt lost and misguided by the opinions of people who couldn’t understand how I felt, is immeasurable.
That’s why we must always put our true feelings, mistakes, and learnings out into the world. So that when someone out there feels lost, our words can support them until they find their inner strength to support themselves.
I have an enormous amount of gratitude for the authors of each of these books, and I will be eternally grateful to the invisible powerful energy that brought them to me when I needed them the most.
Thank you.
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