Haemin Sunim Book Reviews

Mental health is a topic that is taken these days seriously. People are hungry for guidance on how to be mindful in this modernized era, and reading self-help books is considered one of the most intellectually beneficial activities. Today, we will cover the self-help book by a Buddhist monk, Hemin Sunim. 

• The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down

This book is essentially a guide to mindfulness, comprising spiritual advice on dealing with anything from relationships to stress, and a book that is easy to dip in and out of. It is divided into eight chapters, each focusing on a different topic: Rest, Mindfulness, Passion, Relationships, Love, Life, The Future, and Spirituality. Each part starts with a short personal story by Sunim before moving on to a collection of advice and occasionally relevant quotes from other influential people. Lovely illustrations have been included throughout, which add yet another dimension of calm to the tome.

The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down will be of most use to those who suffer from anxiety disorders and depression; it is a rather light but fitting book that can be read one small part at a time and offers useful advice for seeing positives and focusing upon things of importance to the individual. The author, in fact, recommends that it is not read all in one go, from cover to cover; rather, he says, sections should be digested and reflected upon by the reader before he or she moves on. The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down would be a very thoughtful addition to a loved one’s bedside table or reading stack, to provide respite from hectic lives, stresses, and other problems.

• Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection

Just like his first book, this book is a collection of essays, anecdotes, and quotes. The book is split up into eight chapters that deal with one certain topic: Self Care, Family, Empathy, Relationships, Courage, Healing, Enlightenment, and Acceptance. The essays in this book are deceptively simple. They are not earth-shattering revelations, but instead are quiet, peaceful reflections on life and how best to live it, starting by accepting the most meaningful of “imperfect things,” of ourselves. The short, poetic words of wisdom that follow each essay can be taken in all at once as quick reinforcing readings about the chapter, or each one might be considered on its own as a daily meditation. 

Heartwarming, soothing, simple, and full of wisdom are the words that can describe this book. This is the kind of book you reach for when you’re feeling low. If there’s a book that can give you a hug, this book is certainly one of them.

Written by Apta Maheswari