The Watchtower

When I was thirteen years old, I had a near-death experience that changed my life forever. Despite those around me misunderstanding or dismissing my experience, I learnt about the inner animal-like strength we all possess. After almost two decades of living with PTSD, I realise that the mind is an incredibly complex system — beyond what humans can ever fully grasp, much like other big questions such as the origins of the universe or what happens after we die.

After a relapse in January 2024, I set out to understand the mechanics of the mind and whether it is truly possible to heal from childhood developmental trauma. Now as an adult, my eyes have since opened to a world that exists in perfect harmony, balanced between beauty and suffering. Yet it doesn’t have to stay that way. As the Buddhist monk Om Swami writes, “pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.”

In this book, I invite you into my world through reflections and candid journal entries. Together, we’ll explore the power of acceptance and the responsibility we owe to ourselves to challenge the never-ending adversity we face in our lives.