[Bbang Gubneun Tajagi] HomeinHome

A House Full of Scars in My Heart
How to Rebuild It Strongly

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Soyeon] Just like a house, the mind’s home also needs reconstruction after thirty or forty years of use. The places dented from childhood teasing by friends, the spots that crumbled because parents weren’t there when most needed. The corners blackened alone from not being accepted by a loved one, and the corners filled with dust of regret after harsh words spoken to others. Returning after three years since "1cm Diving," author Taesu talks in his new book Home in Home about the home of the mind that was neglected while endlessly dealing with immediate matters day and night. He suggests that everyone try reconstructing their own mind’s home. However, the mind’s home is not a house that someone else can build for you just because you have money or land; it is a DIY (Do IT Yourself) project.

The author shares the process of repairing his own mind’s home through everyday episodes. There are three essential steps to building a strong mind’s home. The first is to break down and empty out what already exists. To improve something, sometimes you must completely tear it down. The mind’s home is no different. It requires a process of removing and emptying all the existing thoughts and behaviors, including relationships, daily routines, subjectivity, and pride that have been built up until now. It is a process of releasing the grip on hands that you have held tightly, believing you must never let go, and loosening the tension in your neck, shoulders, and head.

The second step is to erect pillars in the empty space of the mind with the person you are. The most important thing when building a house is to firmly set the pillars. Strong pillars may shake during disasters but will not collapse. The mind’s home is the same. Life is unpredictable and exhausting. Values, which serve as pillars to firmly support you so you don’t collapse under shocks, cannot be built by others. What others build is easily torn down. It is important to create your own precious values regardless of what others say.

Once the pillars are set, you can start stacking bricks. Here, the bricks represent the daily life we live day by day. Life is ultimately completed by the accumulation of everyday moments. The author says that by presenting habits that change daily life, the mind’s home can be solidly completed.

When you go out into the world and face challenges, all kinds of emotional whirlwinds rudely open the door of your mind and stir up your home as if it were their own. The inner strength to politely say to emotions you haven’t allowed, “This is my home. It’s uncomfortable, so please stay only a little while and then leave,” is what this book helps cultivate. It guides you through the process of remodeling your old mind’s home by carefully examining and fixing your uncontrollable feelings one by one, together with the author. Because the author shares his own experiences, it is neither burdensome nor difficult. Ultimately, building the mind’s home is up to oneself, and reconstructing the mind is a lifelong task. In the epilogue, the author says, “Rather than hoping to get better every day, I will strive not to get worse every day,” and adds, “I will diligently nurture my mind and organize my wounds to welcome comfort inside my home, rather than the thrill of a hotel room.”

Home in Home | Written by Taesu | FIKA | 251 pages | 15,000 KRW