The self
you defend
may be the cage
you live in
Understand the "I"
behind your thoughts,
reactions and
relationships through
144 illustrated rhymes
> Secure checkout > Immediate dowload > Linked navigation > Bonus access to the Sands of Time timer
What this book may help you see
‘I The Solution Hidden in Plain Sight’ puts in your hands:
● the “secret” of misbehavior
● 144 illustrated rhymes on useful and useless human conduct. Here are first stanzas of 12 of
them:
● Why certain thoughts, reactions and conflicts keep recurring
● How identity shapes fear, pride, desire and insecurity
● Why relationships become battles of self-protection
● How to pause before automatic reactions take control
● How greater self-awareness can create more balance and calm
Highlights from 144 illustrated rhymes
PONTLESS
ARGUMENTS
We jump into pointless arguments
Over nothing important at all
As though someone’s life was at stake
More like a tower of pride could fall
DOMINO EFFECT
From things that you have said or done
There’s a result you could recall
Cause and effect are like dominoes
Push one and the others fall
EGO
MANAGEMENT
A course in ego management
Would be tricky to conduct
How to manage the imagined
Nothing there to deconstruct
BATTLES
The hardest of our mind’s battles
Are with yearnings we feel and see
Those sly hidden movers
Urges that don’t let us free
WORDS
HURT
Have you ever thought to ask
Why you get hurt by what people say
Is it a knee-jerk reaction
To the truth of what they convey
ME, MYSELF & I
Bearing symptoms of a syndrome
It’s very own group of signs
A pattern of human behaviour
This Me, Myself and I
"I": The Solution Hidden in Plain Sight asks a deceptively simple question: What is the "I" we defend, promote, fear for, compare, praise, and suffer over every day?
Drawing on everyday human experience, Roy Mathiew explores how attachment to identity shapes conflict, insecurity, desire and emotional pain. Reflective prose, 144 rhymes and symbolic illustrations turn complex ideas into observations readers can recognize themselves.
Inside the book
Reader responses
Reflections from readers who found the book intellectually provocative, spiritually engaging, and deeply relevant to everyday human experience:
“I”: The Solution Hidden in Plain Sight is a bold invitation to examine the invisible self we blindly follow. The self you defend may be the cage you live in. This book unlocks the door.
Dr Samantha Tay
Principal Psychologist and Founder of
The Therapy Mind, Singapore
The book offers prodound
philosophical reflections on the paradoxes of everyday life, with meaningful insights that can touch the reader's inner world.
Dr. Jeffrey G. T. Po
Psychotherapist, Author, Owner, Regional Human Skills, Singapore
"Who am I?" is a question with long sought answers. This book offers essays and poetry that will strike an emotional chord. Are his prickly observations enough to answer that question? What he does, with clarity, is offer a mirror so that you can begin to see not just who you think you can or should be.
Anusha K.
Writer and Artist, Singapore
Why do I behave in this way? What controls me? What defines “me”, the heart, the mind or the body? How do I be a better person for myself, family and for friends?
You might not find the full answer, but it will definitely give you something to reflect and contemplate upon!
Wee Cher Yeh
Retired Banker, Singapore
The prose and rhymes reflect the spectrum of universal life experiences. While each of the rhymes is short, they invite the reader to pause and ponder on the very nature of life and humanity. An enjoyable read I wholeheartedly recommend!
Joseph Davidson Lim
Special Needs Educator, Singapore
Life is mostly positive with some doses of negativity, and we have to find direction while looking around for answers. It’s me in the universe and how I navigate the way. Well, it's good to look at yourself in this book of discovery.
Wong Loke Teck
Retired Business Owner, Singapore
About the author
Roy Mathiew is a former editorial professional and copywriter whose lifelong interest in human thought and behaviour led him to examine the identity behind our reactions, judgments and relationships.
Written from a layperson's perspective rather than as academic doctrine, this book distils years of observation and self-inquiry into reflective prose, illustrated rhymes and practical questions about how we live with the "I."
| This book does not offer readers another identity to adopt. It invites them to examine the one already operating beneath every thought and emotion - and shaping every reaction and relationship. |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the format of the book?
An interactive PDF that can be downloaded and read on a phone, tablet or computer.
- How will I receive it?
A download link is provided immediately after secure payment. Currently, only this digital version is
available and once you download it, it is available to you henceforth to store on multiple devices.
- What makes the PDF interactive?
The content list links to page numbers and vice versa to allow readers to navigate pages selectively
- What is included with the book?
Your download includes a link to the separately hosted Sands of Time timer, which can be used for meditation, reading
and work sessions. Because it is hosted independently, continued availability is outside our control. The app available for purchase at Google Play Store is a recommended companion resource.
- What if my download doesn't arrive?
Email [email protected] with the email used at checkout, and we will assist you.
- Can I share the PDF?
Your purchase is licensed for personal use. Please do not redistribute or resell the file.
Ready to meet the "I" behind your reactions?
Explore 144 illustrated reflections on identity, relationships and emotional life.
> 144 Illustrated rhymes > Hyperlinked PDF with symbolic artwork > Written for thoughtful readers, not specialists
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