It's time for a little update. First, let me say something about Covid. I don't want to underrate anyone's sufferings, but during these past two years I don't know anyone who's been hospitalized or even died because of Covid. I know one person who had it, and it was just a mild flu. I'm not saying it's not life-threatening for some people, and I still take it seriously: I have been vaccinated for three times, I wash or sanitize my hands frequently, and I think it's a good habit to keep up anyway, and I always wear a mask in public places indoors (like busses and stores), and I must say I actually like it! It has become an accessory (I always choose black). I will never shake hands again, and I think that was an unhygienic way of greeting anyway. However, in my previous post I wrote that Covid is yesterday's news, and I maintain that. We have learnt to live with it.
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| The Center of Tampere, my hometown: Colors of Ukraine beautifully framed by the scene. |
The war in Ukraine is the bigger issue right now. I wrote I was distressed and angry. That has eased a lot, since we have witnessed the success of Ukrainian army and failure of Russia. Of course I understand it might look like just another war from afar, but I can assure you we feel the enormous pressure of the events in Finland, as we have a long border with Russia, and a memory of their invasion in 1939, which is part of our story as a nation, part of collective consciousness. As you might already know from the news, a decision for Finland to join the Nato is very close, within weeks as I write this, and Sweden will likely follow - and I believe we will join and I support it wholeheartedly, with the majority of Finns.
"Terve Ukraina" ("Hail Ukraine"): A poem by Finnish national poet Eino Leino in 1917:
A thread of nuclear war is quite marginal to me; after all, it would be a suicide. However, I have started to think it's not so unlikely we would be forced to war with Russia again, before the Nato membership is clear. But then we will fight and give them at least just as much of a resistance as the Ukrainians have! I have no military training, but I would not try to flee: I would do whatever I can. As a Buddhist, this is something I have studied recently:
The Buddha Taught Nonviolence, Not Pacifism
It is more problematic that Orthodox Christians kill Orthodox Christians, and the head of church of the aggressive party even dares to claim that it is about which side of god humanity takes, linking the war with objection to "sinful" homosexuality and pride-parades! Christianity has never seen a real problem with killing fellowmen, even though they have a strict command from their god not to do it. No, human sexuality with all its variety has always been a bigger issue, which needs to be controlled in any way, even with force if necessary.
I admit I wasn't touched by the war in Syria. Not only it seemed distant, but there must have been a cultural gap as well: "us and them". Refugees from the Middle-East have met harsh criticism in Europe. Now it's completely different with the Ukrainians. It shouldn't be that way.
Below is a different kind of approach: A Buddhist Response to Russia-Ukraine War, by member of Rissho Kosei-kai. He argues how anyone of us, despite of geographical distance, may contribute to ending this war by practicing nonviolence in everyday life. A hint of "practical mysticism", one might say...
The Russia I grew up in doesn't exist anymore; an excellent analysis of the development of post-Soviet Russia personally experienced by Russian YouTuber, temporarily relocated in Georgia at the moment:
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| Владольф Путлер |
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