As times go on...

picture from istra-online

As times go on,
Landscapes change,
People comes and go,
but there are some that remains,
as lights in dark times…

Selfless service.

Everyone should be at least sometimes, if not regulary, engaged in doing some service to those who need it. One is not required to become as Mother Theresa, he can do as much as he can, but some effort is beneficial to all parts.

There is one story when one rich man came to see Mother Theresa, and what is she doing.
After witnessing her sacrifice he said: “Mother, for all wealth in the world, I would not do what You are doing!”, and she replied: “Believe me soon, me neither!”
So this anecdote is telling us much. How rich was Mother Theresa? Only her hearth was rich, but with selfless love.

Doing something for others, something for society, make us feel good, and make us forget everyday troubles. Makes us realize that we are in not so bad position as we often think. We often cry over our selves and our destiny, but this is pity and weak behavior, because brave people are bearing their destiny best they can, and through this they are becoming stronger.
Unfortunately, today due to lack in education of character, youth is week and feels unhappy if doesn’t possess newest model of cell phone. Possession has become substitution for personality, character, and virtue.

There is one case of boy in India, who committed suicide because his parent has refused to by him a new pair of Nike shoes. He felt that life isn’t worth without them?! And how many girls around world are suffering and torturing them self because they don’t look like a models? One day of service to very needed would realize them that they are very, very, lucky.

Service to society on the other hand expands our consciousness, make us put common good in front of our own benefit. And what a surprise… Working for best of others means working for our own best also. We are not isolated, we are all connected. Now is time that humanity understands this on global level. And I think that all bad events in last period, terrorism, violence… Will have it’s sense in making humanity realize that we all share same destiny, and that we all have to do our best to help each other, putting our own little interests, desires, animosity behind the common interests and common goals. Every person that helps in this direction is very welcome. Doesn’t matter how big our contribution is, it is important that exists.
So what can we do? Any thing that comes to our mind, or better, something that wee feel that has to be done. For example we can give food to starveling, we can go and clean some garbage in the park, write an article, animate people… I is important, if possible, do this activity in the group. In such way friendship and sense of unity is strengthen, and consciousness about benefits and importance of serving needed and society is spreading much faster and stronger. Other people will join much easier, and this is great contribution to world healing, which is very, very, needed in this moment.

Education

One of the greatest services that can be done, is education: Education is most sacred duty, as Sathya Sai Baba says. In fact his educational program (Education in human values) is probably the best in the India, and world. He has set up many free high quality schools, from elementary to high and university, where every child, can get exemplary education . His effort is now, after years of sacrifice, giving abundant fruits. His student are among best experts in their field, recognized also by theirs character, virtues and honesty. There are many of them who has become exemplary citizens of their country, and occupy role positions. It is enormous contribution to healing of human society: Excellent persons, by their knowledge and character, at right positions can be the key for better future. Such educational system and institutions, built on Sai Baba’s program now exists in (if I remember well) in 112 Countries, including some European countries, UK, US and others.

Helping needed

So I’ve started this post with intention to write about our Yesterday’s visit to home for old people. That are not ordinary old people, they are very poor: so they can’t afford them better accommodation, or they are physically or psychically ill. We(group of five people) singed for them for about an our, brought them some fruits, and put some smile on their faces. At one point I’ve thought about stupid concerns and worries that we all make to our selves: looking at those people, who were happy only because someone has come to see them. At the end, we singed a song “Jesus I love You…” replacing name of Jesus with name of every one of them: They where delighted. We where asked to return again for new Year…

In helping someone, we are not required to do much. It could be only a smile or nice word, that could brighten a day to someone, and everyone can do it.

History is made by brave people, and I consider everyone who adheres to righteousness, and strive to do his best as a brave and grate person. I hope that, as time goes on, persons that respects core human values will come to the key positions in society, and that will become as lighthouses in the dark…to our age.

Does we know what is good for us?

Is watching some contents on television good for us? Is it forbidding them to children's freedom restriction? About Croatian Big Brother, art and “informational virus”.

Well, in last period much has been written about Croatian “Big Brother” show, brought to us by RTL Croatia. This show, as I know, has been subject to two complaints from minister of health and Children's Rights Solicitor Ljubica Matijević-Vrsaljko, with explanation that Big Brother contains material that "insults human dignity" and "promotes consumption of alcohol and tobacco, especially among children and youth".
This is old news(it was maybe 2 weeks ago), and in meantime RTL has put in silence notice, which says that show may contain materials unfitted for children’s.Probably this hasn’t change anything, because all those who where watching the show before, are still watching it.

About valuating TV, art, food and other

Many people loves the show, and many hates it, but in valuating television, or book, or food or any other thing, we should ask our selves: what quality it brings in our life? Human energy (our time and attention) is very precious: If we spend it at one side we cannot give it to another. So in valuating where to give, focus our energy (attention), we should valuate about quality that is returning back. In other words we should be well aware of our attention.
So back to Big Brother: is this show bringing some quality in our life? Sincerely, I don’t think so, and I consider it bad for children’s. The facts that children’s and teenagers love to watch it isn’t at all enough reason to say that it is good for them to watch it or that they should watch it. It is worse of simple wasting their precious time, which is even more precious because childhood is very short, it is also harmful.
Art is noble discipline, it should teach people noble or higher qualities, not satisfy and develop their lower instincts. As everybody knows that junk food, white sugar, conserved and frozen food is not best thing we can eat.

Freedom?

Now would You allow your child to eat all day only sweets, candies and junk food? Most of people would not allow their children’s such an alimentation: but why if the children’s like it so much, why not allow them to eat what they want? They will cry: “No, No, I what Ice Cream, I want chocolate…”, but You will not give them… Why? Because it is not good for their health! Such alimentation could produce various health problem and we know it very well. But, hungered years ago people were not paying attention to this fact, and parents allowed they children’s (if they could financially afford it) to eat whatever they want.
What is food for body, information’s are for mind and soul. All information’s that we are subjects to enter our subconscious(as food enters our blood and cells), and in case that we do not filter the information (with awareness and discrimination) it creates “program” that later impacts and directs our behavior by creating patterns that we repeat in our life. It is very subtle, invisible and dangerous “virus” that we should be aware of.
Somebody could say that denying children’s to look Big Brother or some violent film on television is attack on their freedom and integrity. If you forbid to your child to jump from the tenth flour is this limiting their freedom? If you forbid your child to eat ice cream every day, isn’t this limitation? Of course that is, but it is for their good. Violence and lower qualities that they learn on television will impact heavily their life lately. One day they will repeat some of those patterns, in their relations with partner or other people, on the job, in finances… Unfortunately in real life there is no movie style happy end.

Limitations

We are living in world of limitations. All nature is subject to limitations. Man is happy when it learns to live with those limitations, and accept them. This is strong men. Week men always tries to be what is not (want to be slim, or pretty or god in some discipline), he does not accept his limitation and because of this he is not able to be happy or successful. We should accept that some limitation in our behavior are good for us.

Vision of Croatia

I would be very happy if Croatia instead of following bad, consumption(material and informational) habits of the west, should set example to that same west in good and right education, high social and environmental awareness and psychically, physical, and spiritually healthy and strong youth. I think that we are in better position than west for undergoing those changes, but if we choose to go other way, to follow the errors of the west, we will loose the chance to be among first in something important. Because this change must happened in west or in east, but it must spread all the world, as the “informational and consumption virus” has already did and brought disasters in many lives.

A song...

We can be Greatest of All,
But greater is who helps other
To realize greatness inside them self.

We can be happiest persons in the world,
but highest haven is abode
Of one who helps others to be happy.

Because nothing compares
to gratefulness of a free soul,
And nothing is greater than love
expressed form an open hearth.

And all wealth in the world is worthless,
All happiness in the world is sorrow
compared with selfless love of those,
who give without when, why and who.

Oh men…
Realize what are You searching for…..

There is still time to take a bath!

I could not resist to post this message, because now when summer has gone away, sea is still warm enough to take a bath! But, meteorologists says only till Sunday! I’ve took a bath Monday evening, and I can recommend it to all: while in time! After that – it will be privilege of “tough guys” till next spring or summer:)!

Good neighbors

In this post I will talk about border conflicts between Croatia and Slovenia, Croatian Independence Day, and EU.

Well, tomorrow we celebrate Day of Independence in Croatia, anniversary of Croatian autonomy from ex. federal republic of Yugoslavia. It was 08.10.1991, when Croatian parliament has voted for independence. The rest of the story is probably better known, because of war in ex. Yugoslavia. And what now when the war is over? Once we have “Brotherhood and unity” as slogan in ex. Yugoslavia: I don't know if it's result of this, but we where in war with Serbia, and now We are “fighting” with Slovenians for border.

Slovenian - Croatian border

Probably all have heard about incidents and provocations on Slovenian – Croatia border. Seams that all have their opinion about who is right and who is wrong, but I will not argue here about this.
What I want to say is, that I have few friends Slovenians, and that they are all excellent people. On our trip to India this year, we stayed one night at one Slovenian family, our friends, and they all where very, very gently with us. We where so grateful. So I don’t like, and fear, the atmosphere of conflict and hate that is spreading around our two countries. Politicians sometimes use unscrupulous means to achieve their goals, without bothering about impact on peoples life. And here I don’t think about peoples material interests, but about security, integrity and happiness in life.
Recently I’ve read that group of Croatian hooligans has demolished one Slovenian vehicle, and attacked the owner… maybe the same can happen on the other side also. And this is no good, the ordinary people don’t have too much in common with political provocateurs as Joško Joras. We, as common people, should not let the political situation influence our opinion on Slovenian or Croatian people. We can “judge” the politics, but not the people, because there are good and less good people everywhere: we cannot putt them all in the same category.

Croatian independence

Now, back to independence… Are we really independent? One of the main reasons(at least formally) why Croatia has voted Independence is the economic situation, where due to political structures, the distribution of money was not balanced. In other words, Croatia the goods were produced in Croatia, but streets, cities and other things were developed elsewhere, for example in Kosovo, Serbia… In other words, it was some kind of steeling. So, we thought if we where independent, if there was no Yugoslavia, all would be grate, we would have enough resources for better life. But seams that reality has proved itself as “little” different.

We where not able to survive alone, we needed funds from outside, and now big part of our most profitable economy is in foreign ownership. Croatian Telecom now belong to Deutsche telecom(they have even recently took away “Croatian” and left only “T” Deutsche telecom brand), with shameless monopolistic contract with the state. Actually, they charge us few times bigger prices, than they are chargeing in their own Country! So we are poor, and because of expensive communications, development of our enterprises is becoming heavier… Isn’t this a colonialism of new age? For illustration, our family, 4 persons of which 2 children’s(they have their mobiles) of which no one uses telephone, internet or mobile heavy, is about spending 20% of my salary on telephone bills!
From other hand banks are in hands of Austrian an Italian banks… So we have fought a war to prevent our wealth going outside the borders, and now probably we own less in our country than ever. Actually, are we Independent at All?
See also draxi's article with recent news on Croatia and EU, he is better than me in writing english...

Istrian corner in India

I've seen Swamiji in Pula and Umag. We went to Umag in Saturday evening, without intention to return in Sunday, but one of our friends, which is close disciple of Swamiji, has asked us if we could return Sunday morning and bring one video tape for him. So we came Sunday too.
Swamiji has said few very interesting things that Sunday. He have talked about love, about children’s and education, and about his plans. As he likes Croatia and Istria very much, he want to build “Croatian corner” in his ashram in India (ashram is Indian word for something similar to monastery). He would like to build few “kazun” like (kazun is typical Istrian building from stone, small in dimensions, used in past for storage while people were working on their fields. See the picture above) little houses, surrounded with olives and few other typical Istrian trees. He also expressed wish to build an Ashram in Istria, dedicated to spiritual, social and humanitarian work. Biological food should be cultivated there also. So, few good things for Istria, in my opinion.
One sentence, during the lecture, has remained imprinted to me as something very important. Everybody seams to seek happiness and love, human race has is in constant search for it. And we usually search outside: we need nice car, new house, good job: than we will be happy. We search for someone who will LOVE US, but many times we get disappointed because the person from who we are seeking love, is usually seeker itself. Swamiji said something very interesting at this point: that in fact, in our real nature, we are NOT seeking for someone who will love us, but someone who WE could love. Or maybe we could say, who will accept our love. In this case we have a reflection of our selves, we get the picture of our love, there is a flow of energy, and we feel happy and fulfilled.
The problem is when we get rejected. We are trying to radiate love, but other part rejects our love, which hurts our hearth. Hearth must be open to love, and this way hearth can be hurt, closed hearth cannot be hurt. So why we are opening our hearth? Because we want to live, closed hearth means no life, we become as a machine. And people today are becoming more closed inside with every new generation. From outside they are making many contacts and friend: in the schools, bars, clubs, over the internet… But if one could calm down for a few moments, if one could get out from rush around him, inside - which is seen in silence, often we would find our self empty and alone. Probably not all will agree with me, especially not younger people, but try to think for a while. When we are satiated, we are not thinking on food, we are not looking inside the fridge, we are not going to supermarket to by something to eat… When are we doing this? When we are hungry! Hunger is inner feeling, which makes us move, which moves our body and mind: when we feel hunger, we are beginning to think on food, and search for it.
Similar to this, we are searching for company when we feel alone. When we feel unhappy and alone inside (it is not trivial to be aware of this, because we need inner silence), this feeling moves or mind and body, and we are beginning to search for company, we are searching outside, on internet, in the clubs, and many times we search for someone “new”. There is no someone “new” outside, because our inner loneliness is not new, it is older than we are. The same loneliness is shared by millions of people around the globe, and we are not even aware of this. In fact there are only few, very few happy people. And they are not alone even when there is no one around them. Need to be surrounded by people, demonstrates inner feeling of loneliness.
So we are searching for company, but from the other hand, we are afraid to be hurt in relations of any kind, and we are becoming more closed. So we are caught inside the trap: from one side we are feeling alone inside, and have need for others, and from other side, we are afraid to be hurt if we open our hearts: and companionship implies opening the hearth. There is no way out of this with conventional means: off course, we can loose our selves in job, television, hobby, food, but all this cannot last for ever. Before or later, we will consume our vital life energy, and we will face what is within us. This is why every day more and more people are ill from all kinds of diseases, which regardless all advance in medicine cannot be properly healed.
So many things could be said about causes of such problems, but this would make this post too long. It’s roots are in our way of life and educational system, which doesn’t develop proper personality in children’s, which installs them wrong ideals, and which makes them face certain experiences(under the name of "fun") before they are ready, for sake of economical profit and lack of understanding and love.
On Friday, Swamiji has demonstrated great knowledge of Croatia, and great love an attention for his devotes. One Ukraine lady had birthday that day, and Swamiji gave her “tartufi” (special and very expensive kind of mushroom) for the present, explaining her in details why the are so expensive (I think 15.000 USD fro Kg), where they can be found (only few location in the world), and how people are searching for those mushrooms which are growing under the ground(using specially trained dogs and pigs).