Perseverance – a quality commended so much in difficult times. Our current pandemic crisis makes us cherish this value even more. Yet, do we really understand the underlying meaning of this word? Let me take you on a journey through the times, cultures and disciplines to unlock the true message behind this word.
I have a great pleasure to announce that my first book, "Jutro sianokosy" ("Tomorrow's haymaking", a loose translation of the title in English) is now published! The great news is that it is also available for downloading from the website of Stowarzyszenie Kultury Mazowsza (Association for Mazovian Culture), who published the book. The book is … Continue reading “Tomorrow’s haymaking” – my first book available online
The year 2020 was going to be smashing, right? That’s what we all though in its early days. But then, things went awry. The initially local outburst of covid-19 disease[1] caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan province of China spread with a lightning speed to all corners of the world. Within few weeks, millions … Continue reading 4 Life lessons from the coronavirus
6 AM, Dobrinja, outskirts of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Soft breeze was playing with my hair as I was climbing along an asphalt road. From time to time a car would pass along. One of them stopped. A guy in his 30s or 40s popped his head out of the car window and asked me something in Bosnian. -I’m going to Lukomir – I responded in broken Bosnian. He made big eyes.
Almost 25 years after the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Muslims reconcile the tragic past through mystical Islam, Sufism
6 May 2019, early morning. Cold, dark clouds are gathering under Bijeljina, a quiet town in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. For many of its inhabitants, it’s just another Monday. Bot for the local Romani community, this is the day of Ederlezi (or Djurdjevdan in Bosnian-Serb-Croat language) – a joyful spring festival celebrated by many Romani … Continue reading The forgotten secret of Ederlezi – Romani spring festival
The private High Economic School of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is not any different from a good high school in other European country. Today, a spacious, recently renovated corridor is very crowded. Many pupils from primary schools came with their parents for an open day of the high school. The kids will … Continue reading Bosnia and Herzegovina: the bridges and walls of education
Music of every country reflects hidden and overt nature of its people, their temperaments, dreams, beliefs and aspirations. Bosnian music is an irregular mosaic of all cultural and spiritual influences represented by its people. There is no better way to get to know this mosaic than through listening to the Bosnian music. Eclectic tunes To … Continue reading Music of Bosnia and Herzegovina
‘So I’ve read that the cuisine of ancient Inca civilisation in Peru was mainly vegetarian, based on lentils, grains, vegetables and fruits’, I enthusiastically shared the news with my co-travelling friend, Anna, as we were sitting on the plane to Peru, . ‘Fantastic’, Anna responded with empathy. Yet, a few hundred years later, after invasion … Continue reading Peru: how to survive and thrive as a vegetarian
Ayahuasca, in Quechua (ancient language of Andean people), the ‘rope of life/spirit’, is a shamanic brew made of Amazonian plants: chakruna leaves (Psychotria viridis), ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and water. For thousands of years, this brew has been used by indigenous tribes in Amazon basin for reaching the higher states of perception, and gaining spiritual … Continue reading Ayahuasca: 6 things to know before this shamanic ceremony*
