How the unbeatable spirit of the Zaporizhian Cossacks can inspire you to face uncertainty
We have been witnessing challenging events. It directly and indirectly affects us in many different ways.
We are all connected.
To name a few, we have seen digital platforms attempting to create an alternate autocratic reality, misinformation, the rise of totalitarian regimes, wars, ecocide, and worldwide economic instability.
Where are we heading?
How might we amplify goodwill in a world in which we see ourselves living, not only individually but also community-wise, now and in the following years?
There is a growing thought in my mind about the mindset of a fearless and warrior community. Their origins date from centuries ago, and their approach to life can extrapolate to the world in which we live in the face of adversity and uncertainty.
We could learn from them.
I was drawn into the spirit of the Zaporizhian Cossacks from my visits to Ukraine when talking to people and reading parts of the book Haidamaky by Taras Shevchenko.
His work is soaked with a sense of freedom and dignity. Also, his illustrations in the book reflect his appreciation for the Zaporizhian Cossak culture.
The bravery this community displayed in the face of adversity mesmerised me.
The values of freedom, independence, honour based on ethical values, and intense fighting perseverance are strongly expressed in this book.
They were a community of free people who escaped the system during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in which either you were a noble or a servant.
They were on the fringes of the system and understood it. Many of them were educated and had the idea of rights. They moved away from the system by going into the steppe, into what is now the southeast of Ukraine.
Sitch was the centre, settled in the middle of the Dnieper River. They farmed, fished, and developed an extremely high-level warrior mindset and skills, with a strong sense of community and self-governance.
They had a distinctive sense of humour, expressed through a playful tone of voice, as a way to express their defiance, resilience, and friendship.
Their sense of humour is often characterised by their love of freedom and their refusal to bow down to authority. They use it as a weapon against their enemies and as a means of coping with the harsh realities of their lives.
Literacy became more prominent later as their society evolved and adapted to changing circumstances.
They survived by being out of reach and became highly important during the 16th and early 17th centuries, when they defeated the potential conquerors of the land from all sides.
Nowadays, people work to keep the culture alive. And this is one of the reasons I felt drawn to the country. It reflects the unbeatable spirit of the people I encounter in the face of adversity.
They pushed the boundaries of the status quo, combining resilience, creativity, empathy, and a commitment to positive change. Their courage resonates with those who carry the spirit of freedom in the human soul.
On this set, focusing on the challenges we may face in an interconnected world and nurturing a strong, curious, and innovative mindset help us to drive and consciously shape positive change.
It can also help us live a more frugal life.
I invite you to bring your curiosity and look into the following:
Make a list of actions that would get you fired and can solve a problem in your life, in a community, or in a circumstance.
How can you live more independently?
What positive change do you want to create on a systemic level?
What is the spiritual value you feel it embodies? How can you make that happen?
These points can help define the values you’re fighting for. It can also encourage the capacity to question and nurture a creative mind, independent thinking, and mental strength in the face of autocratic realities, misinformation, or any other challenge.
In any case, nurturing an immune system in your body simultaneously is significant for whatever uncertainty you may endure.
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