Seeking Spiritual Guidance Without Getting Lost — Is It Possible?

In difficult situations—often driven by economic pressure—some people try to solve their problems through a kind of spiritual shift. They turn more deeply to religious guidance in search of inner peace, hoping to clear the noise within their conscience so they can see a path forward and resolve what they are facing.

Some compare this to trying to forget sadness by taking sedatives or antidepressants. At first glance, that accusation feels harsh and unfair. Still, many of us have been in that position, or are in it right now. Those who choose this path shouldn’t be blamed. At the very least, they are trying. They are trying to lift themselves out of hardship—because feeling stuck and powerless is far more painful. Isn’t that true?

What begins as a noble and even admirable goal—often seen as a sign of emotional maturity—can turn into something misleading. That happens when it becomes the only approach someone relies on, without balance or awareness in the steps they take. In such cases, the decision is no longer a personal realization shaped by reflection and self-discipline, but something imposed from the outside, almost like an injected “vaccine.”

A vaccine works by training the body’s cells to recognize and fight off harmful agents. But an effective vaccine is made from weakened versions of those very agents, so the body can respond safely. If the virus or bacteria isn’t weakened enough, the vaccine becomes dangerous. Its purpose is no longer protection, but harm.

Now imagine if the target isn’t physical health—but mental well-being. 

Illustration: A graveyard in Malang City. 

More Than Just Wealth

Today, it can feel unsettling to witness the privilege of a small group of people who seem free from anxiety about their future. Their children and grandchildren don’t struggle to make a living or worry about income. A well-known family name alone can seem like a guarantee of comfort for generations.

But this hasn’t always been the case. Hundreds or even thousands of years ago, families didn’t have to be wealthy first to ensure the well-being of future generations.

Among Serbians who still follow the Native Slavic Faith known as Rodnovery, the home is seen as a “temple.” Parents and grandparents represent the presence of ancestors. Without those ancestors, there would be no grandparents, no parents, and certainly no us. Respecting one’s parents is considered as sacred as honoring the natural springs of life and the ancestors who came before.

Even the name Rodnovery reflects this, coming from Rod, meaning lineage, birth, and kinship.

In return, older generations offer support to the younger ones as they work to build better, more stable communities. Financial support matters, of course. But presence, understanding, and acceptance from elders carry far greater value—especially when they manage to grow serenity and a sense of security to the younger generation.

This kind of support stays with them. It becomes a living memory—a guide for future generations on how to act thoughtfully and responsibly.

Realization Comes Too Late

In many cases, younger generations only come to understand the meaning behind their elders’ persistent advice years—even decades—after those elders have passed away. Time and fate create distance, and only then does the wisdom begin to make sense.

Longing for a protective figure often leads people back to those once-dismissed words—advice that once felt irrelevant or outdated.

Life’s complexities can push people to seek guidance based on emotional impressions rather than factual understanding. This often stems from deep regret and a sense of loss—losing someone who once guided them. The sadness lingers, sometimes unresolved, because acceptance hasn’t fully taken root.

And that regret can lead people astray.

They may struggle to choose the right guidance—the kind that truly brings peace and a sense of safety within, even as life’s challenges continue to come and go. (dswas)

Searching Purification As The Solution To Life's Problems

Pure is always clean, but clean is not always pure. This is the challenge faced by many people when they are told that March 22 has been designated by the United Nations as World Water Day. Clean water is essential for human survival, whether in cities, rural areas, snowy regions, or sandy ones. Because of this, people go to great lengths to obtain it—digging deep into the earth or converting seawater into freshwater. While the results of such efforts are certainly usable, those accustomed to drinking water from other sources can still sense the difference.

Communities living in mountainous regions are especially fortunate. They benefit from rivers and natural springs and do not need to struggle to transform other substances into water. Instead, their task is simply to preserve these springs so they continue to flow with clean water over time. Nature itself was the classroom of our ancestors, where they developed early forms of science rooted in careful observation of movement and existence in the natural world. This knowledge was then passed down through storytelling, ensuring it remained engaging and memorable for future generations.

Encounters with stories and ideas from outside their communities have introduced new challenges: how to rediscover and reclaim the knowledge created by their ancestors—knowledge that is inherently suited to their way of life, without unnecessary complications. After all, the kind of drama we need is one that ends well, offering guidance that leads to real results, not endless sequels of the same unresolved story.

Illustration: Bratan Lake, Bali.

The 'Spring' of Conflict

The Durand Line, which now separates Afghanistan and Pakistan, was not drawn by the people who had lived in the region for centuries. Stretching over 2,000 kilometers, it was imposed by outsiders seeking to secure their own survival while still struggling to find their place in the world. The line cuts across some of the world’s highest mountain ranges, divides four rivers (the Kunar, Kabul, Kurram, and Gomal), and ends at Lake Zerrah along the border with Iran.

Long before this line existed, the Kalash people lived across a region once known as Kafiristan, now called Nuristan. They have preserved their original language, culture, and beliefs, including a distinctive way of positioning women within society. In their worldview, mountains represent the purity of men, while valleys symbolize women, who are considered “impure.”

Why impure? Because women experience menstruation, and in earlier times there were no modern sanitary products. To maintain environmental cleanliness, women were restricted from entering certain places, such as mountain peaks or sacred springs that served as vital water sources. Even modern medicine acknowledges that menstrual blood is not “pure” blood, as it contains substances that are not hygienic. From this perspective, prohibiting menstruating women from bathing in shared water sources used by the entire community was considered reasonable.

At the same time, Kalash Indigenous Belief grants women certain privileges. One of these is the relative ease of ending a marriage. A wife can simply write a letter to her husband declaring separation and introducing her new partner. Women also have authority over agricultural decisions and control the financial outcomes of the family. They are free to interact with men, including singing and dancing together at community events, without the obligation to conceal their appearance. 

These freedoms reflect an acknowledgment of women’s roles within Kalash society. Due to biological limitations, women spend more time at home, which is seen as their domain—a space where they act as spiritual protectors of the family. Their well-being matters, because their happiness is believed to extend to the entire community.

Wisely Selecting What We Consume

I do not intend to judge the situations faced by the countries mentioned above. Accessing truly pure sources of water can be costly or even impossible for some communities due to geographic limitations. Still, it does not take long to feel the effects of what we consume in daily life. Our bodies act as the fairest judges, revealing the results of our choices through health or illness.

If desalination becomes the only way to quench thirst, we must ask: does the water it produces truly satisfy that thirst? This is one of the questions that can serve as a filter—a way to assess whether the process of purification we rely on is actually giving us what we need. (dswas).

A Bright Future: Fact or Myth?

So, is a bright future a delayed reality, or just wishful thinking that never comes true? I believe this is a question that has been haunting many people on Earth lately. I have a friend who fell ill due to emotional strain, overwhelmed by anxiety about the future of his only child. Another friend admitted feeling depressed after reading the constant stream of troubling news on his browser homepage. Meanwhile, one of our neighbors feels the weight of economic pressure so intensely that he has chosen to isolate himself at home, avoiding interaction with others.

This piece does not aim to find someone to blame for this chronic situation. We need to understand that everything happening today is part of a chain of events shaped by what came before. The economic hardships facing a nation today are closely tied to past actions, decisions, attitudes, initiatives, and responses. Just as success does not happen overnight, failure is never the result of a single, isolated factor. 

When life takes a downturn and places someone at rock bottom, or even below it, one of the most common reactions is to fight with everything they have to escape that position. Being forced out of a comfort zone against our will naturally brings discomfort, if not sadness or psychological distress. This is completely normal. It can happen to anyone. It is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it a moral failing.

Illustration: Kolam Segaran, Mojokerto.

Traditional beliefs sustain hope

Before becoming known to the world as a “land of landmines” due to the widespread and often indiscriminate use of them in political conflicts, Myanmar was, and still is, a country with deeply rooted local traditions. Although international bodies may classify Myanmar as a failed state due to its economic struggles, this does not change the fact that it is home to UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Sites, including thousands of pagodas and well-preserved historical remains from the Hindu-Buddhist era.

Global recognition of what is visibly remarkable in Myanmar does not change another important truth: Myanmar Indigenous Belief existed long before, centered on reverence for nature and ancestral spirits. Springs, rivers, and oceans are not seen as lifeless objects, but as sacred sources of life, honored through offerings such as flowers, incense, and food. Stories—often cautionary or even frightening—have been passed down through generations to encourage people to exercise restraint when interacting with forests and their resources.

Although media and online sources tend to portray Myanmar in a negative light, the country has, to this day, lost “only” around 12% of its total forest area. The world often focuses on environmental damage caused by illegal logging, mining, landmines, and the loss of certain species. In doing so, we tend to overlook the role of indigenous values that helped preserve Myanmar’s natural environment long before waves of conflict struck.

A bright future is not a myth

In times of economic pressure, most people instinctively choose to cut back in order to survive. This is entirely understandable, even though it often comes with a long list of sacrifices. For example, food producers may reduce product sizes to lower production costs, while larger companies may cut down their workforce.

Myanmar, which today is often associated with large-scale scam operations, was once home to communities that treated conservation of natural resources as a spiritual practice rooted in their indigenous beliefs. When wildlife was abundant and forests were dense, their ancestors chose to take only what they needed—not out of necessity, but as a conscious decision grounded in a sense of joy and responsibility toward the future. This is especially striking when we consider what Myanmar is facing today.

According to recent statistics, only about 0.8% of Myanmar’s population still identifies as adherents of these indigenous beliefs. Yet, if we choose to see it differently, this small number can still be a source of optimism. It is a faint but meaningful sign that there are still a few people who recognize the wisdom of their ancestors’ teachings about building a brighter future.

When Happiness Isn’t About More

It hardly feels like it, but the COVID-19 pandemic left us about four years ago. Even so, traces of the greatest health crisis of the modern era are still with us today. The longing for working from home, for example, has resurfaced after the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, proposed returning to remote work as a way to reduce daily expenses amid rising fuel prices.

While some people can cut costs on transportation, meals, and even makeup thanks to this approach, others are struggling with lost income. This includes those in the tourism sector and anyone whose livelihood depends on it. This “nightmare” has once again begun to haunt tourism businesses in several regions, not only because of geopolitical tensions but also due to declining purchasing power. 

Still, a difficult economy doesn’t have to stop anyone from finding joy in travel. In our community, people try to “balance” their desire to travel with the reality of their finances. Some travel in groups to share costs, others create monetized content while traveling, and some simply explore hidden spots near their homes where they can relax and enjoy the surroundings for free. 

Illustration: Sumber Nyolo, Malang City. 

Not Just Ordinary Happiness

Despite being nicknamed the “Gold Coast” in the pre-independence era because of its vast gold reserves, gold is not the true source of happiness for people of Ghana who still hold their tradition dearly. This former British colony is home to around 37 million people, made up of about 100 ethnic groups and divided into nine linguistic and cultural clusters. Their indigenous beliefs are broadly grouped under African Traditional Religion, where the concept of Ubuntu—“I am because you are”—stands as a deeply rooted local philosophy.

For followers of African Traditional Religion, happiness is not a life goal but the result of maintaining harmony across four levels of human existence: the intrapersonal (self), the interpersonal (others), the transcendental (ancestors), and the universal (nature).

Maintaining harmony with others is relatively easy, as they are physically present. But what about ancestors? Remembering them is expressed through rituals such as pouring water, honey, milk, or wine onto the ground as a gesture of gratitude. This practice also trains individuals to let go—to willingly release something they might otherwise cling to.

As a result, happiness in this worldview takes the form of inner peace, free from anxiety regardless of circumstances. This peace can only be felt when a person understands that happiness is not always, and does not have to be, tied to pleasure or fleeting moments of enjoyment that come and go like the weather. It is a kind of calm that allows a community to feel content, even if they never travel the world.

This perspective helps explain why Ghana and the African continent remain rich in natural resources despite centuries of colonization. Their ancestors used resources only as needed, ensuring that future generations—representing the interpersonal dimension of human existence—could also benefit from them.

“Selling” Happiness in an Age of Turbulence

Tourism businesses do not need to panic if people are less interested in traveling far because they have found “happiness” in exploring nearby places. In fact, this shift can be an opportunity to innovate and develop new types of tourism—ones that position travelers not merely as consumers, but as active participants in meaningful experiences. People are looking for more than just spending money for entertainment.

We have all seen that pleasure is never permanent; it is always accompanied by moments of sadness. So what can tourism businesses do to ensure that a traveler’s enjoyment does not turn into regret—especially when they later realize how much they have spent?

Whatever the answer, one thing is clear: it is not easy to “sell” happiness in a turbulent era like this, where uncertainty can arise at any moment. It may be time for tourism businesses to align themselves with the four dimensions of human existence mentioned earlier. By doing so, they can remain resilient—even in the midst of storms or floods. (dswas)

Restraint as an Investment in Nature

 “Frugality is the root of wealth.” That proverb is often introduced to us as a reminder to live simply and avoid spending money on unnecessary things. The idea is that, later in life, the money we save can help improve our standing in society. Ironically, once a significant amount of money has finally been saved, global inflation may occur and the value of that money declines. Instead of raising our status, the money we have accumulated ends up being spent just to cover everyday needs.

The argument above is usually put forward by those who call themselves financial advisors or financial experts. You may have heard it as well. They often offer alternatives to make your money more productive under the motto “let your money work for you.” In other words, a person does not have to work tirelessly to grow their capital. Instead, they can invest it by buying shares in a company, lending money to a business in return for the principal plus interest, or even lending money through online loan schemes.

Thanks to growing financial literacy, small and medium capital owners generally understand that instant results are a myth. Patience is required if they want to earn profits, because opportunities that seem too good to be true are often traps set by financial predators. Yet patience alone is not a powerful weapon for keeping inflation at bay.

As a result, whatever returns are generated from those investment schemes gradually lose value. Investors must practice extraordinary frugality in order to reinvest their capital, otherwise that capital will be eaten away by their own personal expenses. The increasing weight of these challenges pushes investors to search for alternative ways to keep their capital growing.

Illustration: Waringin Branjang Temple, Blitar

Indigenous Beliefs as Investment Capital

Beyond the frequent news about armed conflict and welfare problems, Nigeria is also a region of the world where around 500 local languages are still actively used across its 36 states. Among its many communities are the Maguzawa people of the Hausa ethnic group who live in Kano State in northern Nigeria. They remain determined to maintain a way of life that stays balanced with nature, despite growing challenges from day to day.

According to Maguzawa Indigenous Belief, certain wild animals, such as pythons, are regarded as manifestations of their ancestors and are therefore forbidden to be hunted or killed. Their reverence for forests as a source of food is expressed through prohibitions against building settlements or opening farmland in areas considered sacred. Before fishing in the river, offerings are made as a reminder to limit what they take from it, including its use for daily needs.

At first glance, these customs may seem simple. In reality, they reflect a deep belief in the future, grounded in present actions. The Maguzawa do not need to predict what fate will bring in the coming days, because the results of caring for something today will naturally grow into something tomorrow. Their indigenous belief guide them toward a sustainable and harmonious relationship with nature, sustained by a willingness to “sacrifice” short-term pleasure for tangible results in the future. In this sense, indigenous belief functions as a form of capital whose value remains steady regardless of circumstances, even as inflation rises and falls elsewhere. 

Sacrifice That Produces Results

Those who succeed as investors do not achieve success merely because they possess large amounts of capital or sharp instincts for interpreting economic fluctuations. As in many other fields, success comes through a willingness to sacrifice. This is not blind sacrifice, of course, but sacrifice made after careful observation of the results produced by various experiments.

The founders of belief systems from many parts of the world also built their foundations through similar “experiments.” Their teachings were shaped by real events and by solutions that proved effective in dealing with particular situations, not by mysterious voices like those portrayed in horror films. They did not need to wait long to understand the consequences of restraining themselves from something as simple as urinating in the river, for example, because the same river was used as a source of drinking water.

Nor did they need to guess what would happen if certain types of trees were not cut down, or if forests were not completely cleared, in accordance with the rules of their belief systems. In the next dry season or rainy season, drought or flash floods would appear as the consequences of violating those rules. (dswas).

Finding Ease After Hardship

 “War is money,” conspiracy theorists like to say. For everyone else, money is simply money. It is no longer just a medium of exchange. It has become one of the main factors that shapes how our daily lives unfold.

In extreme times like these, money even becomes a measure of happiness. Some people quietly convince themselves that they do not deserve to be happy unless they possess a certain amount of it.

We cannot blame or judge those who feel this way. The level of hardship people experience across the world is not the same for everyone. Even so, the idea of “life difficulties” has recently become a common theme in many parts of the world, especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

No one simply sits still and calmly accepts such circumstances. For business owners, layoffs often become the most realistic option. For households, drastic budget cuts are the way to survive.

And in many ways, it has worked. We can say that because, so far, we have not seen suicide or depression becoming global trends alongside financial hardship. At least not on the scale many people feared.

Still, this “positive dynamic” comes with consequences. Living on a tight budget is like driving through a very narrow road. It requires extra focus and awareness to keep the journey smooth.

Yet instead of improving their driving skills, some people choose another approach. They look for ways to push other drivers off the road so their own journey becomes faster and easier.

The good news is that this is not the only way people try to create ease in the middle of hardship. 

Illustration: Telaga Rambut Monte, Blitar 

Practicing the Act of “Bringing” Ease

While financial hardship affects much of humanity, other groups face difficulties in a different form: conflict among themselves.

The people of Congo are one example. Their challenges partly stem from being a nation made up of more than 200 ethnic groups that speak around 250 different languages and dialects.

The Bakongo people were once united by a traditional belief system known as Bukongo. In this belief, ancestors and natural elements are honored so they may continue to guide and protect the living in all situations.

When the Bakongo pour water or wine onto the ground as an offering to their ancestors, they do not expect magical forces to suddenly appear and solve their problems.

In fact, “pouring away” water or wine is a significant sacrifice. The Bakongo live in an environment where nature can be harsh and resources are not always abundant.

From a modern perspective, such an act might seem wasteful or pointless. But for the Bakongo, this practice trains them to remember something important: even in the hardest conditions, their responsibilities as a community must continue.

Through this practice, they maintain balance. Balance between humans and other humans, and between humans and the natural world around them.

As a result, the Bakongo—represented by the political leadership of the Democratic Republic of Congo—did not hesitate to adopt new standards from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These standards guide the responsible and sustainable management of their forests, which cover about 155 million hectares, or roughly 18% of the world’s tropical forests.

This approach does not forbid the government or local communities from using forest resources for shared prosperity. Instead, it encourages them to constantly ask a simple question: how much can we take without destroying the source of our livelihood?

Perspective Can “Bring” Ease

Ease after hardship rarely appears suddenly, even when we believe we are doing everything possible to create it.

Often the real problem is simpler. We fail to recognize that ease has already arrived.

Sometimes this happens because we feel too exhausted to keep facing our difficulties. At other times it is driven by many other personal factors that vary from one person to another.

The Bakongo could have chosen a different path. They could have forgotten their ancestors and sold their vast forests to investors. Wouldn’t that have been an easy way out of poverty?

Instead, the Democratic Republic of Congo chose to preserve its natural wealth. This decision came after a series of disasters caused by excessive exploitation of natural resources, disasters that claimed hundreds of lives.

That decision eventually built trust with two major global financial institutions: the IMF and the World Bank. In January 2026, both institutions agreed to raise the country’s credit rating, allowing it to access larger loans than before.

These funds are planned for infrastructure development and programs aimed at improving the welfare of the Congolese people.

And if it is embezzled? 

Those who imagine corruption as a form of “ease” offered to them are people who have forgotten balance.

And long before that, they have already forgotten their ancestors. (dswas)

Living Happily Beside the Enemy

“Bad news is good news” for some people. Whether we realize it or not, this has become a common norm over the past few decades. Rejecting it or constantly resenting it can actually complicate our own lives, because we end up doing everything we can to push negativity out of sight and out of mind.

Yet the opposite tendency has also emerged. Many of us seem unable to live without bad news, as if something were missing when everything goes smoothly. In fact, journalism—the profession I rely on for my livelihood—might have faded away long ago if bad news had suddenly disappeared and the world had become entirely peaceful and prosperous.

According to some researchers, our attraction to bad news did not appear out of nowhere. It has evolutionary roots. In ancient times, when humans lived as hunters or farmers, as nomads or settlers on unclaimed land, or as migrants entering unfamiliar territories, conflict could erupt at any moment. A neighboring tribe might harbor an old grudge. Or they might simply want to increase their followers without bothering with introductions.

These conditions pushed early humans to develop the art of survival. One crucial skill was the ability to recognize early signals of tension before they erupted into open attack. Over time, this ability was passed down from generation to generation through language, culture, traditional beliefs, and even everyday practices such as cooking. (In Indonesia, for example, there is a snack called tahu berontak, literally meaning “rebellious tofu.” *)

This inherited sense of vigilance has survived across centuries, even as our surroundings have grown far more comfortable than those faced by earlier generations. As modern life removed many of the hardships once common in human experience, this instinct for alertness gradually lost its natural outlets. Then came the internet. Suddenly, the constant stream of information—often dominated by bad news—provided a new channel through which people could exercise their vigilance and survival instincts without sacrificing their comfort.

Illustration: Wijayakusuma flower

A Harmony That Sustains Life

Negative news about Africa, and especially about South Sudan, often overshadows many of the continent’s remarkable qualities. As the second largest continent after Asia, Africa holds countless natural and cultural treasures that rarely receive attention.

Few people realize that South Sudan is a remarkable haven of diversity—not only in biodiversity, but also in ethnicity, language, and culture. Alongside its vast tropical forests, the country hosts a rich variety of wildlife, particularly mammals that still migrate across the land, seemingly untouched by the region’s long-running conflicts.

The Dinka people, who make up about 38 percent of South Sudan’s population, have a unique way of protecting the natural environment around them, a tradition they maintain to this day. Dinka Indigenous Belief encourages a relationship of friendship with nature. One expression of this belief is the idea that wild animals stand on the same level as humans.

This respect is reflected in a practice known as totemism, in which certain animals serve as protective symbols for particular clans. For example, a clan whose totem is the lion is strictly forbidden from hunting or harming lions. The same rule applies to clans whose totems are other animals.

From an early age, Dinka children are taught to recognize the signs that a lion might be nearby. Monkeys suddenly leaping from tree to tree, for instance, can signal the presence of a lion. Importantly, they are not taught to see the lion as a supernatural threat or as a manifestation of evil spirits.

If signs of a lion appear while they are herding cattle near a river, the assumption is simple: the lion is thirsty and wants to drink. The herders calmly guide their cattle away to give the animal space to approach the water. Even young Dinka herders learn which body movements or sounds they should avoid so they do not attract the lion’s attention or make it feel threatened. This kind of knowledge is common among many African tribal communities and has been passed down through generations.

The combination of sensitivity to natural signals and the belief in totemism means that the Dinka rarely experience incidents of people being attacked by lions, crocodiles, or other dangerous animals. Like many other traditional communities across Africa, they do not hunt for sport or entertainment. Hunting is done only when necessary to meet basic needs.

The Dinka also herd their livestock in a nomadic pattern, moving from one area to another after a certain period of time. This practice allows grass and other plants time to grow back, ensuring that the land remains fertile and balanced.

Living Happily with the “Enemy”

For people who dislike reading or watching it, bad news can feel like a frightening monster capable of triggering anxiety or even depression. But in reality, it is almost impossible to escape it entirely. No matter how carefully we try to isolate ourselves, someone around us will eventually bring that news into our lives—whether it is a partner, a relative, a friend, or another family member.

The trending drama in real life today highlights a simple truth: bad news cannot be prevented from appearing and disrupting our plans. What ultimately matters is how we respond to it. Our reactions determine how our emotions cope with the steady flow of troubling information.

Imagine a young Dinka herder who regularly encounters lions while tending cattle on the grasslands. If the child reacts with panic and fear, those emotions may push them to act impulsively, putting themselves in greater danger.

The same thing happens when we face bad news. Fear and anxiety often drive us to react excessively, as if the entire of your world suddenly depends on that one piece of troubling information.

Learning to recognize the signals around us—just as the Dinka do in their relationship with nature—can help us respond with calm awareness rather than panic. 

*) Tahu berontak is an Indonesian snack made of fried tofu filled with stir-fried bean sprouts, carrots, and scallions packed tightly inside the tofu shell, giving the impression that the vegetables are “rebelling” from within.