How to Deal with Excessive Exploitation of Nature

As a stubborn person who has made plenty of mistakes that ended in regret, I admit that this trait does not always bring blessings. People who stubbornly seek to justify actions that threaten, let alone take, the lives of many others are not exactly what you would call “nice.”

The flash flood in the Himalayas along the Nepal-Tibet border adds to the string of disasters that have struck throughout 2026. Thousands of local residents and tourists are still reported missing. Among them are thousands of workers involved in the construction of around 27 hydropower plants, all of which were affected by the disaster, although the extent of the damage may vary.

With a land area of less than 150,000 square kilometers and a population of 30 million, Nepal’s 27 hydropower plants, along with its other power-generation facilities, are capable of supplying more than enough electricity. It is therefore no surprise that Nepal is able to export the energy it produces to neighboring countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Tibet.

Details surrounding these 27 ill-fated hydropower plants remain unclear, including information about the investors and the nationalities of workers who are still trapped, missing, or dead. What is clear is that this disaster in late August 2026 has inevitably raised concerns among those who still care about the sustainability of the natural environment surrounding hydropower and geothermal power projects in various places.

Illustration: Mata Air Pakis Suceng, Singosari, Malang.

Building a “Fortress”

From the perspective of Indigenous believers in various parts of the world, conflict with nature in the form of major disasters can be prevented if people adopt a way of life based on taking and using only what they need.

Yet their beliefs are often dismissed as non-religious and stigmatized as cults. There is one reason for this: the values and rules within their belief systems stand in the way of those who seek to exploit their living spaces. Forests, rivers, seas, mountains … Almost no part of the natural environment where Indigenous communities live has been left untouched by exploitation.

The people who practice the Indigenous beliefs of Siberia have long been accustomed to facing an unforgiving natural environment. They have long accepted the reality that not everyone has good intentions. They are also accustomed to dealing with the consequences of someone else’s ill intentions.

One of their customary practices is to leave offerings in places where they are about to do something (in the forest before hunting, or in rivers and the sea before fishing). To some extent, this has helped them prepare for any possibility, including the worst.

Leaving offerings is an expression of respect for everything around them, an explicit acknowledgment, consciously made, that they know they are not alone.

In everyday life, this attitude can help keep us from falling into extreme panic, hysteria, or excessive anger when faced with something unexpected. Negative reactions to negative circumstances can sometimes be more dangerous than the event that triggered them in the first place.

There Is Always a Way Out 

Natural disasters caused by unmanaged exploitation of nature are not a new phenomenon. Similar events recur every year and can happen anywhere. All of this is beyond our control, because perhaps the people responsible are simply in desperate need of money.

With an understanding of this reality, we can build a shield against negative emotions when responding to the actions of people like them. Without negative emotions, and with minds that remain clear, dead ends will no longer find their way into our lives. (dswas)

May the Road Never Run Out

The annual Dota 2 esports extravaganza, The International (TI), was held in Shanghai, China, from August 20–23 this year. Contrary to expectations, the Chinese esports teams that had dominated the scene some 10–14 years ago performed poorly, failing even to advance from the group stage of a tournament featuring teams from around the world.

Several esports observers noted that the Chinese teams were still relying on virtually the same players who had competed during the 2012–2016 era, when they were champions. Now in their thirties, those players were no longer at their physical and competitive peak, and their fighting spirit had declined sharply.

Uniquely, the Eastern European teams, dominated by players from Russia and Ukraine, are now on fire. For the first time in TI history, this year’s final brought together two Eastern European teams: Team Vision and Team Yandex, both featuring Russian and Ukrainian players.

Team Yandex also included players from several other Eastern European countries, including Kazakhstan and North Macedonia.

Esports enthusiasts, especially Dota 2 fans, have been left in awe of the achievements of the CIS/EEU teams, which were still regarded as underdogs only a few years ago.

Natus Vincere (Na’Vi) of Ukraine was crowned the winner of the inaugural TI, held in 2011. After 2013, however, the performance of Eastern European teams at TI declined dramatically, and they were eventually displaced by the dominance of Chinese teams.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021, when students around the world were required to study from home, was used by veteran Russian and Ukrainian esports players to recruit and train young talent. Those young players are now being celebrated as the new generation of Dota 2 champions. 

Illustration: Sumber Waras, Lawang, Malang.

Ambition is not the only determinant of success

Nothing hurts more than falling from the position of champion and becoming a loser. Unlike prisoners, who know when they will eventually regain their freedom, losers never know for certain how long they will carry that label, whether for a short while or for decades.

Feelings of shame and humiliation often arise not because of comments from the public or the media, but from the voices inside our own heads. From the perspective of Siberian Native Faith, such a situation occurs when a “gap” opens within a person after they have violated customary rules, neglected spiritual practices, or wronged another person.

That “gap” prevents them from seeing a way out when trouble strikes. It is like the Earth being eclipsed: suddenly, everything becomes dark in the middle of a bright day.

A defeat in a situation that should be accepted with grace can instead become a burden that must be removed as quickly as possible, by any means necessary. Rather than finding their way back to a comfort zone, many who feel like losers only sink deeper into the darkness of their own emotional state.

Change takes courage

The first generation of Eastern European teams (Na’Vi and others) became known for a style of play built on the courage to push deep into enemy territory. Yet that style gradually became less effective once their rivals at TI discovered their weaknesses.

Indeed, much like football players, the Eastern European players of the previous generation (2017–2019), particularly the Russians, tended to become emotional when under pressure.

Team Spirit became the first Eastern European esports team to bring in a sports psychologist to help calm its players after intense matches. They also recruited coach Airat Gaziev (Silent), whose calm personality enabled him to keep his players disciplined without unnecessary drama.

Once again, the 2020 pandemic, when activities around the world came to a standstill, became a turning point that inspired the people behind Team Spirit to reflect. They looked back at the past, identified a fatal mistake, and acknowledged it. Only then did the eclipse suddenly end, and the Earth became bright once again.

As a result, the team went on to win TI in 2021 and 2023. (dswas)

Remedies for Despair

Thousands of people, young and old, leave their hometowns in droves for cities or developed countries, driven by a single goal: to seek a better livelihood.

Armed with the knowledge and capital provided by their families, these people make the biggest gamble of their lives. They give up their claims to the land of their birth in order to pursue growth and a more liberated life, free from the depths of hardship.

In the past, being “down and out” meant being genuinely unable to move or do anything because of illness or a physical condition. These days, however, even people who are physically fit and healthy can feel down and defeated for all sorts of reasons.

From a psychological perspective, people in such situations are experiencing stress or mental distress. They are given sedatives to ease the feeling of being overwhelmed, only for it to return once the effects of the medication wear off a few hours later.

Those suffering from the same condition who cannot afford prescription sedatives may turn to a “generic drug” prohibited by law: narcotics. This helps us understand why despair is so toxic, both to ourselves and to the people around us.

Illustration: A serut tree in Situs Yono Hujung, Singosari, Malang.

Despair is contagious

Followers of Indigenous Siberian Faith do not rely solely on positive thinking as a remedy for despair. Physical action is also necessary to stimulate the growth of energy within a person’s mind, an energy that can eventually displace feelings of defeat and prevent them from spreading.

Giving up before making an effort, falling into despair, and self-pity are forbidden within Siberian Native Faith communities. Such attitudes do nothing to help a person survive amid Siberia’s extreme geography and climate—temperatures far below zero, with blocks of ice everywhere.

Community harmony can also be disrupted when a person’s ego causes them to focus too much on themselves and their own “world.” Moreover, despair is regarded as an insult to the Creator, who has endowed human beings with wisdom.

The community elders or the person’s neighbors will try to draw them out of their isolation by inviting them to gather with others. There, they may watch a small traditional performance featuring songs that recount the lives of their ancestors. These stories are somewhat like films today: exaggerated at times, yet filled with moral lessons about overcoming despair.

A person experiencing despair in such a community may also be required to visit sacred trees in remote places. In addition to leaving offerings, they tie a small piece of cloth to the tree while expressing an intention to rise again. Is the purpose of this ritual to summon supernatural forces to come and help them?

'A secret op'

From a medical perspective, a lack of physical activity, such as exercise, has negative effects not only on physical health but also on mental well-being. While modern people “love nature” by conquering the highest mountain peaks on earth, ancient people found inner clarity by walking through the wilderness.

Long ago, when trees were still abundant, the strength of their roots and trunks, visible everywhere, reminded people to remain steadfast through all kinds of weather and hardship. Today, trees must be protected from the forces that invoke development as their justification, sometimes by wrapping cloth around them.

Of course, everyone has their own way of rekindling their spirit and overcoming despair. It would be far better if we could eliminate such feelings as quickly as possible through a secret operation that no one else knows about. (dswas)

Stagnation: A Natural State That Calls for Resolution

Endlessly exhausted? Work that never seems to move forward, yet never truly falls apart? Life feeling emptier with each passing day? If you recognize one or all of these signs, you may be experiencing what we call stagnation: a standstill in life's journey, where it is impossible to tell whether the pause is only temporary or destined to last.

Like many others, I have experienced it myself. It was not numbness or emotional freezing, but being stuck, unable to see what to do next to escape a situation that felt suffocating. Spending millions on shopping or travel could not shake the feeling of being trapped in what, at the time, seemed like an invisible prison. Working relentlessly only to earn enough to pay off debt, for example, only deepened that sense of entrapment.

In my own case, these delusions usually emerged after days or weeks of anger, envy, and resentment toward other people, including relatives. It felt as though hell had arrived long before I left this earthly life. Those were the moments when I unconsciously acted as if the world belonged only to me and everyone else was merely "tenants".

Illustration: Giant banyan tree in Punden Dusun Krajan, Dau, Batu.

No time for miracles

As painful as it is, stagnation is not a new "illness" to the world's many Indigenous beliefs. Difficult times can arise at any moment, something I have written about repeatedly. There is always a way forward, but for many reasons not all of us are able to see it. Sometimes the obstacle lies in circumstances beyond our control. At other times, it is the result of imbalances created by our own choices.

From the perspective of the Indigenous Siberian Faith, it is never too late to break free from the stagnation that grips an individual or an entire community. The intention to rise again and begin anew must be expressed through action, and presenting offerings is one of the primary ways practitioners embody that intention. For those who follow this path, the practice also helps cultivate character and resilience, both individually and collectively.

For most people, the mysterious and difficult-to-prove aspects of offerings attract the greatest attention. That is understandable. Many of us long for a miracle that can erase life's problems quickly and without much hardship.

Followers of the Indigenous Siberian faith have little time to speculate about miracles or wonder what kind of offering might please unseen powers enough to invite their help. For centuries, these related peoples have focused instead on finding practical ways to survive in one of the world's harshest climates. Such conditions demand clear thinking rather than wishful imagination, and disciplined judgment rather than impulse.

The journey to "surrender"

The idea of accepting reality as it is has often been condemned by modern societies, dismissed as a "comfort zone" that stands in the way of progress. Four, five, or even ten years ago, I probably would have agreed. Yet today, the world has unexpectedly returned to its own form of stagnation because many people hesitate to lower their standards of living. They remain stagnant while insisting, "We're doing just fine."

Until they recognize what is happening, that condition is likely to persist for an unknown length of time. The good news is that we do not have to remain there if we are willing to embrace approaches that have stood the test of time. (dswas) 

Defeat and Consolation

Each team eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will receive roughly US$9 million in prize money from FIFA. Teams reaching the Round of 32 will earn US$11 million, the Round of 16 US$15 million, the quarterfinals US$19 million, fourth place US$27 million, third place US$29 million, runners-up US$33 million, and the champions US$50 million.

So why do we see grown men on the football pitch in tears when they are forced to accept defeat and elimination? Clearly, they are not mourning the loss of prize money. Nor are they simply worried about losing their jobs, as around twenty World Cup players secured new contracts before the tournament even ended. They are striving for something far greater and more valuable than money, yet they fall short of attaining it.

From my perspective as a football fan, those tears are not merely the result of physical exhaustion after ninety relentless minutes on the pitch. They come from a deep sense of disappointment, knowing they must begin again from scratch over the next four years: preparing, rebuilding squads and coaching staff, qualifying once more, and repeating the entire journey. 

Illustration: An evening on the Cor Jesu's yard.

"Every Storm Passes"

People who follow indigenous belief systems often lead simple daily lives, and they apply the same outlook when facing defeat, loss, hardship, or misfortune. Followers of Siberian Indigenous Faith see such experiences as temporary rather than permanent, encouraging people to move beyond discomfort instead of remaining trapped within it.

The offerings they present while recovering from the shock of failure are meant to bring their awareness back to the present moment. They are not intended to persuade unseen spirits or mysterious forces to perform miracles that instantly reverse their circumstances. After all, human beings are not passive entities; they possess the freedom to shape and make use of the natural world.

For Siberian communities that have survived generations in a harsh environment, failure and adversity are integral to their spirituality. Returning home without meat or fish is not interpreted as nature's punishment, but as an ordinary possibility that can happen to anyone.

An excessive emotional reaction is not considered a solution, nor is making offerings while one's heart is unsettled. Spiritual confusion is believed to arise easily in such moments, so individuals are expected to resolve their inner turmoil before engaging in acts of worship. Ultimately, no one else can heal that inner wound for them.

Consolation is around the corner

In football, as in many other sports, the cure for the sadness of defeat is to rise, try again, and keep going until success comes. Of course, many athletes and footballers eventually accept their circumstances, retiring because age catches up with them before the achievements they dreamed of ever arrive. Yet many others move beyond disappointment and discover new opportunities they never expected.

Social media has opened entirely new careers for many legendary footballers from the 1990s and early 2000s. Ironically, rivals who once battled fiercely on the pitch often become close friends later in life, enjoying renewed popularity through podcasts where they laugh together at the youthful antics that once defined them. (dswas).

How to Put Out the Flames of Conflict

When two stones rub against each other, they can produce tiny sparks. In much the same way, a disagreement can grow into a major conflict when two stubborn people refuse to give ground. We don't have to look far to find examples. Situations like this are all around us, even as news from battlefields across the world streams to our phones around the clock.

With no clear end in sight to the global inflation crisis, many people have been left feeling defeated, as though they have lost the stability and comfort they once took for granted. At the same time, the shift from communal living toward a more individualistic way of life has left many facing their anxieties alone, an experience that is both deeply uncomfortable and emotionally draining.

In response, many seek relief by trying to win smaller, more manageable battles. It is not because they see themselves as warriors destined for victory, but because they hope that winning one conflict might somehow make up for losses suffered elsewhere, even when those situations have nothing to do with each other.

This is why even the smallest disagreements can be so difficult to extinguish. There always seem to be people nursing a sense of defeat who return to fan the embers of a fading conflict until it flares up once again. We may not be able to change people like this, but we can reduce the damage caused by their constant need to find victory in every circumstance.

Illustration: One afternoon in Singosari, Malang.

Letting Go of Personal Ambition Is Never Easy

Today, being part of a close-knit community is often seen as giving up personal freedom. Living together requires us to restrain many of our impulses in order to preserve balance, between ourselves and nature, within our own communities, and between different communities. Yet the one thing that should be freed is our ability to govern ourselves and work together, even without a central authority standing above everyone else.

Among followers of the Tuvan Indigenous Faith believers in Southern Siberia, happiness is not viewed as the pursuit of personal ambition. Instead, it is understood as the result of continually nurturing harmony and balance within the community. Ritual offerings made to trees, mountains, the sea, and animals are not merely acts of worship. They are a way of recognizing the humanity of the natural world, a tradition established by their ancestors to teach future generations to care for the environment with respect and responsibility.

Leaders within Tuvan communities step forward only when their guidance is needed. Unless they are asked to intervene, they tend to observe quietly rather than interfere. Excessive involvement discourages people from taking initiative and learning to make decisions that allow both the community and the surrounding environment to exist in harmony. A true leader does not seek wealth or public recognition, because hidden motives inevitably reveal themselves when the community they lead fails to achieve well-being and happiness.

Perfection Is Only a Myth

No matter who makes the claim, we should be skeptical of anything presented as perfect. Nothing in this world is perfect, whether we like it or not. An idea deserves to be called "right" only if it genuinely contributes to the well-being and happiness of society as a whole.

When we stop measuring ourselves against impossible standards of perfection, our sense of inadequacy begins to fade, even if we cannot yet confidently say that we are truly happy.

Conflicts, along with the small sparks that can ignite them, will eventually die out on their own when we no longer feel the need to prove to others that our arguments are the only ones that are right. (dswas)

How to Deal with Malicious Intent

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” This proverb can also be interpreted more freely: people with bad intentions often hide their true motives behind smiles, sweet words, praise, charm, and apparent kindness. They smile to your face while holding a dagger behind their back. This is not meant to frighten you, but it is always wise to stay aware and vigilant.

In today’s global, multidimensional crisis, many people try to soothe the pain of economic hardship by indulging in beauty that offers immediate sensory pleasure. That beauty is often artificial and does not always reflect reality. For example, we are usually more drawn to someone who speaks eloquently than to someone who is reserved, even if the latter is more genuine.

Most of us have experienced the bitter irony of being deceived by someone we considered close: a friend, a trusted colleague, or a confidant. As one of my friends once said, nothing compares to the pain of being stabbed in the back by someone you trusted. However, seeking revenge or wishing hell upon them does nothing to ease the disappointment. 

Illustration: Mulyoagung, Dau, Malang. 

Keeping the Mind Clean

Kendedes Swimming Pool in Singosari, Malang, is where my children practically grew up. One day I noticed a banner encouraging visitors to maintain cleanliness hanging near a shrine area on the western side of the complex, a place that is also a little-known historical site.

For followers of the Indigenous Siberian Faith, keeping the mind clean is just as important as maintaining personal hygiene and caring for the environment. In the harsh Siberian climate, survival depends on cooperation. If even one member harbors jealousy, resentment, anger, greed, or other destructive emotions, the entire community may suffer.

Because mental cleanliness is a personal responsibility, believers are expected to remain aware of their own emotional state. The first signs of malicious intent are seen as evidence that the soul is weakening. When such thoughts arise, they symbolically sacrifice a small offering by putting it into a fire.

The offering represents negative emotions, which are destroyed before they have the chance to grow into harmful intentions. Siberian Indigenous Faith children are taught to eliminate unkind thoughts as early as possible because recurring malicious intent is regarded as a sign of a spiritually unhealthy mind.

Malicious Intent Is 'Normal'

Every human being has experienced malicious thoughts at some point, myself included. Sometimes they are trivial, such as planning to arrive late for school or work, or pretending to forget to return a borrowed book we enjoyed.

Not everyone is strong enough to face today's global challenges with patience and perseverance. Some choose shortcuts to achieve their ambitions because they no longer believe that their community can help ease their suffering.

So we should not be overly shocked when we discover a friend's bad intentions. Such behavior reflects an imbalance within that person. Ultimately, only they can correct it by changing those negative tendencies before they become self-destructive.

My advice is simple: wasting time nursing resentment over people like this serves no purpose. We each have only twenty-four hours in a day. (dswas).