Shaman's laughter

Periodically, I return to reading Vladimir Serkin's book 'Shaman's Laughter.' Every time, something different surprises me. Here are some quotes. I used ChatGPT to translate.

Wolf's Gratitude

In December, while following a flock of partridges, I spooked a huge, lone white wolf. In one barrel, I always had a 'zhakan' - a cartridge with a then-banned steel bullet with stabilizers, sawn down to split when it encountered an obstacle. When flying, it made an unpleasant crunching sound while rotating in the air, which determined the name. Having inserted a second such cartridge, I ran along the wolf's tracks, the size of which was impressive. Having climbed the hill, I saw a wolf unexpectedly far away on the slope of the next one. The wolf ran with all his might, falling and twisting in the deep, loose snow. At the same moment, the state of the wolf, who was fighting for life, and the unpleasant comparison of his state with the state of a young idiot who saw an interesting, prestigious target, became clear.

Immediately, the wolf understood everything. He stopped and turned around. We were too far away to see each other's eyes, but the wolf offered me something, and I accepted it. Turning around, I slowly rolled back, taking with me the wolf’s gratitude.

Language

– Why can language limit me?

– The words of your language denote objects and actions, but the world is not made up of objects and actions. – What is it made of then? – It's made up of what you think about it. – I'm asking about reality. – You can only think about what you do, and that is your only reality. – How do you think about another reality? – You see a flying seagull and say, 'The seagull is flying.' That's your reality. An ancient Chukchi says a word denoting 'The spirit of the coast manifests itself in the seagull, and I understand this sign.' He does this; such understanding is part of his practice, and that is his reality. – Is there a unified reality for everyone? – Only at the level of coinciding practices.

True Face

He is already at the age when the facial features 'mask' national characteristics.

Goal-setting

– The main thing is not the ability but goal-setting. – This is probably the specificity of their culture? – Any culture. ... – I'm telling you: they had a goal, and they began to act. The rest fell into place.

Song of Evenks

As soon as I turn away, Something strange happens behind my back: [All objects] change their outline and character, The world becomes different. Only real people remain people, While unreal ones change, like things. No matter how quickly I turn, They manage to do so before. What happens to the world When a real person doesn't see it? Are there mountains, a sea? It could be dangerous. It's very interesting to find out.

Important Things

- This civilization is mistaken in that it strives to create identical conditions everywhere. Such a method is doomed because it requires a constant influx of energy. Soon, barbarians will be studying ways to live in the conditions that exist. – Who are these barbarians? – Barbarians are people with such a low level of culture that without their adaptations, they cannot survive in the tundra and the day. – Is that the main sign of barbarism? – The main sign of barbarism is to try not to think about the most important matters and not to prepare for them. – What, for example, not to think about? – About death, for example.

Your Treasures

Your shore of treasures must be completely inaccessible to others.

True Choice

(The following dialog was edited by me a little bit for clarity, the way I understand it)

– Need is not a choice. It's not even entirely an act of will. Choices are made without necessity.

– Have you made such a choice?

– Hard to say. A choice free of a nessessity and willed effort, is like an airstrip for takeoff in your affairs. Without it, your "plane" won't fly beyond the usual radius.

– Do you need willed efforts to develop?

– For actions. Efforts can be harmful in development.

– How so?

– When a person strains, they become stiffer, more conservative.

– So, to develop oneself, one needs to relax?

– You need to allow change.