A broken heart

When you live in a massive metropolis, you will inevitably see misery and learn to turn a blind eye to horrors. But there is a limit beyond which you can no longer tolerate this, and your heart shatters into pieces. For me, that limit has now been reached.

I respect the people of Istanbul so much that I can no longer write only about the good things while their lives deteriorate further and further. Their limit has also been crossed – the limit of a dignified life. My realism is, therefore, an act of love. As a result, for now, my blog comes to an end.

As a consequence of the negative developments, the overall energy of the city has naturally changed – or more accurately, sharply declined. This is evident in many ways; unfortunately, Istanbul is no longer what it once was.

The following photos will likely explain enough about what I mean. Although these are not even the worst examples, as it would be disrespectful to intrude by photographing people in dire need.

Some people live amidst immense wealth, while an increasingly large portion of ordinary citizens live in conditions that diminish human dignity – growing poorer and more desperate with each passing day.

For example, the rent for a three-bedroom apartment has increased more than tenfold in five years in our family’s residential area. During this time, wages and pensions have not risen significantly. Naturally, you experience the massive rise in prices in everything, and there is hardly any social security for the average citizen.

It’s no wonder, then, that in Istanbul, you might see an elderly, sick grandmother gathering polluted grass by a busy highway for food. At the same time, the number of rooms in decision-makers’ luxurious homes can exceed a thousand.

So my question is, when will we become humane? When will humanity evolve to the level of a conscious human being? When will we learn to care and love?

What has everyday life in Istanbul taught us all?

Despite all its challenges, Istanbul is a uniquely magnificent city, and I hold it very dear. Istanbul has also been the toughest teacher and most intense education of my life, spanning 10 years. Therefore, I want to share the enlightening and grateful insights I’ve gained from Istanbul and its people. Naturally, this isn’t just about me; lessons are always meant to be shared for everyone’s collective growth.

1. Power

The quality of power governing our planet is so disgracefully low that it is embarrassing to be human. However, let’s stop constantly blaming others. Since we can only change ourselves, let’s strive to do our best to evolve as individuals, free ourselves from our ego’s hunger for power, and move toward genuine care and humanity. After all, let us remember that the developmental level of the entire world is the sum of the developmental levels of its individuals.

2. Freedom

Let us cherish our freedom! Let us use our freedom wisely and constructively in the countries and cultures where we are fortunate enough to have it. Instead of incessant complaining, let’s open the doors of the cages we’ve built for ourselves and the gates of the fences we’ve erected, and boldly step into the world to do good – each in our own unique way and capacity. When we all act this way, even something small becomes great and meaningful.

3. Sacredness, respect, and peace

Is anything in our world sacred anymore?

We need to understand the axis of sacredness and shame to find boundaries for our humanity and to learn the virtue of respect. Let’s recognize that we don’t need religions to feel the sacred – only our own hearts.

Respect is a crucial test that reflects solely on ourselves. Are we capable of respecting everyone and everything? Our level of development is revealed by our ability to respect ideas, perspectives, and knowledge that differ from our own worldview. Only then does peace become possible.

Peace will not come to our world through demonstrations, marches, wishes, or speeches. We will achieve worldwide peace when each of us begins to live in peace individually.

4. Values and attitude

Let us never abandon uplifting values of goodness. Let us build for ourselves a brave, unwavering, and resolute attitude to defend these values. Anything is permissible, regardless of the rules, as long as it does not harm anyone or anything.

5. Patience and courage

Our entire life is a test of patience, and in Istanbul, this test is taken every single day. Daily life is laborious, slow, illogical, arduous, draining, and time-consuming. Here, for example, you truly learn what rush hour means…

On the other hand, you develop an instinct to sense the energy of danger. Although, as one of my family members stated laconically: “Why fear, when life in Istanbul is inherently dangerous?” Life, therefore, is always a risk – if you choose to live boldly and truly alive. This, however, is a worthwhile philosophy because it is unwise to join the sadly large and dissatisfied herd of the living dead.

”Most men die at 27, we just bury them at 72.”
– Mark Twain

6. Internationalism

As a historical crossroads between East and West, Istanbul unavoidably broadens both you and your worldview, making it international and at least as wide as the entire planet. Narrow-mindedness inevitably falls away.

Additionally, in the global community of tens of millions of people, life and competition are both tough, which elevates the general level of skill, diligence, and responsibility.

At the same time, realism becomes second nature – you’re geographically at the center of the world’s power, or at least in its neighborhood, when you’re in Istanbul. Therefore, I believe that experiencing everyday life in a foreign and different culture should be a prerequisite for all decision-makers. Such cultural enlightenment wouldn’t hurt voters in our democracies either.

All in all, the internationalism of everyday life is a gift. Both the mental and physical environment have a significant impact on your development, meaning location truly matters!

Internationalism brings to your world not only knowledge and experience but also new colors, winds, and flavors of life on a wide scale. And in a very concrete way too, as you find yourself in the realms of healthy and delicious food, for instance…

7. Food

For me, amongst many other things, Istanbul has also been a university of healthy eating.

For example, the breakfast of my less-than-one-year-old grandchild, shown in the photo below. From infancy, children eat the same foods as adults. This means as organic and homemade as possible, with ingredients whose health benefits are known from long history. Processed food is avoided at all costs.

Moreover, everyone follows the same meal rhythm. The most important meal of the day, dinner, is eaten late in the evening with the family, sharing conversations, joy, and enjoyment – including babies and children of all ages. In these moments, both body and soul are nourished. I am convinced that the intellectual curiosity and broad general knowledge typical of Istanbulites begin developing in these childhood moments.

With this dietary expertise, issues such as sleep disorders, allergies, obesity, ADHD, and many other health problems are notably rare…

8. Water

Clean, fresh water is our planet’s most important and precious treasure! It’s also a rare luxury –in my homeland Finland, we enjoy the privilege of drinking water straight from the tap. In Istanbul, children grow up understanding the value of water from an early age, as seen in the photo of my grandchild curiously exploring our “water tap” of clean water.

This massive water bottle is delivered to homes and recycled. You can also choose a glass bottle instead of plastic, if you have enough strength to handle it in your kitchen.

With an understanding of the importance of water, Istanbulites always welcome rain with joy. Rain fills the reservoirs for the coming year, ensuring the continuation of life. That’s why they speak of the “rain of love.” And a rare snowfall is considered a great luxury.

Water is connected to our core essence, as we are mostly composed of water, and it also has a memory. In astrology, water represents our emotions. In traditional Chinese medicine, the water element is represented by kidney energy, which is associated with emotions such as fear and stress, among other things. Water communicates with us both on a personal and planetary level. A simple example of this is the connection between water and the Moon, which we all recognize: sleepless nights during the full moon and the tidal phenomena of the seas.

Let us therefore cherish water, neither polluting nor wasting it. Water truly is our planet’s unique resource; when clean water runs out, our life comes to an end.

9. The sea and nature

From water, we naturally transition to the sea and nature. Having experienced everyday life in a massive metropolis like Istanbul, I appreciate nature even more – if that is even possible. Each of us can make a personal decision to respect nature and demonstrate it through our actions.

Nature, and indeed this entire planet, is now the only habitable “spaceship” we have in this universe. So, are we truly so simple and underdeveloped that we destroy it – our sole chance at life?

Nature is our beautiful, wise, and serene giver and sustainer of life. It also has a powerful conscious, spiritual, and transcendental dimension.

However, our interaction with nature is always reciprocal. Though nature is patient, it ultimately gives us exactly what we deserve – and only that, for better or worse. We’ve already witnessed this in the increasing natural disasters, which are nature’s way of communicating with us. Or rather, one of its many ways. So, what is our level of comprehension? And what is the result of our behavior? Isn’t it finally time to start listening to and respecting nature? Is it time for change?

When will the developmental level of our humanity be advanced enough to create a completely new world order and societal system that is not based on the current model of consumption, purchasing power, and money = the destruction of nature and this planet? Only this would constitute true environmental protection; everything else is mere trivial tinkering.

In fact, we should stop talking about environmental protection altogether. Instead, we should begin living in a way that preserves nature – and allows it to thrive alongside us.

10. Beauty

Beauty is a powerful force that heals us in profound and diverse ways. Conversely, ugliness weakens our energies and can ultimately even make us vulnerable to illness. This is something we in the Western world – especially in my homeland, Finland – do not yet understand.

In traditional Chinese medicine, this is self-evident and part of diagnostics. As such, it is commonly understood in Istanbul. Through the Silk Road, Chinese influences and knowledge became familiar to Istanbul (then Constantinople) over two thousand years ago.

In the upper photo, you see human-created beauty at Yenikapı Metro Station (Yenikapı Metro İstasyonu), while the lower photo depicts a “painting” created by nature in Yıldız Park (Yıldız Parkı).

But let’s recognize that nothing stops us from, for example, making our homes beautiful – places that nurture and sustain our health every single day. How about our thoughts, words, and actions – are they beautiful and uplifting?

Let’s always choose beauty in everything – both material and immaterial.

11. History

The history of our planet is shared; it belongs to all of us both collectively and personally.

Our personal history leads us to our roots through the ages and often through multiple lives. While it is important to live in the present, it is also wise to pay attention to the history that draws us like a magnet. It is precisely there that we can discover many treasures for our lives. Sometimes we learn and grow; at other times, we rejoice and give thanks – while marveling at all the uplifting beauty. Our history is truly a way to know ourselves deeply.

The history of our planet is something we should all preserve together. It is our shared past without borders. In our historically great city, Istanbul, there is a growing concern about this. Restoring important historical sites means preserving and respecting them globally – not making destructive changes based on the motives of any given era.

12. Love for children and animals

If we cannot love children and animals, there is little humanity left within us. In Istanbul, this is self-evident, and it has become a profound lesson for me. Beyond children, all animals are important and valued, but cats hold a truly special status. In Istanbul, you often hear that cats are gods. And you can see this everywhere; the love between cats and people is truly extraordinary, mutual, and transcendent. It starts from a young age. From my own experience, I believe this love is passed down genetically in Istanbul – on both sides.

13. Family

Our children and families are both the most important schools for our development and our greatest loves. Often, we form many family units over the course of our lives, and sometimes our closest family can surprisingly come from another culture.

In the accompanying video, our Istanbul family’s grandfather and our grandson celebrate love with music: “He is our Grandson, Demir. He is 20 days old. I’m trying to feed some real music into his newly born ears…”

14. Love

Let us be courageous not only in life but also in love. Let us not deceive ourselves or compromise when it comes to love. Let us not settle for less than perfection but always choose genuine encounters. On both sides.

Frida Kahlo already said it: “Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic.”

Love is always free, uplifting, and encouraging – otherwise, it is not love. Love brings immense light into our lives as we walk the path of growth together with our beloved. However, let us not forget the importance of our personal development, for we can only meet another person at the level of consciousness we ourselves have reached. Only when we invite universal love to live in our hearts can we truly love.

One particularly remarkable and highly appreciated trait of Istanbulites is that despite the burdens of their current hardships – ones that weigh on their shoulders with a gravity threatening their very existence – they still find the strength to encourage their loved ones with unwavering determination every single day. Complaints, on the other hand, are noticeably absent.

But this is exactly how love works, and this is precisely what my Istanbul is all about.

15. Follow your path, nurture your growth – and embrace changes with gratitude for everything

I can say with solid personal experience that when you simply follow your life’s path carefully, boldly, persistently, and faithfully to yourself, the universe will reward you by leading you precisely to the steps and places you are meant to reach. Even if your path takes the most incredible twists and turns.

But the prerequisite is that you stop blaming others, victimizing yourself, and complaining about your own life. Instead, focus on your conscious self-development. Growth, along with serving others, is one of the key purposes of life. This is worth understanding, as you are personally responsible for it. You will always receive exactly what you deserve – your life and the quality of your relationships reflect your level of growth realistically and uncompromisingly.

Courageous changes in your life also indicate your growth because, as you truly evolve, your former life will no longer satisfy you. Humanity is stuck in stagnation, but you are personally free to choose more courageously and consciously. Change and expansion are the fundamental principles of both your life and the entire universe, as well as prerequisites for all progress.

There are also no coincidences; life is always entirely fair. If you wish to argue otherwise, it is advisable to delve deeper into the wisdom of life and universal laws. After all, it is wiser to learn to cooperate with life rather than merely survive it.

Know yourself and your path, for your choices create your life. You are free to make choices, but you are always responsible for the consequences of those choices. So take a deep dive into getting to know yourself! Instead of taking exotic long-haul flights, buy a ticket into your inner self. That luxury vacation may be off the table, but you will embark on a long work journey alone. However, I guarantee that the souvenirs of your journey will be brighter than the most extravagant luxury. Be interested in yourself, forget about others. Allow others the peace to walk their own life steps. Be inspired by your own life!

Cultivate discernment and do not waste a single moment of your life on anything trivial or detrimental to your growth. Avoid fashionable spiritual entertainment because it will only lead you astray from your path. When walking the path of true awareness, you no longer need entertainment to enjoy your life. Instead of meaningless fluff, gather knowledge that helps you grow, and always think for yourself. But remember, only experienced knowledge is real. Therefore, experience life boldly, and don’t settle for less. Life should have flavor!

The universe, in its wisdom, provided its (astrological) map to help guide you on your life’s path. Learn about the movements of the planets in our solar system and the nature of their energies. Align with the cycles of your life map, and live your life in harmony with its timing. Cherish your own path and your private essence. Welcome the waves of life: the light and the shadows. Face the shadowy phases with gratitude for the growth they bring. Rumi already said it: “The wound is the place where the light enters you.”

So, be thankful for absolutely everything! Gratitude is our most powerful mantra; it is our most important and impactful prayer, a sure remover of negativity, and one of the strongest tools for creating our lives. Joy, in turn, is the essential nourishment of gratitude. This genuine joyous gratitude for life is guided by the profound understanding of your life experiences, topped with quiet reflection and peace. And all of this occurs in reciprocal connection with the universe.

It is easy to agree with Michelangelo’s wisdom: “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”

Where to find hope?

1. Universal wisdom

In Istanbul, you are typically asked first about your astrological Sun sign, Ascendant sign, and the Moon’s position in your Natal Chart, as well as your political stance. This is a fantastic way to start a conversation with someone new, as it immediately reveals whether there is potential for a deeper connection. Such interest also reflects a broad worldview and an understanding of universal wisdoms.

In universal wisdom, the entire Cosmos is our companion, meaning the amount of knowledge is limitless and freely available to us. We only need to pierce the bubble of our mundane reality and elevate our awareness to a slightly higher and broader level.

The ancient wisdom of our history also serves as important signposts, and for me personally, the most significant of these is the philosophy of universal love by the Sufi mystic Rumi.

You can find traces of Rumi and Sufism in Istanbul, even though Rumi spent most of his life in Konya, Turkey. However, Rumi was originally Persian and wrote in Persian (Farsi) – something my Iranian family member always reminds me of, telling me that Rumi is their national poet. Be that as it may, Rumi’s wisdom resonates across the world. Similarly, the magical melodies of the ney reed flute, essential to Sufi music, whisper divine mysteries to us all.

I’ve previously written a dedicated post on this topic, which also covers the Galata Mevlevi Museum (Galata Mevlevihanesi Müzesi) in Istanbul and the whirling dervishes. You can find it here

The ney flute plays its sweet melodies on an Istanbul evening street… In the photo below, a particularly happy blogger has just stepped out of a music store holding her very own ney flute. In the background stands the Galata Mevlevi Museum, which I would highly recommend for a visit.

Unfortunately, I have not yet had the chance to visit Rumi’s Konya, but I did see a miniature model of the Konya Mevlâna Museum (Mevlânâ Müzesi) and Rumi’s mausoleum at Istanbul’s Miniatürk Park. I would particularly recommend this attraction to those interested in history and architecture. You can find more information here

2. A holistic view of humanity

The holistic view of humanity, well known throughout human history, was disgracefully diminished around the same time that money became our sole value. Both our healthcare and overall well-being were reduced mainly to the modification of just one aspect of us – our body – and the treatment of symptoms, usually driven by business interests. The results have been too weak.

In this era of profound global transformations, we must shift from contraction to expansion and growth. This requires understanding the trinity of human nature: we consist of a body, mind, and spirit. Hence, both our health and a good, high-quality life depend on the balance of these three aspects of our being. Achieving this balance demands personal effort to develop all three equally. Inevitably, future medicine will also need to embrace this body-mind-spirit approach.

This future medicine will include an understanding of energy. In addition to ancient wisdom, our physicists already have extensive knowledge of the energies of the universe, and hopefully this knowledge will be applied increasingly in all aspects of our daily lives.

Istanbul, with its historical perspective and modern expertise, demonstrates this holistic competence daily in the high standards of its doctors and other healthcare professionals. It is also evident in its exceptional customer service and heartfelt desire to help.

If you are looking for high-quality and safe medical care or surgery in Istanbul, I highly recommend Zeynep İyison as your assistant. She will help you with all questions related to your procedure, tailored to your needs – with guaranteed reliability. Zeynep can also find a suitable and high-standard clinic for you. Further information can be found in my previous post or by directly contacting Zeynep via email at [email protected].

I have diverse personal experience with Istanbul’s massage therapists, specialist doctors, and everything in between. One notable example is Metin Hara, whom I’ve previously written about in a post you can find here The photo below is from Metin Hara’s book “Invasion of Love – The Path.”

There is much we in Finland could learn from all of this…

3. Shared, important democracy

Community spirit provides Istanbulites with support and hope – both personally and socially. There is a deep belief in democracy, symbolized by the great respect and longing for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. This is something you feel constantly and everywhere, but especially on significant commemorative days. The photos and videos here are from Atatürk Memorial Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Günü), observed on November 10.

This commemorative moment is always deeply touching, but in recent years, its relevance in the context of our planet’s current state has often brought me to tears – and I have not been alone in this.

Istanbul’s shores are adorned with Atatürk flag banners, and people gather beneath them. First, the city’s alarm sirens wail as the crowd falls silent, drawn to an important matter. Even Istanbul’s notoriously heavy traffic quiets for a moment. Most of the city’s more than five million vehicles stop for one minute to honor Atatürk and democracy.

Afterwards, the Turkish national anthem, the Independence March (İstiklal Marşı), is sung together. During the anthem, paragliders carrying Atatürk and Turkish flags appear in the sky.

Democracy is not a given in our world. Those who have experienced its fragility cannot help but shed tears… From this video alone, you can count how many religious conservatives you see supporting and defending democracy. The answer is absolutely none. This should awaken the global intellectual community. Let us cherish and safeguard our democracy!

In the photo, young people sit by the shores of the Sea of Marmara after the celebration, near the Atatürk sailboat, wrapped in an Atatürk flag. I believe – or rather, I know – that they are pondering “Do we still have hope?”

4. Building bridges instead of wars

Since we are capable of building bridges between continents – as in this photo, where a bridge spans the Bosphorus from Asia to Europe – we should also be able to build bridges between our hearts. For it is within our hearts that universal love and empathy reside.  

It is realistic to acknowledge that loving is not always easy. But no one has promised us ease, and an easy life is not necessarily the best life. Our personal development work is always challenging, but it is worth all the effort because it is the key to love.

If this feels difficult, we could start simply by sitting down, listening to both ourselves and each other with respect – calmly at the level of our hearts, with our egos turned off. Taking inspiration from the gentleness of an evening by the Marmara Sea. Even a stormy, free, and wild sea calms down when its time comes.

5. Let love overflow

This Mother’s Day flower, celebrating my first experience of being a grandmother in two cultures, speaks to me especially about love that transcends borders and cultures.

My mischievous little bundle of joy, radiating limitless love, ensures that the ”joy lines” on this ”babaanne’s” (grandma’s) face deepen with each passing day. Oh, these delightful splashes of love…

What if all of us together chose love every single new morning?!

Heartfelt Thanks!

I feel a certain wistfulness as I now conclude my blog after approximately 50 posts, because I don’t feel like I’ve even really got started on the topics. Istanbul is so endlessly interesting and diverse that one cannot exhaust the topics even in a whole lifetime. But everything has its natural time and purpose, and the waves of life carry us forward in a continuous flow…

Thank you to all the readers of my blog. It has been a joy to serve you by writing about the wonders of Istanbul and answering your questions. Thank you to my family and others behind the scenes; your valuable support has made this blog possible. Thank you also to the people of Istanbul – you are always in my prayers and in my heart.

Thank you, Istanbul. You took everything from me – and you also gave me everything.

P.S. If any reader is wondering why I didn’t keep my initial promise to write equally about both of my home cities, Turku and Istanbul, let me explain now.

Unfortunately, in Turku, there wasn’t much enthusiasm for this new kind of internationalism, free marketing, or heartfelt collaboration. Instead, the preference was to do things the way they had always been done. This is, of course, perfectly fine, although I would have been happy to showcase Turku in the wake of international Istanbul. To some extent, it might have brought positive attention to Turku, as Istanbul is one of the world’s most fascinating cities. After all, in 2023 alone, Istanbul welcomed over 17 million tourists.

But through our choices, we create our lives both privately and as a society. To me, stagnant water is always a choice of underdevelopment, which I avoid. Thus, my blog focused solely on Istanbul – the flowing waters and colors of life, and the life-thirsty energies of this vibrant city.