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Overview

  • 90 references 47 Confirmed & Positive
  • Fluent in Bulgarian, Czech, English, Polish, Russian, Slovak; learning Albanian, Bengali, Bangla, French, German, Hindi, Norwegian Bokmål, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Tibetan Standard, Tibetan, Central
  • 51, Male
  • Member since 2008
  • Jobless student (formerly: translator, language teacher, ...
  • M.A. in Sanskrit and ancient Indian culture (PhD never f...
  • From Prague, Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
  • Profile 100% complete

About Me

Inner peace - Loving kindness

2019-2020 update: Oct1-Dec20, Jan4-Jan10, Feb17-May15 I am home only on weekends.
BEFORE ASKING ME TO HOST YOU, READ THE "MY HOME" SECTION, ESP. THE "ADDITIONAL INFO"

For fast communication, call me (sometimes I cannot go online for days!).
If I refuse the call, call again in the evening
+42060857zero587
========================================================
ABOUT ME:

I wish to live with balanced mind and loving behaviour to all.
(I do not always succeed/remember to do so)
I think of everyone as a friend from the start (until I get reasons not to think so)
I care how people feel, don't wanna let anyone suffer. But I am not good in guessing what you want me to do - so just say it!
I usually communicate mainly through words, but wish to do so more and more without words: Through mingling our voices' melodies, smiling through our eyes, by hugs or other gentle body contact (only with those who mention they wish so). Or just walking/sitting together silently.

I´d prefer to avoid idle talking - but I often fail
(Welcome to stop me in the middle of my unnecessary sentence!)

I enjoy the most:

being (trekking/sitting/sleeping) in wild NATURE;
making MUSIC (with other musicians/singers);
getting back MASSAGE or whole body massage - the greatest gift a human can give me
hugging and gentle caress;
being reminded to be mindful/aware of present moment and focused
fine tea (black or green)

I need the most:
Silence for long sleep, pure drinking water and fresh air.

I love to sing, especially polyphony!
I play (Spanish) guitar when I meet some.

I prefer avoiding cities and busy roads, so I usually visit cities mainly as transit points (often need just to stay over the night to recover from transportation and run away :-)

I feel more at home and happier in forests, in mountains, by fast river streams. I love trekking/hiking (prefer unpopular/unknown trails, or no trails), often barefoot, with little or no food (as my back cannot carry much).

What am I like is perhaps clearer from others' references here

PHILOSOPHY

En-Joy life. But responsibly!
(Try not harm others and the nature while enjoying)
Help, share, care - then better you fare!

Consumerism, "success", competition ...is the least meaningful approach to me.

I actually quite dislike consumerism and empty hedonism. As a result: I prefer to spend little and I am not so much interested in parties. I like precycling*. I appreciate freeganism*, though I have myself practised it only occasionally in full.
*)both terms explained in Wikipedia

I belong to no religion (nor to atheism)
But Buddha's teaching is the most understandable to me (I just differ in opinion on music :) and I am glad to join vipassana/zen practitioners for silent meditation

Instead of theoretical philosophy talks I rather want to focus on trying to be mindful. (Mostly I fail :-)
I am happy to be reminded whenever you see I do not act according to my theoretical preferences.

SLEEPING AND LIVING PREFERRENCES:
Due to some health problems I get tired fast and I need unusually long sleep to be OK. And I need silence for sleep. (And I enjoy some silent time during the day: TV or radio switched on, as well as other noises, make me more tired, after a while)
My guests should keep quiet when I sleep (which may be earlier in the evening and later in the morning than you do!).
My hosts are just requested to warn me if I should expect a loud time - so I am prepared and can choose if I have choice :)

FOOD PREFERRENCES - just for those who like to know:
I do not eat meat, cannot drink cow-milk (very small quantities in something are OK). I should try to have enough fibre in my meals - so I prefer wholemeal flour instead standard white flour (I can eat white flour, if accompanied by something rich in fibre). But, hosts, do not worry about food for me: If you have a steak with potatoes and salad, I will eat the potatoes and salad :)
I cannot drink alcohol (I love good water from natural springs and wells, pure 100% juices, good tea, sometimes coffee). But you are free to drink alcohol and eat meet in my presence - I do not mind.

When I am alone, or with people for whom it is all right, I am naked when I feel warm or bathe. If I guess you are the type of person who would feel uncomfortable about it or judge me, I will force myself to wear something. If I guess you are similar as me, I will stay as I like and feel more comfortable. But usually it is hard to guess, so better let me know. Same about other needs, preferences, wishes of yours. Tell me, do not expect me to read your mind. People are different!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I used to spread the idea of gift economy - and therefore also of free hospitality - long before CS started.
Then I was a great propagator of CS. But since recent years, after CS became commercial and the quality of the web also decreased drastically, I prefer to propagate BEWELCOME, the fully volunteer-run, non-profit, and user-oriented alternative of CS.
So I will be happy if you rather CONTACT ME THROUGH BEWELCOME:
www.bewelcome.org/members/Yak_Czechia

AS GUEST

I accept help willingly and gratefully
I NEED ROOF AND SILENCE FOR SLEEP.
All the rest is optional. Even if you have no time for me, it is great help if you can just put me up.
IF YOU CANNOT ACCOMMODATE for night, invitation for shower or DAY-TIME RELAX or WASHING clothes or just providing reliable PLACE TO LEAVE LUGGAGE is also a great help. Or just spare food you do not need.
Or letting me use your internet / phone

As a guest I can also be completely quiet and hidden when you have no time or mood. (Just make it clear!) Everyone has different needs and limits, so tell me
I can help with: cooking vegetarian dinner, cleaning up, washing the dishes, teach languages or guitar playing, share life experiences and thoughts, giving an amateur back massage. I am most happy to play guitar and sing for you. (Even better: with you) Just ask for it.

AS HOST:
I give shelter at the house I live in.
(Usually some vegetarian food, firewood and good mood is available too :-)
I am especially happy for guests who do help out with the household tasks.
I cannot tolerate those who make noise when I try to (prepare for) sleep.
Pl. read the couch info!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

For years I have hosted and have been hosted just spontaneously (meeting people on my or their way).
The internet version makes it more widely possible. Surfing couches (in between the solitary nights under open sky) brought me together with some wonderful people. And accepting surfers gave me an opportunity to help others - and that gives me joy.

Interests

*Life (and death too, when it comes :)
*Music - active jamming (voice, guitar)
Attentive (and selective!) listening to music (see below)
*Linguistics and languages (pronunciation,local dialects,etymology)
*Applied "philosophy" (practical ethics rather than any theoretical world-analyses)
*Wilderness survival skills (teach me!)
*Self-sufficiency skills
*Spiritual self-development (trying to be less selfish)
*Staying in nature
*Gentle body-communication (Yak always likes a hug :)
*Massage (my back always needs one - and that is the best gift you can give me!)
*Trekking (hiking in mountains mainly)
I am used to trek alone, mostly. But I'd love to do a trek together with you, as long as we do not talk all the time, and give each other the freedom to walk independently. (I will need to find secluded silent place to sleep = in nature or free shelters - I cannot normally pay for accommodation. And better if we either both go hungry or you are willing to help out carrying my food - after a hard day's walk it's hard to fast and watch you eating, you know :)

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC:
Ethnic folk music traditions of the world
Asian classical music traditions (Indian, Persian, Arabic, Japanese)
flamenco (cante jondo)
I prefer all the above in pure traditional form, not with electronic sounds added.
Jazz
European early music (I love to sing polyphony of 12-17th centuries, esp.14th!)
On my guitar I use(d) to play a bit of: Flamenco. Blues. Bossanova. Jazz. Classical

I do not like pop or electronic, not brassbands, not opera-style singing
(some rock OK, some not, jazz-rock better :)
In general, radio is boring for me as well as most of what is widely popular

"Sad" music makes me actually more joyful than "happy" music

BOOKS:
Thich Nhat Hanh`s "Teachings on Love" and any other of his words!
Helen Norberg Hodge's "Ancient futures"
Marshall Rosenberg "Non-Violent Communication"

And, judging by a review, the following book (which I haven't read) speaks out many of my own observations and conclusions:

Mark Boyle: The Moneyless Man. A Year Of Freeconomic Living. (Oneworld Publications 2010)

I read surprisingly little (tired of reading from my academic period). Better if you read aloud for me:-)
I like Japanese haiku and I like reading shining looks of friends's eyes

I like small experimental theatre.

I do not understand fine art very well: I do not see much difference between art and other objects, like nature or haphazard array of something on the ground. I find both nice :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hitch-hiking to India, there having got stolen everything I had (stayed and returned without a cent) plus getting so weakened by heavy sickness that vultures were waiting for me to be their breakfast!

Getting lost on a rock-wall high up in the Himalaya - and, when I felt sure I must fall from the rocks, I learned to enjoy the (supposed) last minutes of my life fearlessly. Those were the best minutes of my life. Since then I feel no fear of death.

Hiking naked and barefoot on rocks of the Albanian Alps, barefoot in countless snow-patches at Bulgarian and Norwegian mountains.

Having gone near to psychosomatic death and then rising from bottom up.

Having lived in an old circus-trailer at an eco-farm with no electricity, no running water, no gas (just wood from trees cut by hands and pulled by horses)

Moments of almost cosmic ecstasy in inspired music-making (esp.in polyphonic singing or in improvising back-vocals to other people's jamming)

Teach, Learn, Share

Let's SHARE:
MASSAGE (though unskilled);
meditation time (and mutual practice reminders :)
house/garden chores
practicing NVC (Rosenberg's techniques of "Non-violent communication")
hugs (only if you say you'd like to)
songs
heart's joys and sorrows (I will listen)
musical impro, or rehearsing something
contact-improvisation
kindness and love

Wanna LEARN:
Horse riding (and all about horses).
Rock-climbing.
Massage techniques.
Wilderness survival skills.
Your language.
Sailing.
Contact-dance improvizing (did som intro workshops, loved it)
more Jazz guitar (harmony uses, impro skills)
playing new instruments (bass, shakuhachi, sarod/veena/sitar, lute, ud ...)

I can TEACH:
Making bread.
Playing guitar.
Various languages and scripts of Europe and (South) Asia - especially Sanskrit.
Balance of mind (some suggestions; I myself have still much to learn here :)
Enjoying lesser-known musical cultures.
Enjoying silence and simple things.
Walking barefoot.
Handling relation(ship)s with people (but myself still need to keep improving)

What I Can Share with Hosts

See above ... And, depending on how much tired I am:
Helping hand with cooking/dishes/cleaning/garden/small repairs.
Cooking a meal (in simple Indian style) or baking bread (from wholemeal flour)
Tips on finding cheap transport or on saving in the daily life / household economy.
Do not hesitate to ask for any sort of help!
(But if it is a requirement/condition of your hosting me, pl. state that ahead, for I must see if I've energy and ability)

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Montenegro, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine

Countries I’ve Lived In

Czech Republic, India, Spain

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