Update from our community on this day: The global Vineyard community focuses on our friend.
A prayer or meditation for The Saker.
For a short period, we will be in slow mode on The Saker blog.
The Saker is going into hospital for a battery of diagnostics tests and one can never estimate how long these will take and the toll that these will take on a human being. During this short period, The Saker requested that we make the following announcements:
Regular contributors and correspondents
Please continue sending work and articles to The Saker as per the usual procedure. He will as usual take a look at these and we will prepare the material for posting.
Email to The Saker
Kindly slow this right down. Your e-mail will probably not get attention for the next little while.
Technical problems go to our Webmaster as usual.
Anything else that is important and cannot wait, please e-email me (but it may have to wait in any event).
For posting important articles and breaking news items, go to the Cafe and on the right hand side bar, there is a news-feed for readers to post these important items. http://10.16.86.131/news-rss-feeds/
A friend of mine who analyzes ‘Big Data’ recently said that the news cycle is now driven by Twitter and besides even all the de-platforming and attacks on free speech that we’ve almost grown accustomed to, people are in addition self-censoring their words to such an extent that to find true prescient information and solid analysis is very hard. Let’s not do that in this slow-down period and let’s continue to speak from the heart, spiced with a whole bunch of analytical sense. If you jones for The Saker, come and join us in the Movable Feast Cafe.
Regular contributions will continue and we will have some of our own Saker analysts on standby in the event of major world changes. But my expectation is that The Saker will have his tablet with him and report, no matter which diagnostic test he is involved in.
Updates will be posted here when we have them.
All that remains then for this announcement is to send a prayer to The Saker so that he feels better and gets through all these tests with dignity and style.
Amarynth
UPDATE BY THE SAKER: dear friends, Christ is Risen!
I have good news: I got the results of my MRI and bloodwork testing and they are negative, meaning that nothing major and truly serious was found. What is left are several possibilities (parasites, autoimmune, etc.) all of which can be cured with time. The acute abdominal pain which triggered it all is now gradually getting better and what I need most now is some time to rest. I am hopeful and confident that I will be able to resume my work with the same level of commitment and intensity after May 6th. Until then, please be patient and don’t worry as I will be slowly recuperating.
I want to thank you all for your kind words, support and prayers. I was immensely touched by your outpouring of support!
Kind regards and hugs to all,
The Saker
Today is Holy Friday, I offer an inspiring video for those of us who practice our faith in remembrance of the sacrifice of our Lord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=57&v=yY4EJmWpPeY .
Our prayers are with Andrei and his family. Fear not, for the will of God and our love of Christ will guide Saker to his chosen path.
And he said unto him, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Luke 17:19 KJV 1611)
“‘And when I am ill, it is He Who restores me to health;” (ASH-SHU’ARA’ 26:81 Holy Quran)
Thank you for your kind words and prayers, Poke The Truth.
I greet you in the joy of the coming Resurrection of our Lord!
Kind regards,
The Saker
The way I feel it, everything will return ok, inch’Allah.
I felt a second opinion once.
Saker, try not to worry and take care of yourself. You have a great team and I am sure all of us that read and enjoy your hard work wish you well. You are always in my prayers. All the best to you and your family and rest as you can.
Andrei, I will have prayers and strong thoughts of support.
There is a vast reservoir of love for you, mой друг.
Prayers for Saker on this Good Friday. Hopefully he will be reinvigorated after Easter! Prayers and love!
Get well soon Andrei, you will be missed.
Dear Saker, my prayers for you before Our Lady of Kazan.
Andrei My Orthodox Brother,
I hope and pray all is well with you. Godspeed as the English say.
I know we are still a day and a half away from Pascha but Xristos Voskrese!
Wish you all the best. Hope to have you back as soon as possible
We will come through this time, as only the Lord guides our path in the right way. Especially in these period, where we celebrate that the Lord *lives*.
Get well, Saker. My prayers are for you and your family.
All well-being wished, Rob
Best wishes!
To add: Amarynth, Scott, Herb, the mods and all the others that keep this blog afloat in the meantime: godspeed.
And, to counter the closing walls on expression and the (correct) assumption that it will be harder and harder to find the information, I have a straight assumption: it will come out anyway.
To this, there is also: “They plan, and Allah plans. Surely, Allah is the Best of planners.”
(I am a Christian and not in detail familiar wit the Holy Qu’ran (though recently I have downloaded a book of the wise Sheikh Imram Hosseini to guide in this). Brother muslims, I do hope that I have formulated this in the right way.)
Cheers, Rob
Cheers and thumbs up, Rob
Hey Rob, thank you for your kind words. I’m one of the translators for the translation YouTube channel, and yes, all of the people that work on the blog are a big team, working autonomously but yet in unison to make this blog what it is today. Which is why if somebody is able to, they should kindly donate any amount they wish to help keep it the way it should be; independent and working to give its readers and viewers top quality information for free and without ads everywhere. I will also be keeping the Saker in my prayers through this important moment. His expertise is what helped wake many people up to what’s going on in our world today, his blog is making a difference!
Dear Saker,
I hope the tests aren’t too strenuous and you and your family will not be too stressed during Пасха – Pascha. May god bless you all, our prayers are with you.
Here is some Russian Orthodox Liturgical Prayer Music for you to listen too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsz7xq8lmEg
“Христос воскрес!”
wishing you all the best and to be released soon in good health….
Saker, regarding your health, I would strongly suggest you read Jon Barron’s site http://www.jonbarron.org for very informative health related matters. While not a doctor – more like a medical researcher – he has decades of experience and just by reading some of his articles I think you will see he is quite good at explaining things and getting through to the gems of health knowledge that may help you (and obviously others).
Another is a pharmacist Suzy Cohen: http://suzycohen.com who advises on pharmaceuticals but also on alternative health involving herbs etc.
Of course, you will be – and have been – prayed for.
The Saker needs to know there are four nutrients the body can handle. Fats, proteines, alcohol and carbon hydrates (bread, potatoes, rice). The last two are poisonous. The brain needs fats and the muscles proteines. I was diagnosed with cancer nine years ago and I am still here. Sugar and cancer is a marriage in hell. Vitamin B of all sorts is a must.
Saker wishing you all the very best but sometimes situations like this are a little wake up call in that you should now take care of your health in every way possible. Once you’re finished with your testing go home and make a plan how to improve your wellbeing. Consider your diet (I personall believe a pescitarian one is the way to go with an emphasis on traditiknal Asian foods – lots of soups and lightly cooked vegetables). Start a well planned exercise program appropriate for your age and starting condition. Manage your stress levels. Take up Tai Chi or Qigong. Work with a holistic practioner and devise a proper supplement protocol. Other things like rebounding exercise, infra-red saunas, fasting all do wonders. It is great that youre a spiritual person. Your faith in God is your best medicine.
Sometimes it takes little scares to get us back on track and not take things for granted. Find a medical practitioner who incorporates holistic and natural healing and you’re on your way to a very healthy and long life. Lastly start listening to podcasts by Gary Null, Joseph Mercola and other health gurus. I really like Justin from extremehealthradio.com.
Remember you are your own best doctor. Get the diagnostics and find the right way to deal with your health using guidance from practitioners that really care. Best wishes.
No disrespect naturally b/c I am of the same frame of mind. The human being is a very delicate thing even before all the young gladiator mentality taught to us by our trustworthy gvt.
Things of this nature normally do not end well, the cure can be worse than the disease.
The solution is prevention, not treatment.
I wish you all the best my friend, you are strong enough to admit this thing and possibly strong enough to not only survive it, but possibly thrive after it, only time shall tell.
Best regards, Saker; take it slow and easy.
Silybum marianum and kefir is what our friend needs.
Take up your pallet and walk Saker.!
God bless
Andrei, you are in my prayers! I will light a candle for you at Pascha!
Prayers for Saker will be said for Saker at St. Nikolas in Sevastopol.
Just been through a bunch myself and am waiting for news of surgery.
So I know what it feels like.
Keep focused on the blog while you can saker, and all the best with the tests.
Will send funds as soon as I am able, things have been pretty tipsy turvy chez nous for the last year.
Amarynth : I will email soon for details of how to make bank transfer. The details already given are on my old phone and I can’t access it.
All the best,
Eimear
Eimear – got it and will look out for your email.
Saker wishing you the best. Hope you get good honest medical care which unfortuntely -in the US- nowdays is becoming more unreliable due to commercialization.
Saker: This, too, shall pass.
Psalm 91: ” For He ( HU) will deliver you (Saker) from the ensnaring trap , from the devastating pestilence…”
Spiritual warriors are in high demand these days (so it is said) and so may your health be assured!!
Hope all goes well.
God bless.
God Bless you Saker.
Andrey, all the best in your tests and whatever follows.
Happy Easter to all Orthodox Christians. Enjoy your roasted Lamb tomorrow as we will celebrate, as we say: “Ανάσταση του Χριστού – Christ’s Resurrection”
Some psalms on the occasion titled Χριστός Ανέστη
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruFh6qmBSVc
As the Greeks say; “Christos an esti” (Christ has risen)
May the blessings of this day fall upon all of you!
Andrew, and the same to you.
Let’s play small word game.
As you wrote “Christos an esti” the sentence would mean “Christ, if exists”. Funny isn’t it?
Well yes. the word “esti” on it’s own means “is”. The word “an” means “if”.
The word “anesti” means “conscious”.
Esti is a word from Ionian and Doric dialects.
You will notice that some Christians have a name “Anastasia – like my father’s mother, or Anastasis like my mother’s father”.
So, anastasia means exactly what we are celebrating on Easter Sunday, Poles call it “zmartwychwstanie – getting up from the dead, otherwise known as Resurrection”.
To everyone else’s good wishes and healing energy, I add a large bolt of chi, sent to you by well-attested, ancient shamanic practices. Go well Andrei; back on the job in bounding health soon!
Friends.
It is a blessing to read all of your best wishes for The Saker, and advises, suggestions.
I can assure you he’s been there, tried “this that and the other”, and has some sort of very advanced control of this situation based on his supreme analytical qualities in so many fields.
However, this is a “karma” thingy, and has to be treated as such. He will do that eventually I’m confident in that.
Tough path for all of us (individually). (Maelstroems, however they are disguised ARE indeed dangerous).
I don’t pray (as such), or if I do it might be a little bit different than what is the “normal” conceptual interpretation.
Kent
Dear Saker,
May you soon recover.
On Lazarus Saturday, last week, my family and I were admitted into the Orthodox Church after 13 years of research, prayer, and more research. You were instrumental in this development, Saker. Thank you for your outspokenness. God bless you.
I do not know what tests Andrei is having done and to be honest it is none of my business. However, he and I are good friends, we have broken bread together, I have been a guest in his home, we have spoken quite often in these recent years. It displeases me that I can not be near him and his family to support them during this time of stress, but we are 8000 miles apart and it is difficult for me to travel now, I am not young.
I will do what I can for him from this far land and on the morrow we will of course be in St. Nikolas and I will again have prayers said for him on this most Holy day for us, we who are Russian Orthodox. In a few short hours The Fire will be at St. Nikolas and I will have that sent to him in time in some time. You see, once we light our candles from The Fire, and it arrives at St. Nikolas live and burning, no matter how often you put the candle out, when you light that candle again it is The Fire. The Fire never dies. Normally we would be at St. Nikolas for the arrival of the fire, about 04:00 or so, but we are so exhausted that our fire will be waiting for us later in the day. St. Nikolas knows what we do and they understand, they have not forgotten about all the evacuees and refugees from Slavyansk and Kramatorsk we put up there in ’14.
I have been remiss this week keeping up with events, we’ve been heavily involved in the events at Battery Museum and Red Army. In addition to everything else we do, and most of you know I write and how active VCO and I are with educating the children and adults at Battery and Tavrida School and our work with historical research and events, we are also members of The Searchers.
Every year we find and put to rest with full military honors those of our boys who fell during the war. The German and Romanian boys we find are treated exactly the same as our boys, those young men no more wanted to be here than we wanted them here. VCO and I had hoped for a quiet day to relax after four full dress events this week alone, but this morning we received a communication to come to an area near Inkerman. We have known for quite some time that there was one heck of a fight in that area in ’41, and very early this morning some campers had found some bones when they tried to dig a trash pit.
Seems we’ll be busy there for a year, every place we put a shovel in the ground we find boys. This morning alone we got three out and one was a woman, a Medical Sister. How poignant, on this day, the day before our most Holy Day, we found those we will put to rest. The exhaustion at the end of the day is worth it, ever aching muscle of it.
Auslander
A proper report on this weekend. Your service to your community and military is exemplary. What hallowed ground the peninsula is.
And what a good example of the decency of Russian traditions to care equally for the remains of those who came to kill and dominant that land.
We appreciate all your reports, Auslander. And of course, for those of us who have your books, we have taken pleasure from your writings, too.
The authenticity of your life experience rings through your novels with verisimilitude.
My prayers are with you Saker. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ take care of you and restore you.
Get well soon, all the best.
May the spirit of our lord and savior be with you on this holy day. The One that has conquered death bless and keep you now and forever.
Christ Is Risen!
God be with you Saker.
As a health professional I recommend reading and watching info from http://www.dietdoctor.com
Best wishes
Peter from Oz
All the best to you Saker. May GOD continue to grace you with good health and superb intelligence. I know for a fact that the highest echelons of Hungarian political, military and economic leadership regularly use your analyses to determine their policy.
Dear Saker,
I wIsh you and your family a very happy Eastern.
I hope the cebration may help you to keep your health and strength, and I’m sure you know very well where to find it. Like the author of PSalm 31 expressed it so nicely (in english translation):
“You, O Lord, are my strength. Into your hand I commit my spirit” (PS. 31: 1 and 4).
Get well soon and best wishes!
God bless you Saker,
I pray that God, the Holy Spirit, will overshadow you and comfort you with his presence and peace. Heal any and all infirmities and strengthen you for the coming days and nights.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-8
Cheers
Take care of yourself Saker. We’ll pray for you, naturally.
What can I add to all these best wishes ? take care my brother !
Dear Saker. Thanks for everything and Best Wishes for your health!
Dear Saker,
My family and I will prayfor you. I am sure that you, with your beautiful mind, wil find new things on the horizons that will soothe your soul and your body.
Get well,
Alisa
Hristos vaskrse!
PS I am stil a small donor, but, when we get out of this crisis (?!), i,will be contributing more.
Well pleased to hear the good health news. Pray on. May pop on here and comment? The Saker and all is a voice in the wilderness.
Dear Saker, gut problems eh? And your MRI blood work was normal. Some thoughts. Your intestinal flora and fawna is screwed up (stress, stress and oh yes, stress) as my auld auny would say. So, why not try a small, time tested, cheap fix. If it works, bob’s your uncle, and if it doesn’t. Well………….my guess, it will help. You could make your own, like my sis does, but with a busy shedule and life, this fix is faster.
I’m sure you’ve already heard, if not tried this, but if you haven’t, you owe it to your wife and kids to try. Very simple. GT’s Synergy. Comes in multiple flavs but grape is the best. One bottle a day, divided into 3. Do that for five days. Then taper off to one cup per day, for the next two weeks. Kambucha tea, it sounds simplestic but it’s been used for thousands of years for gut issues and as an overall health tonic. You can also check out the testimonials on their web site, gtslivingfoods.com
Cheers, and good luck, M…………I`ll put a prayer into St Patrick for you.
Ps. I`m sure any brand of kombucha tea would work, I, and those I`ve recommened it to, have all used dave`s.
Dear Saker! Please also know that pharmaceutical-grade activated charcoal is magnificent for a disturbed intestinal tract. Blessings, Gregory
Saker,
Your update is great news. You are relatively safe and prayers and meditations work, even in this sick, evil era on God’s planet.
I suggest ridding yourself of stress. Devote yourself to Nature and the woman and daughter who love you. Put that time as sacred, like your religious time.
You once promised us reports from the wilderness you enjoy. Plan a series, it could be simple Podcasts, the easy way. No proofreading, just story-telling. Listen to the flow of waters, caress the breeze, observe the colors.
Music–fill your day with music instead of the cacophony of geopolitics.
And know, always, you have a world of friends.
Dear Saker!
I´m not comment here in regular basis. But i read all articles in diary basis. Was a shock for me to know about your disease, but happy to read your update. So, I dont know if you will read this comment, but anyway, I wish your complete recover to keep fighting the good fight.
Respect from Brazil, our Russian-American partner!!!!!!
Saker, thank you for the update on your prognosis. Every day I have been thinking and wondering how you were doing, every few minutes it seems my mind goes to thinking about you. So it’s been a grey day here until now, but your news has brought a bright sunshine to this day! Continue to rest, and continue to know we still wishing you comfort and good health to return.
Thank God its nothing serious. InshAllah you’ll be back to 100% soon. Take care, hope you have a fast recovery.
“The acute abdominal pain which triggered it all…”
Less wine, liquor, grease, and junk food, and more beer. That should do it.
More beer? In moderation, yes. And it is good, because it is a formented food. Everyone should add more formented foods to their diet. Kamboca, keifer, ume plums, miso, bovril, marmite, pickled veggies of every kind. And of course, Buba’s saurkruat. Good health starts in your gut and extends out from there.
How can one shout the word into something like a Saker’s ear.?
Kefir….kefir….kefir
(thanks!! will do, good idea :-) The Saker)
Kefir is a life saver Saker.
Don’t bother buying the crap they sell in shops.
Get the kefir grains and grow your own. Transform your life. Save it.
And don’t forget the Silybum marianum.
And think of ‘fenbendazole with vitamins’ if a doctor says you have stage 4 cancer.
May God Almighty Gives you health and long live sir. And to your family too. All the best sir.
“The acute abdominal pain”
I would sincerely recommend a “Gluten-free” diet, if you are not already doing so. My wife and I had similar intestinal pains and have started a strict Gluten free diet about two years ago (it wasn’t the doctors but our own discovery). My wife went to numerous clinical tests without any results. After the diet not only the symptoms alleviated and almost disappeared (in my case), we start feeling more energetic and happier. Stay away from processed food, bread,pasta made out of wheat and milk products containing Lactose. Eat more veggies and white meat. Though the diet means that you have to quit Beer as well (remembering your picture holding beer).
Hope you recover soon.
glad to hear you’re on the road to recovery.
Saker, good to read it’s not something serious, nevertheless, consider it a wake up call – and for others too healthwise. As others here have stated about fermented food, try it, including UNpasteurised sauerkraut – make your own, organic of course. Prebiotics, probiotics and enzyme supplements, especially for those over 50.
And head over to http://www.jonbarron.org to do key word searches.
Another is fasting, as mentioned by Jesus naturally, reseach it first, consult your doctor and know your own body; look up the benefits including autophagy and telomerase.
Dear Saker,
Fantastic to hear you are feeling better. Please rest, and when you are strong again, maybe check the Dr.Sears official Zone diet page ( it is not a diet, but a comprehensive-for life-eating method, designed for athletes, and people who suffer from diabetes, heart diseases, autoimmune disorders, obesity etc….In short, it is a way of healthy eating, fighting the inflammation). The only problem is that you will have to eat all the time, 5 times per day.:)And, yes, you can eat everything, but in the right quantities.
Also check the molecularly distilled fish oil, available to order from the site ( fights even cancer, all explained and proven).
I have experience with the zone, and my brother also, who recovered miraculously from a heart attack, after following the zone- so it is not an empty talk about some fad diet.
You will notice the positive changes in about 3-4 days, increased energy being the first sign…
I am writing this not expecting the answer as I know you are in need of rest as the mod said.
Lots of love to you from all the different corners of this world, because you deserved it.
Be well…
a
Glad to hear that everything is ok but as I and others have stated use this experience to focus on your health and wellbeing. In regard to your acute abdominal pains if they contine it would be a good idea to check for gallstones. Anyone who has had gallstones will know how extremely painful they can be. The pain can really be intolerable. And remember there are some really effective ways of naturally eliminating gallstones without surgery if you don’t want to go down that route. Of course get an ultrasound by a doctor for the right diagnosis. Once again thank God you are fine and thank you for your courageous work.
Cuide da saúde, é o mais importante.
Nossa luta é de longo prazo.
yandex translate … mod
Take care of your health, that’s what’s important.
Our fight is long-term.
Payers and lots of love will heal you. Stay positive and take it easy,because we need you at these turmolous times till all of the truth will come out to the light and the world will be liberated and everybody will be celebrating.
Lots of love and positive healing
With Love
GaBi
…maybe a bit late, but anyway:
-всего наилучшего тебе, дорогой брат !
God bless you, Brave Bird..!
Kind regards from Argentina..!
Not much is worse than waiting for the news of tests. I hope they’ve investigated possible Helicobacter infection, which is very curable. As for gut health, the recommendations for fermented and raw foods are certainly correct, and if, God forfend, you ever need chemo (I’d give radio-therapy a wide berth in all events)fasting during chemo has proven very effective in getting the drugs to attack the more metabolically active nassty cells, and leave the healthy ones more or less alone. In any case, good luck-we all need luck in life.