In her insightful video podcast series titled Lessons of War, Ukrainian yogi Anastasiia Rubel—featured in the film Yogis of Ukraine—shares the profound wisdom she has gained while living through war.
Her insights are offered as practical guidance for everyday life.
Lessons of War || Lesson 1: Strategy to Handle Information
This is the first chapter of my series, Lessons of War. In it, I share one of the first truths I encountered during the full-scale invasion: information can be used as a weapon. But this isn’t a message of fear—it’s one of power. We have the freedom to choose how we engage with information, how we comprehend it, and how we protect our inner space from distortion. In this video, I offer my personal ways of processing the informational field and invite you to reflect on how it influences you. Together, we can cultivate more clarity, sovereignty, and peace. 💬 Please share your thoughts, experiences, and impressions in the comments—I’d love to read and connect.
This is the second chapter of my series Lessons of War, where I share my personal experience with nervous system regulation amid the realities of war. I believe nervous system regulation is a crucial practice for everyone, regardless of circumstances. War simply magnifies the urgency, placing me in a position where tending to it becomes non-negotiable. In this video, I don’t focus on specific techniques—you can find plenty of those elsewhere. Instead, I share the underlying principle and the pivotal shift in approach that proved transformative for me. These insights are often overlooked, yet they were true game-changers.
Lessons of War || Lesson 3: Train Your Reaction Time to Break Old Patterns
This is the third chapter of my series Lessons of War, where I explore a less commonly discussed concept: the art of postponing reaction to triggers and situations. In war conditions, the volume of emotional and sensory triggers is overwhelming. Reacting to each in real time isn’t just unsustainable—it would lead to exhaustion and collapse. The idea of postponing reaction came to me through yoga and literature, and it became a life-saving practice. Over time, I discovered unexpected benefits: the ability to choose my future, to act from intention rather than trauma, pain, or inherited patterns. It opened the doorway to a profound shift—living life from within me, rather than having life happen at me.
Lessons of War || Lesson 4: Illusions Will Always Hurt More than Truth
This is the fourth chapter of my series Lessons of War, where I share my evolving approach to perceiving reality—a practice rooted in radical honesty, but not limited to it. This approach emerged through the shattering of many illusions, each one like a pair of pink glasses breaking inward. One such illusion was the belief that war in Europe was impossible. Over the three years since the full-scale Russian invasion began, I’ve gradually shaped a framework for comprehending reality in ways that nourish rather than wound me. These principles didn’t arrive all at once—they were born through time, tension, and transformation. I share them all in this video.
Lessons of War || Lesson 5: Fear of Death Takes Away the Joy of Life
This is the fifth chapter of my series Lessons of War, where I reflect on how my relationship with the idea of death has transformed during the time since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. In ordinary life, it's relatively easy to avoid the topic of death. But when it surrounds you daily—when it could become your reality at any moment—avoidance is no longer possible. What I’ve discovered is this: escaping the topic of death creates enormous psychic tension. Facing it—gazing into its very essence—releases that pressure. And I believe this is a valuable practice not only for those living through war, but for anyone, anywhere.
Lessons of War || Lesson 6: How Fear Makes us Effective and by What Cost
This is the sixth video of my series Lessons of War, where I explore the mechanics of fear and how we adopt and sustain it within society. Fear isn’t limited to war zones. Around the world, people fear speaking their truth, taking action, going somewhere new, following their calling, entering relationships, leaving them—the situations vary, but the underlying mechanism remains the same: contraction. In this video, I dive into the essence of fear—not just as an emotion, but as a pattern of response. My hope is that it offers insight to anyone seeking greater freedom from fear, even if only to some extent.
Lessons of War || Lesson 7: Aliveness Is Permission to Exist in Every State
This is the seventh chapter of my series Lessons of War, where I explore a principle I’ve come to believe in—how I imagine energy moves within us. War creates conditions where life becomes full of stark contrasts. Beauty becomes even more striking when seen against the backdrop of death and destruction. Moments of calm and sacred gentleness also grow more precious. I’ve been observing this for a while and realized: this movement between extremes is what makes us feel alive. It’s the ability to shift freely between different states of being—to allow ourselves to be what we truly are and let our energy flow naturally in every situation.
Lessons of War || Lesson 8: To Be Yourself Is the Meaning of Life
This is Chapter Eight of my series Lessons of War. In this video, I share how I first felt the presence of Purpose—and how my understanding of it evolved throughout the years of full-scale war. I once believed that Purpose was something you were meant to do. But I’ve come to realize it’s far deeper than that. It’s an inner truth. A guiding star you follow, yes—but also the path you walk. It’s a protective shield, and simultaneously a radical openness. Purpose is what aligns you with the world. It’s what makes you happy, unstoppable, and whole. It’s the answer to the eternal question: Why?