PART TWO

Chapter One: Childhood of Rada

        Radomir embraced His little daughter, kissed her, stroked her light-brown hair, and sat her on his horse. Rada looked at her father in bewilderment.
        “How you have grown! You will become a beauty!” — Radomir thought. But, in a calm voice, he said something quite different:
        “Hurry to your grandfather! Tell him that I ask everyone to leave! To leave — quickly! He knows what to do!”
        “And you?”
        “Gallop, my daughter! Gallop — as fast as possible! Gallop!”
        … Radomir whistled in a special way — and the horse rushed off.
        Rada again turned around and saw that her father confidently and slowly went to where the cries could be heard.
        He walked, and above him there was a huge dome of the Divine Light-Fire, Which seemed to protect from disaster both Rada and all people of the community…
        He walked to the place where death waited for his body. He knew this. Little Rada did not know this yet but felt that everything around her suddenly became not as it should be — in the world of love and harmony, light and joy, in which she had lived and grown in up to this day…
        She has remembered her father in this way: calm, strong, and connected with the Divine Fire, with the Power of God — he went to death so that his young disciples would not perish in the terrible tortures, and for all people of their community to escape the impending danger.
        Only later, when Rada became older, she learned the details. Radomir went by himself to that settlement, where an armed detachment, led by a voivode and a bishop, had already entered, having been sent there to “sort out”: who preaches “heresy” here and “stirs up” people…
        They threatened them with torture — so that the people would give out the one who had taught them. But Radomir went to the executioners himself — so that no one was killed or injured and so that His community managed to leave these places unseen, without being tracked down. He did this — at the cost of his own life.
        Rada’s grandfather, Blagoslav, the doyen of the community, had managed in a matter of hours to gather all the people and lead them from death, hiding in the hard-to-reach forests of the vast Russian land. They went very far from the places where Rada was born and grew up.
        At that time, Rada was only eight years old.

* * *

        For as long as Rada could remember, she had always felt her father to be the most important person in her childhood. Rada’s mother died shortly after Rada was born. Radomir — with all His care and love — immediately became for Rada both a tender mother and a caring, wise, and strong father.
        He gradually opened for Rada the knowledge of the whole world with all its harmony and beauty. His strong, gentle, and reliable hands were always nearby, ready to support her at any moment!
        Radomir himself taught his daughter everything from infancy: to walk, talk, think, look at the world through the eyes of the soul, and to seek the very answers to the questions that she had. He taught Rada to be brave and dexterous, as he would teach a son, whom His beloved wife did not manage to give birth to. He taught Rada also what mothers usually teach their daughters. And Rada — loved to take care of her father, trying her best to be a skillful and smart hostess in their house.
        Radomir was the only son of the head of the community — doyen Blagoslav.
        Their community was not usual. They lived as how people used to live in Russia before the advent of Orthodoxy — in the many clans and communities which had been established. For many centuries — and from generation to generation — the people of their community tried to preserve their ancient traditions and knowledge.
        But it was not easy to live like this. Such communities no longer existed, and if they did exist, Blagoslav and his community’s members did not know about them. And for the beliefs that were now called “pagan”, communities could be expelled from their places of settlement and, even worse, they could be punished with torture and death as “heretics”. Therefore, they lived in the remotest forests. And the peace of the families was always guarded by strong warriors. They observed the surroundings from tall trees or circled the district on horseback. And, in the case of “unexpected guests”, they were ready to take them away from the settlement or warn everyone in time about the danger.
        Radomir sometimes took Rada with him on such patrols. Rada especially loved their “important days”.
        By that time, she had already learned how to ride on a horse and walk or sit in a hiding place so quietly that no one would notice.
        Radomir taught his daughter to notice everything that a person can learn from the forest: the tracks of beasts and birds, their voices, and signs of different behavior of forest inhabitants. Radomir taught her how to not disturb the inhabitants of the forest, how to gain their trust. And — how, by observing their behavior, to find out much about what is happening around.
        And when they looked afar from high hills or stayed to spend the night on special platforms on the tops of huge trees, from which was visible many kilometers, — it seemed to Rada that the whole Earth was revealing its vast expanses and its magical secrets.
        Rada especially loved one of these pines. From its top, all the surrounding trees seemed like green waves, and one could also see — flooded meadows and a river’s floodplain with a bizarre riverbed pattern.

* * *

        Once, they stayed on the peak of this pine for a whole summer night. The weather was clear, almost windless. The stars shone, it seemed, especially brightly. The rising moon incredibly and beautifully illuminated the tops of trees. In the moonlight, the river was magically silvered with mist.
        Radomir spread out his cloak onto the floor of the wooden lookout on the top of the pine and wrapped Rada up, protecting her from the cold of the night:
        “Sleep, my daughter! In the morning, I’ll wake you up early, and we’ll meet the sun!”
        … But Rada could not fall asleep. She was lying on her back admiring the starry glow. She was filled with rapture and reverence. Quietly, she took Radomir’s hand:
        “Dad, who has created all this — all this beauty?”
        “God!”
        “But how?”
        “By His Love and Power! He has put the Particles of Himself, of His Living Energies, into everything that exists. By densifying them to various degrees, He created everything.
        “At first, He thought up all this, and then He gave it as if a push to ensure — for everything here appeared, lived, developed, and improved according to His Plan. In everything that He has created, there are Particles of His Love and Infinite Power!”
        “He must be so big and strong, if He could do this!”
        “God many times created such beautiful worlds! And then — from every such world — Great Souls returned back into Him: the Creator-Father. These Soulsgrew to Their Majesty in those worlds. They poured into Him, like this river flows into the sea. In the vastness of the ocean, the river and the sea become one.”
        … Rada recalled how they once went to look at the sea. It was the northern sea — and there was a calm river which became one with the sea in this place… At that time, Rada did not think at all about how the waters of the river and the sea merge. She only admired the splendor of the space and the soaring gulls…
        And now, her father helped her to recall what was imprinted by the soul at that time — namely, how strong and vivid was that majestic Beauty.
        Radomir continued:
        “Just as the river becomes the sea, so all Great Souls become One with God-the-Creator. We can call Them Gods. After the connection with the Creator — They can create by the Common Force, creating beautiful worlds and carrying out other deeds of the Divine — both large and not so large.
        “And every person can try to become such a Representative of God, Who is visible like a huge Divine Sun.”
        “And, will you become the Divine Sun?”
        “I’ll try!”
        “And me — too?”
        “Only if you will want this. Man is bestowed by God with the right to choose how he or she should live.
        “I already told you that every being has a Particle of the Divine Energies. This Particle can be grown by a person to the Greatness. And such a person can begin to learn everything that God can do.”
        “And where is such a Particle of God in me?”
        “Here, in the spiritual heart, where love is born. You can yourself begin to learn how to feel it. This is a special center, in which man can see, hear God, and feel His Love.”
        “Yes, I remember how you explained this! And now here is so much of this Love: in me and everywhere around!”
        “The greatest Power in the universe is the Power of Love! By this Power, everything is built.”
        “But how?”
        “By the same way as you are doing things. For example, you yourself first come up with the idea of something, and then you invest love and strength of soul and body — in order to implement this deed. God does same thing. And it turns out that you can already start learning everything from God. But, the only difference is that God knows and can do much more than us!”
        … Radomir explained everything by these simple words, and also helped Rada with the state of the Himself as a Soul to begin understanding and learning the Mysteries of the universe.
        … And in the morning, they met the dawn. Above the expanse, which was covered with tender and golden-pink morning mist that was boundless like the sea, — the sun rose! It was the Greatness of Beauty and Silence!
        … All this, together with the memory of her father’s words about the Divine Sun, was so significant for Rada!
        And Radomir — in that Silence — then said only a few words about how in the spiritual heart of man love can shine like the rising sun, which caresses all the living with its rays.

* * *

        In this way, Rada grew up and studied.
        Much more was told by Radomir to His daughter about God-the-Creator and about the living Mother Earth — the home for all the living children of God who live on her! All this knowledge was woven into the life of Rada — and this did not seem to her… as something strange and unusual.
        About His “adult” affairs, to which Radomir sometimes left for a long time, he did not tell to little Rada.
        And the deeds, conceived by him, were not carried out simply. He taught the people of other villages — the knowledge about God, which had gradually faded on the Earth against the background of severe religious repressions.
        Some of those disciples of Radomir eventually became members in their spiritual community, which lived according to the Divine Laws.
        At that time, not far from their community, some Old Believers, running from a massacre, stopped by a camp. They were left without a priest, who had betrayed them. They themselves did not accept the “new faith”, and they wanted to remain faithful to God, as they themselves understood it. They decided to hide in the woods, but they did not know how to live spiritually further.
        The doyen Blagoslav did not want to immediately take those people into his community, but he allowed Radomir to help them by teaching them.
        “If you will teach them adequately, then let’s see what fate God will prepare for them.”
        … But everything did not go according to plan. It was not possible to rescue Radomir’s disciples, and he did not manage to teach them much. And the community itself — lost its place of habitation, and now they went to the east farther and farther from any settlements, towns, and villages…
        They went — already without Radomir…

* * *

        The road was hard. They took only the most necessary things…
        No carts. The horses were led onwards, having been loaded as much as possible. They threaded their way through the thickets.
        The doyen Blagoslav did not show how hard it was for him. He guided the people firmly, with his own strength and will, directing both the progress and the entire life of the community, which set out on this wandering.
        In his memory, this was not the first time… But it had never been as hard as it was now …
        He did not hesitate long, choosing between taking people away — or trying to collect all the men of the community, to try to save his only son… But that choice created a sore wound in the soul that did not close up… He clearly understood that they could not resist the army — and all would perish. He took the only right decision… And now they were walking, walking, and walking…
        … Rada asked grandfather about her father:
        “Will papa catch up with us soon?”
        … Grandfather embraced her, looked into her eyes, and said quietly:
        “You’re already grown up, my beloved Rada! You must understand: your dad will not catch up with us! He is already before us there, where souls without bodies live, where your mother lives. He is there now… Now only you and I remain in this world out of all those of our family!”
        … So, that was the end of Rada’s carefree childhood…

Chapter Two: Is There Really Death?

        The death of his only son imposed a heavy imprint upon doyen Blagoslav. And not only for him alone, but for the whole life of the community. Blagoslav no longer even thought about helping outsiders. He ordered everyone to not go close to the villages!
        They lived even more secretively than before, hiding in remote forests far from settlements and roadways.
        Blagoslav himself became more than just strict. For disobedience — he was ready to expel a person from the community, without even feeling pity for the guilty person. People were afraid of having to live alone, without the community. Therefore, now they did not object to the doyen, even in small matters…
        The spiritual life of the community also seemed to decline — because of this fear, which, like rust, imperceptibly grew in these souls…
        It seemed that everything was consensual… But the concern about how to survive, how to hide from persecution — became the main concern in their lives…
        People obeyed Blagoslav implicitly in all matters that related to the life of the community. They were afraid of his rigor, they did not dare to object, even if they did not agree in some way with him.
        But only Rada treated the severity of her grandfather easier, as if it did not concern her. She could disobey, she could be punished for her own little self-will. But there was no fear in her at all! She loved grandfather and understood his pain about Radomir…

* * *

        Rada now saw her father Radomir often: she admired His Luminous Appearance, and felt, as before, His Hands consisting of the Power of the Light and of the Great Love — stretched out to her… They could protect her, and they were ready at any time to support, embrace, and guide her…
        The first time, when she saw Radomir so, was very soon after the death of His body.
        That time, Blagoslav stopped the people for the night’s rest during a heavy rain — in a large cave, which had been dug by someone in the past in a steep.
        It was late at night. Everyone had already gone to sleep, tired of the day’s march.
        Rada awoke and noticed how her grandfather went out alone. She went after him to see what was happening. She stopped at the exit of the cave and saw through the rain the sorrowful figure of her grandfather near the river. He stood under the cold streams of rain and cried.
        Rada was already able to perceive and understand souls. And she always felt her grandfather very clearly… Now she knew that there, beside the bubbling stream, he stood and wept for his deceased son, exposing his face to the rain from which the cold streams washed away his burning tears… And he asked God for help in their hard journey to unknown lands…
        Rada wanted to go to comfort her grandfather.
        But she suddenly saw Radomir — so clearly that she rushed to hug Him. But her hands passed through His shining non-material Appearance.
        Radomir said affectionately:
        “You must hug Me with hands not of the body, but of the soul! Do you remember how I taught you this?”
        Rada stood still in such familiar tenderness of her father’s embrace… Though now, these were His Hands consisting not of flesh but of the Divine Light!
        “So, are You not dead?”
        “I had to leave My body that time, My dear daughter. But I am and will always be with you!”
        “But grandfather — why does he cry so much? I’ll tell him that You are here!”
        “Wait a bit: I’ll tell him Myself!…”
        … From that time on, Rada was always able to talk with Radomir, to ask advice, to tell about sorrows, difficulties, and about her joys and discoveries.
        … Once, when the community had already settled at a new place, she told grandfather about it.
        He shook his head sternly:
        “Yes, there are souls without bodies, granddaughter! But do not get stuck in such dreams and fantasies! You have to learn to live in the visible and tangible world, instead of looking at all these kinds of visions!”
        “Is papa a ‘vision’? And you can also see by the soul! Why do not you believe that I can see and hear papa?”
        “Whether one believes or does not believe — herewe are! I believe you! I believe! But now — I tell you to obey me in all things! Go now and weed the kitchen garden!”
        … Rada no longer told anything to her grandfather about her father, but she often called Radomir and talked with Him. And it was the most reliable comfort and protection from the sorrows and difficulties in her life!

* * *

        Blagoslav could also see his Son, and could talk with Him… They often spoke. But only there was no such peace and happiness in him, as in Rada.
        He used to argue with his Son.
        Radomir stood before him in a body made up of Light, but Blagoslav cried out to Him, as if he was reproving a disobedient person:
        “Why have you died?! For those who are not of our clan-tribe, you gave up your life for strangers!”
        “It’s not true: you yourself know that I did not die, but only left the body! You understand yourself that if I had not gone there Myself, you would not have had time to save people! And My disciples would have been cruelly tortured!
        “You know, father, that the death of the body is not terrible — for the One Who has attained the Unity with God!”
        “Maybe I know, but maybe not yet… It’s easy for You to say ‘from the other side’! And I do not know yet: have I managed to achieve?… Death — yes, I’ve already been unafraid of it for a long time, but Your leaving is a great grief for me!”
        “What kind of grief is this?! Here I am, you can both hear and see Me!”
        “Sometimes I can, yes… But I cannot die in peace! On whom will I leave the community? Who will take of Rada?
        “It’s wrong when the children leave before their parents!” — he sighed and grumbled.
        They often spoke about Rada, about her upbringing.
        Blagoslav reproached his Son every time:
        “You left your orphan — to whom?”
        “On you, father! You must teach her now!”
        “She is still small…”
        “No, she’s not small! She will be a Great Soul, with the Great Power! And she must become the Light-Bearer for people! But for this — both her body, mind, and emotions — should grow in full harmony with God!
        “You must teach Rada — really teach her! But you do everything to make the Divine abilities of the soul — forgotten!”
        “Yes, I do! And I will continue to do it! It would have been better if You Yourself were nearby and teaching Your daughter! Why do you tell me now?! I do not want any trouble to come to her!”
        “I do not order, father! I beg! But if you will not listen to this request — I will demand! Because this is God’s Will! And, if you do not begin to teach your granddaughter, I will not come to you anymore!”
        The old man, who had become terrible for everyone in the community, with his unyielding will, wrapped his arms around his head and groaned, as if from pain.
        “Good, father!” — Radomir affectionately embraced him with the Light: — “We should not trample down sprouts that are stretching towards the light! Teach Rada, and I will help too!
        “You also understand, how difficult it is to explain something to an embodied soul, who has not yet understood a concept with the mind. Without you, it will not be possible to teach Rada the Great Knowledge!
        “We must save the treasures of the Knowledge of the Divine — so that people will not be obligated to search for them again with hard unbearable labor!
        “After all, we are saving the community not for the sake of extending the amount of time that our people will live on the Earth! But in order that the Wisdom and Clarity of the Divine Peace be revealed to those who want and are able to accommodate this!
        “You yourself can see what kind of times have come… And if you do not start working on the cultivation of the young souls, who will be able to perceive the Divine Wisdom, Love, and Power in Their entirety, — then that Dawn of Light will not come on the Earth, which we are called upon to care for!
        “Forgive Me, father! I know that it’s hard for you…
        “But now you and then Rada — must weave your destinies in the Life of God! You can consciously begin to do — what God wants to do through you! This is not an easy Path! And this life with God is not for weak souls!
        “But for both of you — it is within your power to keep the Flame of God in yourselves and to light the Divine Light in other souls!”       

Chapter Three: Lessons from Head Blagoslav. 

Harmony between People — and God

       
        Blagoslav began to teach Rada, but carefully and very slowly. For the time being, he protected her from the strength of the soul that already beginning to manifest in her.
        Now they talked about important things:
        “Tell me, granddaughter, what is harmony?”
        “That’s when people live with each other in peace. That’s when a person not only relates affectionately to another person, but always understands what is good for that person, and what is worse. This occurs when the desire of another person is seen without words, and it is joyful to fulfill such a desire! And when this is mutual, then, people live in harmony. Papa taught me this.”
        “And did you consider that it is necessary to live in harmony not only with other people?”
        “And with whom else?”
        “You can live in harmony with plants and animals. You can also always be in harmony with God!”
        “About plants and animals — it’s understandable: dad showed me this, too. And about God — you explain. How can man not be in harmony with God? Is it possible?”
        “It happens… When people do not get along with each other, when they see only their quarrels, their grievances — then, they usually do not notice their disharmony with God, they do not even think about it at all.
        “But God permeates all of His Creation with Himself and knows at every moment everything about everyone.
        “If there are bad relations between people, or if different creatures, incarnated on the Earth by God, have harm done to them by people — then people violate the Divine Harmony in the Creation. Hence, too, there is no harmony among these souls and God.
        “Therefore, order in oneself-soul is very important for everyone. As we put things in order in a house, so, too, must we put our thoughts and emotions in order, to bring the order and peace — so that before God, we need not be ashamed!
        “And when one has love and peace in the soul, then this one transforms also the space around oneself: he or she makes it better and more beautiful — both for oneself and for those around.
        “What do you think: is it right — to give full will to all of one’s own emotions? If it becomes joyful and pleasant for me — I am happy, but if it becomes bad because of something — is it okay for me to be sad, angry, or irritated?”
        “But how else can it be?”
        “You, my granddaughter, must learn to control yourself! Do you ever remember when your father was angry, annoyed, or offended by someone?”
        “No, I do not remember that.”
        “So, you must learn to live like Him!
        “There can be great strength in a person-soul, and it can injure others unintentionally, if one does not look attentively: how much force is put into one’s words and deeds, what feelings fill one and how one displays them.
        “Look: there are ants, walking on their path here, or there is a bird’s nest, hidden in the grass. It’s easy to hurt them if you walk on the ground inattentively, without paying attention to your steps!
        “Do you know how to look around and try not to cause harm?”
        “Yes, I try not to hurt anyone.”
        “It’s the same in the world of relations between souls: it is easy to inflict pain, to cause harm in vain by word or action — when you do not look at the consequences of your thoughts and words, or if you let irritation, anger, resentment, or sadness into the soul!
        “If the soul is strong, then even by thoughts and emotions, one can correct the health of another person — or, on the contrary, damage it, without even spewing out evil words in anger, but only thinking evil. And, conversely, if a person lives with love in thought and in heart, then the space around is nice for others and even becomes curative.
        “And if one is always in harmony with God in the soul — then God becomes, in that space, the Main Boss for the soul.
        “So, learn to observe this harmony, which was conceived by the Great Creator for His children, even in small things…”
        “But how?”
        “Do you remember how we met the sun at sunrise?
        “You learned to fill the spiritual heart with light, like sunlight, — and shine with sunrays in all directions.”
        “Yes, I like to do that!”
        “When the light of love shines in the soul and the love flows around — it turns out that you are in harmony with God. And to all His children — you send love together with Him! It turns out that you are doing something together with God!
        “When you feel good, it is easy to do this. And now you, when you feel like you want to be offended or angry, should recall your sunny heart and try to look at everything from it and to love everything around you. Then immediately the offense or disappointment will leave you!”
        “I will try!”
        … A lot of situations were given to Rada to learn how to do this, and she was not always able to do it yet.
        Blagoslav taught Rada often very strictly. For faults, even small ones, he severely scolded her sometimes, for self-willfulness — he also scolded her, and demanded full obedience.
        Sometimes Rada would forget to do something, daydreaming. Or, she would disobey Blagoslav’s commands in some way. For example, sometimes she would walk in the forest for too long, or swim across the river to collect herbs on the other bank… And then for a week or two, grandfather would not say a word to her, nor he would even look at her.
        Rada even sometimes complained to Radomir:
        “Daddy, why does grandfather lecture and reproach me? He teaches about love, but he himself does not love me at all!
        “If I do something well — he rarely gives praise. And if I’m wrong or do not listen to him — he treats me like I’m a criminal… I’m still learning! But he…
        “And if I make a good suggestion, then he will never do according to my opinion…”
        “And you, my daughter, do not protest against nonsense, thinking: ‘I want!’ or ‘I do not want!’! You should obey! If you learn to obey grandfather — then it will be easier to learn how to understand and always obey God!”
        “But sometimes, I see that grandfather is not right — and then I cannot remain silent! And he is indisputable: everything has to happen his way, whether it leads to goodness, or to harm…”
        “What a rebel you are!
        “Daughter, your grandfather — his confidence in his convictions is not without reason. He vested a great responsibility on himself — both for all the people in the community, and for you too! When you understand this, you will know this confidence in him better!
        “In the meantime, do not resist the small things of his will! If it seems to you now that he is wrong about something, then obedience will temper the self in you and teach you wisdom!
        “You should insist on your correctness, only when you are firmly convinced that this rightness is coming from God, not from the will of your own self! You need to make sure that it is not your little personal ‘i’ is trying to grow up by attempting to dictate to everyone around: ‘I want it like this!’, ‘I know best!’, ‘I understand it myself!’, ‘I know how to do it better than others!’…
        “When the small personal ‘i’ is obedient — only then can you firmly know the Will of God!
        “And more: you should discern when your rightness means something only to you — and when it is significant for many people!
        “But only in the calm of the mind and in the love of the heart — is the Voice of God clearly distinguishable!”
        “Like Yours?”
         “Yes.”
        “And is it possible to make it so that this little disgusting ‘i’ is completely removed, so that it does not interfere with life, and does not generate conflicts among people?”
        “Then what will remain of you? You — should think about this yourself!…
        “And this little ‘i’ is not always disgusting! You, in fact, are a strong and growing consciousness! Both the ability to think, and will, as well as the emotions — they compose you as a soul and enables you, by both mind and heart, to learn kindness! This small personal ‘i’ can only be permanently removed, when every part of yourself-soul is replaced by the Divine ‘I’.
        “In the meantime, if you will learn to see in yourself the manifestations of ‘disgustingness’, as you have already correctly noticed, then you can learn to not allow the bad part of yourself to command your life! Learn to remove evil from yourself and nurture the good!
        “And you yourself should learn from your grandfather how to manage the community’s economy! He has acquired a lot of wisdom in his long life! And you must learn a lot from him, and not argue over trifles!
        “And how to pickle mushrooms and when to collect honey — you do not have cause to quarrel!
        “You often talk about the Great Harmony, conceived by God, and you have important conversations, but you yourself do not always live in harmony…”
        “Yes, that’s true…”
        “And yet, understand, daughter, he needs your love and tenderness! His severity is external: it’s hard for him!… And you could help him not only with deeds. Your love is a great support! But you, instead, — argue with him on trifles! It’s wrong!”
        … And Rada was now very much trying to help Blagoslav in everything.

* * *

        There were only a few children in the community, and Rada did not have many friends of the same age. Also, the children’s games did not enthrall her.
        She often felt the world and the people around her in a non-childlike way. She could already see and feel a lot — as a big soul.
        She very much wanted to know everything about the world of the Divine! When someone among the community told about meditations — she ran there and listened. And she tried to fulfill the meditations as she herself understood them.
        Then she would ask grandfather about it.
        But Blagoslav usually dismissed such questions: it’s too early for you to know about it!
        Rada again and again now was seeking the Oneness with the Divine Love, from which comes the harmony between man and God. She was looking for this — including, in what she heard about meditations and about God in the conversations among community members.
        Once she asked grandfather:
        “Show me God!”
        “Yes, here He is, look!” — Blagoslav answered, smiling humorously while waving his hand around.
        But Rada realized that she did not see what grandfather saw and knew.
        And she did not back down:
        “Veliyar said that we can connect with Divine Wisdom and Power — only through our ancestors. And that it is you who have to teach us the meditation ‘the family tree’, through which we could use their wisdom and power. But you — do not teach it! Are you hiding it? What meditation is it?”
        “Why do you need it?! You can always talk with your father! Or — ask me! Why do you need to hear all such conversations of Veliyar?”
        “He speaks beautifully… Many people listen to him…
        “I tried to imagine a tree in which all the souls, who were in our genus, were represented… And the deeper the roots of that tree, the earlier, it appears, our ancestors lived… But how to determine who was the first in the genus? That one also had parents… So, is there no such ‘first one’? And then, it began to happen as if by itself that the deeper I looked the more it seemed that all people are united…
        “And if one includes all people on the image of this tree, and then — if one includes everything living on the Earth as well, it turns out that all human beings and all other beings are the children of God. Every person is a tiny branch on that tree of life! The tree, which I pictured, turned out so beautiful! In a single stream of the Divine Power, everything in it lived and grew! Dad looked and smiled. But He did not explain…
        “Tell me: does this mean that all people were born on the Earth according to the Divine Will? And are all beings relatives to each other? So, shouldn’t everyone love each other? And why is everything around us not so? Why do we hide secludedly from all others?”
        “That’s what you have thought of by yourself! And yet you ask me about it! You understand everything correctly!
        “But relatives in one family do not always live in peace and calm! And you yet want all people in the world to live in harmony!
        “Look: we call God by the name Rod*. But it is not because our kin is the only one from God. But because God — is the Parent to all that exists.
        “And we also call Him Svarog — that is, the Creator. All Divine Souls live in Him in Unity. But, at the same time, each such Soul can also reveal His or Her own Face, give advice to an incarnate soul, like your Dad does, for example.
        “But those, who have not achieved this Unity, — they live in other non-Divine worlds, and they will have to be born again on the Earth.
        “And not all ancestral relatives of people possess wisdom and holiness. And not all of them can give wise advice…”
        “And in which such worlds do they live? Tell me, grandpa!”
         “Let’s stop talking about this! Later — you will understand this! Go, instead, into the garden and weed the beds!”
        “Why, grandpa, do we now live like this, as if we do not have any other worries besides caring for the food for our bodies? Whenever I ask you something, you immediately invent some kind of work for me to do!”
        “Well, if you do not want to do it — go for a walk! And I myself will go to the kitchen garden to weed.”
        “Why are you like this, Grandpa? I’ll weed the garden!”
        “Wait, granddaughter! Sit down here, let’s talk!
        “Do you know, what is hunger? Not when you just want to eat, not when people do not eat food for a week or two for inner cleansing. But when the whole community is without any food in winter… You do not know this! And it’s good that you do not know!
        “But I — know…
        “It was long ago, you were not even born yet… And your dad was still a child… There was a poor harvest that year… And there was also a great forest fire that destroyed many things… We barely managed to defend the village… And the barn with the stocks of grain burned down…
        “And the mushrooms — also did not grow… Anything that grew in autumn — was immediately eaten by the hungry people… And they did not stock mushrooms, and did not dry herbs…
        “In those days, I was not yet the head of our community. But the reserves of the common grains, which were saved from the fire, I stored for the community, and then — distributed equally…
        “It’s good that you did not see the suffering in the eyes of mothers, whose children were crying and weakening from hunger… My heart was bleeding then, but I understood that if I gave more immediately, then we all would not be able to survive up to spring…
        “Then I ordered everyone to cook aspen rind and pine needles, as well as thin branches of willow…
        “… Your grandmother left that year. She saved your father from disease and hunger, but did not survive herself, she went off… That’s when I understood a lot about myself, about our people… I then decided to become a healer.”
        “But why did God allow this?”
        “God teaches people in many different ways. Sometimes gently and quietly, and sometimes — through suffering…
        “It’s good to believe that God will always help: He will send both sustenance and luck… But if people cease to take care to that themselves — then there are bitter lessons…
        “Our leader then understood his guilt and put his hands on himself — closer to spring… And the others did not know how to live…
        “I was then elected…”
        “Forgive me, grandpa, I’ll go to the kitchen garden and do everything.
        “And afterwards, can you please teach me to cure diseases? You, in fact, — are able!”
        “Good! I will teach you! Go!” — granddaughter smiled.

* * *

        The grandfather of Rada was a good healer. He knew a lot about the properties of medicinal plants, and he was able to change much in the bodily energies of a patient, using the power of himself-soul. This knowledge was passed on from generation to generation and was preserved in their community for centuries.
        But in the community of Blagoslav, people were sick very rarely. Usually, help was needed only for animals.
        Blagoslav willingly, but not in a hurry, began to talk more to his granddaughter about medicinal plants. Together they collected herbs, dried them, and then prepared the extracts.
        But he did not hurry to teach Rada the knowledge of the world of the Divine and of various other invisible worlds. And he trained her in the economy of the community and gave her, already, the responsibilities of an adult.
        But, nevertheless, Rada was not satisfied with everyday life, conducted almost solely in the care of the household. She again and again was seeking for spiritual knowledge, and sought answers to her questions:
        “Grandpa, but how can you recognize other people’s thoughts when they do not tell you about it themselves? Can you teach me this?”
        “Yes I can. But why should you be able to do this?”
        “You were talking about how to live in harmony with everyone around… If I could understand what people think about and what they want — then it will be easier for me to do good to them!”
        “A human soul can feel any other soul. Both plants, animals, and other people can always be felt by another soul, if that one embraces them with love and attention.
        “Let’s go to that birch!”
        … They approached a young slender birch tree, which grew nearby on the hillock.
        “How beautiful it is! Young, slender, rustling leaves… It is a little older than you. You can embrace it, and feel what life is like in it! Try — by the soul — to connect with the soul of the birch!”
        … Rada gently embraced the white trunk. The birch swayed slightly from the light waves of the wind… The birch trunk, and branches with delicate green leaves, were joyful… There were a lot of branches, and all of them were stretching to the sky, to the sun!
        … Grandfather’s voice then came to her as if from afar, even though he stood beside Rada:
        “And now — feel its roots, which connect the birch with Mother Earth, which gives food and strength to the body of the birch!”
        … Rada was surprised to realize that she could feel the space below the surface of the Earth. And then — it seemed, the whole planet began to be felt as the foundation, from which both Rada and the birch grew! And Rada could feel everything in the life of this birch, and she felt as if — for a while — she herself became this birch tree!
        “That’s how a human soul can understand any other creature! In this way, God also can be felt and understood!
        “But, to know everything about people like this — it’s not necessary: not everyone wants his or her thoughts to be revealed… Meanwhile, you should study to be friends with trees and birds, and try to understand them! And, when it is necessary, you will always understand another human!”
        … And they went back to the house.

* * *

        Rada often asked her grandfather to tell her about God, about how the world is controlled by Him. She wanted to know all about it! And Blagoslav had to cede more and more to her aspirations.
        So, one day at dawn they went from the settlement to the forest.
        They walked for a long time and did not speak with each other.
        Rada thought that grandfather would show her another special place, where they could collect medicinal plants.
        They came to a small deep and transparent lake of incredible beauty. The lightly clouded sky reflected in the water.
        When they approached, then — at some point — it seemed to Rada that they crossed a transparent border and entered a special magical world. Nothing around had changed outwardly. But suddenly, it was as if the transparent Light, visible only by the soul, intensified… And there arose a kind of thickening silence…
        This silence pervaded everything around.
        In it, everything seemed to slow down and dissolve in transparent calm…
        It was enough to look at a blade of grass — and it seemed that its whole life was on the palm of the soul. Here — a butterfly flew and dropped its proboscis into a flower, enjoying the nectar. Here — a robin flew up and sat quite close to them, looked into Rada’s eyes with its curious eyes, and sang. Here — a hare left the forest with a leisurely gait.
        Blagoslav and Rada stood quietly, without stirring, and the hare did not notice them. It sat down for a little — and then carried on with its hare deeds…
        The sun was rising higher — and dew droplets shone like little suns.
        Rada had seen all of this more than once, but… not like this…
        Now she suddenly realized that she herself is an integral part of this beautiful world, the same as a dewdrop, like a bird, like a hare. And there is God — the Great, Infinite, and Loving One, Who has created all this, Who fills it all with His Life, His Love, Power, and Beauty!
        And it could be observed and felt how His life-giving Energy flows in small blades of grass and in huge trees… Everything was pervaded by His Presence…
        Rada felt how this Force filled her too! Both body and soul — everything exists only because there is He — the Creator, Parent, Father and Mother!
        The silence was filled with the presence of the Living, Affectionate, and Infinite in size Ocean of the Universal Consciousness…
        Blagoslav began to speak very quietly and slowly:
        “You wanted to cognize God, granddaughter… Here — is a special place. Here, it is easy to feel God — if you try to dissolve in the space by the soul and direct your love to Him.
        “And it’s not only you who wants to feel God, but also God Who wants to show Himself to you! Look, listen, remember!
        “God is everywhere. But here — He is especially clear for us.
        “And we — need to learn to perceive Him as clearly as this — everywhere and always.
        “If you will always be with God, like now, then all your life will be in harmony with Him!
        “This is what we should learn to do every day of our lives. And when we learn this completely — we will become One with Him — like your father, and like many Others.”
        … Rada was glad to see Radomir’s smiling Eyes, His gentle Hands, and then many-many other Divine Faces and Hands which permeated and supported life on the planet and its beauty.
        A clear understanding had come to her that God is in her, around her, and that He is present in everything and in everyone…
        And He is the living tender Love!
        … Rada woke up, as if from a dream, and looked around.
        It was the same beautiful lake, grass, and sunlight caressing shining drops of dew…
        But that feeling of Oneness did not return.
        Rada looked at her grandfather.
        He stood motionless and, apparently, continued to perceive that World, which for a short time had been perceived by her.
        … Then they slowly returned home, collecting herbs.
        Rada now knew that she must learn to always feel this feeling of Unity with God. And — to live so: in God and with God in herself!

*  In Russian, Rod is from the word Roditel which means a Parent.
       

Chapter Four: 

Veliyar’s Departure from the Community

       
        Time passed. Rada grew up, and become more mature. Fourteen springs had already passed! Soon, she will be old enough to be a bride!
        She was transforming from a girl — to a beautiful young lady. Like a bud which began to open its tender petals — so her beauty blossomed!
        But, the situation in the community, meanwhile, was not going well. The discontent of some members of the community was accentuated by the way in which Blagoslav managed the life of everyone.
        And this dissatisfaction was fanned by that same Veliyar, whose meditations Rada also listened to sometimes and whose reasoning she tried to comprehend.
        He most of all showed discontent with the strict guidance of Blagoslav. He was a man who had great power: he was a great soul and had a strong body. He was skillful in many ways. People often listened to his words.
        And Veliyar wanted the headman to listen to his opinions and to agree with his proposals. He wanted to strengthen his influence in the community.
        He saw himself as the successor of Blagoslav after the death of Radomir.
        But it did not work out for him! It was only a rivalry and a struggle with the headman for influence on the people of the community.
        Situations began to happen more and more often when, contrary to Blagoslav’s instructions, he expressed his opinions only out of protest. He passionately wanted people to follow him and admire his mind. He reluctantly obeyed Blagoslav and did not humble his pride even for the sake of appearance. And more and more often, behind Blagoslav’s back, he said that the headman was not right: that he did not make the right decision in such and such a case, and because of that — harm resulted, and then, again, in some other situation — Blagoslav also seemed to be mistaken… Veliyar began to say even completely evil and disgusting things: “Our old man has lost his mind completely! And he has already ceased to understand God!”
        Blagoslav observed this for a long time and tolerated it, but now it was time to make a decision.
        Blagoslav invited Veliyar to his house. Veliyar entered and bowed slightly. However, he did not bow with an earthly bow, but just slightly bent his back.
        “Hello, Veliyar! Please, sit down at the table, and regale yourself!” — Blagoslav greeted.
        … Only, there was nothing on the table! It was empty! Even the tablecloth was not laid…
        “Do you mock me? No treats have been served!”
        “Well then, treat yourself! Take it from the oven! Rada has prepared it!…”
        “But in your house — is it appropriate for me to manage?!”
        “Well, is that how you really feel? So, is it appropriate then for you to manage in the community? And to manipulate the people behind my back to cause trouble — is it right for you to do this?”
        “So? It’s not only your community! It is mine too!”
        “The community is neither yours, nor mine… We live here together for God, but not separately, living how anyone wants. So, let the community make the choice! If the whole community will elect you, then I will listen to you… But in the meantime, it is I who should be responsible for the orders around here! You do not do right, stirring up the people!”
        “But in each of us, God can speak! So, it would be appropriate that they also listened to me!”
        “Yes, in each He can speak…”
        “So why do you not listen to me? Why should everyone listen only to you forever? I’m fed up with living under your power!”
        “I called you here so that I could listen to you, and so that you could listen to me too!
        “I do not fulfill your advice, because your “i” distorts God’s thoughts — for the sake of your proud self, which requires respect from others!”
        “Well, let the community decide whom to hear and obey! Tomorrow, gather everyone! I will give my speech! But let’s see: who wants your tediousness and coercions, and who needs freedom!”
        Veliyar went out without saying goodbye and slammed the door…
        … Rada did not hear this conversation. But she felt what was happening.
        She was very sensitive to this discord in the community. And she decided to talk with Veliyar herself:
        “Why do you, Veliyar, always contend against my grandfather? As if we are not one spiritual family, but people who do not know about God at all?
        “There are so few of us in the community… If every one of us will live separately, will it be better?”
        “You do not understand, granddaughter!” — Veliyar answered with malice. He looked at Rada with a sneer.
        He perceived her as the small and unthinking favorite of the headman, although Rada had already matured, and learned a lot, and she tried to find the deepest meaning in everything.
        Veliyar continued in a lecturing tone:
        “Your grandfather rules people like a despot! He does not listen to anyone, does not trust anyone except himself!”
        “But he is responsible for everyone, he cares about everyone!” — Rada tried to object.
        “But, what if such care is no longer needed by the people? What if everyone has become tired of living under his commands? And what if there were others who could be responsible for everyone — would it be worse? Since I speak cleverly — why not listen to me, eh?”
        “You often say the words of faith, but unkind thoughts are behind your words! If we ourselves will not live together as good friends, then all the best, for which we are trying to live together, will be lost!
        “And how can we merge with God by souls, when we do not even agree with each other?”
        “How did you get to be so smart? You have already learned lots of beautiful words! Maybe you, too, could talk about the ‘knowledge from time immemorial’…
        “We have all already been living separately for some time now! The unity between our people is only in appearance, but we are not really united!”
        “But you are the first who calls for this!”
        “I call because I’m tired of dancing your grandfather’s dance! Enough! You are not afraid of him, because you’re relatives! He will scold you, but not drive you out! But the rest of us obey out of fear of him. We tremble before him! But I’m not afraid! And with me — all the brave people of the community will leave, if the people do not elect me now as the headman!”
        “What's on your mind?”
        “We will do the gathering of the community tomorrow — and you'll know tomorrow!”
        … The next day Veliyar himself began to convene the community to give a speech, fearing that Blagoslav would not allow this.
        The people gathered and listened to Veliyar: his calls to elect him as the headman, his accusations against Blagoslav… For all, he now openly expressed it for the first time. And his full desire to rule and manage became visible to everyone…
        Blagoslav listened too. He looked at the people’s faces. And waited…
        Then he came out, bowing to the earth to the people:
        “For many years, I was the headman here… If you do not like it now, then you, the people, may decide! Speak your thoughts!”
        … The community members spoke one by one. Many people talked about their discontent, about what is not good in the community, in their opinion… They spoke calmly, judiciously. However, everything was somehow only earthly in their speeches…
        But Veliyar was not approved, the people did not want to elect him as the headman. He was told to his face about his pride, about his desire not to live for all, but to command and control…
        Veliyar was very surprised that no one wanted to support him…
        He announced:
        “I’ll leave with my wife from the community.
        If anyone wants to leave with me, then we will make a new free community!”
        On that note, it seemed, the conversations ended.
        But Rada had a feeling that the most important words were not pronounced.
        Blagoslav remained silent, pondering over the accusations, addressed to him, deciding: was he really wrong in something, or were these just the absurd wantings of the people?
        Rada went out in front of people and asked for permission to talk.
        People looked at her with surprise.
        Such gatherings allowed even small children to speak. But in the memory of the community members, children and teenagers only listened, none of them gave speeches.
        Rada heard her heart beating in her chest. She took a deep breath — and slowly breathed out the air, as Radomir had once taught her: to cope with excitement.
        She began to speak — and was surprised how calmly and smoothly her voice sounded. The words seemed to rise from the depths as if by themselves.
        “Do we all live in the community together — by our own will? Or did someone force us to do this?
        “Do we only want to save our lives and feed our bodies? Or do we have greater thoughts?”
        Rada continued to talk. Her voice was ringing and clear. The fragile girlish body was filled with extraordinary strength, her words penetrated into the souls…
        When she finished her short speech about the love for God, about His Presence here in every moment of life — then there was a special silence.
        After her, blacksmith Mikula came to speak.
        He was of enormous stature, of a stout physique. And even though he was over fifty already, he possessed such power that there was no one stronger in the community, even though there were strong bodies among the community members.
        He lifted Rada with his huge arms, kissed her, and stroked her head with a special caress!… It was — as if in her childhood, when young Rada often went to the forge to look at the mysteriously beautiful work of Mikula…
        “Yes, you have grown, our clear-headed one!
        My beloved people! My dear friends! Through the words of Rada, God enlightens us! For many years, we had been living as one family… But now, we are bogged down in our own worldly affairs and desires, in grievances of empty and pretentious claims to each other — as if we are floundering in a swamp…
        “It seems that we all remember about God… But the spiritual aspiration has withered in us, it has been overshadowed with worries about earthly things!
        “I’m talking about myself too.
        “Although I did not speak about my grievances against Blagoslav, I also had an offense against him. I asked his permission to melt the iron, saying: ‘Under our feet — the ore is good!’. But he forbade this, saying: ‘We will become noticeable!’.
        “I thought about this insult today, instead of thinking about how we should continue the spiritual life in the community: about how to approach God by the souls, about how to increase our love for God in every word and deed!
        “When people are united together by spiritual aspirations, by love for God — then small personal disagreements disappear, and God’s Love helps each one to cultivate the Divine in oneself and to manifest It in the world around — both in the large and the small! Then — the mutual care increases! And in any deed, beauty and inspiration are manifested!
        “Everything in our lives must be for God!
        “The unity in love for God of spiritually aspiring people — creates those human relationships which generate an amazing space of common life! In such a life together, it is easier for every soul to move forward! These are the best conditions for spiritual accomplishments, for the growth of souls, and for the improvement of each member of the community!
        “If discords and quarrels, resentments, envy, and condemnations of each other even in small things begin, this means that God has ceased to occupy the main place in our lives!
        “We all here know about God! About the steps of the Path — we have all the knowledge! But there is no desire in us to learn more! It is as if we were already at the top of the mountain, saw the Sun from there and then went back down to the valley. ‘We saw the Sun — so, this must mean that we have already cognized what was necessary…’
        “But this is wrong! Only the one who has become the Source of the Divine Love, by kindling in oneself the Sun of God — can become the Son or the Daughter of God!
        “And now, let’s take a look: how far we all are from this!
        “This is something for us to think about, my beloved people!
        “And, we do not have a headman better for us than Blagoslav!”
        He said all of this and then bowed to Rada separately, and then separately to Blagoslav, and then to all the community members.
        Blagoslav asked for forgiveness from all those whom he had offended, it had never been his wish to offend them. He also thanked them for the words now uttered.
        The gathering was over. The members of the community began to disperse to their huts — with their thoughts.
        As for Veliyar, everyone, apparently, had completely forgotten about him.
        He, angry and annoyed with this, also left…
       

Chapter Five: 

Conversations with Radomir

       
        Soon, Veliyar and his wife left the community altogether. He thought that along with him other community members would follow, but it turned out that he had expelled only himself.
        These were not easy times for the people of the community.
        Rada was worried about the departure of Veliyar, feeling like it was a great disaster. Although Blagoslav told her that this was a relief and one should rejoice that Veliyar walked out by his own will. This way, it was not necessary to expel him.
        Rada after also talked much with Radomir. Her father praised her:
        “Well done, my daughter! You spoke well before the people: you were not afraid to say words from God!”
        “How can they be — from God?”
        “That’s how it happened: God — through you — spoke, my daughter! And from now on, you will learn how to distinguish the Voice of God in yourself!”
        “It’s possible that I did say something, and maybe I even actually did… But what was the point of it?
        “Too many things in our community have now become different…
        “For example, Veliyar and his wife have left…
        “Many people are afraid of my grandfather. They listen, but they themselves do not agree with everything, they think differently… Veliyar — he was not afraid to talk about what he thinks against grandfather, but the anger in him grew, and everything has ended in such a way that I cannot even imagine anything worse…”
        “Why do you think that it has ended badly? A lot of people have understood much due to this event! And the lost sensation of always feeling the Presence of God in their lives — they have begun to resurrect! It’s not enough just to remember this, but everyone should feel God by one’s heart, by the soul — and live so constantly!
        “And people cannot be driven into the Divine Abode by bondage! Everyone has one’s own fire in the soul! Such a fire of love can be united with the Divine Universal Fire!
        “As long as personal desires are the main rulers of the soul, while self-conceit obscures the understanding of the Divine Will, — that means that such a person is not yet ready to live in Divine Unity!
        “… How would you manage the community? What are your thoughts on this?”
        “To manage the community — I could not… But I would like to live like You, helping people, and teaching about what I know… Grandfather used to live like that… But now…”
        “But now — what? Is God not around?
        “In yourself, my daughter, you have to look for the solutions of problems! Maybe, it would be good if you always shine like a sun — in your heart! And — for all the people you would be an example for imitation in the desire to connect one’s life with the Divine Life!”
        “I try, but I cannot always do this…
        “Why is it that sometimes, suddenly, it becomes so empty in the soul? I sometimes think that I forgot how to be happy, how to rejoice… I do what I must, but there is no joy in it… It’s like I have grown old before my time! It’s as if I live in captivity! Like a birch, which is rooted to the ground and cannot escape from the place on which it grew…
        “I need You to be close!”
        “But I’m always near!”
        “I know this… But it’s not the same as before, when we were near each other with our bodies…
        “You helped, taught, and healed people… And I? I’m learning from my grandfather, it seems it’s necessary, but nobody needs what I now know!…
        “It would be a great joy — to help someone, even just a little bit!…
        “Do you understand? — no one needs this life of mine! And how can I change this?
        “I had thought for a while that if I would love anyone, I’d marry, and I’d give birth to children, then, at least, I would teach them…”
        “Well, daughter, does no one take your hand in marriage?”
        “No, many would be happy, they were delighted with me… But the heart does not love any of them… And without this — all that makes no sense…
        “Can you please ask grandfather to let me heal people in the villages?”
        “I’ll try.
        “And you — try to always have joy in the soul: that joy which does not come from an outside source, but is born inside of you and spreads from the spiritual heart!
        “You can do it, but you do not always live so! Now you should try to cognize how this joy of yours can help everyone around you to survive in such harsh times!
        “You yourself said that when you feel the Father-Svarog, there is no limit to your happiness!”
        “Yes, that’s true! You’re right! But this is just not enough to enable me to live this way all the time!… When the meditation ends, in which I was in Mergence with God, — it’s as if the sun, with which I was shining, is shielded by a cloud — and everything becomes gray and sad around…”
        “You said that a birch tree cannot escape from the place where it grew up…
        “So, use that birch as an example! In that place, where God decided to put the birch, it grows, gives away all of its beauty and love and fills the air with its own breathing, this air brings health and strength to all around!
        “And if no one admires it, then this does not stop the birch from giving away its beauty and love to the world of God!
        “Yes, there are such difficult times of our lives, when it is difficult to find external sources of joy. And when all events are not as we would like… In such spaces of time, you can learn to very deeply connect yourself — as a soul — with God! It is necessary not only to seek for oneself peace and protection in His Love and Infinite Power, by cognizing Him — the Great, the One, the Endless. But we must begin to radiate His Love! In the gray darkness that has thickened around — you can shine like a sun, even if it is just a small one! To this sun, God gives His Power — to shine!
        “Such a life with God can transform the energies of sadness — into the radiance of love or into a gentle calm-caress. Try it! If thoughts of sadness prevail — do not just hide them in yourself or drive them away, but rather transform them into love!
        “Do you remember? — Grandfather taught you how to dance in the morning: how to greet the sun, how to greet the world with sunny joy! You know — how! And why do you not do it yourself every day?…
        “Begin every morning — with the sunrise dancing in the soul!
        “The heart, united with the Divine Love, can shine like the Sun!
        “If you have cleared within the body and soul the space for God, and if your love for God is strong and pure — then God fills your spiritual heart! Streams of the Divine Light, like streams of a fountain, can then pour through your hands! Your love and God’s Love unite in your spiritual heart — and, having been merged, they can flow, shine, and radiate!
        “Grandfather taught you to meet the sunrise like this in the morning.
        “But it is important that the Sun of Divine Love rises inside, in you! And not only at the dawn in the morning it can and must shine! This state must be very firmly connected with oneself-soul within the spiritual heart! Give your heart to God — so that He may shine, love, and create through you!
        “Cognize that such a flow of your love, connected with God’s Love, can flow from above or below, forwards from behind, or vice versa, backwards! Learn to direct such flows! Let them stream in all directions at the same time or assemble into a directed Ray! So that — through your body and you as a soul — the Love of God may illuminate this world!
        “Learn to pass such Flows through your hands! Then — it will be easy for Me to teach you further!
        “Learn to live as a soul that is a huge and free from the body!
        “You are used to seeing Me in a small Appearance. But look:”
        Radomir showed Rada that the whole space above the surface of the Earth and below it — for huge distances — is enveloped with His Light and Love.
        “Well, hug all of Me!”
        Rada tried — and understood how small she still is: she could not envelop all that Light of Radomir, and could not sink to the bottom of those Depths that He could reveal!
        “So, do you see? And you say that you are bored and sad to live, having nothing to do! When, instead, you should learn — while there is time for this!
        “Learn to give to all the space around — the harmony, which, in Union with God, you are cognizing yourself! It must always be so, no matter what you do! Even if you are just traveling somewhere, or you are conversing with someone, or you are admiring the beauty of nature, or you are cooking porridge — all this can be illuminated with God’s Light that burns in you-soul!
        “It is necessary to offer an opportunity for God to show for people and all beings His Love-Tenderness — through yourself, with yourself! This is how a soul gets Oneness with God!
        “And then, you will be able to learn to see, hear, and help people, and prompt to them true decisions — no matter how far away they are!
        “Why did you learn to feel the hands of the soul, if these hands are idle now, even though they could become all-embracing? Why did you study to see and warm all beings with the Ray of God’s Love, if now you forget to do this work? Even though the benefit of your work is not great so far, this is not an excuse for spiritual idleness, saying: ‘I still am not able to do much!’”
        “But one does not even need a body for such help! You can do it even better now!”
        “But, if I can do it better, does this then mean that you should not even try to master it?
        “No, that wouldn’t be right!
        “And your hour will come, do not rush! Learn — while there is time! But do not waste it in vain!”
        … Afterwards, Radomir also had a conversation with Blagoslav.
        Blagoslav tried to appear unaffected in public, but what had happened in the community — was hard for him. He felt his guilt.
        Radomir was easily perceived by him. He also easily understood what was going to be discussed.
        Radomir started:
        “Father, weaken your will by which you hold the community! This has become nothing more than an obedience to you!”
        “Do you want everyone to defect like Veliyar, who wanted to live by his own free will? No! I will save the community!”
        “Don’t get upset!… Do you remember how you taught me as a child — to ride a horse? You talked about how to get along in harmony with the horse:
        ‘If the rider weakens his will completely and allows the horse to command — it’s worthless!
        ‘If the horseman only imposes his will and does not feel his horse, it is also worthless: the horse wants to be not a slave, but a friend! And the one who is in slavery — will betray in a difficult moment!
        ‘One needs to make a horse a friend, to learn to feel it as oneself — to feel every step that it takes, every leap!
        ‘If the fear of a fiery obstacle or a jump from a height arises in a horse, then an able rider can preempt this fear with his will! One needs to unite the horse’s strength and one’s own strength! It is necessary to unite the will of the horse and the will of the rider!
        ‘Then such a horse will be a friend: it will not fail both in battle and on the road, it will bear a wounded-insensitive rider from misfortune!’”
        “Look at you! You are now without a body — but you still remember!…”
        “I remember, father! I remember that because you taught Me wisely! But now, feel that you turn our people into slaves…
        “But people are not dumb animals! Every man is endowed — by God! — with free will! Therefore, when people are deprived of freedom, the feelings of protest grow in them!
        “Even difficult and unpleasant work can be done joyfully, if it is done by one’s own will! But, if it is done by coercion, without internal consent — then the work as if becomes slave labor!
        “When the understanding of the need for a task is realized by a person, then joy accompanies him or her both in spiritual deeds and secular ones, large and small, daily and hourly!
        “But in captivity, even free birds do not sing! Love dies in them! And in people — so much more so!
        “And Rada can also be extinguished if you do not support her aspirations for God, if her desire to help people is always suppressed!
        “Even she, though she is not afraid, but loves you, but, in fact, she also feels distress from your sternness!”
        “But what is her grief?”
        “Here’s an example: she sewed for you a shirt and embroidered it, but you did not even try it on!”
        “But my old shirt — it still fits!…”
        “Yes, it does. But your granddaughter became sad, because you were not pleased!… It is just a trifle, of course. She has long since forgotten about it. But from the little things, much in our lives is formed. She is doing all the good that she can for you, and she is trying to display love, but you — in exchange, take all the good from her and only draw attention to drawbacks — and scold her… She does not have enough love! She needs, at least, kind words from you!
        “And people in the community have already forgotten when your smile was last seen!”
        “What am I to them: a kind of buffoon?”
        “No, father! But people have begun to live in fear of you! For their deeds, they wait not for God’s Opinion, but rather they are afraid of your displeasure! This is not good!”
        “Yes… Everything is wrong now…”
        “Fear destroys love!
        “You yourself taught Me how the will of one person, fighting with the will of another person, — gradually destroys and violates the harmony in the space around.
        “And you yourself explained how the combination of strength, good intentions, and united winds of love-creating — occurring simultaneously in many souls — multiplies force and energy for actions!
        “You taught Me all this! And souls, united in love and work, — they become a great force! It is for this reason that people began to live in communities! And if God is the Chief in that unity — then, well, you yourself know!…
        “You care about people, and about the community you live in. Through that — the giving of your love is accomplished. Through that, you yourself feel the benefit of your life in the Service for God. Understand how significant it is! Since our people do not have enough of the same thing!
        “It is impossible — to only cultivate perfection for oneself, without ‘souring’, as a result, like cabbage soup, which no one has eaten for many days…
        “You, father, compare others with yourself. But not everyone has as strong a love-aspiration for God as you do! God has not yet become so important to all of them that any test seems like a trifle!
        “For this reason, people began to live in communities, because it is much easier to burn with love for God alongside others who are also flared up!
        “If a campfire burns — then all the twigs and logs in it create a common flame. Just like this, the community should live!
        “And if one makes a mess of a campfire, then one by one the twigs will only weakly smolder and die away soon. Maybe only the large logs will burn for a while, but they, too, will extinguish soon…
        “Do you remember how in the past you would conduct common meditations? At that time, you helped everyone to feel the Unity in the Divine Light. Do you remember how you gave each person a spiritual assignment, and not just a material one? Can you revive this tradition for the people?”
        … Ever since that conversation, Blagoslav changed in many ways. He both caressed Rada often, and began to manifest less austerity with the people, he also explained now: the reasons why he decided something in a certain way and for what it is needed.
        He brought back the custom of common meditations. And the love for God and the love between people — strengthened.
        Once again, peace and joy returned to the community.
       

Chapter Six: Meeting with Alexey

       
        A few more years passed.
        Rada was now learning a lot from Radomir. She studied to feel the Will of God in the soul and to manifest It. She studied — the soul’s work in mastering the new. She studied — to see and to feel by herself-soul the space at a great distance. She studied — how to help people in the same way that non-incarnate Divine Souls do without bodies.
        Rada asked her grandfather and, with his permission, went to heal the ill in the remote villages. Blagoslav sometimes allowed his granddaughter to do it. Although he was afraid for her, he understood that, without practice, she would not be able to be sure of her new knowledge and skills.
        The young healer surprised people by coming, uncalled by anyone, to the house where trouble was. And where she lived or where she came from — no one knew.
        One day in late autumn, Blagoslav and Rada collected rare healing plants. They went far away from the place where the community lived. And they spent the night in the forest near the campfire.
        Rada before falling asleep had sunk into a transparent silence and calm. But… in this silence, there clearly and strongly sounded a call for help from a strong and clean soul.
        “Grandpa, do you hear? Someone has gotten in trouble! Maybe it is one of ours?”
        “I hear… But it does not come from one of ours! So, sleep!”
        “Grandpa, please, let me go to see what has happened there!”
        “No! That village is too close to our community, we should not be there!
        “The fear of death should not be in the soul of a worthy person: death exists only for bodies!
        “We should not risk our lives without sense!”
        “Well, grandpa! How can we not help?”
        “Be silent now! God does not send difficulties and challenges to people just so that we can find solutions for them…
        “Sleep!”
        … But Rada could not fall asleep. That call to God for help was so easily perceived and bright! And that soul was so bright and pure!
        Rada began to look at the situation carefully with clairvoyance. She saw a sick boy and a young man who tried to heal the child and asked for the help of God in that healing.
        And Rada had an understanding that she should go and help, because God blesses this.
        She called Radomir and asked for advice.
        “It’s up to you, my daughter! No one has the right to decide instead of you here. But very much in your further life depends on this choice of your will.”
        He said this, hugged and kissed her gently, then left.
        Rada had to make this choice by herself.
        She hesitated a little more… She checked: was what guided her choice here neither her personal desire to help everyone, nor the fear of disobeying her grandfather, nor the fear of compromising the secluded life of the community members — but only God’s Will? She felt that God allows her to help that soul.
        And she decided!
        She rose quietly, so as to not wake Blagoslav.
        She whispered: “Forgive me, grandpa, if I misunderstood God, if something bad happens to me!”.
        … She walked for a long time — quickly and easily, as if flying on wings. The stars shone in the sky, the moon was bright and illuminated the inconspicuous animal paths — as if the way before her spread out by itself.
        And the call for help was steady, strong, and unselfish. Like a fire burning in space, not fading even for a minute. It was very easy to see the direction to go.
        In the morning, when the sun had already risen brightly, Rada reached the desired village and found that house.
        A teenage girl opened the door. She was not afraid of the stranger, as if she was waiting for a Divine miracle, which was about to be accomplished.
        Rada saw a sick boy in the bed, and a man praying on his knees in a monk’s vestment.
        “Is this a mistake caused by my self-will?…”
        She swept aside, like a gray shadow, the wave of fear that tried to come: “If the death of the body must be taken, then it is necessary to calmly and dignifiedly undergo it, as my father had once done!”.
        She looked again by the soul at that man.
        There was no feeling of danger coming from him.
        The Light of God in his spiritual heart burned brightly! He tried to direct the Light through his hands. But he did not quite understand how to do it. He tried to heal the boy, but it did not work out for him…
        A tearful woman, standing on her knees before the icons, stood up towards Rada. There was no strength or hope in her, there was only confusion in her thoughts, depression, and a feeling of her own guilt in everything…
        She was barely able to stand on her feet and was unaware of what was happening.
        Rada bowed to all with an earthly bow. She said that she would cure the boy.
        None of those present were surprised either at the arrival of Rada, or about how she learned about the illness of the child.
        Rada felt clearly the Presence of the Divine Power in herself. Calm was in the soul from the understanding that she has the right now to pour out this Divine Power, and it is necessary for both this monk, and this girl, and this unfortunate woman — to be the eyewitness…
        Rada put her hands on the boy and asked the Divine Light to spill, washing away all the dark clots of painful energies from the child’s body, restoring purity and bringing the body back to health.
        … When she left, she looked again at the monk. He slept on the bench in the stoop…
        A calm and happy face… The soul was dissolved in the Divine Light, Which filled all the space around. He had dissolved himself in the Light — as if it was his habit.
        Rada had not seen for a long time such beauty and purity of soul!…
        And his face was calm and beautiful! Soft light strands of slightly curly hair… A happy smile touched the lips of the sleeper…
        … Rada went back, but she kept remembering this person. A monk, a priest — but with such purity and strength of the soul!… “I never thought before that it was possible!”
        She went to Blagoslav, made her excuses, and told about everything.
        Grandfather listened silently in discontent, and frowned.
        But Rada still decided to ask:
        “Let me talk with this man!”
        “No! Forget it! Enough of your disobedience! Trouble can come from what you have already done!…”
        … Rada obeyed.
        She did not try to meet with him…
        She was just happy that there is such a soul on the Earth — so bright and loving! And this knowledge now illuminated her life.
        Rada had fallen in love.
        Love dissolved in the soul unstoppably: like the spring waters, like the life-giving force of the awakening of nature!
        Joy and tenderness now flooded everything around, pouring out from the soul by transparent radiant streams! It was — unstoppable! It was — the disclosure of the mysterious depths, in which this tenderness is kept until the spring comes to the soul in its time — and the flower of love dissolves!
       

Chapter Seven: New Meeting

        Ever since the day when Alexey saw the miraculous healing accomplished through Rada, he hoped for an opportunity to meet her again and find out from her how she had acquired this skill. But no one knew anything about the mysterious healer and had never before seen her.
        Over time, Alexey sometimes even began to feel that everything that had happened was only a wonderful vision, revealed by God.
        He lived — as before. In his solitary predestination before God, he tried to be like the elder Nicholas and envisioned a similar future for himself…
        Autumn and winter passed… And spring has come.
        The snow had already disappeared altogether. Nature awakened vigorously this year.

* * *

        And one day that spring, Alexey got lost in the forest.
        This happened to him for the first time! He had already been living for so many years in the taiga! He always easily noticed and remembered the road! No matter how far away he went, he always knew the right direction to go, and how to get back!
        But now he walked and walked, and was exhausted and could not even imagine which direction to go to now. In the evening, the presence of a nearby wolf pack became apparent. Alexey kindled a campfire. The wolves did not approach, being afraid of the fire, and then they completely disappeared.
        He spent the night by the fire…
        … The morning was clear, everything was shining and sparkling in the light of the rising sun!
        “How stupid it will be just like this — for nothing, not for anyone — to perish among this wonderful beauty!” — Alexey thought. In this way, he calmly thought about it, without fear, without sadness.
        The words of prayer flowed easily:
        “God, lead me out! Show me the way — if it is Your Will!”
        He had plunged himself into the inner silence — and then walked confidently and quickly in the way which, it seemed to him, God directed him to go.

* * *

        Two strong young men, protecting the peace and security of the community, noticed a monk who was heading straight to their settlement — so quickly and confidently as if he knew the way.
        After consulting each other, they decided to tie him up and lead him to the headman Blagoslav to find out where he came from, what this scout was up to, and what to do with him.
        With a canvas bag over his head, for him not to notice the road, Alexey was led for some time with his hands tied. He did not even have time to see those who had tied him up. They acted cohesively and dexterously, they did not beat him and did not cause him any pain. They walked in silence.
        Because their steps had slowed down and because voices began to be heard around — Alexey guessed that they had come to a village.
        He was removed from the bag — and saw the people around.
        In front of him stood a tall, white-haired and bearded old man, who was mighty despite his old age, and who was holding a staff in his hand. Alexey, was put before this old man — who was apparently the headman of this community. It seemed like a court.
        The old man looked at Alexey for a while in a special way, as if he were looking through him, then spoke to the two tall guys who were still holding Alexey by the shoulder on either side.
        “What have you done? Why did you bring him here? He is not a peeper, he does not think evil! He is not even afraid! What to do with him now?”
        “Forgive us, Blagoslav! We did not know what to do: he went straight to us, as if he knew the way. So, we decided to lead him to you…”
        … The people, who had gathered around, were sympathetic and calm. They looked silently at what was happening and waited for the decision of the headman.
        And then, suddenly, Alexey saw among the surrounding community members… that healer!
        Everything flared up inside of him with great joy!
        He thought: “So that’s why God led me here!”
        Alexey noticed that the headman could perceive everything clearly. It seemed like he could read the thoughts of other people like an open book:
        “That’s your monk, granddaughter!… His heart is open, and his thoughts are pure! Go to lay the table, Rada! We will all gather: to determine what to do with him.”
        Rada bowed to the headman, gave her glance to Alexey with caress, warmth, and encouragement. And then she went to the hut.
        The majestic old man looked again at Alexey, as if piercing through him with his look:
        “You will be our guest, Alex! Because God brought you here!
        “My name is Blagoslav, I am the headman of this community and Rada is my granddaughter.”
        … A barely noticeable smile touched his lips when, at the name of Rada, joy once again stirred in Alexey — from understanding the miracle and the Providence of God!
        And already addressing those who held Alexey on both sides by the shoulder, Blagoslav said:
        “But untie him at least, you fools!”
        … Then he went, without looking back, to the hut, confident of complete obedience of all those around.

* * *

        They sat down at a long table covered with an unbleached canvas.
        Many adult members of the community gathered at the table: both men and women. Rada also sat next to her grandfather when she finished serving.
        The food was simple: bread, vegetables boiled with fresh herbs, sauerkraut, and salted mushrooms.
        They ate in silence, without hurrying.
        Afterwards, Rada brought brewed up scented herbs and honey.
        After drinking, the headman spoke:
        “You, Alex, probably think that you’ve fallen into a community of the Old Believers. And that we are hiding from punitive troops in order to survive and to preserve our faith. Right? Well, say out loud everything, how you think, what you have in your heart — so that everyone here knows about your thoughts!”
        … Alexey remembered the ashes, remembered the dissenters burned alive, and he wanted these people not to suffer such a terrible fate.
        He spoke warmly and sincerely:
        “There is no difference in how to fold the fingers when making the sign of the cross! We all raise our prayers to Jesus and His Heavenly Father, in Whose Power are all our lives! There are only differences in rituals! And this is baseless! Because of this, life is not worth both taking away and giving away!…
        “I can baptize all of you according to the new rites — and then, there will be no oppressions and persecutions in your lives!
        “Jesus commanded that people love one another — for all to be like brothers or sisters before Him!
        “So why do we split ourselves there, where peace and faith must be clear?!”
        … Blagoslav smiled:
        “Did you see and hear these things yourself? Life, as it turns out, can also truly be lived in this way!…”
        Then he said to Alexey:
        “You have not yet understood everything about us, Alexey!… We are not Old Believers!…
        “In Russia, before Christianity, people also lived, serving God!…”
        “Are you Pagans?”
        “Even before Christianity had come to Russia, the real knowledge about God began to be replaced…
        “The sovereigns commanded the people to make idols, depicting ‘gods’, and ordered them to perform rituals in front of those idols — so that the people lived in submission and fear of disobedience.
        “This is how Paganism appeared.
        “Those sovereigns confirmed Paganism — instead of the Knowledge, which people had directly received from God.
        “In order to validate the sovereigns ‘order’ — the people were told to sacrifice to those ‘gods’ and to the priests…
        “Due to this, many people have forgotten how to see and feel the real Living God!
        “Reality was replaced by idols, made of wood or cut out of stones…
        “Communion with God had been forgotten…
        “A few Magi preserved the memories of that Knowledge and of those great skills. But they disappeared into the forests… They began to be called sorcerers…
        “You are now among such ‘sorcerers’, Alex! And now, you must make a choice: whether to renounce your faith for the sake of the Great Knowledge — or not to renounce…
        “Okay, that’s enough, we have talked…
        “Go in peace, friends!
        “And you, Rada, make a bed for our guest for the night and answer his questions!”
        

Chapter Eight: In the Community

         Rada led Alexey into a small hut.
         Alexey asked:
         “Why did the headman, your grandfather, tell me that I must decide whether to renounce the faith?”
         “Don’t be afraid, Alexey! You do not have to utter any words of renunciation, or perform some new rituals!
         “Rites of all kinds, renunciations, new baptisms… — they are all just human conventions… You yourself said that at the table! The Living Knowledge, the Living God — does not fit in human ceremonies and rules!
         “You do not have to renounce your faith in Jesus! Jesus — He actually lived on the Earth and taught the Divine Knowledge!
         “But if you want to know what are the laws of the Divine life, according to which everything in all worlds has its own being and development, — then you will have to understand that the ministers of the church will consider all of this as sins and heresy, because in the church books the Teachings of Jesus Christ were not saved in its fullness!
         “Yes, there is much in the Teachings of God that is not written in books!
         “Even if you learn all that Jesus knew and could do, then, do you think that the ritualists will consider you as a saint? Do you think that they will listen to you? And if you will start to preach that every person — according to the commandments of Jesus — should learn to live so as to become Perfect, like the Heavenly Father is Perfect, — what do you think: what will they say about you then? In what will they accuse you?”
         “Does this mean that you know everything that Jesus taught?” — Alexey raised a clear, radiant gaze to Rada. He now listened to the most important things for him in her words.
         Rada smiled tenderly and gently:
         “But not only Jesus taught about God! Many were Those Who were like Jesus! And They came to the Earth in different ages — to tell people about the Single Teachings of God!
         “And there were times in Russia when very many people lived according to the Divine Laws, not just one Divine Messenger Who spoke to people the words of God… People knew about God, heard Him, saw Him, understood Him, and learned from Him to master the skills and strengths, which God granted to each person — as an opportunity! But nowadays, most people do not even know about these opportunities…”
         “Can you…? Do you know everything about how to do what Jesus knew to do?”
         “No, I cannot yet do everything… But I’m studying…”
         “But you healed the boy! You, in fact, healed him by the Power of God! Right?”
         “Yes, Alexey. I already know it in part — to manifest His Power through this body.
         “The most important thing that I am learning to do now is to live in such a way that I and the Heavenly Father, as Jesus said, become One. And — so that, what Jesus explained, may become the essence of the soul…”
         “Tell me: what is your faith?”
         “It would be wrong to tell about it only in words. It is not a faith at all, it is life itself in the union with the Divine world and with the earthly world created by God!
         “You have faith in what is written in the New Testament. You have read it — and believe that all was namely so. It is because you have been taught this way: you were told that this was so — and you do believe. Much of what was written therein, in fact, was. And some things —were composed later. And the majority of it was not recorded at all…
         “I, after I saw you then, decided to read everything that is written in the Bible. I read the Gospels especially carefully. I was reading — and as if watching — as if it were existing now — everything that had happened there then. And I listened to the explanations from Jesus Himself.”
         “Can you see Jesus?”
         “I can… And you can also see the Light of God, see Jesus! For you, sometimes it so happens! True?”
         “I do not know… I thought that those were illusions… I did not dare to believe that this was a reality…”
         “You told our people about your faith — and Jesus was near! Did you feel Him yourself?”
         “I did not see Him… I did not think that it could be so…”
         “But my grandfather — saw. And others, who already know how, also saw. They have recognized the purity and sincerity of your words — thanks to this!
         “You asked about our faith.
         “For you, God is Jesus Himself, also — the Heavenly Father, also — the Kingdom of Heaven, which only after parting of the soul with the body can be cognized and gained by the soul if it deserves that…
         “And for me, everything seems to be different. In everything — I see and feel the Divine Presence: both in birches and pines, and in grass blades and in flowers, and in that Power of God Which quickens all this and even the bodies — both yours, and mine, and of other creatures!
         “I see this Force-Light by the soul. And I see, too, Those Who are sending this Force to this world. There are a lot of Them! They can also be called Gods! They are like Jesus!
         “Jesus taught many people! But back then almost no one understood Him, except for a few Disciples. And now — even less people understand the life of Jesus, about His Teachings.”
         “And you? Do you understand everything?”
         “Do not get excited, Alexey! Much that I myself know and understand, I’m ready to tell you without secret. But explanations only in words are of little importance! They would only shake your faith…
         “If you want to, I’ll teach you everything that I can.
         “When you will not only hear my words, but when you learn to see and act by the free soul, — then everything will be perceived differently!
         “But — you must decide: will you want that?”
         “I want it! How could it be otherwise?! All my life I’ve dreamed about it! I asked Jesus for it!”
         “And will you not be afraid that I will enchant you?”
         “I will not be afraid! I know that God brought me here to you!
         “And will you teach me to heal any illnesses miraculously, like Jesus?”
         “I will teach all that I have already cognized… But only — not everyone should be healed from all diseases. Jesus, too, did not heal all the ill!
         “Jesus — healed by the Power of the Heavenly Father. In order to heal so, it is necessary that it should be, as Jesus explained it: ‘The Father Who abides in Me, He does the deeds…’.
         “I will teach this, as best I can.”
         “Can you talk with Jesus?”
         “I can…”
         “Then ask Him…”
         “Wait, Alexey!… If you want, then afterwards you will have conversations with God yourself! And then there will be no doubt then in the answers!
         “And now you need to wash your body.”
         Rada extended Alexey the white shirt embroidered on the collar and sleeves with a pattern, trousers, puttees*, and a woven belt:
         “Here are some clean clothes for you… I hope that they will fit!
         “And I will wash your vestment and dry it…”
         Alexey was confused:
         “It would be better if I did it myself! Please show me — where?”
         “Mikula, our blacksmith, has already heated up the bathhouse, let’s go!
         “And I’ll make your bed for meanwhile.”
         … After the bath, Alexey, dressed in the clean clothes, accompanied by Mikula, returned to the hut, where Rada was waiting.
         He wanted to ask a lot more, but the fatigue of the last few days took its toll. Alexey fell asleep in a blissful and happy sleep.
         He dreamed of Rada, her eyes, her hands, her tender voice…
         … In the morning he confirmed his firm desire to learn.
         “That is so good!” — Rada did not hide the joy, which filled her heart, nor her happiness from what was happening!
         She smiled to Alexey:
         “Let’s go to Grandpa! It is necessary for him to know about your decision. But he will not immediately induct you into the community. It is necessary to think: how to arrange everything…”

* * *

         Blagoslav greeted Alexey gently:
         “Well, sit down, guest! I’m glad that you want to study! You are not afraid!
         “And did you think about how you will live from now on?”
         “I do not know yet… It’s as if the old life is over, and the new one has not started yet…”
         “And why is life given to man, in general? Did you think about that, Lexey**?”
         “I thought about that a lot, but I could not find an answer… It is evident that this is why I sought the answers from God, but not from people…”
         “You speak well!
         “Okay, we need to think about our affairs now.”
         … Blagoslav explained about the difficulties that they need to resolve in order to carry out the desired plan:
         “We now have to live in a cruel world, Lexey!
         “Now, if, knowing about our community, you were to express your opinion on us in the confession or elsewhere, in this case, you will betray us to those who seek to eradicate all people who do not believe as they believe, who do not glorify God, as they do… What will happen then?
         “And here, in the community, to stay forever — is dangerous too… You, perhaps, will be searched for…”
         “I will not betray you ever! Even if they torture me! I would rather die!”
         “A person does not always know about oneself, what level of pain or fear of new tortures he or she can endure… The executioners are now inventive…”

* * *

         Blagoslav, Alexey, Rada, and the community members discussed for a long time, how Alexey’s training could be better arranged.
         As a result, they decided that Alexey would return to his hermitage, so as not to cause even small suspicions among people in the village. About his absences, he can warn other people beforehand — so that they will not try to find him. In those days, there were monks who went to live in caves or in forest shelters — through even more ascetic life — to approach God. That’s how Alexey was to explain about himself.
         They also decided that Rada will teach him, without bringing him into the community without a special need. She will find a place for meetings, where it is inconspicuously possible to tell and show Alexey the most important things. And then it will be determined, how to continue to be with him in the future…
*  A “puttee” is a long strip of cloth wound spirally around the leg from ankle to knee. (Note from the translator).
**  Here, “Lexey” is being used kindly as a nickname for Alexey. (Note from the translator).
       

Chapter Nine: Training from Rada

       
                Now the education from Rada has become the most important thing in the life of Alexey.
        Everything has changed radically for him.
        He had previously felt the wonderful moments of Divine Touch to the soul, but they were only brief. The desperate struggle for a new acquisition of these moments and the search for ways to approach God — have now given way to the direct sensation of His Existence! The miracle of the Presence of Living God has become the reality!
        … Alexey took off his monastic vestments and left them in the hollow of a large tree, then put on the white shirt stored there, which had been embroidered by Rada. Then he walked for a long time in the forest, but the road did not seem long. It was as if wings grew behind his back!
        Rada, too, filled with happiness and joy, came to their agreed place near the lake — the place where Blagoslav had once explained to Rada what it means to live in harmony with God.
        Here now was their refuge — a shelter of branches, built from a huge fallen spruce. In the summer, such a structure was quite convenient, so as to shelter from the rain, relax, and spend the nights.
        An intimacy such as the one between a husband and a wife, between Alexey and Rada was not, because Alexey even drove away such thoughts from himself, because he considered it as a sin, as a great violation of the monastic vow.
        But the Love of God lit up everything in their lives and embraced those two souls, who rushed to the Creator to merge with Him in His boundless Love!
        Alexey seemed to have disappeared from the world of matter and was born in another world — paradise. For him, the infinitely beautiful space of love, beauty, and the full understanding without the use of words was opening! The Great Presence of the Divine — pervaded everything! This previously hidden or only felt for a few brief moments Divine world, became every day more real and clear!
        Their shelter of branches stood not on the shore by the water, where there was an open space on the sandy shallows and a grassy lawn, but a little further away, in the forest, in a place hidden from casual human views.
        Every morning seemed special, new, and beautiful to them!
        And every day brought them closer to the fullness of the perception of Divine Existence!

* * *

        And on this day, in the morning, when the sun was just beginning to give the clouds a slightly golden color, they ran along the path to the lake to meet the dawn.
        Rada ran so easily that she did not even run out of breath. It was as if she did not run, but flew, just slightly touching the ground with her feet.
        But Alexey was out of breath after running.
        It was uncustomary but always joyful for him to do whatever Rada planned.
        She looked at him affectionately:
        “Now — let’s bathe!”
        They splashed like children in the cool, fresh water of the lake.
        Then Rada lay on the surface of the water, arms spread out, with a blissful smile of happiness on her beautiful face.
        Alexey was admiring her.
        He was no longer embarrassed, did not look away, as had done on the first days. He no longer considered it shameful to see her naked beauty.

* * *

        The very first conversation on this topic had been remembered by Alexey very brightly. It was as if the understanding of the moral foundations, which, since childhood had been habitual, and which had previously seemed to be unshakable, — had been turned upside down.
        At that time, Rada asked:
        “Will you let me not wet my shirt today, bathing?”
        “Of course! I will turn my head away, and I will not look!”
        … Rada thought for a few moments, as if deciding internally: was it time for an explanation? Then she took Alexey by the hand.
        “Let’s sit here, we’ll talk…
        “Why do you think that you or I should be ashamed to see the bodies which God gave us?
        “Why don’t you feel ashamed to see flowers that have exposed their beauty? And — trees? And — birds and other animals in their natural appearance?
        “Why did feelings of shame appear among people when being before a naked body? God created these bodies, as well as everything around! Who invented this nonsense? Even in your Bible, it is written that Adam and Eve did not know the shame of naked bodies!”
        “But then there was the Fall…”
        “Yes, people really did fall… But it was not as it is described in the biblical legends!
        “This can happen at every moment of life of each soul! It is a choice between love and joy — and greed, violence, cunning, anger, fear, and despondency!
        “To live in shame, fear, hatred, and in other vices — this, in fact, is the fall!
        “But to contemplate the beautiful and natural — is not a sin at all!
        “Why must we, the children of God, live in these vices and in sins, if the paradise, created by God, exists right here in us and around us? It is necessary — only to enter into it and learn to abide in it!
        “Why should we follow the rules of sinful life, invented by people thoughtlessly; to be ashamed of what is not at all embarrassing, and, conversely, to consider as natural that which is vile and nasty?!
        “Now, think for yourself: most people live, considering it their inalienable right to fight for some fictitious ideas! Or — to kill other people out of vengeance or ‘in the name of faith’! Or — for the sake of something else… People kill and deceive — for power or wealth, or to avenge offenders! And they call all this normal, and often even consider such actions as their ‘exploits’, and are proud of them!
        “My grandfather, however, says that wars teach some souls to be stronger, braver, to sacrifice their own lives for others… I do not know, maybe he’s right…”
        “My spiritual mentor, the elder Nicholas, also spoke about this: that, apparently, people need to suffer themselves, in order to understand the pain of others and the perniciousness of hatred — for its bearers. And — to want then, with all the heart, with all the strength of the soul, to strive for God’s Love!”
        “Yes, that’s true. But the choice, of how to live, depends most often on the people themselves!
        “There is a lot in life that is accepted by most people to be correct… although the ability to think and love, if these functions of souls are already developed, should point to the opposite…
        “Such a life, held down by coarse emotions — turns the lives of these people into hell on the Earth!
        “It is even considered that purity and sanctity for people… are impossible… And if it’s possible, then they exist in the mortification of the flesh and the prohibition of joy and bliss!
        “Or, for example, it turns out that, by using this logic, all children are conceived and born in sin and vice! And ‘pure’ is only a conception, which miraculously does not involve uniting bodies!
        “And almost all people now feed their bodies with dead bodies of animals — and do not see anything wrong in that! They do not see the terrible consequences of this diet, from which the souls of people more and more acquire the worst predatory qualities!
        “Wild beasts-predators hunt to survive — in accordance with their nature. But people kill, first of all, from gluttony, even though there is no vital necessity for them in this.
        “I will not continue this topic!…
        “Think at your leisure about all this and about many other things like that: for example, what are your ‘beliefs’ about right and wrong, which are just human ‘inventions’, which are passed down from generations to generations? And what moral principles — in your understanding — can you call the truth, which pleases God?
        “I understand, Alexey, that right now, right away, it’s not easy for you to throw off the burden, introduced into you, which consists of false thoughts and habits! Everything is so turned inside out in the minds of people that it turns out that being in suffering is righteousness, and living in bliss is a sin!
        “Think also: there is a great difference between life in lust and other passions that strengthens the self in man through his or her own desires to possess what is desired, — and, on the other hand, a life of light and purity in joy and goodness!
        “An example of this can be found in food: if gluttony is unreasonable for the pleasure of the flesh — then this, indeed, is a sin that causes both the body and soul harm!
        “But one can eat — in moderation — tasty and healthy food, filled with vitality of plants, created by God for human nutrition!
        “The same is true in everything else.
        “You can enjoy the cleanliness and health of the bodies! You can admire the beauty of nature! All this bears bliss, which brings souls closer to the state of paradise.
        “Moreover, if such states become habitual to the soul, then around such a person there is a space similar to that which is called paradisiacal.
        “One, who experiences and carries such bliss within and around oneself, raises a heartfelt gratitude to God for everything, — then God’s reciprocal Love, with each such thanksgiving, multiplies one’s happiness!
        “Thus people in Russia lived before: simply, cleanly, joyfully! But you can live the same way now! However, you should not irritate the crowds of unreasonable people!
        “I must teach you such a purity of thoughts, emotions, and bodily energies!
        “Through this, a soul approaches God! And then such a person can easily communicate with God: to see and hear God!
        “I’m sorry: I probably, told you too much right now…”
        … Suddenly Rada smiled calmly:
        “If you’re still embarrassed — then you can turn your back!”
        … She calmly took off her clothes and, without turning around, entered the lake’s water.
        At that time Alexey was very embarrassed, seeing the beautiful slender body of Rada.
        But she, on the contrary, — filled everything around her with peace and joy!
        He made an effort to undress too…
        It seemed to him that the heavy layers of false prohibitions and fears were removed — along with clothing — from the soul… And the soul — was exposed before God!
        This state did not leave him, and when they were already dressed, Rada returned to Alexey’s training.
        “Look: all the energies in the body can be made by a person — crystal clear, mobile and radiant: such as this water, sparkling in the sun’s rays!”
        … Rada again went to the water, took in a handful of the lake water, raised it up — and let the sunlight turn the trickles, pouring from her palms, into lively bright and joyful gold!
        “Right now, the only place in your body where purity and an open space for God have already been opened — is in that place where the spiritual heart is located. All other energies in the body are as if decayed and slowed down. And there are still a lot of congestions for God’s Light in your body! This can be changed by very simple actions, but not at once, of course.
        “For example, let the body bathe in a stream of Divine Light that flows from above like a waterfall and can wash our bodies both outside and inside. Try it with me!”
        Rada raised her hands, as if catching invisible streams with her palms.
        “You, too, ask the Light of God to pour and fill our bodies! God is always nearby!
        “You can — with prayer — send your message to the Holy Spirit if this is how you are accustomed to doing it.
        “The main thing is that you must open yourself with love towards this Divine Light!
        “Thus your own body can be healed. And then I’ll teach you how to help others!”
        … Alexey tried.
        He saw a radiant Stream of the Living Light in Which their bodies stood. The Light poured, filling with Purity and Bliss!
        Washed by this Light, Alexey experienced an unprecedented joy and strength to live, to love, and to cognize the Divine world! Even the smallest parts of the body seemed to be smiling, shining from the Touches of the Divine Purity!
        Rada’s voice sounded in this Light:
        “And now — give that Bliss to all creatures around! Let — the river of Light, coming from your spiritual heart, as if flow more and more, farther and farther! The light of the Holy Spirit and you, as a soul, now are in the Unity! And this united Love can be given to the whole world!”
        … It was amazing! Alexey stood in the Stream of Light and… flowed together with It! The Flow became wider! As if in a channel of a huge river of Light, there was a tiny body, but Alexey was not a body, he was One with the colossal Stream of Divine Love and Bliss!
        The Flow of Love and Power from the Great Source was inexhaustible, endless, and gentle!
        Alexey could not stay in this Unity for long…
        But that unforgettable state was experienced by him, cognized, and imprinted!
        “It’s clear that John-the-Baptist baptized people like that!” — Alexey thought, giving thanks to God!
        Rada, as if answering his thoughts, said quietly:
        “Yes, you were baptized now in the radiant Flow of the Holy Spirit… But this is only the very beginning… The cognized states do not become natural states by just doing them only one time! And for the energies of the body — even more time is needed for the transformation to take place… Many times this must be repeated so that both the soul and the body become like this Light forever!”

* * *

        After the morning bathing and the repetition of previous exercises or the mastering of new ones — Rada and Alexey often talked.
        For example:
        “One’s life and food should be natural and harmonious! A long debilitating fast is not good for the body.”
        “But when I fast for a long time, I feel that God becomes closer!”
        “Yes, it is sometimes very good to cleanse the flesh with starvation. But the torture of the flesh is a sin!
        “The energy that is received — with the help of the body — from food is needed for the life of the soul and its growth.
        “Also — from both the light of the sun and the flame of a campfire, a person can receive energy. This is a matter of skill: to what extent one can retain this energy in oneself and use it.
        “Plants, having transformed in themselves the energies received by them from the Sun and the Earth, make these energies suitable for human nutrition.
        “One can transform in oneself those energies — into the heart love and the further growth of the soul.
        “But for this, the body must be clean not only outside, but also inside.”
        … Rada explained further about all the other energy centers in the human body, and also about the purpose they have and how they can be cleansed.
        “There are seven centers in the human body and special channels that connect them. The spiritual heart is also such a center, the most important for the soul that is seeking the unity with God!
        “But one can learn to purify the other centers as well — and direct the Divine Light, the Divine Power through them. Thus one can rid oneself of illnesses, and can help other people in this.”
        “It would be wonderful to explain all this to all people! Many would understand, and they could live otherwise!…”
        “But how to explain?… Almost no one wants to listen!
        “My father tried to teach many…”
        “Tell me about your father!…”
        … Rada told Alexey a lot.
        She taught him all the new techniques that allowed him to cleanse the soul and body, to see as a soul. These were not just words. But the Divine Bliss and Love filled both the soul and the body. The blissful Stream touched and filled up every cell of the body! In It — renewed by the Purity of the Flow, the bodily energies also changed. It was a new state of flesh, which, as it turned out, can be transformed and filled with the Divine Light!
        Rada explained how both the soul and body can be connected with the Life of God.
        She also taught how to merge with the beauty and dissolve in the silence of nature. She taught — how to cleanse the body’s energies by the images of the campfire’s flame, when in the evenings they made camp and sat for a long time in the radiance of the rising flames…

* * *

        Once, when Alexey was engaged in a small repair of their shelter, damaged by strong gusts of wind at night, a huge bear came to them.
        Alexey did not notice the beast until it was already very close.
        According to the stories, he knew how dangerous it was.
        Alexey grabbed one of the stakes supporting the branches of the shelter.
        He shouted to Rada:
        “Run away!”
        But Rada, on the contrary, quickly but very calmly came up to Alexey, hugged him, obscuring him by her body. She very strongly wrapped one hand around his body, and with the other — she clasped the wrist of Alexey’s hand, in which there was the stake. She pressed her cheek to his face…
        Everything in him seemed to be frozen.
        It was not the embrace of a woman caressing a man… It was something completely different.
        Rada as if “pushed” him beyond the ordinary world — into another reality, where there is no fear, death, or pain, but only Divine Light and Love.
        It seemed to Alexey that time had stopped or very much slowed down. He was… stunned by the Silence… He saw the whole world otherwise…
        The Silence was all-embracing. All the sounds, which sometimes reached the ears, were as if superimposed on the Total Silent Essence of the universe… Everything was happening… inside this Silence…
        It was the first time that he saw the world around him — by the soul. Everything in that world lived according to the Perfect Laws…
        He saw a kind of power-light rising up the tree trunks; he could look at a flower and notice the movement of light inside the petals and stamens… He felt at once birds, trees, grass… All this became… a part of himself. The Bliss enveloped him… Radiant streams of energy flowed in everything: in his body, in the body of Rada, in the trees, and in the grasses… The same force-light was slowly pouring in the body of the bear…
        The huge beast once more looked with some suspicion in their direction, and then, as if not noticing the two people who stood embracing just a few steps away, calmly passed very near along its bear path.
        Rada for some time restrained Alexey in that marvelous state. He no longer felt himself to be separate… He was — a part of the Divine Life.
        “What was that?”
        “The Life…
        “This is the Life, what it should be, as it was originally conceived on the Earth by the Creator…”
        “Did you make us invisible? Or do you know how to command animals?”
        “No, not really…” — Rada tried to find the words: — “The bear did not feel danger from us or fear in us… We were a part of the Primordial Harmony, the World of the Harmony, which was created by the Creator.
        “It’s more difficult with people. They forgot how to feel this Unity: the Unity of everything that is alive and embodied — and the Creator…
        “And forest animals, which are kept by people in captivity, too, may not understand… Bears, which are held in chains, will no longer be stopped like this either…
        “All worlds of the universe — with different states of souls in them — exist right here, now. This exists both here, where we stand, and everywhere.
        “Both the dark worlds of sorrows, melancholy, hatred, fear, and also bright paradisiacal worlds of joy, and the world of the Holy Spirit, and the world of the Primordial Divine Consciousness — all of them are right here!
        “When one is in this or that state of self-soul, then in front of this one, spaces of this or that layer of the universe are opened. You seem to swim into the world, which is consonant with the state of yourself-soul. As if by weight: the soul can be light — or heavy. It plunges into the worlds of heaviness and density, if its own state is such. Or — it enters the Light and the Bliss of the subtle worlds.
        “Let me show it to you now in reality!”
        Rada took Alexey by the hand.
        He suddenly ceased to feel the world, visible with bodily eyes. And… a gray fog-like stuffy space enveloped from all sides.
        “This is how the worlds of melancholy, sadness look. But they can be even worse…”
        Then, quickly, as if washing off, clearing from that stuffy “fog”, they had found themselves in a space, as if flooded with sunlight.
        So much joy and kindness were around!
        “Let’s fill the body with this joy and purity!” — Rada proposed.
        And then they plunged into the most subtle Blissful Light…
        Rada let go of his hand:
        “Now I have helped you to feel different worlds.
        “But even before this, you had always been in them: you felt both bitter melancholy, and paradisiacal joy, and you sometimes felt the Divine Touches on those occasions when you aspired to God with all your strength and love.
        “And now — you already know how to unite the soul also with the Stream of the Holy Spirit!
        “You know all this! And on you always — consciously — the choice may depend: in what state you are in.
        “But between such worlds of the universe, namely the soul moves, not the body.
        “The states of the energies, which exist in the body, directly depend on the states of the soul, in which the person usually lives.
        “There is also an inverse relationship. If the body is sick, filled with heavy, unharmonious energies, — then it is not easy, almost impossible, to tear away from it into the Divine Light.
        “When the energies of the body are purified, the soul easily opens itself to the Divine Light and Love. You now know this from your own experience.
        “To you now, very much in the Divine World is available, and it has become clear for you.
        “All that exists comes from the world of God’s Light and Power. Here is the Source of all the Creation! Here is everything Primordially Pure! From here — everything gets the power to live, grow, and develop!
        “And you can learn to feel the Oneness with Everything — as God does it from the Depths, permeating and supporting everything created by Him. We will study this!”

Chapter Ten: Jesus

        Alexey has surprisingly changed for the better from the beginning of the training time — even externally. The body was filled with pure power, radiance, and the beauty of the transformed soul!
        One day, Rada turned to him with the words:
        “Alexey, you said you wanted to see Jesus yourself. Here — Jesus has come! He wants to talk to you!”
        … The Divine Light, elusive to the ordinary senses, began to approach and grow. There could be no doubt! Everything in Alexey trembled with happiness! He knew that what was happening was true! That was the Greatest Love and the deepest Divine Calm!
        Alexey almost did not breathe, being afraid to move and lose this Miracle!
        Everything external seemed to disappear, as if it did not exist. He even ceased to feel the presence of Rada.
        Light, like the most gentle sunlight, filled all the space around.
        Alexey saw the radiant Appearance of Jesus.
        Although Jesus was composed of Light, He was — real, alive!
        Alexey wanted to kneel, but he could not move his body.
        So he stood, and Jesus went to him.
        Jesus stretched out His Hands… He touched Alexey’s chest with the Palm of His Hand, then put both Hands on his head. The body of Alexey was filled with the Divine Light of Jesus. Like a jug, immersed in a lake, became as if hollow, and the Love and Tenderness of Jesus flowed into it, filling it.
        Jesus embraced Alexey, and then, opening the Embrace, He stepped back a couple of steps. But the feeling that he was being hugged continued to be felt. It was because he was embraced by the Light and Love of Jesus from all sides.
        Alexey then heard the voice of Jesus:
        “My son, you now perceive Me! I’m glad to see you as you are now! You’ve learned a lot and grown up — as a soul! You have become purer, both body and soul, and you have got rid of a heap of false dogmas and patterns that have been inculcated in you since childhood. They hindered you so much! It will now be easier for Me to help you by teaching you!
        “I was always with you. But now, finally, you can see and hear Me clearly.
        “I bless the beginning of your new stage of training and Service to Me and the Heavenly Father!
        “I will always come to you for this, when you call upon Me.”
        … The visible Image of Jesus began to dissolve — and disappeared in the Light.
        The Light remained and filled Alexey with ineffable Bliss!
        Alexey still stood motionless. He was not ashamed of the tears of happiness that came from his eyes. His highest dream had become true! He had seen and heard Jesus! Jesus touched him with His Divine Hands! And the sensation of all this, the memory of this — had been imprinted in the soul forever!
        So, this means that a personal direct communication with Jesus is an achievable Reality!
        Alexey finally turned to Rada:
        “How can I thank you?!”
        … She was smiling happily:
        “For me, the best reward is that you do it!
        “To live and communicate directly in the world of the Divine Light with Those Who live and work there — I mean Divine Souls — this can soon become for you a natural skill and happiness in life!”

Chapter Eleven: 

Earthly Love and Divine Love

        Everything in Alexey’s life could now be fine, overflowing with happiness… Except, here was the love for Rada…
        His attitude towards her was so sublime!
        At first, Alexey did not even understand that this love is real, deep!
        Rada was so beautiful! Thick eyelashes, clear eyes!… They sometimes turned blue, like the sky! Or sometimes — they brought others into peace and immersed them in silence…
        How radiant and enthusiastic was her gaze, with which — only being near — she could embrace with kindness and calm!
        Never before did Alexey think that a person could be as she! In his view, the possibility of existence of such Beauty, Purity, and Holiness could be considered only in relation to the Heavenly, Divine, invisible and unknowable world!
        She gave Alexey the opportunity to more brightly and more fully perceive the Divine World!
        This was the most important thing now in his life!
        But… he could not help noticing what was happening with them… The occasional touch of just their fingertips, the touch of a strand of hair, or a glance into each other’s eyes — were enough to make Alexey become flooded with the sea of tenderness! His love for her became immense — like the sea! It was the happiness of two souls merged in an amazing unity!
        Alexey realized that a love can exist not only for God, but for Rada too. And this love cannot be extinguished, cannot be torn out of the heart!
        Alexey did not know how he should behave now… He — a monk — how dare he break a vow?
        Alexey decided to be taught further, but not to allow himself to think about “earthly love”. He began to avoid glances and touches… He tried to forbid himself from what could be so natural to man…
        He did not tell Rada about all these experiences. But she always knew all his thoughts and emotions. And — she tried not to rush.
        Rada also had fallen in love with Alexey from their first meeting. She saw and understood everything that was happening in the thoughts and emotions of her beloved. And — patiently waited.
        She learned to sweep away those emotions of hers which could bring suffering from the incompleteness of their relationship.
        She learned to be grateful for the happiness that fate had already given her. “I’ll see him again, I’ll embrace him with the soul, I’ll be near, I’ll help him!”

* * *

        But internal prohibitions prevented Alexey. He did not know how to live with this…
        So strong and beautiful was the fire of love for Rada that he was not free to extinguish this flame, this shining lamp in the soul!
        He turned to Jesus and asked Him for help:
        “My Lord, I can no longer resist what has overfilled me!
        “I clearly feel that this love for Rada strengthens my Love for You! And so, why then should I try to give it up? But how can this be done? By never seeing her again? But then those Heavenly Heights will not be opened to me! I mean those Heights, which Rada teaches, and to which I aspire to rise by the soul — to draw near to You!
        “Is this my weakness? Is it my sin? But… how can it be a sin — to see such radiance of souls in love?!”
        … Jesus answered:
        "In vain you torment both Rada and yourself! Why do you deprive her and yourself of the happiness that I am sending to you?”
        “I have taken the vow of a monk, I swore an oath! How can I break it?”
        “All such ‘rules’ and rites are invented by people, not by God! You know this already!”
        “Yes… But I gave my vow on my own and that was my own choice! No one forced me!…”
        “Love is a gift from God to man! Learning to love your neighbor, man learns to love God!
        “In such intimate relations between a man and a woman, who love one another, — there is no sin! This closeness teaches the Great Tenderness and the ability to merge by souls! It is more difficult to learn the Love of God in its fullness and the Mergence with the Creator — not knowing the earthly love!
        “Now I, before Whom you made the monastic vow, — free you from this vow! Call Rada! I Myself will bless your union!”
        There was no need to call Rada. She approached — quietly, gently — and stood beside them…
        Jesus called them husband and wife.

* * *

        Ecstasy of merging bodies and souls… Happiness! This had not been in their lives yet!
        Such happiness could not fit in their bodies and poured out, covering the breadth of space around! It was — as if drops of sun-spray flew! And in each such drop the radiance of Divine Love burned!
        It was a world of joy and happiness — simple and beautiful, just like how everything was in the Divine Creation in its pristine Purity and Harmony!
        The happiness was so great both in the sky above their bodies, in the Earth beneath their feet, and in all the beauty around!
        … Nothing external had changed. The sun and the sky were the same as yesterday and the day before yesterday… The same could be said of both the lake, and the sandy shore, and the twitter of birds, and the fragrance of flowers. But all this seemed to have been transformed in an incredible way!
        … They bathed, and then turned their naked bodies with droplets of water on them — to the rays of the sun.
        Then, Rada started spinning around in an amazing dance! It was a dance of gratitude to God for the wonderful and amazing gift that was presented to them by the Creator-Father and Jesus!
        God filled all the surrounding space with His Light and Love: sunbeams, reflections on the water surface, foliage on the trees, blades of grass, flowers… And the same Light streamed in the bodies of Rada and Alexey, hugging from all sides — both her, and Alexey, and everything that was around!…
        He tried to put into words what he was feeling:
        “How amazing it is! And people could live like this! For this, no special conditions are needed — so that, like this, with God, one can merge in love and harmony!
        “Is this paradise?”
        … Rada smiled tenderly:
        “Probably…
        “There is in the universe the power of love-attraction. Usually, people have their first contacts with this energy, when there arises between them a mutual attraction and a desire for unity, for creation of a family and birth of children.
        “But, if this connection is reduced only to pleasures of the flesh, then such people impoverish themselves…
        “Everything, which is inherent to the flesh, remains in the earthly world, when souls leave it. But the developed love — remains in the eternal life of souls!
        “The love between a man and a woman — can be beautiful! It was conceived so by the Creator! It teaches to merge and dissolve — just like the natural beauty as well!
        “All people, living on the Earth, are given the opportunity to experience the joy of being in such states — and to develop themselves through them!
        “Jesus also had a beloved… Her name was Mary Magdalene. She was His disciple.
        “And Jesus never said that the love between a man and a woman is a sin!
        “Lust is a vice. Lust is the desire of a human self to possess what is desired at all costs…
        “Love is a mutual giving of happiness, bliss, tenderness, and care! By giving and accepting — a person can master the most beautiful state of the soul! This is a model of the love of the soul for God! Through it — the ability grows to understand others, and to live in mutuality and in unity…”
        Alexey then saw the face of Mary Magdalene in the play of Light. Thick brown hair, brown eyes, tender hands… Jesus was also present. But now Mary was speaking. She said:
        “I’m now with Jesus. Through love to Him — everything was transformed in the soul! Through that — I approached the Heavenly Father!
        “Such a love does not end with the death of bodies! In the Great Ocean of God — you can be forever with Those Whom you love!
        “True love between a man and a woman is beautiful and pure! It must transform human lives and bring one closer to the Perfection.
        “But people have turned this most beautiful emotion, arising between souls, — by their bad thoughts and “rules” — into the “forbidden” and “sinful”…
        “How many people make sins, which are created as if in secret!… And which then — like worms — gnaw in the soul… This state of eternal guilt and sinfulness becomes more and more persistent…
        “Only the purification of the soul from vices makes it possible to throw off those fetters, and start the new pure life — before God!
        “It happens that, when one is not really clean, — this one thinks oneself honest and righteous…
        “And it also happens that people’s opinions are false about sins…
        “Living both in fear or melancholy, in the struggle against other people for possessing that which is desired — very many souls forget how to feel the subtle shades of love, bliss, tenderness, and endearment! They are as if blinded and deaf, they see only darkness around! It’s as if such souls are paralyzed and cannot move under the weight of their vices and cruelty! As if by an impenetrable wall, people fenced themselves off from God! This was, what I was, before I met Jesus…
        “And Jesus returned to the blinded souls the ability to see, to the deaf — the ability to hear, to the paralyzed — the ability to heal themselves and move towards the Light!
        “The main awakening of the soul is the ability to love unselfishly! And many of those who have been so awakened, will then want to cognize the Heavenly Love…
        “Two mutually loving human beings are like two vessels, of which the water, which was in them, was combined into one! Before, there were two separate vessels — and now there is a new state of souls, which already cannot fit into the previous boundaries!
        “So also, the perfect Soul flows into the Creator. It’s like a small vessel which pours its waters and — through it — becomes Part of the Ocean!
        “In this way, many of His Devotees poured Themselves into this Divine Ocean — as Transformed, Perfect Souls — and through that the Heavenly Kingdom multiplied.
        “In this way, Jesus also once had become One with the Heavenly Father. And after — He came to the Earth — as the Son, Who is One with God-the-Father, — to remind people that this is possible, and that just for this they live on the Earth!
        “In this Unity — there is a higher Happiness, which can be cognized by souls!
        “The world of the Creation was created by God so that people could cognize all of this and grow and develop through this — up to the Mergence with the Divine Love!
        “How We would like — to return to them the ability to live in harmony with God and with His Creation! Then — with just a little more — one could immerse oneself in the Depths! There — the Endless World opens, the Infinite Ocean, where there is only the Creator — One in Multitude, Who represents by Himself the Great Love, Wisdom, Omnipresence, and Omnipotence!
        “When a soul opens for itself the life in the heart love — then the Path of growth to the State of Divinity becomes revealed before it! This is the Path to the Unity with the Divine All-Creating Power!”

Part three: New Life >>>