Contemporary knowledge about God, Evolution, and the meaning of human life.
Methodology of spiritual development.

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How God Can Be Cognized/Monasticism

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Monasticism

“… The discernment of one person does not stretch the wings onto another.

And every one of you stands alone before Him.”

Khalil Gibran [8,30]

“God is cognizable only in the true monasticism!”
Vladimir Antonov

(From the film “Three Steps of Centering.
Places of Power”).

I have already mentioned that from a certain point the current of my life clearly divided into two streams. And the one that flowed in the material world, — was sharply slowing, stopping an unnecessary race for the illusory, transient values. And there was the other one, carrying me to the fullness of cognition of the Creator, — which was incredibly intense and accelerating. From a certain point the habitual course of events ceased to exist. Only the stages on the Path remained, which were determining changes in my life on the material plane.

A monk — is one who is completely devoting oneself to God only: learning to cognize Him, loving Him and serving Him, through the spiritual help to others.

I fully understood this formulation, given by Vladimir. But it is one thing — to understand the theory, but another and difficult task — to implement it in a real life situation.

So God created a situation where I had to make a definitive choice.

… I was combining the work that I loved in a movie studio — with the spiritual studies for quite a long time. But at one time, I was offered a job on a film which consisted in an expedition to Egypt (a free trip, wages in hard currency, excellent film director and actors). But, on the other hand, there were the Divine Teachers Ptahhotep and Elisabeth Haich Who were beginning to reveal to us the ancient time esoteric knowledge from Egypt.

I understood that if I was to go on the expedition — these doors could never open themselves for me again: the doors that God was opening.

I did not even ask Vladimir about this situation: I knew that, if I ask, he would say: “Of course, go, if it is what you want!”… I had to make this decision myself. And it then became clear for me: I decided not to go and transferred all my current affairs to a good person and then… I had left the keys inside the wardrobe, and slammed the door which had two locks… The door to the world of illusions was closed forever for me…

Other ways of life than a life, completely dedicated to the service for God and consisting in moving on the Path to the fullness of realization of the meaning of my existence, was already unthinkable for me. God no longer needed to ask me about this, there was already no way back!

* * *

True monasticism is a state of the soul one on one with God. It does not consist at all in things like removing our bodies from “the world”, or adopting new names, wearing special clothes, etc.

Vladimir always taught us to interact with God directly.

In particular, he sometimes suggested to each one of us to stay alone with God in the forests, drifted apart to some distance, — to feel that there was only He and I.

Once, each of us even got to live in a complete forest “retreat” for a whole week. At that time, we got to look for places of power ourselves for the first time, and learned to feel the direct guidance of God.

It always was an invaluable experience that allowed us to learn to have a more complete and intimate interaction with Him — the Loving Father, Strict Teacher, the Only Beloved, Infinite Ocean of Love…

God Himself was unfolding situations in our lives so that understanding came to us: in fact, we should rely only on Him and no one else, not even incarnate Masters, not even on the most dear and closest companions on our Path.

* * *

At first, God was only telling me encouraging words on the early stages of the Path, dictating verses of love and talking to me about the bliss of Mergence with Him. But then, the more profound and mature my relationship became with Him, the more strict He became.

The closer you approach Him, the bigger efforts He requires from His disciples.

I will give now some examples from my conversations with Him to illustrate this:

“There can be no meditation without love!

“Why is it that love sometimes disappears in you? It is because some part of you-soul is not yet cleansed from the vices and is not crystal clear. But only such purity can permit to merge with Me! The soul must be absolutely pure, fearless in its aspirations, gentle and transparent!

“This is — what you have to do for Me: you have to clean yourself from vices and rebuild yourself as a soul, filled with love, and then offer yourself to Me.

“The things that you do out of imitation, but not coming from your own inner convictions, — are short-lived; let them fly off like a husk.

“The ones, who are led to Me ‘by a leash’, cannot enter into Me!

“You must learn to rely only on Me — and be fearless! The heart, filled with My Love, cannot be afraid either for oneself or for others!

“Understand that My concerns are not in the creation of comfort and peace for you or My other students. My concerns right now are about you overcoming your self, throwing off ‘the human form’*.

“Study — for this sake — see My blessings in every situation. I created them for you and for all living beings. Rain, cold, a train cancellation — everything can be turned into blessings! Learn to use every situation — to become better!

“Do not be afraid of failures! In defeats, the will to win becomes tempered! Those, searching for an easy way, cannot reach the end!

“Also understand: I do not expect that you become perfect instantly. Accept calmly the fact that mistakes are inevitable for those who have the courage to act! Just remember that the wise do not repeat mistakes twice.

“And remember: I am — near you, I am always ready to come to your aid!

“I teach you COOPERATION with Me! This is the only way you learn to live and act in Mergence!

“Remember firmly and forever:

“The state of ‘nothing turns out’ — is a challenge! It is — a challenge to become better, to change — and to take the next step! Life of a spiritual warrior consists of challenges that he or she accepts as a great gift, — and comes out as the winner in the battle against one’s own imperfection!

“Learn to act in Unity with Me! I do not accept anymore the service of you as ‘a shudra’, when one only acts as told. I expect from you initiative and creativity! And I accept — only love as your gifts!

“But also do not defend the right of the ego to ‘self-determination’! You offer to Me your gifts, your ideas, your proposals. Then we will be able to work together — you and I — on the things that I have accepted. This joint work will teach you to unite yourself with Me!

“You must not be like a chip of wood floating without any propulsion on the waves of the ocean. And do not be like a ship, going against waves and wind directing its course. But be like a wave, consubstantial with Me — the Primordial Ocean! The waves go up and down, but they never cease to be the Ocean, and when the calm comes — there are no waves anymore, only the Ocean remains!

“Correct yourself! Do not force Me to teach you through pain!

“Understand that when I have to teach you through pain, I always suffer more than you! So, please, stop hurting Me!

“There are events that come into your life caused by the inertia and passivity of your life. If a person has embarked on the spiritual Path, but for a long time does not change his or her way of life, then the consequences of such mismatches — concerning the growth of the soul in opposition to the saving old shackles of the material plan — causes events that break down those old shackles and old foundations through cataclysms.

“It is required to always have a more intensive and deeper life in Me, with Me!

“Fearlessness in letting go of all obstacles is required!

“The torpid life-process facilitates the realization of negative karma.

“But you can live in such a way, that the manifestation of that bad karma can be diminished in the material plan — through the right actions and Mergence with Me in Love! This applies to everyone who has spiritual aspirations and wants to achieve more than only a ‘life of righteous person’. This is — for those who follow the Straight Path!

“It all depends on the size of your ‘vessel’: that is, how much you are able to contain. I am willing to offer you the whole Ocean of Me, the whole Ocean of My Love, Wisdom, and Power! I am willing to give Myself — to you, and everyone…

“But you cannot contain the Ocean. Only the Ocean can contain in Itself — you and all that exists.

“And at the moment, when your ‘vessel’ will become identical to My Depths and large enough in size for the preservation of your awareness in Me, then I will be able to remove this ‘vessel’, to break out the illusion of your separate existence. You will then obtain the experience that there is only Me, only I exist, that you are Me!

“For now, since you cannot always be in Me, try to surrender yourself to Me. And the best way to do that — is to offer selfless service to Me!

“This is the best way of living, allowing one to acquire missing qualities such as: energy, self-discipline, calm, non-attachment to earthly things, broad-mindedness, ability to think quickly, etc. And all actions should be done on the background of Bhakti: love-devotion to God. This, in return, allows to erase vices from the soul and help in the dissolution of the remaining negative karma from the past. This allows to grow properly. Those, who serve Me and forget about themselves, will be brought closer to Me. I surround them with the Love and Care of the Father and the Mother. I stay with such heroes always.

“Total Reciprocity* should become the background state. Always feel yourself dissolved in the Ocean of Me!

“Being able to perceive fully Me, My Will — it can be done only on the background of peace and dissolution. If you master this — you will become One with Me.

“Only love can be dissolved in Love!

“Only in mutual love can be possible Peace, Gentleness, Mergence of consciousnesses!

“Everything else is garbage, let it emerge to the surface and be carried away by the current!

“You are in the Ocean of Me: in the Ocean of Pure Love! Become this Ocean!

“… Contentment with myself, with my successes — it prevents the subtle and pure perception of Me.

“It is possible to immerse into Me up to infinity — and then come back into a comfortable ‘human form’ without feeling a discomfort or contradiction between these states.

“But the immobility of the ‘i’ in the absence of efforts of dissolving it in the Depths of Me — over time, becomes ‘shackles on one’s feet’.

“One, who stands still, — moves away from Me. This is like a pregnancy: it is fine, while the fetus grows, but, when it is ready, the delivery should be — how it could be otherwise?*

“You cannot sit on your achievements, when the level of your previous achievements forms a marshy lake with stable banks — instead of the mighty river flowing into the Ocean of Me!

“The Mergence with Me that does not bring one to go deeper and to expand in constant search of new opportunities to give love to Me and Me to others — after some time ceases to be the Mergence with Me, for I do not let you stagnate.

“One, who thinks that the Goal is already reached, and that it is now possible to ‘rest on laurels’, — enters on the path of degradation.

“The Mergence which does not become deeper — diminishes!

“Love which does not increase — dims!

“The task is to become Me in the whole entirety! And you will not get your way through ‘pleasing’ Me with small things! The stage of ‘shudra’ has ended for you a long time ago! You have the option to take a new direction in life — or, if you do not, it is enough for your present incarnation!

“And I do not expect at all that you will be able to take this new direction from the very first. I never condemn those, who fall, rise and start all over again!

“Bless the difficulties, for we grow through them!”