Reflections on the human soul. From the stories of a fisherman.
The fire was burning down, the flames were lazily licking the needles thrown by the restless wind onto the coals, from whose mysterious flickering one did not want to look away. The fatigue of the day receded, a feeling of peace and tranquility enveloped the body and soul, allowing one to more acutely feel one’s merging with the world around him. Mitrich, as we all called our fishing mentor, was having a leisurely conversation with his grandson, who was with him on this lake for the first time.
- So you ask what the human soul is... I think that in various dictionaries it will not be possible to find its exact definition. Soul, spirit, spirituality... We often hear these words, but we don’t always think about them. I believe that a person’s spirit is his own “I”, his conscience, his consciousness. Everything in us is determined by conscience, what we choose, positive or negative, good or evil, whether we go towards the light or into the darkness. Therefore, for me, conscience is the voice of God inside each of us; if a person lives according to his conscience, it means he has a bright soul, which means he is a spiritual person. Yes, you don’t often meet such people, but I was lucky.
Elena Efimovna, grandmother Lena, was a simple, ingenuous woman. There were always people around her, she helped some with sympathy or advice, she fed others, gave them tea, shared a penny, gave shelter to others. She didn’t refuse anyone, she often said that during the war kind people helped her, and now she should do the same. Here is a memorable incident from her life, it will help you and me better understand what the human soul is.
Elena was still a teenager when wartime left her without parents; she had to survive on her own. She and her friends often walked around the surrounding villages, asked for Christ’s sake, and people gave them some bread, some pancakes, some potatoes. It was the same this time, the girls collected food for themselves for two or three days and wanted to return, but decided to go to last house. The owner, who was sitting mending someone’s boots, greeted them with an apologetic smile: “Forgive me, there is nothing to treat you with, except I’ll share some potatoes. I fix shoes for my fellow villagers, but we have nothing to pay them with, so we get by as best we can.” He threw the apron off his knees, reached for the dish and the girls saw that the owner had no legs and was moving around the room with his hands. And when he handed them a ladle, in which five boiled potatoes lay forlornly, Elena seemed to be struck by an electric shock, pity flooded her heart, without saying a word to her companions, but taking their bag, untied it and shook out the contents on his table. “Take this, and we’ll walk around,” she said. Hardly suppressed tears appeared in the man’s eyes.
With that, they went outside, to the dissatisfaction of her friends, she simply said that they could walk, but he had nothing to wear...
It is moments like these that determine the human soul, whether it is capable of manifestation. sublime feelings, is it filled with kindness, decency, love for people.
And over the lake the luxurious blue sky splashed, patterned clouds whimsically spread throughout its entire space. The cloud reflection of this miracle was captivating with its uniqueness and amazing depth. I wanted to think, dream, live...
Tatyana Ivanishcheva
A poor student fell in love with a rich girl. One day she invited him to her birthday.
For the anniversary only daughter the parents invited many guests, worthy people, from famous families. They always come with expensive gifts and compete with each other: which of them will amaze the birthday girl the most. What can a poor student give other than his own? loving heart? And it’s not in price today. Nowadays, jewelry, luxurious outfits and envelopes with money are held in high esteem. But you can’t pack a heart in an envelope...
What to do? The student thought and thought and came up with an idea. He came to a rich store and asked:
– Do we have an expensive but broken vase?
- How much does it cost?
It cost mere trifles. The delighted student asked to pack what was left of the vase into beautiful paper, and hurried to the cash register.
In the evening, when the guests began to present their gifts, the student approached the hero of the occasion and, with words of congratulations, handed her his purchase. Then, turning awkwardly, he seemingly accidentally dropped the package, which fell with a clang.
Those present gasped, and the upset birthday girl, picking up the gift, began to unwrap it.
And - oh, horror! The helpful sellers wrapped each piece of the broken vase separately! The guests were outraged by the deception, and the young man fled in disgrace.
And only the girl’s pure soul found these pieces more valuable than all the gifts. Behind them she saw a loving heart.
PARROT
Petya was wandering around the house. I'm tired of all the games. Then my mother gave instructions to go to the store and also suggested:
– Our neighbor, Maria Nikolaevna, broke her leg. There is no one to buy her bread. He can barely move around the room. Come on, I'll call and find out if she needs to buy anything.
Aunt Masha was happy about the call. And when the boy brought her a whole bag of groceries, she didn’t know how to thank him. For some reason, she showed Petya the empty cage in which the parrot had recently lived. It was her friend. Aunt Masha looked after him, shared her thoughts, and he took off and flew away. Now she has no one to say a word to, no one to care about. What kind of life is this if there is no one to take care of?
Petya looked at the empty cage, at the crutches, imagined Aunt Mania hobbling around the empty apartment, and an unexpected thought came to his mind. The fact is that he had long been saving the money that he was given for toys. I still couldn't find anything suitable. And now this strange thought is to buy a parrot for Aunt Masha.
Having said goodbye, Petya ran out into the street. He wanted to go to a pet store, where he had once seen various parrots. But now he looked at them through the eyes of Aunt Masha. Which one of them could she become friends with? Maybe this one will suit her, maybe this one?
Petya decided to ask his neighbor about the fugitive. The next day he told his mother:
– Call Aunt Masha... Maybe she needs something?
Mom even froze, then hugged her son to her and whispered:
- So you become a man... Petya was offended:
“Wasn’t I a human before?”
“It was, of course it was,” my mother smiled. - Only now your soul has also awakened... Thank God!
-What is the soul? - the boy became wary.
– This is the ability to love.
The mother looked searchingly at her son:
- Maybe you can call yourself?
Petya was embarrassed. Mom answered the phone: Maria Nikolaevna, excuse me, Petya has a question for you. I'll give him the phone now.
There was nowhere to go, and Petya muttered embarrassedly:
- Aunt Masha, maybe I should buy you something?
Petya didn’t understand what happened at the other end of the line, only the neighbor answered in some way. in an unusual voice. She thanked him and asked him to bring milk if he went to the store. She doesn't need anything else. She thanked me again.
When Petya called her apartment, he heard the hasty clatter of crutches. Aunt Masha didn’t want to make him wait extra seconds. While the neighbor was looking for money, the boy, as if by chance, began to ask her about the missing parrot. Aunt Masha willingly told us about the color and behavior...
There were several parrots of this color in the pet store. Petya took a long time to choose. When he brought his gift to Aunt Masha, then... I don’t undertake to describe what happened next.
Imagine it yourself...
MIRROR
Dot, dot, comma,
Minus, the face is crooked.
Stick, stick, cucumber -
So the little man came out.
With this poem Nadya finished the drawing. Then, fearing that she would not be understood, she signed under it: “It’s me.” She carefully examined her creation and decided that it was missing something.
The young artist went to the mirror and began to look at herself: what else needs to be completed so that anyone can understand who is depicted in the portrait?
Nadya loved to dress up and twirl in front of a large mirror, and tried different hairstyles. This time the girl tried on her mother’s hat with a veil.
She wanted to look mysterious and romantic, like the long-legged girls showing fashion on TV. Nadya imagined herself as an adult, cast a languid glance in the mirror and tried to walk with the gait of a fashion model. It didn't turn out very nicely, and when she stopped abruptly, the hat slid down onto her nose.
It’s good that no one saw her at that moment. If only we could laugh! In general, she didn’t like being a fashion model at all.
The girl took off her hat, and then her gaze fell on her grandmother’s hat. Unable to resist, she tried it on. And she froze, making an amazing discovery: she looked exactly like her grandmother. She just didn't have any wrinkles yet. Bye.
Now Nadya knew what she would become in many years. True, this future seemed very distant to her...
It became clear to Nadya why her grandmother loves her so much, why she watches her pranks with tender sadness and secretly sighs.
There were footsteps. Nadya hastily put her hat back in place and ran to the door. On the threshold she met... herself, only not so frisky. But the eyes were exactly the same: childishly surprised and joyful.
Nadya hugged her future self and quietly asked:
– Grandma, is it true that you were me as a child?
Grandma paused, then smiled mysteriously and took out an old album from the shelf. After flipping through a few pages, she showed a photograph of a little girl who looked very much like Nadya.
- That's what I was like.
- Oh, really, you look like me! – the granddaughter exclaimed in delight.
- Or maybe you look like me? – Grandmother asked, slyly squinting her eyes.
– It doesn’t matter who looks like whom. The main thing is that they are similar,” the little girl insisted.
- Isn't it important? And look who I looked like...
And the grandmother began to leaf through the album. There were all sorts of faces there. And what faces! And each was beautiful in its own way. The peace, dignity and warmth that radiated from them attracted the eye. Nadya noticed that they were all small children and gray old men, young ladies and smart military men - were somewhat similar to each other... And to her.
“Tell me about them,” the girl asked.
The grandmother hugged her blood to herself, and a story flowed about their family, going back from ancient centuries.
The time for cartoons had already come, but the girl didn’t want to watch them. She was discovering something amazing that had been there for a long time, but lived inside her.
Do you know the history of your grandfathers, great-grandfathers, the history of your family? Maybe this story is your mirror?
Legend of the Caliph
The caliph was rich, but neither countless treasures nor power pleased him. The monotonous, aimless days dragged on languidly. The advisers tried to entertain him with stories of miracles, mysterious events and incredible adventures, but the caliph’s gaze remained absent-minded and cold. It seemed that life itself was boring to him, and he did not see any meaning in it.
One day, from the story of a visiting traveler, the Caliph learned about a hermit to whom the secret was revealed. And the ruler’s heart burned with a desire: to see the wisest of the wise and to finally find out why man was given life.
Having warned those close to him that he needed to leave the country for a while, the caliph set off on his journey. He took with him only an old servant, who raised and raised him. At night the caravan secretly left Baghdad.
But the Arabian Desert doesn't like to joke. Without a guide, the travelers got lost, and during a sandstorm they lost both the caravan and their luggage. When they found the road, they had only one camel and some water in a leather bag.
The unbearable heat and thirst overwhelmed the old servant and he lost consciousness. The caliph also suffered from the heat. A drop of water seemed more valuable to him than all treasures! The Caliph looked at the bag. There are still a few sips of precious moisture there. Now he will refresh his parched lips, moisten his larynx, and then fall unconscious, like this old man who is about to stop breathing. But a sudden thought stopped him.
The caliph thought about the servant, about the life that he had completely given to him. This unfortunate man, exhausted from thirst, dies in the desert, fulfilling the will of his master. The caliph felt sorry for the poor fellow and ashamed that during many years he didn't find anything for the old man kind words, not a smile. Now they both die, and it equalizes them. So, really, for all his many years of service, the old man did not deserve any gratitude?
And how can you thank someone who is no longer aware of anything?
The caliph took the bag and poured the remaining healing moisture into the open lips of the dying man. Soon the servant stopped rushing about and fell into a peaceful sleep.
Looking at the peaceful face of the old man, the caliph experienced unspeakable joy. These were moments of happiness, a gift from heaven, for which life was worth living.
And then - oh the infinite mercy of Providence - streams of rain poured down. The servant woke up, and the travelers filled their vessels.
Having come to his senses, the old man said:
- Sir, we can continue our journey. But the Caliph shook his head:
- No. I no longer need a meeting with the sage. The Almighty revealed to me the meaning of existence.
MAGIC GLASSES
Pavlik found unusual glasses on the road. One piece of glass seemed light to him, and the other dark.
Without thinking twice, he put them on, closed one eye and looked at the world through the dark glass. Around him, gloomy and dissatisfied passers-by were hurrying somewhere along the gray streets. The boy closed his other eye - and it was as if the sun had come out: people’s faces became joyful, and their glances were friendly. He tried again - the result was the same.
Pavlik brought home his find, told his mother about the miracle of transformation and showed her the magic glasses. Mom didn’t find anything strange in them and said:
- These are ordinary glasses. You're always coming up with something.
Pavlik checked again: indeed, the glasses are just like glasses, without any miraculous transformations.
“But I definitely saw how people changed. What happened to them?
“It didn’t happen to them, but to you.” If your soul is good, you will see others as good.
The next day Pavlik came to school and remembered with horror that because of these glasses he had forgotten to do math. He rushed to his neighbor at his desk:
- Olya, let me write it off!
- I won’t give it!
- It's a pity, isn't it?
- I feel sorry for you.
- How do you mean me?
– How many times are you asking me to write it off? If you don't understand something, ask. I'll explain everything to you.
“What a mischief,” thought Pavlik and rushed to Igor, with whom he was in sports section walked. He also said:
- Stop copying! Learn to decide for yourself. How many times have I told you: “Come and I’ll help you”?
- What is there - “come”! I need it now.
“Here are your friends, they won’t shake hands in trouble. They only think about themselves. “Okay, I’ll remind you,” Pavlik decided.
Then the bell rang and the teacher entered. Pavlik sits, shaking: “Oh, he’ll call me, sure as hell he’ll call me.” I know him. He will not regret his own son. He has no heart - so he’s looking for someone to take it out on.”
But the teacher unexpectedly suggested to those who could not solve homework, stay after school and take it apart. And now - a repetition of what has been covered.
“It's gone! – Pavlik rejoiced. - No, the mathematician is still a good guy, he senses when people are having a hard time. And Olya and Igor also wish me well. It’s in vain that I’m so angry with them...”
And Pavlik again looked at the world through the eyes of love.
BIKE
At Slavik's kind soul: He doesn’t spare anything for his friends. And when his parents bought him a bicycle, he let everyone ride. He even suggested it himself. When Slava went out into the yard, the children shouted: “Hurray!”
He was generally an amazing child. During lessons I sat motionless, so as not to miss a single word. Everything was interesting to him: and distant countries, And ancient history, And chemical experiments, And English language. And mathematics is an interesting science if you approach it correctly. But there is also chess, and photography, and much, much more. But how can you get everything done? There are so many interesting things in the world, and the days are so short...
So Slava came up with the idea of studying on an alarm clock: half an hour on one subject, an hour on another. You can get a lot more done.
One day his neighbor Andrei came to him and called him outside. And Slavik’s scheduled walk is in another hour. He refused. But seeing how upset Andryusha was, he suggested:
- Take a bike and go for a ride. And I'll be out soon.
The neighbor's eyes sparkled with joy. He thanked his friend, grabbed the bike and was off. And Slava’s soul warmed. This always happens when you do good.
Then the alarm clock rang. The boy looked at his schedule and went back to his books. An hour has passed.
The doorbell suddenly rang. A tearful Andrei stands on the threshold and mutters something.
-Tell me clearly, what happened?
– In the neighboring yard, the big boys wanted to ride your bike. I didn't give it to them. Then they took him away and began to trample him underfoot. Everything they could did was broken or bent. Here, look,” and Andrey showed what had recently been a bicycle.
- They didn’t touch you?
- Well, thank God.
The neighbor looked at his friend in bewilderment:
- How do you mean “thank God”?
However, Slava did not explain anything to him, he only added
- Nothing. The Lord will control!
Andrey didn’t understand anything: an expensive bicycle was broken, Slava’s parents would definitely make a fuss, and both of them would get hit hard. What to do? And Slava didn’t seem to be very upset, he kept repeating:
- OK. Keep your nose up. The Lord will help.
In the evening, Slava’s parents returned from work. Upon learning of what had happened, the pope pronounced the following sentence:
- Now you will be without a bicycle. It's my own fault. There was no point in letting him ride.
But the mother stood up for her son:
- I gave him permission. You cannot deprive your child of the joy of sharing with friends.
Dad couldn’t find anything to object to this and silently went into another room. Coming closer to her son, the mother asked:
- Well, what did you say to Andryusha?
– What did you thank God for?
- Because the boys didn’t touch Andrei... But the Lord sent me a test. You yourself taught me to always say that.
Mom sighed, was silent, then went up to the icon of the Savior and, crossing herself, said:
– Glory to You, God! Glory to You!
Soon it started to rain, and no one needed the bike anymore. And for Easter, dad gave Slava a new folding bicycle, much better than the previous one. As soon as the roads dried up, the boy began to drive it around the area. And he let Andrey ride as if it never happened autumn story. And he, while riding, dreamed of growing up quickly and buying all the kids in the yard a bicycle.
VOVA AND THE SERPENT
Grandmother often read to Volodya about Adam and Eve, about how amazing life was in paradise, how God created the world and how he made the first man from the earth.
Volodya then tried to make a little man himself in the sandbox, but somehow it didn’t work out. And grandma’s stories were so interesting. Can you compare them to cartoons?
The boy also loved to hear about animals: how in paradise a wolf and a lamb were friends, how animals understood people and obeyed them. He also tried to command the cat, but for some reason it ran away.
But most of all Volodya liked the story of how the serpent persuaded Eve to taste the forbidden fruit. Grandmother said:
- This is written about you.
Well, the boy just couldn’t understand why this story was about him. Grandmother compared the forbidden fruit to a traffic light. Everywhere in heaven green burns, and the forbidden fruit is red. But what does he have to do with it? He doesn't cross the road at a red light.
One day he and his grandmother went to the store. Vova saw one old woman drop some money. He quietly picked it up, thought for a second, and then returned the find to the old woman. She groaned, thanked and even bowed to the boy. Apparently she really needed the money.
When they left the store, Vova confessed to his grandmother:
“I really wanted to take this money for myself.” I have long dreamed of buying soldiers. And then I remembered the commandment “thou shalt not steal.” So I decided to give it away.
Grandmother stroked his head and said:
“It was the snake that tempted you, whispered to you so that you could take the money you found for yourself.” And you defeated him!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Based on the story by N. Karazin “Fomka Kisten”
An escaped convict, Fomka Kisten, appeared in one district. He was fierce and merciless. He didn’t feel sorry for anyone, neither old nor young. They say they were cruel to him, so he revolted, as if he was taking revenge on everyone.
As soon as he was caught, they even allowed him to be killed, like a mad dog. But nothing worked - Fomka, like a wolf, sensed an ambush and always escaped unharmed.
On the night of Christ's Sunday everyone went to church for service. Only in one rich house there remained a sick boy and a watchman. When the parents returned, they saw that the doors were open and the guards were fast asleep.
- Who came? - they asked their son.
- Uncle came. Big, big, with a black beard. I handed him an egg that I had painted myself and said: “Christ is risen!”
He looked at me and answered: “Truly he is risen!” Then he put something on my bed and ran away.
The parents looked, and there was a flail in the crib. This was such a weapon in the old days. Everything became clear - Fomka the convict was visiting them. They quickly raised the alarm, gathered people and began a raid. And when they went out to the square to the church, they saw Fomka on his knees and, without looking up, looking at the cross. They rushed to grab him, and when he saw the people, he said loudly:
- Christ is risen! And the people to him:
- He is truly risen!
A priest approached with a cross, looked searchingly at the robber and said:
- Christ is risen! And he joyfully:
- Truly, truly risen!
-Will you accept the holy kiss of the cross? - asked the priest.
“Unworthy,” Fomka bowed his head sadly.
But the priest blessed him and put the cross to his lips. What happened in the soul of the robber, who can say? Just from touching the shrine, he shuddered and fell.
He was tied up and taken to the police. He did not resist, but answered all questions with the words of the boy: “Christ is risen!” and at the same time it was as if he was holding out something to people.
The doctors decided that Fomka had lost his mind, but the Eminence said sternly:
“It was before that he was mad and was captured by the spirits of evil.” Now his soul is enlightened.
And he took him on bail. Soon an epidemic broke out in the area, and people began to die in the hundreds. It was here that Fomka showed himself to be a man of God: without fear of any infection, he cared for the sick. Comforting the unfortunate, he told them one thing: “Christ is risen!”
Frosts began and the disease subsided. The doctor remembered about his blessed assistant, but was not found - he disappeared somewhere. And a few years later, people came across a cave in the taiga. A hermit came out of it and told them the main thing that happened in his soul:
- Christ is risen!
In the very title of Nikolai Gogol’s famous poem “ Dead souls“The main plan and idea of this work has already been concluded. Judging superficially, the title reveals the content of the scam and Chichikov’s very personality - he was already buying souls dead peasants. But in order to embrace everything philosophical meaning Gogol's ideas, you need to look deeper than the literal interpretation of the title and even what is happening in the poem.
The meaning of the name "Dead Souls"
The title “Dead Souls” contains a much more important and deeper meaning than that expressed by the author in the first volume of the work. It has been said for a long time that Gogol originally planned to write this poem by analogy with Dante’s famous and immortal “Divine Comedy”, and as you know, it consisted of three parts - “Hell”, “Purgatory” and “Paradise”. It was to them that the three volumes of Gogol’s poem should have corresponded.
In the first volume of his most famous poem, the author intended to show the hell of Russian reality, the terrifying and truly terrifying truth about life of that time, and in the second and third volumes - the rise of spiritual culture and life in Russia. To some extent, the title of the work is a symbol of life county town N., and the city itself is a symbol of the whole of Russia, and thus the author indicates that its home country is in a terrible state, and the saddest and most terrible thing is that this is due to the fact that the souls of people are gradually growing cold, hardening and dying.
The history of the creation of Dead Souls
Nikolai Gogol began writing the poem “Dead Souls” in 1835 and continued to work on it until the end of his life. At the very beginning, the writer most likely singled out for himself the funny side of the novel and created the plot of Dead Souls, both for long piece. There is an opinion that Gogol borrowed the main idea of the poem from A.S. Pushkin, since it was this poet who was first heard true story about “dead souls” in the city of Bendery. Gogol worked on the novel not only in his homeland, but also in Switzerland, Italy and France. First volume " Dead souls"was completed in 1842, and in May was already published under the title "The Adventures of Chichikov or Dead Souls."
Subsequently, while working on the novel, Gogol’s original plan expanded significantly, and it was then that the analogy with three parts appeared “ Divine Comedy" Gogol intended that his heroes go through a kind of circles of hell and purgatory, so that at the end of the poem they would be spiritually exalted and reborn. The author never managed to realize his idea; only the first part of the poem was written in full. It is known that Gogol began work on the second volume of the poem in 1840, and by 1845 he already had several options for continuing the poem ready. Unfortunately, it was this year that the author independently destroyed the second volume of the work; he irrevocably burned the second part of “Dead Souls”, being dissatisfied with what he had written. The exact reason for this act of the writer is still unknown. There are draft manuscripts of four chapters of the second volume, which were discovered after Gogol's papers were opened.
Thus, it becomes clear that the central category and at the same time the main idea of Gogol’s poem is the soul, the presence of which makes a person complete and real. This is precisely the main theme of the work, and Gogol tries to point out the value of the soul using the example of soulless and callous heroes who represent a special social class Russia. In his immortal and brilliant work, Gogol simultaneously raises the topic of the crisis in Russia and shows what this is directly related to. The author talks about the fact that the soul is the nature of man, without which there is no meaning in life, without which life becomes dead, and that it is thanks to it that salvation can be found.
Time ceased to exist for Olga. She spent 180 days in hell. But the worst was to begin in three days. She would be released... The woman even thought about extending her sentence - there were plenty of possibilities. However, her cellmate Tom tried to persuade her not to fool around. Olya didn’t want to think about how to live further. The happy past was left behind, and in the future nothing but pain and hopelessness could appear. However, Tamara acted on her new friend in some amazing way, changing her attitude and attitude life priorities. If Olya entered this cell as a hunted beast, then she had to emerge as a creature filled to the very edges of her soul with indifference. She no longer cared whether to live or die. All emotions were burned out.
Just a year ago everything was fine. Olga and Stas seemed very beautiful couple. Young, healthy, purposeful... Their whole life, with its limitless possibilities, was in their hands. The guys recently graduated from university, but their parents’ savings made it possible to open a small business. This is how the exclusive souvenir shop came into being. At first, business went neither shaky nor slow, but soon the first buyers appeared, and the couple was surprised to notice that religious items were more popular. As soon as masks brought by friends from India or rosary beads made of natural stone were put on the shelves, the goods instantly flew away for fabulous sums. Regular customers and regular orders appeared very quickly. The young couple decided to combine business with pleasure and fly to Goa for two weeks to relax and take a closer look at the range of products that could be resold in their homeland. It is here, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, family life gave a crack. Olya plunged into the traditions and religion of this amazing country, and Stas was completely alien to the local flavor. The woman was indignant:
You must know as much as possible about the culture of the country if you want to professionally give advice and advice to buyers! Darling, understand that it is extremely important for us to understand all the intricacies of religion if we want to sell such a specific product!
Stas was angry and stubbornly did not want to get acquainted with Buddhism:
How can I enter their church if I am wearing an Orthodox cross?
Olya just laughed:
What nonsense?! You have never been a believer! I didn’t even want to get married, and this, by the way, is a very beautiful ritual...
Be that as it may, Olga was seriously interested in India, and Stas was counting the days until he flew home. After returning to Russia, the young people began to swear often. Olya began to carry out everything free time at a Buddhist temple, meeting new people and handing out business cards for her store, and her husband unexpectedly went to Orthodox Church. The young wife did not immediately notice that her beloved had become surprisingly quiet and thoughtful, until one day he decisively declared:
Enough for us to play these pagan games already. We will sell, as before, cheap refrigerator magnets and mugs with funny inscriptions, and throw away all this demonic paraphernalia!
Olya only laughed at her husband’s “righteousness,” but Stas was more serious than ever. Very soon the couple realized that their relationship had reached a dead end. Olya made one last attempt to keep her husband:
Do you even realize that you put faith above our family?! Choose: either me or your God! Keep in mind, I'm tired of your going to church! You look crazy standing in the middle of old women with candles! Orthodoxy is a relic of the past! Faith for mentally degraded people. Look better at the Buddhists - that's where the truly enlightened mind is.
Stas tried to reason with his wife for some time, but Olya was adamant and filed for divorce. She wanted a holiday, fun, intense passions... The next few months passed as if in a fog. A string of new meetings, light drugs, meeting famous gurus... The woman thought that without Stas she felt better, and she shed some ballast that was hindering her spiritual perfection. But, soon a friend called and a message that ex-husband the bride appeared, knocked Olga out of her usual rut. No, there were no more feelings, but annoyance appeared. How did he manage to forget her so quickly?! And who did you exchange it for? According to the all-knowing girlfriend, Stas’s new passion was a real runt, and she also sang in the church choir! Well, just for the chickens to laugh at! Her Stas, accustomed to the most expensive restaurants and fashionable boutiques, suddenly became interested in some gray mouse in long skirt"goodbye youth" Soon, annoyance gave way to curiosity, and Olya decided to see this couple of saints with her own eyes. Fortunately, the friend just lived in the house where the young people settled, so it was not difficult to track them down. A day later, the woman, inhaling the sweetish smoke of a hookah, summed up the results of her surveillance. So, Stas is really in love. New darling not as old-fashioned as Olga’s friend described, but, in fact, dressed very modestly. Questioning the grandmothers sitting at the entrance brought unexpected results. It turns out that the young people were going to get married soon and, moreover, get married! How is this known? So, it’s clear where it comes from! Klavdia Ivanovna told her, and the bride’s mother herself confided in her!
Like this. She, Olga, did not receive such an honor, but with this one, you see, he was going to get married! Anger grew with incredible force, and even meditation did not help me relax. And then one day, not the most beautiful, Olya committed a terrible act. Being in some strange state after meditation and having lost control of her mind, she started the car and drove away wherever she looked. I wanted the feeling of flying. The woman pressed on the gas and did not notice anything around...
She hit a girl at a pedestrian crossing. The victim was taken to the hospital. The trip ended tragically: the girl suffered a ruptured spleen, and Olga was sentenced to six months. She wasn't even scared. She didn't... care. She could only think about her fate. What frightened the woman was that she had no idea how to live further. She already looked at her passion for Buddhism with a sober eye. All this turned out to be such nonsense... She simply joined the ranks of people who believed in some stupid fairy tales and lost their sense of reality. But the reality is that she is completely alone. Parents don’t count – Olga never developed a warm relationship with them. Dejection and unwillingness to live haunted the woman every second.
And then she met Toma. That's where the energy was in full swing! She was imprisoned for theft, but the prison term in no way affected the plans of this young and beautiful woman. Sitting behind bars, she thought about what next scheme she would try to implement:
I've been eyeing nuns for a long time! Religion is the most profitable way to earn money.
Having heard about religion, Olga began to feel sick, but, not noticing her friend’s reaction, Tamara continued:
Can you imagine, I even visited several monasteries. They call it a pilgrimage. You come and work for free for a bed and food. These Orthodox Christians are strange, honestly! The nuns use them as labor, and the pilgrims walk around and smile so blissfully that it becomes disgusting! So here it is. I found out everything. I remembered how these women of prayer dressed, what words they used in conversation, and how they behave. In general, I’ll go out and become a “nun”! Options to raise good money huge amount! You can pretend that you are looking for donors to build a temple. And, if you think everything through carefully, then it’s realistic to pull off the option with Jerusalem - believers call it the Holy Land. I will say that I will fly there soon, and people will ask me to give notes with the names of those for whom they need to pray. At the same time, the Orthodox will certainly donate huge amounts of money.
Tamara stretched dreamily on the bed, and Olga held her breath. Orthodoxy evoked only negative emotions in her. It was the believers who humiliated her, making her a complete laughing stock! We found her replacement! Deprived of confidence in their superiority. How great it would be to abuse them!
Tom, will you take me into the business?
The friend whistled:
Why do you need it? You have a folder with your mother. They will find a good job for you in no time. Yes, and you have your own store...
The store burned down and was closed. And, I have my own scores to settle with the Orthodox. So consider it personal.
And so the last painful three days passed. Freedom! Olya did not feel particularly happy, although, of course, she was glad to be freed. Her parents met her on the street. They looked at their daughter with eyes full of tears, and tried to help in some way:
Daughter, Stas left the apartment for you, so you can go there right now. And if you want, stay with us!
Olga thought for a minute, and then decided:
I’ll probably sell the apartment over time; I don’t want to live there. In the meantime, I’ll rent it out, and with this money I’ll rent a house on the other side of the city, where nothing will remind me of my past life.
Mom looked at her worriedly and timidly asked:
Sunny, what about your passion for all these Indian things? You will still be... - the elderly woman could not find the right words, but Olya helped her.
No, mom. No more gurus, meditations and crowds of guests with expanded consciousness. Now I will not follow the lead of this deception called “religion”!
Dad cleared his throat:
Daughter, but in Christianity, for example, there is no this pagan confusion. Everything is very simple and correct there. You know, while you were in prison, my mother and I couldn’t find a place for ourselves. One day we went to Orthodox church, prayed as best they could. Imagine, it actually became easier for us! Then we talked to the priest about your situation...
Olya jumped up, and her face twisted with anger:
And what?! Did this help me in any way? Or maybe because of your prayers, I was served lobster for lunch instead of gruel in prison? Dad, I knew the most famous gurus, communicated with the “enlightened ones,” and mastered certain meditation techniques. And what? This didn't make me happy! Just as I wasn’t interested in living, I still don’t care whether I wake up tomorrow or not. Oh, you came up with...Orthodoxy! I installed the spark plug and no problem. Why! Why then didn’t this God of yours pull me out of the cell, since you prayed so hard for me?
Dad was silent, and mom said sadly:
Olenka, God didn’t put you there. It’s all your own fault, and you know it... It’s just that at one time we didn’t give you any spiritual education. You didn’t know what faith is. Forgive us, daughter! We were unable to protect you from searching for Truth on the side.
Olga felt sorry for her parents. They've aged so much lately… Well, she didn’t want to upset them and solemnly promised not to label Christianity just because she was disappointed in Buddhism. But this was only in words. And, in her heart, the woman clearly knew what she would do, and the next morning she rang the doorbell of her friend, who was released only a couple of weeks before Olya.
Tamara let the guest in, rubbing her eyes with her fist:
What a surprise. Well, come in now that you've arrived.
The friends discussed all the details of the upcoming work. Toma said that she herself knew about the image of the nun, but insisted that Olya go to the nearest monastery and look at this “contingent” with her own eyes. Olya was impatient to get down to business, and that same evening she set off on a “pilgrimage.” On the way, sitting in a commuter bus, she imagined amazing pictures: she would get into the very guts of this life of believers and laugh at them heartily. Everything is deception and falsehood, and she will prove it! To whom? The woman did not want to think about the answer to this question.
Near the entrance to the monastery, Olya stopped and watched as others entered there. It turns out that everything is as simple as that: cross yourself three times and go ahead! There were no difficulties inside either. Turning to the first nun she saw, Olya learned that she could live and work in the monastery at any time. Then the nun called the dean - this is how the woman met Mother Susanna, who cordially offered to stay the night. Olya refused. She wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible. She felt incredible discomfort and... fear. However, she attributed it to a weakened nervous system.
Having convinced Toma that she was absolutely ready and would not make any mistakes, Olya put on a black robe sewn by Toma’s friend and went out into the street. Her goal was to sit at the station for several hours and get to know maximum number people. It was necessary to tell them in passing that she would soon go to the Holy Land and casually offer to pass on notes to everyone who wanted to. Tamara clearly instructed her friend with whom it is best to start a conversation and who is easier to deceive.
As soon as Olya entered the station building, this whole idea ceased to seem like an adventure. She decided to immediately find a toilet, change clothes and take the “props” to Tamara. Even though she never found her God, it is not right to deceive people who, like her, are seeking the truth. Not fair.
Here is the sign for the ladies' room. It’s literally a few meters away, and suddenly...
Mother, forgive me!
In front of Olga is a young girl who does not stand out from the crowd.
Tell me, which monastery are you from?
Olya, out of confusion, named the monastery where she had visited yesterday, and not the one that was provided for by her and Tamara’s “legend”. The stranger began to fuss, began looking for a pen in her purse and hastily explained:
I haven’t been to your place, but I will definitely come someday, God willing. Sorry for the delay! I just want to pass on a note. Pray, mother, for our son. Doctors have diagnosed him with oncology and he faces difficult treatment...
His name is Antoshka! Our father is Simeon, and I was baptized Rufina. Pray for us...
Olya was speechless. I couldn’t squeeze out a word. Meanwhile, Rufina opened her wallet and took out a hundred dollar bill. The “nun” refused the money as best she could, but the benefactor insisted:
Yes, this is not for prayer! It's just a donation for the needs of the temple, and you can't help but take it!
Olya confusedly put the money and a piece of paper with names in a small travel bag, and her new friend hurried on about her business. But suddenly she turned around and, catching herself, shouted:
Mother, what is your name?
Olya said her real name, and her ears heard:
And I will pray for you, Mother Olga!
She didn't go to any toilet. My legs could hardly stand, my head was noisy. Her hands were shaking and she was sweating every now and then. “I’m probably dying,” Olya thought and forced herself to walk towards Tom’s house. The journey took more than an hour, as the woman could not bring herself to get on the bus. It seemed to her that the passengers would immediately see who she was and what she had done. There is no sin worse than the one she committed! Thief. She stole the most valuable thing this young girl had - the hope of prayer. And even though she, Olga, knew that all these were fairy tales for simpletons, but... What if there is at least one chance in a hundred that God exists and the Orthodox were not mistaken in their choice of faith?! What then? Then it turns out that this prayer could somehow help the sick child, but she was afraid to admit that she was not a nun and could not really pray! Oh, this money... Lord, this gray-green piece of paper will never allow her to sleep peacefully!
She didn’t explain anything to Tamara. She handed over the vestments and said dryly: “It didn’t work out, this is not a job for me.” The friend chuckled contemptuously and closed the door behind the guest. Olya didn’t know where to go, so she went to her parents. Mom made a bed for her in the living room, but she couldn’t sleep. Thoughts revolved only around this naive Rufina and her sick son. How petty all this is: a divorce from an unloved man, unjustified hopes placed on millions of gods whose names cannot even be remembered. All this is such nonsense compared to the real misfortune of Rufina’s young family!
Olya quietly got out of bed and went to the shelf by the window - there, in her absence, her parents had built a small iconostasis. The woman took off all the books that were there and muttered through her teeth:
OK. Okay... If you exist, then help Antoshka. May he get well. I don't need anything else. I will pray only for this trusting girl. If there is a chance that You hear me and can help the baby, then I will do it. After all, Rufina hopes for my prayer...
The night flew by in an instant. First, Olya read all the prayers in the prayer book from the section “About the Sick.” Then, not finding anything more suitable, she took the Gospel. I decided that I need to read everything - since these books are on the shelf, it means they are needed for correct prayer. Surprisingly, Olya’s knowledge of Orthodoxy was very primitive. She only remembered what Tamara told her, and some scraps of information from television and newspapers. There is, they say, God. His name is Christ. To live well, you need to pray around the clock, regularly deny yourself tasty food, observe fasting, wear creepy old-fashioned skirts and dirty scarves. Yes, even with a luscious smile on his face, bowing, and then shushing the unfortunate girls who dared to enter the temple in jeans. But here in the Gospel everything was different. I felt in all the lines real life. Moreover, Olya unexpectedly learned that according to the teachings of Christians, man is immortal. But immortality here is understood completely differently than, say, in Buddhism.
Olya opened her eyes. It smelled of coffee and pancakes. Mom has already prepared breakfast. The woman picked up the books laid out on the bed and carefully put them back in place. She was in a hurry. And, perhaps, for the first time in her life she did not care about her own self. She was in a hurry for the sake of others.
Mother Susanna, oddly enough, recognized the guest. Olya was very worried and didn’t know where to start. Then I finally decided:
You know, I read the Gospel last night and found out that I am immortal!
The nun nodded and looked at Olga with such love that she, unable to bear it, splashed out her hatred of herself along with a stream of tears:
You smile at me and allow me to stay, but you have no idea what I have done! I spied on you like Satan, and wanted to abuse Orthodoxy and monasticism in particular!
With every word, my heart became lighter, and my mother’s gaze turned from surprised to compassionate. She hugged the sobbing pilgrim by the shoulders and took her to an empty cell:
Be patient, be patient, my dear. There will be a service soon and you will be able to confess. God will forgive you if you repent of what you have done.
Mother, I repent. But, I'm not sure that I can be a Christian. I just need to pray for that child properly and don’t need anything else!
Then Olya came to her senses and took out the money handed over by Rufina. For a long time she held Mother Susanna’s hand and repeated the same thing: “I just want to pray... nothing more.”
Then there was confession and the priest’s blessing to stay in the monastery “to pray.” For some reason, it seemed to Ole that she could only do this properly here, where nothing would distract her from such an important matter.
Days passed. The woman read the entire New Testament, but there were more and more questions. The priests of the monastery tried to answer as best they could. They advised me to read patristic literature. This is how she lived: she prayed, read, thought and prayed again, occasionally interrupting for meals and sleep. Then I started going to church services. I took communion. She asked for obedience and now prayed, doing the work she could. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months...
How a person is born is no secret to us. How does it happen? the birth of new souls?
The riddle is very interesting. I would like to know the process itself - where it happens, who is involved in it, what birth looks like new soul.
It is curious whether souls are constantly being born, or whether once born, they are now only reincarnated.
It is also important: are the same souls born or does each new soul have special talents and unique abilities.
We set out to explore these questions at additional lesson 13th stream of the Institute of Reincarnation.
How souls are born
Observations of memories, how souls are born, made it possible to identify several repeating scenarios.
Let me clarify right away for skeptics: the research was carried out in different times, with new people, but their descriptions largely coincided. These are the common ones storylines the birth of new souls and are collected in “scripts”.
In the first scenario, similar memory images were some small particles that were separated from a large creature.
Svetlana S: I remembered some large living creature, reminiscent of a hydra, from which soul balls bud. Heavenly Mother's name is Avatorii.
Each ball had its own color. Some were more intensely colored, while others had a less intense color. The color of the soul depends on the energies that the Heavenly Father initially lays down. And he takes energy from the worlds where these souls will have to incarnate.
The scattering balls rushed into spherical spaces where souls of their color gathered. My the soul was purple, and I joined the group of purple balls.
In total there were about ninety newborn souls. I saw how big hands they collected us into a kind of beads, then twisted us along an axis. In the process of movement, souls accumulated energies and began to glow from this.
Then a stream began, connecting to the cosmic mind. The mentors monitored the readiness of souls for the first incarnation by the intensity of the glow.
They began to divide us into smaller groups. Teachers visited the small group one by one, transferring important energies for knowledge, recharging and accumulation. Working with energies, the ability to anchor them in the place where it is necessary to stabilize space, turns out to be special the talent of my soul.
Svetlana Ch.: I saw my soul as a drop that separated from something big. As soon as I flew away, about ten to fifteen more droplets joined me, clinging to me from all sides. I remember the feeling of persistence, desire to get ahead- qualities that I observe in myself to this day.
Someone moves our group of droplets into a vessel, and the process of infusion of energies begins. I feel myself expanding from the energies of love and mercy filling me.
Olga T.: I saw a large clot of energy shimmering different colors. There was movement and swaying inside.
Balls of different colors stand out from it. I felt like one of the balls - light, playful. My soul shimmered purple-blue-green, and at the base there was a pearly-golden color.
The mentors accepted me and passed on the basics soul purpose– generate love, spread the energy of love.
Experiencing the white light
In the second version of stories about how souls are born, there were often images of white light and honeycombs, from which the formed energies of souls flew out.
My memory showed just such a process. A large space filled with white light, full of honeycomb pentagons.
In each cell boiling occurs at different intensities. When the seething reaches its peak, a soul ball bursts out of the honeycomb with a sharp explosion.
This ball is taken under the care of the Mentor and transferred, keeping it in his field. This process was revealed very clearly and in detail in Elena’s memoirs.
Elena B.: I see a bright space filled with a white glow. In this sparkling glow, you can feel some waves moving.
This is a living space, and everything in it breathes and moves. Space itself is like a sphere. There are observers outside the sphere.
There are small balls inside. They also sparkle, as if light is about to burst out in each of them. Some processes are taking place on the surface of the balls, flashes flash. Each ball is placed in a honeycomb.
The entire sphere is filled with pentagons that interlock with each other. But the space above the cells is open. There is a lot of traffic in the cells. In some it becomes stronger and stronger.
Here's light bursting out of one cell. This light is born soul. One cell opens, then a second, a third. And here is mine!
It has a soft purple glow. At first, the color breaks through with one ray, then it grows and now the whole ball-soul shines evenly purple glow.
From inside, through the violet, white light breaks through. Through it there is contact with the external living sphere. A ray of thread, like a connecting cable, joined the large field.
Contact has been established. The maternal sphere begins to respond by transferring knowledge and energy to the newborn soul. Bookmarking in progress soul files.
From within, observers send out a flood of great love. The flow is so strong that the sphere has to hold it back, otherwise the soul balls will not be able to withstand it.
But this whole process is so gentle that the energies of love simply envelop every soul, fill and structure. Love becomes reflection of divine light, coming from inside each ball. Under its influence the soul opens up.
The colors of the soul balls are different. Some people are like a rainbow - the play of several colors. For some, one color predominates, for example, yellow. At the same time, there are few red balls. Glow is associated with purpose.
So my purple associated with vibrations of higher energies. The main task is the ability to grasp the spiritual principle and bring it into the material world.
After the souls have collected the initial starting information and absorbed the necessary energy, the maternal sphere begins to thin out and disappear.
The swarm of young souls is left without care, but they are immediately embraced by the energies of the Mentors. Balls in groups are attracted to the Mentor with whom they match in color.
My group has as many as five Mentors. Each of them undergoes alternating attunement and obtaining information. The soul feels that it is expanding, becoming weightier, more structured.
One of the Mentors talks about the World of Souls. Explains the hierarchy and interaction of souls. Another introduces different worlds and spaces. Shows the geography of incarnations, tells where you can go and what kind of experience.
The last Mentor prepares for the first incarnation. It will be a warm place, not earthly, where souls learn to communicate.
Vortex energy
The last story of the birth of a soul can be said to be unique. In my observations, this is so far the only example of just such a scenario. All the more interesting is the experience that has opened up, where the source of the birth of the soul is the energy of the vortex.
Svetlana I. Two swirling energies in a dense vortex flow merged into one, the result was something like a blank. It was completely raw, heavy material that had to be developed further.
The mentor introduces some kind of impulse into him, sparkling star and the energy is revived. The workpiece glows, lightness appears, the glow becomes bright.
The soul receives life.
The mentor invites the soul to follow him, and I begin to move cautiously, carefully, looking around. I see a world like open space, dark, mysterious, in which life is felt.
I feel the closeness of the Mentor, I trust him as a parent. We arrived in a round illuminated hall. This is where we are met energy beings who welcome and rejoice at the addition of a newborn soul to their team.
I feel the warmth and joy of this space, I calm down. I understand that it studies outer space and regulates and corrects processes if necessary.
Everything is under control here, higher energies monitor the emergence of new galaxies, new worlds. I have to learn this work.
What conclusions arise after studying the birth of new souls?
Firstly, the process itself takes place according to different scenarios, although there are not many of them and there are repeating plots.
Secondly, in all examples, the birth of a new soul is controlled by the Guides, who pick up the newborns and move them into a space where growth and learning take place.
Thirdly, many remember the color of their soul at birth, which is associated with special talents, unique abilities and its purpose.
P.S. Are you interested in learning about the birth of your soul and your unique abilities?
Certified consultant of the Institute of Reincarnation. I help people find themselves through creativity.