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The Class of Virtues The Master encouraged the disciples' every initiative for spiritual work. In the summer of 1920, five of the sisters developed the idea of engaging in a more profound study of the Pentagram. They would gather under the pines of "Boucher's Glade" and follow their programme of discussions and reading papers on the five major virtues. Each sister was to concentrate on one particular virtue: Savka Keremidchieva represented Truth, Pasha Teodorova - Justice, Maria Todorova - Love, Maria Radeva -Wisdom, and Sotirka Babadjova - Virtue. The Master often joined them and took part in the discussions. Sometimes he gave talks on the issues raised in the group. He understood the five women's purity and natural desire for development and encouraged it. At the convention in Tarnovo the same year, this group became the foundation of the Class of Virtues, comprising ten women. Savka Keremidchieva wrote of the day of its establishment, the 22nd of August 1920: "At the Master's initiative, ten of us young sisters, three from Varna and seven from Sofia: Sotirka, Dafinka, Viktoria, Pasha, Olga, Siika, Mariika, Nevenka, Stefka and me, Savka, gathered upstairs. The Master addressed us: "Are you ready to follow the Path of the New Teaching with courage and resolve? A disciple who is hesitant is unable to learn. Are you ready to walk in this Path with courage and resolve?" "We are!" "Without hesitation?" "No hesitation!" This is how the Class of Virtues was established, and the Master gave it methods and a special piece of advice: "Always keep in mind purity and self-control. Together, they create equilibrium." The ten sisters in the Class of Virtues took personal vows to engage in conscious work. Among their other activities, the Master revealed to them the meaning of some graphic images. One of them was an involved design of interlaced colours of the spectrum in an elliptical frame. It symbolized the soul's connectedness with the surrounding visible and invisible world. The ten sisters embroidered the image on silk and named it "banner of the Fellowship." The Class of Virtues was short-lived. The Master foresaw the difficulties that a young person encounters in life, and as the virtues are forces that help one in life, he encouraged the ten sisters' desire to study them. He told Savka: "In the Class of Virtues, you learn to deal with the hardships of life. You will encounter a number of difficulties that you will need to resolve. Take the Class of Virtues as a science that you will be learning in any circumstances." The "Banner of the Brotherhood".

Bourchier's Glade Bourchier's Glade, 1921. In Peter Dunov's life, there were certain habits to which he stuck, no matter where he was. One of them was to meet the dawn. Having settled in Sofia, he chose for his early morning walks a glade outside the city, by the path towards the village of Dragalevtsi. From that glade, there was a beautiful view to the Vitosha Mountain. It was the property of James Bourchier, a British journalist, correspondent of The Times in the Balkans. This is why the place was referred to by Sofianites as "Bourchier's". In the beginning, Peter Dunov went there alone. Gradually, disciples took to accompanying him, and the place becomes a favourite site of spiritual meetings and discussions. Going out early to meet the rising sun is invigorating, and on such days work is more gratifying. The Master demonstrated physical exercises for the development of physical and spiritual qualities. He taught the disciples how to breathe and how to adopt healthy habits that would have a beneficial influence on their spiritual growth. ? In 1921, at the Master's suggestion, the place was purchased by the Brotherhood and became the heart of its activity.

The Conventions The term "convention" was used for the first time in 1911. The conventions were the place where the foundations of communal life were laid. Each participant felt strongly that he belonged to the community. The conventions were held near the town of Tarnovo, in Anastas Boynov's country house which was surrounded by an orchard. A specially appointed committee took care of the event's organization. The guests were accommodated in nearby houses or in hotels in Tarnovo. Some brought tents. In the improvised camp, the atmosphere was one of cooperation. The participants took turns in volunteer duties. In later years, a password was introduced for entering the camp: "strength", "life", "love", etc. The gate was guarded but the principle of openness was preserved in all conventions. Early in the morning, all participants would meet the rising sun. They would say a series of formulas, prayers, and songs. These were followed by physical exercises. Immediately after them came the Master's lecture. Sometimes he gave two or three lectures in the course of the day. In the remaining time, he conversed with the participants. Children were sometimes brought to the camps by their parents. Teachers took charge of them, applying the new methods they had learned from the Master. The teachers' group was always the most active one in all camps. They showed particular interest in the new ideas and in their future application in schools. The house had two rooms. In one of them, the lectures were held. The other one, revered as a sacred place, was like an altar: only people who had been personally invited by the Master could go in for a vigil or prayer. The main power of attraction in the camps, however, was the Word of the Master. It conveyed a new attitude to human life and offered explanations, guidelines, and methods for spiritual work. Every participant went home with a notebook full of instructions, formulas, prayers, fasting days and a variety of advice, for a whole year till the next convention. Anastas Boynov's house in Tumovo. Method for the strengthening of Virtue This year each of you will plant 10 plum seeds, 10 apple seeds, 10 cherry seeds and 10 pear seeds. Fertilise them and take good care of them Method for the strengthening of Justice During the year, you will water 40 fruit trees. While you do that, clench your fists and say: "I want to be just!" The meaning of this is: as I tend the trees, the Lord will tend me. Method for the strengthening of Truth During this year, you will find at least 40 beings who are in some way downtrodden or in distress, and you will comfort them in the name of Truth. On the 29th of August 1925, Peter Dunov was suddenly arrested in Tarnovo. Martial law had been imposed, and the convention " was being held without a permit from the authorities. The next morning Dunov was released and he left for Sofia. In the fall of the same year, the inhabitants of Tarnovo demanded that the conventions be banned. That was the end of Peter Deunov's activity in Tarnovo. He continued his spiritual work in Sofia.

Lectures to the Sisters Community life based on the principle of the fraternity was a major factor of the disciples' unity. The Master often explained the meaning of the words "brotherhood" and "sisterhood" because it was extremely important for the disciples to understand them correctly. "The words 'brother' and 'sister' are Divine notions, much greater than those we can grasp and understand." "The brother and the sister are the two foundations on which human life stands. If a sister knows what sisterhood is about, she will always be happy." On the 17th of February 1917, the Master began a special series of lectures. They were only for the sisters, i.e. the wives, the mothers, the teachers, all those women who carried a potential for a positive impact on society. It is no coincidence that for the first lecture he chose a line from James: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (fas 1:12) To perform her role, a woman must be strong and withstanding. Nature has entrusted women with an important mission: to create and raise good and capable children. This is why the Master taught health, spiritual purity and richness of the soul to the sisters. He advised them to seek to achieve virtues that would make them rich, learned and beautiful. He suggested that they teach good and preach peace and that they themselves live in peace, love, equity, wisdom, and truth. "Do not put off the good! A good thought will attract all good thoughts and they will help do good deeds." "A woman who has thousands of good words to say will be good for her country, a good mother of good sons and smart daughters, and this country will flourish. I want you to think good, do good, and have good eyes! You will be falling and getting back on your feet but do not be afraid, you will learn! You will encounter great obstacles in life but you will gain new experience and a new way of life!" The Master wanted to teach the sisters to maintain good relationships. In his lectures, he encouraged them to make a conscious effort to maintain harmony between them, as without harmony the manifestation of the Spirit would be impossible. "I want you to help me clear any misunderstandings between you. You often squabble in your hearts and minds. You need not to. Tranquilize your thoughts, extend your hands and work together! The good needs to be built. Otherwise, with your bad thoughts, you bring upon yourselves karma and illness." The lectures were given to the sisters once a week, on Thursdays. The knowledge they conveyed was in the spirit of the New Teaching: the pursuit of self-perfection, the connection with the Divine Consciousness, and personal spiritual elevation aimed at promoting universal human growth. It seems, however, that the audience had not quite understood the meaning of these lectures and failed to put them into practice. The Master said in his last lecture of this series, delivered on the 30th of June 1932: "The way you act now, you will soon grow old and what will be ahead of you? What will happen to you? You are disciples but you learn nothing. You are like the young who grow old, and I want you to be like the old who grows younger and like the young who learn. I can tell you: what you lack is love. I mean not physical love but the love that stands firm like a rock and endures all suffering with joy. Now you live like children: eating, drinking, sleeping, while you should be learning. You think you are involved in spiritual work but you fail to observe the most important rule: to live like Christ." After a lecture at Izgrev.

Internment in Varna During the war, Peter Dunov continued to deliver his Sunday lectures in Opalchenska St. The atmosphere was tense, the authorities were suspicious. An opinion Dunov expressed against Bulgaria's involvement in World War I was interpreted as criticism to Radoslavov's cabinet and he could no longer stay in Sofia. He was accused of not paying a fee for reading lectures, the mayor banned his public activities and issued an order for his "internment. The Master's last lecture before his departure from Sofia was entitled "Can the Blind?". It was based on line 39 of Chapter 6 of Luke's Gospel: "Can the blind lead the blind?" In that lecture, the Master said: "Human thought must be freed of delusions in which people are caught like mice in traps. Man is allowed to fool neither himself nor others. Every moment, he is watched Dy God and is responsible for each of his actions." All his life Dunov felt that he was "watched by God". He was not a mouse that could be trapped. His thought was free, he fooled neither himself nor others, and he was prepared to take responsibility for the sake of Truth. His last words to his disciples were: "I wish that your eyes may open next year so that you may see me better. May your eyes and ears open so that you can see and hear well, so that you may know right from wrong, and so that you may put everything in its proper place in your minds and hearts." After this lecture, delivered in Sofia on the 10th of June 1917, he left for Varna. Later, to illustrate the action of the karmic law, he said about that incident: "A year ago I was fined 25 leva for preaching without asking the authorities for permission. My lawyer suggested that we sue them. No, said I, we'll pay. Because of these 25 leva, Bulgaria had to pay two million and a half. A coincidence, you might say. Alright, it may be a coincidence but if we try once more, the same coincidence will happen. Then I was interned, illegally and unjustly." From August 1917 to June 1918 Peter Dunov lived in Varna, on the last floor of the Hotel London. "In 1917, while I was in Varna, I had in my hotel a closet where I kept coal. One day two blackbirds, male and female, flew in. I took them up to my room because the winter was freezing, blizzards raged, and it was very cold in the closet. I thought: I will pay for them as much as I have to. In the morning, I took a bucket of grain, I lit the brazier, and I sat by it to keep warm. The male blackbird was frightened, he went to the window, while the female came to the brazier, perched on my knee, then flew to the window. Then she came back to the brazier, perched on my shoulder, and went back to the window. Finally, she flew back to me and settled on my hand. I am asking you, how would you interpret that? Why did she perch first on my knee, then on my shoulder and finally on my arm? The male was saying to her: "You deal with this guy; me, I know men well!" She looked sadly at me while I was watching her, then flew to the window and spoke: "Mister, you are very kind, you made a fire for us, you gave us water and grain, but now please open the window so that we may go about our business." I answered in her language: "The weather is now bad out there; there is a storm. As soon as it becomes warmer, I will gladly open the window for you to go." She went to the male, said something to him, and then they went quiet. In the evening they slept calmly. This was the only bird that has ever trusted me completely." Peter Dunov. Mihail Ivanov, later known as Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov. In Varna, Peter Dunov maintained a voluminous correspondence. He helped all who were in need of advice and spiritual support. He had many visitors. Disciples and friends from all over the country went to Varna to meet with him and strengthen their spirits. This was the time of Dunov's meeting with Mihail Ivanov, a young man from Varna who later founded a branch of the White Brotherhood in France, and created his own esoteric teaching on the basis of the Master's New Teaching. Peter Dunov spent much time with that young and enthusiastic disciple who was burning with desire to comprehend the secrets of life. In Dunov, the future Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov found a spiritual Master. In 1957, he told his own disciples in France: "The most remarkable about the Master Peter Dunov was the spiritual life he radiated, illuminating and filling us with rays of light." "The atmosphere created by a person who is totally devoted to spiritual life is something alive, a world full of pure beings." In Varna, Peter Dunov often went for a walk on the beach. He would greet the rising sun and spend a long time gazing at the sky which has always been to him a scene of profound spiritual life. He visited his father, living like a hermit in the small St. Archangel Michael church. He communicated with the Spirit. He wrote letters offering advice and instructions: "Be faithful to the Truth in the Living Word which is Christ! My greetings to all those who walk in the right path of Christ, the path of new life. Acquire the divine Knowledge and keep it in your hearts. I wish you to become wise and perfect in our Lord." He expected the wise to choose their path: with Christ's teaching towards a new life, or with dissenters towards spiritual death. Indeed, his admonition was called for. No sooner had he left Sofia that a candidate appeared for his fame. Of his own initiative, Doncho Popov decided to continue the lectures in the Master's style. A circle was immediately formed around him. Many of the disciples had forgotten the Master's warning in his last lecture: "when a blind leads a blind, no progress may be expected" Self-appointed "mediums" put down the instructions of presumably benevolent spirits. At first, all went well but gradually the spirits' demands became increasingly obscure and unacceptable. They "advised," the "mediums" to eat the wrong foods, cut their hair and wear eccentric clothes. A year later, the internment was over and Peter Dunov returned to Sofia. He delivered his first lecture on the 30th of June 1918. It was entitled "Bring him hither", and was based on the Gospel of Luke 19: 30: "He who practices the Truth will prevail. If you serve God with spirit and truth, you will be welcomed by few. Much abuse, grief, and insult will you suffer but at the end, you will prevail!" "I once expressed my opinion and I was punished for it but I am prepared to voice it again. The truth cannot be fooled!" These words summed up the year in Varna. The result was a victory over a human power that had attempted to confine the Spirit of Truth. The Master continued to deliver his lectures in Opalchenska St. Doncho Popov's group attended them but continued their separate activity as well. They even invited the Master to one of their meetings. He did not reject the invitation. His presence, however, rejected the spirits: not a single one appeared. Upon leaving, the Master commented jokingly: "It seems the spirits are busy with their own affairs and will not come." After that incident, quite a few of Doncho Popov's followers quit the group but others paid a high price for their naivete and blindness. As a result of the bad eating habits imposed by the spirits, two of the group's members lost their lives. Before long, the same happened with Doncho Popov. "Knowledge and Truth are acquired through great effort, search and mental strain. They are not handed on a platter," Peter Dunov commented on the results of Popov's experiment.

The Age of the Aquarius In its celestial path, the earth falls under the influence of different signs of the zodiac. "The terrestrial axis is at an angle of 230 with the ecliptic. While the earth orbits the sun, this axis swings slowly, describing a cone in 25,800 years. Thus, the equinoctial point passes through all signs of the zodiac, spending around 2150 years in each. The entering of the equinoctial point in a new sign of the zodiac is of immense significance to this planet and to all living creatures on it, particularly to humans and human societies that are most sensitive to celestial influences. Each sign creates conditions for the manifestation and development of certain characteristics, abilities, and aspirations, in every individual as well as in society as a whole. The entry of the vernal equinox into a new constellation, i.e. into a new sign always marks the beginning of characteristic new developments in human culture. Today the equinoctial point is in the constellation of Aquarius. Its influence began in 1914. From that year, humanity entered a new age, the Age of the Aquarius. The most typical of this sign is that it will raise and develop in man and in human society a striving for justice, for the spiritual and the mystic in man as well as in humanity as a whole. Justice must become the foundation of relations between both individuals and nations. Justice is the first step, the first quality that is to be attained if we are to progress." Each sign covers a period of about 2000 years. Christ lived in the age of the Pisces, an age of great sacrifice. The Aquarius is the List sign but one. Here is Peter Dunov's prediction for this new period: "During it, all snow and ice will stan melting; there will be many contradictions but purity will be attained. The main characteristic of the Aquarius is purity. It is related to water which brings new life. We are already in the sign of the Aquarius. This is the most mystical century, the end of a cycle. The sign of the Aquarius determines supreme mysticism in man. The conditions now are the most favourable for work. Never before in the age of Christianity, there have been better conditions." On the 6th of March 1914, Peter Dunov delivered the lecture "Ecce Homo", announcing symbolically the arrival of the new Age of the Aquarius. In that lecture, he spoke of Christ Who was quietly and unobtrusively working in the world. The lecture ended with the following words: "Behold this man! Will you accept him, or will you crucify him? Will you let him go or will you say: we don't want him? This is the question you need to answer." This lecture was the beginning of a series of six volumes of Sunday lectures, later entitled Power and Life. They contain the basics of the New Teaching. The knowledge set out in them reveals the development of a new consciousness and the coming of the New Culture where people will be united by the principle of brotherhood and love. The New Man WHEN THE MASTER SPEAKS of the characteristics of the new man, he creates him with his thought. It is up to each of us to acquire the characteristics of the new man. When humankind accepts them, the human life will change and will become meaningful. Only then will the great idea of brotherhood be implemented. "The new man who is now being created I call the man of light. Wherever he goes, he illuminates things with the light he radiates. With his subtle senses, he can feel the internal life of nature and communicate with the noetic beings that govern it. The new man is sustained only by positive thoughts and feelings. He lives in joy. He is cheerful, generous and easily overcomes difficulties. The new man is a hero with a generous soul, using everything wisely and needing little to be happy." '"The new man is more helpful. He is less egotistic and acts in harmony with intelligent life, with all noetic beings with whom he is one. He is the man of Truth and Freedom who has found himself. He is also just and wise, with new views on life and new relations with other people. His consciousness transcends the limits of the family, of the nation, even of humanity. He considers himself a citizen of the boundless Universe. The new man and the new world are being born. Tomorrow belongs to them."

The 22nd of March - Day of the White Brotherhood The narrow spiritual circle that Peter Dunov founded in Sofia became the local unit of the Brotherhood. Upon the Master's proposal, on the 22nd of March 1914, they gathered for a festive dinner. Dimitar Golov presented to each a bunch of flowers, and the Master announced: "Today we are establishing the day of our society. This is a great day that marks the beginning of a new epoch in the spiritual world." The atmosphere in the great hall that was rented especially for the event was festive. "Many of you are not aware of the significance of this day but for some, it will be memorable," the Master said. Since that day the 22nd of March is celebrated as the Day of Spring and the first day of the spiritual New Year. Sunday Sermons PETER DUNOV WAS A METHODIST THEOLOGIAN, a graduate of the Boston University. He had an excellent command of the sermon as a means of spiritual education. He described his Sunday sermons simply as "talks". They reflected his belief that education was "as necessary as the sound body to the sound mind". Based on interpretations of biblical texts, Dunov's Sunday "talks" were quick to attract public interest. Using the familiar religious vocabulary, he gradually introduced more freedom of thought. His arguments were clear, accurate and logical. He was never exalted. He suggested that listeners judge for themselves whether his thoughts were true, and never insisted that they take his words for granted. But he would remark casually: "If we want to understand Christ, our spirit needs to be free." To the end of the theologian Dunov's days, the Sunday talks were his favourite form of communicating his ideas.

The White Brotherhood As a forerunner of the New Epoch, Peter Dunov avoided the society organized according to human laws. He preached freedom of thought and that sort of organization was alien to him. His sole objective was to awaken in people the desire to live in accordance with the reasonable laws of nature. By society, he meant a model for future humanity. "Today, it is our desire to build a society that is an ideal and an embodiment of all good and noble." From the very beginning of his spiritual activity, Peter Dunov created the notion of a mystic community, the White Brotherhood. It did not belong to the material world, "not visible, not a sect, nor a church. It is something alive, beyond the corruption in which people live." And as disciples' minds were full of questions, he answered them: "Where is the White Brotherhood? It is in you!" "The White Brotherhood understands your situation and helps you resolve your difficulties." As Dunov explained, the White Brotherhood was a society of highly intelligent souls who had completed their evolution, manifesting in the physical world as humankind's helpers. Everyone who sought perfection was to become a disciple of that brotherhood. Disciples of the White Brotherhood, not of Peter Dunov, he emphasized. Indeed, the spiritual circle around Peter Dunov never had any external organizational structure. The Master instructed with his word and his life those close to him - his disciples -to observe the ethics and the laws of the Great White Brotherhood. He taught them to be worthy persons, founders of the future society of self-awareness, high morality and internal organization. He gave them rules and recommended natural methods. Dunov often spoke on behalf of the White Brotherhood: "We are creators in this world; we build, we bring into being all that is magnificent and beautiful in it. While we are in Bulgaria, working here, the Bulgarians may be sure of their existence and well-being." "We can show you how to apply the science of life. We will draw knowledge from the living nature. However, this should be taken up by many men and women, by many workers. We will experiment and show the world the first model of renewing modern society. We do not demand blind faith and we will not call on you: come with us, be our followers. We want to present a model that anyone can follow and be devoted to the law of love." "Whoever wishes to join us, let him take off his shoes and come closer. Whoever wishes to become a member of the Brotherhood must offer his soul in a God-pleasing sacrifice." "In the White Brotherhood, everything is like in music. We neither reject nor call anyone. God calls, and the called may reject himself. In that, you are free: no one can grieve you, but no one can save you from the consequences, either." Freedom was the main law of the small society that was later named the White Brotherhood, after the invisible Luminous Presence around the Master. Every one of its members was spiritually connected with him, and the Master was working on his awareness. This society was the successor of the Fellowship of Love. The way to it passed through Love, and it acted by means of Truth. These were the two prerequisites for attaining Wisdom. This physical projection of the great Invisible Brotherhood had its unwritten rules, the five virtues of the Pentagram: Truth, Equity, Love, Wisdom and Virtue. Observing them meant doing the will of God. The members of the Brotherhood were not many. They were pure of heart, with enlightened minds and generous souls, and lived in harmony with the Spirit.

Sunday Lectures Gradually, the circle of visitors expanded, and so did the subject matter of the lectures - with practical methods and profound interpretation of complex psychological issues. The lectures were perfused with vigorous optimism. The silent communication during these lectures was full of internal meaning. All sorts of questions were asked openly or Dunov read them in the thoughts of those present and answered them in the course of his lecture. An exchange between souls was taking place. Sometimes Dunov's lectures created the impression of fragmentariness and lack of logical consistency. What they did not fall in with, however, was the human notion of logic. In the lectures where the soul asks questions and the Spirit answers, different laws are at work. Their purpose is the renewal of the souls. "My lectures dress my listeners' wounds," Dunov said and added: "What I am saying to you, I can present in a strictly scientific form, in scientific formulae, but they will be even harder to grasp. In all that has been said there are general questions, equally understandable and useful to all." One thing is certain: everyone who attended the Sunday lectures could feel the power of the Word, charging the audience with a special positive, creative energy. In their structure, Peter Dunov's Sunday lectures resembled Evangelical sermons. Interpreting an excerpt from the Bible, he gave answers to topical problems. His argumentation was always based on contemporary scientific thought. Thus, he gradually displaced religious notions with scientific ones. From 1911 on, the Sunday lectures became open to the public. They began at 10 a.m. and continued about an hour. The room at 66 Opalchenska St. became too small for the audience so it gathered in the yard. There the listeners sat on benches and chairs: the older in front, the younger behind them. Later, Boris Nikolov said of the lectures in Opalchenska St.: "There I heard some of the best lectures the Master ever gave. We were enthralled and filled with admiration. His words were a revelation for us younger people." Peter Dunov spoke from the room, sitting at a small table by the window. The audience was never disturbed by this unusual arrangement. These conditions were also a factor of spiritual growth. If one was unprepared to bear the unfavourable weather conditions, he would not be able to handle difficulties in life. In winter, in the snow-covered yard, listeners would often spend more than an hour in the freezing cold. It was what they learned that mattered. That was why they were there. Each of them took home what he had needed most, a solution to his particular problem.

Peter Dunov in Sofia The Goumnerov family in whose home Peter Dunov first settled in Sofia. During his travels around the country, Peter Dunov often visited Sofia. Life in the capital city was more intensive. The new spiritual movements gained ground more easily. Theosophy and spiritism enjoyed universal interest: numerous circles, societies, and groups followed the fashionable theories. Various branches of Protestantism - Baptists, Methodists, etc. - also flourished in the capital city. Peter Dunov met with a lot of new people. They would come to him. Often their beliefs were opposite to his but he would not argue with them. Used to observing and analyzing, he found useful in every encounter. Dunov often attended the talks of popular lecturers. He followed closely the latest books, looking for manifestations of free thought. Soon he met Dimitar Golov, a popular personality in intellectual circles. He had studied Catholic theology in Rome and had spent some time as a missionary in Africa but then gave up priesthood for a career in book publishing. Golov was the first one in Sofia to publish occult literature. His bookstore in Alabin St. was more like a club where one could find interesting reading, discuss philosophical issues and acquire new spiritual knowledge. Dunov's followers from the country would meet in that bookstore. The house of the Goumnerov family in 66, Opalchenska St. The knowledge of the occult in Peter Dunov's lectures, his experience and profound erudition in many spheres of life quickly made him popular in Sofia. A circle was formed whose interest to his ideas urged him to spend a longer time in Sofia. He usually stayed with Evangelist friends. Sometimes he stayed at Golov's place or rented briefly a room in the outer districts. In the fall of 1904, a young Evangelist family of the name of Goumnerov joined the group. They invited Dunov to move to their place and he accepted. The Goumnerov house was in 66, Opalchenska St., a twin-house with Evangelist Dimitar Mihailov living next door. By some odd coincidence, in Opalchenska St. Dunov and the young Georgi Dimitrov, the future leader of the Bulgarian working class, became neighbours. The house was small, consisting of three tiny rooms. The Goumnerov family lived in one, Peter Deunov had the room looking on to the street, and the third gradually became the first hall for spiritual meetings. Dunov started giving talks to a small circle of close friends. Some of them would put down his words. Often he offered answers to questions that had not been asked. This is why his talks were often referred to as "classes"; those who attended them felt as if they were at school. Peter Dunov's room.; The dining room.

The Testament of the Colour Rays And God said This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth... (Genesis 9:12-15) In the summer of 1912, before the Fellowship's annual convention, Peter Dunov spent two months in the village of Arbanassi. His experience there resembled what had happened with Moses on Mount Sinai. In Arbanassi Peter Dunov was alone. He was immersed in the spiritual atmosphere of the Word. He lived with Truth in his mind. Later he told his disciples: "Living with the Truth means being enwrapped with the light of the working Divine Spirit. Only the Truth reveals God's creative work. It is a magnificent stream, descending from the kingdom of light and forming the colours in the lower worlds." Seeking to pave the way for the Truth, Peter Dunov seized the colours in that magnificent stream and put them into a small book entitled The Testament of the Colour Rays. The book consists of lines from the Bible organized in ten manifestations of the Spirit. The Spirit of Love and the Spirit of Light emitted the red colour, the Spirit of Promise the orange, the Spirit of Wisdom the yellow, the Eternal Spirit the green, the Spirit of Truth the blue, the Spirit of Power the violet, the Spirit of Blessing the amethyst colour, and the Spirit of Christ the diamond white. Then comes the Father of Lights and Fruit of the Spirit, the white ray combining all colours. The closing passage of the book is a sacred decree of the Spirit to be engraved in every soul. The Testament of the Colour Rays concentrates the creative energy of the Word that is visible and colourful to the keen-eyed. The lines from the Bible are combined and invested with spiritual meaning according to the energy they radiate. This energy is the key to a higher knowledge of the world of Lights, the practical means for the transformation of the physical world's energies. In it, each of the seven colours of the spectrum stands for a particular human virtue. When a man uses them consciously, he becomes one with the creative powers of Nature whose objective is the universal good. At the end of the annual convention in 1912, Peter Dunov handed a small booklet to each of the 63 participants. Each bore his original signature on the first page. He advised them to work with the energies of Light for their own and for universal elevation. This was the testament to the disciples and Peter Dunov who would soon become popular as the Master. His disciples were to be the first to learn to recognize his spiritual Presence. To achieve that, they had to be the first to fulfill his Commandment! The first page of the volume. The Commandment of the Master Love the perfect path of Truth and Life. Place goodness as the foundation of your house. Justice as its measure. Love as its adornment. Wisdom as its boundary. Truth as its beacon. Only then will you know me and I will reveal myself to you.

The Pentagram The presence of certain images in the lecture hall was very important to the participants. The images accompanying the daily manifestation of the Word were invested with complex meaning. Three ribbons - blue, red and orange -were drawn on the table around which the participants were sitting in a strict arrangement. An image of Christ was on the wall. The 1911 convention of the Fellowship was remarkable for the introduction of an emblem of spiritual pursuit. A pentagram with symbols and drawings was placed next to the image of Christ. As a symbol of the soul's evolution, it was to become a sacral image in Peter Dunov's activity. He spoke to the Fellowship of the meaning and the application of the pentagram as early as in 1908: "Virtue, equity, love, wisdom, and truth and the five great creative forces. Where they are, God is. They will secure your admission anywhere, but they are given to you not for philosophic contemplation but for practical application." Three years later the Pentagram was put up in 0.5x1 m size. The last day of the convention, on the 15th of August, Peter Dunov handed a copy to each participant, telling them: "This image is given to you to contemplate and study. Our wish is to build in you a hearth, an altar to God. The Lord manifests in a nation only when there is a hearth for Him.” The Pentagram is the image of a man with outstretched arms and legs. Its five points symbolize five steps in the elevation of the human soul. In a biblical sense, these are related to important events that took place on five famous mounts: Ararat, Moriah, Sinai, Tabor, and Golgotha. The first disciples who received the Pentagram in Veliko Tarnovo were given the following explanation: There you will face the door, start praying to Cod and make a confession; you will say that you have not been able to lead a good life and ask to take the new path so that you may live well. The door will then open and you will walk in the path of Truth where you will start contemplating the profound Divine order, the karma, generally, the inner aspects of life. The outer circle of the Pentagram represents secular people; the inner circle represents the disciples of occultism; the centre is the holy abode of the Initiated. Each circle consists of five steps of elevation, or five phases one has to pass through to complete a circle of development. THE BOOK From the open book, you •will learn the reason for your suffering. THE LETTER B It represents our Lord Jesus Christ and means "Lord of the Firmament". THE EYE Then you will reach the field of Wisdom, the radiance of the eye where you will reflect on the deepest order of things; there you will understand why Cod arranged the world as it is. An ancient symbol of free thought. It controls air and the forces acting through it. In ancient Egypt that was the symbol of the god Ra. THE LETTER „Ж“ This is the symbol of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and of equality of secular and ecclesiastical power. THE CUP Suffering is the cup which resembles a flower because through the endurance of suffering your life will blossom and from the blossom good fruit will be given. THE FIRST DOOR There you will face the door, start praying to God and make a confession; you will say that you have not been able to lead a good life and ask to take the new path so that you may live well. The door will then open and you will walk in the path of Truth where you will start contemplating the profound Divine order, the karma, generally, the inner aspects of life. THE GREAT MASTER CHRIST Having entered through the door you will meet the Great Master Christ and build a permanent bond with Him. THE LETTER Y "Y", stands for "Saviour" THE CANDLE Thus you will reach the candle whose light will reveal to you how you can be of service to others, and you will start reasoning. THE TREE OF LIFE Finally, you will arrive at the tree of life where with the knowledge you have acquired you will dwell in Heaven and enjoy the blessings of the Lord. THE HOLY OF HOLIES It symbolizes the forces that arc at work in man. The axis is the human spine around which spirals the vital energy, the prana. The two snakes are the two channels along which it flows up to the Third Eye whose symbol is the swastika. THE SCEPTRE When you begin studying people, you will get to the law of equity - the Sceptre which means that you must not yield. From that point on, when one has lit the light of his mind, the first mundane cycle of his development is completed and he enters the second circle known as spiritual. THE SECOND DOOR Then you will walk through the second door, the door of Love, and will look for sufferers whom you may help. THE SWORD The sword represents the power which should be either m your muscles, or in your minds, or in your hearts. Without this power, you cannot achieve anything. If you are in possession of this power, while you live and work with people you will make mistakes and will pay for them, with suffering. You need to learn to endure your suffering with patience. The symbol of the Sun, the source of life. THE FIGURES 1-2-3-4-5 The five phases of development that man passed in the physical world. Five centres of important processes. They move continually. A man working on his self-perfection passes consciously through them, studying certain rules, laws, and methods. THE PENTAGRAM AS A YANTRA In the process of spiritual development. one can use the Pentagram as a yantra, i.e. an object for contemplation. Through meditation, one is idem died with this sacred image and obtains internal knowledge of its true meaning. The only condition to achieve this is to gain perfect control over one's breathing. "Study this image often and contemplate its symbols. The five steps in it represent a path which is hard to walk because it is not a path of philosophizing but of acts, of never-ending creativeness. This is the path of Christ." "Remember how important is the formula inscribed around the pentagram: In the fulfillment of the will of God lies the power of the human soul." Colour pentagram by F. Shliater, 1922; Pentagram, 1911.

Principles of the New Teaching THE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW TEACHING are Love, Wisdom, Truth, Equity, and Virtue. As supreme cosmic forces, they operate in every mind. Even if this process is unconscious, it is most important for the individual. In order to adopt these five principles as the basis of your life, you need to develop those brain centres that are responsible for their implementation. Once you have evolved a highly ethical value system, you will find the meaning of your lite and you will realize that perfection is its only purpose. The five principles are graphically represented in the Pentagram, the symbol of human development, of the man who walks the path of self-perfection. Love "The entire universe, the physical world as a whole are materialized, love. Love comprises all conditions, all methods, all possibilities for the development of the human soul towards perfection. It is the collective manifestation of all intelligent beings who have completed their evolution and have become one with God. In man. Love is an aspiration of the heart, a deep-felt emotion, a mental power and a spiritual principle. Love is now being established as a principle in the world." Wisdom "Wisdom is a world which, from times immemorial, has been the abode of everything created by God, by the sublime spirits and by a man on earth. It is the never-dying light of boundless space. It was through Wisdom that God created the Universe. The path of Wisdom is the most difficult of all paths. It is the path of the Masters. Once the light of Wisdom shines in your soul, everything in your mind goes to its proper place. All ideas become clear and distinct and harmony sets in." Truth "Truth is the supreme part of man. Through you, he can transcend the limits of death-dependent temporary life and enjoy eternal freedom. It is a world of indescribable beauty where everything is strictly defined. Truth tolerates no ignorance, weakness or impurity. He who wants to be perfect should go to the Truth. Truth converses with the suns, its purpose is sublime and distant. Where Truth is, there is clarity. The world is engendered by it. It is the beginning and the end of all things, the manifestation of the One God Who created the conditions for the development of the human spirit and soul, for the search of better life and more light in this immense world." Equity "Equity is an important internal process of distribution of the gifts of God. It determines the relations between human souls. In order to reach perfection, a person must make Divine Equity the first step of his life. It is the basis on which Love manifests. Equity is the physical aspect of Love. Without it, there can be no growth. Only when the principle of Equity is observed, the due respect among humans will be established." Virtue "Virtue is the foundation of life. It is an ongoing creative process. True virtue is the bearer of life, light, and freedom. It is a basic connection in life. Without it, it is impossible to acquire knowledge. Virtue is a prerequisite for human perfection and a path towards Divine Love."

The Basics of Health IN ORDER TO FULFIL THE MISSION OF HIS LIFE, a man must, first of all, be perfectly healthy. To be able to live for the Whole and to function as a cell of the Great Universal Organism, he must be healthy. The Master taught his disciples to maintain the life rhythm of their organisms by using the positive forces of Nature. According to his teaching, the main healing factors are the sun, the air, the water and the food. Sun "Between the sun and the human organism, there is the same connection as between God and the human soul. Without this connection human development is impossible. The sun is the source of living energy for the entire Solar System. The most powerful are the first rays of the rising sun in the morning. This is also the time when the human organism is most receptive to the energy of the sun. What the sun gives is to be received and processed Human beings absorb solar energy from the brain, lungs, stomach, and body. There is intelligence in that energy. To greet the rising sun means to consciously become one with it so that its energy may flow through your organism. The more sunlight you absorb, the more mildness and magnetism you acquire. By greeting light with love, you benefit from it." Air "It is on proper breathing that health depends. By breathing correctly, you remove the physical and mental disorders and gradually renew your life and install harmony in it. By proper breathing, I mean drawing on the vital energy, the prana, which is contained in the air. In spring, go out of town for a walk, away from the dust and fumes of the city, and provide at least an hour for breathing and exercises. April, May, and June are the richest in healing energy. They are highly beneficial and should be made use of. It is good to drink hot water which opens up the pores. They also open up when you sweat and the toxins are eliminated from the system. Carrying water is a good method for maintaining health. It improves the circulation, develops the respiratory system and brings about sweating. When you carry water, you also absorb some of its magnetism, which also has a healing effect." Water "Water is the bearer of life, of prana. He who knows how to use that prana can easily cure himself. Water takes away the excess heat from the organism and restores its balance. In order to be healthy, you need to drink a certain amount of water. Its significance for the human organism is the same as its significance in nature. A definite amount of water has to be consumed daily by each organism. By drinking it correctly, you become one with the water's magnetic properties. The water cleanses the organism. It brings life! If you want to be healthy, remember the beneficial effect of water on the organism! It regulates the nervous system, cleanses the organism, dissolves the harmful deposits and is a good conductor of magnetism." Food "The hygiene of life should start with the proper use of the light that is stored in plants and fruits. Every organism needs a specific diet which is beneficial to both the physical and the spiritual and mental development of the individual. Given the present conditions of life, one should best be vegetarian. Meat puts negative elements into the organism chat are hard to handle. They produce a negative effect on both physical and mental life. Your longevity depends on the right diet. Through food, you absorb materials that you use to build not only your body but your soul as well. The diet also determines your health. You should choose the purest food of the best quality to obtain a positive effect on your system. I do not recommend meat as it contains little light and heat. Vegetables and fruit contain more light and heat. It is better to receive food in its primary form. It is advisable to have your meals after dawn in the morning, and before sunset in the evening. You should eat in a good mood, without being disturbed. The way you eat your food is important. Hasty and careless meals are harmful to the organism, You have to eat consciously in order to benefit from your food. The most important thing is the feeling of gratitude during your meals. Your future depends on the food you eat. The purer and the healthier it is, the better and the brighter future lies ahead."

The Annual Conventions The first convention of the Fellowship in Varna in July 1990 was followed by two annual meetings in Bourgas, held in early August. Answering his disciples' frequent inquiries about the convention's date, Peter Dunov said: "I will come in time, exactly when God has commanded and will bring you His blessing. This year He will guide us in everything. For now, have patience!" "I shall come to Bourgas next Wednesday, on the 1st next month, and what our Lord has destined we shall do." At one of the Fellowship's conventions in Bourgas, Peter Dunov explained the significance of the material obligation to God that he referred to as "Divine tithe." All members of the Fellowship, Dunov himself included, promised to contribute a tenth of their income to a fund for the divine mission. This contribution was never discussed with outsiders because it had to do with a person's sacred relationship with God. After each lecture, Peter Dunov regularly transferred his contribution to Todor Stoimenov in Bourgas. From 1904 to 1908 the annual conventions were held in Varna, invariably in August. All participants had personal invitations from Dunov, so that "the good seed" might fall in "good soil." The spiritual truth presented at these conventions would have been inaccessible to an unprepared mind, but to an enlightened mind, they amounted to divine revelations. Most of the attendants had knowledge of spiritism and deeply believed that the invisible world was real and inhabited by a variety of creatures who, when required, could manifest in the physical world, too. Thus, they were not surprised when Dunov spoke to them of the Spirit of Christ. He sought to recruit them for the forthcoming mission but their mirids were still tuned to human concerns. "You are tempted by the minutest contradictions in life. You have not yet learned to serve God! You insist on your "bread and fish." You want miracles, you want auguries. They will be given to you, but not as you expect them to be. I will see to it that no doubt is left in your hearts. He who doubts me cannot have faith in the truth, nor can he find it. There, I am talking to you through your brother and if you believe, you will see the truth of my words, for the truth of my words, is seen in life. Peace be with you!" Later Maria Kazakova who attended the convention in Varna in 1905 wrote to Dr. Mirkovich: "There is something supernatural, something divine about Mr. Dunov. He often speaks on behalf of Christ, or as if he is Christ Himself. In our sessions, God said about Mr. Dunov: 'He is My prophet and your Master. Listen to Him! He is My image and is meek and humble like Me. Peter Dunov is a ray of My Spirit! He is permanently in association with Me and knows everything but he is not allowed to reveal it all at once to you. He will do that gradually, according to your spiritual elevation." Until 1908, the annual conventions were held in Varna. The number of the attendants gradually increased. People who got in touch with Dunov as a result of his many lectures around the country joined the Fellowship: expanding the circle of positive-minded people with spiritual aspirations. From 1909 to 1915, the conventions were held in Attanas Boynov's villa in Veliko Tarnovo. The rules remained unchanged: a personal invitation by Peter Dunov was required for participation. The objective was to create a link with the spiritual world, for universal elevation and enlightenment. "We are linked in a chain that encircles the earth," Peter Dunov said in 1909. "We need to create a better soil so that better spirits may reincarnate in Bulgaria. It is the purpose of this Fellowship to prepare the ground." The sole and all-important requirement to the members of the Fellowship was to observe its three laws: The Three Laws of the Fellowship "Love your Lord God with all your heart, soul and mind, with all your vigour: in Him, you will find your health, your happiness, and your bliss. Love your neighbour as you love yourself; in him, you will find support for your elevation. Be you perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect: in Him, you will find the way to eternal life, the source of all wealth." Veliko Tarnovo, Id August 1909. The annual conventions did not involve any particular rituals although they included acts that were actually close to sacraments, like the Ford's Supper. It was served at the first conventions in memory of the self-sacrifice of Christ and consisted only of bread, wine and fruit. Each participant had the task to provide one of the foods for the Lord's Supper. Thus, right from the start, the principle of communal life was established. Every day in the course of a week, Peter Deunov delivered one or more lectures. He would welcome the participants with an address giving them the Spirit's message. His talks were on topical issues, often in response to participants' questions. He gave them instructions about their work over the following year, introduced prayer duties and exercises for mental concentration and health. Spiritual songs were sung. The general atmosphere of the event was mystical. The participants felt as if they were standing in front of an altar. Each of them realized that being part of the Fellowship was a sacred rite and deeply revered the mysterious communion with the Spirit. The Spirit was constantly manifested. Peter Dunov insistently called upon his brothers not to interrupt this mystical manifestation with disbelief and doubt. Unanimity was the best guarantee of the Divine Mission's success, and trust was its first prerequisite. Still, doubt managed to creep in and hinder their work. Shedding it proved beyond the abilities of some minds. Peter Dunov was adamant; he would not tolerate that: "Christ gathered you here, He teaches you, speaks to you, and yet you ask how you can know Him. The Christ I am preaching to you is among you, you can hear His voice but you cannot see Him, After all, the Divine water has to pass through a fountain, be it large or small. Watch the water you are given instead of gazing at the fountain. I cannot repeat often enough that what I am saying is dictated by the One Who sent me, no matter what anyone should think or say." "The new religion is the teaching of Christ in the physical plane, it is the religion of beautiful forms, music, harmony, and poetry. In poetry, this is rhythm, in music it is harmony, and in the purely physical world, it is physical beauty. This is the external aspect of religion. We need to go back to the veritable teaching of Christ."

Christ and the Great Brotherhood of the Universal The miraculous image of Christ on the Turin shroud. THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST is the source of Knowledge from which Peter Dunov drew to preach. It dated back to his early years and gave spiritual completeness to his life. According to Dunov, Christ provides the only path that the human soul could take to find God. His teaching is a modern interpretation of the ideas and principles of Christ. Peter Dunov believed that the energy of Christ was driving human progress. He associated the Spirit of Christ with the Great Brotherhood of the Universal which governs the development of humanity. Christ is the head of its hierarchy. The Brotherhood operates in the spiritual sphere and consists of highly developed beings ?who have completed their evolution on earth and have come to control all space. Christ "To me, Christ and His teaching are not a thing of the past. Neither do I regard them as something yet to come in the future. I believe that Christ and His teaching are the eternal presents. To me, Christ is not an abstract principle but a real embodiment of Love. Both as a historical person and as a cosmic phenomenon and a mystical experience, Christ remains the perfect expression of Love. The physical aspect of Christ is the entire humanity in one body. All the angels in the heart of Christ represent His spiritual aspect. All the deities in His mind represent His divine aspect. This is the cosmic Christ: God manifested on earth. One of the greatest delusions is that Christ is in the heavens, waiting for Doomsday to pass judgment over the living and the dead. The truth is that Christ never left the earth. Remember what He says: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in the earth." It is Christ that has been driving and will continue to drive the historical, cosmic and mystical life of humanity. Without Christ, there can be no history. Without Christ, there can be no cosmos. He is the great inspirer of all insights at all times, the invisible motor of humankind's spiritual life. Christ is the Way, the intelligent progress of the soul towards the eternal life of Truth. This is why He says: "To this end was I born, and for this cause came 1 into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth". For a sublime spirit such as Christ, it is not easy to come among the humans. By descending to earth, however, he opened a new epoch of human development. He showed the only path by which the human soul could ascend to God. Having come from the Divine world of Truth into the material world, Christ established a connection between human souls and the world of Truth where the great purpose of residing. Many say that Christ came to this world to suffer and save humanity. If Christ had saved humanity in the mechanical way people claim, and if all men had indeed been saved, they would not be living in total disregard of the spirit of Christ's teaching. Evidently, the idea of redemption has an entirely different meaning. Deliverance is not where people expect to find it, nor does it come mechanically as they believe it should. What Christ brought to earth was the science of the soul. He showed the human souls how they could know the Lord and acquire eternal life. The gate to the path is Love. Some people believe Christ will come again like the first time, in the outer world. No, Christ will come in the physical world, neither in human nor in any other form. When the rays of sunshine enter your home, does it mean that the sun visited you? Christ is the embodiment of God's Love. He will come as an inner light in human hearts and minds. The opening of the human hearts and minds and the accepting of Christ: dial will die return of Christ to earth. When the Gospels speak of the Spirit descending upon Jesus, that denotes the connection of Jesus with the collective spirit of the noetic world which made possible the materialization of a Divine idea. For this is the law in this world: for the work of God to be carried out, a human being must be connected with a noetic being. In the case of Jesus, that was the collective Divine Spirit. Thus, Christ represents a collective spirit. He existed as an entity but is also a collective spirit. He is the embodiment of all sons of God whose hearts and souls radiate life and love. Christ announced the arrival of a culture without the crucifixion, a culture of resurrection. I am talking of the living Christ, the Christ Who bears life, the Christ Who bears living knowledge and light, the Christ Who bears truth and freedom, the Christ Who bears all methods for leading a wise life. He is the sublime Christ Who is at the head of the Sublime Universal Brotherhood." The Sublime Universal Brotherhood "There is a magnificent universal organism of perfect, highly developed beings that form the Sublime Universal Brotherhood. These beings are infinitely more advanced even than the geniuses on earth, for they had their descent much earlier from the Primordial Humans. They have all walked a certain path of development under the guidance of the Divine Spirit, and have reached their present stage of advancement. This hierarchy of noetic beings who completed their evolution millions of years before the humans now govern the entire universe. According to their knowledge and stage of development, and according to their function, they are arranged in a hierarchy whose ranks are as follows: seraphims, brothers of love; cherubs, brothers of harmony; thrones, brothers of will; dominions, brothers of intelligence and joy; powers, brothers and movement and growth; principalities, brothers of outer forms and arts; rulers, brothers of time, state and tact; archangels, brothers of flame and heat; and angels, bearers of life and vegetation. The tenth order is for the advanced human souls. Collectively, these represent the Sublime Cosmic Man. The Sublime Universal Brotherhood is the only supreme community existing in the world today. Its members govern the development of mankind and guide it towards a fine future. They do not form a visible society or organization; they are a living collective body, a noetic community outside the corrupted circumstances of human life. This is why it is ridiculous to claim that the seat of this brotherhood is here or there, in this nation or that."

The First Convention Again favourable conditions were created for a meeting with the first three disciples. This time Dr. Mirkovich promised to attend. On the 18th of July 1900, Penyu Kirov and Todor Stoimenov arrived in Varna. Again they were the first to get to the appointed place. Penyu Kirov was impatient and wrote to Dunov in Novi Pazar: "Brother Dunov, Todor and I are waiting in Varna; tomorrow, on Wednesday, the doctor will arrive also; should you be late, please let us know." Then he added concernedly: "Did you receive them. the doctor sent you?" The event is known as the First Convention of the Fellowship finally took place in Varna from the 19th to the 23rd of July. During these days the three disciples realized how important their attendance had been. What the Spirit expected from them was to grasp the need to observe the commitments they had made and sealed with their signatures. Their obedience and readiness was the supporting point for the spiritual change God wanted to achieve in people's minds. Dunov told them about the "seven conversations with the Spirit". They were the most important subject of the First Convention, investing it with meaning and killing it with the special atmosphere of the Spiritual Presence. Baptism in Devnya River The most important event in a Christian's life is the sacrament of baptism. Penyu Kirov wrote in his diary: "On the 23rd of July 1900, Sunday, at 5 a.m., I was purged of sin and was baptized in Christ in the river Devnia near the railway bridge in Varna, by brother Peter K. Dunov." This was the single occasion on which Peter Dunov performed this sacrament.

The Seven Conversations with the Spirit In his spiritual seclusion, Peter Dunov was always open for the messages of the Spirit. The failed attempt to bring all disciples together in April did not break his faith. Waiting confidently for the time for action to arrive, he was given a sign that God was steadily with him. From the 25th of June to the 9th of July he received seven messages containing advice and instructions for his forthcoming spiritual mission. They marked another step towards the new understanding of life that he was to impart. These messages he called "Seven conversations with the Spirit." From "The first Conversation' "I should also announce to you that in your soul God is preparing a grand transformation given only to His sons. Your soul will soon look with new eyes at the world and at everything around you." From "Second Conversation ": "This is why I am here, to speak to you of the Truth so that you may comprehend it and always have it as a guide in your life." "There, I will work for you with My Spirit that is incomprehensible to the world. His Force will be in My Word, and My Blessing in My Grace. Now, engrave My words in your heart and do not negotiate on the future. Engrave them and watch them come alive, for man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live." From "Third Conversation' "There, I am the One Who gives life to the Word of God and to every heart that embraces it. The True One Who speaks and reveals to you the secrets of the Kingdom of God for you to grasp. I am with you everywhere, protecting you in everything, and I give you my blessing to grow and perfect your knowledge of My Word." From "Fourth Conversation' "It is necessary that you be born in God and in His Spirit. This is why I am here to do this act in your soul, as ordained by God Who with His eternal judgment decided to do you this good, invest you with eternal life and take you to His Kingdom as a Son of Truth destined to serve Him. You will serve Him with the guidance of the Spirit Who speaks to you through Me and Who works in your heart to bring about the embodiment of God in you." From "Fifth Conversation' "In your life, as I told you before, a grand transformation is to take place, like I said in the previous conversation. You cannot progress any further without this internal conversion." From "Sixth Conversation”: "Keep in your heart what I have told you, for time will confirm my words and the truth I gave you from my heart because I am the True One, now and forever. There, you will see with your own eyes the internal renewal in your soul." From "Seventh Conversation": "This people has a conversion to undergo. Transformations are to take place in the rule that God will soon install. A power is to pass through this country, a man who will come from God to proclaim the Truth. There will be Authority and Power in his words. His face will shine like an angel's, and divine flames will glow in his eyes. Our days announce the future." "Great events are to take place in this world before My return, but I will always be down here until the appointed time arrives." On the 10th of July, two days after the last Conversation, Peter Dunov described this event in detail in a letter to Penyu Kirov. The letter reflects the amazing course of events in his Spirit-guided life. Dear brother Kirov, I received your letter today and I hurry to answer you. lean see that the finger of God is involved here. For ten or fifteen days relatives in Shoumen have been insisting that 1 visit them and spend some time with them but an internal voice was holding me back, telling me that God has opened for me the road to Varna and that I will shortly have to go there to do the Lord's will. When I was told that I was a little surprised because I could see no reason and the Divine Spirit had not illumined my mind. Several times I prayed to God to tell me whether I could be wrong or whether an evil spirit could be misleading me to give up the other invitation but the answer was the same: it was there that God wanted me to go, and I was to wait for the Lord to reveal to me the reason. Then God through His Spirit ordered me to put down the words he had to say to me. Then, in seven Conversations he revealed to me everything we need to know for now about His Will in regard to us. In the last conversation, there are things that concern all of you, and you have to know everything. God began to speak to me on the 25th of June, and His last conversation ended on the 8th of July. When the conversations ended, I took the last three and was about to send them to you when God told me to wait and not send them. Again I was surprised that God should hide something from my knowledge. Wait, the Divine Spirit repeated. Everything must be done by His Will. 1 was perplexed until today. Peace be with you, brothers, may there not be a misunderstanding among you. The Lord is coming to do away with the evil sown by the Satan, Watch out not to offend the Lord Who is so benevolent to all of us who have promised to serve Him faithfully, never turning back. Tell brother Todor and give him my regards. I beg him, should anything happen, to contain his spirit of the Love of God. When we meet and share our feelings and thoughts, and when the Spirit of God is with us, everything will become clear. I am ready to come to Varna and even to Bourgas if this is the will of God. If God chose Varna, come. I shall be there. I do think this place was designated by Him, for he put the same desire in your hearts. Give my special regards to Dr. Mirkovich and tell him the happy news that God has imparted to us all. Faithfully yours, P. K. Dunov

Spirit, Soul, and Body To direct the disciples' minds away from the influences of everyday life, Peter Dunov often spoke of the essence of the spirit, the soul, and the body. He explained their universal meaning. Without knowledge of these three entities, a person is unable to understand his place as an integral part of the Universe. The Master gave methods for individual work, too. Only he who has felt his spiritual substance and knows himself as spirit, soul, and body can transcend the triviality of life and see reality. Spirit "By 'Spirit' I mean the Divine Life which sorts out and processes the material for the human mind. The spirit is the supreme principle of man. The human spirit and the human mind are shapeless because they are in continual movement. That movement is like an extending ray. It is through the Spirit that man can know God. The Spirit unites the two origins of man, the base and the noble, and of their unity the new human is born." Soul "The soul dwells in the heavens. Should it leave a person, he is sorrowful and miserable. Should it visit him again, he is filled with joy. The soul is a Divine substance through which Divine Love manifests. The mind and the heart assist the soul, and the Spirit guides it. The soul abides in the organs' functions and makes use of the energy they receive and transmit. The human soul which originates from God is a specific element of the spiritual world. It is a principle that is inseparable from God. The human soul includes a number of qualities and forces, as well as abilities and gifts that may manifest at any moment. It is absolutely free and can act independently from the brain but it uses the nervous system only for its manifestations in the physical world. When the soul is in the body, the person feels big and strong. When it is not, he feels small and weak. You need to make your body fit for the soul to reside in it longer." Body "For the human being, the body is the vehicle of the soul. The human being is not in the body. To him, it is but a small house for temporary use. During the human being's stay on earth, his soul resides occasionally in that house. Man studies in three schools simultaneously. The body studies on earth. Every cell in his organism has a definite function, but at the same time, it learns as well. The soul learns in the spiritual world and the spirit in the Divine world. A person must study and know himself to be able to understand his place in the Universe. It is important for him to comprehend himself, not humanity as a whole. He must understand his function, his role in the organism of nature."

The Unsuccessful Convention Attempt Seeking to introduce his three disciples to the atmosphere of higher spirituality, Peter Dunov invited them for a special meeting in Varna. Their correspondence had prepared them for the convention and they knew that they would lay the foundation of a pious mission. The Spirit whose guidance Peter Dunov followed strictly chose the date April 6, 1900, when they were to come to "the complete agreement that God wants." In his letter to Dr. Mirkovich Dunov wrote: "It depends on your present attitude to the will of God. If you love Him with all your heart, surrender to His will and do everything that His Spirit demands, He, the Lord Jesus will welcome you to the home of His Kingdom where you will meet all His divine elects. In that sacred communion, you will enjoy the great peace in which all virtues reign." Each of the three disciples received a personal invitation: Penyu Kirov and Todor Stoimenov in Bourgas, and Dr. Mirkovich in Sliven. Kirov and Stoimenov did not hesitate for a second. Penyu Kirov replied: "Thank God that the time has come to begin His sacred Mission. It is my desire to work for the glory of God. I am preparing for the trip." However, the answer of Dr. Mirkovich, the founder of spiritism in Bulgaria, was less enthusiastic. He suggested that the convention be put off, if possible, "until the weather gets warmer". The doctor's refusal to attend spoiled the "complete agreement" but Peter Dunov never commented on his decision because he had expected it. "I had taken everything into account right from the start and I would not have disturbed you but I decided to inform you and thus do my obligation, lest you should feel hurt. In many aspects you have not yet understood me right," he wrote to him. The doctor refused to attend the convention but the other two headed to Varna as agreed. Penyu Kirov arrived as early as the 30th of March. Until the coming of Peter Dunov, they exchanged letters and telegrams. Penyu was insistent, "looking forward to this day, long-awaited and hard-to-reach." The reason Dunov had not yet arrived were financial difficulties. Penyu realized that and offered kindly his help: "You are telling me about some minor obstacles. God will provide... I am sending you a ten-leva note..." The long-planned convention finally took place. On the 4th of May, Peter Dunov wrote to Dr. Mirkovich: "Around Easter, we were in Varna where we met our friends, had several gatherings, discussed many things and drew a conclusion. We would have been glad to have you with us but apparently such was the will of God."

Phrenological Studies Eleven years Peter Dunov traveled the country and gave lectures on the informative value of sciences such as phrenology, chiromancy, and astrology. After each lecture, he met new people and answered their questions. This is how he carried out his study of the Bulgarian national character, applying the scientific methods of phrenology. He measured the skulls of his interlocutors and determined the features of their character. The results of these studies were used for the development of phrenological charts. Each new chart revealed further the Bulgarians' potential, the features that would assure the nation's future. In 1901 Dunov wrote for the Rodina magazine a series of five articles on phrenology entitled Sculls and Faces." As a science, phrenology is based on observation. Its principles are simple and plain truths, open to every eye and mind. Therefore, they can be verified and proved just like the laws of chemistry or natural science. In that, it differs from all other systems, preceding it in the field of psychology, for it is founded not on hypotheses but on facts, proved and accepted as true", he explained. With his phrenological studies, Peter Dunov checked the "installation" through which the energy of the New Philosophy would pass. Faithful to his spiritual programme of 1896, he used the means of both science and education. Science was important in his public activity, in his travels and lectures, and education, in his relationship with the small group of disciples in the Fellowship of Love. Both methods aimed to awaken in people's souls a desire for the development of more sophisticated senses. Dunov remarked modestly: "We are sowing the good seed, and God will make it germinate as He deems right." A phrenological chart showing the location of the different faculties in the human head by R. N. Fowler. 1. Attraction to the other sex. A. A propensity for matrimony and married life. 2. Love for children, desire to produce an offspring. 3. A propensity for communication and friendship. 4. Patriotism, love for the home and the native land. Б. Vitality: thirst for life, steadiness, endurance. 5. Persistence, staunchness. 6. Self-preservation, self-protection, courage. 7. A propensity for destruction, violence, rage, irritability, and contentiousness. 8. A propensity for eating, drinking, and voracity. 9. Propensity and aspiration for making money, accumulating wealth, frugality and parsimony. 10. Surreptitiousness, suspiciousness, inquisitiveness, self-possession, taste for investigation. 11. Cautiousness, fear. 12. Selfishness, self-approval, self-assertion, ambition. 13. Self-respect, self-esteem, dignity, pride, haughtiness, leadership. 14. Perseverance: eagerness to complete every undertaking. 15. Conscience, justice. В. The ability to grasp the great, the vast, the lofty, the perfect, the ideal. 16. Faith, hope, confidence, unconditional trust, and devotion. 17. Inspiration, a desire for spiritual activities, believing in the immortality of the soul and in the existence of angels, higher worlds, and spiritual beings. 18. Loving God and every living being. Aspiring after a high morality, an ability to grasp and understand the reason of the divine providence in all nature. A desire to serve God and humankind. 19. Benevolence, affection, kindness, compassion, charity. 20. Creativeness, inventiveness, and discoveries in science, art and technology. 21. Love of fine art, ability to discover, see and give expression to beauty in music, poetry, and images. 22.The ability to imitate phenomena, actions and states in action and sound (acting). 23. Good humour, wit, ability to see the funny side of things and to make others laugh. 24. Being observant and inquisitive, a desire to get to know nature. 25. The ability to recognize and remember drawings, images, faces, things, etc. 26. The ability to estimate size and quantity. 27. The ability to estimate the weight of things, balance. 28. The ability to arrange, make plans and develop working rules. 30. The ability to calculate. 31.The ability to remember places, conditions, directions, roads, etc. 32.The ability to remember events. 33.The ability to remember dates and estimate time. 34. Musical talent, love of harmony in general. 35. The ability to express one's thoughts and intentions with words and gestures. 36. The ability to reason and philosophize. 37. The ability to compare, analyze, explain and express graphically. Г. The ability to concentrate, contemplate, have presentiments and adjust. Д. Tenderness, gentleness, politeness, suaveness.

The Travelling Enlightener As a student in Svishtov Dunov admired John Wesley and often imagined himself walking the dusty roads of his country and preaching today's Christ, Christ of the 20th century. In the Travelling Preacher, he saw a man who had denied all his personal aspirations and had entirely devoted his life in service to the One God. Fate, however, had in stock for him a much more glorious mission than John Wesley's. In 1901-1906 Peter Dunov made several trips around Bulgaria. He traveled thousands of miles, on horseback, by ship and train, or on foot. He gave talks, met new people, and sowed the seeds of the new philosophy. He kept a diary. He always sought to visit places where he had not been before. On the road, Dunov was often alone. He liked observing life. Sometimes he told interesting stories about his travels. "Years ago I was traveling the country, doing my research on a variety of human characters. One day I was passing by an industrious farmer working in the fields. He was ploughing with a couple of oxen, driving them with a goad. When he noticed me, he said: 'Good for you, walking around in the fields, having nothing to do, and see how we toil all day!' 'I can see everything; I know you are hard-working but merciful you are not.' 'How do you know?' 'Your oxen. They are goaded all over." There was hardly a town or a village that was not visited by the Bulgarian John Wesley. His travels had 'visible' objectives: he gave lectures on phrenology and the fashionable occult sciences, but they also had a deeper meaning. Peter Dunov realized that everywhere there were poor, sick and careworn people. Alive in him was the missionary spirit of America. He was unable to ignore sufferers. Everywhere he prayed for his brethren and his fervent prayer somehow filled people with courage and strength. This is when his work with the Bulgarian people started: in the silent hours when he built a spiritual connection with them through prayer. Later Dunov said: "Some people look for Christ in me. No, they will find Christ in His teaching. Do you want to know who I am? I am a brother of the smallest in the Kingdom of God." Lectures At the beginning of the century, Peter Deunov chose the lecture as the most appropriate means, in line with the time’s enthusiasm for science. “We need to illuminate people’s minds”, he pointed out. His first lecture was delivered in Novi Pazar. He spoke of the coming new age, of the free human mind that ought to unravel the secrets of nature, to understand it and get to know it. The lecture introduced the audience to the science of man and to man’s hidden potential. It marked the beginning of Peter Deunov’s public activity. A long period of travelling followed. He visited towns and villages, giving one or more lectures depending on the interest. After a lecture in Veliko Tarnovo in the summer of 1903 Elena Ilarionova wrote in her diary: “The hall was full. He (Deunov) was presenting a series of images illustrating the thesis that man was the master of his body, and had many undeveloped abilities; that his thoughts, his feelings and his aspirations formed his body and could make it beautiful. Thus, he said, a person’s appearance revealed his life and character. The audience was listening, enthralled. He explained that there was no incurable illness. When a man understood and became one with the great laws of nature, he would be cured.” Peter Deunov’s lectures helped people shed the old models of thinking. He sought to stimulate their minds, for only when one “understands the laws that rule his life, he will be freed of the delusions that stand in his way”. Scientific Lectures PETER DEUNOV BEGAN FOCUSING his efforts on his teaching mission in 1904. Although a theologian by education, he evidently preferred the scientific lecture as a newer and more progressive form. It helped him establish contacts with Bulgarians with intellectual interests. He made several trips round the country, giving lectures and revealing truths about “the world we live in” which is “full of mysteries”. Those “mysteries”, he said, were “governed by definite laws and produced by familiar natural forces.” As a lecturer, Deunov popularised the latest achievements of sciences that were little known in Bulgaria at that time: phrenology, chiromancy and psychology. Deunov’s observant mind soon realised that scientific thinking was not typical of the majority of his listeners. Even intelligent Bulgarians found it hard to break with their religious notions of the world and needed to tune in to scientific thought. This is why Deunov changed the teaching form: the scientific lecture gave way to the sermon. Science seemed to lose ground to education. This, however, was not the case: science and education always went hand in hand in Deunov’s work and he relied on both methods to the end of his days.

Formulas and Prayers PETER DUNOV'S TEACHING is a path to the mystic connection each of us needs to establish with the noetic world, with the Primordial Principle. This path can only be walked through an internal process of concentration. The Master created prayers and formulas as aids in that process. He gave them to the disciples to use in their spiritual work. The power inside them was there to give them support when they were broken-hearted, to give them direction when they felt lost, and to bring them light when darkness was all around. Peter Dunov's prayers were inspired, deeply felt and poetic. They suggest the unity of his spirit with the Supreme Power that ruled his life. They do not put a man on his knees before the Divine. Instead, they show the humility and exaltation of a luminous spirit which understands that it belongs with the Whole. In Peter Dunov's case, "please God" is not a lamentation but an intercession of a sort. His prayer expresses supreme joy before the greatness of Nature and of the whole invisible hierarchy of noetic beings. Peter Dunov's prayers charge you with energy, provided that you are awakened spiritually. Peter Dunov's "formulas" are short phrases with profound spiritual meaning. Their purpose is to establish a connection between man and the positive forces of Nature. Sincerity is the only guarantee for a successful spiritual connection. One of these formulas, pronounced with concentration, is more powerful than hours of prayers said mechanically: "Be faithful, truthful, pure and kind and the God of Peace will bring all good to your life." A heart as pure as crystal A mind as bright as the sun A soul as vast as the universe A spirit as powerful as God and one with God Busy with everyday life, a person easily slips into mechanical awareness and out of touch with the spiritual world. He needs aids to remain continually alert to his progress. One of them is prayer. The Master recommended to his disciples to pray constantly so that they might transcend the inertness of matter and become one with the Whole. To him, prayer was not a pose but a state of the soul. "Prayer is the most important method of growth, but few people know how to pray. It is not something external, it is not in the saying of certain words. It is something profoundly intimate. True prayer is accessible to few but it is the only kind that brings results. When you pray correctly, you enter the world of the noetic beings and are filled with joy. Through prayer, you harmonize your thoughts, feelings, and actions." "I call the prayer the breathing of the soul. The breathing of the soul purifies. Pray with concentration. You must support with prayer the work on your advancement. Prayer is the only way to work for your elevation. Through it, you become connected with those Being whose light helps you understand things correctly." "When you pray and meditate, you draw more blood into the brain cortex and develop the spiritual organs in it. Prayer increases the vibrations of the human aura. That makes you invulnerable to lower external influences. By prayer, you fence yourself off from the anxieties and fears of the world and they cannot penetrate you." "You must pray and work on yourself to prepare for the New that is coming into the world today."

The Good Prayer This period of Dunov's spiritual realization ended with a profound and beautiful prayer. He called it "The Good Prayer". It embodied his desire to prove that perfection was possible and attainable in the material world if one was really connected with Reality. On the 27th of November 1900, Dunov sent it to Penyu Kirov with the words: "Guard this prayer like the apple of your eye, for it comes from the Divine Spirit." This prayer was to become the strongest spiritual link between Dunov and his disciples. To the end of his life, he ranked it immediately after the Lord's Prayer. Pray so: "Lord God, our tender Heavenly Father, who has given us life and health to rejoice in Thee, send us Thy Spirit to protect us, to shield us from every harm and from all evil thoughts. Teach us to do Thy Will, to sanctify Thy Name, to glorify Thee at all times. Sanctify our spirits, enlighten our hearts and minds to keep Thy decrees and commandments. Inspire us with Thy holy presence and pure thoughts, direct us in Thy ways, so that we may serve Thee with joy. Bless the life we consecrate to Thee for the sake of our brothers and sisters, and those dear to us. Succour us and assist us, so that we may grow in Wisdom and understanding, that we may be instructed by Thy Word and that we may abide in Thy Truth. Guide us in all our thoughts and actions in Thy Name, so that the Thy Kingdom may come on earth. Feed our souls with Thy Heavenly bread and fill us with Thy strength, so that our lives may be fruitful. And as Thou dost shower us with all Thy blessings, may Thy love remain our eternal law. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, forever and ever. Amen. "* * Translated by David Lorimer.

Greeting for the New Year The night of the 31st of December 1899 Peter Dunov was alone with his father. They lived in Novi Pazar where the Reverend Dunovski preached in the local church. Their house was in the churchyard. Sitting with a watch in his hand and the Scriptures opened in front of him, Peter Dunov was counting the last minutes to the arrival of the new century. At midnight there was a loud knock on the window. Peter's father, sleeping in the same room, woke up and asked who was knocking. "A friend passed by and said happy New Year," Peter replied jokingly, knowing well that the friend had not come from the material world. "He ought not to sound like that!", his father muttered and, reassured, went back to sleep. The son, with the Bible in hand, went back to his conversation with the Spirit of the things the new century was to bring. The Internal Guidance of the Spirit To Peter Dunov, his connectedness with the invisible world was something real. His thoughts, his aspirations, his awareness were in service to the Sublime that guided him. He was constantly conversing with the Spirit. He wrote down every "inside" thought. During that period, he spent many hours in contemplation, distant from all human bustle. He was waiting for his time to come. On the 31st of March 1899, he wrote in his diary: "And the Lord spoke to me and gave me His Word, and said to me: I have made you my firm rock on which I shall build my kingdom. I am with you to deliver you of all your enemies. I shall rescue you from the sly and I shall redeem you from the oppressors, and you shall walk with Me and encircle earth with the sceptre of your hand. My Word is working for your spirit, and it shall reign in the hearts of those chosen to serve Me."