Introduction by David Lorimer

[Ani]

Introduction

by David Lorimer

A biography in English of the great Bulgarian sage Peter Dunov is overdue and Milka Kraleva has performed a great service by writing such an accessible book describing his life and the basis of his teaching. The book is beautifully and sensitively produced by Krasimira Despotova and features many period photographs. It contains imaginative illustrations by Hristo Hadjitanev, which add an extra dimension for the reader. Hitherto, biographical details in English have been hard to find and exist mainly in summary form as in my 1991 compilation Prophet for Our Times. My own acquaintance with Peter Dunov goes back to 1985 when I first came across his work through the first volume of his disciple Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov. At that time I was teaching French and a good deal of his work was translated into that language so that I was able to obtain a good grounding before going to the Bulgarian Rila mountains for the first time in 1989. then set about learning Bulgarian with the help of a neighbour in my village in Gloucestershire, which enabled me to read his books in the original and even do some translations of his prayers, published as Gems of Love in 1994. I was immediately drawn to his work and felt that I had found the Western esoteric tradition I had been looking for, steeped as it was not only in Platonism but also the original spirit of Christianity. Peter Dunov represents the third major esoteric spiritual impulse in Bulgaria, following on Orphism (which led to Pythagoreanism and Platonism) and the 10th century Bogomils (literally meaning 'dear to God'). All three impulses are historical manifestations of the Fellowship of Light based on the cardinal principles of Divine Love, Divine Wisdom, and Divine Truth. Of these, Love is the fundamental principle which, as one of Peter Dunov's formulas puts it, 'brings the fullness of life'. In the application of these principles, he claims, lies the salvation of the world: I believe in love and wisdom that have created life. I believe that they have the power to recreate the world'. Peter Dunov was very clear that he spoke from the same source as Christ, and that spiritual Masters were a manifestation or externalisation of the Divine to help human beings make a link with God: 'We preach the Christ of Love, which supports and fills every heart; we preach the Christ of Wisdom, which illuminates every mind; we preach the Christ of Truth, which liberates and elevates the world'. As Milka Kraleva explains in her book, his teaching methods were diverse, using music and bodily gestures, exercises, and dances to the full. His music is exquisite and is beautifully played and sung by many of his followers in the Rila mountains. The exercises are an adjunct to what he called the key of his teaching, the Paneurhythmy, a series of sacred dance movements that are performed in a large circle around a central core of musicians. Dancing the Paneurhythmy in the spectacular surroundings of the Seven Lakes region of the Rila mountains is surely as near to paradise as one can come on earth. The dance also means being a harmonious part of a larger human organism which both receives and transmits the forces contained in the movements themselves. The dancer literally acts as a conductor or transducer of energy as it passes through.

The last hundred years have seen a resurgence of interest in spirituality and mystical experience, even in the midst of the prevailing secular ethos in the West. There is a widespread search for meaning. We now know a great deal more about each other's spiritual traditions than we did at the first Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. There are whole university departments devoted to the study of new religious movements. As people become more discriminating they will recognize true [G4] [G5] spirituality when they see it and will come to appreciate the greatness of Peter Deunov's contribution to our spiritual heritage. This greatness is based on his articulation and embodiment of the three cardinal principles of his teaching: Love, Wisdom, and Truth. I consider him to be the greatest and most universal spiritual teacher of the last century and indeed what Hegel called a world-historical figure whose significance will only gradually be realized over the coming centuries: eternal principles are timeless and can be appreciated anew in every generation. This beautiful book will help introduce Peter Deunov's teaching to a wider English speaking audience and I can only hope that readers will find it as inspiring as I do.

David Lorimer, Fife, Scotland, June 2000.

 

---