Jump to content

Lecture Halls in Sofia. The Meaning of Life


Recommended Posts

Lecture Halls in Sofia

The first hall where the Master gave his lectures was the Goumnerov house at 66 Opalchenska St. Gradually, the Sunday became established as lecture day. Some of the Master's most instructive Sunday lectures were delivered there. These are known collectively as "Power and Life". As the room became too small for the audience, Peter Dunov started speaking by the open window so that his listeners might hear him from the yard. No matter the weather, there were always listeners in that yard, standing in the snow in winter and in sun in summer, often even on rainy days.

As the audience expanded, older brothers suggested that the hall of the Radical Party near Vitosha Blvd. be rented for the lectures. Stoyan Mihailovski and Ivan Vazov once attended a lecture there. After the lecture, Mihailovski said: "During my university studies in France my professor once asked me whether in Bulgaria there were people who could preserve the just-acquired liberty. Now I can see that we need people like Mr. Dunov who can indicate the right direction in all spheres of life in our young state." After using the Radical Party's hall for a while, for some time Peter Dunov gave his lectures in the place where Rouzha Ivanovich was holding her sewing courses. That was not convenient, either, because that place was also too small for all who wished to attend. In 1919-1920 the lectures took place in a small hall at the Union of Journalists on the corner of Rakovski St. and Graf Ignatiev St. Then, for two years, they were held at the German Club in Evlogi Georgiev St. That hall was much larger than the preceding ones but the Brotherhood felt an increasing need for their own hall.

In 1922, the assembly approved Ivan Radoslavov's proposal to grant a plot next to his home for the construction of a lecture hall. While the construction was underway, the lectures took place in another small hall in Tsar Shishman St.

In 1923, the construction of the Brotherhood's first hall was completed. It was at 14 Oborishte St, and was spacious and well lit, with a small platform at one end and a small reception room for the Master next to it. There he would converse with visitors after the lectures. The place was open to all; students and non-members were welcome. However, the hall in Oborishte St. also proved to be a temporary solution. The expansion of Peter Dunov's spiritual activity placed increasing requirements. The broad subject matter of his lectures deserved a larger building, functioning as a spiritual university. This idea frequently occurred to the most enthusiastic disciples. The Master, however, was in no hurry. He was reserved for grand human projects and preferred to follow the law of the small that had God's blessing.

 

The Meaning of Life

ACCORDING TO PETER DUNOV, the meaning of life is in the life of the Whole. This was the guidance he gave to his disciples, and his own life was an example of that purpose. A person cannot be happy without understanding his life in the context of the Whole. It is everyone's personal task to grasp what is most important for his life and do it. The meaning of every individual life is in the individual's spiritual plan. He has to feel it inside and follow it with patience and perseverance, and his life will be full of joy and happiness.

"Life has a meaning inasmuch as one contributes to the Whole. The path to which I wish to introduce you is one of the easiest; it is a path any of you can take to build his life. You will thus have a good life and good circumstances. By working for the Whole, one benefits from its energies.

If a person is not aware of the deep meaning of life, he loses the credit of the noetic beings that bring Divine life and knowledge. One must know the meaning of life. It is much superior to what he believes. The purpose of life is the perfection of the human soul. There are about a hundred million suns in the universe. Around each sun, there are 12 planets. A human being must travel them all and spend a hundred million years on each sun and planet. Only then will he know the innermost meaning of life. From lovelessness to love, from death to life, from evil to good, from faithlessness to faith: this is the meaning of Life."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...