Orpheus and Transfiguration through Arts

The new Heavenly-Jerusalem cosmic cycle is in the reality of the Kabbalistic World of Creation. In this reality we will enter through prayers and Divine words, through inspiring music, color rays of light, sacred dance, organic movements and celestial archetypes. One of the greatest examples of those is given by the legendary poet and musician Orpheus. Obviously, the Orphic principle of transfiguration though arts will become very actual for experiencing the secrets of the Universe and the mystery of the Harmony of the Spheres.

With his Divine Spirit Orpheus revealed the harmony of the spheres and the essence of Creation as a magnificent Divine ocean of light, love, music, sacred words and creative thought-forms. At the same time, the Divine Ocean of light and love resounds with refined and tender celestial music. It reflects the living creative sounds in the Universe which are interwoven into the reality of all worlds. These creative sounds form beautiful celestial music which permeates everything – the physical universe, the planets and the stars, nature and human beings, and all spiritual worlds. All the worlds of the three-fold structure of the Universe become completely transparent, penetrating and reflecting each other. Everything resounds and the unique sounds of each being determine its essence and constitute its very existence.

It is very natural that the Solar Initiation of Orpheus and his Divine Music influenced many spiritual teachers (like Pythagoras, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Ravi Shankar, Beinsa Douno), musicians (Monteverdi, Gluck, Scriabin), poets (N. Gigov) and many other creative human beings over the centuries. As a legendary figure in the Thracian culture, many books, studies, legends and myths are consecrated to Orpheus.

As a musician and a philosopher, I was greatly inspired by Orpheus. In 1978, on the sacred mountain Rila in Bulgaria, I entered into the mystery of the Orpheus music.  On a sacred place, around the Maritsa Lakes at the bottom of the highest Summit Mussala, mystically I immersed in the sacred vibration OM, which upholds the whole of Creation. The sacred vibration OM ‘shines’ with all colors of the rainbow, ‘resounds’ with the multitude of creative sounds and ‘forms’ the primal chord of Divine harmony between all worlds. In other words, OM is the key to the majestic Divine Ocean of light and to the great Divine harmony of the spheres.

The sacred vibration of OM was in the Soul and Spirit of Orpheus and from this Primal Source originated his own music, poetry and songs. Merging with the Primal Source of Being, in Divine inspiration and creativity, Orpheus proclaimed three great spiritual secrets: The first and the greatest secret: There is only one Being in the endless sky and thinks deeply. Marriage between the human being and the cosmos is the first and the greatest secret; The second secret: Love… my God is Love. It holds connected the planets and the family. It is the most beautiful flower and the best song which grow in human heart; The third secret: the Gift. All of us are born, we blossom and die. But with music and poetry it is possible to go through time.(Source: Nikola Gigov). They are the keys to the Orpheus mysteries and they became keys to the whole ancient esoteric culture.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the great Russian composer Scriabin tried to activate the Orphic principle in music – its magic transfigurative power. In the last years of his life Scriabin, following the principles of the Orphic music, envisaged a monumental project for spiritual transfiguration through music and dance called Mysterium. Here it is important to note that Scriabin met the great Sufi Master and musician Hazrat Inayat Khan, who influenced him deeply for the creating of the Mysterium. Scriabin planned to write the music and to develop the whole ritual, so that the participants in it could undergo a transfiguration and enter into the blissful state of enlightenment. Unfortunately, Scriabin only wrote the Prefatory Action to this Musical Mystery and was not able to complete the dream of his life.

The fundamental idea of spiritual transfiguration through sacred dance, however, was realized later by the World Teacher Beinsa Douno. Within the community of the Universal Brotherhood in Bulgaria, he developed the sacred dance Paneurhythmy (high cosmic rhythm), which is now becoming very popular in the world. The Paneurhythmy is a synthesis of the entire Teaching of the Master Beinsa Douno and contains the living seed for the evolution of humankind in the new epoch of Aquarius. It is the gateway to the reality of the Kingdom of God, which is woven by heavenly music, spiritual color rays of light and sacred words. In essence, the Paneurhythmy reflects the ‘dance’ and the cosmic-spiritual rhythm of life in all planes of the Universe; it is an earthly reflection of the harmony and music in the celestial spheres. By dancing Paneurhythmy, we link with the living energies of Nature, the Sun and the Earth, and with the higher spiritual worlds. This brings a transformation of the spiritual community and the whole physical environment. As a result, the Paneurhythmy becomes a heavenly dance on sacred Earth and it is like the ‘new song’ for the epoch of Aquarius.

The Orphic principle in arts and the Messianic dimension in his music have to be activated in full. They contain enormous transfigurative power which is critically important for our time. Here it is interesting to mention that the Master Beinsa Douno considered the Paneurhythmy as an instrument for peace and raising spiritual vibrations. During the Second World War he saw clairvoyantly that if the Paneurhythmy was introduced in the schools, Bulgaria would avoid the coming tragedy of war. Unfortunately, the corrupt Government of Bulgaria did not introduce this sacred dance and the consequences were catastrophic.

Now we are living in turbulent times. The barbaric act of Hamas has to be resolved through many diplomatic, humanitarian and social actions. I believe that prayers, compassion and good will may help for Peace in the Middle East as well. Definitely, spiritual music and the sacred dance Paneurhythmy could also play an important role. Let me give an amazing example. In August 1990 we had Nine-Days Paneurhythmy School in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. The participants in it were from both sides of the divide – from Northern Ireland and from the Republic of Ireland. On the last day we decided to dance Paneurhythmy on a special picturesque hill, known from history as the place where the kings kept their hostages. At this time there were two hostages in Lebanon – one from Northern Ireland, the other from England. I received an impulse to consecrate our last Paneurhythmy to the liberation of the hostages. We started at 12.00 o’clock exactly, saying a few prayers and then performed the Paneurhythmy. Afterwards we embraced each other and finished our Nine-Day Paneurhythmy School. To our great amazement, the next day, August 24, the hostage Brian Keenan from Northern Ireland was released! Unfortunately, the other hostage from England was released only after nine months. Definitely, we appreciated the release of Brian Keenan as a little miracle, possibly as an answer to the prayers of thousands and the dance of Paneurhythmy as well.

By coincidence, or maybe not, soon after the Nine-Day Paneurhythmy School in Coleraine the Peace process in Northern Ireland started and now we are enjoying its positive results. Perhaps the fact that in our Paneurhythmy School we were half from Northern Ireland and half from the Republic of Ireland and spent the time very harmoniously perhaps contributed to the launching of the Peace process.

I strongly believe that practicing the sacred dance Paneurhythmy in the Middle East, could also help  restoring Peace in this troubled area! If the Israelies and the peaceful Palestinians come together for prayer, concerts, sacred dance and other peaceful activities, then definitely the Peace and the mutual understanding in the Middle East and in the world will prevail! So, Be It! Amen!