FRED MAKORTOFF'S PRESENTATION AT PETER'S DAY, LUNDBRECK, JUNE 27, 2015
This is a copy of the notes prepared for the presentation I made at the gathering of The Council of Doukhobors in Canada for Petrov Dehn in Lundbreck on June 27, 2015. I have cleaned up the rough notes and added minor changes for clarity. The material covers a lot of ground and is therefore very condensed and quick paced –for time. I have retained the format and material as in the presentation. Curiously, so far, (Feb-2016) I have yet to receive from anyone present, a question on any topic in the presentation. Larry Ewashen (thank you Larry) has asked me permission to post it on his blog –perhaps some questions or suggestions may emerge as a result. Fred
Council of Doukhobors -Lundbreck 2015 –
Presentation - Saturday, June 27, 2015
Thanks everyone for coming. This short talk is about us. Doukhobors.
First of all I wish to state that in my view – in whatever way each individual expresses themselves as a child of the creator, as a human being, as a Doukhobor – nobody is wrong - everybody is right and everyone is in their own place. We – each one of us on the planet - are a sacred expression of the Divine. That is fundamental – this is basic.
So we do not judge- however we can and do make observations in our often feeble attempts to make some sense of our view of the world around us. It is in sharing our views that we can often times agree and sometimes disagree- but if we are open to know more we can learn from each other’s experiences.
So on that note - let’s get right to our subject matter. Doukhobors.
So what is a Doukhobor –in this day and age –today . . .
Perhaps an example can be taken from the last Festival in Brilliant. You might recall three young ladies from Victoria, BC that performed several hymns. Their voices were exceptional, the harmony was brilliant – their stage presence enthralling.
After their presentation, I spoke with them and complimented them on their outstanding performance and asked who they were. One of the girls quickly noted that, “ I am not a Doukhobor.”
I just as quickly replied, “Oh yes - I feel you are - Doukhobors are not a race or colour of humans- being Doukhobor means feeling a certain way, being a certain way, having a certain attitude to life and those around you. Yes, it might mean subscribing to a set of beliefs, a culture with its own distinct rituals, etc. It is thinking, feeling and being a certain way. So apart from the general idea that there are only so many Doukhobors - I believe there are many, many, thousands of Doukhobors on the planet –we just need to recognize each other. I recognize you as a Doukhobor. So there!
We have a Doukhobor group gathered here today – there are no non - Doukhobors here from what I can see. We recognize each other – in spirit.
Today let’s focus on the more narrow definition – a distinct and identifiable group with a history.
We’ll start with a brief Historical Outline – and Origins that some of you may already know but this is to set the stage so to speak. But let me add another perspective to this – perhaps another way of seeing what could be the deeper roots of the Doukhobors.
Doukhobors describe themselves as Christians.
A favourite Doukhobor psalm of mine is in ‘The Book of Life’ as published by Bonch –Bruevich a Russian academic, ethnographer or anthropologist and a confidant of Lenin’s. He accompanied the Doukhobors to Canada on the last ship and spent a year among them recording much of the material he later published as the Doukhobor ‘Book of Life” .
In this Book of Life - Psalm # 12 is a memory recording of the questions asked by the Greek-Orthodox Church in Russia and the answers are from a Doukhobor.
Q: Do you have a light?
A: Yes
Q: What is your light?
A: Our light is an ardent faith and an indestructible consciousness.
It goes on and then comes to . . .
Q: Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
A: Yes, we believe and profess . . .
Q: Do you know Christ?
A: Our forefathers/predecessors knew God before Christ.
Now that is a loaded statement and we need to unpack that a bit.
Let’s take a quick, cursory look at the origins of the Doukhobor faith.
At the outset of the Christian movement there were many variations on the theme and these have lasted for decades if not centuries.
All along this Christian trajectory there were numerous dissenting voices from the apostles through to the development of the church and these were then and still remain as issues of interpretation of the teachings – what did they mean or what does it mean? For example – there are still issues with the interpretation of the Trinity. Various groups or factions formed and the struggle was at times very vicious.
What eventually triumphed was the secular power of Constantine’s army that more or less cemented the foundations of the official church of the Prince of Peace.
The struggle to keep the ancient traditions and knowledge continued. The ancient – predating Christ - Gnostic traditions, have survived to this day and are showing a resurgence.
– One Christian sect were set against another and Christians against what they called Pagans - the establishment church trying to wipe out ancient knowledge . . . In 415 AD, it was the Christians (egged on by a Christian Bishop – Cyril) that burned down the world famous Library at Alexandria, Egypt, seized Hypatia, a much beloved philosopher and teacher, stoned her with tiles and scraped the flesh from her with shells, dismembered and burned her.
Dissenting views holding the ancient mysteries continued for centuries in the form of sects or groups like the Cathars, the Waldenses, the Albigenses, the Bogomils, The Khlisty, Khristovschina carried this thread of thinking and new ones developed over time – like the Protestant movement which also has evolved into various versions. And so it goes.
The numerous ideas, based on and nurtured by fervent followers from pre-Christian ancient times, and reinforced by the teaching of Christ, have survived in some form or another. From time to time these ideas found fertile ground in a prevalent social condition and erupted into public presence. This always rankled the dominant society around them, which then tried to contain any thinking that was inimical to the predominant state and church structures. Such was the issue with the Doukhobors. They first came to attention very early in the 1600’s and more so around 1733.
In the social order of Russia of that time, there were numerous dissenters of various persuasions present, for this was a time of the Raskol or Schism in the Russian Church and a segment of the population became ‘Old Believers’, Khristovschina’ or “People of Christ’, the Ikonobortsi or Icon wrestlers - some were erudite scholars like Skovroda, an Ethicist, who became an itinerant, or wandering preacher of a new vision. These visions, of course, took on many forms. Some also grew out of the Protestant Reformation as well, like the German Stundists - All of this activity produced numerous martyrs for their faith. People like Jan Huss- a Bohemian reformer who was burned at the stake. Lordly in a letter to Treguboff notes that our spiritual forefathers were people like Buddha and Jan Huss. Why was this thinking deemed so dangerous to the established order?
The underlying theme was of not needing any intercessors like clergy in interpreting Christ Consciousness. The divinity of Christ, rather than the church narrative, was interpreted as Christ was a Holy Teacher. The dissenters preached that the church has made the Holy Spirit into objects.
Theirs was feeling and knowing Christ Consciousness within oneself - inside oneself. This principle from the beginning of many ancient beliefs has remained the principal view for several centuries - up to now, with the Doukhobors although that too is changing and there is growing evidence that this is slowly reverting back to the official church narrative along evangelical lines.
This ‘heresy’ was rampant throughout Russia. This was from before the time of Peter the Great and on to succeeding monarchs and presented a huge problem and concern for the State and Church. Repressions followed - some very cruel and severe. Many died terrible deaths for their faith. People were sent into exile in Siberia or the far reaches of the Empire - including exiles to Finland. The overall movement of the ‘Christ believers’ became more defined and split off into other groups - among these were the Doukhobors and then eventually the Molakans.
In the 1700’s Doukhoborism was already taking form through leaders like Sylvan Kolesnikov, a retired non-commissioned officer, who insisted that this teaching was not his but came from very, very far back. Most people at that time were illiterate but took this understanding to heart and memory - into the Living Book. Other leaders followed such as Pobirokhin. He was a literate man who was a travelling merchant – going from village to village- dealing in wool and other items and was thus able to ‘spread The Word’. He was one that had passed on many or our Doukhobor psalms. “ What manner of person art thou? I am a person of God.” Or - The psalm ‘Be Devout.’ As a result he was exiled to Siberia around 1797. Doukhobor thinking was spread throughout Russia in areas like Tambov, Voronezh and many other areas of Russia-.
Tsar Paul at the time – who was a reformer and raised the ire of much of European nobility for his reformist or progressive views- was assassinated - and his young son Alexander I became Tsar- and it was during his time that there was either a realization or good advice from some, that made some sort of sense to the new Tsar.
Instead of chasing all these dissenters all over Russia while they were ‘infecting’ many others - the ideas was to bring them in to one area so that the authorities can keep a strict eye on them. And this is what pretty much happened to the Doukhobors – a predominant sect at the time. They were given amnesty and asked to relocate to the fertile lands of the Milky Waters area of Russia - in an area where a lot of the fighting is happening currently in the Ukraine.
Alexander I was an interesting character - he defeated Napoleon in his invasion of Russia and had a peculiar - one could say - almost spiritual view in spite of being the Tsar and the defender of the Church. More on that interesting piece and a Doukhobor connection - later if we have time.
In the Milky Waters, the Doukhobors now had a place of their own with very fertile land . . . and were given money for resettlement. They quickly became organized through another leader who had emerged – Savely Kapustin- and it was during his time that the villages were organized in a communal structure, the various ways that Doukhobors still worship, and some of Doukhobor symbols like bread salt and water were set.
Life continued in the Milky waters - the church and state kept close surveillance – because many people in the surrounding population saw that this was a much better idea than living under serfdom or being indentured to a landowner forever - or worse still be in the army services - which was normally for 25 years. So the authorities were on constant watch for deserters or general runaways that wanted to join the thriving Doukhobor community and its relative freedoms. A large community of German Protestants – Stundists were situated on the opposite side of the Milky waters river.
After the so - called ‘death’ of Alexander I, the attitude of the state and church took a turn towards a more repressive stance against the Doukhobors - up to a point where in the very early 1840’s they were finally told to move to what was Russian frontier territory – the Caucuses.
Under the prompting and encouragement of the British-(for resources) the Persians invaded the Caucuses in 1826 and took considerable territory. The Russian Empire replied the following year in an organized fashion and pushed back the Persians across the Caspian Sea and secured almost all of the southern Caucuses territory. This established Russian sovereignty and created a commanding trade presence in the entire region.
In the early 1800’s on through to the early 1840’s in the Milky Waters area many Doukhobors became well established and some even wealthy.
There, the Doukhobors were given a stark choice: stay and keep all you have acquired and accept the Church Doctrine - the Priests and the Icons - or - leave – at your own expense this time - to the Caucuses. Some in the community were fairly well off by this time with a well developed community structure and material goods. Those that chose to move, were allowed to sell any personal property or movable items – of course at bargain prices - but any real property – real estate was to remain. They were given some compensation by the state and then this was taken as compensation for the lands they were to occupy. Out of approximately 30-40 thousand some 20 thousand moved to the Caucuses.
In the Caucuses, they were exposed to a different life from the steppes and grain farming and had to change to cattle and sheep farming. Along with this they encountered other cultures - like the Muslim Tartars, Persians and their mystical sect like the Sufis, and they were close to a large adjacent province called Kalmykia - which was populated by Tibetan Buddhists with their own distinct culture and beliefs. Today, we have families that are called Kalmikoff – of the Kalmyk’s - and we’ve even had leaders – Kalmykovi. All of these influences have left their mark on the sect.
The history from that time is better documented and more familiar, including the leadership of Petushka, Kalmykov and Lushechka, then up to Peter the Lordly, the burning of the arms and the eventual move to Canada. And the history in Canada is also fairly well known.
So this is a capsule history. I thought it necessary to set a context for what I wish to speak about.
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So lets look at this from another perspective.
The issue of TESTS or EXAMINATIONS.
A believer undergoes certain tests of faith. This is true in many other faiths but we will speak about the Doukhobor journey.
It would not have been easy to profess a faith that was very much a rejection of the established order. Especially because this order was protected and enforced by the state authorities with it’s overwhelming power.
A test - In Russia – people were imprisoned, some tortured but maintained their faith unto death.
A test, an examination:
Then a move to the to Milky Waters and a time of rebuilding and solidifying their faith and then in the move to the Caucuses their faith was again tested. Leave everything and go. And many of them did. They covered their kitchen table with a cloth – placed bread, salt and water on it - said a prayer and left it all – knowingly facing considerable hardships.
A test - an examination:
In the Caucuses there was the rejection of militarism - another well documented, and severe test – many died.
A test - an examination:
And another test in the eventual move to Canada. Families were broken up over this.
With Toil and Peaceful Life’ - the Doukhobors carved out a life and built up the community, and then another Test: the lands in Saskatchewan – in the largest mass migration within Canadian history.
8,000 left and moved to BC, more hardships. But with a sense of new beginning again.
They worked hard and established a large communal structure, an enterprise – it was the largest agrarian experiment in North America and the most modern at the time. This was in BC and throughout the Western Canadian Provinces.
And then, another test – the loss of this thriving communal enterprise.
After things settled down, there was a another time of rebuilding and rest until now.
So now, are we as Doukhobors facing one of the most important examinations in our history. – a loss of identity and faith?
Let’s take a closer look at this . . .
The Doukhobors are sometimes described as a social movement - perhaps a part of that is true or are they more than that - and may be seen as mystical Sect? We are after all not Social Wrestlers but Spirit Wrestlers!
Lets look around and see what’s happening. Let’s pull back the curtain and take a peek.
Please keep in mind that these are simple observations and not meant in any way to be judgmental. It is what it is.
The Doukhobors are a sect or movement that is situated in an interesting time and place. We will deal with the Doukhobors in Canada for this discussion.
We see that the Doukhobors, like many minorities, are facing some unusual circumstances today.
The group has grown from the approximately 7,500 that arrived in Canada - let’s give it some generous numbers here - to roughly 40 to maybe even fifty thousand descendants.
Out of these, there are probably about 10 thousand that still consider they have ties with their roots - distant perhaps, but felt ties and will from time to time remember this to themselves and their families at weddings and especially at funerals.
Out of these 10 thousand, let’s say that roughly 5 thousand –mostly older folks that retain a smattering of their Russian language and can speak it reasonably well - although this aspect is diminishing because of non-use and also the need for the older speaking generation such as parents and grandparents to converse in English with their children and grandchildren.
Out of these 5 thousand not all, but many, belong to a recognizable Doukhobor organization. The largest one being the USCC with an estimated paying membership of just under 1K –again mostly middle aged to elderly still active devotees. There are other groups, such as the Independents, The Canadian Doukhobor Society, or the Krestova Doukhobors, The Alberta Doukhobors and the Saskatchewan Doukhobors. Most of these may not have a paying or registered membership but in general support the USCC activities in many ways. In all of these groups, the membership is getting older and the members are increasingly experiencing difficulties in carrying on.
As an example, because of dwindling membership, The Creston Doukhobors no longer gather for Sunday meetings and have rented their small hall to the local Mennonite group. (who seem to be thriving)
There are groups in Saskatchewan and Alberta – also more elderly and less active, and much lesser in numbers and shrinking.
A lot of activities are concentrated on preserving the past, through maintaining and creating museums and monuments. These have in some fashion have themselves become icons but are intended to preserve the memory of our ancestors in some way.
Granted, there is an annual Festival that celebrates the culture but it too is smaller and smaller every year. The youth are encouraged to get involved and are supported by the elders to produce this annual event.
As a group, the youth get older, they leave for education or jobs or careers in the larger urban centres and a new batch has to be coaxed into assuming the responsibility for producing the Festival and carrying on other youth activities.
There are ‘spiritual meetings’ undertaken where some life stories are shared but it is now with an undercurrent of the evangelical experiences, with testimonials from people coming to these spiritual meeting who are also attending one of the local evangelical churches as members. The taste and flavour of the meetings is changing.
Most of our funerals - for the sake of convenience - have been shortened over time from an original three day service to 1 – half day and are changing from solemn services of reflection and prayer to a ‘Celebration of Life’ so popular with the dominant society.
Let’s summarize quickly.
a/ We have a group that, after resisting for over a century, is beginning to succumb to and is being assimilated into the dominant society around them.
b/The Doukhobors are experiencing a significant loss of their own language, this is a huge issue - Sociologists will tell you that any culture is built and maintained through language. Lose that and you have changed and as a result a part of your ‘Self' has also changed.
c/ The general culture and mindset and I dare say, anxiety of the active Doukhobors is one of maintenance and survival, which leaves very little effort for supporting and projecting the future or creating and fleshing out any kind of vision for the group.
d/ I have seen the erosion of our Doukhobor faith, once rooted in a profound ‘spirituality’ relentlessly moving or converting into a social movement of peaceniks and protesters – And I don’t mean that to sound pejoratively - this was always there - but is now developing into a more modern, politically sophisticated version at the expense of time delving into our spiritual roots.
e/ Traditional dress has also changed considerably - from what had been a fairly well upheld dress codes to casual wear with no shawls - and women in pants. Some still uphold the traditions but there are less and less of these and more and more of the ones that do not deem ‘appropriate’ dress customs to matter.
In short – there are fundamental changes taking place and at a quickening pace. And the current ‘modern’ Doukhobor seems to be a Doukhobor far-removed from our forbears and in several easily discernible ways. We may be witnessing the passing of the last generation of Canadian Doukhobors who still possess some sense and the vital importance of our spiritual roots! This is an astounding and historically critical time for the Doukhobors.
Another aspect is that the older generation is comprised of mostly devotional people that see their role and obligation as – carrying on the faith and traditions. If you are a devoted follower, there is no need to examine your faith of several centuries – ‘it was good enough for my ancestors – its good enough for me- just need to preserve it’. There is much strength and spiritual power in feeling this way but this too may be at the cost of losing our younger generations.
The younger generation - the children of these devotees are more educated and insist on asking questions – which the older generation have difficulty answering because they did not seek answers to the many questions when they were young - questions now posed by their children – they were simply – devoted and practised their faith - no need to philosophize – just be a good and kind person – if you feel the Christ Consciousness within oneself – you cannot be otherwise.
Many Doukhobor people I speak with – from Saskatchewan, Alberta and in BC can see this happening and seem powerless and helpless to affect change in any significant way. The trajectory seems to be inexorably set for the sect known as ‘The Doukhobors’ to soon become a footnote in history. How soon is soon? Look at the evidence around you. Another one or two generations perhaps? Unless something happens – unless there is a change . . .
Several years ago I did some interviews for my thesis ‘The Krestova Doukhobors-A Divided Path - Devotion and Knowledge’ and in this I developed a chart that I have used in several presentations to other Doukhobor groups or organizations.
The ‘Where Are We At’ chart . This is a graphic representation of our “Doukhoborism’ as a circle encompassing our activities and ways of being. There are points set out around this circle that describe a focus of activities we engage in.
During my thesis research and in subsequent presentations, participants were asked to mark with a dot as to where they feel the current state of activities is predominant.
These dots clustered more heavily around the bottom portion of the graph especially around Form and Structure and Politics and Action with some around Tradition and Culture.
When the participants were asked as to where they feel we as Doukhobors should be focusing our activities, the dots clustered between Culture and Traditions and especially around Spirituality. The question in each case after this exercise was if we are in more of the politics and action and we wish to be more spiritual, -what is preventing this from happening? Or how can we make the shift in our focus to occur towards spirituality? There was a paucity of answers – some called for more devotion, better attendance at meetings - especially prayer meetings etc. No clear answer.
In several presentations to Doukhobor groups the results were very similar.
The intentions or directions seems very close and very clearly demonstrated– but what to do?
Below is the graph with explanations.
WHERE ARE WE AT?
SPIRITUALITY
Having a focus more on things spiritual and less with things material. Activities pertaining to being in closer contact with your own inner essence or soul: prayer or meditation. Issues of ultimate concern.
CULTURE/TRADITION
Having a focus more on things traditional and cultural such as dress, food - borshch, bread, rituals, singing, talent such as singing, hymns, psalms, funerals and similar activities.
ACTION & POLITICS
Having a focus more on political meanings and aspects of relationships. Peace, group/presentations activities, peace celebrations, marches, letters to authorities.
FORM / STRUCTURE
Meetings supporting or protesting how the organization is structured? Who is in charge of something? Presentations and responsible for what? How we arrange and run business. Publications or public announcements, meetings, funerals, how we stand or sit at prayer. Workshops, Communications, Clubs, meetings, singing, and various committees or groups with Publications and ways of communicating agendas.
This is sort of where we left off at a previous meeting of the Council of Doukhobors In Canada – in Calgary because we ran out of time. So let’s carry on . . .
So now what? Well, lets look at what others have been thinking about these sorts of things and how change takes place.
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Ilya Prigogine, a chemist and physicist - a Nobel Prize winner in 1977 in his book with ‘Order out of Chaos” with Isabelle Stengers, writes about chemical structures and processes, ecosystems and human social behaviour – and explains the theory of dissipative structure. It is essentially as follows:
A very basic or simple explanation of a dissipative structure is:
A lump, a heap, a physical structure - or an idea – a structure. Held together by forces within in a more or less cohesive state.
Examples are – chemical, economic, political or ecological and religious structures, and the brain - or let’s look at the Doukhobors as a dissipative structure.
The structure is maintained with internal forces holding together this idea or structure. There are however, pressures from outside that impinge or exert pressure on this structure and produce internal strains. If the structure is such that it can easily repel these external pressures, then the structure continues. If however, the pressure is so great that the structure is less and less able to withstand the external pressures, then the structure develops cracks and fissures or factions in the whole, if it’s a communal or ideological structure – such as the Doukhobors. And we see plenty of evidence with the various groupings, societies, and factions throughout our past and even recent history.
If this process continues without some change or intervention, the structure then begins to dissipate – hence ‘Dissipative Structures’.
That is why, in recognizing this state of affairs, with the cracks very evident and widening, The Council of Doukhobors in Canada was formed to try and get the various groups talking and working together – to keep adding some glue to the cracks between groups so that the entire idea - this structure - stays together. To some degree, through much effort and persistence, we have achieved a tiny bit of success. This gathering here, today, with representation from three provinces is evidence that there is ongoing communication and a desire to be together.
Let’s get back to Dissipative Structures where we have a structure with fissures and cracks – factions – and coming apart. The structure is not holding and continuing to dissipate.
Unless the structure can transform itself in such a way that the external pressure become less relevant and the pressure is thus relieved. Where the current external situation no longer matters or matters much less. This of course entails that a new reason has to be developed for the existence of the structure – different from what is was to draw the pressures from outside itself. It would have to transcend its current form and change into something that incorporates and includes the essentials of the old - but is new.
Lets look at this as . . .
One atom – has its characteristics and properties – if you stick two atoms together – they have transcended their former state and have now become a molecule - which now has different properties and characteristics and a whole new level of existence. Yet this still contains the atoms within it - but is a different thing.
Now if we stick these molecules together – we get a cell – another huge level of evolvement - and new characteristics and capacities that the atom or the molecule did not posses. A whole new level of being.
If we follow this analogy – the cell becomes an organ and again there is a dramatic shift in the characteristics and capacities that the original did not posses. And so it goes, but in each instance the process is – transcend and include and become something new - with different characteristics and capacities – and understanding especially if we deal with social aspects of this.
So where does this leave us? What does this mean? Let keep this thought as we continue – but hang it there lightly.
Lets look at some of the ideas about ourselves as beings. This may provide some clues or help us see the situation more clearly.
- how we perceive the world around us, our perspective.
- how we develop and
- how our perspectives determine how we worship or pay homage to the divine or address issues of our ultimate concern.
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First of all lets take a look at how we develop as humans. This development has been well studied by Religious figures, Philosophers, Sociologists, Anthropologists and particularly Developmental Psychologists – some names for starters are Piaget, Maslow, Clare Graves - popularized with Spiral Dynamics, Jane Lovinger, Susan Cook-Greuter, James Fowler and the stages of faith, and Robert Kegan from Harvard on how we change. And Ken Wilber - one of our world’s greatest contemporary thinkers and philosophers - that has put a lot of this together to get a more comprehensive, a more what he calls “An Integral View.” He has managed to synthesize all of these thinkers and added his own thoughts to transform contemporary thought in a huge way.
There are several views that have emerged. Most of them essentially agree. So for our discussion we will quickly go through the stages that we as humans experience as we develop or evolve.
These again follow the idea of ‘transcend and include’.
Essentially they are as follows:
1. Archaic – very basic developmental – includes primates from 10,000 years ago
2. Agrarian - communities evolving – basic social structures
3. Magic – not in the sense of rabbit out a hat but more like my grandson – who insists he is either one superhero or another at a given time – and believes this. This includes all of the ancient magic cults – some still exist today. Like the others this is also a stage of development in our human civilizations and each individual human experience.
4. Mythic - This is generally a firm and literal belief in the various ancient stories with their Gods and superhuman entities - from the Baghavat Gita, the various ancient chronicles – Indian, Egyptian, Jewish, Greek, Roman and Western civilization with its many myths. With some still very much alive to this day. As Joseph Campbell in The Power of Myth so ably wrote about the various myths and rituals and their critical importance on our development – he also said we need – a new myth for our time . .
5. Rational – seeing the myths as myths and taking what these myths teach us in how we are to be in this world. In Russia, as a result of their ancient roots and knowledge, the Doukhobors were already there – where they saw the myths as myths and the church narratives that supported the powerful mythic views of the church on this. As a result they were persecuted by the huge mythic structure of the organized powers of the state and church that existed them – and still does.
6. Pluralistic - to be able to take the ‘others’ perspectives into account and acknowledge the wisdom embedded in them - towards a pluralistic or multi-cultural society. This is a very important shift in our consciousness – the ability to see from another person’s perspective – we get into perspectives.
This is also a stage where real LOVE can begin – if you cannot take another person's perspective and claim you love them, then you are only really loving an extension of yourself - because you cannot see the other or feel the other or empathize. So in our human stages of development this is a critical stage to reach.
7. Holistic - is seeing and feeling and embracing the wisdom of the multiple views and acknowledging these and owning them as part of your own spiritual outlook and behaviour - See how it all fits in with your world view.
8. Integral - how it all ties in and works together to produce our common world experience. How we communicate and how we see ourselves and our ‘spirituality’.
There are more that have been studied but we will work with these for now.
Now all of these ‘stages' have a definite effect on how we and others live our lives on the planets and what matters and how we address the issues of our ultimate concern. These also have a profound affect on to how we practice our ‘spirituality’. How we are as Doukhobors.
The simplest way to look at this is by looking at our own life experiences.
When a baby is born he or she is at a very early developmental stage and we notice quickly that the child is very egotistical - it’s me that counts and everything around me is me - until the child realizes that there is me and all the rest of this stuff around me. This is essentially the development of the egotistical stage, where ego becomes more pronounced and developed.
Along with this, the child learns to walk and talk and acquire other motor skills. The child goes from what is called pre-operational to a concrete operational stage. Once you learn how to walk or talk or even ride a bike or skate - you have acquired a permanent competency. That is, they do not go away - you don’t forget how to walk or ride a bike or speak. Over time, other skills and competencies develop such as - cognitive, social, moral, the self-related stages of perspectives, etc. This is still in the egocentric stage of development. These are important formatory stages that may well last through life. We have all seen these stages in the children around us and may remember these in ourselves or our siblings.
As an example we can have the cognitive (thinking) stage become well developed and still be low on the social (like nerds) or even moral stages that can remain very low through life. We have examples of priests that seemingly attain high spiritual, cognitive and social skills but have a very low moral development – with horrendous results.
Getting back to the child, he or she soon progresses to recognizing others that are close to me – like Mother, Father, siblings and then extended family members and begins to sense a group – and begins to shift into what is called an ethnocentric stage – my family, my extended family, - my tribe.
This continues to extend wider to friends, others in the social group of parents and neighbourhoods, religious groupings, teams, clubs, etc. This stage continues to grow into adult hood. Examples are – from I am a Doukhobor, I am from Calgary, or the Kootenays. I am from BC to I am a Canadian. These identifiers place us within a context. We have a sense of belonging. And these have an important function in our lives. These can be considered ethnocentric to one degree or another.
However, if we begin to see ourselves as a citizens of the planet and that we are essentially one with everyone else on this planet then we are becoming World-Centric. If we then begin to grow and see ourselves as part of an even larger whole – the Solar system and the Universe then we become Kosmo-Centric. These are not sharp delineations but gradual shifts in thinking and being that affect our lives and those around us.
While all this wonderful business is happening we also go through developing other relational stages. These are comprised of our ability to take a perspective. This is important.
So what do we mean by perspectives?
These are the way we are able to see ourselves and the world around us and comprehend a relationship and how we relate to and deal with others.
Perspectives are universally used in language to describe relationships - generally in pronouns.
Simply put I, you, or you guys, he, she, they, or them or it. And then we have a collective that can become magical when we become a WE, US, All of US. More on that later
Perspectives –
1st Person Perspective As I – the one speaking and I view the world from behind my face there is me and everything out there that is not me. This includes things and others.
2nd Person – this is the one spoken to – I first person, speak to you –you are second person and the plural in most languages has a word- but oddly in English there isn’t one so we say - youse guys or ya’ all.
3rd Person is the person or thing being spoken about.
So when you and I agree- this become a we - other extraordinary things happens. More on that if we have time.
So from our early developmental years, we can go from holding a first person perspective and then relate to a second person perspective. To be able to take your perspective into account while I have mine intact. To ‘see’ your point of view – your perspective. And this can take many forms.
An ethnocentric person can say I am a Canadian, and keep the idea of being a Canadian and consider the ‘other’. And so on but still remain ethnocentric.
When we develop a capacity and competency to achieve or accommodate another view and consider ourselves not just Doukhobor, not just a Calgary, or Kootenay, or Saskatchewan Doukhobor but think of ourselves as also Canadian and then think of ourselves as a citizen of the planet and we become world centric. We still have the egotistical view where I matter, the ethnocentric view where my group, my tribe matters, my country matters but now also the world matters, and we have transcended our limitations and have acquired an ability to take and keep several perspectives in mind. So to a degree, we have transcended and included the previous stages of development. This is very important.
Surprisingly, and we all know some people who cannot get past their egotistical stance or their ethnocentric position they hold so dear - “my country – right or wrong” - The George Bushes and Harpers of this world. Ethnocentricity writ large. This always skews our relationships if we do not have the ability to take the perspective of ”the other”.
We now have on the planet entire religions, societies, countries that are generally at mythic and ethnocentric stage of development and have a tough time moving out of this. It is a structure of our development as humans on the planet. And they are generally at each other’s throats. Take a look at the evidence around us.
I say this speaking generally, so think that the predominant amount of people are at this stage. There will be people that have transcended this and some are far out there. There are also a percentage that are at the lower end of development. So this is a general view.
Studies have indicated that the percentages – are generally 60-70% or more at this Mythic – Ethnocentric stage and 20-25% lower and about 3-5% at a higher stage and some at a very high stage. These figures can and do change . . .
Canada, you might fondly remember, seemed like it was at one time at a higher stage and we were considered as ‘different’ - that we understood something the others had not yet grasped and we were celebrated as people of peace and peacekeepers.
But now? We are now seen as warmongering with the others and even more virulently.
But we have drifted off a tad . . .
We were talking about perspectives…and its interesting to note how this plays out in the ways we worship and what shape or form that takes.
As we develop, as we grow up . . . There is an EROS to our development, particularly at the later stages – this is a compelling urge to seek the Divine – to know God - to strive to explain and understand the great order of things that affect us and all those around us. We have a powerful need for ‘gnosis’ – knowledge of the Divine.
We also have several perspectives on the Divine - The Creator - God . . .
1. Seeing the Creator as all and everything - the Brahman, the Atman, All that is. The ineffable –indescribable Universal Energy pervading everything and being everything.
And importantly – that we /or I - are also very much a part of this universal energy – our ground of being.
This is best described in the ancient Eastern teaching – where they have Nirguna Brahma – the unqualifiable, with no characteristics – no attributes - nothing measurable, no time, space or dimensions. Yet there is a sense of our existence – before Abraham was I AM. This is apprehending, sensing, feeling, tasting or knowing The Creator and your-SELF as first person as one thing – no duality - not a me and a great Him. No duality!
And – Saguna Brahma – where we encounter – form, colours, the arrow of time, measurable things. This is what most people see as reality. But before any of this happens it first needs someone to perceive this – and immediately we have perspectives. An in-out, up and down, backward-forward, all trapped in the arrow of time. This is what we apprehend as ‘reality.’
2. Perceiving God – as an omnipotent ‘Other’ – this grey haired gentleman up in the clouds - and his many special personalities like Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad that are sent to redeem the people of the world. This is the predominant view on this planet and all these entities are like superheroes with special powers that were or are here to save us.
Studies indicate – and it's self evident – that approximately 70% of the world population worships or prays to a “THOU” - God in second person. There is a relationship. This view also bespeaks of a feeling of ‘separateness’ from the all pervading universal energy that is all and everything - because it describes a notion that God is there and I am here and am trying to communicate – through thoughts, prayers, etc. More on this later- its important.
3. Another way we worship is seeing or feeling Nature as the great reality – Gaia - Mother Nature as the foundation of our being - this has been embraced from early times – for example, in the Eastern Han religions, the pantheistic religions and indigenous spirituality where the worship of nature involves many rituals - to Science - seeing Nature as The Great Reality.
Most of these, often strongly held views – in spite of each one of these religions describing ‘love’ as a fundamental precept of their religion - are also at each others’ throats. Just look around . . . !
There are also stages in our spiritual growth – this Eros we spoke about that is generally from an individual sensing oneself as an I -to communion – it is a feeling that we are relating to another part of the great divine structure. To Union with God and then ultimately – UNITY with the Divine – however described.
All these stages and states are currently available – anytime, anywhere.
In worshipping God as second person and especially from the classical Christian perspective - we certainly can have communion – where we can partake – of Jesus – as the middleman in this relationship - of his body and blood through a classical Catholic communion - to Doukhobors where through prayer and especially singing we become one with everyone else – A magical thing happens – when we come to a typical Doukhobor meeting as one individual – then when we start singing- we (all of us) become a WE – and through entrainment we release many feel good chemicals like oxytocin that engender love and feeling together - feeling a part of the others participating. By extension one may go to feeling a part of God - if you will.
So, what has all this to do with our original discussion about Doukhobors?
Well, we have a reasonably good idea that the Doukhobors emerged out of deeply held spiritual beliefs that have continued over a long time – centuries. This thinking and this faith has several characteristics.
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In human development thinking, while the rest of society around them was still very suffused with and at the stage of Mythic thinking there was evidence that the Doukhobors were progressing into the Rational stage of development. Well ahead of their time.
We also see that they had an understanding that eliminated all the middlemen from their access to the Divine as demonstrated by their rejection of the Church, the Testaments and the Clergy. To them the Divine was an immediate – sensed feeling of being one with the Universal Energy – of recognizing the Oneness of all Creation – with a direct Union with this all pervasive universal energy - with God. It was both a very intensely private and yet all encompassing universal experience that was accessible at any time or anywhere. Hence no need for churches or intermediaries. The circumstances of one’s life were the ground of their Church and their life experiences provided the teaching for self development and evolvement. Some of this is now changing and in some instances, there is a going back, an embracing of the Church, the Testaments and the Clergy.
Their faith and its ideas were held within their being – inside one’s heart and memory and were an ever present daily reality. The ongoing spiritual test or examination was - life lived on a daily basis. It was a living faith.
After Bonch-Bruyevich published the Doukhobor “Book of Life” in 1909, this evolving aspect of Doukhobors faith was then cemented and imprisoned in the covers of a book and became an OBJECT - The faith became objectified. It became an object – apart from me . . .
It was placed on a shelf - and “if my hockey game or my soap opera and now Facebook and Twitter is not interrupted – I might take a look and see what this is all about".
It was removed from being something internal and very much a part of each Doukhobor soul to – out there – somewhere - for now . . .
As we have seen there is still this yearning – this Eros - that drives many Doukhobors to honour our forefathers, to seek answers and explanations – to somehow reconnect to the ineffable spirituality we know is there.
The present form continues to be maintained first out of a sense of honour and secondly, in some – a massive sense of guilt that - what was so dearly paid for in suffering and lives - is now being lost - squandered away though our negligence and loss of diligence - at a time where there is freedom of expression and worship – no repressions. Amazing isn’t it?
But is maintaining the old - the status quo - the way to carry on in what may be a dissipative structure we call Doukhoborism?
We seem ripe for transcending - and including the old but emerging as something with different – new Characteristics and new Capacities – in seeing ourselves as the Modern Doukhobor.
What shape or form would or could that take? It is difficult to see ourselves if we are still deeply embedded in the old paradigms, the old memes, and see only that we are – disintegrating. Just have a look around . . . A disheartening view for many. And this is at a time when we as Doukhobors have had very little persecution, comparatively speaking. When we are most free to be ourselves in our faith - we are dissipating . . . Is this not astonishing?
An yet . . . there is a feeling that something is going on . . . Is there evidence that there is a shift - a transformation or transcending beginning to occur? What shape or form is this taking? That is something we need to watch for and do some thinking and feeling about – time will tell us soon enough.
Increasingly many Doukhobor and non-Doukhobor people are expressing the idea that – ‘I am spiritual but not religious’ - what an interesting idea – but what does it mean?
On the face of it – it seems there is a recognition that the old dogmatic ways are no longer sufficient to satisfy one’s spiritual hunger – for meaning – and how does organized religion - which has contributed astounding suffering and death throughout the centuries through religious wars and persecutions to preserve their status quo – how does this add to a deeper understanding or feeling about God?
Perhaps our own personal experiences can lead to a different understanding and appreciation of ‘Spirituality’ and the different ‘states’ that are part of our daily experience.
Well, let take a look . . .
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Every night, each human on this planet goes to sleep. Science is now confirming much of ancient wisdom in that there are stages identified and each stage produces a different state of being. Stages and States are very different things - this is very important.
So lets look at what happens.
We, daily live our lives in what we call reality – feelable, kickable stuff - things – and we share this planet – this reality with other beings of numerous orders from viruses, bacteria, plants, animals and other humans. We have acquired many things – stuff. But when we fall asleep - what we deem reality is no longer valid – we do not have our partners, children, pets or possessions or our pick up trucks. They may be but generally are no longer part of the dream state that we enter. Yet we still have a sense of “I”. We take our ego with us and experience a state of being – a place or space or dimension or state of being with very different rules - Time can be elastic - we can sometimes speak to people that are deceased, things pop in and pop out of our experience.
Then we enter into a state called deep dreamless sleep – ancient teachings call this a state of Turya – or third state where even the dream state become invalid – no longer there. Yet we exist – and unless one has been training through meditation – we simply do not remember! This is a place where our “I” – our Ego - can’t go - because our ‘I’ is a structure of lower levels of our psyche – our ‘reality.’
Long term meditators report that there is still a sense, feel or taste of a part of themselves – a higher self perhaps but essentially there is nothing - no qualities or characteristics nothing to measure - no time. It just IS. Vechnaya Pamet, where we all wish our deceased to go.
This is a state of being we experience daily – each one of us. This is our spiritual ground of being and the overpowering feeling in this state is described as overwhelming – LOVE.
This is the basis of all our world’s prophets teachings and the religions that emerged after them.
In our hectic, busy, - otherwise preoccupied, lives – we have simply forgotten that the ground of our being – is LOVE. Freely available to take and give – anytime – anywhere.
Because of time constraints, there was little opportunity for a question period and discussion. Merciless ‘time’ –prevailed –again.
Presentation - Saturday, June 27, 2015
Thanks everyone for coming. This short talk is about us. Doukhobors.
First of all I wish to state that in my view – in whatever way each individual expresses themselves as a child of the creator, as a human being, as a Doukhobor – nobody is wrong - everybody is right and everyone is in their own place. We – each one of us on the planet - are a sacred expression of the Divine. That is fundamental – this is basic.
So we do not judge- however we can and do make observations in our often feeble attempts to make some sense of our view of the world around us. It is in sharing our views that we can often times agree and sometimes disagree- but if we are open to know more we can learn from each other’s experiences.
So on that note - let’s get right to our subject matter. Doukhobors.
So what is a Doukhobor –in this day and age –today . . .
Perhaps an example can be taken from the last Festival in Brilliant. You might recall three young ladies from Victoria, BC that performed several hymns. Their voices were exceptional, the harmony was brilliant – their stage presence enthralling.
After their presentation, I spoke with them and complimented them on their outstanding performance and asked who they were. One of the girls quickly noted that, “ I am not a Doukhobor.”
I just as quickly replied, “Oh yes - I feel you are - Doukhobors are not a race or colour of humans- being Doukhobor means feeling a certain way, being a certain way, having a certain attitude to life and those around you. Yes, it might mean subscribing to a set of beliefs, a culture with its own distinct rituals, etc. It is thinking, feeling and being a certain way. So apart from the general idea that there are only so many Doukhobors - I believe there are many, many, thousands of Doukhobors on the planet –we just need to recognize each other. I recognize you as a Doukhobor. So there!
We have a Doukhobor group gathered here today – there are no non - Doukhobors here from what I can see. We recognize each other – in spirit.
Today let’s focus on the more narrow definition – a distinct and identifiable group with a history.
We’ll start with a brief Historical Outline – and Origins that some of you may already know but this is to set the stage so to speak. But let me add another perspective to this – perhaps another way of seeing what could be the deeper roots of the Doukhobors.
Doukhobors describe themselves as Christians.
A favourite Doukhobor psalm of mine is in ‘The Book of Life’ as published by Bonch –Bruevich a Russian academic, ethnographer or anthropologist and a confidant of Lenin’s. He accompanied the Doukhobors to Canada on the last ship and spent a year among them recording much of the material he later published as the Doukhobor ‘Book of Life” .
In this Book of Life - Psalm # 12 is a memory recording of the questions asked by the Greek-Orthodox Church in Russia and the answers are from a Doukhobor.
Q: Do you have a light?
A: Yes
Q: What is your light?
A: Our light is an ardent faith and an indestructible consciousness.
It goes on and then comes to . . .
Q: Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
A: Yes, we believe and profess . . .
Q: Do you know Christ?
A: Our forefathers/predecessors knew God before Christ.
Now that is a loaded statement and we need to unpack that a bit.
Let’s take a quick, cursory look at the origins of the Doukhobor faith.
At the outset of the Christian movement there were many variations on the theme and these have lasted for decades if not centuries.
All along this Christian trajectory there were numerous dissenting voices from the apostles through to the development of the church and these were then and still remain as issues of interpretation of the teachings – what did they mean or what does it mean? For example – there are still issues with the interpretation of the Trinity. Various groups or factions formed and the struggle was at times very vicious.
What eventually triumphed was the secular power of Constantine’s army that more or less cemented the foundations of the official church of the Prince of Peace.
The struggle to keep the ancient traditions and knowledge continued. The ancient – predating Christ - Gnostic traditions, have survived to this day and are showing a resurgence.
– One Christian sect were set against another and Christians against what they called Pagans - the establishment church trying to wipe out ancient knowledge . . . In 415 AD, it was the Christians (egged on by a Christian Bishop – Cyril) that burned down the world famous Library at Alexandria, Egypt, seized Hypatia, a much beloved philosopher and teacher, stoned her with tiles and scraped the flesh from her with shells, dismembered and burned her.
Dissenting views holding the ancient mysteries continued for centuries in the form of sects or groups like the Cathars, the Waldenses, the Albigenses, the Bogomils, The Khlisty, Khristovschina carried this thread of thinking and new ones developed over time – like the Protestant movement which also has evolved into various versions. And so it goes.
The numerous ideas, based on and nurtured by fervent followers from pre-Christian ancient times, and reinforced by the teaching of Christ, have survived in some form or another. From time to time these ideas found fertile ground in a prevalent social condition and erupted into public presence. This always rankled the dominant society around them, which then tried to contain any thinking that was inimical to the predominant state and church structures. Such was the issue with the Doukhobors. They first came to attention very early in the 1600’s and more so around 1733.
In the social order of Russia of that time, there were numerous dissenters of various persuasions present, for this was a time of the Raskol or Schism in the Russian Church and a segment of the population became ‘Old Believers’, Khristovschina’ or “People of Christ’, the Ikonobortsi or Icon wrestlers - some were erudite scholars like Skovroda, an Ethicist, who became an itinerant, or wandering preacher of a new vision. These visions, of course, took on many forms. Some also grew out of the Protestant Reformation as well, like the German Stundists - All of this activity produced numerous martyrs for their faith. People like Jan Huss- a Bohemian reformer who was burned at the stake. Lordly in a letter to Treguboff notes that our spiritual forefathers were people like Buddha and Jan Huss. Why was this thinking deemed so dangerous to the established order?
The underlying theme was of not needing any intercessors like clergy in interpreting Christ Consciousness. The divinity of Christ, rather than the church narrative, was interpreted as Christ was a Holy Teacher. The dissenters preached that the church has made the Holy Spirit into objects.
Theirs was feeling and knowing Christ Consciousness within oneself - inside oneself. This principle from the beginning of many ancient beliefs has remained the principal view for several centuries - up to now, with the Doukhobors although that too is changing and there is growing evidence that this is slowly reverting back to the official church narrative along evangelical lines.
This ‘heresy’ was rampant throughout Russia. This was from before the time of Peter the Great and on to succeeding monarchs and presented a huge problem and concern for the State and Church. Repressions followed - some very cruel and severe. Many died terrible deaths for their faith. People were sent into exile in Siberia or the far reaches of the Empire - including exiles to Finland. The overall movement of the ‘Christ believers’ became more defined and split off into other groups - among these were the Doukhobors and then eventually the Molakans.
In the 1700’s Doukhoborism was already taking form through leaders like Sylvan Kolesnikov, a retired non-commissioned officer, who insisted that this teaching was not his but came from very, very far back. Most people at that time were illiterate but took this understanding to heart and memory - into the Living Book. Other leaders followed such as Pobirokhin. He was a literate man who was a travelling merchant – going from village to village- dealing in wool and other items and was thus able to ‘spread The Word’. He was one that had passed on many or our Doukhobor psalms. “ What manner of person art thou? I am a person of God.” Or - The psalm ‘Be Devout.’ As a result he was exiled to Siberia around 1797. Doukhobor thinking was spread throughout Russia in areas like Tambov, Voronezh and many other areas of Russia-.
Tsar Paul at the time – who was a reformer and raised the ire of much of European nobility for his reformist or progressive views- was assassinated - and his young son Alexander I became Tsar- and it was during his time that there was either a realization or good advice from some, that made some sort of sense to the new Tsar.
Instead of chasing all these dissenters all over Russia while they were ‘infecting’ many others - the ideas was to bring them in to one area so that the authorities can keep a strict eye on them. And this is what pretty much happened to the Doukhobors – a predominant sect at the time. They were given amnesty and asked to relocate to the fertile lands of the Milky Waters area of Russia - in an area where a lot of the fighting is happening currently in the Ukraine.
Alexander I was an interesting character - he defeated Napoleon in his invasion of Russia and had a peculiar - one could say - almost spiritual view in spite of being the Tsar and the defender of the Church. More on that interesting piece and a Doukhobor connection - later if we have time.
In the Milky Waters, the Doukhobors now had a place of their own with very fertile land . . . and were given money for resettlement. They quickly became organized through another leader who had emerged – Savely Kapustin- and it was during his time that the villages were organized in a communal structure, the various ways that Doukhobors still worship, and some of Doukhobor symbols like bread salt and water were set.
Life continued in the Milky waters - the church and state kept close surveillance – because many people in the surrounding population saw that this was a much better idea than living under serfdom or being indentured to a landowner forever - or worse still be in the army services - which was normally for 25 years. So the authorities were on constant watch for deserters or general runaways that wanted to join the thriving Doukhobor community and its relative freedoms. A large community of German Protestants – Stundists were situated on the opposite side of the Milky waters river.
After the so - called ‘death’ of Alexander I, the attitude of the state and church took a turn towards a more repressive stance against the Doukhobors - up to a point where in the very early 1840’s they were finally told to move to what was Russian frontier territory – the Caucuses.
Under the prompting and encouragement of the British-(for resources) the Persians invaded the Caucuses in 1826 and took considerable territory. The Russian Empire replied the following year in an organized fashion and pushed back the Persians across the Caspian Sea and secured almost all of the southern Caucuses territory. This established Russian sovereignty and created a commanding trade presence in the entire region.
In the early 1800’s on through to the early 1840’s in the Milky Waters area many Doukhobors became well established and some even wealthy.
There, the Doukhobors were given a stark choice: stay and keep all you have acquired and accept the Church Doctrine - the Priests and the Icons - or - leave – at your own expense this time - to the Caucuses. Some in the community were fairly well off by this time with a well developed community structure and material goods. Those that chose to move, were allowed to sell any personal property or movable items – of course at bargain prices - but any real property – real estate was to remain. They were given some compensation by the state and then this was taken as compensation for the lands they were to occupy. Out of approximately 30-40 thousand some 20 thousand moved to the Caucuses.
In the Caucuses, they were exposed to a different life from the steppes and grain farming and had to change to cattle and sheep farming. Along with this they encountered other cultures - like the Muslim Tartars, Persians and their mystical sect like the Sufis, and they were close to a large adjacent province called Kalmykia - which was populated by Tibetan Buddhists with their own distinct culture and beliefs. Today, we have families that are called Kalmikoff – of the Kalmyk’s - and we’ve even had leaders – Kalmykovi. All of these influences have left their mark on the sect.
The history from that time is better documented and more familiar, including the leadership of Petushka, Kalmykov and Lushechka, then up to Peter the Lordly, the burning of the arms and the eventual move to Canada. And the history in Canada is also fairly well known.
So this is a capsule history. I thought it necessary to set a context for what I wish to speak about.
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So lets look at this from another perspective.
The issue of TESTS or EXAMINATIONS.
A believer undergoes certain tests of faith. This is true in many other faiths but we will speak about the Doukhobor journey.
It would not have been easy to profess a faith that was very much a rejection of the established order. Especially because this order was protected and enforced by the state authorities with it’s overwhelming power.
A test - In Russia – people were imprisoned, some tortured but maintained their faith unto death.
A test, an examination:
Then a move to the to Milky Waters and a time of rebuilding and solidifying their faith and then in the move to the Caucuses their faith was again tested. Leave everything and go. And many of them did. They covered their kitchen table with a cloth – placed bread, salt and water on it - said a prayer and left it all – knowingly facing considerable hardships.
A test - an examination:
In the Caucuses there was the rejection of militarism - another well documented, and severe test – many died.
A test - an examination:
And another test in the eventual move to Canada. Families were broken up over this.
With Toil and Peaceful Life’ - the Doukhobors carved out a life and built up the community, and then another Test: the lands in Saskatchewan – in the largest mass migration within Canadian history.
8,000 left and moved to BC, more hardships. But with a sense of new beginning again.
They worked hard and established a large communal structure, an enterprise – it was the largest agrarian experiment in North America and the most modern at the time. This was in BC and throughout the Western Canadian Provinces.
And then, another test – the loss of this thriving communal enterprise.
After things settled down, there was a another time of rebuilding and rest until now.
So now, are we as Doukhobors facing one of the most important examinations in our history. – a loss of identity and faith?
Let’s take a closer look at this . . .
The Doukhobors are sometimes described as a social movement - perhaps a part of that is true or are they more than that - and may be seen as mystical Sect? We are after all not Social Wrestlers but Spirit Wrestlers!
Lets look around and see what’s happening. Let’s pull back the curtain and take a peek.
Please keep in mind that these are simple observations and not meant in any way to be judgmental. It is what it is.
The Doukhobors are a sect or movement that is situated in an interesting time and place. We will deal with the Doukhobors in Canada for this discussion.
We see that the Doukhobors, like many minorities, are facing some unusual circumstances today.
The group has grown from the approximately 7,500 that arrived in Canada - let’s give it some generous numbers here - to roughly 40 to maybe even fifty thousand descendants.
Out of these, there are probably about 10 thousand that still consider they have ties with their roots - distant perhaps, but felt ties and will from time to time remember this to themselves and their families at weddings and especially at funerals.
Out of these 10 thousand, let’s say that roughly 5 thousand –mostly older folks that retain a smattering of their Russian language and can speak it reasonably well - although this aspect is diminishing because of non-use and also the need for the older speaking generation such as parents and grandparents to converse in English with their children and grandchildren.
Out of these 5 thousand not all, but many, belong to a recognizable Doukhobor organization. The largest one being the USCC with an estimated paying membership of just under 1K –again mostly middle aged to elderly still active devotees. There are other groups, such as the Independents, The Canadian Doukhobor Society, or the Krestova Doukhobors, The Alberta Doukhobors and the Saskatchewan Doukhobors. Most of these may not have a paying or registered membership but in general support the USCC activities in many ways. In all of these groups, the membership is getting older and the members are increasingly experiencing difficulties in carrying on.
As an example, because of dwindling membership, The Creston Doukhobors no longer gather for Sunday meetings and have rented their small hall to the local Mennonite group. (who seem to be thriving)
There are groups in Saskatchewan and Alberta – also more elderly and less active, and much lesser in numbers and shrinking.
A lot of activities are concentrated on preserving the past, through maintaining and creating museums and monuments. These have in some fashion have themselves become icons but are intended to preserve the memory of our ancestors in some way.
Granted, there is an annual Festival that celebrates the culture but it too is smaller and smaller every year. The youth are encouraged to get involved and are supported by the elders to produce this annual event.
As a group, the youth get older, they leave for education or jobs or careers in the larger urban centres and a new batch has to be coaxed into assuming the responsibility for producing the Festival and carrying on other youth activities.
There are ‘spiritual meetings’ undertaken where some life stories are shared but it is now with an undercurrent of the evangelical experiences, with testimonials from people coming to these spiritual meeting who are also attending one of the local evangelical churches as members. The taste and flavour of the meetings is changing.
Most of our funerals - for the sake of convenience - have been shortened over time from an original three day service to 1 – half day and are changing from solemn services of reflection and prayer to a ‘Celebration of Life’ so popular with the dominant society.
Let’s summarize quickly.
a/ We have a group that, after resisting for over a century, is beginning to succumb to and is being assimilated into the dominant society around them.
b/The Doukhobors are experiencing a significant loss of their own language, this is a huge issue - Sociologists will tell you that any culture is built and maintained through language. Lose that and you have changed and as a result a part of your ‘Self' has also changed.
c/ The general culture and mindset and I dare say, anxiety of the active Doukhobors is one of maintenance and survival, which leaves very little effort for supporting and projecting the future or creating and fleshing out any kind of vision for the group.
d/ I have seen the erosion of our Doukhobor faith, once rooted in a profound ‘spirituality’ relentlessly moving or converting into a social movement of peaceniks and protesters – And I don’t mean that to sound pejoratively - this was always there - but is now developing into a more modern, politically sophisticated version at the expense of time delving into our spiritual roots.
e/ Traditional dress has also changed considerably - from what had been a fairly well upheld dress codes to casual wear with no shawls - and women in pants. Some still uphold the traditions but there are less and less of these and more and more of the ones that do not deem ‘appropriate’ dress customs to matter.
In short – there are fundamental changes taking place and at a quickening pace. And the current ‘modern’ Doukhobor seems to be a Doukhobor far-removed from our forbears and in several easily discernible ways. We may be witnessing the passing of the last generation of Canadian Doukhobors who still possess some sense and the vital importance of our spiritual roots! This is an astounding and historically critical time for the Doukhobors.
Another aspect is that the older generation is comprised of mostly devotional people that see their role and obligation as – carrying on the faith and traditions. If you are a devoted follower, there is no need to examine your faith of several centuries – ‘it was good enough for my ancestors – its good enough for me- just need to preserve it’. There is much strength and spiritual power in feeling this way but this too may be at the cost of losing our younger generations.
The younger generation - the children of these devotees are more educated and insist on asking questions – which the older generation have difficulty answering because they did not seek answers to the many questions when they were young - questions now posed by their children – they were simply – devoted and practised their faith - no need to philosophize – just be a good and kind person – if you feel the Christ Consciousness within oneself – you cannot be otherwise.
Many Doukhobor people I speak with – from Saskatchewan, Alberta and in BC can see this happening and seem powerless and helpless to affect change in any significant way. The trajectory seems to be inexorably set for the sect known as ‘The Doukhobors’ to soon become a footnote in history. How soon is soon? Look at the evidence around you. Another one or two generations perhaps? Unless something happens – unless there is a change . . .
Several years ago I did some interviews for my thesis ‘The Krestova Doukhobors-A Divided Path - Devotion and Knowledge’ and in this I developed a chart that I have used in several presentations to other Doukhobor groups or organizations.
The ‘Where Are We At’ chart . This is a graphic representation of our “Doukhoborism’ as a circle encompassing our activities and ways of being. There are points set out around this circle that describe a focus of activities we engage in.
During my thesis research and in subsequent presentations, participants were asked to mark with a dot as to where they feel the current state of activities is predominant.
These dots clustered more heavily around the bottom portion of the graph especially around Form and Structure and Politics and Action with some around Tradition and Culture.
When the participants were asked as to where they feel we as Doukhobors should be focusing our activities, the dots clustered between Culture and Traditions and especially around Spirituality. The question in each case after this exercise was if we are in more of the politics and action and we wish to be more spiritual, -what is preventing this from happening? Or how can we make the shift in our focus to occur towards spirituality? There was a paucity of answers – some called for more devotion, better attendance at meetings - especially prayer meetings etc. No clear answer.
In several presentations to Doukhobor groups the results were very similar.
The intentions or directions seems very close and very clearly demonstrated– but what to do?
Below is the graph with explanations.
WHERE ARE WE AT?
SPIRITUALITY
Having a focus more on things spiritual and less with things material. Activities pertaining to being in closer contact with your own inner essence or soul: prayer or meditation. Issues of ultimate concern.
CULTURE/TRADITION
Having a focus more on things traditional and cultural such as dress, food - borshch, bread, rituals, singing, talent such as singing, hymns, psalms, funerals and similar activities.
ACTION & POLITICS
Having a focus more on political meanings and aspects of relationships. Peace, group/presentations activities, peace celebrations, marches, letters to authorities.
FORM / STRUCTURE
Meetings supporting or protesting how the organization is structured? Who is in charge of something? Presentations and responsible for what? How we arrange and run business. Publications or public announcements, meetings, funerals, how we stand or sit at prayer. Workshops, Communications, Clubs, meetings, singing, and various committees or groups with Publications and ways of communicating agendas.
This is sort of where we left off at a previous meeting of the Council of Doukhobors In Canada – in Calgary because we ran out of time. So let’s carry on . . .
So now what? Well, lets look at what others have been thinking about these sorts of things and how change takes place.
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Ilya Prigogine, a chemist and physicist - a Nobel Prize winner in 1977 in his book with ‘Order out of Chaos” with Isabelle Stengers, writes about chemical structures and processes, ecosystems and human social behaviour – and explains the theory of dissipative structure. It is essentially as follows:
A very basic or simple explanation of a dissipative structure is:
A lump, a heap, a physical structure - or an idea – a structure. Held together by forces within in a more or less cohesive state.
Examples are – chemical, economic, political or ecological and religious structures, and the brain - or let’s look at the Doukhobors as a dissipative structure.
The structure is maintained with internal forces holding together this idea or structure. There are however, pressures from outside that impinge or exert pressure on this structure and produce internal strains. If the structure is such that it can easily repel these external pressures, then the structure continues. If however, the pressure is so great that the structure is less and less able to withstand the external pressures, then the structure develops cracks and fissures or factions in the whole, if it’s a communal or ideological structure – such as the Doukhobors. And we see plenty of evidence with the various groupings, societies, and factions throughout our past and even recent history.
If this process continues without some change or intervention, the structure then begins to dissipate – hence ‘Dissipative Structures’.
That is why, in recognizing this state of affairs, with the cracks very evident and widening, The Council of Doukhobors in Canada was formed to try and get the various groups talking and working together – to keep adding some glue to the cracks between groups so that the entire idea - this structure - stays together. To some degree, through much effort and persistence, we have achieved a tiny bit of success. This gathering here, today, with representation from three provinces is evidence that there is ongoing communication and a desire to be together.
Let’s get back to Dissipative Structures where we have a structure with fissures and cracks – factions – and coming apart. The structure is not holding and continuing to dissipate.
Unless the structure can transform itself in such a way that the external pressure become less relevant and the pressure is thus relieved. Where the current external situation no longer matters or matters much less. This of course entails that a new reason has to be developed for the existence of the structure – different from what is was to draw the pressures from outside itself. It would have to transcend its current form and change into something that incorporates and includes the essentials of the old - but is new.
Lets look at this as . . .
One atom – has its characteristics and properties – if you stick two atoms together – they have transcended their former state and have now become a molecule - which now has different properties and characteristics and a whole new level of existence. Yet this still contains the atoms within it - but is a different thing.
Now if we stick these molecules together – we get a cell – another huge level of evolvement - and new characteristics and capacities that the atom or the molecule did not posses. A whole new level of being.
If we follow this analogy – the cell becomes an organ and again there is a dramatic shift in the characteristics and capacities that the original did not posses. And so it goes, but in each instance the process is – transcend and include and become something new - with different characteristics and capacities – and understanding especially if we deal with social aspects of this.
So where does this leave us? What does this mean? Let keep this thought as we continue – but hang it there lightly.
Lets look at some of the ideas about ourselves as beings. This may provide some clues or help us see the situation more clearly.
- how we perceive the world around us, our perspective.
- how we develop and
- how our perspectives determine how we worship or pay homage to the divine or address issues of our ultimate concern.
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First of all lets take a look at how we develop as humans. This development has been well studied by Religious figures, Philosophers, Sociologists, Anthropologists and particularly Developmental Psychologists – some names for starters are Piaget, Maslow, Clare Graves - popularized with Spiral Dynamics, Jane Lovinger, Susan Cook-Greuter, James Fowler and the stages of faith, and Robert Kegan from Harvard on how we change. And Ken Wilber - one of our world’s greatest contemporary thinkers and philosophers - that has put a lot of this together to get a more comprehensive, a more what he calls “An Integral View.” He has managed to synthesize all of these thinkers and added his own thoughts to transform contemporary thought in a huge way.
There are several views that have emerged. Most of them essentially agree. So for our discussion we will quickly go through the stages that we as humans experience as we develop or evolve.
These again follow the idea of ‘transcend and include’.
Essentially they are as follows:
1. Archaic – very basic developmental – includes primates from 10,000 years ago
2. Agrarian - communities evolving – basic social structures
3. Magic – not in the sense of rabbit out a hat but more like my grandson – who insists he is either one superhero or another at a given time – and believes this. This includes all of the ancient magic cults – some still exist today. Like the others this is also a stage of development in our human civilizations and each individual human experience.
4. Mythic - This is generally a firm and literal belief in the various ancient stories with their Gods and superhuman entities - from the Baghavat Gita, the various ancient chronicles – Indian, Egyptian, Jewish, Greek, Roman and Western civilization with its many myths. With some still very much alive to this day. As Joseph Campbell in The Power of Myth so ably wrote about the various myths and rituals and their critical importance on our development – he also said we need – a new myth for our time . .
5. Rational – seeing the myths as myths and taking what these myths teach us in how we are to be in this world. In Russia, as a result of their ancient roots and knowledge, the Doukhobors were already there – where they saw the myths as myths and the church narratives that supported the powerful mythic views of the church on this. As a result they were persecuted by the huge mythic structure of the organized powers of the state and church that existed them – and still does.
6. Pluralistic - to be able to take the ‘others’ perspectives into account and acknowledge the wisdom embedded in them - towards a pluralistic or multi-cultural society. This is a very important shift in our consciousness – the ability to see from another person’s perspective – we get into perspectives.
This is also a stage where real LOVE can begin – if you cannot take another person's perspective and claim you love them, then you are only really loving an extension of yourself - because you cannot see the other or feel the other or empathize. So in our human stages of development this is a critical stage to reach.
7. Holistic - is seeing and feeling and embracing the wisdom of the multiple views and acknowledging these and owning them as part of your own spiritual outlook and behaviour - See how it all fits in with your world view.
8. Integral - how it all ties in and works together to produce our common world experience. How we communicate and how we see ourselves and our ‘spirituality’.
There are more that have been studied but we will work with these for now.
Now all of these ‘stages' have a definite effect on how we and others live our lives on the planets and what matters and how we address the issues of our ultimate concern. These also have a profound affect on to how we practice our ‘spirituality’. How we are as Doukhobors.
The simplest way to look at this is by looking at our own life experiences.
When a baby is born he or she is at a very early developmental stage and we notice quickly that the child is very egotistical - it’s me that counts and everything around me is me - until the child realizes that there is me and all the rest of this stuff around me. This is essentially the development of the egotistical stage, where ego becomes more pronounced and developed.
Along with this, the child learns to walk and talk and acquire other motor skills. The child goes from what is called pre-operational to a concrete operational stage. Once you learn how to walk or talk or even ride a bike or skate - you have acquired a permanent competency. That is, they do not go away - you don’t forget how to walk or ride a bike or speak. Over time, other skills and competencies develop such as - cognitive, social, moral, the self-related stages of perspectives, etc. This is still in the egocentric stage of development. These are important formatory stages that may well last through life. We have all seen these stages in the children around us and may remember these in ourselves or our siblings.
As an example we can have the cognitive (thinking) stage become well developed and still be low on the social (like nerds) or even moral stages that can remain very low through life. We have examples of priests that seemingly attain high spiritual, cognitive and social skills but have a very low moral development – with horrendous results.
Getting back to the child, he or she soon progresses to recognizing others that are close to me – like Mother, Father, siblings and then extended family members and begins to sense a group – and begins to shift into what is called an ethnocentric stage – my family, my extended family, - my tribe.
This continues to extend wider to friends, others in the social group of parents and neighbourhoods, religious groupings, teams, clubs, etc. This stage continues to grow into adult hood. Examples are – from I am a Doukhobor, I am from Calgary, or the Kootenays. I am from BC to I am a Canadian. These identifiers place us within a context. We have a sense of belonging. And these have an important function in our lives. These can be considered ethnocentric to one degree or another.
However, if we begin to see ourselves as a citizens of the planet and that we are essentially one with everyone else on this planet then we are becoming World-Centric. If we then begin to grow and see ourselves as part of an even larger whole – the Solar system and the Universe then we become Kosmo-Centric. These are not sharp delineations but gradual shifts in thinking and being that affect our lives and those around us.
While all this wonderful business is happening we also go through developing other relational stages. These are comprised of our ability to take a perspective. This is important.
So what do we mean by perspectives?
These are the way we are able to see ourselves and the world around us and comprehend a relationship and how we relate to and deal with others.
Perspectives are universally used in language to describe relationships - generally in pronouns.
Simply put I, you, or you guys, he, she, they, or them or it. And then we have a collective that can become magical when we become a WE, US, All of US. More on that later
Perspectives –
1st Person Perspective As I – the one speaking and I view the world from behind my face there is me and everything out there that is not me. This includes things and others.
2nd Person – this is the one spoken to – I first person, speak to you –you are second person and the plural in most languages has a word- but oddly in English there isn’t one so we say - youse guys or ya’ all.
3rd Person is the person or thing being spoken about.
So when you and I agree- this become a we - other extraordinary things happens. More on that if we have time.
So from our early developmental years, we can go from holding a first person perspective and then relate to a second person perspective. To be able to take your perspective into account while I have mine intact. To ‘see’ your point of view – your perspective. And this can take many forms.
An ethnocentric person can say I am a Canadian, and keep the idea of being a Canadian and consider the ‘other’. And so on but still remain ethnocentric.
When we develop a capacity and competency to achieve or accommodate another view and consider ourselves not just Doukhobor, not just a Calgary, or Kootenay, or Saskatchewan Doukhobor but think of ourselves as also Canadian and then think of ourselves as a citizen of the planet and we become world centric. We still have the egotistical view where I matter, the ethnocentric view where my group, my tribe matters, my country matters but now also the world matters, and we have transcended our limitations and have acquired an ability to take and keep several perspectives in mind. So to a degree, we have transcended and included the previous stages of development. This is very important.
Surprisingly, and we all know some people who cannot get past their egotistical stance or their ethnocentric position they hold so dear - “my country – right or wrong” - The George Bushes and Harpers of this world. Ethnocentricity writ large. This always skews our relationships if we do not have the ability to take the perspective of ”the other”.
We now have on the planet entire religions, societies, countries that are generally at mythic and ethnocentric stage of development and have a tough time moving out of this. It is a structure of our development as humans on the planet. And they are generally at each other’s throats. Take a look at the evidence around us.
I say this speaking generally, so think that the predominant amount of people are at this stage. There will be people that have transcended this and some are far out there. There are also a percentage that are at the lower end of development. So this is a general view.
Studies have indicated that the percentages – are generally 60-70% or more at this Mythic – Ethnocentric stage and 20-25% lower and about 3-5% at a higher stage and some at a very high stage. These figures can and do change . . .
Canada, you might fondly remember, seemed like it was at one time at a higher stage and we were considered as ‘different’ - that we understood something the others had not yet grasped and we were celebrated as people of peace and peacekeepers.
But now? We are now seen as warmongering with the others and even more virulently.
But we have drifted off a tad . . .
We were talking about perspectives…and its interesting to note how this plays out in the ways we worship and what shape or form that takes.
As we develop, as we grow up . . . There is an EROS to our development, particularly at the later stages – this is a compelling urge to seek the Divine – to know God - to strive to explain and understand the great order of things that affect us and all those around us. We have a powerful need for ‘gnosis’ – knowledge of the Divine.
We also have several perspectives on the Divine - The Creator - God . . .
1. Seeing the Creator as all and everything - the Brahman, the Atman, All that is. The ineffable –indescribable Universal Energy pervading everything and being everything.
And importantly – that we /or I - are also very much a part of this universal energy – our ground of being.
This is best described in the ancient Eastern teaching – where they have Nirguna Brahma – the unqualifiable, with no characteristics – no attributes - nothing measurable, no time, space or dimensions. Yet there is a sense of our existence – before Abraham was I AM. This is apprehending, sensing, feeling, tasting or knowing The Creator and your-SELF as first person as one thing – no duality - not a me and a great Him. No duality!
And – Saguna Brahma – where we encounter – form, colours, the arrow of time, measurable things. This is what most people see as reality. But before any of this happens it first needs someone to perceive this – and immediately we have perspectives. An in-out, up and down, backward-forward, all trapped in the arrow of time. This is what we apprehend as ‘reality.’
2. Perceiving God – as an omnipotent ‘Other’ – this grey haired gentleman up in the clouds - and his many special personalities like Buddha, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad that are sent to redeem the people of the world. This is the predominant view on this planet and all these entities are like superheroes with special powers that were or are here to save us.
Studies indicate – and it's self evident – that approximately 70% of the world population worships or prays to a “THOU” - God in second person. There is a relationship. This view also bespeaks of a feeling of ‘separateness’ from the all pervading universal energy that is all and everything - because it describes a notion that God is there and I am here and am trying to communicate – through thoughts, prayers, etc. More on this later- its important.
3. Another way we worship is seeing or feeling Nature as the great reality – Gaia - Mother Nature as the foundation of our being - this has been embraced from early times – for example, in the Eastern Han religions, the pantheistic religions and indigenous spirituality where the worship of nature involves many rituals - to Science - seeing Nature as The Great Reality.
Most of these, often strongly held views – in spite of each one of these religions describing ‘love’ as a fundamental precept of their religion - are also at each others’ throats. Just look around . . . !
There are also stages in our spiritual growth – this Eros we spoke about that is generally from an individual sensing oneself as an I -to communion – it is a feeling that we are relating to another part of the great divine structure. To Union with God and then ultimately – UNITY with the Divine – however described.
All these stages and states are currently available – anytime, anywhere.
In worshipping God as second person and especially from the classical Christian perspective - we certainly can have communion – where we can partake – of Jesus – as the middleman in this relationship - of his body and blood through a classical Catholic communion - to Doukhobors where through prayer and especially singing we become one with everyone else – A magical thing happens – when we come to a typical Doukhobor meeting as one individual – then when we start singing- we (all of us) become a WE – and through entrainment we release many feel good chemicals like oxytocin that engender love and feeling together - feeling a part of the others participating. By extension one may go to feeling a part of God - if you will.
So, what has all this to do with our original discussion about Doukhobors?
Well, we have a reasonably good idea that the Doukhobors emerged out of deeply held spiritual beliefs that have continued over a long time – centuries. This thinking and this faith has several characteristics.
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In human development thinking, while the rest of society around them was still very suffused with and at the stage of Mythic thinking there was evidence that the Doukhobors were progressing into the Rational stage of development. Well ahead of their time.
We also see that they had an understanding that eliminated all the middlemen from their access to the Divine as demonstrated by their rejection of the Church, the Testaments and the Clergy. To them the Divine was an immediate – sensed feeling of being one with the Universal Energy – of recognizing the Oneness of all Creation – with a direct Union with this all pervasive universal energy - with God. It was both a very intensely private and yet all encompassing universal experience that was accessible at any time or anywhere. Hence no need for churches or intermediaries. The circumstances of one’s life were the ground of their Church and their life experiences provided the teaching for self development and evolvement. Some of this is now changing and in some instances, there is a going back, an embracing of the Church, the Testaments and the Clergy.
Their faith and its ideas were held within their being – inside one’s heart and memory and were an ever present daily reality. The ongoing spiritual test or examination was - life lived on a daily basis. It was a living faith.
After Bonch-Bruyevich published the Doukhobor “Book of Life” in 1909, this evolving aspect of Doukhobors faith was then cemented and imprisoned in the covers of a book and became an OBJECT - The faith became objectified. It became an object – apart from me . . .
It was placed on a shelf - and “if my hockey game or my soap opera and now Facebook and Twitter is not interrupted – I might take a look and see what this is all about".
It was removed from being something internal and very much a part of each Doukhobor soul to – out there – somewhere - for now . . .
As we have seen there is still this yearning – this Eros - that drives many Doukhobors to honour our forefathers, to seek answers and explanations – to somehow reconnect to the ineffable spirituality we know is there.
The present form continues to be maintained first out of a sense of honour and secondly, in some – a massive sense of guilt that - what was so dearly paid for in suffering and lives - is now being lost - squandered away though our negligence and loss of diligence - at a time where there is freedom of expression and worship – no repressions. Amazing isn’t it?
But is maintaining the old - the status quo - the way to carry on in what may be a dissipative structure we call Doukhoborism?
We seem ripe for transcending - and including the old but emerging as something with different – new Characteristics and new Capacities – in seeing ourselves as the Modern Doukhobor.
What shape or form would or could that take? It is difficult to see ourselves if we are still deeply embedded in the old paradigms, the old memes, and see only that we are – disintegrating. Just have a look around . . . A disheartening view for many. And this is at a time when we as Doukhobors have had very little persecution, comparatively speaking. When we are most free to be ourselves in our faith - we are dissipating . . . Is this not astonishing?
An yet . . . there is a feeling that something is going on . . . Is there evidence that there is a shift - a transformation or transcending beginning to occur? What shape or form is this taking? That is something we need to watch for and do some thinking and feeling about – time will tell us soon enough.
Increasingly many Doukhobor and non-Doukhobor people are expressing the idea that – ‘I am spiritual but not religious’ - what an interesting idea – but what does it mean?
On the face of it – it seems there is a recognition that the old dogmatic ways are no longer sufficient to satisfy one’s spiritual hunger – for meaning – and how does organized religion - which has contributed astounding suffering and death throughout the centuries through religious wars and persecutions to preserve their status quo – how does this add to a deeper understanding or feeling about God?
Perhaps our own personal experiences can lead to a different understanding and appreciation of ‘Spirituality’ and the different ‘states’ that are part of our daily experience.
Well, let take a look . . .
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Every night, each human on this planet goes to sleep. Science is now confirming much of ancient wisdom in that there are stages identified and each stage produces a different state of being. Stages and States are very different things - this is very important.
So lets look at what happens.
We, daily live our lives in what we call reality – feelable, kickable stuff - things – and we share this planet – this reality with other beings of numerous orders from viruses, bacteria, plants, animals and other humans. We have acquired many things – stuff. But when we fall asleep - what we deem reality is no longer valid – we do not have our partners, children, pets or possessions or our pick up trucks. They may be but generally are no longer part of the dream state that we enter. Yet we still have a sense of “I”. We take our ego with us and experience a state of being – a place or space or dimension or state of being with very different rules - Time can be elastic - we can sometimes speak to people that are deceased, things pop in and pop out of our experience.
Then we enter into a state called deep dreamless sleep – ancient teachings call this a state of Turya – or third state where even the dream state become invalid – no longer there. Yet we exist – and unless one has been training through meditation – we simply do not remember! This is a place where our “I” – our Ego - can’t go - because our ‘I’ is a structure of lower levels of our psyche – our ‘reality.’
Long term meditators report that there is still a sense, feel or taste of a part of themselves – a higher self perhaps but essentially there is nothing - no qualities or characteristics nothing to measure - no time. It just IS. Vechnaya Pamet, where we all wish our deceased to go.
This is a state of being we experience daily – each one of us. This is our spiritual ground of being and the overpowering feeling in this state is described as overwhelming – LOVE.
This is the basis of all our world’s prophets teachings and the religions that emerged after them.
In our hectic, busy, - otherwise preoccupied, lives – we have simply forgotten that the ground of our being – is LOVE. Freely available to take and give – anytime – anywhere.
Because of time constraints, there was little opportunity for a question period and discussion. Merciless ‘time’ –prevailed –again.
Thank you -
Fred Makortoff -
[email protected] -
All rights reserved (2015)
FRED'S PRAYER - Recent meeting in Creston:
Castlegar Visit
The Creston Doukhobor Society was delighted on April 22 to host a visit from the Castlegar area. J. J. Verigin headed the delegation. Other members visiting were Fred Makortoff as well as Walter Perepolkin, and wife Donna from Krestova.
J. J. presented the Society with several CDs and DVDs of last year’s Youth Festival, in recognition of past donations to the USCC and Iskra by the Creston Doukhobor Society. Walter Perepolkin also responded with a thank you speech for a recent contribution to the Krestova group, particularly in aid of their annual Thanksgiving dinner.
In addition to prayers and hymns, the Creston group also had an opportunity to share latest news and reports on the Creston Society activities.
All was followed by a social visit with a delicious vegetarian lunch provided by Demetre’s Catering including an excellent borshch.
The meeting began with prayers. Among others, in the tradition of the Living Book, follows a prayer by Fred Makortoff:
A PRAYER
1. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That we are all children of one Creator.
2. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That we all see your great Creation with different eyes and feel and understand each in our own way - that is differently.
3. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That each person learns in their own way and changes in their own time.
4. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That I do not see and know everything.
5. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That not everyone must understand the way I do.
6. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That the best approach is not to improve another but to improve myself.
7. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That prayer - of going within - is a path to salvation.
8. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That the most powerful prayer is a prayer without words.
9. Spirit, help me understand and remember - that for me to approach You is to approach my heart.
10. Spirit, help me understand and remember - to see and feel the Divine in each person.
Fred Makortoff
Castlegar Visit
The Creston Doukhobor Society was delighted on April 22 to host a visit from the Castlegar area. J. J. Verigin headed the delegation. Other members visiting were Fred Makortoff as well as Walter Perepolkin, and wife Donna from Krestova.
J. J. presented the Society with several CDs and DVDs of last year’s Youth Festival, in recognition of past donations to the USCC and Iskra by the Creston Doukhobor Society. Walter Perepolkin also responded with a thank you speech for a recent contribution to the Krestova group, particularly in aid of their annual Thanksgiving dinner.
In addition to prayers and hymns, the Creston group also had an opportunity to share latest news and reports on the Creston Society activities.
All was followed by a social visit with a delicious vegetarian lunch provided by Demetre’s Catering including an excellent borshch.
The meeting began with prayers. Among others, in the tradition of the Living Book, follows a prayer by Fred Makortoff:
A PRAYER
1. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That we are all children of one Creator.
2. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That we all see your great Creation with different eyes and feel and understand each in our own way - that is differently.
3. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That each person learns in their own way and changes in their own time.
4. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That I do not see and know everything.
5. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That not everyone must understand the way I do.
6. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That the best approach is not to improve another but to improve myself.
7. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That prayer - of going within - is a path to salvation.
8. Spirit, help me understand and remember - That the most powerful prayer is a prayer without words.
9. Spirit, help me understand and remember - that for me to approach You is to approach my heart.
10. Spirit, help me understand and remember - to see and feel the Divine in each person.
Fred Makortoff