Orpheus is a legendary figure in the Bulgarian culture – so many books, studies, legends and myths are consecrated to him. It is well-known that Orpheus with his magic music was able to tame the wild animals, to influence the weather and to awaken human souls and spirits. In fact, Orpheus was the first Initiate on Earth to bring the Solar Mysteries in the spiritual life of humankind.  

Everybody in Bulgaria has heard about Orpheus. He was born in, and is associated with, the Rodopi Mountain, but the Master Beinsa Douno revealed that his first sanctuary was at the foot of the highest Rila Summit, Mussala, above the two Maritza Lakes. Studying music in Moscow, I was familiar with many legends about Orpheus but never heard his music.  

In the late 70's the Summer camp of the youth group in the Brotherhood was in the Mussala area, at the base of the picturesque rock called the Sphinx. Every morning we got up at 5.00 am and for about 40-45 minutes we climbed to the plateau, to the Sphinx, in order to meet the sunrise. This was one of the most picturesque and mystical panoramas for meeting the sunrise in this area (except from Mussala itself). After the sunrise we either did a Paneurhythmy in the area of the Sphinx or descended to the base camp for the activities of the day. 

One evening I felt a impulse to visit the Orpheus sanctuary on the other side of Mussala above the Maritza Lakes. The next morning the weather was wonderful and the sunrise magnificent. After the Paneurhythmy there I suggested to friends to go to the Orpheus place but they had different plans for the day so I went alone.  

In a good mood, surrounded by spectacular scenery, I started descending slowly from the Sphinx towards the Maritza valley. I heard the music of the brooks and underground waters but at some stage I heard wonderful flute music. I thought it was the music played by some shepherds or some tourists in the area, but, to my surprise I wasn't able to locate the source of the music. Continuing my descent I reached a most picturesque meadow on route to the valley where I decided to have a little prayer and meditation. The music continued to sound around me so I asked myself where it comes from and who is playing it. In my meditative state, little by little, I realised that I was listening to music recorded in the Akashic Chronicles and this was the music of Orpheus. Being a musician (a musicologist by education) I knew many composers and various musical epochs but I had never heard such music – with great softness, tenderness, subtle vibrations, connected with the soul of the player and the nature around.  

It was a revelation for me and I felt extremely thankful for this Divine present – finally the music of Orpheus! In my sitting meditation I dissolved in this Divine music and soon the whole valley was filled with these sounds. Little by little it changed metaphysically and I was able to link with Orpheus, playing his magical music (on flute or harp), which had the ability to tame wild animals, to change the weather and to influence the destiny of people.

I spent more than one hour on this meadow in joy and ecstasy, dissolving in the music of Orpheus. During this time everything which I knew about him became alive and I had the feeling that I was entering into the world of Orpheus, lit by the solar mysteries, which he brought for the first time on Earth. Of course, an important part of the Orpheus story was his relationship with Eurydice, which, on a cultural level, was expressed in music by many great composers, in particular Gluck (in his opera Orpheus and Eurydice). His music, without disturbing the original Orpheus music, started to sound in me as well.

I continued my descent towards the Maritza Lakes, completely immersed in the music of Orpheus and the spiritual world of the initiation which he brought on Earth. In this uplifted state I reached the lakes and there, between the first lake and the mountain there was a wonderful meadow surrounded by most picturesque "mythological" rocks (in the Brotherhood these rocks are called The Altars). Here, according to the Master Beinsa Douno, was the first Sanctuary of Orpheus from where he went to the mountain of Rodopi. On this meadow I spent a few hours and I did a very joyful and deep prayer-meditation, appreciating the legendary musician Orpheus and the great Solar mysteries which he brought on Earth.                                                

 Maritza Lakes

In accordance with the Orphic Mysteries, Creation is a magnificent spiritual ocean of Divine light, love, music, sacred words and creative thought-forms.  It emerges as an endless continuum of living spiritual energies which weave the substance of the physical cosmos.  Behind all objects, plants, animals and creatures we see the spiritual realities of higher worlds, projected into and reflected by the physical world.  The aura of the whole material world resembles a vast sea of brilliantly shining colour rays of light from the entire spectrum of the rainbow.  All the worlds of the three-fold structure of the Universe become completely transparent, penetrating and reflecting each other.

At the same time, the Divine Ocean of light and love resounds with refined and tender celestial music.  It reflects the living creative sounds in the Universe which are interwoven into the reality of all spiritual worlds.  These creative sounds form beautiful celestial music which permeates everything - the physical universe, the planets and the stars, nature, human beings and all spiritual worlds.  Everything resounds and the unique sound of each being determines its essence and constitutes its very existence.  'The great laws of Creation are hidden in music.  They are the laws of the great Spirit of Being.  The Divine Spirit works musically; it could even be said that the music in which the harmony of the numbers reverberates is a materialized movement of the Spirit'.  (The Master Beinsa Douno)

The quintessence of the colour rays of light and all celestial sounds is the sacred word of God - OM.  'Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God.  From the very beginning the Word was with God.  Through him God made all things'. (John 1: 1-3)  The sacred word OM 'shines' with all colours of the rainbow, 'resounds' with the multitude of creative sounds and 'forms' the primal chord of Divine harmony between all worlds.  In other words, OM is the key to the majestic Divine Ocean of light and to the great Divine harmony of the spheres. The sacred vibration of OM was in the Soul and Spirit of Orpheus and from this Primal Source his music, poetry and songs originated. From this, in Divine inspiration and creativity, Orpheus proclaimed:

Know thyself, and thou wilt know the Universe and the Gods! 

This is the key to the Orpheus mysteries and it became the key to the whole ancient esoteric culture.

Now, in line with the mysteries revealed to me by the Cosmic Christ, Orpheus was the first Initiate in the ancient European Culture who linked with the highest Divine World and the Solar Logos. His great love story with Eurydice was like a Wedding between the Universal Masculine and Feminine Principles, which had to elevate earthly life on to a new spiritual level. Eurydice symbolized the earthly life-giving Feminine energies; Orpheus was in contact with the Universal Masculine energies, with the Solar Logos.  According to the story, Eurydice was bitten by a snake (which is a reminder of the Fall of Eve), while Orpheus looked back at her and thus he broke the promise and was unable to lead her from Hell (the Earthly life) towards the new Solar mysteries. As a result the impulse for the establishment of new Solar Mysteries on Earth did not materialise and Orpheus in great mourning lost Eurydice. Nevertheless the initiation of Orpheus still remains in the life of humankind.  At the end of the Indo-European Cycle, when the mystery of the Second Coming will triumph, the Spirit of Orpheus will reunite with the Soul of Eurydice and they will establish the new Solar Mysteries, merging Heaven and Earth. 

Here it is interesting to mention that many years later, in 1990, in Glastonbury, England, I had a common workshop with Robert Coon, The Art of Transfiguration, connected with the mysteries of the Second Coming. Orpheus is not very well known in the spiritual culture of the Western Europe and this is why I was very surprised when Robert Coon initiated a conversation with me about the Orpheus mysteries and his new appearance in our time. This however is a very important theme, which is an organic part of the New Rila Mysteries.

So, on this wonderful day I understood much more about Orpheus, his music and his mysteries, than during my entire life. I understood also the essence of the Orpheus principle in music which Scriabin was trying to revive and the Master Beinsa Douno activated in its great fullness and power. Of course, when I came back to the camp the same evening, I shared some of my mystical visions with friends.

This story had a continuation after one month when the guide of the youth group, Brother Krum, a friend called Maria and I went to a mountain house (Chakur Voivoda) in the same part of Rila to investigate some possibilities for future summer camps. It was a rainy afternoon and when we relaxed in the house I shared with the friend, sister Maria, my Orpheus journey (at this time Brother Krum was dozing). After I finished my sharing, sister Maria was excited and told me that while I was speaking, she was seeing a light behind my head. Soon Brother Krum woke up and said "if you knew what an amazing dream I had just now: I saw Leon in an ancient Orpheus temple with the clothes of an Orpheus "priest", standing in front of a few hundred people and performing an Orpheus ceremony."  We were amazed with these coincidences (my sharing, sister Maria's vision of light and Brother Krum's dream) and we were sure that I had a real contact with the legendary musician Orpheus.

The Master Beinsa Douno said: In the near future musicians will come who will change the world. One of the interpretations of his prophesy is that the Spirit of Orpheus (and Eurydice) will inspire many people to transform, through music, dance and poetry, the present earthly civilisation into a new celestial one. A very important indication of this is the great revival of the Orpheus tradition thanks to the book and the inspiring poetry of Nikola Gigov, to the books and the work of the Brothers Gaidarski and to hundreds of Bulgarian people, interested and devoted to the Orpheus mysteries.

Now, in retrospect, I could say that the Orpheus principle in music and life is definitely activated. Scriabin did a lot towards this on a cultural level.  The Master Beinsa Douno realised it in glory and power through the sacred dance Paneurhythmy. In essence, the sacred dance Paneurhythmy is the fulfilment of the dream of Scriabin for spiritual transfiguration through music and dance.

Through the Paneurhythmy over the years thousands of participants achieved this spiritual transfiguration. What happened however on July 15, 2002, during our annual Summer seminar, was an extraordinary event based on the Paneurhythmy, which revealed the Reality of the New Heaven and the New Earth with the New Humankind in it. Then the Paneurhythmy blossomed as the Tree of Life in all three worlds of creation (the earthly, the celestial and the Highest Divine World) revealing the ultimate Truth of God as Divine Love, Wisdom and Truth.

So, I could summarise that this "apocalyptic" experience of the Paneurhythmy is the ultimate essence of the Orpheus mystery, the realised dream of the great composer Scriabin, the envisaged purpose of the Paneurhythmy by the World Teacher Beinsa Douno (as the high cosmic rhythm in the Universe and within us merging with the Living God) and the essence of the Second Coming mystery which is activated by the Lord God Almighty and the Divine Mother.