Peter Deunov (Biensa Duono)
(1864-1944)
Peter Deunov was born into a Christian family in Bulgaria on July 11, 1864. His father was an Orthodox priest and a teacher. Peter was a gentle and sensitive child, who drew pleasure from helping others. He was also very quiet, and contemplative, spending much time by himself walking in nature. He had a great joy and love for music, and learned to play the violin at a young age. At a young age he chose to dedicate his life to knowing God, choosing the life of a monk.
On his way to a monastery in Mount Athos, his boat sank in a storm and he ended up in the town of Salomique. Once safely on shore, he headed to the church to pray to God and give thanks for his survival. In a mystical encounter, he met the old priest of the church, who told him not to become a monk, but to turn around and go home, because God had other plans for him. He listened, and headed home.
Once home, he finished school, and chose work as a schoolteacher in a small village. He was beloved as a teacher, and often played violin for his students, teaching them a love of music. At the age of 24 he chose to go to America to study further.
At school in America, the other students began to gather around him and listened to what he had to say. He spoke of the beauty of the natural world, and of the wisdom residing in the mathematical perfection and precision of nature. He spoke of the stars and the flowers, and wondered at the mind that had created such beauty. Some of these students looked to him for teaching. He began to understand that his purpose was to teach others about the perfect love and joy he felt, and to guide them toward their own understanding of light, love and spirit.
Upon completing his studies, he went back to Bulgaria. He went into seclusion, beginning a five-year period during which he went into deep contemplation, prayer, and meditation, spending most of his time in the mountains. It was within this period of time that he wrote his first book, The Testament Of Colors.
When he reemerged from his inner journey, he changed his name to his spiritual one of Beinsa Duono, and began to travel throughout Bulgaria, giving talks on his philosophy. The basis of of his teachings were those of original Christianity, and in 1922 he founded The Initiatic School of YZGREVA, The Rising of the Sun, also called The White Brotherhood, or Fellowship Of Light. At gatherings of the fellowship, he spoke of these teachings for 22 years. Many influential thinkers of the time came to hear him speak, and to be initiated into these sacred, ancient teachings. Albert Einstein was one of his students, and said of him, “All the world renders homage to me, and I render homage to the Master Peter Deunov from Bulgaria.”
When speaking of his students, Peter said:
“The disciple should have:
a heart as pure as a crystal
a mind as radiant as the Sun
a soul as vast as the universe
and a spirit as mighty as God
and one with God “
Of his teachings, he said:
“I was sent from the divine world to proclaim love and to apply its force and its power within the world. He who teaches the divine knowledge is invulnerable. The divine knowledge is eternal and indivisible; it was in the past, it is in the present, and it will be in the future. Consequently, the person who taught it and who will teach it does not matter. It is the spirit of God which always counts, at all times and in all time periods; and no force in the world can possibly conquer it.”
According
to his biography, found at Internet address
http://www.telesma-evida.com/html, “On
December 27th 1944, he who had pronounced these words and consecrated
his life to the good of all beings abandoned his physical body in
full consciousness, in the midst of his disciples and his friends
gathered together to accompany him one last time in song. He offered,
as an inheritance to all beings of goodwill, an example, a living
pulse, effective methods, and a teaching as vast as the universe.”
He taught many different methods of purification and alignment with the Divine, but what has drawn many to continue practicing his teachings is a dance called Paneurythmy. His students participated in this dance in the Rila mountains in Bulgaria, a place considered sacred, a place of high altitude, with blue sky, pure air, and beautiful lakes reflecting the heavens. Paneurythmy means rhythm of the cosmos, and the dance is said to follow the movements of the solar system, connecting heaven and earth through the dancer. It is thought to open, energize, and balance the energy centers of the body, as well as bring the dancer into unity with the universe. This dance is currently taught all over the world, and many groups practice it at spiritual conferences, at sacred sites, and at certain times of seasonal, astrological and spiritual significance.
“In the fulfillment of the will of God lies the power of human soul.” ~Biensa Duono
This is a very powerful quote. Much of the journey to enlightenment is in finding the wisdom within, fulfillment in religion and spirituality can play a significant role in how one looks at wisdom and spiritual growth. Healing and growth tend to come from within, but sometimes guidance is found in religion. Spiritual healing found through wisdom words and spirituality is aided with a spiritual teacher to quote wisdom. New age spirituality invites ideas generally associated with science in the exploration of new age enlightenment.