N. Volkova. Teacher and Disciple. 1997

The notion of Teaching is the main principle of the evolution of mankind and lies at the basis of any national traditions. Myths, legends, and fairy-tales of various countries tell about wizards, semi-gods, magicians, who were powerful and great and for whom nothing was impossible. They taught people agriculture and crafts, science and arts, prescribed certain ethical norms of behavior. India holds a special place in this cultural tradition. They still have sacred respect for Teachers-Gurus there, who carefully carry through the time the fire of succession of Knowledge.

The sacred moment of the knowledge transfer is symbolically depicted on the artist’s next painting. Illuminated with unearthly light, the Teacher hands over to his disciple the Bowl with the flames of spiritual Knowledge. Carefully, like a greatest treasure, she takes the fiery Bowl. She is to carry the Knowledge into the world, to the people. From now on, her life way will be like a thin string above the chasm – above the abyss of negation, ignorance, darkness. But the disciple voluntarily accepts this Bowl of feat, and will be able to carry it through, for she knows that the Teacher is lighting her way and protecting her. The Teacher’s hand is raised in a blessing gesture, His face is solemn and strict – He knows how heavy is the burden of the world, how difficult is the way of sacrificial service to people.

N. Volkova. Annunciation. 1997

The sixth painting is dedicated to Jesus Christ. Virgin Mary is in the center of a radiant spiral. Her hand is holding a lily, symbol of purity and chastity. Divine Messenger, Archangel Gabriel, as if woven from the rays of light, has brought to Mary the Good News of her Son’s birth and his future sacrificial way. The Archangel’s eyes are full of compassion; with a tender movement of his hand He is blessing Mary to her maternal deed.

“Love each other!” “There is no love more than that where one gives one’s soul for one’s friends”. It is two thousand years ago that Jesus Christ brought to the Earth this behest, common for all spiritual Teachers. Great Teacher, Son of God and Son of Man; He imprinted this behest with his own life and blood, having proved the great victory of the human spirit over the matter.

The Great Teacher showed in reality what is Transformation of man on mountain Favor. We learn from the Testaments how Christ was transformed when praying: His face became luminous like the sun, and his white clothes became like light. The Light of the Higher World, having merged with the high energetics of the human spirit, transformed the earthly matter. Having appeared before his disciples in the image of Light, Christ showed to man a possibility of Transformation under this world physical conditions, and indicated the main purpose of the cosmic evolution of mankind – Fiery Transformation, or Transformation by the Light.

With his life and resurrection, Jesus Christ showed what man of the planet of Earth can become, what level his mentality and creativity can reach. “I am the way, and the truth and life”. Christ came to show on his own example how man can approach the Higher. The God became man so that man could become like the God.

Jesus Christ bequeathed Simplicity, Beauty, and Fearlessness. He denounced evil, hypocrisy, and indifference. He taught compassion and tolerance, ability to understand and forgive. Believing that the man’s main temple is the heart, the Teacher called to praying not in the temple, but in the spirit, in each day’s work. He completed his earthly path with “human feet and hands”, asserting the value of human labor as the only way to the Higher. Christ spoke about the necessity to expand consciousness, about the amazing beauty of distant worlds. He wanted that his disciples love Infinity.

The bright flow of light pouring down from heaven on the artist’s painting highlights in darkness a white temple – the symbol of Russia, the symbol of assigned to it Spiritual Way. It was in Russia that the word “God-Man” sounded again in the 20^th century. Both Russian philosophers and poets of the Silver Age, and scientists-cosmists started speaking of the forthcoming New Epoch, “new heaven and new earth”, and New Man. And this transformed New Man will carry in himself that Light of fiery energies which many centuries ago came down on mountain Favor and the Great Teacher.

	N. Volkova. New Man. 1997

The New Man, man of the Future is depicted on the seventh painting. The transformed man of the New Epoch irradiating “immaterial golden light” (A. Blok); spiritual, subtle, and beautiful man. He exists in the space of Love and Beauty, and himself emanates and creates that Beauty.

The New Epoch is the next step of our evolution. Man of Sense, having passed his way of spiritual and cultural improvement, becomes man of spirit – man in whom a saint, an artist, and a scientist make one single whole. He possesses the synthesis of all possibilities laid in man. Created after the image and likeness of the Creator, the man of the future himself becomes Creator in the space of Cosmos. Sparkling heights of Cosmic Infinity, endless possibilities of cognition, amazing discoveries, and creative work are opened for him.

His will is consonant to the will of the Universe. Wisely following the Great laws of Cosmos, he performs transfer from passive and unconscious participation in evolution to active and conscious work. He becomes collaborator of Cosmic Powers, co-creator of the God, and he is holding in his hands the spiral of evolution going through space and time.

The planet of Earth makes its way through the infinite space of Cosmos. And the evolution of mankind is just part of the general cosmic evolution. The most important characteristics of the modern stage of the spiritual and cultural evolution are interpreted by the Living Ethics – philosophy of cosmic reality created by Nicholas and Helena Roerichs in collaboration with the Teachers, wizards of the East. The Living Ethics has linked together the earthly and the heavenly, man and Cosmos. It signified new, cosmic mentality, the new system of cognition in which rational and spiritual, intuitive methods of the world cognition, science and metascience, intellect and human heart will merge in unified harmonious synthesis.

The mountain crystal is shining brightly in the amazing space of the Introductory Hall, symbolizing the light of fiery creating energies of Cosmos, the light of the human immortal spirit. It reminds us of the selfless deed of the Teachers and ascetics, saints and geniuses – messengers of Cosmos, heroes of all times and nations, who, with the flames of their hearts, lead the mankind along the spiral of cosmic evolution to the heights of Spirit, to the sparkling Infinity.

To Ascetics of Spirit, our great compatriots Nicholas Roerich, his wife Helena, and their sons Yury and Svetoslav is dedicated our Museum.

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