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    Ireland Avalon Member aoibhghaire's Avatar
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    Default New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    How A Mystical Novel Spurred the Ecovillage Movement in Russia.

    Over the years, many intentional communities have drawn on works of fiction for inspiration. They can serve as cultural touchstones, helping connect the communities in a particular region with a shared philosophy or way of life.

    In the Pacific Northwest,USA, books like Ecotopia and The Fifth Sacred Thing sit on many communal bookshelves. The Twin Oaks community in Virginia was modelled after Walden Too, while a planned community in South America is inspired by the feminist sci-fi novel Herland.

    But one of the most influential utopian novels of the past few decades is one you’ve likely never heard of. Called 'The Ringing Cedars of Russia', it has spurred a Back-to-the-Land movement in Russia and beyond.

    In the mid-1990s, there were few eco-villages in Russia. Now, there are hundreds of them throughout the Baltic region, including over 200 in Russia alone. Many have won the support of both the right-wing government and environmental organizations like Greenpeace Russia. What changed?

    In 1996, an entrepreneur named Vladimir Megre self-published a book called Anastasia, about an encounter he had with a woman who lived in the wilderness in Siberia. Although the veracity of her identity is a topic of debate, she was allegedly born in 1969 and lives on the River Ob – although doesn’t currently receive guests.

    While visiting with Anastasia, Megre spent three days learning about her way of life, including her philosophy on the natural world and her spirituality. She introduced Megre to the “ringing cedars,” 500-year-old trees that she claimed have mystical, healing properties.

    Megre returned home determined to write her story, and he self-published the first Ringing Cedars book in 1996. It included Anastasia’s proscription on how future generations should live: on sustainable homesteads a hectare or more in size, complete with gardens, beehives, a sauna, a water source, and more, with the primary purpose of raising healthy children. These homes were referred to as a Family Homestead or Kin’s Dominion.

    The concept took off, with thousands of fans forming readers’ groups, determined to create eco-villages of their own. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedez praised the idea, and the government has begun offering families free land, a hectare in size, for those willing to move to sparsely developed regions of Eastern Russia.

    Not all of Russia’s eco-villages are connected to the Ringing Cedars movement; some, like the Land of Plenty commune, are home to over 50 middle-class families. Many of them were working professionals who wanted to leave behind the corruption and consumerism they experienced in big cities.

    Other groups are carrying the Ringing Cedars movement overseas, with projects like Anastasia USA hoping to connect American fans of the series to create their own homesteads. The site even has a “Find My Soulmate” page!

    At the same time, the books have received their share of criticism. Some see Vladimir Megre as an opportunist, cashing in on the “based on a true” story trope to sell his novels. Others point out that the books promote conservative family values – with a mother and father leading each homestead – rather than true egalitarianism and gender equity.

    Mike Keegan, whom lives in Ireland, produced a wonderful new documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’ about the "kins domains" movement in Russia, inspired by the Anastasia books by Vladimir Megre.

    Enjoy!

    https://ausnzguru.wistia.com/medias/twjyfhli8z

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    UK Avalon Member Jayke's Avatar
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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    Quote one of the most influential utopian novels of the past few decades is one you’ve likely never heard of. Called 'The Ringing Cedars of Russia', it has spurred a Back-to-the-Land movement in Russia and beyond.
    I’ve read the first book in the series—after reading a random comment, on a random blog somewhere—left by a Russian woman, who said ‘the ringing cedars’ series was popular among politicians in the Russian Duma (not a credible source by any means) but it did inspire me to give the book a chance. And while I have no idea if the story is true or not, I will say that the character description of Anastasia, is very cognisant of what a level 8-9 character individual would be like in the Clare Graves system. It gives us an image of simplicity, beauty and spontaneity—in deep connection and reverence for the earth—that gives us something to aspire to, and I can see why it’s created the movement that it has. Whether based on fact or fiction, it definitely makes for a magical read.

    Thanks for the video link, I’ll bookmark it for viewing later

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    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    Quote Posted by aoibhghaire (here)
    But one of the most influential utopian novels of the past few decades is one you’ve likely never heard of. Called 'The Ringing Cedars of Russia', it has spurred a Back-to-the-Land movement in Russia and beyond.
    Yes... if one searches for Anastasia in thread titles, you'll find quite a few threads about this story over the last few years.

    As I've posted before, this is an invented, fictional allegory ('Anastasia' as a real person doesn't exist) — but the message, and the inspiration and vision that it offers, is very important.

    Here's the documentary on YouTube, for easy downloading if needed.

    Last edited by Bill Ryan; 19th July 2018 at 13:56.

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    United States Avalon Member Valerie Villars's Avatar
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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    I read "Anastasia" which is book one and "The Ringing Cedars of Russia" a few years ago and while I do think it is allegory, the books hold a fair amount of spiritual truth. Spiritual truth can be realized here on earth in magical ways, definitely.

    I guess the biggest thing I took from the story of Anastasia is the fact that the Russians seemed to embrace these truths and were willing to enact them in the physical world in a way that western civilization can't or won't, in a very trusting and knowledgeable way. I might raise a few hairs with this statement, but in my opinion it seems because of their ability to connect in this way, they hold the edge over western society.

    In a way, the whole philosophy reminded me of the native americans who have a tremendous connection with the earth and we all know how civilized society took advantage of that more pure way of life.
    "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone when we are uncool." From the movie "Almost Famous""l "Let yourself stand cool and composed before a million universes." Walt Whitman

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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    Thanks for both the post and video link Aoibhghaire, it was nice to be reminded of The Ringing Cedars series of books, all of which I've read and enjoyed.
    While Bill's almost certainly right, in that Anastasia is a fictional character and doesn't exist in real life(though a small part of the romanticist in me kind of hopes she does), in the end it was the spiritual truths and messages that the books contained that really resonated with me when I read them. In the first book Anastasia talks about growing things from seed and that all the knowledge the seed needs to develop is contained within and just requires the catalyst of the sun penetrating through the soil to kickstart it(along with some water and a few other things of course!). In much the same way, I think that certain special people, books, documentaries or vehicles like these, come into our lives at the right moment and act in much the same way on a human/soul level. The person/book etc. casts it's spiritual light, that breaks through any barriers we have up and triggers something internally that causes us to grow and evolve because it feels right and natural and we strive to get closer to that light.
    I think we all have those fleeting moments in life, where as a result of some external factor that just harmonises with us internally, something awakens within us that we just know feels right and true. Those books had that kind of effect on me.
    You're right Valerie, a lot of Western civilization is too enamoured with the materialistic trappings of the modern world, to even contemplate making such wholesale lifestyle changes and trusting in the process. So, it's really heartening to see how so many Russian people have embraced the wisdom contained in the books and have gone back to living a more simplistic yet freer life, where they're more in tune with nature, themselves and each other. Here's hoping the 'hundreth monkey' effect comes into play eventually!

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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    Here's hoping...........
    "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone when we are uncool." From the movie "Almost Famous""l "Let yourself stand cool and composed before a million universes." Walt Whitman

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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    Like others I have read all ten I think it is Ringing Cedars of Russia books and I find them inspiring.
    Personally the way of life portrayed in the books using one hectare of land may be the only way forward for life on this planet. The current Western civilisation is not sustainable as it demands growth and the resources will run out. Not forgetting Earth Changes which may cause population reduction and disruption to central manufacturing and food production.
    But the future may be bright on the kin domain.

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    Default Re: New documentary film ‘From Vedic Russia with Love’

    Richard Hall of RIch Planet TV has just done a piece interviewing Mike Keegan about Megre's Anastasia books and the Russian Eco Village movement which apparently may involve as many as 20-25 million folks: an inspiration to the rest of us?

    Hall´s interview is in 3 parts. Here is the first. The subject starts at about 5:10 in:-



    x

    M
    Last edited by OopsWrongPlanet?; 17th August 2018 at 14:04.

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