Lights Along the Path of Life: A Collection of 99 Inspiring Stories

This book offers 99 stories that will shine “LIGHTS ALONG THE PATH” of your life. They are taken from the Word of the esteemed spiritual Teacher Beinsa Duno,1 who lived in Bulgaria under the secular name of Petar Danov. He is acknowledged for bringing a spiritual renaissance and blossoming to the human soul. The Master, in his spoken Word, brought Light infused with Love and Grace that has illuminated all aspects of human life: personal, family, community, and society. It connects—spirit and matter, mundane and transcendental, eternal and transitory, Divine and human—and human—and extends to the various fields of tradition, science, religion, education and culture.

The Master Beinsa Duno was, according to his contemporaries, an eloquent speaker and narrator. People gathered around him wherever he was—in the mountains, in the towns and villages, in the lecture and concert halls, after Paneurhythmy2 and other spiritual practices, or during the common lunches and proceedings. All felt uplifted in his presence and eagerly listened to his advice, absorbing the precious words of love and wisdom. In his talks and informal conversations, he presented profound spiritual and eternal truths in an amazingly clear way, using simple words and vivid images. He addressed not only the minds and hearts, but foremost the souls, of his audience, often responding to individual unspoken questions. His lectures were rich with numerous sayings, stories, parables, and anecdotes. He included them naturally as illustrations and examples to clarify the presented ideas; to make his views and statements understandable, and to bring the meaning to the awareness of the listeners in the most memorable way.

In one of his lectures the Master said, “Often I am asked about how to speak to people. I reply, ‘You should speak to them naturally. You should speak as the Light speaks, as the air, water, and bread speak to them.’”

A number of his teachings are translated and available in English, including The Testament of the Color Rays of Light. In it, Beinsa Duno focuses on the qualities and virtues transmitted by meditation on nine archetypal color rays—Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Amethyst, and White Diamond. That book guided us in our choice of 99 stories, 11 for each of these rays, from his numerous lectures and talks. The stories reflect different moral lessons as well as profound wisdom.

As the Master often used some of the stories in more than one lecture, with variations and in different perspectives, then in such cases, the most explanatory text was chosen. Also, efforts were made to minimize the editing in order to preserve the main idea and style of the talk, which is not an easy task, especially when presenting excerpts.

Some of the stories contained in this book are related to the folklore and national traditions and customs of Bulgaria and other countries; others present myths, parables, and fairy tales, as well as real stories from the everyday lives of people. They have a common theme: they all offer practical advice and gems of wisdom verified in life. They reveal in a simple and clear way fundamental eternal truths that have validity not only for the physical, but also for the spiritual and the Divine worlds. They can be your “Lights Along the Path of Life,” leading to personal self-improvement, spiritual awakening, and expansion of human consciousness.

Antoaneta Krushevska and Maria Braikova