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Русская душа: модуль 1

With the mind alone Russia cannot be grasped Her greatness no ordinary yardstick spans

Alone and unique she stands

In Russia one can only have faith.

Another famous Russian poet, Alexander Blok, wrote in one of his poems:

I am drowsing, behind the drowsiness — a mystery. And in the mystery — you are resting, Russia.

This mysterious feature of Russia and Russians has been noted in numerous investigations, articles, research papers and books written by historians, scientists, diplomats, journalists and writers. Thanks to them, the Russians themselves have become aware of the fact of their enigmatic character, as well. It is just like the outstanding Russian poet, Sergei Yesenin, put it: » When face to face, one cannot see the face».

Russia is the land of uneasy destiny. It was tried by fire, it was bound with chains, it was forced to be silent. But through all these ordeals , Russia survived with dignity. The origin of this phenomenon is to be found in the peculiar Russian character which has been influenced by different religions and cultures, by vast territory, by Russian and European philosophers and writers.

The root of this spirit is to be found in Russian people who love their land and have faith in it. This faith helped them to endure and to defend their land from the invasions of Mongols and Swedes, Napoleon and Hitler.

An endless fight, a rest is just a dream.

(Alexander Blok)

As a people, the Russians have won a wide reputation for their virtues of endurance, resilience, hardiness, patience and stoicism that enabled them to persevere all difficulties in their past and face them in their present. Today the people of Russia are again going through another difficult and uneasy period. The people continue to have great affection and faith for their land, believe in their Motherland and are fighting for its better future.

Christine and Byzantine culture led to the development of a special spirituality in the ancient Russian society and brought a sense of integrity to Russia’s scattered people. In regards to this spirituality, it is important to understand that Russians view spirituality more broadly than it is understood in the West

Spirituality for Russians is not affiliated only with the faith in God, but it is a combination of beliefs and values, education and knowledge, patience and forgiveness, love for the motherland as well as for all of mankind and quest for beauty, beauty of the mind and soul and human relationship. This kind of spirituality is the core of the Russian character, providing a moral compass and giving a measure of self-worth, it helped Russian people to come through hard times and survive. This spirituality — is what Russia can offer to the rest of the world.

Love for the motherland as one of the revelation of the Russian spirituality, takes a special place in Russian culture.

I love my motherland

But with a strange affection.

My mind will never overcome it.

( Michail Lermontov)

Throughout the years Russia’s people have devoted ballads , songs and poems to their land. Poets gently called Russia » a wife». Composers told about her glory in music. Artists portrayed her beauty with love and devotion.

Oh, my suffering country, What do you mean for my heart? Oh, my poor wife What are you crying about?

( Alexander Blok)

The greatest Russian poetess, Anna Akhmatova, in her poem «Prayer», that was composed in 1915 when Russia was at war with Germany, offers to suffer — to give up her child and lover, and even her gift of song — if only Russia may be saved.

Give me bitter years of sickness,

Suffocation, insomnia, fever,

Take my child and my lover,

And my mysterious gift of song —

This I pray at your liturgy

After so many tormented days,

So that the stormcloud over darkened Russia

Might become a cloud of glorious rays.

After the Revolution of 1917 many poets , writers , composers and artists fled to the West, but Akhmatova was not with them, she said,»I am not with those who abandoned their land». In one of her poems she wrote:

A voice came to me. It called out comforting,

It said,» Come here,

Leave your deaf and sinful land,

Leave Russia forever.

I will wash the blood from your hands,

Root out the black shame from your heart,

With a new name I will conceal

The pain of defeats and injuries.»

But calmly and indifferently,

I covered my ears with my hands,

So that my sorrowing spirit

Would not be stained by those shameful words.

The term «Russian land», feminine both in gender and in allegorical significance is related to the cult of mother, who was always the binding element of the family, the one who encouraged and still encourages endurance, healing love and forgiveness. And like every mother who cannot be chosen, Russia was and is loved by her children both in days of glory and in days of defeat. (Musical suggestion — The rock group «DDT», song «Rodina»(Motherland)

Normally, Russians keep their emotions under lock and key and take them out to be shown only to relatives and close friends, or on special occasions. Hedrick Smith in his book, The Russians, writes, «But I found that some little twist of fate — a genuine calamity, a joke, a gesture, the presence of a child, a personal liking — can open Russians up and then that sense of intimacy and involvement can envelop one even on first meeting if the Russian feels he has found a soul- brother. . .It is this directness in the Russian character, this tendency to startling openness that makes Americans feel Russians are like them in temperament, more so than the complicated French or the restrained British and Germans. Russians call this openness their broad spirit, shirokaya dusha, and they pride themselves on talking po dusham, heart to heart, or literally «soul to soul».

The rational and pragmatic approach is not for Russians. More often, it is personal relations, feelings, and traditional values that determine a course of action. As Tatyana Tolstaya, one of Russia’s writers says, «Logical categories are inapplicable to the soul. But Russian sensitivity doesn’t want to use logic because logic is seen as dry and evil, logic comes from the devil- the most important thing is sensation, smell, emotion, tears, mist, dreams, and enigma…The more a person expresses his emotions, the better, more sincere, and more ‘ open’ he is».

Yale Richmond, the author of the brilliant book From Nyet to Da. understanding the Russians, opens his book with the words of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich: «I have never met anyone who understood Russians». Further on the author quotes Winston Churchill, who in 1939 described Russia as «a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma». The latter quotation is echoed by the well-known Russian poet Fyodor Tyutchev, as like follows:With the mind alone Russia cannot be grasped Her greatness no ordinary yardstick spansAlone and unique she standsIn Russia one can only have faith.Another famous Russian poet, Alexander Blok, wrote in one of his poems:I am drowsing, behind the drowsiness — a mystery. And in the mystery — you are resting, Russia.This mysterious feature of Russia and Russians has been noted in numerous investigations, articles, research papers and books written by historians, scientists, diplomats, journalists and writers. Thanks to them, the Russians themselves have become aware of the fact of their enigmatic character, as well. It is just like the outstanding Russian poet, Sergei Yesenin, put it: » When face to face, one cannot see the face».Russia is the land of uneasy destiny. It was tried by fire, it was bound with chains, it was forced to be silent. But through all these ordeals , Russia survived with dignity. The origin of this phenomenon is to be found in the peculiar Russian character which has been influenced by different religions and cultures, by vast territory, by Russian and European philosophers and writers.The root of this spirit is to be found in Russian people who love their land and have faith in it. This faith helped them to endure and to defend their land from the invasions of Mongols and Swedes, Napoleon and Hitler.An endless fight, a rest is just a dream.(Alexander Blok)As a people, the Russians have won a wide reputation for their virtues of endurance, resilience, hardiness, patience and stoicism that enabled them to persevere all difficulties in their past and face them in their present. Today the people of Russia are again going through another difficult and uneasy period. The people continue to have great affection and faith for their land, believe in their Motherland and are fighting for its better future.Christine and Byzantine culture led to the development of a special spirituality in the ancient Russian society and brought a sense of integrity to Russia’s scattered people. In regards to this spirituality, it is important to understand that Russians view spirituality more broadly than it is understood in the WestSpirituality for Russians is not affiliated only with the faith in God, but it is a combination of beliefs and values, education and knowledge, patience and forgiveness, love for the motherland as well as for all of mankind and quest for beauty, beauty of the mind and soul and human relationship. This kind of spirituality is the core of the Russian character, providing a moral compass and giving a measure of self-worth, it helped Russian people to come through hard times and survive. This spirituality — is what Russia can offer to the rest of the world.Love for the motherland as one of the revelation of the Russian spirituality, takes a special place in Russian culture.I love my motherlandBut with a strange affection.My mind will never overcome it.( Michail Lermontov)Throughout the years Russia’s people have devoted ballads , songs and poems to their land. Poets gently called Russia » a wife». Composers told about her glory in music. Artists portrayed her beauty with love and devotion.Oh, my suffering country, What do you mean for my heart? Oh, my poor wife What are you crying about?( Alexander Blok)The greatest Russian poetess, Anna Akhmatova, in her poem «Prayer», that was composed in 1915 when Russia was at war with Germany, offers to suffer — to give up her child and lover, and even her gift of song — if only Russia may be saved.Give me bitter years of sickness,Suffocation, insomnia, fever,Take my child and my lover,And my mysterious gift of song -This I pray at your liturgyAfter so many tormented days,So that the stormcloud over darkened RussiaMight become a cloud of glorious rays. After the Revolution of 1917 many poets , writers , composers and artists fled to the West, but Akhmatova was not with them, she said,»I am not with those who abandoned their land». In one of her poems she wrote:A voice came to me. It called out comforting,It said,» Come here,Leave your deaf and sinful land,Leave Russia forever.I will wash the blood from your hands,Root out the black shame from your heart,With a new name I will concealThe pain of defeats and injuries.»But calmly and indifferently,I covered my ears with my hands,So that my sorrowing spiritWould not be stained by those shameful words.The term «Russian land», feminine both in gender and in allegorical significance is related to the cult of mother, who was always the binding element of the family, the one who encouraged and still encourages endurance, healing love and forgiveness. And like every mother who cannot be chosen, Russia was and is loved by her children both in days of glory and in days of defeat. (Musical suggestion — The rock group «DDT», song «Rodina»(Motherland)Normally, Russians keep their emotions under lock and key and take them out to be shown only to relatives and close friends, or on special occasions. Hedrick Smith in his book, The Russians, writes, «But I found that some little twist of fate — a genuine calamity, a joke, a gesture, the presence of a child, a personal liking — can open Russians up and then that sense of intimacy and involvement can envelop one even on first meeting if the Russian feels he has found a soul- brother. . .It is this directness in the Russian character, this tendency to startling openness that makes Americans feel Russians are like them in temperament, more so than the complicated French or the restrained British and Germans. Russians call this openness their broad spirit, shirokaya dusha, and they pride themselves on talking po dusham, heart to heart, or literally «soul to soul».The rational and pragmatic approach is not for Russians. More often, it is personal relations, feelings, and traditional values that determine a course of action. As Tatyana Tolstaya, one of Russia’s writers says, «Logical categories are inapplicable to the soul. But Russian sensitivity doesn’t want to use logic because logic is seen as dry and evil, logic comes from the devil- the most important thing is sensation, smell, emotion, tears, mist, dreams, and enigma…The more a person expresses his emotions, the better, more sincere, and more ‘ open’ he is».