Mikhaël and his sister Miliana at Rila-

‘Every summer, the Master took us all to the Rila mountains. We would stay there for several weeks, sometimes for two months, depending on the weather…

What an expedition it was for us, each summer, to reach our camping site near the second lake! First we had to cross great meadows, then after a seven hour climb through a pine forest and over rough terrain, we would reach the first lake with its floating water anemones. The level ground forming the centre of our encampment overhung a plateau, which contained another, smaller lake. We were at an altitude of 2300 metres, and from here we could look out and see the whole range of the Rila mountains.

What memories I have of those climbs to our camp! As we did not all arrive the same day, for some time it was possible to look back and see long columns of brothers and sisters on the paths weighed down with their bundles. We would sing to encourage ourselves. Some brothers and sisters who had left before us would have set up the tents and built fire pits for cooking.

The camp near the second lake

When they caught sight of our group, they would wave to us in welcome and would greet us by joining in with our singing. We would surge up the last slope with such jubilation! Day after day new groups would come to join us. There were many young people, but there were also older people who did not hesitate to make this long climb, to come and be renewed in joy and youthfulness, by being near the Master, in the purity of the mountain air and light.’

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

To be continued

Life with the Master Peter Deunov – Autobiographical Reflections, Vol 2
Chapter 13 Summer in the Rila mountains

Autobiographical Reflections of Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov covers the period from 1917, the year he met Master Peter Deunov, to 1937, the year he left Bulgaria for France.