"Ringing Cedars" World Wide Movement.

Answers for the Internet Conference with the Writer Vladimir Megre

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Internet conference of the writer Vladimir Nikolaevich Megre ended on 20th of May.

The conference was organized by:
Anastasia.ca
RinginCedarsofRussia.org
Source of Life Association

For the first time ever the conference has been held in English, which made it possible for the readers from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and other countries ask their questions.

Vladimir Megre would like to thank all participants for relevant, vital and sensitive questions. Unfortunately, due to the conference format it is very hard to answer all the questions. Vladimir Megre will try to answer some questions in other publications.

Vladimir Megre has answered 2 main groups of questions:

The first one included the questions most voted for during the Internet voting. So these were the questions, which the readers considered to be the most important and vital.

The second group included the questions chosen by Vladimir Megre himself.

We would like to thank all those who participated in the Internet conference.

Question 1.

Dear Vladimir Nikolaevich,

I have read all of your books and would like to thank you for the inspiration, knowledge and wisdom that you shared with us.

In one of your books you tell about the dolmens and the knowledge that one can acquire by communicating with them, in particular the way of breastfeeding that helps a woman to share her knowledge with her baby. You said that only a woman could acquire this knowledge, and that it is hard to get to that particular dolmen. Do you know if somebody gained this knowledge and described this way of breastfeeding to share it with the women around the world? Is it possible to find any information about this for those women who did not have a chance to travel to dolmens?

Thank you very much for your answers!

Yulia
Toronto, Canada

Answer

Dear Yulia,

I think some people have managed to acquire that information. As for making it available to all women in the whole world, let us reason together and answer the question: "Is it not too early to provide absolutely everyone with this information?" In today's global community different people have different views of life, different goals and objectives and they're not always pure. Do many people have a reasonably good idea of morality, spirituality, their purpose and a worthy lifestyle for man as the Son of the Creator? Does every breastfeeding mother today have enough useful information?

Given the fact that the mother's psychological state can pass to the child with the milk, it is important to relax and think of good, positive things when breastfeeding. Try to think about what you would like to tell your child. We know that when a woman is stressed her milk can become spoilt and this scientific and practical fact shows that a mother's milk reacts in response to her mood and the fact that a mother's milk becomes spoilt tells us that there is a natural mechanism, which protects the child from negative information and stress; therefore this fact proves that milk can affect an infant's psyche both negatively and positively. You can get more detailed information not only near a dolmen but also by considering this fact yourself in a calm and quiet setting.

- For information on Pre-Birth Communication please read an article here.

Question 2.

Dear Vladimir Nikolaevich,

I enjoy reading your books and what you say in them is right - I am grateful that there are people in the world who are strong enough to speak the truth.
I have also found out that there will be a total of nine books in the series. Will you really stop there? I am sure you have a great deal of information, which people need to know. Please share your creative plans for the future with your readers.
I wish you strong health and success in your work! God bless you.

Sincerely,

Viktor Rod.
New York.

Answer

Dear Victor,
There's a movie script and a play to work on as well and I plan to do that. The ninth book is impossible to finish because it will include, among other things, a story of recent years about people who have started building their Kin's Domains and many examples. I'm collecting information at the moment so the ninth book will be written together with you, the readers.

Question 3.

How does one determine their 'real' birth date or is this impossible in the current context of choosing just one single date to call a 'birth date'?

EXPLANATION: In the first chapter of book six entitled "Who raises our children?" (available for free read/download at http://www.ringingcedars.com/books.htm#book6 ) Anastasia says, "It is generally accepted today that one's birthdate is defined by the moment of emergence from the mother's womb. This is what horoscopes are based on. But science has already determined that the fetus, even before it has emerged from the womb, is alive, it has feelings. And if that is so, then the Man already exists. He is already born. He can move - the mother can feel the push of his little legs and arms.

Perhaps, then, it would be more accurate to calculate a Man's birthdate from the moment the sperm fertilises the egg? Certainly from the physiological point of view, this could be considered the most accurate defining moment of somebody's 'birth'. But... "The meeting of the sperm and the egg is still not a cause - it is an effect. It is preceded by the couple's thoughts. Could it be that these thoughts define one's birthdate? Of the three moments we have mentioned, it is generally accepted today that one's birthdate is the moment of emergence into the world. Tomorrow, though, the calculation could be different."

"According to Anastasia's theory, Man's birthdate is the point where these three moments merge into one."

So how then do we actually determine this "point where these three moments merge into one" for the purposes of determining our 'real' birthdate?

Blessings,

Chris Iverson
Age 38
Ashland, Oregon
USA

Answer

Dear Chris,
You've basically answered your own question and that's why I lean towards the opinion that it is the conception that should be considered a person's date of birth. Conception is when a sperm cell meet with ovule, labor may last for two or three hours, so which minute should be considered the date of birth? Conception is the fruition of something planned and desired before. Conception is a result.
Therefore, this moment best represents someone's date of birth. Of course, an exception to this would be where conception occurs by accident, as a result of carnal pleasures and that gives rise to the question of what the child will be deprived of through having been born as a result of carnal pleasures.

Question 4

What wisdom could help us in creating Eco-Habitats while being conscious of the potential coming changes of the Earth's Terrain, i.e. changing coastlines, rising and falling of continents, magnetic pole shifts, etc.

Is the prediction of Earth Changes worth paying attention to? Are the Earth's peoples at a point where we can avert the cataclysms that have impacted our societies throughout history?

Answer

Dear Scott,
People, and I wrote about this, can prevent disasters a second before they happen so not all is lost. The real transformation of Earth into a heavenly orchard by people who live on Earth can prevent any cataclysms. As for knowledge - it will definitely come when you start to create, even when you start thinking about creating your future Kin's Domain. That knowledge is in every Man's (See footnote 1) subconscious even now. Man has freedom of choice, and if a Man directs his efforts to earning as much money as possible and buying a new car or apartment for example then he will get corresponding knowledge.

Footnote 1: Man (with a capital M) an equivalent of the Russian word Chelovek, is used when referring to a human individual as representative of the species without reference to sex - the human race, humankind.

Question 5

How does Anastasia see the role of mushrooms (for healing purposes and other purposes) developing in our culture? What role did mushrooms play in the Vedic period that Anastasia describes fully in book six?

EXPLANATION - Mushrooms play a crucial role in the establishment of the forest ecosystem. Mushroom spores are the only 'living' thing found in outer space floating from planet to planet, assumedly with 'God consciousness' in them. Once they land on a planet they literally 'prepare' the soil for the rest of the plants to grow.

Anastasia describes her diet as mainly one consisting of plants, berries, seeds, nuts and dried mushrooms. Since she lives in the forest she is likely to 'know' many kinds of mushrooms and their medicinal value. How important does she think the role of mushrooms is?

Blessings,

Chris Iverson
Age 38
Ashland, Oregon
USA

Answer

Dear Chris Iverson,
I didn't ask Anastasia about the role of mushrooms. My personal opinion is as follows.
Everything useful in nature was made by God but determining what is best for a specific person can be done by means of a brilliant mechanism: the desire to consume a certain product. One person enjoys eating an apple, another person enjoys a pear, a third person enjoys cherries. That means that the first person needs an apple, the second person needs a pear and the third person needs cherries but they should all be good products, not hybrids. Anastasia eats them but I don't know what their role is. I never asked.
Mushrooms can be stored for a long time if dried. People can collect and dry them in the taiga and eat them instead of meat. If she eats them then she considers them important but she didn't differentiate between them and other food. As for the role of mushrooms…
Three porcini grew in fall in the garden, three meters from the house where I wrote the book. I'd never seen any like them - perfectly white and healthy. Each weighed around three kilograms. I looked at them and thought to myself that we know little about nature's potential. Who created the three mushrooms in my garden? I used them to make soup and I fried them and the meals were wonderful, so it came to me that maybe the Creator decided not to trouble man and thought to himself "let my child at least remember the taste of my creations". I attach a photo:

Question 6

Perhaps we could be aided with a vision of the way in which Anastasia breathes; common breath (i.e. in conversation, foraging herbs...), during physical activity, when using her ray, and while at rest.

Any wisdom that Anastasia may have offered on breath would also be appreciated.

Answer

Dear Scott,
I never heard her say anything about breathing, nor did she ever think about it because people do it automatically if they are in a natural environment. In unnatural, artificial environments it may be that you need artificial breathing.

"In one of the city centres a short way from the Eternal Flame your friends both old and new will plant a brand new avenue and call it Cedar Allee." Anastasia Re-creating Shambala Space of Love - Vladimir Megre Year 1998 On the 8th of May 2005 a group of readers of the Ringing Cedars of Russia book series and former co-workers and friends of V. Megre planted a Cedar Allee in the city of Novosibirsk (Siberia, Russia) beside the Eternal Flame.

Question 7

My question is about 'healing gardens' as described in book one - chapter 11.

Anastasia describes a process including germinating seeds with your own saliva to plant healing gardens for ourselves. She says that the plants will "take in information about the person who plants it". How does this plant get that information? How much of that information is given to the plant from '3rd dimensional' (real, tangible, solid objects) sources such as maybe the heavy metal (toxic) content in someone's saliva? And how much information is given to the plant from '4th dimensional' (spiritual, energetic, vibrational, etc.) sources?

How do plants receive information about a person in order to produce the exact substances in the exact quantities that person needs to heal themselves when they are grown in the way that Anastasia describes?

EXPLANATION - Anastasia describes ways to germinate seeds using our own saliva, and then hold the seed between our hands for 30 seconds while standing barefoot in the garden, and then plant that/those seeds in the ground. After that seed/those seeds have grown there are other things that need to be done such as walking on the garden plot barefoot, sleeping outside next to the garden near the full moon near your birthday, leaving weeds for 'supplemental information', etc.

In "taking in information about a person" who plants the garden and its plants, how does that plant/those plants receive that information?

There are ways to diagnose most dis-ease in someone. Live blood cell analysis, foot reflexology, Chinese medicine, Reiki, etc. are just a few of the ways. Some of these things are very '3rd dimensional' like live blood cell analysis, which is basically where they look at your blood under a microscope.

Some of these techniques are very '4th dimensional' like Reiki (energy healing) and work on the subtle energetic levels to assist the body to heal itself.

How do plants receive information about a person in order to produce the exact substances in the exact quantities that person needs to heal themselves when they are grown in the way that Anastasia describes?

Blessings,

Chris Iverson
Age 38
Ashland, Oregon
USA

Answer

Dear Chris Iverson,
Your question is so broad that it requires a large book in reply. That's not something I can do at the moment but I can feel that you can find the answer yourself and share your conclusions with others. My brief response to the following question would be to use words from the book:
"...how do plants get information about a person to develop the exact amount of the specific substances needed by that person to heal?"
- My Son, when My dreams of you absorbed Universal Energies I had no time to think of Myself. My Dreams and thoughts created only you, they did not make a visible image for Me. But there are visible creations of Mine - feel them, do not try to analyse them. Nobody in the whole Universe will find that they can analyse them simply with their mind.

Question 8

Dear V.Megre!
You have told us in your books that some of the ancient Vedrussia holidays are still celebrated today, even though they have gone through some distortion. Could we please find out more about it. When was the New Year holiday celebrated? What exactly was the meaning of Maslenica and what the name of this holiday is related to?

Thank you very much for your answers!

Alena
Toronto, Canada

Answer

Dear Alena,
Different people celebrated and continue to celebrate New Year on different days but I think Vedrussians celebrated New Year during the vernal equinox.
They celebrated the coming of Spring. I can't really say why it's called Maslenitsa (see footnote 2) because the name is arbitrary. Besides, this holiday includes a huge number of different elements. For example, a contest for the best cook - people treated each other to various dishes, not only pancakes. A contest for the best clothes because people who came to the Maslenitsa normally wore clothes they made in the winter time. Strength, agility, song and dance contests. The Maslenitsa should be viewed not as a celebration of someone or something but more broadly as a large event where people can show themselves and see the skills of others. Seeing the best side in others means a multifaceted experience-sharing event.

Footnote 2: Maslenitsa - a modern folk name of an old Slavic holiday which is celebrated during vernal equinox and it symbolizes the beginning of a New Year.

Question 9

Dear Vladimir Megre, I have read all books from the series "Ringing Cedars of Russia" and I like many ideas described in the books. From what I understand from the books, Russian Culture from our ancestors is at the same time a way of passing knowledge from generation to generation and a combination of techniques of self development. Therefore, each cultural element such as singing and dancing develops certain characteristics, helps in its own way in a person's way of spiritual development. There are many people around the world right now who are searching for the meaning of ancient cultural elements. The renaissance of which cultural element do you put on the top of your personal list and why?

Thank you very much for your incentive to hold this conference,

Feodor Z.

Answer

Dear Feodor,
First and foremost, it is a lifestyle worthy of man. Whichever cultures we are talking about, lifestyle will always come first. I described it from Anastasia's words in my books and with every passing day I am becoming more and more certain that it is the lifestyle that determines every Man's spirituality. That's why I believe that someone who creates his own Kin's Domain as a heavenly corner transforms the Earth, and the Universe to which our Planet and the people who live on it are inextricably linked, for the better. Such Man can be considered highly cultural and spiritual. And his actions are most valuable for the Universe; they allow him to self-develop in the right direction.

Question 10

Regarding the nature spirits mentioned in the Earth's folklore and in modern accounts such as The Findhorn Community and Anthroposophy...

Does Anastasia communicate with beings our culture knows as elves, fae, gnomes, etc? Is there an understanding of these being's existence that would benefit our perception of nature and our relationship to nature?

Peace Sensations,
Scott

Answer

Dear Scott,
I never came across her talking to the things you describe. I didn't ask Anastasia about it but I think every person is capable of communicating with absolutely everything that exists in the Universe, to a degree.

Question 11

My question is about 'Burial gardens'.

To aid in the quick rebirth of our soul into another physical body, are all generations of Kin supposed to be buried in one 'family' Space of Love, or are they buried in their own separate Spaces of Love?

EXPLANATION - When a couple first chooses their 'Space of Love' within a 'Kin's Domain' they also co-create their family together in this space. It is in this Space of Love that everything is 'given' to the family. In the earlier books it tell us that Anastasia's grandparents live away from her, also in their own Spaces of Love. So naturally it can be assumed that everyone has their own Space of Love and brings their family into this space.

In one of the books (I think book four or five) Anastasia says that when we 'die' we should have our bodies buried in the ground in our Space of Love. Then, gardens should be planted in the spot where the body is buried and we shall always be remembered (fondly) by our Kin, which in turn will allow us to be 'reborn' back into this world again faster. She says clearly that when people mourn us and we are buried in cemeteries that it will take much longer for us to be reborn again.

If we each have our own Spaces of Love, and when we die we are supposed to be buried in this same Space of Love, then where are our kids buried? Don't the children that are born go off and get their own Spaces of Love when they are ready to co-create (as described fully in book six)? If so then this would make them physically and geographically separate from their parents' Space of Love where they were born. And if they had their own Space of Love then wouldn't they have themselves buried in this space when they died?

So then how is it that we are supposed to remember our parents fondly (as Anastasia describes for bringing us back into this world faster) and plant gardens where their bodies are buried (to help with this fond remembering) if we are physically living in another location?

Or are we all supposed to live in the same one hectare (2.8 acres) Space of Love together with all generations of Kin living and buried there at the same time?

Or is there one space that is reserved for the 'burial gardens' for the entire Kin and all their offspring?

This is notwithstanding those members of the community that go off into the dolmens to die and impart their wisdom for generations to come.

Blessings,

Chris Iverson
Age 38
Ashland, Oregon
USA

Answer

Dear Chris Iverson,
They should be buried at the new Kin's Domain, created by the new family and the new Kin's Domain is a continuation of all preceding ones because relatives from two families participated in its creation, therefore burials should take place at the new Kin's Domain. But that doesn't mean they will be separated from each other or their parents. Every new generation is a continuation and inherits the best things. Remember weddings. Didn't your parents plant bushes and orchards for you? Let's remember the wedding rituals where your friends and primarily your parents planted your orchard, garden and built your home.

Question 12

Do you have any knowledge of Alchemy or are a member of any Freemason lodges? Also do you know Maurice Strong on any personal level?

Answer

I don't have the knowledge you mention, nor am I a member of any organization.

Sincerely,
Vladimir Megre.

Source of Life Association

RUSSIA

The unification of kin's settlements has begun in Russian districts

The process of unifying kin's settlements has begun in Russian districts. This unification makes more sense now from an organizational and financial point of view because there is an increase in the number of these settlements, just as there is an increase in the number of problems they must resolve. In Siberia, the representatives of twenty settlements, who met from March 31 to April 1 in Novokuznetsk, adopted a resolution to create a social organization called "Kin's Settlements of Siberia." Vladimir Megre congratulated the organizers by telephone.

Gazeta Rodovaya Zemlya [Ancestral land newspaper]

To the Academy of Kin's Settlements on the Vyatka River in July 2007!

Greetings!

We continue to work, and are preparing the tenth Academy of Kin's Settlements on the Vyatka River, which will take place in the middle of July 2007. Beginning with the first Academy, which was opened by Vladimir Nikolaevich Megre and conferred diplomas on the first graduates of the Academy, we strictly adhere to the course set out in the books of Vladimir Megre. In attracting specialists and teachers, we strive to ensure that their world outlook and work correspond to the direction of the Ringing Cedars of Russia movement. We prepare each new session as if it were the first, and strive to improve its quality, broaden the range of knowledge necessary for the development of Kin's Settlements, and ensure that this knowledge has the most practical implementation possible.

The Academy takes place in the beautiful area of the Vyatka Territory, in a pine forest. A two-story building has been specially constructed for the Academy, complete with auditorium. The Academy's students have the opportunity to reside in the Academy itself, in specially equipped rooms with all conveniences. Three meals a day are served in the Academy itself.

Anastasia.ru

APPEAL
of the Electors' Action Committee
City of Vladimir, 22 January 2007

Invoking the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the name of the bright future of our Motherland, in support of presidential programmes, including those respecting residential construction, on the eve of the elections we appeal to all the leaders and members of political parties who are coming into power, to candidates for the position of deputy at all levels of governments not with an order but with a mission:

TO ADOPT A LAW RESPECTING KIN'S DOMAINS OF RUSSIA

and include as its basis:

• That each citizen of Russia has the right to receive, at no cost and for perpetual heritable ownership, a small part of Russia-his or her kin's domain, with a size of 1 to 1.5ha.
  
• The kin's domain may not be sold, mortgaged, or rented.
  
• The land of the kin's domain and the products grown on the kin's domain may not be subject to any type of tax.
  
• The lands for kin's domains shall be allotted as a whole in parcels of no less than 150 ha.

An appeal to political parties and candidates for the position of deputy who support this idea: declare yourselves through the media in your election campaigns, and we guarantee you our votes in the elections and strong campaign support.

We request all persons who share our concerns to join us in our aspirations at this fateful time for Russia.

Respectfully yours,
Electors' Action Committee
City of Vladimir, 22 January 2007

Anastasia.ru

A domain of one's own

Recently in Russia there has been an increase in the number of people who, preferring life in nature to the hustle and bustle of the city, have moved to ecovillages…and are creating "kin's domains." They have given up the use of fertilizers, heavy agricultural machines, and grow all their food themselves.

One of the first villages of this type in our country is Rodnoe, located in Vladimir Oblast. It has approximately 100 plots of land, each of which measures no less than a hectare. Families organize their plots in their own way, and say that their domain has the personality of its owner. But there are some common features: it is believed that in ecovillages a parcel should contain a variety of plants and animals, that it is intolerable to leave the land bare, therefore they actively use mulching.

My friend Vladimir settled in this village and built a house there two years ago. His land has a small pond with a sandy bottom, ten percent is occupied by an orchard (cherry trees, currant bushes), and a quarter of a hectare is forested: birch, pine, oak. He plans to set up beehives, and so has begun to plant a grove of lime trees. He grows many types of vegetables, everything beneath the open sky. I didn't see any hothouses at Vladimir's or at the other settlers'.
The people were given collective farm fields that had not been cultivated for five to ten years. The soil in these areas is acidic and loamy, subsoil waters are found nearby. Vladimir, however, obeys the rules of organic farming: he does not use pesticides or mineral fertilizers, he prefers organic products, almost never uses a shovel, having replaced it with the Fokin cultivator (See Footnote 1).

He says that the cultivator makes it possible to work the surface of the soil sparingly, loosen the earth, cut weeds, and shape beds. I noticed later that many of the ecosettlers were using it, moreover not only at Rodnoe.

The beds in the settlements are prepared in this way: in the autumn, the surface of the soil is loosened with the cultivator, then mulched with a layer of hay or straw. In the spring, once the snow has melted, the straw is raked up, seedlings are planted, and tubers are laid out in rows. Afterwards, the soil is again covered with straw. With this method, there are fewer weeds, moisture is retained at the roots, and an abundance of worms improves the structure of the soil. As a result, the roots are provided with oxygen and moisture, and grow well. The breakdown of the straw and other plant residue creates the carbonic acid gas necessary for photosynthesis.

Potatoes are not buried over, weeded, or dug up. And since the tubers are not in the earth, but on it, you can go to the garden without a shovel-you need only move aside the straw and pick up the clump.

Residents of ecovillages prefer native hybrids and varieties. They grow the seeds for these varieties themselves, and exchange them if necessary. Last year, Vladimir attempted to plant Muromsky and Vyaznikovsky cucumbers beneath straw, as well as tomatoes as seedlings. When doing so, he cut down the weeds between the rows and used them as mulch, but did not destroy the root. The resulting yield of vegetables was good, in spite of the fact that there was frost in June. In his words, it was precisely the weeds that protected his plants from the cold and gave them support. It is true, though, that the tomatoes nevertheless suffered from phytophthora.

But his neighbor Svetlana planted Lastochka sweet peppers, Barnaulsky konservny, Dubok, Lyana, Beta, and Morkovny tomatoes, and Izyashchny and Altay cucumbers beneath a layer of straw, adding rotted manure to the holes. She watered the tomatoes and peppers only three or four times over the entire season, did not form them into rows, but provided supports. The yield from one bush of peppers was approximately 2.5 kg, from the tomatoes, approximately 4 kg. Her peppers had no diseases, but her tomatoes suffered from phytophthora, since it was rainy in August.

In the village it is usual to plant vegetables and flowers together. For example, marigolds are planted beside potatoes, cucumbers and onions beside chamomile. People have noticed that if yarrow or dead nettle is growing on the border of a bed, the vegetable plants are healthier.

Yet another "domain owner," Tatiana, does not dig up her land at all. This work is performed by worms, which, according to her, do this better than a plow. After two years of growing potatoes without the use of mineral fertilizers, she had a good yield of tomatoes on the same beds beneath a straw mulch and without a film. By the way, the straw mulch helps control the Colorado beetle: on a plot of 60 square metres, she removed only five to seven of the pests, even though she did no spraying.

Another resident of Rodnoe, Nadezhda, has chickens, geese, and a goat. From the animals she collects only milk and eggs, which have a very special flavour. In the summer, when Nadezhda had to leave for the city, all her animals were protected by the "domain," strangers were not admitted, and a cat guarded a hen with chicks from predatory birds.

In distinction to the usual market-gardeners, the ecosettlers are not as interested in a large harvest as they are in its quality. In their opinion, the land will begin to "give birth" if it is loved and regarded as a living thing. For this reason, all ecovillages celebrate Day of Earth each year on July 23. On this date, people praise their benefactress, conduct round dances, sing songs, and regale each other and their guests with the fruits of their land!

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Department of Agrarian Policy and Rural Territory Development

The Russian government has accepted the idea of Kin's Domains as a solution to the demographic problem in the country. During an online conference with the First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government held on March 5, 2007, Dmitry Medvedev announced that the government is fully aware of the idea of Kin's Domains and is working on developing a law in support these ideas. Read the full article. www.rost.ru, www.yandex.ru, www.izvestia.ru

1/11 Orlikov Lane, Moscow 107139

Telegrams: Moskva 84 Minrosselkhoz
Fax: (495) 207-8362, Telephone: (495) 207-8107
e-mail: info@agro.mcx.ru
http://www.mcx.ru

13 April 2007 No. 10-18-814/t
Your reference: -

Ms. Elena Borisovna Korolenko
48 Kommunisticheskaya Street, Apt. 61
Kurovskoe, Orekhovo-Zuevsky District
Moscow Oblast

Dear Ms. Korolenko:

Subject: Development of rural territories

As part of its jurisdiction, the Department of Agrarian Policy and Rural Territory Development of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation has considered your submission respecting the revival of the Russian village, which was received from the administration of the Government of the Russian Federation, and advises as follows.

Resolution No. 858 of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 3December 2002 ratified the Special Federal Programme "Social Development of the village to 2010," which was implemented in 2003. The purpose of the Programme is to develop the social sphere and engineering infrastructure of rural municipal formations, improve the social and consumer conditions of the rural population, as well as to create the legal, organizational, institutional, and economic prerequisites for a transition to the sustainable social and economic development of rural territories.

The Programme provides for a set of measures intended, in particular, to develop housing construction, automobile road networks, general educational institutions, primary medical care facilities, commercial and consumer services, and gas, water and electrical supply to rural areas.

One of the most important measures of the Programme is the development of cultural and leisure activities in rural areas, including such directions as the revival and development of traditional forms of amateur artistic and scientific-and-technological creative work, folk industries, handicrafts, and the introduction of rural youth to the traditions of folk culture, etc.

At the present time, through the efforts of leading planning institutes involved in the country's agro-industrial complex, various models of modern rural settlements are being elaborated, including those based on the principle of kin's domains or ecovillages, whose creation should lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life and the standard of living of the population residing in rural areas.

The final goal of this elaboration process is the creation in rural areas of a type of settlement in which not only various branches of agro-industrial production have developed, with animal husbandry occupying the first place, but which, to the greatest extent possible, would also guarantee the complete ecological well-being of the territory, the preservation of the natural and historical landscape, cultural heritage, development of traditional folk industries, and, if this is a kin's settlement, then, certainly not least, the family and other close relationships that have developed over the centuries.

These settlements, through their creation en masse in regions of Russia that takes into account national traditions and the specific character of the territories, in our view, could to a great extent correspond to your conceptions of the creation of a new type of settlement, since in this case we are dealing with the possibility in the medium term of equalizing, in a practical way, the living conditions in the city and country, the wage levels for the labour of employees in the agrarian and urban sectors, the availability of medical care and education, and a number of other indices that determine the level of development of the type of settlement being created.

Ms.Korolenko, the Department of Agrarian Policy and Rural Territory Development thanks you for your concern with respect to the issues of the revival of the Russian village and proposals for fitting it out, which will be considered when revising the materials for the sustainable development of rural territories.

Director
Department of Agrarian Policy and
Rural Territory Development
[illegible signature]
D. I. Toropov

[Prepared by:] Sizykh, 207 8950

BELARUS

Newspaper "Nasha Krynichka"

The latest issue of the newspaper Nasha Krynichka [Our source] has appeared

Publisher:
Kin's Domains of Belarus Information and Analysis Centre

Address:
P. O. Box 16 Minsk 220037
Republic of Belarus

Telephones:
+375 29 766-46-83 (Ratmir)
+375 29 402-50-62 (Rusa)

Website of the journal:
e-mail: gazeta@ecoby.info

The purpose of the Kin's Domains of Belarus Information and Analysis Centre is to promote the development of the movement of the founders of Kin's Domains of Belarus.
The wonderful festival "In search of Paparats-Kvetka" will take place on June 22-24 at Zvon-Gora in the city of Bitebsk.

Kin's Domains of Belarus Information and Analysis Centre

Otrada Group

A wonderful group calling itself Otrada that sews traditional Russian clothing has been created in the city of Bobruysk. Expert seamstresses sew traditional shirts and dresses by hand from natural fabrics for themselves and their friends with protective embroidery, good intentions, and bright songs.

View more designs in our photo gallery.

Five expert seamstresses sew a shirt for the president.

In response Aleksandr Lukashenko sends roses, Czech porcelain, and a signed letter.

The idea of giving the president a gift of a traditional shirt came to the five seamstresses of the Otrada folk studio of Slavic fashion of Bobruysk when they were creating their collection of clothing based on Slavic motifs. Vera Putilova and Olga Masolbasova cut the linen, Marina Panasova did the hand sewing, Natalia Smolenok sewed the embroidery, Pavel Didenko made the buttons, Oksana Korshakova sewed them on, washed and ironed the shirt, and Valentina Volkova wove the belt.

"We wanted to show the president that the people love him and consider him to be a true leader and steward. Our choice was a shirt because, according to ancient beliefs, a shirt sewn by a beloved person with good intentions provides better protection than chain mail. We tried to channel all our positive energy: for the two months we worked on the shirt, we sang Belarusian folk songs, 'My Belarus,' about our Motherland, and love poems," said Oksana Korshakova.

More than three metres of undressed orshansky linen (they measured by eye, and the shirt turned out to have Herculean proportions) were bought from a factory, it was cut according to ancient principles-into rectangles. They did the sewing by hand. They sewed the ornamental border with green, red, and brown threads in a cross.

"The Slavs believed that these elements of ornamental design such as the cross of the Valkyries were symbols of the sun that attract good people and offer protection against the evil eye and misfortune. Traditionally, the border embroidery was done at junction places: near the neck opening, along the bottom and cuffs of the sleeve where it is sewed in order to close these paths to the evil one," explained Elena Zyulkovskaya, the manager of the Otrada studio.

Buttons for the shirt were cut from spruce by a craftsman from Zhodino, the belt was woven by hand using wool thread by a seamstress from Kostyukovichi.

"We showed it to the local Executive Committee. The Department of Culture thought that the shirt was fit for the president, and promised to help. They wanted to present the shirt during our city's Harvest Festival, but the president got into his car and left immediately following his speech. We had to give it to him through acquaintances in Minsk," said Oksana. "Even though we didn't believe that the gift would reach him, we attached a letter explaining how and why we made the shirt. We signed it 'The Five Seamstresses.' Evidently it arrived just at the time of the dispute with Russia, when he needed support…."

In response, two weeks later the president sent to each a bouquet of nine roses, a Czech porcelain tea service with gilt and light green decoration, and a letter expressing his gratitude and wishes "that [their] lives may be as pure and wonderful as this linen cloth from which [they] made the shirt," as well as his handwritten signature.

"The gifts were formally presented to us by the Executive Committee. We felt like real Cinderellas! We opened the boxes at home, and in each was the president's personal card! We hadn't even dared to hope that he would find the time, and yet here was such warmth and attention."

The women were so moved that they are preparing to plant a walkway using the president's roses when their dream comes true: to build an agrotourist village near Bobruysk, where the residents would stroll around in Slavic costumes and bake bread made of hops. But for the time being, the volunteers from Otrada have finally been given an official home in the Centre of Child and Youth Creativity in the Department of Education of Leninsky District.

Kseniya Novozhilova, 3 February 2007
http://minsk.kp.ru/2007/02/03/doc161987

Novaya Zhizn Ecovillage

Greetings, friends!
We are pleased to inform everyone that yet another Kin's Settlement is being created in Belarus!

Who are we?

Several families united by the single aspiration to create a new world, a world in which personal freedom and all-round human development may be achieved through a life in harmony with oneself, the people around us, and nature.

How do we envision this?

We want to create on the territory of Belarus an ecovillage, constructed on the principles of mutual understanding, respect for the individual, moderation of needs, the unity of man and nature, and combined creativity.

How we will achieve our goals:

1. Create a model for a settlement and life in it (approaching completion). 2. Seek like-minded persons and land for a settlement (in progress). 3. Create designs for Kin's Domains and an ecovillage as a whole. 4. Acquire land. 5. Realize our dream.

Whom are we inviting to join us?

People who wish to create the Novaya Zhizn Ecovillage and become friends.

Website of our Settlement: www.ecoby.info

If you have any questions about the settlement, you may aske them here or telephone any one of us (see the website).
We wish everyone the successful achievement of their dreams!

Ratmir

www.ecoby.info

CANADA

Trip to Gelendzhik by members of Co-creation club

Kavkaz is a beautiful part of Russia, located on the Black Sea. Except of magnificent nature of these lands, I was attracted to it by three amazing places: Schetinin's School, Dolmens, and Eco-Settlement of the readers of "Ringing Cedars of Russia".

The first stop of my trip was the school of the famous professor Mikhail Schetinin. Besides curiosity, I went there to learn more aboutthe study process in the school. Surrounded by green hills of Kavkaz, blooming nature, and numerous art works, the students were getting ready for the exams during our visit. After reading a lot and watching the movies about the school, I finally saw myself the happy and serious faces of the students, unique study process and the presentations of its results.

I was simply amazed by the great achievements of the students in academic fields, arts and most importantly in personal growth and self-discipline. Every school as every teacher can be judged only by the results of their work, which means by who their student grow to be. I talked to students of different ages and all of them were confident, mature and enthusiastic, which they learned in the school along with the general scientific knowledge, artistic and technical skills.

Unfortunately, due to the timeframes of my visit, I was not able to actually take a course on a certain subject as I planned. However, Iwas a guest studentin aseveral classes and learnedhow the study process is organized, and which aspects of it makeit more successful thanthe one we are all used to.

Next, I devoted two days to visiting Dolmens, the stone monuments, dated thousands of years ago. I wanted to visit them because they are part of our history, the linkage between centuries. All the Dolmens that I saw were located in truly beautiful forests, which made the trip even more pleasant.SomeDolmenshave been partly destroyed with time, while otherswere notdistracted at allby the years. I am attaching a few pictures of the ones that I saw.

Certainly, one of the feelings arising there is the respect for those people who built such gorgeous and magnificent monuments, which can withstand thousands of years and all kinds of distractions. As you can see, they differ in size and shape, but each of them is a piece of art and has a great historic and spiritual importance. Dolmens increased my interest in ancient civilizations, about which we know so little, but whose knowledge might greatly benefit us today

The next stop was one of the settlements in Russia, organized by the readers "Ringing Cedars", called Vedrussia. I was anxious to talk to the people who were bringing the idea described in the books into life; to see what they achieved; and how they organized the settlement. This settlement is situated close to Krasnodar, on the south of Russia. It is located on about 200 hectars of land, surrounded by little villages and magnificient Kavkaz hills.

There are over a hundred families, who already planted their gardens and started building houses. The settlement is well-organized, with a detailed plan of future development. In addition to managing development and building of each estate and settlement as a whole, members of the settlement also organize festivals and celebrations, where people come from different parts of Russia and other countries. Unfortunately, at the time of my visit there was no events scheduled; the preparations were just getting started for the summer Celebrations and fall Conference.

The ride around the settlement took us almost the whole day, during which I visited several family estates. One of them was located high on the hills viewing the whole settlement. The young couple living there was married according to vedrussian ceremony as described in the Ringing Cedars books. People from the whole settlement participated in the ceremony and planted a young garden for the newly weds. Even though the trees are still small, they already have little fruits on them; and it was easy to imagine what a great garden the couple has planned.

In two of the estates I saw saman houses, and have been inside a saman house for the first time, which turned to be a great experience. It was a really hot day, and entering the saman house felt like entering an air-conditioned store on a very hot day here in Toronto. But besides the coolness, I was also overwhelmed by the odors of the different herbs, which were covering the walls and the ceiling. We spent there quite a while and did not really want to leave the house.

The visit to the settlement gave me inspiration to be closer to Nature and to achieve what the people I met have already done. I got a pretty detailed picture of how the settlement managed and organized. Moreover, I learned a lot of gardening tips and ideas, which I hope to use soon in my own garden.

The trip was a great experience, which left me with bright memories and many pictures, some of which I am attaching below.

View more photos of the trip in our photo gallery.

Julia Portna
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://www.sourceoflife.ca/en/club/

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

We invite you to attend or become contestants at the Day of Earth International Holiday and Music Festival. The Festival will resound with wonderful and meaningful songs about our earth and our love for it.

Originating in Russia and described on the pages of the Ringing Cedars of Russia books, today this holiday is observed in many countries of the world and embodies human aspirations toward harmony with oneself, nature, and society.

May more and more adults and children attend our celebration on Day of Earth each year. May this holiday become yet another bright day in our lives.

Program of the festival:

The festival consists of two parts: a singing competition and a concert.
Begins at 4:00 p.m. Address: Earl Bales Community Center (Sheppard and Bathurst)

List of compulsory songs for the contest:

• "Kak poydu ya na bystruyu rechku [When I go to the swift flowing stream]" (Russian folk song)
  
• "Mat'-Zemlya moya [My mother earth]" (words by A. Tesarov, music by V.Gamaliy)