Reviews of the "Two Lives" of Antarova will interest everyone who has come across this book or is going to read it. This is a truly amazing and even unique work that deserves your attention. The author herself defined his genre as a mystical novel. It has everything to captivate the reader: intrigue, an exciting and extraordinary plot, a lot of mysticism, melodramatic relations, the struggle between good and evil, chases, black magicians and fascinating pursuits. But this is not limited to it, otherwise it would not have been so popular for several decades. In this article we will give reviews about the novel, tell about its heroes and, of course, about the author, the mysterious Concordia Evgenievna Antarova.
About the book
In all reviews of "Two Lives" by Antarova, readers note that, in addition to fascinating and exciting elements, this work has depth and several subtexts. There is something in the novel that transforms it into the true source of the spiritual wisdom of the East. It contains a detailed exposition of the fundamentals of esoteric and philosophical knowledge, as well as psychological laws that are of great importance for the comprehensive spiritual development of each person.
The protagonist of this novel is a student of spiritual mentors from the East. The knowledge that he draws from them is of practical importance for each reader, without exception. The book has been known for several decades, although in Russia it was first published relatively recently - in 1993.
Over its long history, the novel was appreciated by a large number of readers. Many of them praised the work, noting that the book managed to ignite their heart, for some it became a desktop.
about the author
To understand the features of this work, it is important to talk about its author. Concordia Antarova was born in Warsaw in 1886, which at that time was part of the Russian Empire. Her father held a high position in society. He was an employee of the Ministry of Education. Mother was in a distant relationship with a member of the revolutionary organization "Narodnaya Volya" Sofia Perovskaya, who directly led the assassination of the Russian emperor Alexander II. Perovskaya was the cousin of Concordia. And her mother was the cousin of another Narodnaya Volya Arkady Tyrkov, who was sent to exile for Siberia for revolutionary activity.
Concordia's father Antarova died when she was eleven years old. At the age of 14, when she was in high school, she remained an orphan after the death of her mother. At the same time, she managed to continue her studies, and, after graduating from high school, she began to earn money on her own, giving lessons.
In her youth, Concordia, experiencing deep mental suffering due to the loss of her parents, decided to leave for the monastery. She studied a lot in the church choir, this singing contributed to the development of her natural gift, which in the future glorified her.
In many ways, her future was determined when Antarova met with the then-known priest John of Kronstadt. He dissuaded the girl from going to the monastery, convincing that she was destined to work and work in peace. Girlfriends at the gymnasium decided to support the girl. They collected one hundred rubles, for which Antarova was able to leave to study in St. Petersburg.
In 1901, Concordia entered the best female Bestuzhev courses, and then studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with the famous Russian opera singer and teacher Ippolit Petrovich Pryanishnikov. She had to combine her studies with part-time jobs, as she simply did not have money for a living. As a result, Antarova at that time was constantly suffering from weakness and malnutrition. Sometimes, she even fainted from hunger and powerlessness, after which she was sent to a hospital for treatment. In this difficult period of her life, she earned bronchial asthma, which then tormented her throughout her life.
Already at that time her vocal talent began to manifest itself. Antarova performed at the People’s House of St. Petersburg in the opera of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's “The Blacksmith of Vakul” based on Gogol's novel “The Night Before Christmas”. The future writer performed the part of Solokha.
In 1907, she graduated from Pryanishnikov, after which she tried to get a job at the Mariinsky Theater. The listening commission was chaired by composer and conductor Eduard Frantsevich Napravnik, as well as the head of the imperial theaters Telyakovsky. In total, 160 applicants participated in the audition, and one Antarova was accepted. Her official artistic career began in 1907. She became a soloist at the Mariinsky Theater.
However, for various reasons, in 1908, she had to leave for Moscow. Until 1936, with a short break in the early 30s, she was a soloist with the Bolshoi Theater. In parallel, for some time she participated in the Circle of Russian Music Lovers. A major role in her career was played by director and theater teacher Konstantin Stanislavsky, from whom she studied acting at the Bolshoi Theater Opera Studio. In 1933, she was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR.
When the Great Patriotic War began, the writer remained in Moscow. At this time, she just started creating the main work of her life. Her three-volume Theosophical novel was called Two Lives. It is worth noting that this was not her first experience in literature. She had already published Konstantin Stanislavsky’s Conversations at the Bolshoi Theater Studio in 1918-1922. She was also known as the author of literary recordings of conversations with the leading actor of the Moscow Art Theater Vasily Ivanovich Kachalov.
Immediately after the war in 1946, she organized the office of Stanislavsky at the All-Russian Theater Society. Antarova herself at the end of her life was engaged in pedagogical activities.
In 1959 she died in Moscow at the age of 72 years. Her grave is located at the Novodevichy cemetery.
Censored
Antarov’s main work, Two Lives, was not published in the Soviet Union, as much attention was paid to religious issues. The writer and opera singer herself, due to her passion for religion, was under the close supervision of power structures.
In her work, she sought to uncover the concept of Theosophy in the fiction form popular for the general reader. In particular, her special attention was paid to the Ascended Masters, as well as to the Hindu deity Sanat Kumara, who was considered a sage, one of the children of Brahma, and in Buddhism he was close to the Buddha himself.
For many years, this manuscript was kept by the friend of the writer Elena Fedorovna Ter-Harutyunova, who considered Antarova to be her spiritual mentor. During the Soviet Union, the book was distributed exclusively in samizdat, after the collapse of the USSR, it was placed at the disposal of the Latvian Roerich society. The novel was first published in 1993.
Antarova wrote the book "Two Lives" in Moscow during the war. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the creation of the work was shrouded in mystery. For example, she managed to write a multi-volume novel in a surprisingly short time. Her followers see the reason for this in that Antarova did not write her book, “Two Lives,” but literally wrote it down. In this regard, her work is compared with the works of the Russian religious philosopher Elena Petrovna Blavatsky, who found only some materials for her works, and most of them were recorded, obeying the voices of her spiritual teachers who dictated the text to her. Hearing them or seeing a finished text in astral light, thanks to the gift of clairvoyance, and then simply transferred it to paper.
What is this book about?
Interestingly, the book is neither a methodological guide nor a work of art, occupying a certain average position. Speaking about the summary of "Two Lives", it should be noted that this is a novel about morals and travels, mainly across the territory of India. The writer managed to describe this country in such a detailed and accurate way that even orientalists were amazed, while Antarova herself was never in it.
A significant place in this work is given to the magic of music, which Concordia knew firsthand, devoting most of her life to the scenes of the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi Theater.
The most attentive readers of the book "Two Lives" claim that after some time this music begins to sound inside you, filling a person with an amazing and elevated mood. Moreover, many who have tried to read this novel tell about this effect.
It is worth noting that "Two Lives" by Concordia Evgenievna Antarova is a fascinating read. In the center of the story is the main character named Levushka. He recalls his long-lived adventures and his distant youth. Throughout the work he meets the so-called great Teachers. The author claims that their souls completed their spiritual evolution on Earth, but decided to stay to help people in their spiritual growth. These great souls become the main characters of the novel.
It is worth noting that the novel "Two Lives" is an extremely voluminous work that cannot be mastered in one evening. There are three parts in total, the latter being divided into two books. Each of these parts has 500, or even a thousand pages. Experts advise reading it for a long time and little by little, as they drink a wonderful life-giving elixir. In small sips during sadness or during hours of fatigue. The book by K. E. Antarova “Two Lives” goes well in the evenings to high-quality classical music after a busy and exhausting working day. They say that the soul of the person who reads it, literally with every line, is filled with good and joy.
Prototype protagonist
Antarova’s followers claim that the writer and opera singer knew how to communicate with the souls of dead people. The author herself claimed that the text of the book was dictated to her by Leo Tolstoy. He is the prototype of the hero in "Two Lives" by Antarova. Even the character's name, Levushka, refers to this.
Readers who are imbued with the ideas of the writer, argue that indeed during the reading of the work there is a conviction that we are faced with another novel by a famous Russian classic. Particularly impressive are the colorful and incredibly vibrant landscapes, the elegant and original style of presentation, the scale of the work, which in its scope immediately resembles the epic "War and Peace."
This occult novel has become very popular among people who are actively interested in the ideas of the teaching of living ethics and Theosophy.
Content
Volume 1 of “Two Lives” by Antarova opens with the recollections of the main character of Levushka about his youth and the wanderings he embarked on in his youth. He describes in detail his friends and acquaintances, among whom Ali (he visits his country house), Lord Benedict. A separate chapter is devoted to its transformation into a dervish.
Going on a trip, he visits Sevastopol, then on a boat saves to Constantinople.
In the 2nd volume of Two Lives, Antarova Levushka goes to London, visits the Count T. family. Some chapters are devoted to the letters of Lord Benedict, which are addressed to Jenny.
In 3 parts of “Two Lives” by Concordia Antarova, Levushka returns to Ali’s estate, spends time in the Community, where he visits a dwarf and receives gifts from an Arab. Of great interest are the first experiments of the professor’s new life. From the community they embark on a journey through the desert, where an oasis soon meets on their way. They spend the night by the fire.
On the way of Levushka, there is a Lord who influences all his further spiritual development. It is interesting that the writer even began the fourth volume of her large-scale novel, but her work was cut short on his very first chapter. For what reason this happened is unknown. There are several versions of why this happened, but there is no reliable information.
The novel's popularity
Among fans of esoteric teachings, the novel is very popular. The phraseological units used in it became especially well known, which, like pearls, are scattered throughout the whole narrative telling about the adventures of Levushka and his many patrons.
It is noteworthy that in its plot and form this novel resembles a classic work from the fiction genre, a standard adventure novel in a somewhat old-fashioned style, which would be relevant at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. It is worth noting that all the events that take place in it belong to the nineteenth century. Moreover, the fascinating external form actually hides a detailed exposition of the foundations of esoteric and philosophical knowledge, which was introduced into the world by the Roerich family and Elena Blavatsky. Moreover, the protagonists of the novel themselves became the prototypes of the so-called spiritual Masters of the East. These are the Mahatma and his many followers and disciples.
Great teachers
Mahatma Moriah can be recognized in the human, but with this majestic image of Ali Mohammed. In the image of Sir Ut-Womi, according to researchers of the work of Antarova, his closest and most faithful colleague is described - teacher Kut Khumi. In general, the novel has many characters in which you can recognize real people who have had a significant impact on the worldview of the writer herself and people of the late XIX - early XX centuries. Illofillion is firmly associated with the teacher Illarion, apparently, the Florentine was a type of the Venetian, such a spiritual name is one of the Great Teachers.
As the story progresses, the reader encounters the prototypes of other bright and famous representatives of the White Brotherhood, who were especially well known in the West, and among them there are many creative and talented representatives from around the world.
It is interesting that the protagonist in the novel is called not only Levushka, but also Lev Nikolaevich and Count T., which clearly indicates the figure of a classic of Russian literature. Moreover, many facts from the biography of Levushka from the novel by Antarova coincide with the events that really happened in Tolstoy's life. Those who do not even believe that Concordia wrote her book under the dictation of the count, still consider his choice as the main character not accidental. Tolstoy was known for the fact that throughout his life he valued oriental wisdom. A reflection of this can be found in his works: the story "Karma", the collection "Circle of reading", the collection of aphorisms "The Way of Life".
Narrative features
In “Two Lives”, Kora Antarova managed, telling about the life and adventures of the main characters, skillfully weave a detailed and even detailed description of the process of moral and spiritual-psychological self-improvement. According to the author herself, this path is for a person who wants to move towards accelerated spiritual self-realization, embodying the teachings taught by the Mahatoma.
The narrative itself is very dynamic. Heroes constantly fall into fascinating situations, escape from the chase, but at the same time the author manages to talk about the basics of ethics of eastern esotericism and philosophy. In particular, Antarov pays special attention to the existence of a different plan of being, the multidimensionality of the universe, as well as the ability of each person to voluntarily separate consciousness from his physical body, perceiving what is happening at different times in the world.
The writer and opera singer believed in the existence of light forces on Earth, which included teachers of the White Brotherhood, as well as adherents of black magic. In her work a lot to find a lot of mention of the reincarnations and the laws of karma in all their diversity. The book becomes a real storehouse of valuable information, thanks to the brilliant wise aphorisms set forth on its pages in the form of teachers' instructions.
All this is adjacent to a description of the psychological difficulties that students had to face, as well as errors in spiritual knowledge, which often led to real dramas in their lives.
The novel, outwardly similar to a fascinating fairy tale, contains psychological examples of how the practical principles of eastern spiritual practices are refracted in everyday and everyday reality. Quotes from the Two Lives of Antarova are still fascinating with their depth and accuracy. Here are just a few of them:
Save yourself - and around you thousands will be saved.
Fidelity to the idea, like fidelity to love, will always lead to victory.
Do not give in to doubts and hesitations. Do not break your business with denial or despondency. Cheerfully, easily, cheerfully be ready for any test and bring joy to everything around. You have taken the road of labor and struggle - affirm, always affirm, not deny. Never think: "I will not reach," but think: "I will reach." Do not say to yourself: “I can’t”, but smile at the childishness of this word and say: “I can overcome it”.
The author also believed that everything is accessible to man, if he is not afraid, does not cry, but begins his business easily and boldly. And I noticed more than once that they won not those who have a lot of money, but those who easily begin their work.
Reader Impressions
About the book "Two Lives" Antarova reviews come mostly positive. For some, this work opened previously unknown aspects of life, made it take a different look at the world around it.
Readers discovered in it the most important information concerning the development of a person, his personal growth, both physically and spiritually. Others admitted that they were able to learn life by reading this book, while they noted that it would be difficult for spiritually poor people to perceive it.
At the same time, there are also negative reviews about the "Two Lives" of Antarova. In them, readers admit that they could not understand the whole depth of the narrative and the main idea of the author. They were attracted by a bewitching beginning, but they failed to get through the philosophical wilds.