Spiritual tours Bulgaria – Introduction
Until a few years ago, the prevailing talk around the table topics were politics, sports, the movies, and so on. Today, the most popular issue in many homes is traveling in the world; where did the participants travel to? Which festival did they participate in? Where are they going to travel soon? What do they know about this place or the other?
We are all traveling all the time, and destinations that have recently been a distant dream such as Ethiopia or Mongolia today are at hand, and not only of backpackers but also of pensioners. But the exciting possibilities create a situation where one does not see the forest for the trees. Whilst we are photographing the forest from countless angles, we forget the big picture and move on. So, the question arises: How can world tours become meaningful for us?
The issue becomes more complicated over the years because the world, as you know, becomes a great global village and wherever we go one meets the same foods, the same living conditions and even the same mentality. We all see the same television programs and it doesn’t matter if it is Pop Idol in Bulgarian or in Hebrew, we all deal with the same technology and spend our time on computers and cellular phones, we all seem to be in a rat race for money or new car, we all strive to look good, fulfill ourselves, earn money, become famous and more. Of course, this is not entirely bad, the point is that in this way Human cultures disappear and the uniqueness of ancient civilizations vanishes.
Many years ago, I met a man who told me that the problem with our world is not only the disappearance of animals and plants, but the disappearance of human cultures and Civilizations, and it’s a shame because we are losing a wealth of human experience. This gave me inspiration to name the tour company I established “World Civilizations”. The idea was that there are still many places around the world where local traditions were preserved, places where the pace of life is different from that of the 21st century. In addition, a visit to ancient sites can connect one to the qualities of past cultures and Civilizations and help connect with their essence.
In other words, a tour to other countries can be a cultural and essential experience that adds to our world experience and understanding, It can enhance our personal life, because humans everywhere deal with the same problems: the transience of life, love and search for meaning. If a person is open, knows the background of a culture he visits, it will reveal its secrets to him and enrich him beyond measure.
Bulgaria is a country with an ancient and magnificent cultural heritage, this book is designed to help you in discovering it. There are two things which Bulgaria contributes to the common lore of human heritage: First, it is the cradle of human Civilization, where the transience to agriculture and living in villages and houses began, featuring unique ancient civilizations such as that of the Danube culture. Second, it is the place where a Slavic Christianity first appeared, the place in which the Cyrillic alphabet was born and a special kind of mystical Christianity developed, both within the Church and outside.
The book offers two routes for those who want to discover Bulgaria’s unique cultural heritage: the first route traces the ancient Civilizations that appeared in Bulgaria, from the world’s first villages, which were established under the patronage of the Goddess, to the wonderful Megaliths from prehistoric times, to the wonderful tomb temples from Thracian times, a civilization that existed alongside classical Greece.
The second route discovers Christian Bulgaria, it starts with sites from Roman and byzantine times, continues to sites of the first and second Bulgarian empires, visits all kinds of wonderful monasteries and Churches around Bulgaria, including modern ones. This route includes the wonderful Churches of Sofia as well.
Each of the two routes is described in one of two parts of the book that expands on twenty main sites along the route. Each of the two parts starts with a comprehensive introduction to the historical, religious, cultural background of the times, with a touch of alternative spiritual theories. At the end of the Christian part you will find a key of the meaning of symbols, numbers, colors in the architecture and art of Christian Churches. At the end of the ancient Civilization part you will find a chapter on the main Folklore traditions and festivals in Bulgaria, as this tradition originated in ancient times
Hopefully, the book will contribute to both your enjoyment and knowledge of Bulgaria. My recommendation is to avoid the coastal touristic areas and prefer the Mountains and cities inside the country. The Bulgarian people are well educated; happy and friendly people, who welcome guests. the country is diverse, beautiful, Mountainous and pleasant. A unique addition to any tour of Bulgaria should be exposure to the rich folklore traditions.
This book is not a tourist guide in the classic sense of the word, and does not deal with technical matters such as which recommended hotels and restaurants to use. According to my belief a great deal of energy is spent today on practical issues in a way that doesn’t benefit the travelers and can even disturb the enjoyment of travelling. In today’s world it’s relatively easy to get along, one can find many websites that are full of comparisons and recommendations about where to eat, where to stay and the like. I recommend not engaging in cost calculations too early – even if you pay a little more, better to focus on experiencing Bulgaria for real.
The book has no maps and no pictures, and there are no clear guidelines of how to get to places, opening hours, etc. I leave this part for you. Those who follow the names of the places can design their own itinerary and find more details on the Internet and the regular tour books. The uniqueness of the book is in the description of the places and their importance, which will allow you to understand the essence of the sites, and perhaps connect to “What can they be for you?”
Further to this book, I wrote another book on cultural and spiritual tours in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia (“Heart of the Balkan”), in which there are three routes, the first follows the ancient Civilizations of the Balkan from the beginning of history to Roman times. The second follows the Christian story of the Balkans, and especially Serbian Christianity, and the third follows the story of Macedonian Christianity.
Other books I wrote that are relevant to a tour of Bulgaria and can add to your knowledge, are the book “Greek mysteries” which tells about the ancient Greek civilizations that influenced the Thracians, and about Greek Orthodox Christianity that influenced Bulgarian Christianity. And the book “Balkan Sufis” which tells about Ottoman times in the Balkan and the Sufi orders that had centers all over the Balkan and in Bulgaria as well.
