Declaration of intent for our perpetual Kin´s Domain!

We, Stefan from Austria and Vana from Taiwan, have been inspired by the book series "The Ringing Cedars of Russia". The core idea of the book series is to establish a perpetual Kin´s Domain for one´s family and it is precisely this idea, that has inspired us to take action and become active.

Painting of a Kin´s Domain

A Kin´s Domain is the dwelling land of a family and it is approximately 1 hectare in size. This land is surrounded by a living fence consisting of trees and bushes. It contains a cozy bright house, an orchard, a pond with pure water, as well as a forest and a garden. It also may contain designated spaces for animals, which are part of the family. Ideally, everything on the land is created with love and in harmony with nature.

The purpose of a Kin´s Domain is to restore and increase love and health in one´s family and to preserve this love in perpetuity. The land supports what family members need, both physically and mentally. The land will be passed on from one generation to the next, each generation making the domain ever more beautiful and perfect.

We are currently in the process of finding a region we both like, where we will acquire a big enough land to create our own Kin´s Domain. It shall become a highly self-sufficient habitat, as well as a "Space of Love", filled with loving thoughts and feelings.

On our Kin´s Domain, we will work on perfecting the dwelling land in the most holistic way, for ourselves and our descendants. We will create our domain in honor of our wise ancestors. We will continue to consume mindfully, aiming for minimalism and zero waste and will continue to deepen our practice of compassionate ethical living (vegan lifestyle). Our Space of Love shall increase the good on Earth, so the world becomes a little better, for each and everyone with whom we share this planet.

We would like to invite like-minded people to settle on the land around us. We are following a trend that is already spread out widely in Russia and Eastern Europe, which together have already more than 500 Kin Domain settlements. In several regions of Russia, the idea of ​​Kin Domain settlements already receives governmental support.

We recognize the existing legal system and want to work constructively WITH current politicians and leaders, for a positive change in society and for the benefit of all people and fellow creatures! We are certain that the right path forward is through mutual cooperation.

We want to take action, so that all people realize, that it is their fundamental right to have a piece of homeland! Upon request, each family shall be granted one hectare of land, lifelong and free of charge, for the purpose of establishing their Kin´s Domain! This land may not be taxed or sold, but may be inherited.

We are convinced, just as the Anastasia book series affirms, that humanity is ONE family and we are all brothers and sisters! Accordingly, we can certainly only advocate a path that leads to love and unity between all people!

We are certain, the more families live on their own Kin´s Domain and turn it into a heavenly oasis, the greater becomes the chance for global peace and prosperity for all!

May success and inspiration be with us and all like-minded people, who are finding and starting their own Kin´s Domain. May we all succeed in the creative construction of beautiful living spaces for our families, in all countries all over the world! May there be happy co-creation and joy for all!

Written by Stefan and Vana Veda, L.O.V.E. Productions, September 2018

14 Awesome Reasons Why to Adopt a Plant-Based Diet

As more and more people drop animal products for good, you have probably heard about a couple of arguments that are made in favor of a vegan, or a plant-based diet. It takes different reasons for different people to get motivated and start making some changes.
Whether you’re already on your way towards a plant-based vegan diet or just playing with the idea, here are 14 important reasons to think about:

1. Lower your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes

Both of these conditions are amongst the most common chronic diseases in the Western world. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn has been able to reverse even very bad cases of cardiovascular disease by feeding his patients a low-fat vegan diet and saved countless lives. It's widely acknowledged, even by major health organizations, that animal products rich in saturated fat and cholesterol are a major contributor to both heart disease and diabetes. The same diet that improves our arteries can also improve and even reverse type 2 diabetes. (1)

2. Treat or reverse other current health conditions

More and more major health organizations are now stating that it’s healthy to eat a well-planned vegan diet during all stages of life – and that it’s even favorable to do so because vegans have lower rates of cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, strokes, and even Alzheimer's. A plant-based diet is often times even more effective than medication and surgery when it comes to these diseases! There is also an extensive study showing the connection between casein (milk protein) and cancer growth. (1)

3. Improve your fitness

Most people fear a loss of energy or muscle mass when abstaining from animal products – but the opposite can be true, if you do your homework. Meat and dairy are especially hard to digest, taking much of your energy and leaving you tired. Adopting a vegan diet does in no way hinder you from reaching your fitness goals and might likely give you a nice boost of added energy and strength.

No matter what sport you’re involved in and no matter the level of performance you’re shooting for, you get the best nutrition and plenty of protein from a whole food, plant-based diet. You don’t even have to watch your protein intake very much – all whole plant foods contain protein, and it’s of great quality, too. The 40-50 grams you need per day (this is with a large margin of safety) can easily be met by eating green vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts or seeds. Rice is 8% protein, corn 11%, oatmeal 15%, and beans 27%.

It's also so much easier to build lean muscle on this type of diet and you don't have to go into the whole "bulking and cutting" stuff. If you wish, you'll just be shredded all year!
(1), (3), (4)

4. Eating for World Peace and Social Harmony

In his book “The World Peace Diet”, Dr. Will Tuttle is revealing the invisible attitudes we ingest at every meal. The World Peace Diet offers an expanded understanding of our culture and our health. It has been called one of the most significant books of the 21st century creating the foundation of a new society honoring the interconnectedness of life.

The World Peace Diet is one of the first books to make explicit the hidden connections between our culture, our food, and the source of our broad range of problems—and the way to a positive transformation in our individual and collective lives. (2)

Dr. Will Tuttle concludes: "In order to have true and lasting peace, both individually, as well as collectively, we must end the exploitation and killing of all animals. As we grant peace and freedom to all animals, we are actually granting peace and freedom to ourselves."

5. Resources and world hunger

50% of grains worldwide are being eaten by farm animals, while millions of children living next to livestock are starving. The meat that's produced in these areas is then being shipped to the 1st world.

Vast amounts of grains and beans are imported from Africa and South America, so that cows in North America can be fattened up, milked and slaughtered. For growing these foods, vast areas of rain forests are being destroyed, making species go extinct and creating desert-like climates in those areas. The negative consequence: A massive contribution to climate change and world hunger.
(1), (2)

A vegan diet requires just a small fraction of the land and a small fraction of the amount of water used by an omnivorous diet. Animal products are very inefficient. Due to the animal´s metabolic conversion of the foods they eat, enormous resources are wasted. 2,5 acres of land can feed 20+ people on a plant based diet, while on the same amount of land only one person can be fed on beef.

Around 70% of the grain grown in the US alone is fed to livestock - that’s enough grain to feed 800 million people. At the same time, incredible amounts of water are being used to produce animal products. More than half of the water consumed in the United States is used for animal agriculture. Being vegan could save up to 724,925 gallons of water per person each year. Think how powerful this change could be for everyone!
(1), (2)

6. Animal products are dirty

Every time you sit down to a meal containing meat, eggs, or dairy products, you’re dining on known bacteria, antibiotics, hormones, dioxins, and a host of other toxins that can cause serious health problems in humans. An extremely high percentage of all the flesh butchered every year in the U.S. is contaminated with E. coli, campylobacter, listeria, or other dangerous bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts, flesh, and feces of animals.

They can cause food poisoning – there are 75 million cases each year, 5,000 of which are fatal. The USDA reports that 70% is caused by contaminated animal flesh. The abuse of pharmaceuticals in factory farms encouraged the evolution of new strains of antibiotic-resistant super-bacteria. But that’s not the only danger associated with dosing animals raised for their flesh with antibiotics. Roxarsone, an antibiotic commonly used on factory farms, contains significant amounts of the most carcinogenic form of arsenic.
(5), (6)

7. We have zero need for animal products

65.000.000.000(!!) land animals are being slaughtered every year for food consumption. This cruel act of killing all these farmed animals is absolutely unnecessary. We simply do it for taste, out of tradition or due to false beliefs. There is no proof, that human beings must eat meat, dairy or eggs, in order to be healthy and thriving. On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence that a well planned vegan diet is suitable for potentially everyone. (1), (2)

We are taught which animals are okay to eat and which ones are meant to be pets – It’s a learned behavior called “Carnism”. It creates a distorted view of reality, where we exclude certain animals from your sphere of compassion, while including only specific animals into our sense of brotherhood. (1), (2)

Let’s not forget that we are not baby cows either who require the milk of their mothers and there’s no need to consume any other secretion besides our own mother’s milk past the first years of age. Needless to say, animals don’t want to die, they love and appreciate life. Unfortunately, we just view them as “farm animals”, a faceless crowd without thinking of individuals with unique personalities and emotions – just like cats and dogs. Once we understand this connection and take appropriate steps, we can finally align our actions with our morals. (2)

8. Save the environment and stop climate change

Around 18-51 percent (depending on the calculation and source) of man-made pollution comes from the meat industry, putting factory farming ahead of transportation in contributing to the greenhouse effect. What's more, it takes about 40 calories of fossil-fuel energy to create every one calorie of feed-lot beef in the U.S. (compared to 2.2 calories of energy needed to create plant proteins).

1 pound of hamburger meat equals 75 kg CO2 emission which is about the same as using your car for 3 weeks (at an average CO2 emission of 3 kg per day). And the wild animals have to suffer the consequences as well – Animal agriculture is responsible for 91 percent of Amazon deforestation.  The current mass extinction of species is impacting 86% of all mammals, 88% of amphibians, and 86% of all birds. Many of them are facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the near future. But we can change that! Adopting a vegan diet is voting for a planet where all of us can thrive and live our purposes.

9. Try amazing new dishes

There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world, of which merely a few hundreds have been domesticated and farmed. You probably haven’t tried even a fraction of them yet! Looking out for delicious new recipes broadens your horizon, your taste buds, and lets you discover delicious and healthful dishes you wouldn’t have thought of in the beginning. (7)

You don’t have to cut back on taste at all here: Vegan chefs took home the trophy at the 10th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational with a nondairy cheese winner, and vegan bakers have dominated the butter-and-egg fest that is Cupcake Wars twice. The key is in finding the right replacements or using recipes without any animal products at all. (8)

10. Eating for spiritual health

Have you ever felt guilty while eating certain animal foods you knew, inflicted suffering on sentient beings? As humans, we are spiritual beings, who, when allowed, will feel a natural love and compassion for our fellow human beings, as well as for other sentient co-inhabitants of our planet. It is against our fundamental spiritual nature to cause unnecessary harm or damage to any living being.

By choosing plant based meals, we are liberating innocent animals from exploitation or domination. We are choosing life over death and love over selfishness. By granting freedom to those animals who depend on our mercy, we are actually granting freedom to ourselves. We will reap as we sow.

It is a precious gift that we have bodies, which can thrive on a plant based diet and derive all essential nutrients from plant foods. Making this transition can be a real milestone in one´s personal and spiritual development. (2)

11. Better skin and digestion

For most people with acne-prone skin, dairy is one of the worst offenders. Unfortunately, many doctors are unaware of this issue and tend to prescribe medication and harsh chemicals in order to improve skin health. The secret lies in what we eat, though! Getting rid of fatty foods (especially  animal products) has been shown to reduce acne. (9)

Water-rich fruits and vegetables can give your skin an additional boost in health due to their high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Their fiber helps with getting better digestion and elimination of toxins which, in turn, clears up your skin even more. In order to additionally improve digestion, remember to chew well, preferably 50+ times per bite. Try not to drink any liquids 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after meals. This will keep your stomach acid undiluted and strong, to help with digestion.

12. Boost your mood

When you cut out animal products, you automatically abstain from all the fear and stress hormones these animals produced on their way to slaughter, until the very last second. This alone can have a significant impact on your mood and stability. But that’s not all.

We’ve known that people eating plant-based tend to have healthier mood states—less tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, and fatigue. This is due to the higher level of antioxidants in plant-based foods, particularly fruits and vegetables.

Healthful carbohydrate-rich foods, including brown rice, steel cut oats, and rye bread, help regulate serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is important for controlling our mood. In the evolving landscape of neurological research, a plant-based diet may help in treating symptoms of anxiety and depression. (1), (2), (10)

13. Save lots of money

Vegan diets can be extremely economical. When you center your diet around grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and seasonal fruits and veggies, you might be cutting your monthly food expense in half. Many of these foods can be bought in bulk and stored for a long time. There are a lot of great options for eating vegan on a budget. But that’s not all! Since healthy plant-based diets can prevent and even reverse chronic diseases, you will have to spend way less money on doctor’s visits and medication. (11)

14. It’s never been so easy

You might not be aware of this but many supermarket foods are already vegan. There are lots of different plant-based milk options, coconut ice creams, mock meats, and more! This change in culinary preferences of the consumers is revealing itself through data — the market for non-dairy products is skyrocketing and meat alternatives sales are expected to reach $5 Billion by 2020. But not only supermarkets carry a host of delicious vegan foods at this day and age. More and more restaurants offer vegan options, too! There are so many plant based dishes you can choose from these days that you will be positively surprised. If you are a beginner, you will find many resources on the internet, who help you make your switch to a plant based diet. (12)

Finally, although these are all excellent points. True Veganism is more than just a diet, it´s a profound change in one´s heart. Although diet is the easiest way to start. Benefits are abundant, not just for your health, but for the environment, animals, and future generations. Whole new world of tastes, textures and recipes open up to you. It is absolutely positive life change. As a long time vegan I can attest to this. What I like to point out to my friends who are considering veganism or vegetarianism is to not get discouraged if they don’t succeed at first try. For me personally, a whole foods plant based diet with plenty of raw foods works best. But there’s no right or wrong way to go vegan, so don’t be afraid to try a few strategies, find out what works for you.
Here are 15 different types of vegan diets, which one is right for you?

Written by Stefan Veda

Sources:
(1) H.O.P.E. What you eat matters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDg7tlEJD64

(2) Dr. Will Tuttle: www.worldpeacediet.org

(3) www.veganbodybuilding.com

(4) www.fromthegroundupfilm.com

(5) http://www.peta.org/living/food/meat-contamination/

(6) http://www.earthsave.org/pdf/ofof2006.pdf

(7) https://nutriciously.com/vegan-recipes-for-kids/

(8) http://www.cok.net/blog/2012/04/vegans-win-grilled-cheese-invitational/

(9) https://nutriciously.com/7-ways-to-cure-acne-naturally/

(10) https://nutritionfacts.org/video/plant-based-diets-for-improved-mood-and-productivity/

(11) https://nutriciously.com/how-to-eat-healthy-on-a-budget/

(12) http://vancouverislandvegan.com/resources/

Anastasia - The Great Vedrus - Is there Evidence for her Existence?

I exist for those for whom I exist! - Anastasia

A growing number of people have experienced it themselves: No book series has influenced their lives as powerfully and meaningfully  as the Anastasia (or “Ringing Cedars of Russia”) book series.

But what changes the life of one person by 180 degrees, may trigger in another little or no enthusiasm.


Some say that the book’s main heroine Anastasia really exists, some see her existence as a possibility and others believe that Anastasia is just an invention of Vladimir Megre’s mind.


No matter how you yourself think on this subject, I want to tell you about a true story of my life in which my friend Daniel had seriously doubted the existence of my wife Vana. I had been friends with him for more than a year at that time and had met him several times during this time and often phoned him. During that time, he had never seen Vana. During a phone call we had last year, he confessed, that he seriously doubted whether Vana really existed, or was just an invention of mine, which made me slightly sad back then. He explained to me that in a confidential roundup of friends they found out that none of them had ever seen Vana, and that she might as well be an invention of mine.

The image on my website would not be proof of her existence. In this circle, Daniel initially stressed that Vana must exist, but soon he became uncertain and doubts arose. In the summer of last year, Vana and I invited Daniel and his dad to have lunch with us. Before the meeting, the following thought made me nervous: "Hopefully Daniel will now believe that Vana is real and not just an invention of mine! It's also not an unquestionable proof when he sees her, because I could have "hired" an Asian girl for this purpose, posing as my wife. I hope he does not have such a thought."


The meeting went well and Daniel had no doubt about the existence of Vana. I was relieved.



Perhaps this event illustrates how easily people can be unsettled and what power rumors have. Although Daniel was already a friend of mine, he could seriously doubt whether Vana was real or just my invention. I guess one should not say that Anastasia is just an invention just because one did not see her or does not know anyone who saw her.

My experience may help to imagine how difficult it might be for Vladimir Megre. He can not simply show Anastasia as proof, and even if he could do that, it would only add to the doubters' doubts. Even if today Anastasia would appear in front of the camera, this would not convince countless doubters of her existence.



What 5 indicators are there, which suggest that Anastasia is real?



 

First indication:


Perhaps the strongest evidence is the strong feelings of many readers.

Many were so deeply touched  after reading these books that they experienced a significant  shift in their consciousness, and the creation of a new world view. These are often people who have personally felt Anastasia and her great love, or who have met her inwardly.


Someone might argue here, "But the feelings are very subjective. They probably occur because people rediscover their childhood dreams or yearnings in Anastasia and her recommended way of life, which can trigger joyful feelings."

That may be so in some cases, but I know several Anastasia readers who had very different dreams. Even in my case, this assumption is only partially true, because my dreams had more to do with sexuality, computer games and skateboarding and I felt bored with agriculture or horticultural activities.

As I grew older I even saw the traditional family as a great evil of our time, and saw intentional communities and natural tribes as the right path to follow.

So much in the books did not correspond to my dreams and desires at all! Still, I have felt more reading these books than any others books I have ever read! Waves of joy and happiness, or being deeply touched and feeling gratitude, have permeated me, sometimes while reading the books, and sometimes in contemplation of Anastasia's work. I have felt Anastasia's love, in my body cells, in my mind and in my feelings, and no one can take that experience from me. And even though some may think I'm crazy, there are countless people who have similar experiences and every year their numbers are growing.



Second indication:

The existence of the books and the information they contain about past, present and future is another indication.

Much of the lost knowledge of the history of mankind has been brought to light by Anastasia and only gradually was confirmed by various scientists and archaeologists by new findings or insights. Many of her statements about the future, as unbelievable as they may have seemed at the time, have come true or are taking shape.


A skeptic could argue:
"It could also be coincidence that a lot of what she predicted has arrived, besides, some things that have been predicted, did not come true!"


Anastasia is certainly not infallible and the world is very complex, even for someone of her size. Nevertheless, she described the 1 hectare law over 15 years before its introduction, in a vision of the future of Russia. In 2016, Vladimir Putin actually introduced such a 1 hectare law, but unlike Anastasia predicted it for all of Russia, the Free Hectare law was introduced "only" for eastern Russia(about 1/3 of the Russian Federation), as well as in some other smaller regions of Russia(e.g. Belgorod). In addition to that, Putin has already suggested that within the next few years, this law could be extended for all of Russia!

Incidentally, Anastasia's grandfather said:
"Anastasia does not prophesy the future, she is creating it!"




Third indication:

Vladimir Megre

Already since 20+ years Vladimir Megre is regularly talking about the authenticity of his stories in interviews and lectures.


A skeptic could now interject: "Megre himself said that the books are a fictitious story!"


This rumor came about because from 1999 to 2001, Vladimir Megre was filing a lawsuit against a woman who was claiming to "channel" Anastasia and publish a book of "her messages." The court saw no reason why not everyone could "channel" and write down Anastasia's messages, unless Anastasia herself would appear in court and disagree, or if the books were the intellectual property of Vladimir Megre. To protect Anastasia and win the case, Megre was forced to tell the court that his books were "literary and artistic texts that can be attributed to the genre of science fiction," proving that they were his intellectual property.


Other than that, we find Vladimir Megre's statements that have been repeated to this day at innumerable conferences worldwide, about the real existence of Anastasia as a human being and about having two children together with her. He also reaffirms this in his books again and again."



A skeptic could now interject: "Just because Megre claims that, it doesn’t prove that Anastasia really exists!”

That's true.  But then you would be accusing the author of being a liar or cheater. He would be exactly that, since he has been vehemently advocating for over 20 years that the content of his books and it’s characters are genuine, including Anastasia and her relatives in the taiga. Such a person would not deserve fame as an author, but rather be sent to prison, because of deception and fraud! Or at least to be publicly outed as a liar. I think, it's presumptuous to judge Vladimir Megre so harshly, without knowing him personally, especially as his books have already done so much good for the world and are continuing to reach ever more people with Anastasia's message!




Fourth indication:

Some people do not believe in the existence of Anastasia because they can not imagine that a woman like Anastasia would choose a man like Vladimir Megre to spread her message.
Several people who dealt with him say that he is anything but a genius and often behaves anything but intelligently. But that is precisely why Megre is perhaps even the best proof for the authenticity of Anastasia. Despite his unwise personality, the idea of the ​​books is increasingly spreading the world over.

It is a movement without leaders and as far as I know, this has never happened in that way before! Indeed, to see people strongly changing their lives after reading the books and making great life decisions is something very unusual if it were just a book phenomenon.

Fifth indication:

Some people believe Vladimir Megre paid somebody to write the content of his books. However, regardless of whether one regards Anastasia as real or not, no one will deny that the information exists, as well as the  images that have been born out of that information. So if the information exists, it follows that there must be a source for it. And this can only be Anastasia or somebody of her size, because one can only create what one actually is! 


One can see that the information and the created images are very powerful, when you consider the fact that Christianity, as a movement, has taken over 300 years to be noticeably felt! The Anastasia books and the associated movement have only been around for about 20 years and already have a high degree of prominence and influence in society (especially in Russia and Eastern Europe) with corresponding profound consequences.

If you would like to see a glimpse of what the books have already triggered, you can watch these two short videos on YouTube:
1.) Co-Creation (2011)

  2.) Kin Homestead Settlements 20 years later (2018)

The power of a great Vision

 

Painting: Mikhael Shirokov

It seems as if Anastasia and Vladimir Megre have managed to co-create the greatest “life image” of all time.  In time, it will grasp more and more people and unite humanity as one.

The fact that there must first be great resistance towards this newly created image is logically explainable when we know about the principle of homoestasis. When an idea of ​​a group or culture is met with tremendous resistance, it's either because it's an incredibly bad or incredibly good idea. It is therefore only logical that there have been trials to distort the information of the books and to spread lies about the movement.

As Arthur Schopenhauer famously said, “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

Fortunately, unlike the Christian movement, the Kin’s Domain movement is not about making “believers” of and proselytizing others. Instead, the inspired readers realize the ideas they recognized as right in their own lives and thus become the practical role model themselves.


They do not change the world by their opinion, but by their living example!



Some say it might not really matter whether Anastasia is fiction or reality, and I can partly agree with that. It is true that the information from and about Anastasia, and the images created by her thought exist, and have an effect on our individual and collective reality.

However, imagine if my friend Daniel not only doubted the existence of my wife Vana, but even denied it. If I would have then given him Vana’s written messages, he probably would have doubted this information and might have devalued it too, don´t you think so? Even if it would have been important and true information from Vana personally, he might have dismissed it.
Doubters should perhaps consider this.

Could it be possible that great, powerful, practical information for truth, love and world peace is passing by while not being recognized, because of doubt or denial of Anastasia´s existence?

However, whether Anastasia exists or not is not the most important thing. The most important thing is the information in the books, and the effect that it has on people’s lives. Does it matter where the information came from if that information makes people’s lives and the world better?

Written by Stefan Veda
Edited by Gabriel Miguel (Anastasia USA)

Thoughts on the (non)sense of emigration to Russia and why the Kin´s Domain movement is often associated with the "Old Believers"

Again and again, I receive e-mails from people all over who write to me that they are enthusiastic about the Family Domain Movement in Russia and that they would like to emigrate there. It is often tempting to think that happiness lies in a country other than your own. But is it really the solution to emigrate to Russia instead of staying where you are? Of course, there is no general response, every life situation is specific with it´s own needs and requirements. But how do some people even come up with this idea of emigrating to the largest country on earth?

Russia is indeed in an enviable position. As a great power, it has become politically, economically and - one must say, by necessity - militarily able to defend its interests against the imperialistic USA. What country can claim that kind of self-determination? Russia recently also demonstrated in the Syrian conflict that it is able to intervene and assert itself in warlike conflicts in other countries. The Russian standard of living has increased dramatically in recent years, and prices for real estate and fuel are relatively low. Above all, however, Russia offers a huge habitat for acquiring cheap land for the creation of Kin´s Domain. Although the majority of the country lies in cold climates, there are now hundreds of settlement initiatives across Russia. The church in Russia has often deterred the public from the Kin´s Domain settlement movement by vilifying the Anastasia books of Vladimir Megre as sectarian. However, the vast majority of the readership can not be confused by this because the books represent a holistic and wholesome way of life for them.

With almost 400 settlements, Russia has the largest kin homestead movement in the world. However, if one expects a generally high ecological awareness and a life in harmony with nature, one can unfortunately be a bit disappointed. This can only be found occasionally in Russia. In the summers of 2015 and 2016, I visited settlements in Russia and observed that most people in these settlements still live quite urban. They drive regularly by car, buy a large part of their groceries in the supermarket, eat dairy products and buy their children all sorts of industrial sugar products. All this on top with a lot of plastic waste. Although most of the settlers have vegetarian, vegan or raw-food diets, in some settlements meat is also on the diet of some families. There are still quite a few women who wear traditional make-up (instead of natural cosmetics) and high-heeled shoes (instead of comfortable shoes) on ceremonial occasions. You can tell that most of the people have an urban background. In addition, many settlements contain houses built using common building materials such as cement / concrete / brick.
The profound concept of “Kin´s Domain” is still not understood or expressed by the great majority of the settlers. Most people use their land only as a countryside residence during summer, while staying in the city during winter. Often, the residents have not (yet) managed to create an easy life that is equal to the usual standard in the city. People who come from the city to visit a settlement sometimes have the impression that such a "hard" life is not for them. They do not want to give up their odorless toilet, their daily hot shower and other conveniences. In addition, the ethno-national movement of the "Old Believers", also known as "Rodnover", has a deterrent effect on some city dwellers. It is a right-wing religious grouping, which can be found sporadically in quite a few Kin´s Domain settlements. It was not until my second visit to Russia that I became aware of what the Rodnovers are all about. This religious movement existed long before the publication of the Anastasia Books. The Rodnovers, with their magical rituals as well as their ancestral and idol worship activities, are perceived rather negatively by many people within the Anastasia movement. In general society, the Rodnovers are viewed as a sect and unfortunately associated with the Kin´s Domain Movement. As a result, quite some people who have not read the Anastasia books yet, grew sceptical towards the books.

A Rodnover priest reads from the black books at a site initiation ceremony in the settlement of Vedrussia. For this special occasion, dozens of Rodnover followers from the surrounding regions of the settlement arrived. Photo: LOVE Productions

The Rodnovers account for only a small proportion within the Kin´s Domain movement, which might be in the single-digit percentage range. Nonetheless, this small proportion has had a rather negative impact on the impression that society has of the settlement movement. The Rodnover followers derive their basis for practicing their religion from the "black books", the so-called "Slavic-Aryan Vedas".*
Based on my visits to about 15 Kin´s Domain settlements in Russia, I roughly estimate that only about 10 to 20 percent of the settlement populations are Anastasia fans. Another 40 to 50 percent are likely to have read the books once, but seem to no longer care about it that much and seem to hardly integrate the knowledge of the books in their lives. 20 to 30 percent of the settlers have either not read the books or only read a small part of them. About 5 to 10 percent are Rodnovers, and an even smaller percentage are Hare Krishna followers. As I said, this is my estimation based on my experience, and this estimation is intended to serve only as an approximate guide. My impression is that exactly those 10 to 20 percent of the settlers, who take the contents of the Anastasia books to heart and implement the ideas and suggestions contained therein, seem to have the most beautiful kin homesteads after a few years. With them, I have perceived a special love and a particularly pleasant charisma, both of the people, as well as of their animals, plants and their family estate as a whole.

My friend Eduard, an inspired reader of Anastasia, lives with his wife and children on his Kin´s Domain in the settlement of Vedrussia in southern Russia. He sees the Rodnover movement very critically and feels it as a kind of occult sect. According to him, out of the several hundred inhabitants of Vedrussia only a few are Rodnover followers, but these are responsible for having negatively influenced the image of the entire settlement. That's why all settlers in the adjacent town would be associated with the Rodnover sect. Unfortunately, it often happens, instead of looking closely and differenciate, all people are “put in one pot”, as we say in Austria. At this point, I would like to clarify that I am not against the Rodnovers, because I see that they too have good intentions, and most of them live a much more nature-loving life than the average person. However, I find it problematic that their ideology or religion is mistakenly equated with the Anastasia or Kin´s Domain Movement, despite of their huge differences. Yes, there are similarities (appreciation of nature and creation), but nevertheless they fundamentally different from each other. Just one example to clarify the difference: Anastasia speaks of a common origin of humanity here on earth, and that all human beings are brothers and sisters. The Rodnovers, however, believe in a racial ideology, according to which there were the white race, the black race, the yellow race and the red race, which had come from different planets. According to the Rodnovers, these "races" should not mix. I think this example should make it clear that these are two completely different worldviews or ideologies. At this point, maybe someone wonders why the Anastasia fans do not clearly distance themselves from the Rodnovers. It is not my intention to explain this and would go beyond the scope of this, but I would like to mention briefly that they are actually doing it partly, just not (yet) vociferously enough.

In addition, in Russia´s countryside tolerance for the fellow human beings is quite large, they are less upset about what the neighbor does or does not do, and they accept the conditions more as they are.
In my opinion, there is still no Kin´s Domain settlement that really has an exemplary character for society. At least I have not come across it yet. And here, I think, we, Europeans come into play. We may not have such a sensible and benevolent government as Russia, perhaps we do not have such a thoughtful and intelligent president as Vladimir Putin (whoever believes Putin is the "evil" may want to check outside the mainstream media or speak to a few Russians!). Our power and strength, however, lies in our ability to create a pleasant and exemplary life in harmony with Mother Earth(as demonstrated through a multitude of eco-communities and ecological projects). We can now rise and take on our task! I think what it takes now is European Kin´s Domains that give highest expression to Anastasia's marvellous image of the future! Benefits such as the freedom of movement in the Schengen area, which is associated with the EU, could be used to acquire a farm or land where the laws are favorable for the establishment of a Kin´s Domain. Especially Eastern and Southern Europe offers a lot of potential. The more exemplary Kin´s Domains there are in Europe, the stronger will be the movement, which can ultimately ensure that national and European policies respond and create legal frameworks that will provide 1 ha of land for life to any family that so desires; with the right to pass this on to their own descendants. We are still a long way from that, but luckily one may dream…

Conclusion: Emigrating to Russia is only the best option for a small minority. For most Europeans and Non-Russians in the Kin´s Domain movement, probably the most beautiful and productive way to create their Space of Love is to create it in their home country or in a suitable country in Europe. Even if the political situation in Europe is still messed up; even if corporations and banks manipulate or even control governments. We, that is, each and every one of us who reads this, has the power to begin with himself and take steps to change the world for the better. Everyone can acquire a piece of land for himself and his family and create an exemplary paradise for himself, his fellow human beings and his descendants. In many years, it will probably not matter whether you live in Russia or in the rest of Europe, because the time will come when there will again be a continent with a shared culture of awareness, from Lisbon to Vladivostok. The Kin´s Domain movement will eventually unite the world as one. Let us enjoy the journey!

Written by Stefan Veda

* When referring to "Slavic-Aryan vedas" or "black books" referred to in this context, they mean texts by Alexander Hinewitsch. Hinewitsch spreads the myth that shortly before the year 2000, unknown persons had received secret 40,000-year-old "vedic texts" and had been taken to places where he could see them. He claims that the original texts left to him were engraved on gold plates or drawn on tree bark or papyrus scrolls. Legend says that the texts were kept in secret places in caves by so-called guardians ("saints of ancient wisdom"). The originals were written in "multi-dimensional" runic writing (according to legend h'Arische Runnika / Karune), which were only readable by initiated priests. Outsiders are inaccessible to the originals , which has led to criticism in circles of followers and has challenged credibility. Hinevich claims to translate these texts into Russian since the alleged receipt. His "Slavic-Aryan vedas" appeared as a "black book" but only in 2006. Components of the intended script should be an older fictional "Holy Scripture of the Book of Veles" and a translation of the Icelandic Ynglingasaga. Critics even speak in this context of plagiarism, as parts of the texts were copied. Several other points that speak against the authenticity of the documents are mentioned in Russian in detail in a Russian Wikipedia article . In 2009, both Hinewitsch and his organization were investigated by the Russian Public Prosecutor for "religious extremism". In 2014 Hinewitsch was again charged in Russia. The charge is for incitement to ethnic and religious hatred.

Peace Pilgrim - a peace pilgrim who touches the hearts of many people

by Stefan Shin Veda
Edited by Thalia Forest

"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” - Peace Pilgrim


Some weeks ago, thanks to my wife, I came across the book “Peace Pilgrim.”  She was so enthusiastic about it that I decided to have a look and actually ended up reading the whole book.On the website you will be able to find the book in various languages, for free! 

Peace Pilgrim was a woman who lived and was active in North America.  Her exact birthday and birth name are unknown, because she didn’t reveal them to the public.  On January 1, 1953 she began her pilgrimage for peace, walking through the USA and Canada. Her pilgrimage lasted 30 years.  No one can say exactly how many miles she walked, because she stopped counting after 25,000 miles.

The most impressive thing for me was her deep trust in God and in life.  She didn’t keep any personal possessions (she didn’t even carry a backpack) and she didn’t use or accept money, even if it was offered to her.  She also never asked for food or shelter.  She lived in full trust, knowing that everything she needed would be given to her. 

When she wasn’t offered accommodation, she just slept in nature or under a bridge.  She was not one to start a conversation with people -- her blue tunic with the slogan “Walking 25,000 miles on foot for peace” stimulated people to approach her and ask questions. 

She once fasted for 45 days, but otherwise she almost never went hungry.  On her hikes she often just ate what she found in nature -- wild fruits and berries and a variety of herbs.  She was a vegetarian and loved fruits best.

She would hike northward in the spring and southward in the fall.  She didn’t do this to have nicer weather for herself (she became very heat and cold tolerant through being outdoors in nature), but because during the warmer seasons more people would be out of doors, and so more people could receive her message of peace. 

Over the years, Peace Pilgrim became well known nationwide.  She was invited to give countless speeches and TV interviews and she was the subject of many newspaper articles. 

Her central message of peace remained the same over the years: “This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.”

In the book you will read deeply touching and impressive experiences from Peace Pilgrim’s life and get a powerful transmission of spiritual wisdom and truth.  She tells about seemingly dead-end situations in her life and how, through the power of pure love and inner peace, they always turned out well.

Every human for whom inner and outer peace is important should read this book!  The book opens hearts; it inspires and expands one’s horizons.  One might even get motivation to simplify and to concentrate more on the essentials of life.  Peace Pilgrim is an inspiring example of how little one needs to be fulfilled, to be happy and to live in inner peace. 

My heart gives thanks to Peace Pilgrim, for the precious gift that she has given to human and non-human beings alike, through her truthfulness, love and inner peace!  She continues living in many hearts.  Her active peace work is still delivering its fruits today, and certainly will continue to do so for a long time through her book. 

Conclusion: Must read!! But beware, your perspective on life can be dramatically altered and profound experiences of peace may manifest while reading! 

“Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens.  If you have them, you have to take care of them!  There is great freedom in simplicity of living.  It is those who have enough but not too much who are the happiest.”

--Peace Pilgrim

Homesteading settlements in Russia (Part 2) - The Kovcheg settlement and the "Eco-technology Festival"

Nina(left) on Elenas family homestead

When I arrived at the station in Maloyaroslavets I was picked up by an Internet contact named Dmitriy Vatolin and his neighbor Nina. They both live in "Kovcheg", a vegetarian eco-village in the Kula region. It was founded in 2002 and received official village status in 2009. The trip there took about an hour, although the village is located only 30 km from Maloyaroslavets. The reason for the long drive was that the last 14 kilometers of the route was a dirt road with large potholes. The road was in bad condition and Dmitriy had to drive slowly, and drive around the holes as much as possible. In spite of his efforts, it was a very bumpy ride that I would not want to do regularly. Nina told me once that in Russia there is a joke asking the question: "How do you recognize a road in Russia? Quite simple: as long as you can walk on it, it can be driven on!" They told me that during the Russian Campaign Nazi Germany had underestimated the bad roads in Russia, to the benefit of the Russian population. When I arrived in Kovcheg we drove at a walking pace through the village. On each side of the hedges family domains were to be seen, sometimes already large in size, sometimes quite small. We drove past the community center, school, the fire station, store and through the village.

Street in Kovcheg, to both sides well grown hedges.

We let Nina out of the car and then drove about 150 meters further until we reached Dmitriy's homestead. Just as Andrey had in Slavnoje, Dmitriy also lives on the edge of the settlement, near the woods.  

Dmitriy lives together with his partner Valia, and her 2 children from a previous marriage, on their 1-hectare homestead. Throughout the year he has his own honey from natural beekeeping and is largely a raw foodist.

Dmitriys self-made Solarbox for melting bee wax

During the week that I lived at his house, he ate only fresh vegetables from his garden for lunch and dinner. This was mostly a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salad greens and berries. Valia and the children ate cooked food alongside the raw food. We spoke in English, so the children and Valia had a chance to practice the recognized world-language.

Dmitriy with neighbour goat

The special thing about Kovcheg is that the land was given to the community free of charge by the regional government, however, only for a 50 year lease. The land previously consisted of barren fields and meadows with very poor soils. But within a few years it has been transformed into a beautiful settlement, with living fences (hedges), an abundance of trees and houses for families in which children are born. During a walk through the village Dmitriy showed me the most varied and innovative houses. Additionally he also mentioned that they now have a fire station in Kovcheg because some houses had already burnt down. I was very surprised by this, but it showed the laxity of the Russians in this regard. Fortunately nothing happened to anyone, but they learnt their lesson, and they now conform to the safety distances for stove and chimney construction in wooden houses.

Community house facing south

The first building in Kovcheg was the Community House which was built right in the center. This house has a kitchen and several rooms, which are used as classrooms for school lessons or as dance, art and seminar rooms. 

A classroom

Community members also gather here for meetings whereby decisions are made with a 75 percent majority vote. I was impressed by the fact that in this eco-village consisting of 79 families, many classes such as dance, Aikido and yoga, are held several times a week. As the Community House is in the center of the village it can be reached by a short walk or bike from all homesteads. The advantages of everyone living on 1 hectare of land could be seen in this settlement. It is more compact and people can reach their neighbors, the community center, store or community sauna easier and not be tempted to use a car as I experienced in Slavnoje, where some people owned 3, 4 or even 5 hectares of land. Personally, I find a size between 1 and 1.4 hectare per homestead is optimal. Depending on their wishes and needs a family should be allowed to occupy a correspondingly large homestead. 

Community house facing west

Map of Kovcheg with family photos

What I liked in the community center was the large map of Kovcheg.

 This was made from images of individual families on their domains. So you could see exactly where each family's place in the village was. I thought that was a great idea! In addition to the community center there is a building for the theater. There I was able to watch the children of Kovcheg rehearse “Alice in Wonderland". Incidentally the school lessons in Kovcheg are taught, organized and planned by the parents themselves. It is therefore a style of homeschooling where skilled parents band together to educate the children, each according to their abilities. Once a year the children need to take an exam at a state recognized school in the nearest town.

One day I was invited by Ludomila the English teacher to facilitate an English lesson for the Kovcheg students. I told the students a little bit about myself and my work, then I showed them my film "A New We", a film aboutEuropean Eco-Villages. At the end, I gave Ludomila and the school my film and they were very appreciative. One day I was invited to their family domain for tea. She lives in a beautiful wooden house together with her husband and four children. There I also met a friend of theirs, a Krishna devotee who had formerly lived in Kovcheg.

The house of the English teacher

One morning I went to the natural pond belonging to Dmitriy (this pond had no liner, no concrete or similar substrate, the water was held in only by a compacted clay layer), I did a few acrobatic exercises that I enjoy and relished the subsequent swim. It was nice and warm and after I had climbed out of the water, I let myself dry in the sun.

Music rehearsal in the common house

What differentiates Kovcheg from many other settlements I have seen, is that the land does not belong to the families themselves, but a legal entity, a kind of cooperative, which they describe as a non-profit company. Each family sort of rents the land from this cooperative. Incidentally, this is the main point of contention in Kovcheg and has caused the villagers to be divided into 3 camps. One group wants to keep it the way it is now, the second group wants the families themselves to be able to "own" the land, and the third group is neutral and either won't, or isn't able to, clearly position themselves.

Path between two homesteads

I was surprised to learn that in Kovcheg, in contrast to the settlement of Slavnoje. every family has exactly 1 hectare of land. Everything is precisely structured, the homesteads run exactly parallel to each other and are separated by a three meter wide path. The domains are not square but rectangular and south-facing. In this way they each gain plenty of southern sun without taking any from their neighbors. The paths and roads in Kovcheg are unpaved and have a width of about 6 meters.

The shop in Kovcheg

In Kovcheg there is a shop with food, magazines and DVDs. It is open for 1 hour a day and offers vegetarian food. The food is not certified organic, which is normal in Russia, because organic certification is not yet as widespread as elsewhere in Europe. This is relative to the fact that among other things, the unsprayed share of food in Russia (produced by allotment holders and wild crafting) is substantially larger than in Europe, and therefore people in Russia have a correspondingly lower demand for organic food. They also consider food mostly organic when its from their own gardens anyway. A market also takes place in Kovcheg now and again. This is usually organized in conjunction with another public event. At this market the residents sell products from their family domains and miscellaneous goods. What I also found interesting was the Kovcheg text messaging service. 95% of residents subscribe to this service. They regularly receive text messages with important news. If one of the residents wants to share something important, they can do this by directing the appropriate message to the voluntary Text Message Service Manager. Then all the people of Kovcheg get the message. An important message could be for example: "New store opening times! From Wednesday from 10-11am", or: “The market will take place this Saturday morning”, or “Valia is building her roof, helping hands welcome" This messaging service is paid for by the Community company.

There are two fees, which the residents in Kovcheg pay. The first of these is an annual fee, which is used for the maintenance of roads and streets, as well as the infrastructure of the village. The second is a direct charge, which is used for community buildings. If someone wants to leave the village for good, they get back a good portion of the money for the community buildings, but nothing from the annual fee.

In the woods around Kovcheg it was the same as in Slavnoje, there was an abundance of mushrooms and I was allowed to enjoy both their harvest and consumption. Once I took an extensive walk with Dmitriy through the woods. We surveyed his forest beehives, high up on the trees, in order to entice new swarms of bees. He was happy because they were successful, and seven new swarms had settled in the hives. 

Additionally we wanted to go into the depths of the woods, because he had mounted motion cameras there to film wildlife. On the way we found an incredible number of raspberries and I was pleased to see how Dmitriy was in heavenly rapture eating the berries. Back at home, he showed me the pictures from his cameras. I saw infrared shots of wild boar, deer and a fox and found this very enjoyable. But I experienced an even greater joy watching Dmitriy. He was as pleased with the recordings as a small child and showed them to me enthusiastically. It was really lovely to watch an adult who has something he can really be happy enjoying, as much as a small child -who still can- does.

The toilet on Dmitriy's homestead was simple, as with most other family homesteads. A small building with a hole in the ground. You just squat down and do your business. At the end of the toilet session you throw sawdust over the excreta and the matter is settled. During my time in Kovcheg my friend Nina introduced me to various different people and we visited their family homesteads. I found three homesteads particularly noteworthy. On one lived Mikhail, Valia's ex-husband. He runs a nursery on his land and grows a variety of pine and conifer trees, including the Siberian Stone Pine (colloquially known as the “Siberian Cedar”).

It was nice to see such a variety of different conifers. He sells his trees through his online store and he can live well from this.

At the entrance of Michails nursery-homestead

The second homestead I want to mention here is Elena's. She and her husband manage the theaters in Kovcheg. On her homestead everything is very "German" and tidy. They were constantly apologizing that it was not properly looked after because they don't have the time to clean-up and maintain it, but I thought everything looked nice and tidy...

Elena`s homestead

Elena and Stefan with siberian pine tree(Pinus Sibirica)

And the third family homestead, which I found particularly interesting was that of Tatjana's. She was one of the few people in Kovcheg who actually implemented the ideas and practical tips from the Anastasía books. Accordingly her family domain is beautiful and the energy was noticeably higher compared to the energy of other homesteads. At her place I had my first encounter with an old Russian healing method called "Pravilo". In this technique the whole body is stretched, both the hands and legs are pulled in four directions. This was a treat for the body and the mind. I also found the grove of trees at Tatjana's particularly special. She buried her mother on their land and planted a tree there. It looked beautiful and I felt very moved by it. She didn't want me to photograph this place and I completely accepted this. It was a sacred and intimate place for them. Otherwise, I was able to photograph everything I wanted.

Tatyana's house

Doing Pravilo

Tatyana's Earthcellar

Tatyana's pond

One evening Dmitriy and I rode bikes to the community sauna. This operates daily throughout the year. I think three times a week there are men's sauna, three women's sauna and one time family sauna. The sauna is located next to a small river with a beautiful swimming area. First you sweat properly in the sauna and then dip into the cold river to bathe. It was a pleasant experience that was repeated many times. In the foyer of the sauna we took breaks to rest and drink good tea, sweetened with Dmitriy's honey. A nice experience! The sauna serves as a great place for health and relaxation, at the same time it is a place of natural communication and organization and provides space to discuss various matters. An example of this was that in the sauna we met a man who fells, processes and sells wood in Kovcheg. Dmitriy told him that he wanted to order more wood from him and he was ready to buy it. So the communal sauna and other community facilities provide natural, regular contact and communication can flow naturally, without the need to use the phone for every little thing. There are plenty of opportunities to meet each other in the flow of life.

The bridal pair

One day we were invited to a wedding in Kovcheg. People came, both from outside and from within the settlement. The bridal pair took us through their land and told us what they had already done and what they wanted to create in the future. Following this was a colorful buffet. As a gift I gave the wedding couple unhulled pinenuts from Siberia, which they rejoiced over.

Bridal pair with guests

Towards the end of my trip to Kovcheg, Nina invited me and her neighbors to come to an "Eco-technology Festival". I accepted this offer gladly. We drove about 3 hours to the festival, which took place on the community grounds of a settlement called "Everlasting Family".

I found the festival very enjoyable. People came together from different settlements and had an ideal opportunity to exchange. There were several tents, tipis, stages or free places in nature where people offered workshops, shared their practical knowledge and experiences. Topics included natural parenting, organic technology vs. technocratic technology, self-sufficiency, music, natural construction and cleaning, the conscious procreation of children and many other topics were facilitated. I took part in a beautiful healing and prayer ceremony for the freedom and happiness of all beings. There was dancing in the evening and a beautiful campfire where a bard offered his beautiful songs. People slept in their own tents in the meadow or in the woods. At the festival I got to know many, very dear people, and whenever people realized that I wasn't from Russia, they were very interested and beamed at me.

Svetlana, Stefan, Nina and Maria at the festival

They were mostly curious and wanted to know what lead me here to Russia. Once I had a long conversation with two lovely women from Moscow, named Maria and Svetlana. I asked them, amongst other things about their attitudes towards homosexuality. I wanted to find out for myself, by empirical field survey, what the general attitude towards homosexuality is in Russia . They told me that homosexuality is regarded as a disease in Russia. However, it is a curable disease. Svetlana said that she herself was a therapist and told me that she had already healed several men of homosexuality. One of them is now a good friend of hers. She practices a method by Arny Mindell, called Process Work.

A workshop in nature

Bread and salt is given during a peace ceremony

A conversation with a Russian bard particularly stands out in my memory. Unfortunately I do not remember his name. He was an estimated 50 years young, lived for several years in New Zealand and radiated a lot of positive energy. He told me he was sure that we were living in a period of total upheaval and it would take a few more years until massive changes would result for the positive. He told me that in 1985 he had been able to predict that the Soviet Union wouldn't be around much longer. He began to tell people that the Soviet Union would be gone in a few years. People thought he was crazy because the political-military power structure seemed too overwhelmingly big and powerful. But he was right, and it came faster than many could imagine. And we are at such a tipping point now. His prediction for the coming years and decades inspired me and gave me a good and confident feeling.

Yes, it will be good on earth, and we are here!

Written by Stefan Veda

for life, love and truth!