Once a noble Kievan merchant exhausted with ailment was brought to Agapit. So, the merchant started promising Agapit the best of his valuables, if only the healer delivered him of his illness. And he was shaking two money-bags with golden coins all around at that, as if implying that there was nothing he wouldn’t part with. Golden coins were items of great luxury at that time. They had Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich image on the one side and ancestral sign of Rurik Dynasty, shaped like a trident, with a lettering saying ‘Vladimir, and this is his gold’ on the other side. Those golden coins were a feather in his cap, an indication of his close links with those who stood at ‘control levers’ of the Old Russian State. Not everyone could boast such valuables. But everything loses its meaning, when a disease overcomes. The merchant was ready to part with this money to return his past health.
Agapit healed the merchant. The latter had promised in public to repay Agapit’s kindness, but the greed seized him. So, the merchant decided to swindle the Saint. Nobody saw what was there in the bags, so the merchant put cheap silver coins into the bags instead of the promised money and added only one golden coin for his conscience’ sake. He was glad he could both recover and save so many valuables owing to his guile. He came to Agapit again with his retinue. Agapit only smiled glancing at his proudly held out bags with money and said: ‘I have not taken pay from anyone, and I won’t take any from you. But you shall keep your word. Come out and give away all this gold to beggars’.
The merchant rejoiced even more and went off, his retinue attending him, to carry out the order of the Saint. But when he opened one of the bags to take the money out, all coins turned out to be golden except for one. “So, the merchant became upset and thought he must have confused the money-bags. But he kept the promise given in front of his retinue. When he came home, however, he was terror-stricken, because all his gold and jewelry had turned into cheap silver coins. And among this pile of odd money he was able to find only one golden coin.” “Huh, it appears that such swindlers existed even in those days,” Volodya uttered in a bass. “There are enough of them at any time,” Sensei said with a sad smile.
“Greed is the favorite vice of the human beasts. Not only among the laity, but, unfortunately, also among monks. Even during Agapit’ time many of the monastic community, where he lived, had more love for gold than for God, and they exploited their monastic rank to swindle money out of simpletons.”
This story is an extract from Sensei I by Anastasia Novykh
Published by Kingsley Osajie
I am an Emissary of Light and an intrepid adventurer. A growth enthusiast and a quintessential person who is very passionate about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, inclusivity, equity, holistic living, mental health, diversity, altruism, sacred activism, service to humanity, gastronomy and compassion. I volunteer with organizations that are focused on youth, education/cultural exchange and climate change awareness. I currently volunteer with Stride Quintessential Youth Initiative (www.weartqp.org) an organization focused on raising the next generation change makers and quintessential African youths. I also volunteer as an English teacher with a Ukrainian organization ENGin Program; an organization promoting education, cultural exchange, peace, respect and compassion (https://www.enginprogram.org/). On my creative aspect I am a heart-based, talented, outstanding, prolific writer. I have published 8 books and currently working on my 9th book. I published several articles in a UK magazine, Canadian and American blog. As a creative person, I am also passionate about media and ICT. I am a graduate of Political Science/Social Studies from College of Education, Agbor Delta State in Nigeria. I did a diploma program on Agricultural Supply Chain Management from Acacia University, Arizona United States (through Athena Global Education) and another diploma program on Business Administration (through Athena Global Education).
Writing has always been a natural way of life for me. I also love meeting like-minded people, spending time in Nature. I am a promoter of anything which promotes Positive Vibes and Positive Energies. Anything that sets the tone for a Positive Life Momentum is my Hobby. I also believe in Compassion. Before I began my journey into Spiritual Awakening and Spirituality; I was a former baptized, zealous and dedicated Jehovah’s Witness. Somewhere deep down in my heart and subconscious mind I had this inner-knowing and feeling that religion is NOT the answer. At least I have the understanding that there is more than meet the eyes…it was not easy to leave a religion that claims to be better than every other ones; but with my determination to embrace my Higher Self, my Magical Divine Self—I summoned up courage and left Jehovah’s Witness in 2013. I could not have made a better choice! The effort and determination was worth it. You can read more about my journey of how I left religion and Jehovah’s Witness.
I am determined to use my blog to raise the Consciousness of Humanity to a Higher Dimension. I believes that I can use my writings to inspire, heal, empower, liberate, teach and enlighten Humanity into embracing Higher Consciousness. My vision is for a society where truth, justice, love, compassion and unity dwells. He strongly believes that people should be treated fairly and equally no matter their skin colour, gender, culture and sexual orientation. As one who is on the path of Personal Development, New Thought, Spirituality, Enlightenment and Inspiration; Kingsley believes that he can use his writings to inspire, heal, empower, liberate, teach and enlighten Humanity into embracing Higher Consciousness. I believe in compassion; compassion for one’s self and compassion for others as epitomized by Guan Yin the Goddess of Compassion. Eastern Spirituality and Spirituality in its entirety have always appealed to me. I follow the teachings and wisdom of Guan Yin, Buddha, Jesus Christs, His Holiness (the 14th Dalai Lama), Lazaris, Galexis, Sirian High Council and the Angelic Beings who works in the Greater Realms of Light and Love.
Other personalities that have been very influential to me are: Master Sri Akarshana, Sadhguru, Shelley Rogers Johnson (AKA Good Witch), Mooji, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Mother Theresa, Robert Kiyosaki, Morihei Ueshiba, Sarah Prout, Ikkyu, Oprah Winfrey, Buddha, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Florence Scovel Shinn, Norman Vincent Peale, Tony Robbins, Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle, Max Erhman, Debbianne DeRose, Nathalie Thompson, Jeannette Maw, Erin Dragonsong, Melody Fletcher, Andy Dooley, Mike Dooley, Bob Marley, Anais Nin, Albert Einstein, Tess Whitehurst, Katherine Hurst, George King, Whitney Houston, Brenda Fassie, Nelson Mandela, Mary McKee, Guru Nanak, Dildar Virk, Enya, Mariah Carey, Jam Aiwuyor, Cynthia Morgan and Anja Ringgren Loven. I have been featured twice in an award-winning TV Station in Abuja where I talked about the issues affecting Nigeria and Africa I was also featured in an American blog where I shared my opinion about the Black Lives Matter. I am of the thought that we create our own reality and we can change the Narrative of our Reality and Lives. So feel free to surf my blog. Let’s labrish!
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Kingsley Osajie 