Tradition is something that is passed down from ancestors — previous generations. It is derived from the word “traditio” — “transmission, handing down, story, handing over, and heritage”. The concept is unlikely to refer to something that is simply left behind but, rather, it is related to what is consciously passed down as something important to future generations. Nowadays, most people believe that their children and grandchildren will live in completely different times, and therefore, to them, things different from what their parents and grandparents lived for will be important. However, this way of thinking is usually characteristic of someone who did not create anything fundamental, based on eternal meanings and values. It becomes clear that the opposite is actually true if one looks at the architecture that ancient masters left us: it is not only relevant today but cannot be repeated by anyone, and thus, its value is much higher than that of modern buildings. The same holds true for materials our ancestors were able to work with. Nobody can now lay bricks the way they did back in the day because the tradition has been lost, and along with it, great values ​​that could be of great help to modern people, have been lost, too.

Transformation is a concept that consists of “trans” and “formation”, meaning the changing of form that results in a new state of it, and the process of entering this new state. Inevitably, form depends on the essence occupying it and changes according to this essence. This can occur under the influence of either one’s native essence, or numerous others. In case of the former, the form is useful to the native essence. In case of the latter, the form’s transformations do not match its native essence and, thus, do not help it. As a result, the native essence fades — leaves the reality in which the form exists. At different levels of life, in its different fractals, there are universal pairs of essence and form — the meaning and the image, the mind and the emotions, the spirit and the body, the man and the woman. The image is transformed by the meaning, the emotions — by the spirit, and the woman — by the man. By contrast, essence cannot be transformed by form; it can simply kindle brighter if the form matches it, or fade if the form tries to dominate it, undergoing transformation under the influence of foreign essences. If the image dominates the meaning, the meaning fades but does not transform. If the emotions dominate the mind, the mind fades but does not transform. If the body dominate the spirit, the spirit fades but does not transform. If the woman dominate the man, the man fades but does not transform.

The truth, or Russian “istina”, is what truly exists, something that “ist’”, or “yest’” (“is”) — the very essence. Everything has certain eternal essence. “Istina” (“the truth”), “yest’” (“is”) and “sut’” (“essence”) are all the same in that essence gives life to form. Unlike essence, form is something false, empty, not giving life but using it and existing at the expense of essence. “Yest’” (“is”) is the same word as “yest’” (“to eat”). These words may seem to be mere homonyms but they are actually more than that: they share something essential — the fact that by both being and eating, we feel better and become stronger in our being, spiritual and physical. When we eat, we go after the essence of food that gives our body the greatest value. Once we have obtained it, we feel better physically and our body is ready to manifest more of its potential. Empty food is of no interest to our body. As souls, we also strive to learn a purer truth, the essence, so that the soul could feel relieved, lighter, and rise higher. Empty or unimportant information is of no interest to us, either. By taking in the higher truth, we enhance our Heavenly being — our being as a soul. By taking in material food, we enhance our Earthly being — our being as a body.