All pictures of Rasputin reveal a stern and dark character, but was he truly a monster?
What we know and what we fear
Today's Runic Message is all about secrets finding their way back up to the surface, and I've had some personal experiences regarding this lately, in particular involving one of the most maligned and misunderstood characters of modern history: Grigori Rasputin. It's been recently revealed to me that I have a direct connection with this man, that he may even be one of my ancestors, but since I was just as convinced as everyone else about the failures of his character and his alleged responsibility in the destruction of the Romanovs and Imperial Russia, my first intake of this information was cautious and reserved.
However, the messages kept flowing and since I've had so much experience with the shadow, I decided I needed to know more about him regardless of what I might find underneath, so I sought a good documentary and found one dating back to 1994 which was amazingly well-researched and included interviews with people who knew him and the Romanovs personally, and historians with ample access to the actual events of his life. You can watch it here if you like.
Was he a pervert? Sure. He engaged in frequent and usually messy sexual antics that were widely reported back then. He had an immense sexual appeal among women of all social standings and never hesitated to use it, claiming that some kinds of sin, especially sexual sin, were a means to get closer to God. He was also fond of drunkenness and was an exhibitionist, stripping naked from the waist down even in crowded ballrooms. During these escapades, he most certainly committed transgressions against his partners, rape among them. Nevertheless, it's important to note that, although his behavior in this regard was considered outrageous even in his time, it was far from uncommon in Russia, where pilgrims of every ilk were respected, some considered mystics of great power and left to practice their beliefs as they saw fit.
What we know a lot less about is his generosity. His hometown of Pokrovskoye and every other place he visited benefited greatly from his fortune, he regularly received requests for money which he fulfilled without question. He showed genuine interest for the problems of the people around him, especially those of humble origins, and used his influence to help them whenever he could: a note from him simply reading "Please help this person" could get anyone anything they required. This influence stemmed from his enormous mystical powers, he was acknowledged as a healer and could perform many feats that I would've found incredible if I didn't have the training I do now.
He accessed the Royal Household precisely in his capacity as healer, and was responsible for saving Tsarevich Alexei, who suffered from lethal hemophilia, many times. Historians consider it unlikely that he had an affair with empress consort Alexandra, but he did earn her utmost trust and esteem, and that of the whole Imperial Household save for Nicholas II himself, who was unnerved by him and often ignored his counsel. Reports that he was to blame for Russia's disastrous campaign in the Great War were false, as he actually cautioned the Tsar to avoid confrontations for the sake of the Russian people. Also, despite his undeniable influence, he never had anyone killed or imprisoned, and never participated directly in politics, but his access incensed many powerful men and he was turned into a scapegoat, as holding the Tsar accountable for his incompetence was impossible. His demise was as dramatic as his life, he was lured into a trap where he was poisoned without effect and then shot several times. In one of his letters, he showed that he knew he was going to die and prophesized that his death would be the death of Imperial Russia, which turned true with the onset of the Communist Revolution.
I had all of my preconceptions about this guy shattered with this research and I'll continue to connect with him. Although I have no interest in engaging in his excesses, his spiritual stature and his self-awareness are clear to me now, and I think his life can provide me with tools necessary for my own process. I could've never be free to explore this without the practices that have allowed me to get rid of my prejudices, and I'm eternally grateful for that.
Night Rune: Raidho
Slightly uncomfortable games in abandoned undergrounds. I seek a teacher in a school, but his classroom is always full of people.
Daylight Rune: Dagaz
The energy of the firmament is reflected on the earth and reveals processes that have remained hidden or ignored. Works that were thought finished rise again with new challenges. Potentially unpleasant information emerges to the surface, rumors that interpellate you are confirmed, you can no longer look away, the light is inexorable and inextinguishable. What you accept heals you, what you reject makes you ill, what happens around you will keep happening even if you do not pay attention to it, choose well where to place your energy. It is never beneficial to lie and in this moment it is especially counterproductive, take care of what you say and the fictions you support. You do not have to believe in all you hear, but it is important that you listen to it with respect, prejudices reduce the quality of the reality you live in.