THE BADGER The Badger is a fierce animal, very much respected and honored both in Northern American Native traditions and in European Celtic ones. A badger will not let go and will continue tenaciously to look for another way to tackle his/her goal, just like a good healer will not let go his/her search until the best solution is found for the person in need. Badgers have their homes underground, so that they can go to the roots of things, the good healer does the same and keeps looking until she/he can find the most profound reason for a dis-ease or a psychological issue. We use the term healer in the very broad sense of somebody who takes care of a another person, be it a MD, a nurse, a psychotherapist, a physiotherapist, a masseuse, a spiritual healer. Whenever there is a person in need and somebody who takes care of her/him, that is a healer. Sometimes the need is subtler and more profound than a simple medical intervention, the human touch is needed and it really is the Panacea that cures all diseases. We believe all artistic expressions in their beauty, science for everyday life, spirituality, philosophy, food and the healing arts are beneficial to restoring that balance, health and sense of worth that each and every human being deserves. We offer you THE BADGER, the persistent healer, all the articles come from experts in different fields, each person has his/her own idea of what a balanced life is, they are here to pass on information, give inspiration, receive your comments, suggestions, contributions. Each human being holds in his/her hands at least one of the keys, let's continue our quest!
THE BADGER
YEAR 7 VOLUME 2
October 2021 Dear Readers, the wheel of time turns incessantly, the progress of humanity continues as well: we continue to grow and learn from our mistakes, or at least we hope so. I wish you much action as well as reflection time for this dark season and the winter that will follow it, so that next spring finds us ready for new adventures in the sun. I am very happy to present a special volume rich in art and beauty to warm your heart for the next few months: a magnificent moment of dance, a world premiere for an opera born out of traditional stories, a young and vibrant painter who comes from a small village, as well as another touching future (?) story among the mountains and water. Water certainly is one of the themes of this volume with its capacity for purification, renewal, new beginnings. Good readings, silent reflections where you can distill the wisdom of this year. Look after your health and well being as well as those you love. Have a great autumn and winter Antonella Vicini Director THE BADGER Quarterlty Ltd Cover Photo and Lay out Antonella Vicini
The BADGER PRODUCTIONS present the new courses in English and Italian on public speaking made easy and pleasurable, a way to find our real voice and make it heard in the world.
Stay tuned and check our FB pages on : Speechless? No More! Or Mai Piu' Senza Parole! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w82uM_RqYU
CONTENTS Are we there yet?
F. Rico
Manifest
G. Rael
Nonymoi
A.Vicini
Jelin
A.Brizzi
A Social Story
F. Lehrman
Poetry
F. Battiato
Voices from the Stars
L.Bottagisio
Being Medicine Quilting Away The Story Of the 7 Lakes
D.Kopacz - J.Rael L.Perry C.Murgan
CONTENTS Lathe Biosas
A.Stamenov
Distance
A.Exo
Cooking
B.Bruce
Chakras
C. Corte
Witnessing
A.Vicini
The Authors
short bios and photos
Thanks
and links to previous volumes
Adverts
products and services we believe in
ARE WE THERE YET? Francis Rico You know those dreadful long car rides – with the kids in the back seat demanding to know “are we there yet?” Well, we are there! We’re here. The long promised “turning point” for our world – the time that we’ve waited for – is here! It’s already been “here” – but we come to a complete pause, with full recognition of the indescribable awesomeness of what is happening, now, here in this year of suspense, in the grip of a global pandemic, with everything on hold - including common-sense... Grandfather Beautiful Painted Arrow spoke of this moment - the Galactic Cornucopia of Plenty that he saw in a vision, that we are now aligned with - offering us everything we need to create health, abundance, peace and care for all of our relations. But what we’ve long anticipated as a “turning point” has turned out to be a profound moment of brilliant illumination of the “big picture” – a vision a moment of revelation: we are now fully embraced by huge powerful waves of coherent harmony beyond anything we’ve ever experienced. This isn’t like anything we used to know. We have moved into a higher, deeper, and wider relationship within Creation – our relationship with the Heart of our Galaxy.
So – in answer to the question “are we there yet?” – YES! We’ve arrived at a total Earth global experience! The pathway - the Red Road - is wide open, and is allowing energy to flow freely with no obstructions. We’re now in a full spectrum energetic amplification of our connection with Presence, coming in from above, from below, and from all around – illuminated Presence coming right through our “normal” reality. Sounds sweet and spiritual, right? The reality is that the illumination created by this influx of cosmic flowing energetic coherence is ruthlessly revealing. Take a look around! Everything now looks exactly like it really is! We clearly see the faces of the insane aberrant predators who have brought life on our planet to this desperate moment – of life itself crying out that this is an emergency for life on our planet! And at the same time, we see the futility of beating “them” at their game: the violent enforcement of their dominance fueled by their insatiable greed, destructiveness and exploitative disregard for life itself. We can also see something that is deeply encouraging and reassuring: there is way to for us to live, that is loving, caring, resourceful, responsive, creative, connected and respectful – a way of living life worth celebrating. And what does this look like? It looks like you. The profound gift that the Galactic Cornucopia of Plenty that we are now aligned with offers is the brightly lit illumination of the essential gift of you – the gift that you are, the gifts that you bring – the gifts that you uniquely offer just because it is the truth of you.
The huge energetic waves arriving here on Earth are bringing an amplification of your dreams – a flowering of you – the you that is the Presence of the mysterious fundamental power of love – of Life affirming Life, of life caring for life. This is the “love” that flows deep within each of us. What can you do? Look! Listen! Allow! From deep within this primal flow of life incoming in the here and now comes this message: YES! Yes to life! Yes to you! Yes to your dreams! We gather in community to become stronger and more resourceful together. In the face of the madness we are witnessing, we share a deep abiding love. In the face of exploitation, we share how much we care. In the face of destruction of life and habitat, we share a strong and determined “NO MORE!” What can you do? Gather with your family, friends, and community – and every day, at every opportunity, create gentle living ceremony. Include everyone – present and not present, seen and not seen. And being together, allow your selves to become quiet and receptive. This is easier to do if you are in a place of wild natural beauty. But listen – your backyard qualifies as sacred – wherever you are, the Holy is present.
This place of Presence and connection is your true nature. It has never been about turning a corner. It has always been about the emergence of You. Within you is the wild and vibrant power of love for life. Within you is the power that moves the sun, the moon, and the stars. You are the wind in the trees, and you are the trees, you are the wild songs of the birds, and the silhouette traces of their free flight. You are the waves on the ocean, the rainbow spray of breaching whales, the shining eyes of the jaguar, the sleepy buzzing of summer bees, the rippling fields of wildflowers, the laughter of children. All of this is you. This love for life, found deep within you, is the precious gift for you to bring to our world. And Now would be good! With feral blessings.
Francis Rico Teotihuacan, Mexico
MANIFEST Geraldine Rael Greetings to ALL! Our Sun Moon Dance for Climate Change happened in Colorado last June, it was a healing ceremony for many people, especially for any unresolved issues.This particular dance was healing for a few Dancers as well as it was extremely healing for a number of support persons. That is why we Dance!
I then flew to Germany last July to Chief the Sun-Moon Dance in Dresden. The Sun-Moon Dance ceremony was amazing! Each & every Dance ceremony ALWAYS has its own special qualities. We Danced in a fruit tree orchard, so the metaphor of harvesting seeds, was very powerful! This year has been about renewal and moving forward. For many it is merely moving forward in ones life and for myself and for many of you, it is renewal and earnestly moving forward with Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrows work. Keep up the good work everyone!
Geraldine Rael Eldest daughter, of Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrow
NONYMOI Antonella Vicini In the still air of the hot July afternoon a group of adventurous heroes take us to the brim of reality and beyond. They are ready to plunge, taking us with them, in an exploration of the lands beyond this life. In a deep silence, broken only by the rythmic movements of their hands clapping, using their bodies like drums, they split in two groups, on one side the silent, immoble witnesses, on the other side the sacrificial victims for the afternoon ceremony. 1. An impossible balance: each dancer follows his/her own inspiration while looking for a balance that cannot be found. Do they search for it inside or outside, is it physical? It stays hidden in their amazing postures. Is it mental? As shown by the intensity of their tension. Is it emotional? As the fleeting emotions wash rapidly through them. Is it spiritual? That might come, but not just yet. The moving bodies leap and writhe on the ground. Some peace at last? Perhaps... Where are they? At the temporary boundary between the living and the dead: in the dangerous place where these realities meet, kneels Odysseus in order to receive strength and knowledge on his way back home. Beaten by the winds, soon to be left alone in the vast sea, this great hero must face the horror of horrors while still alive. He will be a different man, once he has passed this trial. But the men and women in the dance are not Odysseus, they are nobodys, they have no more bodies, no more wills, no more feelings, just the deep hunger for light and life that is left after all is said and done.
2. Tormented by Inner Demons the dancers re unite briefly and then the group of witnesses take to the stage. They are conflicted, they fight, they seem to be continuosly hassled by demons, like in one of Dante's depiction of Hell. They are driven beyond sanity by ancient rage, bravery, useless revenge, desire for supremacy..... 3. Covered in blood, yet innocent of it: every body has been deep into the fights, the duels, the incredible acts of heroism and bravery needed in war. Their bodies are covered in the blood of the victims, but in this representation, there is no hatred, so nobody is guilty and every body is innocent.
4.Like Waves upon Waves: all the lost souls want to communicate, want to return to the light of day, to a form of life, even if only for a moment. Odyesseus is overwhelmed by the intensity and the size of the waves crashing on the shore of his constructed boundary. And yet these waves are also the hope, they will lead him back home, they will transport him safely back to his heart and hearth. 5. We will return: accompanied by the poignant and beautiful song by Battiato www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBq3zRGn0aA We will return 6. The non existing, the Nonymoi, find the way to be again, there is hope, a light, a new life awaits where to put to fruition what has been so laboriously learnt in the the previous one. This is a time for peace, for silent inner celebration, the ending is surprising and touching, it is a caress for the soul.
As usual this special group of dedicated artists sparkle many a reflections in me, these musings, like ripples in a pond, have kept reverberating for months after their performance. This year their magnificent work makes me want to concentrate on resilience and persistence, the sheer stamina of their intention to continue the work no matter what, such determination shows our daily fidgets paling in comparison. Alessandro Pintus and his artists worked deeply on the hero journey as well as the heretic in each one of us. I realized that they carry their work well beyond the stage, but deeply into their lives as a way of being, a living and heartfelt way of witnessing and testify what they believe in with their sole presence.
Do we believe in our values deeply enough to incarnate them? Do we apply what we know is true deep down in our hearts? Do we wonder what life would be like if we really walked our talk? These are the questions that Nonymoi has sparkled once more and again in me. I am not sure I have clear answers, but I can say for myself that I am getting closer and closer to the goal: being at one with myself, the place where real life and real happiness co exhist. Indeed, once more Alessandro Pintus and his dancers have found the way of the heart, touching the deepest of feelings after this long period of inner and outer struggle due to the global pandemic. My deepest thanks for such beauty.
Antonella Vicini
Nonymoi Excerpts
https://youtu.be/yRZJGpnIqjE
A short video to celebrate their dance.
Photos and video by Antonella Vicini
JELIN Aldo Brizzi e Graça Reis How can a traditional medieval mystery become an international opera in the small town of Alessandria? Through the love and work of a brilliant composer and conductor: Aldo Brizzi. He has taken this traditional and well known story and has transformed it in a warm, captivating, profoundly mystical event that has united an entire town behind its most notorious son. Let Aldo and Graca tell this story. A.Vicini
Aldo: The traditional story goes all the way back to the medieval sacred performances held outside the churches. It was just a plot following the events before Christ's birth and the early moments of his wondrous arrival until the flight to Egypt. With the passing of time some characters were added to the original story in order to include the traits of the people of northern Italy (Piedmont and Provence) where the story originated. In the XIX century Gelindo (the original name of the plot) was regularly staged at Christmas time all over Piedmont and Liguria. In Turin there was even a theathre that had Gelindo programmed all year round. In Alessandria (my home town) has been performed every year since 1924. When I was little I used to see it on my grandfather's shoulder, I learnt all the lines by heart: especially Gelindo's who is the protagonist: a grumpy, cunning sheperd and cheese maker with a golden heart.
In the plot the events of the miraculous birth of Jesus intertwine with the very real lives of Gelindo (the original name of the character) and the new protagonists added 10 years ago in Brazil when I wanted to set this opera on the background of the local favelas. On his way back from Betlehem Jelin meets an unknown man who asks him for shelter for his heavily pregnant wife. Jelin shows them a place to stay and continues his journey. Yet, he feels moved by this encounter. Later on, when the angels have announced him the birht of this special baby, he will return to give him presents. Jelin is full of country wisdom and diffidence, funny lines and hard earned knowledge. He feels instincitvely protective of this family and the new born baby. When Herod asks for the newborn babies to be killed, Jelin will go immediately to the humble shelter to defend the baby with his life, only to find the sacred family already gone to Egypt. I decided to add some characters to the traditional ones in order to give a clearly spiritual dimension to the story. So Sara, who lives in the land of the faraway goddess, every day goes to the well to fetch water, one day she chooses to follow a star to find a better future. This story has accompanied me all my life, last year, during the months of the second lockdown, I realized I had the time and the chance to finally compose the music for this beloved story. The most noticeable addition I made to the story is the relevance given to the feminine element with Maria, Sara and her journeys, as well as Jelin's son who is interpreted by a female singer. Here are the lines sung by Maria before the birth of her son: Notte d'incanto che nascondi il mio soffrire per l'indifferenza di chi non sa che il mistero della vita e' in me. Sola questa notte canto il fuoco d'amore che brucia in me. O mio figlio benedetto nascerai Re in una capanna, pieno d'amore senza frontiere,
braccia aperte senza barriere, pronto come la luce dell'alba a far svanirel'oscurita' dal cuore del mondo, dal cuore del mondo Enchanted night hiding my pain for the indifference of those who don't know that the mystery of life is in me. Alone tonight I sing the fire of love burning in me. O blessed Son of mine, you will be born a King in a hut, (you will be) full of love without borders, open arms without barriers, ready, like the morning light, to dispell the darkness from the heart of the world, from the heart of the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u86qzM1s048 Notte d'Incanto (by permission by Aldo Brizzi and Graça Reis) Graça I worked in the production of the opera from the very beginning, so I entered in the role of Maria while Aldo was still composing it, When it was time to sing, I already had the role in me, it had become part of me during those months. Maria is not easy to sing, we had no idea how people would react to the music and the singing, so I was touched when in all the performances people clapped at the end of my arias. The people in the audence really received what we wanted to express: bringing the mystery of spirituality in a musical drama. I believe people need to hear things like this, we need hope and caresses for our soul. We all crave love and light after much darkness. Aldo: Maria sings three important arias. At the end of the last one, the angels announcing Giuseppe about the imminent danger and the needed escape to Egypt, where the baby might be initiated into the ancient Egyptian mysteries. The female characters are the light in the opera, they are bearers of a higher spiritual level. Putting together feminine and masculine energies together gives a new dimension to the opera and the chance to go beyond what is known and towards the unknown.
Later the angels will reveal to the desperate sheperds, who had rushed to defend the new born child, that the child and his family are safe and away. The opera will finish with the new couple formed by Sara and Maicon who leave on their mystical path. The music is complex and multilayered from classical to swing to popular music, just like Jelin that tells many stories at the same time, as complex as real life is, for this reason this is a contemporary opera. I enjoyed myself composing this opera and writing the text, based on my childhood memory, as well as some elements of what I had prepared 10 years ago in Brasil with Bruno Masi. The entire production came together easily and effortlessly, in a place where I had never received much acknowledgement and/or recognition. I asked a producer to look for state funds, while I was composing the music in just 7 weeks. In addition to the state funds we also received support from the Regione Piemonte, from the town hall, from local sponsors, we also won the Cral Foundation grant, it was a really collective effort. As soon as we sent out casting calls via social media, we were overwhelmed by the quantity and quality of the vidoes received about 150), out of the 40 who were asked to study some of the arias from Jelin for a live casting, we found the protagonists and the angels for our opera. We truly have an international cast who was committed and delighted to be part of a new opera. For me it was an intense and happy time to be supported and loved so much by my home town. We rehearsed in a school, that was offered to us during the summer holidays, and we invited the children for a dress rehearsal, they were attentive and quiet during the performance. We were amazed by their attention and focus, we knew then that our opera would be well accepted.
Every shop and local activity supported this event, so much so that it felt like being in Salzburg for the Mozart festival! Many people of Alessandria created a support group looking for sponsors and practical help in the local area, they worked very well and the results were amazing. I am deeply grateful for the support and the results of Jelin!
Aldo Brizzi and Graça Reis
Aldo has made a great gift to his home town as a way to honor it and his roots, a wonderful work of art is now part of the awareness and experience of Alessandria. With its fun and sublime melodies, its fast swing and soft arias, with jokes and nuances of mysteries, Jelin is really a new and contemporary opera, a place where different currents and inspirations meet, almost clashing, yet everything flows together harmoniously. Just like our human lives in these years are criss crossed by different streams that interrupt our flows and seem to put obstacles on the way with their intense and differing inspirations, Jelin interprets all these aspects and shows them all happening at the same time, giving us back our life with its wonder and reality. Thank you Aldo and Graça A.Vicini. In the following pages you can see some photos of the rehearsals and staging.
A SOCIAL “ZEITGEIST” STORY by Fredric Lehrman An old friend of mine, a gifted author of over 50 books of fiction, with an occasional more personal volume about himself, or an article about the art of writing, has a loyal following of many readers who have become his friends without ever meeting him. He also lectures, and leads occasional workshops for beginning authors, one of which I attended. He began by saying, “I’m going to give you the opening words of a story. Write the words on your paper exactly as I put them on the blackboard, and the moment I stop writing, continue to expand that fragment with whatever you imagine should come next. Write quickly and continuously for 10 minutes, and see where the story takes you. Make no changes or corrections, but let your pencil continue without editing or interruption until I ring this bell. Ready?” He waited a moment until everyone had opened their notebook, then faced the blackboard and wrote these words: “Reaching the top of the stairs, she turned … “ Those next ten minutes went by very quickly, and we all learned something new about many things. The rest of the morning had each of us reading whatever we had written, and then forming groups of three people and conversing about the experience.
The last two years have been, for me, something like that class. Having been self-employed most of my life, I had no job security to begin with, so I didn’t have anything to lose. My calendar had full days interspersed with empty days with no appointments. As weeks rolled into months, I would notice that random events overlapped with the continuity of keeping “the pencil” moving, learning to listen to my own thoughts and hearing my story taking shape. I think I was inoculated with my last vaccine by the time I was 11, and I don’t remember ever getting a flu shot, although I may have had symptoms and fevers from time to time. So when the news broke that a hybrid virus that might have something to do with bat chemistry was about to escape from China, I was not worried. Then modern technology and international travel took over the show and invaded most of the earth, assisted by cellphones and the internet to make sure we would pay attention. Something about its spread seemed too quick. (You can probably pick up your pencil and continue your own story from here.) Looking back now, I see that there are two sides to every disease, plague, or whatever you might call this thing. There’s the technical side, and there’s the social side. Half the strict medical professionals tend to see the amazing human body as a dark forest sheltering unpredictable saboteurs, while the wholistic, naturopathic philosophers regard the body as a genius of detoxification and recovery that, given assistance, will heal itself. These different, quasi-political systems of medicine offer their consolidated information to assist the natural wisdom of Nature. After nearly two years of alternating lockdowns, personal distancing and promises of relief, the majority of world populations are still deciding which path to trust. It’s remarkable how the changes in climate and the breakdowns of faith in one dogma or another keep blinders on the two “medical parties” while they disagree over which strategy is the real “solution”… risky new vaccines, or Nature’s abundant pharmacy. It reminds me of Hamlet’s dilemma: “To vaccinate, or not to vaccinate… that is the question!”
I sense that we are passing through a metamorphosis that will be uncomfortable, but giving us sufficient time to eventually arrive at a new and brighter world. This future is our destiny, and the outcome is already unfolding, but few of us can see it. I remember a brilliant cartoon showing two caterpillars at the end of a tree branch, munching on the very leaf they are standing on together, not recognizing that they are consuming their own supporting floor. Then a butterfly floats by a few inches in front of them. The caterpillars pause in their lunch and look up momentarily to watch it flutter silently by. Caterpillar “A” says to caterpillar “B”: “Hey, what do you think that is?” B answers: “I don’t know, but you’re not getting me up in one of those things!” If you are reading these words, it proves you made it through about nine months of development as your magically-growing body reached a sufficient stage, and then you had to leave that environment and progress to a new reality that was very different. That experience, whether difficult or easy for you, was a success, as demonstrated by your continued presence and your attention on these words. A teacher of mine once told his class, “The future is coming; don’t be early.” Time is funny that way. I’m becoming convinced that time itself is motionless… the Past is still happening, and the possible Futures already exist, available for our choice. We are the ones that move through Time, which is actually a record of infinite possibility. This is how naturally psychic people can tell you your future, while other “sensitives” can also tell you your past.. They reach out into your “timefile” and describe what they find. I have collected enough data on this to present a convincing theory, so just accept this idea for now as one of many possibilities.
I choose to wait with a trusting alertness, giving the benefit of doubt to the unpredictable ingenuity of consciousness itself. We may find our way through to a world where we awaken from this cocoon of transformation with new insight, new intelligence, and new wings. This experimental planet is our schoolhouse, and we still have a lot to learn. Back in the previous millennium, a small group of advanced T’ai Chi students were studying silently in a library with their teacher, a famous Chinese doctor, calligrapher, painter, martial artist, and scholar, known in China as a “Master of the Five Disciplines.” He had been the head of the Chinese Medical Association before the Maoist Revolution forced General Chiang Kai-shek to leave with his followers and retreat to Taiwan in 1949, bringing with him his personal physician, Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing. In 1965, Professor Cheng had been invited by a group of his former students from mainland China and Taiwan to move with his family to New York, where they had a organized a school for him to lead. Prof. Cheng came to visit, and agreed to relocate with his family on the condition that the school would be open to all students, whether Chinese or not. I became one of those students, and learned from this remarkable man for nine years. There is a Chinese library at Columbia University where Prof. Cheng liked to go on weekends to study, and several of his advanced students would sit with him, bringing our own homework, to keep him company, after which we would all go for lunch to a nearby Chinese restaurant. On that particular day in 1970, many of us were discussing the release of a paper by The Club of Rome, an international “think tank” of scientists, who had determined that the citizens of Earth had about 30 years to make changes in how we lived and used up natural resources to somehow avoid an environmental catastrophe that would eventually make life on Earth unbearable. Prof. Cheng’s two translators (he spoke no English) were describing for him what we were discussing, and he called us to attention over cups of tea. His question to us was, “What do you think about this announcement by these scientists?”
Photo by Ken VanSickle
We went around the table, telling our various opinions and anxieties about this dire warning. When we completed the circle, Prof. Cheng remained silent until we asked him what he thought. He pointed to his teacup, and asked us to think about how the “water” had become “tea.” Then he pointed to the steam rising from his cup, and said: “Here is the cup… here you see the steam rising… and here it disappears. Where did it go?” After a long pause to allow us to think, he continued: “Your scientists say that the energy in the Universe cannot be created or destroyed. That is true. Don’t worry… forms may change, but nothing gets lost.”
Fredric Lehrman
POETRY Torneremo Ancora Franco Battiato Un suono discende da molto lontano Assenza di tempo e di spazio Nulla si crea, tutto si trasforma La luce sta nell'essere luminosi Irraggia il cosmo intero Cittadini del mondo Cercano una terra senza confine La vita non finisce È come il sogno La nascita è come il risveglio Finché non saremo liberi Torneremo ancora Ancora e ancora Lo sai Che il sogno è realtà E un mondo inviolato Ci aspetta da sempre I migranti di Ganden In corpi di luce Su pianeti invisibili
Molte sono le vie Ma una sola Quella che conduce alla verità Finché non saremo liberi Torneremo ancora Ancora e ancora
Franco Battiato
(1945-2021)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBq3zRGn0aA Ritorneremo Ancora, We will return. 2019 This is the Badger's Homage to the great artist that has graced Italy with his presence until a few months ago. Thank you for your sublime music and profound meanings.
Ode to Water… That Mysterious Magician Fredric Lehrman* Having no form, you are easy to recognize, as you are transparent, infinitely adaptable, conforming to every shape you find, sharing motion with whatever encounters you, lending yourself to change by your very nature. Solid when cold, a vapor when hot, you travel without passport. Rising from deep in the earth, your gentle or ferocious touch shapes landscapes, dances with gravity, your form tailored to whoever you encounter. Generous, ready to slake the thirst of every living thing, you travel the sky with your sister the wind, rising towards the sun as you inhale the emptiness, sometimes disguised as cloud or fog (according to the art of “weather”), then diving back down, gentle or torrential, flirting with everchanging suitors until you return to the land. Titanic icebergs and slowmoving glaciers are your disguises, silently moving until you find your breaking point and return to the sea. But it is as ocean that you rule, where fish fly like birds through canyons beneath your surface while whales and dolphins patrol the border above. Intrinsically gentle, you become immensely powerful when all your molecules move in mass integration, transferring the news of earthshake or storm to foreign shores as tsunami mountains, dreamed of and feared by entranced surfers. And yes, sometimes you take a vessel down with a rogue wave, reminding us that we rely on your mercy to allow us to traverse your realm. How amazing, this water planet! The sun and the moon are beautiful, yet dry, as far as we know. So let us treasure the miracle of water’s abundance and remember that it surrounded and nurtured each of us for nine months before we left the warm womb and learned to breathe.
You flow through us every second of our lives, keeping us pliable and healthy. And isn’t it convenient that the mountains just happen to function as broad reservoirs of snow stored in the high white world of Winter, ready to flow again as Spring returns, warming you, your windblown droplets descending like flocks of migrating birds revisiting lowland fields. You keep us moving, vital, alive!
Fredric Lerhman 2021
NOTE : * This ‘Ode’ was my way of telling l’eau how much I ‘eau’ her for her magic. The remarkable French… How did they come to name those great and indispensable vehicles that crossed the uncrossible deserts, carrying enough water inside them to safely arrive at the next “eauasis" by means of their natural self-replenishing internal water management system that allowed Genghis Khan’s armies to conquer and connect the most vast empire yet achieved by any general whose transport was dependent upon elephant, horse, or oxen alone. Only the one the French named “le chameau” (the camel) could do that! O My Eau my eau my eau my eau…!
VOICES FROM THE STARS The Gifts of Retrograde Mercury Laura Bottagisio Mercury, the restless spirit that underlies every change in our lives, acts in all our bodies, from the densest, physical body to the intangible one with its subtlest frequencies. In its retrograde periods, it takes us back to past events and moods that need a 'reversal' or at least a revision, in order to put things back in place and ensure that everything, inside and out, can quickly resume its functionality. At each retrogradation of Mercury a 'time window' opens, it will transport us to a past time where we stored situations, emotions, ideas that need to be brought back to the present. We can then release them into the flow of Life, after freeing them of trappings and old crystallized attitudes. The nature of the 'goods' of this warehouse obviously refers to the mercurial symbolism that includes commercial exchanges, telecommunications, trading activities, but also brothers and sisters, relatives, friendships, mental faculties, all the way up to communication with our soul part through the higher mind. There are three Mercury's retrogradations every year, they are formed in the three signs of the same Element. In 2021, the Element in the spotlight was AIR, in its three variations: Gemini Libra Aquarius: from February 2 to 21 in Aquarius, from May 30 to June 23 in Gemini, from September 27 to October 19 in Libra. The last retrogradation was very intense, it ended just before the entry of the Sun in Scorpio, a sign of the alchemical transmutation that uses the mercurial action as a bridge to allow the passage from one state of being to another.
On September 27, Mercury went retrograde at 25 ° Libra. That is the decade ruled by Venus, the sacred planet, which in Libra works to bring harmonization in human relationships. The underlying dialectic on the Aries / Libra axis gives rise to the conflict between the personal ego and that of others, creating the necessary friction to ensure that sooner or later the ego's attention detaches itself from the personality and begins to look on the path that leads to the Soul. In this case, Venus, a planet linked to the Five-Pointed Star, transforms us from the 'embryonic' state of dependence to that of a human being who has achieved realization, while still incarnated.
To better understand the celestial graph of these planetary passages, here is a list of the geometries that the Planets form in their rotation around the Sun, as represented in the graduated circle of the Zodiac. These are the main aspects: 360 °: 1 - 360/0 conjunction 360 °: 2 - 180 ° opposition 360 °: 3 - 120 ° trine, side of an equilateral triangle 360 °: 4 - 90 ° quadrature, side of a square 360 °: 5 - 72 ° biquintile, line of a five-pointed star
On September 27, the aspects between Mercury retrograde and the other planetary forces opened a passage for us towards the vast world of Possibilities. This is a 'time window' that allows us to access that spacetime where we can recognize our Shadow, of Karmic origin, and observe it as we work to bring it, as well as ourselves, more and more into the light. This celestial configuration can be described as follows: "Mercury Retrograde at 25 ° Libra, square Pluto Retrograde in Capricorn, Jupiter Retrograde trine in Aquarius, Neptune Retrograde biquintile in Pisces, Lunar Node Retrograde biquintile in Gemini". All Planets involved are Retrograde! The 'time window' has therefore opened onto the space-time of the Infinite-Eternal-Present, the dimension of INFINITE POSSIBILITIES!
Let us now interpret this astrological language: In tropical geocentric astrology Mercury and Pluto are the archetypes responsible for sublimating the activity of the mental apparatus that normally forces us to repeat those conditioning paradigms that we carry with us from our first breath. These are programs of secular origin designed to 'enslave' and manipulate the human race by the Lords of Darkness. They activate Karma,since its Law vibrates and acts throughout the Universe, we must submit to this Law which does not permit shortcuts, from the very moment we come to light.
Our earthly journey is based on freeing ourselves from these chains and becoming aware that we are Light, we are children of the Light! The squaring between these two retrograde Planets (see the red image) gives us the possibility to contact and recognize the dynamics of our Shadow and allows us to disobey its requests and take the path of Awakening. It is a quadrature that touches the most hidden and complex parts of our personality. It can bring to the surface our ancient fears of death, abandonment, lack of subsistence, lack of love. Daily events then 'dress' in these emotional states, causing us all sorts of difficulties. Well: it is precisely then that we can break them up and transform them. We can operate such transformation entrusting them and ourselves to our divine part that vibrates 'with the same Substance of the Father'. Our action is charged with this powerful energy and helps us to transform our reality leading us from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom. In this process of clarifying our emotional waters we are supported by the Luminous Guides who, although invisible, are constantly present, both inside and outside, they immediately rush to our call. This is also told by the trine that Mercury Retrogade forms with Jupiter Retrograde (see the blue image). Jupiter is the archetype of abundance and of the Word that heals the wounds of the psyche and soul; like a miraculous ointment it regenerates cells. In this way we can reprogram our shadowy memories, forever present in our cells, so we can transform those beliefs that keep us enslaved and addicted. Mercury Retrograde also forms two biquintile (see the green image) of which it becomes the summit. The biquintile is linked to the Five Pointed Star, a highly evolutionary symbol, which for this reason is activated only and exclusively when, with an act of will, we choose to walk the path of Light, freeing ourselves from rules that do not favor its development and spread. When we accept with our free choice and in full awareness the cosmic design of Love, this attitude opens us to cooperation for the Common Good, for the good, the beautiful, the true. “The Truth will make you Free” we have been taught.
Collage Laura Bottagisio The double biquintile aspect that Mercury has fixed at the moment of its
retrogradation is also present on the day when the planet returns direct (October 19, 2021). It is formed by the the Sun itself, the Electric Fire of Cosmic Love always present in us.
And it is still Mercury who keeps it alive on the day of the new moon in Scorpio, on November 4, the New Year Day of the initiatory year. This means that The Heavens will accompany us for many more months in the transformation of our life.
'Bottling' in a nutshell the splendid planetary events that illustrate this period of profound transmutation of Form is a difficult task indeed. The Sky can only be understood by the life-giving power of the Soul rather than by the small thinking mind, which cuts out and fragments everything into small pieces, thus losing the magnificence of the Great Divine Project which wants us to be its participants and protagonists. We therefore broaden our range of vision so that our inner Sound can tune into the Celestial Harmonies and vibrate with them in unison.
Laura Bottagisio Translated and Edited by Antonella Vicini
MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN Indigenous Perspectives on Land & Health David Kopacz and Joseph Rael Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) tells me that in the Tiwa language of Picuris Pueblo, the word for the self is nah and the word for land is nah meh neh―land and self are interrelated, we live in the self-world-place. Our bodies are made of the land and the land is our body; how we treat one, we treat the other. Martin Buber wrote of I-it and I-Thou relationships. I-it is a secular and technical relationship between a subject and an object. I-Thou is a sacred and intimate relationship between two subjects. Our economic, medical, and scientific systems are based on treating others as its rather than Thous. In medicine, I have written about how our current systems dehumanize patients and doctors, alike.[1] According to psychoanalyst Robert Stoller, the act of dehumanizing another “dehumanizes the dehumanizer.”[2] It is as if dehumanization is a chain reaction – once humanity is split, it continues splitting until someone or something can put a stop to the division and bring us back to health – the etymology of the word health traces back to whole and holy.[3] The way we stop dehumanization is to re-humanize ourselves and Mother Earth. I Am My Brother’s & Sister’s Keeper Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrow, a citizen of the Southern Ute Nation, tells me – again, and again, and again: “I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper.” These simple words convey a world-view of interconnected responsibility. If I am my brother’s and sister’s keepers then I am responsible for them.
If we listen to these words, if we follow their directions, we would have good public health – because we would embrace our responsibility as caretakers of each other and we would be whole as a species. Joseph extends this net of kinship and responsibility beyond the human species to include non-human animals and even what we consider inanimate objects. We make the distinction between animate and inanimate – the judgement of whether something has a soul (in Latin, anima). Things that are soulless are objects – its. What would happen if we began treating ourselves as sacred beings and treating all the Earth and her creatures as brothers and sisters, as sacred beings? We would have emergent justice from a living geography. I have been working with Joseph Rael for the past six years. Joseph tells me that his grandparents at Picuris Pueblo taught him that “work is worship,” so this work is a kind of worship – I see it as learning to see all the world as Thou. We’ve written books and papers together and the next book that he wants to write is for children. Joseph tells me that, Around 5th grade, children begin to lose the sense of themselves as holy, sacred beings. "In Picuris we were taught from the earliest age that we were Holy Beings and that what we are made of is the same thing that the stars are made of. We were taught that we were Children of the Stars and Children of the Earth. We should have a disclaimer though, ‘Beware because you will eventually become a Holy Being if you read this book!" If we are born holy and the stars are holy and the Earth is holy, then how have we lost health and justice? When I asked Joseph about writing an essay for this Geographies of Justice issue, he told me, All humans are looking for that – some justice, a just place where we can feel adjusted and feel safe. A just place is where you are adjusted to justice.
Where is justice located? How do you find it or create it? Joseph would say it is already there when we are born, we are adjusted to the land, because we are self in the self-world-place. We lose this sense of justice when we lose our sense of ourselves and the world around us as holy. When we speak of Geographies of Justice, justice must occur everywhere – if it is only present in some places or for some people, then it is not justice, but rather privilege or inequality. Leslie Marmon Silko, from Laguna Pueblo, has written of the Indigenous relationship with nature. All places and all beings of the earth are sacred. It is dangerous to designate some places as sacred when all are sacred. Such compromises imply that there is a hierarchy of value, with some places and some living beings not as important as others. No part of the earth is expendable; the earth is a whole that cannot be fragmented, as it has been by the destroyers’ mentality of the industrial age.[4] Silko tells us that dividing things into sacred and profane is dangerous. It is injustice to say “this is sacred and that is not sacred,” or “you have a soul and you don’t.” Land and Health The etymology of the word indigenous relates person to place – to be of the land, or born within the land.[5] An Indigenous people is therefore a people in relationship with the land. An Indigenous perspective would not separate the health of the land from the health of the people. I believe that it is now time for the Elders all over the world to talk to their people and instruct them. As elders we have more responsibility… a responsibility to talk about the sacredness of the Earth, and the sacredness of the people on the Earth. "One of our journeys is to help the people as they walk on Mother Earth. Mother Earth is our land and she belongs to us because we are her children. She belongs to us and we belong to her. So we can take care of her the way she has been taking care of us." (Joseph Rael)[6]
Maybe the way we treat the land is also how we treat the health of the people. How have we treated public land? How have we treated public health? We have private land and we also have private health care in this country. The United States is the only industrialized country that does not take care of the health of all of its people. Sometimes this land is called Turtle Island. A turtle is a reptile who lays its eggs on land and some turtles live in the sea and some on the land and some live in lakes and rivers. When you see a turtle in the water, there is more than meets the eye, like an iceberg where you only see ten percent above water. This is how our history of the United States is – we tend not to look at ninety percent of our history: how we took the land from its original inhabitants, we enslaved Africans, we purposefully and accidentally introduced disease, and we made people sick and unwell in body, mind, and spirit. Some scholars say that up to 90% of the Indigenous People of Turtle Island perished during colonization and the formation of the United States of America.[7],[8] I work with a Vietnam veteran who has a one hundred percent VA disability rating for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and is a member of a Northwest tribe; he said I could share his story. He was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam – he felt his own country used chemical weapons against him. When he returned home to the United States, he felt rejected by his own tribe, by his family (who called him “Baby Killer”), and by his own country. Like many Vietnam veterans, he feels the war never ended. Sometimes he thinks he would rather go back to Vietnam because he felt more at home at war than he does “at peace” in the USA. Now with the Covid-19 coronavirus, he feels that the whole US knows what it is like to be “chemical weapon-ed.” His view of the United States is a government that lies, attacks its own citizens, destroys its own lands, breaks treaties, and does not live up to its obligations. He often starts our appointments by saying, “I have no home. I have no tribe. I have no country.” In listening to this warrior elder, I have realized that what I see as an anomaly of the over 30,573 lies[9] and power grabs of the former president, he sees as just another example of US history. When he heard that the president opened the Tongass National Forest with the stroke of a pen, he said,
“People don’t know that the Tongass is the lungs of North America, just as the Amazon is the lungs of South America. You Americans are crazy – you are dead-set on destroying everything, including yourselves.” ........................................... Caring for the Land is Caring for Ourselves There are a lot of resources on the land that we take care of and they take care of us. We need to start with the origin of the land, the place before everything broke apart – Pangea. We start at 1 – that’s Pangea. Then the scientists say the continents broke apart, and then people came out of Africa, then the Indians walked across the Bering Strait into the Americas – that’s how the scientists tell it. Remember the planet is rolling around in space like a ball. Inside the Earth is a mass like a bowling ball – that is what is driving the planet’s movement in space. You have Breath-Matter-Movement (the Tiwa word for God is Wah-Mah-Chi, which Joseph translates as Breath-MatterMovement). The planet is alive because it has movement, matter, and breath. The planet is always breathing carbon dioxide and oxygen. With the rising of the sun there is an awakening of two consciousnesses – that is what the sun is saying when you listen to it – awakening of consciousness. So, what is the pandemic all about? It has to do with the sun and the heat of the sun. It is about an awakening of consciousness to new things that we have to do, new things that we have to learn. Now they say, “Wear a mask, don’t hang around in crowds – you’ll pass the virus around.” "We can learn from our environment, from our geographies. We cannot have justice unless we learn from our geographies. Pangea was created and all around it was Panthalassa, the great ocean. Then Pangea spilt and you had the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans eventually, and the Americas, North, South, Central, and then you had all these tribes in North America, and you had tribes in South America. For all these tribes, their religion was based on geography.
The Eskimos had igloos and they would have ceremonies that reflect where they live, all the tribes would have ceremonies that reflect where they live. There are different areas of land. You become your place before you live in your Mom and Dad’s house because they come from the land and you come from them. They teach you about the weather. The ceremonies are related to the climate of their place. First there was Pangea, and then it split and you had Europeans and Americans, but we are all from Pangea, we are all related.” We Are All Related Joseph is echoing the Oceti Sakowin saying, Mitakue Oyasin – we are all related. Angelique EagleWoman (Wambdi A. Was’teWinyan) writes of this interrelationship, as well: “We are all related” is a piece of Indigenous wisdom that is embedded in our Tribal Nations since time immemorial…With this pandemic, it brings to mind what our ancestors faced during the waves of illness and disease that devastated our communities documented as early as 1518 with the smallpox epidemic to various other epidemics… We are all related and we are responsible for each other in not spreading this latest coronavirus…Remember that seven generations ago, our ancestors prayed us into life and we will continue to pray for the next seven generations to come. Mitakue Oyasin![17] Public Land/Public Health, Private Land/Private Health If we are all related, then the poor health of one affects the health of all. If we wanted to improve the public health of the land, then we would start with improving the health of the Indigenous people of this land as they face some of the greatest inequities. The 370 million Indigenous peoples across the globe face higher burdens of disease and the pandemic is disproportionally affecting Indigenous peoples.[18],[19] Many Indigenous Nations have sought to protect their populations during the pandemic, for instance, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation’s mask mandate in North Dakota, the Blackfeet Nation’s closure of the entrance on their land to Glacier National Park, the Navajo Nation’s curfews, and Picuris Pueblo ban of outside visitors.[20]
Yet, political anti-science and anti-public health propaganda has interfered with the right to health and tribal sovereignty. When Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe set up road blocks on entry points to tribal land, South Dakota governor Noem called them “unlawful,” demanded their removal, and appealed to the federal government to put a stop to social distancing. Harold Frazier, Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe replied in a statement, “We will not apologize for being an island of safety in a sea of uncertainty and death.”[21] It has been said that more “than 500 treaties have been made between the government and Indian tribes and all were broken, nullified or amended.”[22] Public land and public health go hand and hand, as do private health and private land. The distinction between public land and private land is at the heart of the tragedy of European colonization of the Americas. Chief Raymond Yowell of the Western Shoshone stated: “The land cannot be sold. That is a religious belief.”[23] Culture, religion, and identity are interwoven with the land. Land is medicine, culture is medicine, relationship is medicine. Curtice et al. write that “Indigenous communities have much to teach us about how to live sustainably and communally in a time when individualistic efforts seem to trump care for the most vulnerable; investing in their health is an investment in all of our futures.”[24] Angelique EagleWoman (Wambdi A. Was’teWinyan) invokes John (Fire) Lame Deer’s prophesy “that one day everyone will need to live like Indians…other cultures would need to respect the earth and her resources, realize that all of life is interconnected, and take seriously our responsibilities to each other and all that lives.” EagleWoman argues that we must place “human health before an emphasis on employment or increasing corporate wealth.”[25]
Why is the United States the only industrialized country without a universal public health system? Could it be that our history of taking the land from the Indigenous peoples, cordoning them off in little plots of unwanted, out-of-the-way land, and our history of taking Africans off their land and enslaving them to work on “our” land – that this is why we cannot commit to a public health system for all? Perhaps when we conduct our own truth and reconciliation with our past, we will be able to create a health system for all. Joseph Rael tells us: "Justice is right here in the room with me and it is right there in the room with you and it is right there in the room for all the people on the planet" it is here.
David Kopacz and Joseph Rael Excerpts chosen by Antonella Vicini Photos of New Mexico A.Vicini NOTES: [1] David Kopacz, Re-humanizing Medicine. Ayni Books, 2014. [2] Robert Stoller, Observing the Erotic Imagination. Yale University Press, 1992, 32. [3] Online Etymology Dictionary, “health,” https://www.etymonline.com/word/health. [4] Leslie Marmon Silko, Yellow Woman and a Beauty of Spirit. Simon & Schuster, 1997, 94. [5] Online Etymology Dictionary, “indigenous,” https://www.etymonline.com/word/indigenous. [6] Joseph Rael, Sound: Native Teachings + Visionary Art. Council Oak Books, 2009, 256. [7] Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz cites 90%, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States. Beacon Press, 2014, 40. [8] Dobyns estimates 95% depopulation due to disease, cited in Charles Mann, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. Vintage Books, 2011, 106. [9] “The Fact Checker’s database of the false or misleading claims made by President Trump while in office,” 1/20/21, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/? utm_term=.27babcd5e58c&itid=lk_inline_manual_2&itid=lk_inline_manual_2. .................
[16] Corbin Harney, in Rebecca Solnit, Savage Dreams: A Journey into the Hidden Wars of the American West. University of California Press, 2014, 157. [17] Angelique EagleWoman (Wambdi A. Was’teWinyan), “An Indigenous perspective to COVID-19,” Indian Country Today, 3/31/20, https://indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/an-indigenous-perspective-to-covid-19V419mlmYKEenMJJm2vNFyw. [18] Kaitlin Curtice and Esther Choo, “Indigenous populations: left behind in the COVID-19 response,” The Lancet, Vol 395, Issue 10239, 6/6/20, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)312423/fulltext. [19] Tamara Power et al., 2020. [20] Nick Martin, “Kristi Noem’s War on Tribal Sovereignty Is Going to Get People Killed,” New Republic, 11/17/20, https://newrepublic.com/article/160198/kristinoems-war-tribal-sovereignty-going-get-people-killed. [21] Jeremy Fugleberg, “South Dakota COVID-19 checkpoints highlight fractures, strength in tribal relations,” Post Bulletin, 9/23/20, https://www.postbulletin.com/indigenous-impacts/6641313-South-Dakota-COVID19-checkpoints-highlight-fractures-strength-in-tribal-relations. [22] Samuel Vargo, “With more than 500 treaties already broken, the government can do whatever it wants, it seems…” The Daily Kos, 11/21/14, https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2014/11/21/1345986/-With-more-than-500-treatiesalready-broken-the-government-can-do-whatever-it-wants-it-seems. [23] Chief Raymond Yowell in Solnit, 1994, 186. [24] Curtice and Choo, 2020. [25] Eaglewoman, 2020. This Article has been previously published in its entirety by the Black Earth Institute dedicated to re-forging the links between art and spirit, earth and society Black Earth Institute Issues » Geographies of Justice » Ways of Seeing » David R. Kopacz MD & Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) Volume VI Issue III: Ways of Seeing
THE RIVER FLOWS and it always finds the way to the sea Lida Perry Every year, I used to bring a group of people to Tuscany. First we go to the hot water spring for a session of a breathing technique that brings greater awareness, and then we experience the session in cold water in a small river. This has been one of my most satisfying activities. The work with both breath and water is very powerful. Often before taking a group for the cold-water session, I go to the site, a small river among the Tuscan hills, half hidden among the pines and the chestnut trees. This is my scouting tour to check on the level of the water, and if the place offers the fundamental guarantees for a successful session. “It’s a early summer afternoon, I am here at the river, well maybe it is a little pretentious to call it with such a name, but I cannot call it a brook either, it would be reductive. It's a warm day, it's good to be in the shade of the larches that are flanking the shores. I choose a rock to sit on. From that position my eyes travel to the surroundings and eventually to the water, I contemplate it; there is something hypnotic, magic in its flowing that silences the mind, sharpens the senses and slows the breath in a continuous and natural rhythm. I feel captured by its flow that is not continuous and drowsy as a big river, its path is full of unexpected obstacles and obstructions. It’s a flowing rich of sounds: splashes, gurgling; it is vital, and energetic.
I observe the water and its path, there are places where the flowing is smooth, then it seems to stop when it meets a rock, and then it slips into a small pool and eventually it resumes the rush, and immediately finds another course to pursue its journey. At times there are places along the shores where branches and leaves are trapped among the rocks apparently holding back the movement of the water, but the water slips, pushes, seeps between the cracks and finds a way to keep on flowing to resume the rush and go beyond the obstacle. The water flows and always finds its way to the valley, toward the sea".
While I was sitting on the rock and musing, I had the feeling that I was seeing something familiar, something known and something already experienced. I realized that what I was beholding was the exquisite symbolic representation of our process of evolution, of personal growth. I recognized it within myself, and I know I witnessed it in every person that I have met in my work as a psychologist. Some feel stuck in some muddy pool, without a way out and they think that they have lost their vital drive.
Others at the first obstacle in their process, believe that they cannot find a way out or a solution, they lack the trust in themselves and their capacities to face the difficulties. Some others are caught in the maze of their thinking lost in the labyrinth of their rationalization… Most of us at some point in our lives feel that we have lost the connection with our vital source, the trust in our process, the awareness that the answers are not outside. In this historical moment we live with the Pandemic. It has brought us confusion, desperation, internal and external chaos, around us nothing seems solid, many of our certainties are lost. Many of us are experiencing and living some disconnection and the solitude that comes from feeling at a loss of meaning in certain aspects of our lives. We have forgotten that the innate power of our nature is to strive always, no matter what the circumstances are, toward the best manifestation of our potentialities. We forget that the movement toward evolution is unstoppable, just like the flow of the river toward the sea. Many years ago, I was part of a group that shared and analyzed dreams. (with a Jungian approach). One of the participant brought a dream from one of his patient, it was a powerful dream foreseeing some catastrophic events in the world, the message was: “Only the people committed to a spiritual path and/or a personal development process, would survive….” This is the time to find a practice that will restore our connection to our inner source to explore what other meaning we want to give to our lives, what we need to nurture and what we need to let go..
I would like to share some of the practices that I know, and I have used, that have been fundamental in my life’s challenges: Reiki for restoring balance and awakening my healing energy, Rebirthing using the connected breath it helps me stay in the here and now and become more aware of all that I am. The Sacred Dances make me reconnect with the Earth nurturing energy Meditation to silence my mind and become witnesses to my own process so that I can more effectively respond to life’s events rather than react.
All of these can be effective tools for restoring the trust in our resilience and our strength so that we can tap into the vital energy, let it flow in a conscious way… freely, and easily toward oneness!
Lida Perry Edited By Antonella Vicini
THE STORY OF THE SEVEN LAKES Claudiu Murgan
The story of the Seven Lakes surrounding the peaks of the Sacred Mountain had immemorial roots. Word-of-mouth that had survived generations now extinct said that God had created Adam and Eve as giants, and that was the place where they had first walked as living beings. The heaviness of their bodies had left deep recesses on the moist soil that later filled with the water with which God had blessed the land after that important creation. Shaken by the awareness of who they were, Adam and Eve had knelt down to face each other, pushing up the ground that was now the Sacred Mountain, but only Adam’s left knee had touched the ground. The other one had kept its footing, pressing hard for balance. Adam’s Right Foot lake is the deepest, and some say, the most treacherous. The mountain’s dizzying heights and jagged edges were never conquered by mortal climbers on their way to fame. Millenia had passed, and humans had learned to stay away for their own safety and gaze at the threatening peaks from a distance, getting their satisfaction by their daily fulfilment of mundane goals. Rumors spread throughout the communities at the foot of the mountain, that the wisdom and teaching transmitted orally from gurus to yogis, were much more potent than the written ones. Stories rolled into myths like timid spheres of snow that, when reaching their tipping point, become devastating avalanches. The few touched by the teaching neither confirmed nor denied the validity of the primordial creation or what happened after Adam and Eve were, mesmerized by the love beaming from their physical shells. How could love and the realization they had been spirit molded into physicality, shrunk to allow for procreation and the nimble integration into what they understood was Mother?
Why had they kept to themselves the knowledge about the healing powers of their tears that, when stored in vials the size of a thimble were enough to bring health and prosperity to a whole family? Was it true that God had imprinted the Water of the Lakes with innate intelligence and awareness as if it were a fluid vigilante over humankind? Historians had yet to uncover any words Adam, Eve, or of their descendants, for that matter, had written about Water’s role in its time-forsaken hide-out. Openings the size of a peephole on the sides of the six of the lakes allowed for the trickle of a whisper of the water to find its way down the slopes, hopping over stones and fallen logs, clearing layers of leaves with lost identities, resting along its arduous journey in clear puddles. Humans and animals alike quenched their thirst from the liquid veins traversing Mother in all directions, but only a handful of them appreciated the gift of life through open prayer and thankful thoughts. Centuries had passed before inquisitive minds acknowledged the omnipresence and omnipotence of Water. It played so many characters at once: fluid in the shape of oceans, rivers, and ponds; vapor in the invisible state of humidity and flying rivers; solid in monumental ice sculptures attached to the side of unforgivingly steep mountains and aged icecaps. Over time, the spirituality and scientific inquiries stirred in the cauldron of evolutionary thinking, raised the unthinkable question: was Water another form of God?
Heads nodded equally in agreement and denial. Were they afraid to elevate Water to such an inconceivable level? Was it sacrilege? Water seemed to know it all, to record in its fluid molecular structure the rise and the fall of life on Earth from its inception. Naturally, another query dropped into the pool of human consciousness: if the awakened Water seeped from the Sacred Mountain, would it contain the biological imprints of Adam and Eve? Thoughts scattered in all directions like a beehive under a bear attack and then quieted, appalled by their intrusion into seeking the bond between God and Water. The mystery remains unsolved. Is Water God?
Claudiu Murgan
λάθε βιώσας* ALEKSANDAR STAMENOV Antonella Vicini Usually this column describes the works of artists born elsewhere who have chosen to live in this secluded area of Italy as a place of inspiration. This time I have a different story to tell: that of Aleksandar who moved from Bulgaria with his family when he was a child and came to this part of the world to grow up into an artist, although he didn't know that at the time, and now he is spreading his wings away from here. Aleksandar's story starts as the son of the roses, a poetic name for his beautiful childhood lived among fields of roses in the far away, yet European Bulgaria. He always loved to draw, since early childhood, up until when, at 17, he chose art as his life path. Looking at his paintings I am drawn into them, I can see that there is more than one shape waiting to be discovered. This unusual and very well educated artist invites us to penetrate the lines, so that we can unravel his magic, his multi layered meanings, his poetic. In his collection “Presences”, painted between 2017 – 2021, Aleksandar is intrigued by the psychology of the people in the frame, their attitude, their memory, what is hidden behind the bodies. He loves to play with colours and shadows, each person has a different palette of colours in his/her shadow. From the house of shadows, the light allows us to perceive the forms against the dark background. I invite you to explore his artwork in the following photos, it will be a remarkable journey.
* Epicurus considered friendship the highest good, both materially and spiritually. However friendship can only be cultivated in a small circle, away from the storms of life, therefore the motto: Live in hiding (from the crowd). Art often hides from the glitter of the media market, the ancient ones recommended to live hidden, if you really wanted to achieve peace of mind and greatness of spirit.
Photo by Jaunni Wang 2018
A. Stamenov, Senza titolo 2019
A. Stamenov, Essere 2020
A. Stamenov, Senza Titolo 2020
A.Stamenov, Self Portrait 2021
DISTANCE Andrea Exo Would nostalgia exist without distance? Every time I close my eyes and think of a distant place, my mind brings me back to Africa, its embrace and its colors. Other times I think of my friends, who still live in the place where I was born and grew up. Or at a restaurant lost in the mountains, where the cheeses were delicious and the company of friends great. Often what we desire is simply what gave us pleasure, which when it was close to us was important, but now that it is intangible it is even more important. We are in autumn and we celebrate the end of summer temperatures. Of course we will miss watermelons and ice cream but we need to cool off after so much heat. However, we already know that in January, in the depth of winter, we will again pray for that heat and so the wheel of life turns: the mind always runs forward but happiness is always and only in the present. You can choose, as always: do I yearn for what is far from me or do I look for what is close to me today? If I want watermelon in winter and grapes in spring I will never be happy. But if I drink hot chocolate in January and lemon juice in July, maybe with ice, I can find my peace.
This applies to everything in life. We can speak of nostalgia alone or go into the "reasons for pain". But in the end the answer to our dissatisfaction is a wrong desire, a whim, the inability to be here and now. There are people who go to the mountains. They leave for a walk in the mountains and then while walking they only think about arriving earlier. They do not notice the fox, squirrel, flower and trample on mushrooms. Instead, there are people who slow down. They smell the scents and often let themselves be guided by a butterfly on a new path. Who will have eyes full of wonder and who will not? In autumn we see the leaves fall. Everything slows down waiting for winter, when the sun seems to abandon us in a long night. And instead we run ahead, waiting for the Christmas holidays.
In the city there is no wood to collect or harvests to protect from the frost. In the city we are so close but so far from everything. We forget that in the same place from which we want to escape, there are tourists who come to visit it. Why is their peace not our peace? Why does the distant place satisfy us more than the place we think we know? I remember my years in the great city of Milan. Coming from a small hill town, for me the big city was just traffic and pollution. But after some time I began to think about opportunities. In the small village you could not see the singing rehearsals of the opera. In the small village there was no planetarium with which to travel between the stars, just as there were no Lebanese and Venezuelan restaurants. So I learned to enjoy the city and its majestic Duomo and to enjoy pizza in the local restaurant when I returned to my birthplace.
Then there is the distance between people, but this is a different problem. If a person who is important to us is on the other side of the world, we can hardly replace him/her with something or someone. But this does not mean that we have to deny ourselves while waiting to meet him/her again. There are many possibilities for aggregation and many groups to attend. Let's think about those who have a passion for chess and meet to play, or those who practice a sport and want to test themselves, or those who love to read a book in the library and then discuss it at a meeting with the author. From prayer groups and meditation groups there are endless opportunities for meeting and sharing, if we really want to. No place is far away if we place our destination close to us. Of course, soon it will be very cold, but let's keep our soul and heart away from the frost. Let's shorten the distance between us and a chance at happiness.
Andrea Exo Edited by Antonella Vicini
EAT PRETTY! FEEL PRETTY! YOU MATTER Bri Bruce
Menu for Itemized Mulling: Chargrilled whole fish w. sliced citrus & fresh herbs; Chargrilled halved butternut or spaghetti squash (veg. option or addition) Chargrilled asparagus & mushrooms tossed w. caramelized red & white balsamic onions; Triple chocolate ganache cake (optional fresh whip & remaining fall berries or first preserves of the season!) RECIPE for the Fish: Forget a regular recipe, it is the hardest way to learn to enjoy cooking and nourishing your body, which is worth it! If you already know this stuff, you can read the above menu & burn it up no further reading required! Read further simply for entertainment, which I offer humbly & playfully. There are infinite recipes online, flavor combinations available. That’s not what this is. This is a process. Grab a friend or lover. Curl up & This menu is best cooked on a charcoal grill or pizza hearth/campfire for flavor, but it will work roasted in the oven or on a gas grill as well.
Fish time! I spent 6 months managing a seafood shop that imported fresh, sustainably-caught fish & shellfish from all around the world -- but included the owner’s family fishery’s wild Alaskan salmon from back home. I ate the best fish in the world. I vac-sealed king crab legs & learned about the difference in taste between freshwater & saltwater oysters. I cleaned many fish. I’m both spoiled & educated, & I miss teaching customers the following
100% success rate grilling method for fish: Clean it yourself! People think you’re a badass with the really sharp knife you need, also. Invest in one good knife. Pick the dinner day, & when you’re ready to start dinner, which will take an hour: – start with cutting the red & white onions any way you want, warming up some oil in the pan while you do so to medium. – Throw them in & when they look softer add some balsamic & peppers or other seasoning if you want (I use a little salt, some kind of red pepper & some kind of black. I bet white peppercorns would really *kisses fingers* muah! And fresh thai chilis or the árbol ones I’m using here in Arizona would siiiiiiiing. – Lower heat after adding whatever & stirring. The smells will inspire you & impress anyone around. (I do it at private dinners). With your self-cleaned fish & sharp knife (or buy in the market; tell the fishmonger politely you’re grilling it whole & ask them to pick for you; I’ve loved everything seafood this way, but any kind of simple white fish like branzino or trout or bass is great!; anything popular is pricier -- stuff I’ve never heard of is delicious & fun to risk either way! -- & as long as it doesn’t smell like oily mackerel, you’re fine.)
This is important: LEAVE YOUR FISH ON THE COUNTER patted completely dry on both sides & salted/peppered on the inside and top FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. Read this step again. Make sure the fish is dry & room temperature or it won’t grill the same. The rest is not important except for an oiled grate on a hot grill. As the fish dries, get together olive oil (or avocado or butter or really whatever you have that’s fatty), salt & pepper, & your veggies (asparagus & squash here). Slice the squash in half. Get the squash & asparagus or
whatever coated lightly in oil. It’s not necessary if you have dietary limitations. But it makes it flavorful & cook differently. Try both! Why not? Heat the grill. Oil the grate (I dampen paper towels with olive oil) Shove some sliced citrus in the fish, some fresh herbs, some salt and pepper, whatever moves you!!! Eat pretty, feel pretty. You matter. Grill fish on oiled grate for 10 minutes on each side for perfect fish every time. It should release easily when you flip it or fish was too wet or grill not hot enough. Every time this works for me if I take the time with those steps. Throw on the asparagus, mushrooms & get some color on them! You want them slightly more than al dente -- or however YOU want. Then toss with the golden-brown, drippy onions caramelizing this whole time inside. Taste, adjust, dig in. Notice how you feel the next day. The day after. Repeat the steps at least three times. Thank you for sharing a space with me!
Bri Bruce
CHAKRAS Evolutionary Wheels Chiara Corte 1. SVADHISHTANA*
The second chakra is a circle surrounded by 6 petals, it resides in the sacral area, the genital zone in the lower part of the pelvis. If we descend there with our concetration and let an image appear, we will see the symbol that has been associaed since antiquity with the second cackra: the pelvis becomes a basin, a cup, a container for water. Breathing we perceive the pelvis and explore its tridimensional quality and its capacity to hold vital liquids, water, life.
The colour associated with the second chakra is orange, which is the complement of blue normally associated with water, in fact water is the element associated with the second chakra. Associating orange and blue Diving deeper into the meditation, more images will emerge connected to the two associated colours: Dawn for example, sun rise, the birth of the day, the beginning of time, the sun over water, the beginning of life. Then we sit in a correct position among those known and pay attention to the support of the perineum on the ground, we wait for the time needed for the awareness of contact to develop in us, then we make sure to shift our attention to the functionality of the perineum as a diaphragm, at that point we set this small diaphragm in motion in accordance with breathing. We activate what is called "Pedal" and produce short contractions of the diaphragm-perineum in correspondence of the inhalation. In this way we will create an energetic concentration (taking into account that during the inhalation the large diaphragm is naturally brought down) right in the lower pelvis, where the second chakra is located: in fact we will experience it. It will be like letting water into our basin. We will now put this Water-Prana in motion by rotating it inside the basin, along the walls. Imprinting this rotation on the pelvis from right to left.
The rotation will be as slow as our breathing and will respect the inertia of the water element. It will help us feel the shift of our weight above the bones, the contact of the hip bones with the ground. The rotational motion will also be transmitted to the spine. We will then listen to the stillness of the Prana-Water, then we will repeat everything in the other direction from left to right. Activating our awareness of the presence of water in our basin will help us to perceive our balance as an ancestral navigation tool. This identical process will allow us to continue the ascent of unconscious material along the evolutionary path of the chakras, the first stage of which we addressed in the previous article concerning the 1st chakra in the last Volume of The Badger. This material appears rough, "dirty" to our eyes, or even unwatchable because up to that moment it was never looked at, therefore it was invisible. It is beneficial as well as necessary to make it cross the waters of the second chakra so that it can be washed, purified and identified. Getting to know this material as one's own is like washing wounds: it is necessary to establish the extent of the damage, so washing the material that emerged from the "Underworld" allows us to reduce its danger. We can observe and possibly repair or perhaps see the golden nugget emerging from the mud. The second chakra is the place where our identity develops and where our wounded identity is healed and also cared for.
LAKINI it is the female divinity who comes to meet us to take care of the injured child and female. All possible forms of acceptance are developed in the pelvis by the profound work on women performed by this position. **
Let us get on our knees, place our hands on the ground next to the knees and let the left leg slide back until completely relaxed. So we make sure that the torso is perfectly aligned vertically with the pelvis. The right hand rests on the right knee. Inhale and rotate your shoulders and face to the left until the left hand is able to reach the hollow of the left knee and lean on it with the palm of the hand facing upwards and the gaze in the center of the palm. We breathe while remaining in the position to enjoy the effects as long as we are able to do it without effort, then we repeat on the other side. GOPITA Then we will let ourselves work from the Gopita position to facilitate circulation, lightness, flexibility and balance. Gopita is a lively water bird with a long tail. Its position reproduces and researches the shape and characteristics of this graceful bird.
Standing, perfectly aligned, we shift the weight to the left leg and lighten the right foot and leg. The arms stretch forward and the hands form the number three with the fingers to represent the legs and make them light. Maintaining the alignment of the whole body, raise the right leg straight and at the same time lower the torso and the arms extended until the fingers rest on the ground in front of the left foot, forming a triangle with it.
We remain in position and breathe listening to the light movement due to the liquids moving from the legs and pelvis towards the center of the body. Then repeat on the other side. The next position will seal the process activated up to now, from the physical point of view it will balance and relieve the strain on the lumbar muscles produced by the previous positions. MALINI The garland We start standing with our legs slightly apart. The arms extended and joined in front of us help in maintaining balance and strength during the position. We flex the knees and ask for permission to open the hips, as we descend with the pelvis towards the ground without moving the feet which must remain parallel. When the time comes the squatting session will be easy, but the strong and effective work is already in motion. We take time and breathe, directing our attention to the first and second chakras. We remain quietly in the position and allow the work to happen: we allow the benefits of the practice to act on our body like that of the thousands of yoga students in the thousands of years that have preceded us. Then we lie down in Shavasana to be able to rest and deposit the effects of the practice at all levels we can perceive: physical, mental, emotional and pranic. Let yourself be surprised! Good job!
Chiara Corte Translated and Edited by Antonella Vicini
NOTES: * it means placed in its own place ("collocato nel suo proprio posto”) (from: M. ALBANESE, G. CELLA., F. ZANCHI, “I CHAKRA, L’UNIVERSO IN NOI”, XENIA, MILANO, 1996.) ** for further information on the asanas mentioned in this article (see G. Cella Al-Chamali, yoga-ratna, the jewel of yoga, Milan, Feltrinelli, 1998. Chiara Corte, yoga and dance, Milan, Editoriale il delfino, 2006. ) This work is not appropriate during the menstrual period.
WITNESSING MY Reiki Story A Celebration of Life Antonella Vicini Who I was and who I have become. Reiki has colored all my life, giving it depth, beauty and courage. I could not even imagine my life without the awareness, the wonder and sparkle brought in it by Reiki. I met Reiki a long time ago, 35 years to be precise, it was March 1986, in London in the shape and voice of Marta Getty who was present as an assistant in a rebirthing weekend. Her attitude, her simple, yet touching presentation, her shining eyes made her stand out in a room full of interesting people. She introduced a word I had never heard before: REI KI, accompanied by another word: Master. Wow! Who was she? I wanted to find out! And so I did. I managed to do one exercise and start a conversation with her, in that way she immediately became my main point of reference. It is said that if you ask for a teacher with a pure and sincere heart, he/she will come. Well, that happened to me, there is no question in my heart that she became my teacher that day, about 6 months before my first degree Reiki. I was initiated into 1st degree Reiki on the 8th of November 1986 in Glastonbury, a magical and beautiful place. With that incredible, amazing event, I suddenly realized my entire life had changed and would never be the same.
When I placed my hands for the first time on somebody’s head, I was astounded. Suddenly my hands had knowledge, awareness, ancient wisdom, deep respect, as if I had been giving Reiki treatments all my life. Marta had explained to us that the task of the Reiki Master is to show us the door to the realm of possibilities. I still recall her words: “ For some the door is fully closed, for some is ajar, for some is wide open, but they had never noticed it before or realized it was there.” And now I was there, wherever that was, in a garden of delight, full of new, exciting and ancient possibilities, joining the millions of others who, at some point in their lives and for reasons as diverse as the grain of sands on a beach had chosen the path of initiation into the mysteries of life.
Little did I know how far and wide that first step would have taken me, how much pain and joy I would need to go through in order to become who I am today. Yet it was worth every step of the way. I always knew that I was never really alone, that the many others on the path would show up in moments of need and so it was. I still find angels on my path wherever I go and especially whenever I need to be reminded of my choice and my commitment. Going back to my story: after the first degree, people started asking me for treatments, I was always pleased to give them, they made me so happy. I was surprised when they started to pay me for them! I created a business card as a Reiki pratictioner! I lived and breathed Reiki with self-treatments that taught me so much. On the 17th February 1988 I received second degree with Marta again, in Wales. It was another incredible and profound time, when I went away from my body and then returned. Reiki was like ambrosia feeding the depths of me, my inner needs and desires, I was happy and centered.
However, Life has a way of pushing us around a bit, so that we need to confirm our committment, or we lose what we care for. There were some months without treatments, but Reiki was never far from my thoughts. Eventually Marta made me admit what my deepest desire was: to become a Reiki Master, a humble teacher of such a luminous path. By that time I had already started to organize courses and groups for her in Italy, so my training was in progress, even if I had not realized it yet. On September 7th at 6am, the year was 1991, I was initiated as Master on the promontory of Portofino, a place I had chosen carefully, an area I knew so well and loved dearly. The initiation was blessed by Thunder beings, by clouds, soft sacred rain and, later in the day, by beautiful sunshine. I only remember the careful preparation of the site, the immense opening I felt during the brief ceremony, the sense of being so small for such an amazing energy.
(Marta took this photo after the initiation on the mountain, it was still early morning and we both needed a coffee...!)
I was honored and humbled, just like I feel today, sharing my story with you.
(Marta and I during the Master Initation party on the same evening, many of the people present that day are on the other side, but I know they still send us blessings and loving light) Reiki has been the backbone of my life, both teaching and giving me resilience, persistence, inner joy and serenity. To this day whenever I give Reiki treatments, in person or distant, I feel a great peace, harmony, a sense of being in the right place, doing the right thing for the right reasons.
When I receive a treatment in person or distant, I am always overwhelmed by the gratitude for our Grandmasters who so generously shared Reiki with us, so that the people could receive it. I have many story to share, but one of my favourite is about a Hospital in the south of Italy where I was invited twice to teach Reiki to doctors, surgeons, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, etc. I was happy and a little concerned about sharing in such an environment, but I shouldn't have, because Reiki took care of everything, they loved the class, they were grateful that, for once, the hospital had given them a huge gift for their lives. After the exchanges in class and the self-treatment, they were eager to try it on their patients in the wards. My dream had always been to take Reiki in the places and to the people who most needed it. I felt honored and respected for my role and for Reiki, I am still grateful for it.
Reiki has given me courage both physical and mental to face and overcome the many challenges I have found on my path. I wish I could say it was all plain sailing, but this was not the case, for a long time I resisted the teachings, wasting time and energy, I see it clearly now, but I was blind and deaf then. Many aspects of my life changed drastically, also because of my attitude. I changed jobs, city, career path, but I have never had any doubts about Reiki. As I mentioned earlier Reiki gave me the courage to face my fears and do things I would not even dream of doing otherwise: meeting a shaman and being trained by him. Without Reiki I would not have been able to face loneliness, silence, immense space and time inside and out. One day, I offered a Reiki treatment to my teacher, he is a healer and a very powerful shaman, but I was honest in my desire to share the beauty of Reiki. He decided to accept my offer, so I explained to him what I was going to do, at that time I had just received second degree. He was laying on the table in his place in New Mexico, I placed my hands on him and waited, nothing happened for a long time (about 15 minutes). I started to have some doubts, but my faith in Reiki is so strong that I decided to persevere. Eventually, there was an energy surge, my hands became very hot, the energy was flooding him. At the end of the first part, he sat on the bed and said "This is powerful medicine!" so, suddenly I realized I had given a treatment to a shaman!!! What a crazy thing to do, of course he was checking my energy before letting it in..... That episode taught me, once more, that there is no limit to what Reiki can touch with our help as channels. Perhaps this is my message to all of you: being a channel is both a great honor and a great responsibility. We don't do Reiki, we facilitate it, the person's need will call whatever can help them to heal. We are humble channels and should never feel better or more than the people we treat or teach. I would like to complete my piece with a short visualization exercise, as a gift for the cold months when learning something new can enlighten us.
From the point of light in our hearts we feel our heart beat. We let it connect with all the points of light=hearts around the world. From the depth of our Mother Earth we see, feel, notice the emerald light of the Heart reaching our feet and filling us all up all the way to the crown of our head and spilling out like a fountain. From the depth of Father Sky above us a crystal clear light hovers above the emerald fountain, then it merges with it and starts flowing down our body and into the earth. We are constantly immersed in both lights that need our attention, respect and honor, so that we can be truly open and willing channel of healing and transformation. We feel the deep connection with Mother Earth, our tall connection with Father Sky and, through our hearts, with one another. As above so below: truly human beings are the connection between earth and sky. May all beings be blessed by the awareness of this constant gift in our hands, body/mind/emotion/spirit. BLESSINGS TO ALL
Antonella Vicini Badger Medicine Spirit NOTE This is an excerpt of the speech I was asked to give for REIKI HOME on September 5th 2021 to celebrate 30 years as Master. Soon it will be available on Vimeo.
REIKI PRINCIPLES JUST FOR TODAY DO NOT ANGER JUST FOR TODAY DO NOT WORRY HONOR YOUR PARENTS YOUR ELDERS AND YOUR TEACHERS EARN YOUR LIVING HONESTLY SHOW GRATITUDE TO ALL LIVING THINGS
These principles accompany us daily from our first steps into Reiki, until we leave this life. They are beacons of light in the darkness and confusion of daily life. They are always shining brightly, it is up to us to walk our talk. Antonella Vicini
AUTHORS
Antonella Vicini http://badgermedicinespirit.wix.com/tirthayatra Writer and editor of THE BADGER, author of Talking with Gods, Sages, Fairies.... (a novel published in 2014). Steeped in classical and indological studies, I have spent all my life learning from people as well as from the ancient texts that keep revealing their immortal, thus contemporary teachings. I am happy when I can share new visions and face new challenges. I am a professional rebirther and trainer (since 1987), Reiki master since 1991, stress management and leadership trainer, writer and visionary. I also lead workshops on shamanic journeying and soul healing. I am deeply grateful to all my teachers and elders. Badger Medicine Spirit
David R. Kopacz, MD https://www.davidkopacz.com/ https://beingfullyhuman.com/ brings creativity, spirituality, and healing together with clients as well as to the larger challenges that face health care and society. He works as a psychiatrist at the Seattle Veterans Affairs Primary Care Clinic in Mental Health Integration, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, and is an Education Champion with the national VA Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation. Dr. Kopacz is board certified in Psychiatry, Integrative Medicine, and Integrative & Holistic Medicine. He is the author of three books – Re-humanizing Medicine: A Holistic Framework for Transforming Your Self, Your Practice, and the Culture of Medicine (2014); and with Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) – Walking the Medicine Wheel: Healing Trauma & PTSD (2016); and Becoming Medicine: Pathways of Initiation into a Living Spirituality (2020).
Fredric Lehrman http://www.nomaduniversity.com/ is one of the original “Wealth Psychologists” who looked deeply into the subconscious habit patterns that may either support or thwart personal financial success. He began teaching these insights in the early 1970’s, and his seminars, articles, and coaching have been the launch point for many of today’s best known experts and authors ever since. Fredric’s personal career has included intensive study with master teachers in many disciplines, and professional success in music, psychology, martial arts, photography, and global entrepreneurship, networking and innovation. He founded Nomad University in 1974 as a way to expand the concept of education as a life-long individual path of self-directed learning. The ideas he articulated then are now starting to appear in new schools all around the internet-connected world of the 21st century.
Laura Bottagisio www.laurabottagisio.com is an astrologer and seeker. She started studying astrology at the beginnings of the 80's with Lisa Morpurgo, she later worked with the Cosmos Institute of Milan, where she learnt about the theory and practice of Vibrational Waters. She has attended seminars with gerard Athias and Jp Brebion on new medicine and bio analogy. She shares her discoveries in her blog. She also creates tableaux with recycled materials, in this way she creates images out of emotions and inner worlds.
Lida Lodi Perry https://www.facebook.com/lidaperry?ref=profile Lida was born in the North East of Italy (Vicenza) after graduating from a teacher Institute she came to the USA, where she continued her education at the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Psychology and later a Master in Social Work. She worked for many years at a drug clinic in the local hospital. In 1984 she went back to Italy to work with abused children as a director of a residential facility. She moved on to work as a supervisor and Psychologist at Milan Cancer Institute where she is still consulting, while having a successful private practice as psychotherapist. She was also cofounder of the Rebirthing Institute with Antonella Vicini, she became a Reiki Master in 1992, she is still active with the local and international Reiki community.
Geraldine Rael I am a Native American woman of Ute and Peublo descent, I am the oldest daughter of Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrow. In the Winter of 2018 my Fathers gifted his Sacred Dances, to me in order to carry his Visions into the future, the way he intended:“After the seeds have been planted, Mother Earth and Father Sun wake them out of their dream time that they may become.” As his eldest daughter of his lineage, I will do my utmost to keep his Visions, as he set them forth: watering the seeds so carefully and lovingly sown through his Dances, his living art and his teachings. Many blessings.
Francis Rico www.shaman.zone Musician, feral shaman, and author Francis Rico combines ancient and modern wisdom assisting clients, students and fellow adventurers in awakening to the gift of their lives. His book, A Shaman's Guide To Deep Beauty, shares stories and lessons from a lifetime of dedication to the shamanic pathways and teachers of indigenous wisdom traditions. As a guide to the world's sacred sites, Francis brings insight, humor, and music along on every journey. His home lies in Northern California, where he shares the beauty of the wild coastal mesas, cliffs, and ocean.
Claudiu Murgan started writing Science Fiction when he was 11-years old. Since then he met remarkable writers that helped him improved his own trade. Claudiu's experience in various industries such as IT, renewable energy, real estate and finance, helped him create complex but real characters that brought forward meaningful messages. Claudiu is one of the co-founders of the Immigrant Writers Association in Toronto, and the Vice President of Authorpedia.org, the world's only encyclopedia for authors. You can hear the radio and TV interview Claudiu gave in the last 12 months on his website www.claudiumurgan.com
Andrea "EXO" Garella composer, pianist, Italian teacher, he began studying piano at 9 years old under the guidance of Walter Ferrato who shared with him the art of improvisation and composition. Between 16 and 20 he reaped the fruits of his studies with long concert tours. In everyday life he works in education and training in the field of safety. He is also a licensed designer for mechanical and thermotechnical projects. He has always been interested in occultism and esoterism. He is about to publish a book where he will delve into these studies connecting such Masters as H.P. Blavatsky, Wolfgang Pauli, C.G. Jung, A. Einstein, Jeremy Narby, C. Castaneda,Rick Strassman, Jean Dubuis and more. Here you can find one of his musical pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FmaMRyjF6o
THANK YOU! Thank you for reading our magazine, our tribe of committed Badgers is growing steadily Thank you! I want to thank the new and old authors who have added their voices and experiences to this great adventure, so that we can be better heard and received.
Our next issue will be online in March 2022 If you want to keep in touch with THE BADGER, please send your questions, comments and creative contributions to:
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THE BADGER PRODUCTIONS present SPEECHLESS? NO MORE! Speak in Public with Joy The Natural Speaker We are all natural speakers, this course will support the rediscovery of your innate skills and your real voice The world needs your clear voice, whatever your occupation or level of study, being able to communicate and be understood in public situation has become the norm at every level of education and in any job. From shy to shining, from silence to fully express yourself in a confident and professional manner, these are the goals for our beginning course in Public Speaking. Whether you are still in school or looking for your first job, adding your voice as an asset will make you stand out, because you will be a Natural Speaker.
When I was an adolescent, I was shy and hypersensitive, but when I chose to become a tour leader and I was placed in charge of a tourist group, suddenly I had to find ways to give the best service possible and make sure that they all had a good time, there was no space left for my concerns. In this course I offer you my solutions and the steps to take in order to pursue this path.
In our 10 online lessons we will discover: the power of stance with our body and breath the scope of our vision with our mind the strength and resilience in our life with our emotions the deepest values that identify us with our spirit. All these approaches applied to communication techniques will make you a Natural Speaker.
Watch our trailer video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w82uM_RqYU
and contact us at the badgerquarterly.com@gmail.com
QUILTING AWAY Quilting is the art of creating very colorful quilts, using small pieces of fabrics stitched together preferably by hand, in different colorful and amazing patterns. My Quilts are stitched and quilted by hand to assure a more precise assembly and even thickness. It takes time to create a quilt: for a single bed at least 3 months are needed. A quilt can be a very precious gift for a wedding, a special occasion, or for a significant person.
Visit my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/lidaperry/?fref=ts Many of my quilts can be replicated, but never copied
BEAUTIFUL PAINTED ARROW VISIONARY ART CARDS
THE PATH OF THE RED ROAD A Powerful Tool for Transformation Through these beautiful and unique cards Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) shows us the Path of the RedRoad. A great wisdom teacher, Joseph Rael, imparts a personal message to each of us in the individual revelations of the cards. Beautiful Painted Arrow (Joseph Rael) helps us understand through the blending of two languages, two separate realities, that we each come as a gift to life. . . . His use of sound in the practices he offers is very illuminating and special.” Brooke Medicine Eagle on “Beautiful Painted Arrow”
www.millichapbooks.com
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See you for our next issue of
THE BADGER in
March 2022