THE BADGER is a fierce animal, very much respected and honoured both in Northern American Native traditions and in European Celtic ones. THE BADGER is the prototype of the persistent healer: the one who keeps looking for remedies, whether they are physical or not. At THE BADGER we believe that the arts in all their beauty, science for the good of everyday life, spirituality, philosophy, food and the healing arts proper 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 balanced health is, they are here to share information, give inspiration, receive your comments, suggestions, contributions. Each human beings has at least one of the keys to well being, let's continue our quest!
THE BADGER YEAR 1
VOLUME 2
Summer time, after the burst of energy and insight of Spring and the solitary seeding, now it is time to be in community, time to share the work and the bounties of our toils. Summer is the time for emotions and connections, with the powerful energies generated by these aspects of our life. You will find more voices to accompany your summer, thank you for continuing your journey with us, let your friends and loved ones know about THE BADGER and its many gifts. A great Summer to you all! You will find the links to our previous issues at the end of this magazine. Antonella Vicini Editor Antonella Vicini Graphic Consultant Patrick Zuidema
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CONTENTS Building Peace Carlo Popolizio
Amor Vincit Omnia Antonella Vicini
Music for the Soul Aj
Into the Matter Andrea Exo
Badger Medicine Fredric Lehrman
Taming Waves Paolo Benda
Poetry Sappho and Catullus
CONTENTS Readers' corner Healing with words Antonella Vicini
Voices from the Stars Laura Bottagisio
Mother Earth Speaks Claudia Enrico
Aromatherapy Renato Tittarelli
Food is our Ally Claudia Enrico Daniele Sampalmieri
Photo-graphy Luis Vasconcellos
Travelling Down Under Raffaella Vicini
CONTENTS At Home in the Universe Gigi Capriolo
Musica Universalis Ciro Perrino
Deep within Jose Maffina
Warrior Goddess Gabriella Campione
Under the Skin Flavio Gandini Samantha Fumagalli
Namaste Giosie Colagrossi
The Authors Thanks Adverts
PEACE BUILDING Carlo Popolizio Introduced by Antonella Vicini It's for me a great pleasure to introduce Carlo and his contribution to THE BADGER, he has been, like me, a student of Joseph Rael for many years and his life is a testimony of great commitment and coherence on this formless path that chose us long ago. In these pages you will receive clear instructions, as if Joseph himself were speaking to you, about the building of a peace shrine. It seems obvious to point out how important it is for all of us to reflect on peace and the need for it, but the first place is always our home, from there the many blessings will reach out to our families and friends, then into the world at large. Only when we make peace within, letting go of our need to be right, opening our hearts to the fullness of being, we can change the world for real. A ceremony is a gesture out of linear time/space, it immediately catapults us into a multidimensional reality, where we can perceive the vastity of life and bring it into our daily environment. Our entire volume deals with making our day to day progress enlightened, thus lighter for us to bear. Antonella Vicini
PEACE SHRINE BUILDING As Given by Joseph Beautiful Painted Arrow at the 2006 Mystery School We look at the Circle. We stand in the middle. The Center of the Circle has Directions. We give blessings to the Four Directions in clockwise fashion (E, S, W, N). Then, we honor the Quarters counter-clockwise (NE, NW, SW, SE). We dig a circular hole in the Center. We make figurines of eight Deities with the earth we dig out, mixing earth, corn meal, tobacco, and gull feathers (eagle feathers were used traditionally). We place the eight Deities in a square grid within the dug circle. Then, we put two stones over the buried Deities. Only half of the stones should show above ground. We honor the Shrine thus built with tobacco and corn meal. Joseph said: “Here’s my best way to explain the eight Deities. Light from the Sun as rays of light travels to the Earth as packets and not in a straight line of light. The first packet is full of radiation that can burn the human skin if we do not take precautions. The second packet that follows immediately behind the first packet has eight Deities carrying eight spiritual vibrations. These vibrations are made of musical light that is singing powerful levels of Divine Presence. In our case, or shall we say in Shrine Building, we try to awaken them as clay figurines.” Joseph said that the Shrine will radiate out 200 miles in all directions. We may also anchor our four cardinal directions 200 miles out in ways appropriate to the guidance being received. There is no need to anchor out at sea, as done for the Sound Chambers. We can then bless the covered area with ceremonies at the shrine. Our blessings may also go out inconspicuously.
We feed the Shrine at least once a year in a ceremony with corn meal and tobacco. Grandfather Joseph said anything else we want to do is ok, that the essential instructions have been given. If the Holy Place is ever neglected, forgotten, or abandoned, Spirit will feed it. The Center of the Village Universe is not necessarily the center of the village. Anything new to the community should be placed to the East of the Center, East of the Shrine. Grandfather Joseph also said that the metaphors of the quarters (NE, NW, SW, SE) are reflections. To get stuck in the form does not allow for new creativity. Ceremonial chant for feeding the Shrine as gifted by Grandfather Joseph: “ME-QUE-HU” “QUE” means I am initiating “ME” means movement “HU” means Divine Presence We ask this vibrational essence to be here at the Shrine: “DIVINE PRESENCE” What I have written above is as taught by Joseph Beautiful Painted Arrow to those present at the 2006 Mystery School. I give this piece of information here so that the People May Live. Love and blessings,
Carlo Popolizio
AMOR VINCIT OMNIA Omnia vincit Amor: et nos cedamus Amori or
The Re-Enchantment of Every Day Life
Antonella Vicini with
Photos by Luis Vasconcellos Lately I have given a lot of thought to the quality of my daily life: Does it fulfil me? Do I have out-sized expectations for it? Do I actually like it? Answering these questions is not as straightforward as I'd like it to be... While I was musing on these feelings, I happened to see some of the latest photos sent by Luis and suddenly I realized that what was missing was clearly shown in the images: I just needed to change my point of view! It is a simple as that, if I can change my view point then reality around me changes entirely, it becomes enchanted again, because it is a new world I am entering, not the old one I used to live in. This new world is brighter, clearer, more in focus than the previous one, simply because I stepped aside and took the risk of looking at it differently. If I climb a mountain, or cross a river I will certainly feel the rush of adrenalin, even later on, when I can tell my adventure to my awed friends; if I meet a deeply spiritual person and learn at her/his feet, I will feel good about my life and this feeling will remain with me a long time.
But what happens when I am at home every day? When I have no chance of reaching that mountain, or being in an elevated company? Do I forget who I am in the deluge of “other� information? Do I neglect to cultivate my daily needs and to nurture my soul until I can be on that mountain? Do I give up on me? In 1989, the very first time I met my teacher (a Native American man), he explained to me that the meaning of mountain in his tradition is heart: thus ascending the mountain indicates the path to the centre of our heart, climbing all the way up to the centre of our heart is the steepest enterprise of all! I want to tell you a famous story that explains this concept very clearly: According to an old Hindu legend... Once upon a time all human beings were gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the chief god, decided to take it away from them and hide it where it could never be found. Where to hide their divinity was the question. So Brahma called a council of the gods to help him decide. "Let's bury it deep in the earth," said the gods. But Brahma answered, "No, that will not do because humans will dig into the earth and find it. " Then the gods said, "Let's sink it in the deepest ocean." But Brahma said, "No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the ocean and will find it. " Then the gods said, "Let's take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there." But once again Brahma replied, "No, that will not do either, because they will eventually climb every mountain and once again take up their divinity. " Then the gods gave up and said, "We do not know where to hide it, because it seems that there is no place on earth or in the sea that human beings will not eventually reach." Brahma thought for a long time and then said: "Here is what we will do. We will hide their divinity deep in the centre of their own being, for humans will never think to look for it there."
All the gods agreed that this was the perfect hiding place, and the deed was done. And since that time humans have been going up and down the earth, digging, diving, climbing, and exploring, searching for something already within themselves. The divinity within humanity is still the best-kept secret of the ages. (Excerpts from: http://interruptingthesilence.com/2009/05/25/divinityhidden/ ) When I was very young I read many books about spiritual paths, some opened my eyes, some scared me, but all of them taught me how little I knew then, how little I still know about reality as it is. When we consistently look at our lives without prejudice, without a fixed point of view, but open to change, then we are performing a shift in our consciousness that will alter entirely our perception of reality. If you imagine that your energy body looks like an egg, made of infinite luminous fibres, you will find one place that holds all the fibres together: a point of union. This point holds your reality as it is, there can be changes, you will grow in age and experience, but the world will remain the same. If you accept the possibility that the point of union can shift along the fibres, then it stands to reason to think that things may be different. In fact, if you choose as your life path to inquire about your world and you travel along these fibres, you will end up shifting the point of union more than once, consequently your world will not look at all like the world you used to know. (I am indebted to Carlos Castaneda's books for this beautiful imagery). Not everybody can or want to devote her/his life to such an involved shamanistic approach, but shifting our perspective, our view point, by not being attached to being right is already a powerful exercise that will eventually launch us in a new orbit around our personal universe.
In the last volume of THE BADGER, I wrote about deep space, quoting the X Files “The answers are out there�, this time I am writing about the deep space within, where the questions matter a lot more than the answers: which are there already, but too often we don't even imagine that there may be questions to be asked. In such an expanded universe, with infinite possibilities what, then, keeps us together? I think it is the best glue of all: LOVE. Love in all its aspects, from our first to our last day we are surrounded, held, embraced by love. Far too often we identify love only with the love in a couple, but there is a lot more: motherly and fatherly love for children we begot or adopted or even for all the children of humanity, if we can expand our hearts so much; love for all living beings, all creatures on mother earth; love of the all encompassing source of life, whatever the spiritual or non spiritual path we may be on. In the end love and compassion also for ourselves with our lights and shadows, our ups and downs, our greatness and our falls. So walking down the inner mountain of the heart, where I have found the divinity= at one with the divine, I look around and my reality has changed as well as my questions: Do I express my gratitude daily for the miracle of life? Do I enjoy the big and small signs of life around me? Do I smile often? Do I still take myself so seriously? Am I of service? All the above questions can be answered when I fill my entire being with love, the supply is endless and now I have found the path to the centre of me, my inner heart-mountain. Happy climbs! Antonella Vicini In these pages you can see the beautiful photos in black and white that show us daily life from Luis Vasconcellos' current point of view, it may change tomorrow. Enjoy the video I have created to honour them all!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDl797jY_xA
An interview with reality A loud laugh welcomes my entrance in the small café next to the local train station. My low expectations about coffee and croissant were surpassed by reality, but what I didn't expect was the magnificent café owner with her wit and enthusiasm for life. On subsequent visits I could ascertain that her smile is genuine, her interest in people real and heart felt, her genuine delight for her returning customers and their specific needs is a powerful asset for the success of such a small, family run enterprise. Therefore I decided to interview her for my article on daily life, here are some excerpts of the long conversation we had, all the while she was serving customers, cracking jokes, giving advice and answering my questions with great flair in spite of her early wake up call. Let Paola Caterina Maria Carla Vittoria (such a long name is worthy of note as well, she is not just one woman, but 5 all rolled into one) tell her story with her own words. AV: How long have you been doing this job? Paola: I have worked with my brother (who runs their tobacco shop) practically all my life, except for a brief period,(right after I left Uni, just before getting my degree in Mathematics) when I worked in a rabbit farm. I really enjoyed working with the animals there. AV: Can you describe for me your working day? Paola: I get up at 3,30 am every day, since I open the café at 4,45 am. I don't believe in sleeping, life has to be lived fully: sleeping a lot is a waste. I like my hours, because I can finish at 1pm and I have a lot of time for my family in the countryside. I think that in life there are two categories of people: the workers and the lords. The workers do, they create things and get their hands dirty, the lords don't. I am definitely a doer, I just cannot sit with idle hands.
AV: How do you like your work? How do you cope with your life when you are always in a crowd? Paola: I enjoy what I do, since I have the chance of meeting many people I wouldn't cross paths with otherwise. I want to see happy people around me, it doesn't take that much to accomplish it. When I am tired or not in a good mood, I go out of the café for a few minutes; if the situation requires, I cry like a baby, when I eventually go back behind the counter all is done and I can start anew. When I leave the café, after my shift, I simply reset and leave everything behind, so that I am entirely present for my family. I go to our small piece of land and get my hands in the dirt, I like the good feeling it gives me. AV: How would you describe yourself? Paola: I like myself as I am, this is how I am. Everybody is somebody, it doesn't matter what he/she is doing in the world. I believe that the 3rd world is everywhere, in fact I would say – after my travels in many so called underdeveloped countries – there is a lot more unhappiness here than there, since we have connected our well being to the possession of objects. While frankly I believe that what really matters is our attitude: it is enough to look at the blue sky in order to find a reason for a smile. From my observation point I can say that people feel depressed because they don't like themselves, they cannot see that they already have something good in themselves. We all have issues, problems, but we also need to know that we can do everything, there are no real obstacles. I have managed, after much work and toil to build myself and my family a wooden house in the woods, that was my dream and now I can live it. Throughout our conversation I could tell, just by observing her, that Paola was following everybody's stream of consciousness, yet she was present and grounded in herself and her life. Any person coming in was greeted in an enthusiastic way, according to the degree of trust and friendship Paola had with each person, so the welcome was modulated in a very personal and acknowledging way.
I believe that the direct consequence of her interest in people and their needs, even beyond the “Caffè e cornetto” order, is the secret of her successful professional and personal life. I was amazed when very different people came in to greet her briefly and, since she told them about our interview, I was also included in the conversations, I even had a chance to talk with a psychic who told me some very appropriate things by reading my energy field..... The wonders of her Café are manifold, I strongly believe that the main light is Paola's attitude towards life, I want to end this interview with her own words: My laughter is the best thing I have! Having an open attitude, embracing our lives, smiling and not taking ourselves too seriously, these are some of the keys we are looking for everywhere. Antonella Vicini Article and Paola's photo As a way to complete my article, I want to share with you a video by an Italian singer who has composed an hymn to humanity: Credo negli Esseri Umani Credo negli esseri umani credo negli esseri umani che hanno coraggio, coraggio di essere umani. ........... E ti ricordo che non siamo soli a combattere questa realtà. ............. L’amore, amore, amore ha vinto, vince, vincerà.
I believe in Human Beings I believe in human beings I believe in human beings who have the courage, the courage to be human. ….... And remember we are not alone in fighting this reality. …..... Love, love, love won, wins and will win
(excerpts from Marco Mengoni's song 2015) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-4OrzSBfm8&index=1&list=RDU4OrzSBfm8
MUSIC FOR THE SOUL AJ Michael Here you can find another great track to remind us of the beauty and pleasures of the summer season, this time AJ has gifted us also with a poem that perfectly captures this spirit with his invitation to dive into life. AVicini
https://ajmichael.bandcamp.com/track/sensuality
#1*1*15:0527 betray my heart with open sores the pores are burning, gaping holes drilled into with filler to strengthen bones left wasted, are you another clone? hollow rules and blind anticipation untruths never solve the equations crazed and dazed by looking away eye to eye and still led astray soul companions split in halves meet and mate to take the dive plunge deep within - for you are alive‌ love & all things begin with a single stride. AJ Michael 2015
LIFE GIVING SNAKE Second Part
Andrea Exo ".....Through him all things were created...." It is present in every cell: it generates, it teaches it and gifts us with the power of reproduction. The power of the Snake is everywhere around us: in every plant, in each insect, in all the mammals. Each fruit holds the seeds for the next sowing season. Isn't this the mystery of the flesh generating the flesh? The mystery of an old life now renewing itself, thus continuing its experience, escaping all devouring Chronos? DNA has created, DNA evolves, DNA destroys and renews itself. And so, from the coldness of the individual atoms, a life is born and then a consciousness. The universe admires the great work of generation, through which it can observe and know itself. Isn't this the goal of existence? Becoming witnesses of the miracle of incarnation and, in turn, perpetuate such a miracle?
The snake pushes us continuously to observe the skies, pointing at the distant stars as both our origin and our future. This is a call and, sometimes, an obsession: feeling so lonely among an incalculable number of systems, yet we want to take our seed on those desolate lands, apparently abandoned, where matter is waiting for spirit in order to observe itself for the first time.
"...I believe in the Holy Ghost, who is the Lord and gives life..."
And this is the way terraforming happens: the first algae reproduce themselves in the waters in order to transform the atmosphere, making it suitable for breathing. Later the first forms of vegetation appear, the first insects, the fish, in the end the animals. From one cell and from its fruit a whole world is born. Yes, the holy Ghost is the seed and DNA is his Lord. An atom of carbon cannot think, cannot act, cannot generate. But the Snake is capable of moving each individual molecule, so that the very same atom can receive Cosmic Consciousness. "...Everything is one..."
Our time flows too slowly for us to appreciate the dance of the universe that moves like one body. It is also impossible to conceive other universes in a box within a box. Just like inside us we have bacteria, out of us there are cosmic strings: different proportions with many correlations. The questions remains the same: who "wrote" the DNA? Who created the first snake? How can it evolve by itself and consciously mutate over time in order to improve its hosting bodies? And what about the wars among men, or among plants and animals? Aren't they fought according to its own will? How much of who we are is the fruit of our choices and how much depends on our genetic code? We will need to listen and follow what it inspires us to seek... our questions today will become our certainties tomorrow. The Snake creates the question. The Snake answers with help also from the Sacred Plants. "... And his kingdom will never end...." The habitat will change, the conditions will change, the star and its planets will change, but the Snake roams the universe on cosmic winds, it will survive in the emptiness even millions of years until it will find a new earth, there it will generate new life, which in turn will celebrate again its history. Andrea Exo Translated by Antonella Vicini
You can find the first part of this article in the previous volume of THE BADGER: http://issuu.com/antonellavicini/docs/the_badger_year_1_volume_2
BADGER MEDICINE DeConstructing “The Badger” Fredric Lehrman Burrowing Into the Veil (Vale) of Language A literary Tour de Farce The world we perceive appears to us through personal filters. One of the primary human filters is language. It is marvelous and important to realize that we learned our birth language over a period of months through an inherent analytic ability called “intelligence” that enabled us to collect vibrational patterns, isolate the important ones, identify the objects they were associated with, and begin to build a personal index of meanings from pure sound and light. Layer upon layer, we added to that template, until now we can read the words (actually just variations of patterns of light) on this page and, to differing degrees, understand what they mean. The word “confusion” is one we use to define a stage of uncertainty about what our perceptions mean. When two streams of information intersect, like two rivers flowing together, they pass through a phase of “joining with” or “con-fusion” to form a new blend that might require a new name. Our brain computes all the possible interpretations of every signal we encounter to “identify” the significance of what is happening in our perceptive space. For example: liquid, + color, + aroma, … + taste might add up to being identified as fruit juice, or wine, or gasoline. Depending on the first three observed characteristics, we would, hopefully, know which to drink and which to put in our car before we took the last step of internal consumption or combustion.
This is a seriously funny predicament. This is why we think puns are funny, as they stimulate the brain’s primal confusion about two things that sound or appear similar but are not. In the moment, various possible neural signals compete for verification, and set off a stuttering inability to select the right meaning, expressed in many species by a broken breathing pattern called “laughter.” We laugh when we try to make sense out of two competing realities that cannot be fused. The “punch line” hits us in the solar plexus because it doesn’t fit with our expectation and catches us off guard. For a moment, our filters fail us. The practice of tracing words back to their root is called “Etymology”; arranging words to express more than their standard meaning by linking them together in clusters of nuanced aspects is called “Poetics”; and setting words to create dynamic moments of incongruity is called “Comedy”. An etymologist would tell you that all three of these words are originally from the ancient Greek. A poet would tell you that it was Homer who first introduced to each other words that help us appreciate “the rosyfingered dawn” in a new light. And a comedian would say about this entire paragraph, “It’s all greek to me!” Why is this magazine (and that animal) called The Badger? What is a Badger, really? Perhaps it’s someone who makes badges and pins them on worthy recipients? The dictionary seems to make a weak guess that this animal was given its name because of its distinctive facial marking, like a badge of recognition. Let’s investigate that, literally ‘take its clothes off,’ break it down. Etymologically, in English usage“bad” means (explicitly) “not good”. But to Germans, “Bad” means “bath”— which most folks would think is a good thing at the right time and place. “Ger” tracks back to the German “Tier”, or Scandinavian “djur,” or Greek zoion, all of which mean “beast, animal, creature.” One of the favorite destinations for children and tourists in Stockholm is the Djurgarden, or Zoo. In Mongolia, however a “Ger" is the round tent of the nomads, known to us as the yurt, a most efficient and comfortable portable home in the challenging climate of the Asian Steppes.
So one could surmise that a Bad-Ger is either “a bad animal” … or “a bath animal,” a kind of furry loofa or washcloth… or a frayed and poorly made Mongolian mobile home. So now we are ready to follow the badger down into her burrow beneath the veneer of language, where she lives with her male counterpart in a maze of winding tunnels. She is Willa, and he is William, and they have dug out a subverbal home that has a shared bedroom, with separate wings where each can work in their own style and manner. She thinks of her sublinguistic neighborhood of tunnels, well-stocked with practical supplies for her preferred creative endeavors, as “Winding Up in Willa’s Work”. His is a sparser domain, more like a network of opium dens, that he has named simply “William’s Burrows.” The whole complex is called “MemoryDreamLand.” When it rains, water drips through the language sediment at the surface, and carries a silt of pre-verbal particles from the memory layers of language down into this domain of dreams and creativity. The river of words unspells itself as it returns to its sound roots, and in William’s dreamy mind the phrases are cut up and recombined in ways that a gem’s joys would re-fine again, waking Willa’s nimble creative paws to work further on her great opus, the “Collage de Gris” of dove feathers that is itself the only true dipaloma in every degree of true learning. ˜˜*˜˜ For further study see: She Unnames Them, by Ursula K. LeGuin 1985 Finnegan’s Wake, by James Joyce 1939 Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame 1908 Cut-ups, by William S. Burroughs 1966 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc2yU7OUMc check video
BADGER MEDICINE 4 Fredric Lehrman June 3, 2015
TAMING WAVES The Magic Garden of Paciano Paolo Benda 2nd Part
The Journey across the Garden
There are seven cultural and energy paths in the garden, it would be enough to remember how God used 7 days in order to complete his creation, the seven days of the week, the seven musical notes that produce musical Harmony (a seven letter word), in order for us to sense the esoteric aspect of this number. 1 Column
Physical well being
2 Orgonic sphere + pyramid
Vibrational aspect
3 Magic door
Meditation, Vibrational aspect
4 Sword
Meditation
5 Flower of Life
Meditation, psychophysical well-being
6 Soul Mirror
Introspection
7 Music from the plants
Cultural pedagogic
Paolo Benda started his article in the previous volume of THE BADGER, in this one he gives a brief description of some elements in the garden. You can find further information in his website and publications. http://issuu.com/antonellavicini/docs/the_badger_year_1_volume_2 Editor's note AV
THE MAGIC DOOR Facing the door indicates the understanding of its live system, including what is around and above it, as well as its base. It is enough to think of Vitruvius and Palladius's studies on the doors and the emphasis on what surrounds it. On the other hand a door on its own risks losing its meaning, a door on its own cannot be conceived. The triumphal arch, or the Shinto arch, the arcades of some African tribes are not isolated doors, they are openings in an invisible system that is linked with the limitations and complex symbols referring to the spiritual passage they represent. The door is related to the action of uniting and separating as well as linking. The door is the synthesis of two opposing actions that look to us like one. The "magic door" is a vibrational path where access to other energy levels is possible.
MUSIC FROM THE PLANTS If we are asked to think about the sounds of nature we may imagine the song of a stream, or birds chirping in spring time, or the sound of the branches softly moved by the wind. However, nature doesn't just "sound" in this way. There is a universe of hidden sounds that animate the vegetal world: Plant Music. St Francis of Assisi used to write in his poem about the Song of Creation, perhaps he was referring to a melody that cannot be heard just with our ears. In order to listen to plant music we need a special equipment that can record the lymphatic flow and convert it into sounds. This is a small impulse converter that uses sensors in order to record the flowing of lymph from leaf to root of any plants, both small ones in pots, or trees or the grass in our lawn. This equipment can be compared to an electrocardiogram for human beings, the result is a music without paragon, unique to the vegetal world. As much as we know and can imagine plants to be alive. Listening to this music cannot but amaze us. With this equipment the plant can play an instrument - through the sensors – the real surprise for listeners are the harmonics created by the plants. The melody changes from plant to plant, according to its species, age, seasons, hour of the day and its place. Following the parameters of rhythm, pitch and intonation, we could attempt its musicological analysis going back all the way to the system of archaic musical scales in ancient Greece. We find a sequence of tetrachord (4 sounds) that, in Greek music, used to have a special connection to human ethos = with the emotional state. The Greeks used different modalities for each ethos, in order to bring the subject back to a healthy state of balance.
This could also be true for Plant Music, a vibratory sound, a resonance near each vegetal being as a vibration of liquids (the lymph) that propagates in our body liquids (blood and water) in a completely unconscious way to us, audible in fact only with the equipment mentioned above. Therefore when we lay down on a lawn, or sit under a big tree we feel regenerated in a few minutes, but the same effect can happen if we stop longer than a minute near a potted plant, maybe even one of those plants that should always be part of our homes. Through the language of sounds we can perceive how plants are sensitive and interact with the world around and with us human beings. Listening to the music of a hundred year old oak tree, of an olive tree, or a young poplar; perceiving the sounds and the melody that appears and changes when we approach the trunk or caress its leaves is an unforgettable experience. Such contact will give the listener a new dimension in his/her relationship with the vegetal world, which represents 2/3 of the biosphere of our planet Earth. Paolo Benda Translation Antonella Vicini
POETRY Σαπφώ Φαίνεταί μοι κήνος ἴσος θέοισιν ἔμμεν ὤνηρ, ὄστις ἐναντίος τοι ἰζάνει, καὶ πλυσίον ἆδυ φωνεύσας ὑπακούει καὶ γελαίσας ἰμερόεν, τό μοι μάν καρδίαν ἐν στήθεσιν ἐπτόασεν· ὡς γὰρ εὔιδον βροχέως σε, φώνας οὺδὲν ἔτ' εἴκει· ἀλλὰ κὰμ μὲν γλῶσσα ἔαγε, λέπτον δ' αὔτικα χρῷ πῦρ ὐπαδεδρόμακεν, ὀππάτεσσι δ' οὐδὲν ὄρημ', ἐπιρρόμβεισι δ' ἄκουαι. ἀ δέ μίδρως κακχέεται, τρόμος δέ παῖσαν ἄγρει, χλωροτέρα δὲ ποίας ἔμμι, τεθνάκην δ' ὀλίγω 'πιδεύης φαίνομαι [ἄλλα]. ἀλλὰ πᾶν τόλματον. VII-VI BCE
Catullus Carmen LI Ille mi par esse deo videtur, Ille si fas est superare divos, qui sedens adversus identidem te spectat et audit dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te, Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi ********** lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus flamma demanta, sonitu suopte tintinant aures, gemina teguntur lumina nocte. Otium Catulle, tibi molestum est: otio exultas nimiumque gestis: otium et reges prius et beatas perdidit urbes. I BCE Two magnificent poets for the most involving, profound, human experience of all times: LOVE. Sappho in the ancient island of Lesbos expressed it in Greek and, centuries later, Catullus in the powerful city of Rome used the same verses to tell us the most ancient story of humankind. Two styles, two genders, two approaches, but the feeling is the same: the all encompassing one of overwhelming, heart opening flow of pure joy when love touches our souls and lifts us to new heights.
A fresco painting from Stabia, it is thought to represent Spring, whatever the ancient intention, its delicate female figure is asking us to remember those times when the feeling of love was in every cell of our bodies, not just the love of a person, but love for life.
SAPPHO from Lesbos Catullus from Verona He seems to me equal to the gods that man, who sits opposite you and listens closely to your sweet speaking
He seems to me to be equal to the god(s), if it is allowed to say, he surpasses the gods,
who, sitting in front of you, and lovely laughing; sees (you) and listens (to you) the heart in my chest beats fast, laughing sweetly; for when I look at you, even for (while) every moment, no speaking is left in sense escapes sad me: me Lesbia, as soon as I see you, nothing no voice (is left) and subtle is (left )of me fire races under (my) skin ***** and (there's) no sight in (my) my tongue is dulled, a subtle fire eyes and (my) ears ring spreads under (my) limbs, with its own sound the ears ring, and sweat pours out of me and both my eyes are covered by trembling shakes me all, I am night. paler than (dried) grass and dead — or almost Leisure, O Catullus, is bad for I seem to be. you: Leisure pushes you to excessive But all is to be dared...... gestures: Leisure both kings and ancient happy cities lead to ruin.
Hints of poetry without comments from us, let us know what you would like to see here, or if you want to add your own verses. Thank you AV
READERS' CORNER This volume we have a special guest : the English Poet Dominic Fisher with his very personal creation honouring a good friend.
MICROLIGHT In his message with the news our friend imagined you microlighting across the heavens I could see it instantly your love of the air proceeding to its conclusion a delta and a silver pod buzzing distantly into a Mediterranean blue becoming a dot under a line touched by late sun as you flew further on. Though my view of any afterlife is as sceptical as yours was, I held our friend’s image all day. That evening I heard humming looked up and saw a microlight passing high over the roofs. As it went from sight, for all I knew it was leaving earth’s gravity and the planet completely.
Dominic Fisher
25/4/2015
This volume of THE BADGER is dedicated in memory of Rob(sie) 1954-2015
HEALING WITH WORDS
THE DANCE Antonella Vicini .........The beautiful girl with long, straight, shining black hair, was wearing the festive costume of her people. Her head was adorned with feathers and leaves, she shook her legs listening to the soft sound of bells fastened around her ankles. She left her house and joined the dance line, slowly advancing towards the central square. In silence the dancers reached the plaza, where an expectant crowd was waiting. Everybody stood still, ready for the celebration. A low rumble started from the huge drum, where 10 drummers were beating in unison, while 100 singers started the initial chant of welcome. The dancers were in place, they danced on the spot, silently honouring the land and the sky, the air and the fire, the water so precious for their sustenance. The dance leaders waited for the silent prayers to end, then they launched the dancers into the empty space of the plaza. The long line started to move around the square. It was her first dance as a young woman, in years past the dance had been like a game, a huge and complex game in which the entire tribe took part with joy. Today it was different, she recognized all the participants, she knew more of their stories. Their faces told her about anticipation, excitement and even fear, the older and more experienced ones looked happy already !
She didn't know what to expect, but she was ready. When her time to move into the plaza finally arrived, she felt the light touch on her back as if a strong wind was propelling her forward. She could see the plaza and the spectators around it, but she was elsewhere, one foot on the dirt of the plaza and one foot..... Where am I? She wondered. Suddenly the other dancers were like evanescent bodies of light. Everything and everywhere was shining, everything was crystal clear. She could see that her thoughts, her feelings were creating shapes and colours all around, she could see through her own body. She was in awe. Her breathing was deep and calm, like the waves of the ocean. In the “other� plaza, people were cheering on the dancers, the drum was beating, the songs flowed into each other. In the plaza were she was, she could only hear the drum and a distant chant that sounded like the wind. The girl looked around and saw that all the other dancers were there, she recognized her own ancestors, in fact she realized that this plaza was much bigger and it contained many more lines of dancers in concentric circles. In the outer ones there were many generations of ancestors as protectors of the tribe, in the middle ones there were her people, in the centre the shining generations to come, thus protected by all the dancers. Lights of different colours started to pour from all directions. The dancers were bathed in yellow and red, in white and black, in green and blue. A huge rainbow erupted from the centre, or perhaps from the outer circle. The girl realized with delight that she could touch the lights, she could feed herself with as many shades as she wanted, so that her body had all those lights inside. A silent prayer became a beautiful closing song.
Remember the dance, remind your children, grandchildren, great grand children. Honour and respect the land and all its beings. These instructions were repeated a few times. The girl found herself in front of her home, she was tired after the long day of dance and went to sleep. She started to dream....... Excerpt from A Garland of Stories C 2015 Antonella Vicini
In the native traditions summer time is devoted to the sacred dances that connect humanity directly to the universe for the well being of all creatures. The symbols and formal aspects may differ but the core of the dances is similar in most traditions: there is a focal point for the dance, most often a pole representing the centre of the universe, the omphalos, the axis mundi, the connection between mortal and immortal, permanent and impermanent and also a reminder of the role of human beings who connect heaven and earth. The dancers usually stand in a sacred circle where only those purified by previous ceremonies and the participants can enter. The dances are most often accompanied by music, drumming and chanting. The dancers abstain from food, liquids and words for a day, a night, or 3 to 4 days according to the local traditions. In that time out of time in that space out of space the dancers sacrifice – in the literal meaning of the Latin expression sacrum facere (make sacred) – their lives for the highest good of the whole tribe. From Mahakala Antonella Vicini 2015
Since time immemorial people have used dance to express their feelings, their passions, their deepest emotions, as well as the devotion to the gods/beliefs/spiritual paths of their times. Long before becoming a hobby, or a job, or a social function, dance was the sacred path to spirit. In some cultures it continues to be so. Many times I had the joy to be present at the traditional summer dances in the South West of the USA, where the Pueblo cultures have created visually beautiful dances with profound meanings.
In the summer months, When the sun is high in the sky with its merciless glare, that is the perfect time to be baked in the dance: the heat allows the dancers to literally sweat away their excess baggage of thoughts, feelings, attachments, so that they can dance in light for the highest good of all the people. Being a witness to these events changed me, since contact with the beauty of real devotion is a transformative experience. I could feel the immense power of concentrated effort, the love for the land, the presence of something much bigger than the individual people present in the plaza. This was true of all the dances I saw, whether there were hundreds of dancers in front of me, or just a few, the intensity was not due to numbers alone, but it was connected to the concentration and presence of the dancers.
The quote at the beginning of the article is my attempt at evoking the many layers of mystical experiences offered in the summer dances of the Pueblo traditions I was fortunate enough to observe repeatedly. Why choosing such a path? In older times the traditional vision seeking summer dances were open only to men, since women already knew the path of sacrifice with their daily life, their monthly blood offering, their pregnancies and their visions for the future of the tribe. But these are different times, when women do not always honour their female path, sometimes consciously, sometimes they don't even know there is one to walk on. Therefore the visionary dances have also opened to them.
People who have participated in the sacred dances usually never talk about them, not so much because it is a secret, since it isn't, but because it is important to keep some experiences in the realm of the unsaid, in such a way the energy/power/knowledge of the experience stays with the dancer and keeps teaching him/her for as long as needed. This time of apprenticeship can last many years, there is no rule on time, we are always ready and yet we are also “cooking� slowly in order to reach perfection. Some time ago, I prepared a slide show as a homage to the Pueblo traditions, you can find it on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=031vCV5_tnE Happy dances Antonella Vicini Badger Medicine Spirit
FOR ALL MY RELATIONS
To complete this homage to the Dance and the Dancers the world over, I want to add the beautiful song and video by Robert Mirabal, a Taos Pueblo artist and very wise man, in this song you can hear the precious and never transliterated ancient Tiwa language. The Dance by Robert Mirabal with Rare Tribal Mob https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_znb0MlHTY
LIGHT 2015 Laura Bottagisio INSPIRATION AND TRUTH The planetary movements of 2015 announce the squaring of the cycle Neptune – Saturn, these two planets work together to make us become more aware of being in charge of our thoughts and mental attitude. When we harness our rational mind we connect it to the divine mind, that realm where we have access to the deep understanding of being. Saturn is the connection to the Divine mind, represented by Neptune, while the rational mind is represented by Mercury with his not yet transformed communication. Saturn entered Sagittarius on December 23rd 2014, where it will remain until December 20th 2017, it is in a retrograde phase in Scorpio from June to September 2015. During this year Saturn will travel the first decade of the sign, in its passage it will be confronted by Neptune, which is well positioned in the first decade of Pisces. This position will oblige Saturn to re-consider old models: above all projecting our responsibilities on others, or taking on others' responsibilities. Saturn becomes the Inner Guide who, by taking on its responsibilities, owns its spirituality, thus opening the Golden Door who leads to the Heart of our Inner Temple from which all the reality creating rays depart.
Saturn's archetypal images are transforming, since the entire cosmos is evolving, the new Acquarian definition is Unity Awareness, ascending thus is the quantic jump that allows us to go beyond separation in order to re-unite with the Source of Life. From this source a New Man resurrects, this reconnection to Light happens when we "jump" on a different time-line where past/present/future are here and now, therefore, Saturn's function is transformed. While, so far, he has been Lord of Time, ie linear time: he was also represented as the devourer of his children, that action was a symbolic way of stopping the linear flow of time. Being in charge of attachments, letting go of what is not free to flow in the constant stream of life this is the new way to stop time. Now it's time for freedom from the ancient karmic chains, entering Sagittarius, Saturn works so that we can become aware that we have a Heart of Light, the Crystal of our true essence that shines like a precious diamond. Full creative freedom that creates Harmony: this is the new message from the great Archetype Saturn.
Neptune will show us amazing new landscapes, rich in crystalline energy and great beauty. Neptune represents the infinite invisible world, where everything there is comes from, it represents that part of us that hears the call of Light. When we recognize our light=truth we can share around its shining, just like the Sun does with its light. Truth is in everyone of us, a small, but very bright fragment nevertheless. Neptune is now in Pisces and he likes it, since this is its kingdom, it invites us to its abysses, where rich treasures expect us. Now it's the time of our metamorphosis from caterpillar into butterfly, from potential to realized human being. The evolutionary power of Neptune transforms our shape, so that the new information can expand and enter our cellular memory, thus dissolving the now obsolete inputs. It is time to acknowledge our so far unexpressed talents and to affirm: we are the Light that creates harmony, gives divine nourishment and freedom. Saturn and Neptune represent two fundamental moments of every evolutionary process: Saturn aggregates, coagulates and makes visible, while Neptune liquefies, dissolves and makes invisible. These two extreme principles are complementary and necessary. In the zodiac these two planets never appear during the first six signs, but have their home from Lybra onwards: Saturn is in Capricorn and Acquarias and exalted in Lybra; while Neptune is in Sagittarius and Pisces and exalted in Acquarius. Sagittarius enters its thirty year cycle in Sagittarius, thus accessing the dissolving Neptune: it shatters any situation based on duality, then it aggregates it again from its foundation, according to the principle of unity: Light creates Harmony, it nourishes with Divine Love and gives freedom! In order to recognize our Light we need to activate our so far dormant human perceptions.
THE TWELVE SENSES and THE 12 SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC The universe is alive, nothing is static, everything happens according to a precise plan by the Cosmic Consciousness, this creative energy has had many names, according to the times and places where human beings have lived. In order to act and flow according to its creative wave, we human beings need to give a name to this immutable Principle which, through observation and experiment, becomes itself. We name it in order to be at one with it. Such names are born from pure cosmic substance, condensed into a Sound, a sacred sound. That is why in the Christian religion there is the commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Any name we use for the Creative Consciousness is sacred and belongs to us, since it becomes material through a sound that passes through and inspires us. When we tune into its frequency, we enter in direct contact with the cosmic energy of the Solar Logos. Each planet, star, asteroid and galaxy vibrates along this energy and is lead by it. Everything spins around its central axis, it emanates its energy and merges with others creating life. This model is universal, it travels across the universe of which we are integral and integrated part: we are the uni-verse and we strive towards unity. Everything is one, nurtured by the divine cosmic Love principle. Every living thing has its central, load bearing axis. The Mother Earth rotates around the Sun, but it also rotates on its axis which is inclined on the celestial equator for about 23 degrees. We also have our axis that allows us to stand upright and, opening our arms, we can make a cross: this is the cross of existence, its centre is our heart. When our heart opens to love, we connect emphatically to the heart of whoever is near us and with the heart of the Earth itself. At such time we are in communion with the Centre of Centres, with the Source from which everything is born and returns eventually: the Divine Cosmic Consciousness. We can enter in the universal breath every time we are in our centre, this becomes easier when a planet supports this alignment.
The Moon gives us this bridge every 28 days, the Sun once a year on December 19th, Jupiter every 12 years, and so on. The latest big alignment between Earth, Pluto, and the Galactic centre happened in 2006, thus opening the gate, which has become active in 2012. Now we can receive all the information we need by tuning into our heart frequency. Our five senses cannot support us in perceiving this impalpable substance, therefore we need to activate their etheric counterparts. We have already seen Aries = Sense of I, now we are going to look at Taurus = Taste and Gemini = Hearing.
TAURUS - TASTE Feeding supports our growth and development in the body we have chosen for our incarnation. Our bodies hold all the memories preserved in our cells, it remembers all the ancient deeds we left suspended when we returned to our celestial abode. Eating the fruits from Mother Earth we give life to our past and transform it. Through food we are more in contact with our physical body, we can thus put down roots in the role chosen to complete the task for the current incarnation. Savouring life helps us to take full responsibility for ourselves, tasting the different flavours of food is the first step towards being in tune with our destiny, or against it when we eat junk food. There are thousands of flavours and different tastes developing from the foundation ones: sweet, bitter, salty, acidic, spicy, hot, but we can also recognize the liquid, thick and so on. Each kind of food we eat comes from the Earth that feeds us with generous love, it produces spontaneously the herbs that can heal our fears, our physical fatigue, our emotional wounds. The bitter taste from some herbs cleans us of the bitter toxins accumulated over time in our liver; the acidic lemon makes alkaline our Ph level. These tiny examples lead us to consider how taste makes us participate and be present to our physical sensations and emotions. Relishing life indicates that we have overcome our karma, we have rebalanced our memories. When we are free from these chains, we are free to taste everything: food, thoughts, landscapes, a dear friend, our soul inspiration: we are constantly present to ourselves and in complete attunement with our physicality.
GEMINI - HEARING The ear allows us to hear the information from the world, it is a complex organ divided in three parts: inner, middle and external. This fine division creates three steps that each noise needs to cross in order to reach the brain in order to be identified. Hearing is the first sense to be developed in the foetus, since it facilitates contact with the external world, it is connected to the element of Air: the Gemini, governed by Mercury the messenger, the being in charge of instant communication, not filtered by prejudices or mental structures. Hearing bypasses the mind thus connecting us directly with what is around us. According to the noise we can interpret the condition we are in: nature sounds relax our "emotional muscles", giving us a persistent sense of well being; while heavy street noises hit our energy field like arrows creating a sense fear or alarm, an almost physical unease. The other important function of hearing allows us to communicate with others in dialogue, which can turn into a monologue, when we speak, but are not ready or willing to listen. Listening is essential in order to understand and share with the people in our lives. Listening is an art and an act of great love, when we give our attention to another person's words. Laura Bottagisio Translated by Antonella Vicini All the images are original artwork by Laura Bottagisio.
MOTHER EARTH SPEAKS Claudia Enrico Being grounded today I live in a country house – Punta Bustichi- in Sanremo, Liguria, in Italy. This house was my grandfather’s one (from my father's side), I used to go there for the summer season, when I was a very little girl. I can still remember my grandmother washing me in the kitchen sink with cold water and Marseille soap before going to bed, since I was always “dirty” with mud! I just loved to play in the dirt. My favorite game was the preparation of food with my little pots and pans using soil and water, mixing them with some grass or leaves, adding some little pebbles. I didn’t know then that, one day, my game would become one of my life passions and a important part of my personal growth. Almost 20 years ago I came to live in this house. This choice was made one year after my Reiki Master initiation. A fresh start in life! When I arrived I couldn't even use a hose, but my dad showed me. He had inherited this house with its piece of land and he decided to give it to me, just as it had happened before to my grandfather and before him to his mother: a legacy of more than 100 years.
I love this part of the story, because this house and its land, as far as I know, have never been bought or sold, as in the Native American tradition, where there is no concept of possession related to the land. I love this approach.
Tilling the soil became then one of my daily activity. So I decided I had to learn more about it. Since I had chosen to grow organic veggies and fruit, I began to study booksand magazines, because, back then, I didn't have a computer and Internet connection. Very often I had discussions with my dad (who used to help me working in the garden) about how to grow one plant or another: the typical conflict between generations. After seeing my new results, however, little by little he came to my side. This experience has helped healing my relationship with my dad and it’s and ongoing process.
It is said that “you never get it done”. This is especially true when you become aware that you’re walking a spiritual path. Over time I’ve completely transformed myself inside and outside. This process has occurred thanks to my Reiki practice along with my work in the garden. I’ve allowed myself to enter gradually more in contact with the Energy of the Earth. When your feet are constantly on the ground something starts to happen to your body. In the beginning you do not realize that because your attention is still too focused on your mind. You have to control your physical body to learn new movements and be careful not to hurt yourself. It’s an apprenticeship like when you learn to walk.
Then one day something “special” happened! It was a warm night in June. I was standing outdoors watching the sky, looking for the first fireflies in the garden just flashing like the stars above. It was quiet. No more noise around, just the sound of the stream not so distant from my house. Even the crickets had stopped to chant. A puff of air wrapped me up like a tender embrace. And a voice started to talk inside me. It was not my mind, neither my thoughts. It was something coming from a place that was very likely rising from my feet. I felt so rooted into the ground as I had never experienced before. That voice was similar to a flow of Energy, but with a different aspect or quality compared to the one I’ve been used to experiencing with my Reiki practice. It was coming from below and it was all around me. It took me a certain period of time and more life experiences to realize that being in contact with the ground allowed me to enter a new realm of awareness. And it has never been very easy.
It’s weird the way we humans operate: We live in a physical body but very often we’re not even aware of it. We talk about Energy but too often we don’t give ourselves the chance to experience it. Why? I remember a very beautiful movie “The last Samurai”. In a scene the American captain Nathan Algren is trained to learn martial arts. He often fails because as his instructor says to him there still “too much mind”. This is one of the answers, I eventually came to realize. I’ve experienced that thinking about Spirit is different from living Spirit. My training in tilling the soil every day showed me the beauty of my being and of what surrounds me: there’s no difference. If I see myself like an unworthy woman, I sure will see the world as a place of misery. When I’m too much in my mind I go out to weed. I assure you: it helps a lot!
I’ve been received into this house and land to remember that I belong to this planet called Earth. The so called “world” is what the mind of the human beings have created. But there’s more…… To remember means to reconnect oneself with the Source of Energy. I can say that in the past I only had Father Sky that was blessing and inspiring me and now I’ve found Mother Earth that is receiving, nourishing and protecting me. Becoming grounded meant to me being aware of my existence as a bridge between what is above and what is below, allowing my physical body to experience the mystery of the Divine Energy of Life that I call Reiki. The two polarities are again one. I feel more whole in my body temple and my heart is expanding. I feel so much gratitude for that. Thank you Mother-Father God. I am back home!
“It is true, certain, and without falsehood, that whatever is below is like that which is above; and that which is above is like that which is below: to accomplish the one wonderful work.” From “The Emerald Tablet” by Hermes Trismegistus Claudia Enrico 2015 © Edited by Antonella Vicini
With great pleasure I have had permission from Claudia Enrico to add here the links to two videos that will give you an inkling of the sacredness of nature for native people. Joseph Rael teaches little kids how to plant and to grow plants. Since Joseph is not teaching us adults anymore, these are precious testimony of his ancient and precious knowledge handed down from countless generations. Like all the great Elders of the world he is offering us a chance to reconnect and be the best we can be. For all my relations Antonella Vicini Badger Medicine Spirit
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKA9PXGRxE0 Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bOwLwtvIdk
AROMATHERAPY LAVANDER Balance and Inner Peace The Mediterranean Panacea
Renato Tittarelli Lavender and the rhythm of seasons Lavender is a well known and widely cultivated plant, used extensively in perfumery, cosmetics and pharmacy. In aromatherapy it can be considered the Mediterranean Panacea. We write about it now, since its fragrance expresses the energy of opening towards life, the discovery of what is new, the ability to bring harmony. This is the process touching us in spring and early summer.
Mythology, traditional use, nowadays The medicine of antiquity, especially in the Greek and Roman world, describes its qualities. Plinius and Dioscorides both recommended infuses from its flowers for respiratory diseases, headaches, as well as an antidote to all poisons. Lavender fumigations were used to disinfect rooms, such empirical practice has found scientific confirmation in recent times. Its name derives from the Latin "lavare" = to wash, therefore lavender purifies body and soul. In ancient times, Roman women used to place small bunches of lavender in their linen for its purifying and deodorant qualities. In the XIX century the flowers from lavender were used for "the nervous and head disorders", in the XX century doctors used it as a stimulant in case of fainting as well as for the treatment of “hysteric problems and nervous conditions"
The Plant Lavender belongs to the family of Lamiaceae, or ex Labiatae, it is originally from Persia, the Canary islands and the Mediterranean area. It grows spontaneously up to 1800 meters of altitude. It is cultivated almost anywhere in this area on an industrial scale. There are 4 main types used commercially:
Extra, Vera, Hybrid, Spica. The wild mountain or extra from Haute Provence in Southern France is the rarest and most precious. The flowered ears are harvested in the morning when it is hot and dry, they are immediately distilled in a stream of steam, in order to produce the pure essential lavender oil.
Properties The essence is an excellent remedy in first aid as antiseptic and healing agent on wounds, burns, sores, insect bites. It repels insects and can be used to keep flies and mosquitoes out of the house. It can be used to make small bags for drawers with linen, as well as in cosmetic preparation, washing soaps and in the kitchen: its aroma can be mixed with red wine or vinegar for added flavour.
Most common uses 100% Pure and natural Lavender essential oil is especially suitable for use as room deodorant, in cooking, in aromatherapy massage, in cosmetics, in the workplace, at school and in stressful situations. It needs to be used with an oil, salt or ingredient suitable to the task.
Evening mix A few drops of lavender, ylang ylang, rosewood, incense, just 5 to 6 drops in the diffuser for an hour will help your sleep and relax deep tensions.
Relaxing aromatic bath Mix 10-15 drops of lavender in 2 spoons of cream, or honey or quality salt and add it to the bath water in order to have a relaxing and sleep inducing effect.
Cooking mix Add 1 drop of lavender essential oil and 1 drop of lemon or sweet orange essential oil to 100 ml of one of the following ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, honey, molasses, yogurt, tofu cream, soya drink, sugarless fruit juice, soya or chocolate cream. Mix it to the ingredient and use as a dessert or snack.
Mix for blood and lymphatic circulation Mix 20 drops of lavender essential oil in 100 ml of cold pressed sunflower oil. It is an excellent remedy for swollen and painful ankles, it helps to reactivate the blood and lymphatic circulation. Sunflower oil is rich in vitamin E and doesn't make you greasy, so you can massage these parts even before going to sleep.
Mix for the skin Mix 50 ml of jojoba oil with 4 drops of lavender essential oil, 3 drops of rose essential oil, 2 drops of geranium essential oil. The action of these oils will increase the beauty of the skin and will help relax as well.
Anti-ageing face oil We can use 20 drops of lavender essential oil and 30 ml of Rosa mosqueta, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins, in order to help our face skin regeneration and to reduce dark stains. The oil is best used in the evening and early morning, right after waking up. Š Renato Tittarelli 2015 Translated by Antonella Vicini
FOOD IS OUR ALLY The richness of the fruits, the tastiness of the vegetables, the pleasure of the warmer air, everything conspires to make the summer season a time for all senses to be free and enjoy life fully. Let's take advantage of nature's bounty, the colourful fruits fill our eyes, our noses, our mouths and give us the perfect nutrients to repair the damages of the colder season, as well as preparing us for the next one. This month we are lucky enough to have 2 contributions: Claudia Enrico shares with us some photos of her products as well as a scrumptious recipe for this time of the year, while Daniele Sampalmieri continues his vegan education. Have a good summer and Bon Apetit! Antonella Vicini
A RECIPE FROM CLAUDIA As the Summer season is approaching, and the garden is giving us plenty of new veggies, here is a typical recipe from the Sanremo-Ligurian region in Italy. We used to “stuff� veggies in order to have a complete nutritional meal. They are usually served with a fresh green salad, in this way our recipe is at its best in combination and taste. I have described here two choices both for Vegetarian and Vegan diets. Enjoy it and let the Summer replenish you with Sun, Joy and Good Vibration.
Stuffed vegetables Ingredients: 4-5 onions medium size 3-4 zucchini medium size 2 eggplants 1-2 Bell peppers 2-3 ripe tomatoes Several large zucchini flowers for filling 2 lbs potatoes 2 eggs (No eggs are required for the Vegan version of this recipe) 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for the Vegan version of this recipe) 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg 2 tsp salt 5 Tbsp olive oil
Directions: Cut the onions in half crosswise and boil for 5 minutes. Then place on a dish towel to cool. Cut the zucchini in half crosswise and boil like the onions. Do the same for the eggplants. Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut into 4 pieces. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise remove the seeds and pulp. Wash the zucchini flowers and cut the stems at the base of the flowers. Boil the potatoes, drain, place in a bowl and then mash. Remove the pulp and seeds from zucchini and eggplants, and add pulp to the bowl. Add eggs, Parmesan, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt and 3 Tbsp olive oil. Mix the ingredients until they form a soft cream. If not creamy enough, add some water. Place all the vegetables in one or more baking tins. Salt them lightly and fill with the mixture. Also fill the zucchini flowers. Pour the remaining olive oil on top of the vegetables just filled. Bake in the oven at 400° for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm or cold as second course or as appetizer. Claudia Enrico 2015 Š www.joyfullrecipes.com https://www.facebook.com/Joyfullrecipes
MAKE YOUR BODY ALKALINE Daniele Sampalmieri Our bodies' health is regulated by the acid-base balance. Life is preserved by the balance of opposites: positive-negative, yin-yang, acid-base. We are energy and our life needs the electrons made available by our mother earth. The processes in our bodies operate thanks to the mineral salts. We produce energy by using them , consequently we also produce waste (=acid). The body works through compensation: in order to keep acids in balance it will look for mineral salts, if it cannot find them it will take them from the blood, the bones, the muscles. If we eat acid food, we create an imbalance, thus possible health problems in the long run. The PH (potential hydrogen) tells us if a substance is alkaline or acid by measuring the number of hydroxyl ions (OH-) with a negative charge, thus alkalising, instead of the hydrogen ions with positive charge (H+), thus acidifying. This is the measure of the electrical resistance between negative and positive charged ions in the water molecules present in our bodies. Health, ageing, diseases depend on the same cause: the imbalance between the excess acid waste in the body. These waste are not eliminated and are absorbed back through the colon, then sent to the liver and from there they return in circulation in the body. Diseases develop in acid environment, they diminish in alkaline environment. This is true also for excessive weight, which is caused by too much acid.
GOLDEN RULES FOR OUR WELL BEING Eat fresh products Eat healthy products Eat green The goal is to eat at least 80% of alkaline food, 20% acid, making sure to choose acid vegetable elements : legumes, tempeh, seitan, tofu, whole cereals. It is best to avoid all animal originated food: meat, eggs, milk, cheese, refined or boxed food, white flours, yeast, fermented food, sugar and sweeteners, alcohol, coffee, soft fizzy drinks (the most acidifying) IT IS BEST TO EAT: vegetable, fruit, tubers of different kind, avocados, lemon, grapefruit, all the seeds, walnuts, almonds, sprouts. THE BEST WAY TO EAT THEM: is raw, as much as possible, since they tend to lose their electrons with cooking. Sprouts which are rich in mineral vitamins and proteins should always be eaten raw.
Legumes are acid elements, but they are not as dangerous as animal products, they become very close to the alkaline level when they are dried and have sprouted. The cereals need to be chosen among the whole and organically grown varieties: Amaranth, quinoa which are both alkaline. Millet, buckwheat and spelt are less acid then other cereals. All the vegetables are good to eat, but choose them according to season. Choose alkaline water with a PH above 7.
We can check our PH using our saliva in the morning, with the aid of the litmus paper. The most balanced value is 7,2 in a scale from 1 to 14.
An old Italian proverb says: A colazione mangia come un re. A pranzo mangia come un principe. A cena mangia come un povero. Photos and article by Daniele Sampalmieri Translated by Antonella Vicini
For breakfast eat like a king. For lunch eat like a prince. For dinner eat like a beggar.
THE RECIPES Here are the procedures for the dishes seen in the article: 1. Raw Vegetable Platter: Place the well washed and cut vegetables in a symmetric shape on a platter. Use flaxseed oil, pink Himalayas salt to season. This salt adds to its natural sodium chlorate 84 trace elements that we need in correct proportions. Add shelled hemp seeds, serve with Tahini sauce.
2. Chick pea coconut: Cut the zucchini in small cubes, stir fry in a pan with red onions and pink salt, cook briefly making sure the zucchini remain crunchy. Add coconut milk and turmeric, mix for about a minute. Add the previously boiled chickpeas, keep cooking until the sauce is reduced. Use the half coconut shell as dish, placing it on a lettuce leaf, garnish with julienne cut zucchini.
3. Fresh fruit composition Since we also eat with our eyes, with our nose and our ears, you can feast with this fresh dessert: place the well cut and cleaned slices of fruit on a platter, here you see pineapple, kiwi, oranges and blueberries.
PHOTO – GRAPHY Luis Vasconcellos text by Antonella Vicini I want to add here some reflections to accompany the black and white images of daily life snapshots. In the love between people, between animals and humans, in the gentle care of "normality", these images stand out, they make giants out of "little us", giving us centre stage and a way of reflecting upon life and its many gifts. Here are a few words from Luis himself: The street is my studio where I can create Life reflecting on Life, using my cameras in my photographs. Street Photography is all about Life. It's a moment of intimacy shared with the ones that give us the honour of being the subject of our art A very good day to you all! Luis Vasconcellos Art needs communication, it needs other people's presence in order to live and breathe, these photos are alive in their world and highlight for us what really matters every day. Antonella Vicini You can see the entire video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDl797jY_xA
TRAVELLING Down Under Raffaella Vicini I was very happy to be asked to write about my journeys, since I love travelling. Thanks to my Father, who took my family on adventurous tours around Europe and U.S.A., I have learnt to travel while observing, respecting and appreciating the different cultures, entering the new places through the eyes of the local people, becoming one of them, or at least as much as I could in the time available. Some places have never left my mind and my heart, such is the case with my trip to Australia when I met Uluru.
My trip to Australia began with a promise I made to a friend who used to live in Perth. We had known each other for many years, so I promised to visit her and I did! In August 2006 I kept my promise: I was drinking cappuccino with her in front of the Opera House, one of my favourite buildings around the world. So my Australian adventure began, after months of careful preparation: I boarded planes, took buses, embarked on boats in order to admire the beauty of many different places in South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia. However, the journey really took on a different significance,when finally I travelled to the northern Territory: towards ULURU. I was right in the centre of Australia, deep in the desert, a very red desert, since the soil and the stones around are all different shades of red, with sparse green bushes and plants.
The bus runs through miles of flat red dirt, there was nothing or no one else, apart from some kangaroos. It was an alien and amazing landscape. I immediately resonated with it, as if some chord had been struck in me. I had a chance to walk through the Katatiuta, gods heads for the aborigines, a very special sacred place.
Just few miles away from the Olgas, a huge Mountain arose from the red sand, shining in the sun: ULURU, the sacred mountain of the Aborigines. I was amazed, however many times I had seen it on TV, I was not prepared for the effect this vision had on me. I felt hypnotized, I felt part of it as if I had always been there. I could almost see the original people going there for sacred ceremonies, I could hear the sounds of their music and chants. I was in it! It was like meeting a dear old friend. Much later I discovered that the aborigines still use the mountain for their rituals. I then walked around the big rock arising tall from the flat land, the only big landmark for hundreds of miles. I was amazed to realize that all around the rock is decorated by many paintings and the sights, as well as the energy around it change as well.
I took thousands of picture, with different light during the day and at night. Even when I had my last sight of it, right from my airplane window, it looked like a giant resting on the ground.
That monolith was, is, alive. It was talking to me about the past , the present and the future. I knew it and it knew me, I had already been there.
I spent almost two days there, but I wished I could have stayed longer, actually I didn't want to go away, I didn't want to leave it. It was like a friend, more then a friend, as I came to realize many years later. Aboriginal people believe in a creation time or Dreamtime. The word Tjukurpa, the Dreamtime,for the Aborigines means existence in the past, present and future. When ancestral beings emerged from beneath the earth: the ancestors created everything that formed the world, taught their descendants the sacred rituals and the symbols: the correct way to behave and to live with each other When the ancestors became tired of their life, they disappeared under the earth again, leaving some places that have special religious meaning for the aboriginal people like the Kata Tiuta, the Olgas, and Uluru. Uluru is not just a place, it's a real deep experience that became part of me. That special light with its magic energy has been resonating in me ever since. My great old brother still speaks to me in my dreams, it makes me dance, play and make paintings with the aboriginal people. It tells me old and new stories about the people, their traditions, their cultures. It shows me new horizons and new perspectives in life, it invites me to new adventures, without ever forgetting my origins and the respect for the world and its inhabitants. I promised myself one day I'd go back and I like to keep my promises. Raffaella Vicini Edited by Antonella Vicini
article and photos
AT HOME IN THE UNIVERSE SOUNDBOARDS Gigi Capriolo When we walk by an energy point, entering a church or a cloister, visiting a pyramid or a mosque, approaching a megalith or a sacred tree, we can perceive psychophysical well being: we have found a place that resonates with us on an energy level. The vibration of that place has given a positive impulse to the rotation of our cells, therefore leading us to well being. The stronger the place, the more people can feel its resonance, there are in fact some places that can give rebalancing energy to everybody. Men have always used the energy of places in order to be in union with the divine and its celebration, but such divine can express itself more easily where there is resonance: everything is sound, vibration, word. Since ancient times some human beings have perceived these sites easily, but everybody has the same skills and potential. Over time, those open people have kept seeking a way to facilitate the same perception in others, so that the resonance could be heard further and more intensely, thus they created soundboards in order for the sound/vibration to be perceived.
Such soundboards are different according to the cultures and the different relationships with the divine:
at Santiago de Compostela, for example, under the baroque church, there are stratifications of 10 different cultures and religions: from the Celts to the Mother Goddess, to the Greeks and Romans.... Why did they change the form of the temple? They could have moved nearby and build a new one! Instead, they knocked down the previous building in order to build a new one so that the energy could be propagated in a stronger way according to their beliefs and knowledge. However, after its initial recognition, the energy place has been constantly emphasized.
At the beginning the first forms of amplification were connected to the archetypes present in everybody: the stronger ones are the male and female ones, consequently the cave was a reminder of the womb from which everybody had come, while the stone in the ground or the menhir were reminders of the phallus, the male energy.
With the passing of time, human beings started to build what they could not find in nature, thus they erected the first temples, with shapes derived from the symbols in him. So that where they felt an energy coming out of the earth, they placed a menhir, a column, the obelisk, the bell tower, the minaret. Where they felt the energy descending into the earth, they collected it in a dolmen, a concave stone, a basin of water, an altar.
In the buildings connected to the Christian religion, the place where the sky enters the earth is the altar, where we transmute a piece of bread into God. Where we feel an energy raising to the sky, a bell tower is erected. In the religious building everything is based on polarities: the entrance was in the west = the death of the day, in order to go towards life where the sun rises bringing new light. The daily Mass was celebrated in the morning, before sunrise, so that when the divine descended on the bread, the light came: the feminine table welcomed the divine arriving through the sun. This kind of orientation is common in all the sites where a transmutation took place, a radical transformation of substance, therefore the direction was always towards the rising sun.
Every soundboard mirrored the type of religious attitude and the relationship with the divine: from the Romanesque where man is nothing and God is everything, to the Gothic where men try to climb up to the sky with their daring ramparts.
Every style in architecture reflects the times, the lives and the culture of a nation, the blueprint could be bigger or smaller, but the cross shape always remained, since it represents the suffering required to access the heavenly kingdom. With the passing of time there is a clearer awareness that the energy of the soundboard is emanated for us human beings, that's why the Gothic cathedrals give such an ascetic impulse to this day. The different colours in the big glass windows filter and transform the sunlight, thus subtly influencing our psyche. The materials used, as well as the dimension of the columns and pillars, offer some kind of music, if they are beaten a sound can be perceived. The numerous esoteric symbols on the facades and capitols use a hidden language that becomes visible for those who can understand and know.
Cathedrals At this point it is interesting to check how a cathedral was built. The entire enterprise was due to three people: the psychic, the architect and the head master, they were the force behind it all. The psychic used to go to the highest peak, or on top of a tree, in order to reach the place that attracted him, because that site emitted Earth energies and received those from the sky. He walked across the place, feeling its energies which he highlighted placing small acacia poles in the ground, when his work was complete the architect was called. The architect had received a contract for the building, according to it he was obliged to live for 3 months a year in the site, in this way he could read the psychic's suggestions in the ground, thus, according to his perceptions, he started the planning that could last a long time. The third person summoned was the headmaster or head mason (Macon in French, joining some sort of union called maconneries (masonries), from these came the masonry). He had very few instruments: a rope with 12 knots, a straight-edge and nothing else. Once the project was drawn on the ground, the actual building could start. First of all the laying of the first stone, the corner stone that needed to be placed for the church dedication, its direction had to be north east in relation to the altar, between 5 and 10 degrees towards east, because this is the direction from which the cosmic, spiritual Father energy reaches the earth. From there they started to build in clockwise direction. What came out of these proceedings was a wonder both for the eyes and the hearts: three enlightened beings had managed to produce a reinforcing of energy according to exclusively inner tenets.
The original cathedral was the temple planned by Salomon in Jerusalem in order to house the Ark of the Covenant. According to the esoteric tradition this was a cathedral built by an initiate who had learnt from the Egyptian priests the secret numbers of the Universe. The Gothic style was born from what the Templars had found in the Ark of the Covenant.
Cathedrals are the entry way to God's kingdom, in order to build them knowledge of numbers as well as matter and spirit are needed. The head mason didn't need calculations, he only needed a measure and a piece of rope in order to build the cathedral of Chartres. Yet the measures were not random: they are connected to the proportions of the earth and, perhaps, of the sky. The plans measured by the rope are a projection of the music of the spheres, developed according to the Great Law. The rope (cubit from Chartres) is 0,783 mtrs, this is the one hundred thousand part of the parallel of Charters (at Rheims the cubit is 0,71, at Amiens is 0,70, both are fractions of the parallels passing through these cathedrals. By using these numbers the architect has established an harmonic relationship with the telluric force/energy. In actual fact, the central point of the cathedral is in connection with the head of the Vouivre, as the Druids used to call the energy stream from the Earth. In front of it stands the choir, its length is double its width (as in most Egyptian and Greek temples, as well as in Salomon's). The diagonal of this rectangle is 1,618, the golden number, the Phi of mathematics, from which the PI is calculated (3,1416), this is the number that allows us to find the circumference of a circle when we know its diameter. This choir allows to transform the rectangle into a circle: the squaring of the circle obtained geometrically. In the cathedral at Charters there is such a circle: it is the inlaid labyrinth in the floor at the beginning of the nave. This is an esoteric and spiritual path of initiation. For those who didn't know this was a place of devotion, to be walked on their knees. For the initiates it was the difficult and dangerous path of self search. Just like in Crete, where you had to go to the centre of the earth, to the centre of yourself, in order to meet the monster, the Minotaur. The profane will certainly meet with his death; the initiate, who holds Ariadne's thread, will reach the centre, will kill the monster and will return to the light, just like Theseus did.
Ariadne has always been associated with Dyonisos, god of the earth and its vegetation, of birth and death, she is the virgin of the earth, the knowing, the water of life for the sacred springs. The Minotaur is the destructive power of the Earth, while Theseus is the adept hero who can dominate the underworld powers and become enlightened. Salomon's temple and Daidalos's labyrinth indicate esoterically and symbolically the path of initiation towards a deep knowing, they are the path within, the soul's pilgrimage. The cathedral builders used elementary measurements and geometric shapes found in Greek and Egyptian monuments. Their measurements were based always on the rope with 12 knots of Druidic origin and the number 7 of the seven pointed star around which the chapels were organized. In the centre of the choir at Chartres there is a white stone which is lit up by the sun at dawn of the summer solstice: this cannot be a coincidence. Under the floor, 37 meters below, there is running water that feeds the Celtic well, the vault of the building is 37 meters above the floor.
Certainly there was a will to create a soundboard between the sacred water and the stone building that has supplanted the ancient dolmen, now part of the bearing structure. Calculating the distances that separate the plans of the pillars we find a geometric spectre very similar to the musical scale: Charters is an enormous musical instrument capable of transforming into sounds the vibrations of the telluric currents, here venerated by the Celts. In the builders' intention the cathedral is a temple of the spirit. Where the human soul can easily get in touch with the divine, thus understanding its word that all sound boards make sacred and emphasize.
VIBRATIONS AND SACRED PLACES Vibration is the return movement of a particle: everything vibrates in nature and is manifested through vibration. According to the wave length you can see colours or listen to the different tones of music. The waves can be seen through a oscillometer or a monitor: the unit of measurement is Hertz: the Earth has a characteristic vibration of 47 hertz and another one called resonance of 7,83. Our brain emits different vibrations according to our activities: when awake the vibration is 13,3 Hz (called Beta); during deep sleep it is 0,1 to 3 Hz (called Delta). However it can reach 500 Hz in people who practise Yoga and deep meditation, the higher vibration produces higher sensitivity.
The stone is an accumulator of telluric and cosmic vibrations in its place. It can also amplify its accumulated vibrations in resonance. For this reason it is extremely important to choose the right place for a temple. In fact the stone, thus charged with the vibrations of that place, then stimulated by the activator (the man initiated for this task= the priest) it amplifies all the vibrations, leading those present to raise to a very high level of energy. Architecture can emphasize the efficiency of this phenomenon with its choice of shapes and materials, as the Gothic cathedrals clearly demonstrate. Knocking on some columns supporting the vault they will sound like the chord in a piano, if at the same time a Gregorian chant is sung, everything will enter into resonance, so much so that the objects will vibrate. Architect Gigi Capriolo Translation Antonella Vicini Here are some books if you want to know more about this subject: Gotico segreto. Sapienza occulta nella Cattedrale di Chartres, di Sonja Klug, edito da Arkeios I luoghi di forza, di Paola Giovetti, edito da Edizioni Mediterranee I luoghi magici dell’energia, di Gigi Capriolo, edito da Xenia Il mistero delle cattedrali, di Fulcanelli, edito da Edizioni Mediterranee Il simbolismo nelle cattedrali medievali, di Gout Marinus, edito da Arkeios La casa moderna e la salute dell’uomo, di Gigi Capriolo, edito da Xenia Medici di pietra. Il potere di guarigione dei luoghi sacri, di Paolo Molesti, edito da Elvetica
MUSICA UNIVERSALIS Ciro Perrino
A CA’ DU TASCIU I have accepted gladly to write for THE BADGER for many reasons, but the first one I is a very personal one: the Badger, in fact, is closely connected to my family and its roots on my mother's side. Her family was nicknamed I Tassi (The Badgers), possibly for the location where many of these animals thrive with their carachteristic call, their ferocious love and protection of their families, they are feisty against their enemies. For me Badger represents the medicine of the good fighting spirit, never giving up: I identify with this attitude. Getting in touch with the Badger has been for me a return home to my family.
MUSIC ALREADY EXISTS I would like to share with you my musical world, the philosophy it comes from, the feelings that accompany any creation. I believe that music is here already. In this universe, this "perfect chaos", all Music has already been composed, but not in a form we can recognize, it exists as Pure Energy. It is waiting for its transference into substance, so that anybody will be able to access and enjoy it.
The task of the composer requires him/her to keep open the channel through which Pure Energy pours into our world, still formless and without any characteristic that makes it audible. When inspiration comes, it chooses ever different modes, it doesn't allow for distractions. This delicate approach will allow the composer to clarify gradually the contours of the piece, the colors, the different shades needed. I believe that this slow yet exciting process will lead to the best result, even if there is always room for improvement.
Sitting ritually every day at the piano, the composer keeps high his/her attention, in order to receive the suggestions coming from the deep space of his/her own being as well as from the world around.
Is the composer ready to receive the gifts from the Source? The approach needs to be almost shy, respectful, yet curious and spiritual, open to knowing what this connection will bring forth.
The emotions flow through the composer with their heat and cool at the same time. The Magic is happening: the great Creative Divine Force has now found a space in the world, filtering through his/her sensitivity and heart the Music will find its unique expression in this world. The composer is now happy, aware of the great privilege as well as of his/her function as channel, now he/she can share this wonder with everybody.
This is my process, I believe we are all channels in every art, in every aspects of our lives, we only need to listen intently.
I want to share with you this short taste of the piano composition entitled Sitting quietly, doing Nothing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=24&v=KuxjUkom50c Thank you for listening Ciro Perrino Translated by Antonella Vicini
DEEP WITHIN by
Jose Maffina
Creative Visualization TRANSFORMATION Contrary to common belief, starting on a spiritual quest does not require us to leave everything behind, a complete reset. There is in fact a cosmic law that affirms: Nothing is created, nothing is destroyed, everything is transformed. Like expert alchemists we only need to transmute our lead into gold. Another example shows us that we are all caterpillars waiting to be transformed into a beautiful butterfly. To continue this metaphor, the mutation of the caterpillar goes on undisturbed, while spiritual transmutation is measured daily by the events in our life So we may fall prey to the trap, we want our transformation to happen from outside. Like new Cinderellas we wait for the god fairy to change us into a princess (or a prince) with her magic wand.
However, spiritual transformation can only happen from within. Perhaps we are concerned about the uncertainty of the results, more than the labour needed in the process. Using a different metaphor, we can look at our cooking: when we decide to bake a cake we know this is a long and laborious process, we need to put together different elements, we need to work with them, eventually we will enjoy the result, since the cake will be our reward. Neurosciences and all the current research open new horizons on the positive, tangible and consistent results of meditation on our lives. Recently Sara Lazar, a researcher, used magnetic resonance on a group of people, she noticed that 8 weeks of daily meditation transform some area of the brain widening it in such a way to increase memory, empathy, compassion and lowering the stress level. Therefore transformation is possible and can be proved, because it also happens on a physical level.
There are many ways to meditate, I always advise people to use guided meditation, since I know that creative visualization has also transformative value. If in the initial experiment the images cannot be changed, in guided meditation with transformative power the images can be given more energy, thus changing them. We can bring light where we keep seeing darkness, we can add brilliance to the colours, we can complete the action we had not been able to do the first time.
Brain chemistry has been measured with an encephalogram, the chemistry remains the same both for an event really happened and one that has only been visualized. This shows that our brains don't make distinctions between false or true experiences, in the transformative stage all the experiences lived in a visualization are perceived both by our bodies and our spirits. We are what we eat: both food and thoughts. Anything entering us becomes a cell through a process of assimilation called metabolism.
There are two distinct processes: one is catabolism when the complex molecules are reduced to simple ones, this is the destructive phase. During anabolism instead, the simple molecules join together in complex molecules the creative phase. The process of transformation has made a cell of everything we have withheld so far.
When we start the process of inner transformation we are already on the way of spiritual healing. We have fed ourselves with images that have transformed us at every level, so that we can perceive our inner light, and we can surrender to its guidance without fear. Jose Maffina Translation by Antonella Vicini
WARRIOR GODDESS The “Third Way” by
Gabriella Campioni By introducing the concept of WARRIOR GODDESS, the protagonist of my latest book, I want to describe an example of new femininity, far away from the mythological Amazons, who cut off one of their breasts in order to better thrust their arrows and accepted men in their communities once a year just to become pregnant, nor do I refer to certain cruel ancient goddesses that required human sacrifices, and so on. My intent has always been to find a powerful figure capable of coupling the Female and the Male energy; too often both these symbols - the Goddess and the Warrior - are considered as one-sided. The Goddess is seen as “the Mother”. Since, long before being called “Goddess”, she represented the very Principle of life in many ancient civilizations. Commonly, such civilizations are defined matriarchal simply because they were not patriarchal. Marija Gimbutas, the wonderful archaeologist who first studied them, coined the term “gilanic” coupling the Greek roots gy (female) and an (male). This means that in those civilizations men and women enjoyed equal rights, responsibilities and dignity. They did not have a “ruling” hierarchy, but an administrative system where both genders could participate as peers, although women had a privileged role: priesthood. Even more importantly, they enjoyed more than 1,000 years of uninterrupted peace and prosperity…
The Goddess “in herself” is much more than maternity, fertility, welcoming, the Earth. She is birth and death; light and darkness; stillness and becoming; perpetual transformation… Her most representative symbol is the Ouroboros: the snake biting its tail represents the never-ending cycle of life, where beginning and end coincide. The space in the middle is Chaos, which indicates the plane where everything is possible and nothing is impossible; where everything was, is and always will be, yet continuously changes . It is the womb of Nature, of Life itself… Absolute magic…
The ancient myste, the disciples of mystery schools, spent entire lifetimes trying to enter into the Goddess’s space, the “Black Light”. When they succeeded “Isis dropped her veils”: so that they suddenly knew all the secrets of Nature… but very few succeeded.
The Warrior’s most evident quality is aggressiveness, something that horrifies many. This word comes from the Latin verb ad-gredior, which means “moving steps towards”. There is nothing wrong in taking new steps, without this energy, a baby would never leave its mother’s womb and a tree would never reach the sky. My definition of Warrior Goddess represents the child born from those two divine energies (male and female in balance). Thus it is not a mythological creature, but a force living inside men and women. For centuries, we have mostly developed the Male energy, by now we should have experienced enough of its dark sides: war, greed, corruption, exploitation… The great transition we are facing calls for a change in mentality: a possible idea would be the re-awakening of the light Female energy, such as: appreciation of diversity, the inter connectedness of all things, the sacredness of Life, gratitude for one’s own talents. Couldn’t this be easier and more productive than fighting the dark sides or “flaws”? This new attitude requires strength, determination, will: the Warrior, exactly. In other words, it requires courage, which is the child born from “female” fear and “male” recklessness through Love. (As described in Gabriella's previous article on heroes, see THE BADGER Year 1 Volume, Editor's note)
The Warrior Goddess is the force that lifts us when we fall, it drives us to rebuild our life after a disaster. Never giving up when we feel unfairly beaten, this Goddess helps us to find win-win solutions, since she loves us all. Her light shines through the eyes and the pores of those who fought or still fight in such a way, while keeping a smile on their faces: can you see it in the pictures I am presenting? Read their stories…
They are just famous examples, of course, but what about us unknown people? The Warrior Goddess smiles over us when we stand “for” instead of “against”; when we stop complaining and keep going; when we build upon our mistakes rather than blaming others or ourselves…
This attitude is called resilience: we remain growth-oriented under any circumstances, thus adapting to changed conditions, however difficult they might be. Why do I call her the third way? When we face a dilemma, we tend to choose one option “or” the other; at best, we may want a way “in between”, with the result of experiencing neither option. The Goddess drives us to find solutions that include both options, this is a new, unprecedented, creative, therefore more advanced, evolutive way to answer. I would like to close this article with one simple suggestion for an exercise or an attitude directly inspired by the Warrior Goddess: Every time we need to go towards (ie male, aggressiveness) what is different, the future, any experience let's do it with wide open arms (ie female, welcoming) and a smile. Remember that in her womb nothing is impossible! Gabriella Campioni Edited by Antonella Vicini
The Warrior Goddess , Riassunto Italiano La Dea Guerriera, alla quale si ispira il “Manuale” di Gabriella Campioni, non è una figura mitologica, bensì la metafora di una forza che risiede ugualmente nelle donne e negli uomini essendo la “figlia” che nasce dall’unione di delle due polarità dell’Energia-Vita, Femminile e Maschile, accoglienza e azione. È la “terza via” nel senso che, trovandoci di fronte a un dilemma, ci aiuta a trovare soluzioni inedite, creative, capaci di unificare, per così dire, i due corni del dilemma stesso e nelle quali non ci siano vincitori né vinti, bensì un vantaggio per tutti. L’idea prende spunto dall’osservazione delle antiche civiltà che per prima studiò l’archeologa Marija Gimbutas, dove si vissero oltre mille anni ininterrotti di pace e benessere, evidentemente grazie a una mentalità che si manifestava nell’uguaglianza di dignità fra uomini e donne, fra lavoro e apprezzamento della vita in tutti i suoi aspetti. Dopo secoli di predominio dell’energia (e della mentalità) “maschili”, oggi ne stiamo vivendo gli aspetti più involutivi e oscuri. La proposta è quindi di ritrovare gli aspetti più luminosi di quell’antica mentalità per coniugarla all’attuale e, inizialmente, sviluppare la resilienza, ossia la capacità di continuare a vivere adattandosi ai cambiamenti della transizione epocale in atto, per quanto difficili possano essere.
UNDER THE SKIN Dermoriflessologia速
Show me your rings and I'll tell you who you are Samantha Fumagalli and Flavio Gandini Magic symbol, ornament, sign of nobility, love gift, but also a game or a provocation: the ring has many meanings. Its shape recalls perfection and protection. The circle was used to fortify the cities and to protect temples. In magical practices a circle is traced around the person in order to protect her/him from enemies. Since ancient times, the ring has had the power of an amulet or talisman and has never lost its charm and power. The ring we choose to wear is never by chance, whether we are aware of it or not, when we wear rings we highlight the finger/s with them, we reinforce their meaning and give information on our character, our desires and our state of being. If you wear a ring always on the same finger, you show clear ideas, yet little flexibility to new things. If you allow yourself to be inspired by the moment and change finger according to the moment, you are good at changing according to situation, but you may not be so clear about your goals. Whatever the case, the rite of wearing a ring is a preparation for the new day,with the intention of showing the best qualities, ready to face the world and to start a conversation with others also based on silent messages.
Left or right hand? The hand we choose talks about us. The left receives, it represents our inner dimension, our emotions, sensitivity, our unconscious. The right relates us to the world outside, it is our will, our realization, communication and conscious. If we prefer one hand over another in wearing rings, we already show important information. The choice of the left hand shows a tendency to live the intimate aspects of life, our dreams and imagination. In fact, with this hand we express our desires and aspirations. If the right one is without any ornament, it could hint at something we would like to achieve, but we don't have the courage or we don't think we deserve it. If this is the case, it is good to be daring: wear a beautiful ring also on the right hand and launch yourself to the conquest of your dreams! Rings on the right hand? This shows a more practical side, concrete and constructive in life. The absence of rings on the left hand could show a more external oriented side, not so open to the inner dimensions. If this is the case, try wearing a ring on different fingers of the left hand, until you find the finger you feel more at ease with. Rings on both hands show a good balance between internal and external, between dream and reality, self esteem and confidence with others.
The fingers Each finger has a special meaning: when we protect it or highlight it with a ring we perform a magic act that talks about us and our relationship with the world.
Index finger It is associated with Jupiter. On this finger there is the Memory line, so it is connected to our personal history, as well as who we are now because of it. It is our potential, especially in relation to society. If we wear a ring on this finger in a natural way, we love to be protagonist. We are optimist, ambitious, trusting in our skills and confident in fortune's help. Boldness and enterprise are your main characteristics that will help you to reach success. You have charisma and you like to use your authority by guiding and advising others. The index finger is used to indicate a direction, this is exactly what you can, or want to do. Your undisputed qualities attract people around you who listen and follow your opinions with trust. Sometimes you may be a little selfish or authoritarian, you don't listen to other people's opinions, but your extroverted and sociable character will make you acceptable and pleasant to others. For people who may be shy, insecure and for those who tend to be dominated by others, a ring on the right index fingers will help with assertiveness. The middle finger It is connected to Saturn, god of logic, strictness and destiny. On this finger is the line of Mental Association, connected to introversion, to the ability of observing ourselves and referring to our value system, instead of that imposed by society. Its task is to keep balance between interior and exterior, between reason and feelings, this task requires detachment, concentration, objectivity and introspection. If you instinctively wear rings on the middle finger, you are a serious and controlled person, you evaluate everything calmly, observing the details, avoiding hurried conclusions. You have good attitude in practical matters, you are appreciated for your qualities and also because you rarely ask for help, since you try to solve your problems by yourself. Sometimes people may feel awe towards you, because your respectful discretion can be exchanged for superiority.
Saturn strict balance it is not always easy to bear and handle, so often times the middle finger ring is accompanied by another one. Middle and index together indicate a choice for success and prestige. This choice is based on the serious, thoughtful and organized logic of the middle finger, in order to improve and increase the social and professional realization of the index finger. Less importance is given to feelings, but Jupiter's splendour benefits from Saturn's solidity.
Middle and ring fingers dilute the seriousness of Saturn with a more open attitude of letting go, but the control over the emotions will remain present. If you are going through a time when people bother you, wear a ring on your middle finger: it will help you to keep balance and to widen your vital space. Ring finger It is associated with Apollo, the sun god. It is the ring of feelings and happiness. On it there is the Line of Pleasure, connected to the enjoyment of life. It has been used since antiquity to host the engagement and wedding rings. It indicates joie de vivre and the pleasures of life. Do you always wear a ring on this finger? You are a dreamer, an idealist who love to dream with open eyes. You prefer situations where harmony and tranquillity prevail, rather than challenges. You may look lazy from the outside, but this is only part of the story: your attitude comes from an extended vision of life, you can give the right importance to ambitions and the small daily battles, without allowing them to become your only reason for life. There is a tendency, though, towards easy and beautiful things conquered without struggle, that might make you vulnerable in front of difficulties and in need of material certainty. Moreover, the ring on this finger is an implicit message of love, it shows a sensitive soul who wants to give and receive affection, therefore there will be no lack of help from outside in order to overcome the most difficult trials. If you wear also a ring on the index finger, then you show a double tendency: both the desire to be protagonist and the desire to lead your life, as well as the pleasure of letting go in the relaxing arms of love. Perhaps you may look a bit divided, but usually you can aptly navigate, alternating between the two different personalities according to moments and circumstances.
If you are alone against your will, a nice ring on the right ring finger is a clear sign of availability; be sure to avoid wearing it on the left hand, since that is a sign that the heart is already taken.
The Little Finger It is connected to Mercury, it represents the interactions with others, communication, intelligence, intuition. The Line of Emotions goes through it, connecting it to the entire range of feelings we can have, thus highlighting our emotions.
If you like to wear a ring on the little finger, you need to know that this is the most eccentric and independent one, it works the least and often it separates from the other fingers in his whimsical diversity. Its attitude is veined with unscrupulousness and subjective morality. Highlighting this finger is typical in vivacious, brilliant people who are good with words and subtle charmers. These endearing qualities help them in pursuing many interests, such as business, money, desire for knowledge, sex, all of these interests are usually connected to the relationship with other people. Your resourcefulness, the convincing elocution, your ability to mediate and organize make you an essential asset in many circumstances. You are gratified by other people's appreciation, but not so much for the power you may draw from it, but for the pleasure you feel in creating contacts, exchanges, movement. Money matters to you as a mean to play your game, not as end in itself. You are generous and not formal on how you find your entertainment. You have a free and curious character, you have good intuition.
Do you wear rings on other fingers as well? Middle and small finger show a contrast in moral nature, an inner conflict between unscrupulousness and strictness, but they denote a good intelligence. Ring finger and small finger show how the dynamic and vivacious mercurial aspects are enveloped by romanticism. Rings on little finger and index can create some problems since they show excessive desire for centre stage, this attitude can end up in selfishness and opportunism. For calm and introverted people, wearing a ring on their small finger can stimulate the art of communication as well as give them that pinch of effervescence that will make them noticeable. The Thumb is the most important of all fingers, for it is opposable, thus giving an exceptional manual dexterity. For this reason it represents the entire personality. It is under the influx of Venus, even if it is not connected directly to this goddess. It is crossed by the Line of Love, our capacity to love, accept and welcome ourselves and others as well as our entire existence. Wearing a ring on this finger is an almost provocative way of showing self confidence. It is like affirming "I can overcome any obstacle".
Do you wear rings on all your fingers? This is a way to satisfy your need to show off the things you like, without distinction, but your hand doesn't offer any message in this way. Wearing ornaments on each finger is like not wearing any. Perhaps this choice shows the difficulty in defining your priorities among the objects you love. If we can offer a suggestion: try wearing rings on their "perfect" finger, following the intuition or inspiration in the moment.
No rings at all? There are two possible interpretations here: either you still feel insecure about your identity, undecided about what to do, thus open to all experiences; or you prefer not to show yourself, masking your desires and weaknesses, you observe others and are free to behave according to circumstances in order to choose what suits you best. Samantha Fumagalli and Flavio Gandini Translated by Antonella Vicini
NAMASTE CHAKRAS Giosie Colagrossi Namaste: it has been for me a great privilege to study, practice and learn from different teachers who have supported me in teaching the different techniques that are part of Yoga. Yoga is a path that facilitates our inner development by giving a discipline to our bodies, Yoga is physical harmony orientated by constant practice. Our bodies are primitive, they are much slower than our mind, they need a continuous, soft, natural rhythm in order to evolve and develop in alignement with our all our parts. Our awareness awakens by purifying our perception of ourselves and the world. We have different levels of awareness, filtered through the Cakras: these are energy centres located throughout our bodies, from the densest to the subtlest. The 7 main cakras are: Sahasrara "thousand-petaled" or crown chakra Ajna "command" or third-eye chakra Vishuddha "especially pure" or Vishuddhi, or throat chakra Anahata "unstruck" or heart chakra Manipura "jewel city" or solar plexus/navel chakra Svadhishthana "one's own base" or sacral chakra Muladhara "root support" or root chakra We also have other cakras, like the one called Soul Star well above our head, or the Earth cakra well below our feet. There are also many minor cakras in different parts of our bodies. Our energy centres can be re-aligned via a continuous effortless practice: conscious breathing.
Brief description of the main cakras Muladhara Chakra it is the root cakra at the base of the spine, it is a square with a four petal lotus, it is the abode of the Kundalini (the vital energy = Shakti). Its element is the earth, it is connected with the astrological signs of Aries, Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn. Its colour is red as well as black, it is connected to survival, to sustenance and sexuality, to our feeling at ease in our bodies. This cakra controls the sacred staff: the spine, the adrenal glands, intestines, nails, hair. It resonates with the early morning and twilight, with the vowel U, with the syllable Lam and with percussions. It is full of vitality and strength, but if the energy in this cakra is not harmonized and directed towards the higher cakras it can block us at the lowest level of awareness.
Svadhisthana Chakra it is the sacral cakra below the navel, it is a circle surrounded by a six petal lotus. Water is its element, it is connected with Libra, Cancer, Scorpio. Its colours are the different shades of orange, it is connected to sensuality, joy, pleasure in feeling and perceiving, but this attitude can bring suffering if it is not elevated. This cakra controls the liquids in our bodies, our digestion, urinary function, sexual organs. It makes us sensitive to pure water and moon light, it resonates with the vowel O of surprise and nostalgia of physical love, connected also to the syllable Vam. When it is out of harmony it can lead us to closing down due to fear.
Manipura Chakra it is the the jewel cakra between the solar plexus and the navel, close to the stomach, this is the centre of gravity in the body. It is represented as a triangle in a circle surrounded by a ten petal lotus. It is connected with Leo, Sagittarius, Virgo. Its element is fire, its colour is yellow. Here we perceive our presence, our value, it helps us to relate with the outer world and our feelings. Here we can hear the call of a deep serenity. This cakra improves our digestive system and our pancreas. It is connected with the sun and the heat, it resonates with the open O vowel, to the syllable Ram, to the flute. When it is in dis-harmony it makes us want power, it enslaves love to earthly desires.
Anahatha Chakra right next to the heart, it is a circle with 12 petals holding two opposing triangles, it is connected to the Lybra and Leo, its colors are pink and green, as well as the golden light that penetrates in the blood, thus circulating everywhere. After its awakening it allows us to welcome and comprehend all human beings, we can then aspire to a shared union and compassion. It works on the thyme, on the heart and blood circulation, air is its element, as well as the sky, nature, the vowel A that hints at the opening and sharing of love for life. Its syllable is Yam.
Vishuddha is in the centre of the neck, where the vocal chords are, it is a circle with 16 petals holding a triangle with its point down. Ether is its element, its connected signs are Gemini, Taurus, Acquarius. Its color contains much blue, in all its shades, from aquamarine that heals the throat, to electric blue that looks up, it helps us think in an organized and harmonious way. It modulates the voice and the ability to communicate as well as understand by listening to even the sounds suspended in the ether with a different kind of hearing. It guides creativity in every artistic form, it controls the thyroid, the throat and the airways. It is connectd to the vowel E and the syllable Ham, in nature it is like the sky reflected in the flowing waters. This cakra represents the passage from human consciousness to other realities. It requires care and continuous attention, if it is not in harmony it can turn into desire for power and control.
Ajna Chakra it is between our brows, it is divided in 96 rays, but it looks like a circle with 2 petals, one is pink with gold, while the other one is lilac, almost purple. It contains elements in their pure form, thus it stimulates all the endocryne glands. It is connected to Pisces, Acquarius and Sagittarius, to the night, the vowel I and the sound of OM, which is present in the centre of the triangle. The development of this cakra dissolves any doubt, reinforces intuition and the perception of places and situations from our past or future. It supports the witness in us to consciously observe without judgement. It gives us peace, light and serenity.
Sahasrara Chakra The thousand-petaled lotus, with its 960 rays, shines of silver light in the centre of a golden heart. It is connected to Capricorn and Pisces, to the sound M and the sound of silence, as well as the crystal bells, to the heights of heaven and the union with everything. Nothing can be added because Everything is. Giosie Colagrossi Translated by Antonella Vicini
AUTHORS
Antonella Vicini 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. A teacher at heart, be it in school or workshops, I am happy when I can share new visions and face new challenges. I am a professional rebirther and trainer (1987), Reiki master since 1991, stress management and leadership trainer, writer and visionary. I am deeply grateful to all my teachers and elders. I am a Badger!
AJ Michael young and vibrant AJ is an artist in life, his interests go from the classical antiquities to the most contemporary scenes in L.A. Where he lives at the moment. He is mostly a musician.
Andrea Exo
Composer, pianist, Italian teacher. Andrea "EXO" Garella began studying piano ay 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 educationa 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 some of his musical pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FmaMRyjF6o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipkSwwfrgxo
Carlo Popolizio My first spiritual pillar was Paramahansa Yogananda, I offer the Master my devotion and I receive from him wisdom in daily practice. I rediscovered life in community with the teachings from Joseph Rael – Beautiful Painted Arrow, with him many mystical doors opened up. The practice of drumming and chanting, the sweat lodge, the dances are gifts of ourselves that keep growing at quantum level. My third spiritual pillar is Reiki, my company and teacher: the more I give the more I understand, since the reservoire is infinite. I am grateful to all my friends, the blessing in my life.
Claudia Enrico
www.joyfullrecipes.com
Claudia Enrico is a Reiki Master, Usui Shiki Ryoho, since 1995. She practices and teaches Reiki classes. She has been Managing Director of the Reiki Magazine Italia™. She wrote a recipe book “Le ricette per la gioia” (Verdechiaro Edizioni) and she has participated in conferences and meetings sharing her experience and message of health and well-being. She is now an Energetic Nutrition Consultant. She lives and creates in Sanremo-Italy and she’s a free Spirit.
Ciro Perrino
http://ciroperrino.com/
Ciro Perrino is an original artist who has managed to create a unique visionary musical style that leads the listener to begin a process of inner search of himself. His musical experience began in 1969 as a drummer. Having then become a composer, he developed his musical career as a solo journey of inner exploration experimenting with electronic music, classical and Baroque music, directing orchestras, to arrive at the piano, the instrument that he still prefers . Acclaimed and recognized as a talent in this genre, he is dedicated to spreading and sharing his music as bearer of a message of well-being and inner peace through albums, concerts, interviews and events.
Daniele Sampalmieri born in Ancona, Italy. After technical studies, he spent several years studying Yoga, Integrative Rebirthing, Meditation, Shamanism, Ayurveda, Nutrition and Cooking. He has lived in many countries because of his work in the food and beverage field. His home is in Kenya, he has been exposed to many cultures and even had the chance of living with some tribes. In the last 2 years he has devoted his attention to the Alkaline nutrition and Vegan cooking.
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 world.
GabriellaCampioni
www.deaguerriera.it
Gabriella Campioni is a counselor with 30 years experience in symbology, mythology, psychosomatic approaches and healing techniques. Her favorite fields are the study of the ancient civilization of the Goddess and the functioning of our minds. She gives classes and public lectures, she is also a volunteer at Humaniter, Adult University Foundation in Milan. She translates and writes articles and books, her latest one is La Dea Guerriera (The Warrior Goddess), a symbol of the union of male and female energies, a much needed synthesis of tradition and innovation.
Gigi Capriolo
http://www.istitutocosmos.it/
is an architect with 40 years experience in the field of human and nature well being. All living beings call for his attention. His main fields of exploration are water with its vibrations and environment: from our homes to the universe. He is the president of the Institute Cosmos.
Giosie Colagrossi after some years in England and Germany, she discovered India, where she lived and worked for 6 years. In 1988 she became a Yoga teacher in India with the Master Svamiji Ravi Shankar, there she taught in various schools and universities such as Sholapur - Bangalore – Gulbarga – Trivandrum – Simla –New Dehli -Calcutta – Puna. Upon her return in Italy, she continued her studies with a degree in naturopathy and iridology (2003 Rudy Lanza Free University). She currently lives and works in the province of Viterbo, so rich in natural and artistic beauty.
Jose Maffina was born in Milan on July 1st 1948, she is naturopath and rebirther, with a Master in Psychosomatic and Flower therapy. She is experienced in channelling. Jose holds a column in Italian in the magazine Esthetitaly, as well as a daily program on the web radio www.newliferadio.it She leads meditation groups using creative visualization, she is also member of the Research Institute Cosmos in Milan. Jose has written books and CD about her work.
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.
Luis M Vasconcelos I was born for Life in 1952, and in 1974 I was born for Photography, when my country, Portugal, was born for Democracy. I began my career as a professional photographer and photojournalist, in April 25, 1974, when our democratic revolution took place after 40 years of a dark fascist regim. Freedom was born for us, and my photographic dream was born for me. Since then I have been working as a professional photographer and photojournalist. In 2004, I also followed the call for a deepest journey into my personal discovery and growth, learning meditation and Reiki. I got the degree of Reiki Master in 2006, in the traditional Reiki Usui System. I have the previlege to OWN my Time, and dedicate it to the ones I love, and to what I always loved to do: Photography and traveling. I am in love with Life !
Paolo Benda
www.laradionica.it
www.paolobenda.it
Born in Perugia in 1953, he has experiences in electronics, home automation, informatics, he is webmaster, web designer, researcher, writer and publicist. He is an independent researcher with specific interests and specialization in radionics, biology, biotechnology. He is the inventor and builder of machinery for radionics applied to non conventional medicine.
Raffaella Vicini Born a double Scorpio, she has a degree in Law and has been working as lawyer for about 20 years. Her rational side has lead her to the law, while the deep, profound and mysterious side of her soul has guided her towards a path of personal growth (Rebirthing, Reiki, Yoga and other techniques). She loves to travel and learn about different cultures, she has met people of all colours, creeds, languages, learning and sharing their experiences. She is currently a member of the directing committee of Abeo Liguria Onlus (an association for the support and assistance to families and children affected by leukemia and tumors). She has been a very active volunteer for the past 6 years, sharing her time with children, playing and leading them with their families (often coming from far away countries) on short day trips around her region. In this way she has managed to combine her innate rational and spiritual parts.
Renato Tittarelli
www.risoessenza.it www.renatotittarelli.it
is a spiritual seeker and holistic practitioner. He has been teaching and sharing about non conventional medicines for the last 30 years: integral yoga, shiatsu, meditation, spiritual healing, numerology, alchemy, naturopathy, aromatherapy and massage. From 2000 has started to divulge more of his work in Italy and abroad working on the scientific as well as alchemical and hermetical aspects. He is the founder of SOAM (School of Holistic Aromatherapy and Massage), Didactic director or the Professional School of Aromatherapy in Livorno.
Samantha Fumagalli and Flavio Gandini
http://www.vega2000.it/
have been researching for over 20 years in the field of psyco-alchemy. They are the creators of DermoReflexology and DermoAlchemy. In 2000 they founded the Association Vega for the study and publication of the new discoveries. Their professional course in DermoReflexology has been acknowledged by ASI/CON since 2012 as part of the natural and holistic arts.
Patrick Zuidema
http://tricksweb.nl/
lives and works in Holland with his wife and young son. He is the creative force behind the changes in the lay out, his advice is invaluable! He also creates websites.
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THANK YOU Thank you for reading our magazine, our tribe of committed badgers is growing steadily. I want to thank the new and old authors who have added their voices and experiences together with mine, so that we can be better heard and received. We will have our new issue in September 2015, with new articles and new voices always looking for the keys. If you want to keep in touch with THE BADGER, please send your questions, comments and creative contributions to badgermedicinespirit@gmail.com we also have a Facebook page, please join us there: https://www.facebook.com/THEBADGERQuarterlyMagazine? ref=hl
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