THE BADGER March 2018

THE BADGER The Badger is a fierce animal, very much respected and honored both in Northern American Native traditions and in European Celtic ones.

A badger will not let go and will continue tenaciously to look for another way to tackle his/her goal, just like a good healer will not let go his/her search until the best solution is found for the person in need. Badgers have their homes underground, so that they can go to the roots of things, the good healer does the same and keeps looking until she/he can find the most profound reason for a dis-ease or a psychological issue.

We use the term healer in the very broad sense of somebody who takes care of a another person, be it a MD, a nurse, a psychotherapist, a physiotherapist, a masseuse, a spiritual healer.

Whenever there is a person in need and somebody who takes care of her/him, that is a healer.

Sometimes the need is subtler and more profound than a simple medical intervention, the human touch is needed and it really is the Panacea that cures all diseases.

We believe all artistic expressions in their beauty, science for everyday life, spirituality, philosophy, food and the healing arts are beneficial to restoring that balance, health and sense of worth that each and every human being deserves.

We offer you THE BADGER, the persistent healer, all the articles come from experts in different fields, each person has his/her own idea of what a balanced life is, they are here to pass on information, give inspiration, receive your comments, suggestions, contributions.

Each human being holds in his/her hands at least one of the keys, let's continue our quest!

THE BADGER

Year 4 Volume 2

March 2018 Dear Readers, for some of us winter has been long and apparently never ending, with its long fingers all the way to the beginning of spring. Yet change is about to happen soon, when the ice will melt and life will be renewed.

Wherever you live on our beloved Mother Earth, the Spring Equinox tilts the time towards longer or shorter days, a time for transformation is ahead.

This is our wish for the season of new birth and change under the stronger and warmer sun. Whatever the season there is always much to celebrate as long as we allow life to keep surprising us.

Happy new trails!

Antonella Vicini Director THE BADGER Quarterly LTD Cover photo and graphic lay out Antonella Vicini

You can find all past volumes, videos and our blog in our website: http://www.thebadgerquartelyltd.com/ and links on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/THEBADGERQuarterlyMagazine/

CONTENTS Suspended Time Into the Matter Spirituality and Actuality Poetry Readers'corner Voices from the Stars

Antonella Vicini Andrea Exo Fredric Lehrman William Shakespeare Igor Strawinski Laura Bottagisio

Magic!

Adrian Rooke

Becoming Medicine

David Kopacz

CONTENTS Quilting Away

Lida Perry

Aromatherapy

Renato Tittarelli

Apothecary

Jo Dunbar

Food is our Ally

Jo Dunbar

Travelling Photo – Graphy The Nature of Druidry DharmaKshetra

Raffaella Vicini Marco Iorio Philip Carr Gomm Antonella Vicini

CONTENTS Dermoreflexology

S. Fumagalli e F. Gandini

Story Telling

Bianca Veronica

Entertaining Interlude

Cesira Borromei

Witnessing The Authors

Benedetto Minuto short bios and photos

Thanks

and links to previous volumes

Adverts

products and services we believe in

Keep in touch with us on our website

http://www.thebadgerquartelyltd.com/ and our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/THEBADGERQuarterlyMagazine/

SUSPENDED TIME Antonella Vicini There are moments in life when time is, or seems to be suspended.

Nothing is happening on the surface of things. This reminds me of the visible quiet of winter time, when life above the soil quietens down, while beneath our soles, activity never ends and keep moving on frenetically in order to prepare a new spring.

While my time is "suspended" in this way, litterally in between commitments, both personal and professional, is life going on as usual around me, but without my participation?

Am I going to be able to join the stream or not? Do I want to be part of it?

Or, now that I have manged to extricate myself from it, would I rather be living happily everafter swimming in my private and quiet pool?

What happens exactly when time is suspended?

What are the benefits of looking, listening, feeling the world, yet not taking actions or making decisions?

At first I may feel a little isolated, shut down in my observer's bubble, but after a while, I begin to see, feel, gather the benefits of this temporary yet precious position.

When my time seems to be suspended, I can observe my ideas, plans, the events around me with more depth and insight because I am detached.

I can discover connections I had never noticed before, I can discern between what is mine and what is not in the representation of the world.

The Ancient Yogis used to work with breath in a similar way, since they examined “the natural action of breathing” and classified all its different phases (when it is performed consciously) including the most important one: the suspension of breath.

In that space/time where there is no breath/no life/no exchange with the outer world, the inner one lights up and shows us the immensity of infinity within and without.

In that instant, however long or short it might be, there are all the answers, all the questions, all the possibilities of finding meaning in life.

I have never been very patient with static meditation, but I have been blessed by the encounter with many different forms of breathing, walking meditation and dancing contemplation that can erase most of reality, thus allowing me a narrow passage into this land of no time/no space/no beginning/no ending.

In that silence it is easier to see and understand where I am going right, where I can change and find a better course of action for my life, where to admit I made a mistake, or I hit the mark in success.

In this suspension we move the first steps towards discovery.

My Teacher, Joseph Rael, has often said: “We do not exist, we are like lights flickering on and off” The truth of life, the deeper reality, the fabric of the universe is revealed when we travel in between those flickering lights, in the time of suspended breath/life/light.

This state is always available to us, as long as we prepare for it and want it.

It was not by chance that, according to the VARNASRMADHARMA* people arrived at this stage of contemplation when all their daily chores were taken care of, so that they could devote themselves only to inner discoveries.

Yes, it is true. The risk of not rejoining the stream is there, the temptation of remaining in one's tranquil and relaxed pool is present, but what an amazing contribution to humanity, to our loved ones, to our families and to our lives can we bring when we dive back into life with its fast pace bringing with us the discoveries of our precious suspended time!

The new season invites us to action, but before plunging headlong into it we can retreat for a short while into suspended time, so that our talents can shine even brighter, our voices can be heard more clearly, our insights can hit the target more consistently because we have allowed ourselves the gifts of suspension.

Spring is here, we can make it a habit of spending a few quiet moments in our silent mode, then jump back in with renewed enthusiasm.

By doing this regularly we develop our inner observer, thus learning to be more balanced, more compassionate, more conscious and, overall, much happier!

Buona Primavera!

Antonella Vicini

(Articles and photos)

Photos shot on location in Kyoto, Japan. *The Law of the castes and stages of life, to each function (= caste) correspond different activities according to the time of life: from student to provider, to contemplation to the final stage of utter detachment from daily life.

INTO THE MATTER The Assemblage Point Andrea Exo Whoever has read one of Carlos Castaneda's books about Don Juan's teachings, has met this mysterious definition.

Shamans had the intuition, well before modern science, that our universe is made of energy fields. In his books these are described as The Eagles' Emanations, they are bright beams, filaments of energy infinitely propagating and they represent the entire creation.

Human beings, like all other living beings, are aggregates of this energy field, therefore all they can see, perceive and consequently understand about the universe is a consequence of their assemblage point and its position.

Shamans think that it is placed behind the back at a certain distance from the physical body, its dimension is like an egg. They also believe its capacity to see beyond is blocked during the first years of life.

The habits, traditions, the education we receive they all ( *using Castaneda's words) make the intent to move it a very difficult task to perform.

Such an operation is very similar to the freedom achieved by people through many esoteric and mystic paths.

Such a vision of creation is very compatible with Ain Sof Ur of Qabala, or the Chakras in the Hindu tradition.

Beyond the mystical and subtle aspects, is there something true and solid that would allow us to see the assemblage point instead of accepting it blindly?

Is there a physiological and cognitive correspondance to which we can associate Don Juan's teachings?

We are matter and the main difference between man and stone is the capacity to perceive. What does a new born perceive the first time he/she opens his/her eyers? Obviously it is light. The universe manifests itself through the senses, sight first of all. With touch we perceive contact with some things, while others seem impalpable like water or air.

We begin to understand there are different forces, energies that hold matter together. Some of them are stronger than others.

Another impalpable energy is sound, yet our ears can perceive its vibrations.

The assemblage point can be associated with all the perceiving functions of our body during our state of awareness, this is an immense stream of information, without it life would not be possible.

Experiments of sensory deprivation demonstrate that the mind dies without stimuli.

Can we, as the Nagual tells us, move the assemblage point in order to perceive other universes? Don Juan talks about the alteration of awareness using examples like frights, dreams, nightmares, emotions altered by medicines. Are we talking about the manipulation of psyche? Weren't the South American Native Tribes doing the same by using Ayahuasca?

In one of the tales by Castaneda, Don Juan gives Peyote to his apprentice according to the traditional ritual. Carlos, after moving his assemblage point, perceives his body flying like an eagle and in that state he follows the prey in the desert. In reality he didn't fly, but when he wakes up from the experience he holds the prey in his hands. The perception of himself has changed, but not his actions.

Don Juan, through the metaphor of the assemblage point, shows clearly how everything is an illusion of our senses, our reality is as it is because we perceive it in such a way. The image we have of ourselves is limited by the rigid positioning of the assemblage point, this is the lens of the senses linked to our psyche: the watershed between what is inside and what is outside.

In a world of color blind people, nobody would be color blind. In a world of deaf people, nobody would be deaf.

Only what we perceive exists for us.

The Nagual invites us to look beyond the shared reality, to listen to our demons, our fears, our prejudices. Only acting on our perceptions, instead of deniying them, we can admire the Eagle's splendor in all its beauty.

Isn't this the contemplation of Paradise (according to organized religions east and west), of the Highest , of ourselves made perfect?

Without listening to those who want to discourage us, without seeing what wounds us, without giving weight to what is unnecessary we can free ourselves. However, we must want it.

This is the intent mentioned by Castaneda; this is the great challenge: winning over the rigidity in the assemblage point due to the dominating comformism.

Is it easier to see with our own eyes or not? Is it easier to be like sheep or acquire critical thinking?

Castaneda wrote "The Art of Dreaming" in order for us to reach paradise by ourselves, in harmony with the universe and and in peace with ourselves.

Andrea Exo Edited, Translated and Note by Antonella Vicini

NOTE: According to sorcerers, there is a colossal force in the universe; a constant, perennial force which fluctuates but which doesn’t change. They call this force awareness or the dark sea of awareness. Sorcerers assert that all living beings are attached to this force. They call this point of union the assemblage point.

Sorcerers maintain that, due to the presence of the womb inside the body, women have the facility to displace the assemblage point to a new position.

We would like to emphasize that sorcerers believe that the assemblage point of every human being is located in the same place; three feet behind the shoulder blades. When sorcerers see human beings as energy, they perceive this point as a conglomerate of energy fields in the form of a luminous ball.

SPIRITUALITY AND ACTUALITY

Is That the Question?

Fredric Lehrman Is reality “real?” Is life but a dream? Can we ever know anything as it truly is? These are questions behind the mind of every philosopher. Words are the pivot around which we continue to spiral into the universe as it appears to us, in a pulsation between language and silence, waking and sleep, thinking and knowing.

As we sense and reflect, we alternate between perception and consideration, moving between what we have just learned… and what we are now learning… as we fly through time like an arrow.

Looking forward along the time arrow, this alternation in perception and thinking looks like a circle; however, if we look laterally across the path of time, we see a wave. Time is the traffic monitor of perception.

The Past <————— Now —————> The Future

Sighting along the axis of the Past to the Future, we see this:

Looking 90 degrees left or right, what we would see is a wave:

and then this:

And then this:

When the amplitude is equal to the cycle, these forms represent the same thing, whether perceived as a spiral or a wave. This symmetry of mind is the state of “enlightenment” in a physical body. When the mind is “present”there is no time.

Spirit-u-al-ity is the Act-u-al-ity of Spirit, or Breath.

It is the continual recharging of the physical body, breath by breath by breath, awake or asleep.

The first new thing we must learn when we arrive here is to breathe. That is the link between the body-self and the HIGHER SELF, our DEEPEST sense of who we really are.

It is the completion of the pre-verbal waking sleep of 9 months inside a dark sheltering womb, now to be released into that so-much-greater space outside our mother, taking on the personal vehicle of our time/space body to actualize that we came here to perform (“per-form” means “through a form”) our unique story on the stage of life, with the opportunity of discovering who we actually are and what we came here to do.

Spirituality is the acceptance of that second Mother, trusting the larger womb called the atmosphere, and the even larger womb beyond that, called the Universe.

If you decided at birth that you are in the wrong place, that this world is a hostile environment, then you probably have the belief that you are alone, separate, and must defend yourself from an invisible stranger who has set this whole thing up to punish you. The logical next choice is to find some shelter, pull the blankets over your head, and hope for the best.

Most of us have fallen into this trap and are confused in our understanding of it, so we unconsciously limit our breathing to a minimum, just enough to get by, and proceed timidly through our lives.

"Spirare" (Latin) means "to breathe." When we arrive here we must immediately learn this new untested skill called breathing, which starts with an inbreath, literally a translation of “in-spiration.” Breathing is the driver’s license to your physical body. It continues whether we are awake or asleep. Without that automatic reflex we would be gone before morning.

And whenever we do finally leave, that last breath is outwards… we “expire."

“Spirituality" is about accepting that whole scenario.

There are many spiritual paths, and all of them are connected to breathing.

If we remember to keep "in-spiring" ourselves, breathing in without resistance, without guilt, not with all the defenses we thought would protect us, but with trust in Life itself, and then releasing each old breath effortlessly to make room for something new and fresh, our lives will begin to flow easily with the rhythms of the earth, sky, sun, moon, and stars.

We will find that we have always been safe and at HOME...

Here On Mother Earth.

We are connected, not separate; not "alone," but "All One." We are here, now, in the YOUniverse, sharing our breaths with everyone and everything that has ever lived, and embodying our unique piece of Infinite Intelligence, a nameless one with many names.

One of those names is you.

y y o o Spirit-u-“all”-it’s-y is the Act-u-all-it’s-y of Spirit, or Breath. o o u u

To inhale with pleasure is to say “yes” to Life; To let the breath go freely is a way to say “thank you” to the Universe.

Let the inbreath and outbreath connect in a natural and smooth way, as a sleeping child does, and notice how you start to feel.

If you practice this, everything will be easier.

Breathing is easy. Not breathing is actually very hard.

Think about that, but don’t try it. You already know I’m right.

Fredric Lehrman

POETRY SONNET 98 From you have I been absent in the spring, When proud-pied April dress'd in all his trim Hath put a spirit of youth in every thing, That heavy Saturn laugh'd and leap'd with him.

Yet nor the lays of birds nor the sweet smell Of different flowers in odour and in hue Could make me any summer's story tell, Or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew; Nor did I wonder at the lily's white, Nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose; They were but sweet, but figures of delight, Drawn after you, you pattern of all those.

Yet seem'd it winter still, and, you away, As with your shadow I with these did play.

William Shakespeare 1609 (I was away from you during the spring, when splendid April in all its finery made everything feel so young that even Saturn, the god of old age and gloominess, laughed and leaped along with it. But neither the songs of birds nor the sweet smell of all the various flowers could make me feel like it was summer or inspire me to go flower picking. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t amazed by how white the lily was, nor did I praise the deep red of the roses. They were only sweet, only pictures of delight, drawn in imitation of you, the archetype of spring. It seemed like it was still winter and, with you away, I played with these flowers as if I were playing with your reflection.)

READERS CORNER This spring we offer you the vision and intensity of the Sacree du Printemps, a ballet by Igor Strawinski which was first coreographed by the great Nijinsky.

A hundred years have gone by, yet the intensity and mystery of this piece keeps intriguing us, reminding us of our ancestral and harsh roots deeply connected to the earth and its rituals.

Here below you can find the link to two very different versions of the same ballet.

AV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QZXrPJGLJ0&t=160s Original coreography by Njinski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zJhVgT1FtI 2013 Coreography by Sasha Waltz

VOICES FROM THE STARS The revolution of the Elements Laura Bottagisio In the world of form the Elements are shattering every seasonal expectation.

Fire, Water, Air are ravaging the Earth that now becomes the battlefield between Light and Darkness.

The entire planet, at every latitude, is the set for extraordinary metereological events.

The Four Elements are creating havoc in the terrestrial biological life: alligators are imprisoned in the rivers that quickly freeze, the Sahara sand dunes are sprinkled with snow, volcanoes wake up after years of sleep and erupt all the powerful underground magma, and also hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, flooods. Every part of our planet is touched by these events, why is this happening?

Even if many of these events are due to human neglect, experiments with sophisticated system of meteorological control for war or economical reasons.

Another part is due to the change in the Electro Magnetic Field of the Sun, with its variations it influences the entire planetary system of which the Sun is the ruler, thus forcing it into a clear and profound transformation of the vibratory frequency.

These huge fluctuations due to solar storms produce alterations in the electromagnetic field of the Earth, thus the seasonal changes.

These are the likely explanations given by the linear time logic working in three dimensions. But we can look for answers and clarifications at a cosmic and evolutionary level.

The numbness we have lived through so far is not suitable anymore to face what is happening at the highest and subtle frequencies which are now happening in the invisible world and are trying to manifest in the visible one with the nourishement of the primeval creative substance of the I Am. Since 2012 a new opening is available, a door through wich we continuosly receive information about the Re Awakening of the Divine Light.

The source is the Galactic Centre that sends information to the entire system through the Sun (the radiating centre).

Every star is a sun, therefore each star works according to this principle, so that the entire cosmos is sprinkled with evolutionary sparkles, they will lead us towards the Awareness of Unity.

Whenever these frequencies find strong obstacles erected by the manipulative ego forces, the balance is broken and there is chaos. Such chaos is needed to re establish the order according to Natural Laws.

The four elements structure the entire creation and they work both on the physical and metaphysical levels.

In nature we know how to recognize them: Water of rivers, lakes, oceans; Fire of volcanoes and the heat of the sun; Air of winds without borders; Earth generating a denser molecular structure thus creating the world we live in and the bodies we inhabit.

Body heat, breathing, liquids in our bodies show us how these 4 fundamental stages of vital energy manifest and interact with each other.

We can nourish them with good energy, whenever we ennoble our thoughts and emotions, thus creating a general state of well being.

Viceversa, we produce pathologies and metabolic alterations when we allow ourselves to be lead by tangled thoughts and limiting emotions, because we feed on suffering by censoring our creative part.

Just like the imbalance in the elements generates an alteration in the seasonal cycle of the earth, the same happens to us, because we lose mastery over our psychophysical system controlled by our nervous system which is in direct contact with the electromagnetic field of the earth.

At such times, we often feel tired, almost lifeless, as if our energy were frayed in thousand of pieces.

This is nothing but the passage from the three dimensional energy in which Matter vibrates to the multidimensional frequency towards which Matter wants and needs to ascend now.

It is thus more difficult to identify the 4 elements in our subtlest part, because, at that level of vibration, they act on us without our direct perception.

The Fire of the etheric body, the Water of the astral-emotional body, the Air of the mental body, contained in the physical body, is made compact by the Earth interaction, according to a different fluidity that we can only recognize if we listen and look at ourselves as external observers. In that metaphysical space they work following different processes.

Here below are the teachings on the Four Metaphysical Elements by

Eddy Seferian * " I wish to speak to you about the Four Metaphysical Elements: Fire, Air, Water, Earth. You need to abstract these 4 concepts that are the foundation of planetary creation, where we have manifested.

The Metaphysical Elements have little in common with their terrestrial homonymous which can be perceived with touch, hearing, smelling, tasting.

I invite you to pierce the density of the material plane, to cross the soul levels towards less density (etherical, astral and mental) in order to walk on the upper mental level, the cusal-karmic both individual and collective, in order to reach the goal of the highest rarefaction, where you will be able to perceive the real nature of the Metaphysical Elements.

It is like going beyond the diafragm that separates the manifested terrestrial plane from the soul-etheric plane and finding ourselvesen in a parallel reality.

In order to understand the reality of the Metaphysical Elements a new dimension of the stages of consciousness needs to be achieved.

Such a perception can only be reached exclusively inside ourselves.

In fact, after attaining the depth/summit, a new dimension of consciousness starts allowing us to capture the real meaning of the Metaphysical Elements.

At these levels of parallel reality, Metaphysical Fire has nothing to do with the fire we know on the earth, nor Metaphysical Air or Water.

If you "throw" Metaphysical Water on Metaphysical Fire it will not be exstinguished, but it shines brighter, adding force and vigor.

If Metaphysical Fire is "thrown" on Metaphysical Water this one will become blazing and self lit.

On the rarefied planes Metaphysical Fire and Air are absolutely Solar.

Hydrogen corresponds to Metaphysical Fire and Oxygen to Metaphysical Air. Hydrogen and Oxygen are important elements of the chemical composition of our Sun. When thse two elements are fused in the H2O formula, we have Water and in the rarefied planes we have Metaphysical Water that is made of 2 parts of Metaphysical Fire and one part of Metaphysical Air. This is the composition of Reiki Energy that we define Spontaneous Flame Liquid White.

The two parts of Element Metaphysical Fire/Hydrogen assume the White aspect (Incandescent-Fire) Liquid (Water) thanks to only one part of Air/Oxygen.

Healing Energy is White Incandenscent Liquid.

Generalizing we could say that the Energy used in Reiki treatments, Yoga, Pranotherapy is Solar Energy......"

These teachings can help us to comprehend how important it is in our time to collect the evolutionary information, that will both destabilize our old world and will open us a chance to perceive anew and deeply the divinity in each one of us, thus building the foundations of a new world where Light will be present in ever activity.

ACQUA DI FUOCO

The Planets in their incessant movement, still keeping their basic structure, are already changing the furniture of their celestial space that will infuse a new vision of life.

Pluto and Neptune, the slowest planets, determine the guidelines of the celestial design. They remain in their position, respectively in Capricorn and Pisces, they thus give us the certainty that this transformation happening within and without has been programmed by Life since time immemorial. It is Life itself that is asking us to share in this enormous and epochal evolutionary jump.

The planets now producing this new amalgam among the Four Elements are Jupiter that has gone from Lybra/Air to Scorpio/Water, Saturn that has gone from Sagittarius/Fire to Capricorn/Earth and Uranus that this year goes from Aries/Fire to Taurus/Earth.

We will discuss this new configuration in the next article.

We know that the Planets are Archetypes, visible emanations of the One, they give voice to its project amplifying the messages and the information collected in the entire solar system.

We can choose to receive these messages by listening to ourselves, or we can refuse them and remain in shackles of our human smallness.

Humanity has enormous creative potential fed by Divinity itself, why can't we put them into action and manifest them in material reality?

Laura Bottagisio February 2018 Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini

FUOCO DI ACQUA

NOTES Eddy Sefarian was born in Milan in the 1920's. He operated as a psychic and visionary teacher until his death in October 2017.

He has written books and given teachings all his life, you can find more information (in Italian) in his website: http://www.stazioneceleste.it/Seferian/SeferianBio.htm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqKRTGHg7MI on the Ascended Masters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mup3uDBCDfU on the Great Opus

MAGIC! Adrian Rooke

Long long ago in what now seems like a past life , my formative years were very influenced somewhat negatively by alcohol consumption.

My father was a publican and ran tough pubs with lots of violence,he was also a heavy drinker as were most of the men in my family, unfortunately this environment lead to an early exit from life for grandfather,uncle, and my father as well.

Now one might think that with this amount of evidence I would never touch a drop of the amber nectar but no!

I followed the same path, my theory around this is that Addiction is a karmic Journey, Carl Jung used to say that addiction was a low grade quest for spiritual connection, I can't disagree with that statement.

I have subsequently not touched Alcohol for nigh on 26years and through following the teachings of a 12 step fellowship, I have been able to find my soul purpose and to make my life count for something. I have been working both in the field of addiction as a professional (the most divine form of Alchemy is witnessing a broken life restored to a useful and purposeful one) and also as an active member of AA. I have had a journey beyond my wildest dreams, finding my spiritual home in Druidry and paganism,combining them together to allow me to open my heart to all those that I meet upon the path has given me such joy.

I can say, without it being egocentric, that I have been able to help many souls towards finding there own light .

Recently I was a speaker at a large convention in Weston super Mare and I was able to talk about the paradox of having had problems with my heart physically since I was 21 (culminating in a total collapse just over 2 years ago after several heart attacks,two open heart surgerys and a new pacemaker). I am still here by the grace of the Gods, my work here is not done yet.

The title of the symposium was the language of the heart, I believe for myself ,that (as Leonard Cohen said in one of his songs) its through the cracks that the light shines through .

Completely unplanned I ended my talk by singing to the Audience a song that for me sums up my journey and to end this brief article I will share the words with you all: Let the way of the heart let the way of the heart let the way of the heart shine through Love upon Love upon love, all hearts are beating as one Light upon light upon Light, shining as bright as the sun .

It befalls us all in these strange and challenging times to shine our own light as brightly as we can: Blessed Be

Adrian Rooke

BECOMING MEDICINE Anti-Democracy: Changing the Motto of the United States of America from "E pluribus unum" (out of many, one) to “Make America Great Again.”

David Kopacz This past year has been a difficult one in the world. There continues to be a movement of anti-democracy and radical “other-ing,” in which we see our brothers and sisters as “others,” and we break down, rather than strengthen, the bonds of our common humanity.

In the United States the freedom of the press is under attack, environmental regulations are being rolled back and hostility toward nonwhite, non-Christians is being promoted at the highest levels of government. Not only is there an attempt to drive people apart and promote fear, there is even talk of building a physical wall between the United States and Mexico. Walls are the most concrete dividers of people.

While there is talk about “making America great again,” this all appears like an anti-democracy movement and it has the hallmarks of other regimes in the 20th century that became totalitarian and fascist.

I do not intend to regularly write on politics in this column, but we are in unprecedented times and times such as these spirituality needs to be engaged and to speak up for peace and human rights.

In 2017, I published an essay called “The End of E pluribus Unum? The De-evolution of Out of Many, One, to ME First” in The Badger (Year 3, Volume 2, pgs 57-66, https://issuu.com/antonellavicini/docs/march_2017).

In the essay I describe how the idea of “America First” is thinly veiled selfishness, essentially ME first. This attitude is the pinnacle of selfcentered capitalism, and betrays the ideals upon which the United States was founded.

In my work with Native American visionary Joseph Rael, in our book Walking the Medicine Wheel, we discuss the motto on the back of the Great Seal of the United States which has the Latin phrase E pluribus unum, “out of many, one.” This motto captures the “united” aspect of the country’s name: the United States.

The 13 colonies had different cultural, political, religious, and economic foundations, and yet these 13 colonies united and came together with the idea of strength through union, “united we stand, divided we fall.” This phrase was used in the early years of the American Revolution by such figures as John Dickinson, Patrick Henry, and Abraham Lincoln also paraphrased it.

I do not mean to gloss over the major failures of living up to the ideals of the United States in regard to its inhuman policies toward Blacks and Native Americans, but ideals provide a vision of a better world to strive for.

In my essay, I discussed how crucial it is for the idea of democracy to be able to see ourselves as similar and united within our diversity. When Joseph and I wrote our book on helping veterans return from war to peace, we saw this motto, “out of many, one” as crucial. Moving from war to peace means moving from a perspective of human beings as “other” to seeing them as “brother and sister.” As Joseph often says, “I am my brother’s keeper.” This statement shows affiliation and human bonding. In war, military personnel are taught to view human beings as “other” as the enemy. However, after war, this perspective of viewing human beings as “other” does not promote reintegration or democracy.

All of us here in the USA (except for Native Americans) are descended from immigrants. Our current First Lady is an immigrant, born in Slovenia.

I was uncertain if I should write a political piece earlier in the year and I am still uncomfortable with speaking out politically for several reasons. I am a federal employee and I have to make it clear that these views are my own.

Yet, as a human being, and as a healer, I feel obligated to speak up against totalitarianism and fascism: attacking the press, threatening federal employees, appointing government officials who seek to undermine the mandate of those agencies (e.g. the Environmental Protection Agency, the United Nations Ambassador), lying without any consequences, and consolidating power in fewer and fewer hands.

Another instance of anti-democracy is the censorship of science by banning the words “diversity,” “evidence-based,” and “science-based” in official Center for Disease Control documents https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cdc-gets-list-offorbidden-words-fetus-transgender-diversity/2017/12/15/f503837a-e1cf11e7-89e8-edec16379010_story.htm.

My friend Father Gerald Arbuckle has been writing on topics of bullying and fundamentalism, and he describes how “Trumpism” is a fine example of both, see my review of Gerry’s latest book, Fundamentalism: https://beingfullyhuman.com/2017/09/07/review-of-gerald-arbucklesfundamentalism-at-home-and-abroad/ Other healers have felt similarly that they have a moral, ethical, and professional obligation to speak up about the current risks to American democracy. The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, edited by Bandy Lee, MD, MDiv, includes perspectives of 27 professionals. While the Goldwater Rule banned mental health professionals from diagnosing mental illness in politicians who had not been formally evaluated, many of these authors take another perspective on our responsibility as mental health professionals to warn others when we see signs of dangerousness.

Two psychiatrists who were very influential in my learning about trauma studies contribute to this volume: Robert Jay Lifton and Judith Herman.

Lifton’s work includes the books The Nazi Doctors (which examines how “good” German doctors could gradually become perpetrators of genocide) and Destroying the World to Save It (which examines apocalyptic cults and global terrorism). Judith Herman is the author of the classic book, Trauma and RecoveryThe Aftermath of Violence—From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror.

What I admire about both of these authors, and part of what drew me to working clinically with trauma is that they take a strong human rights stance in their work and do not focus solely on the individual. Their work bears witness to human rights violations as well as seeks to provide a pathway of healing for those who have been traumatized at the hands of fellow human beings.

While I am glad to see that other health professionals are also struggling with the commitment to human rights that is part of being a healer, I do not think that the questions about specific psychiatric diagnoses are important.

It does not matter why someone is acting in a totalitarian and fascist manner: fomenting anger and division, whipping up anti-immigrant sentiment, attacking the press, and lying so much that people have come to accept his lying as “normal.” Robert Jay Lifton calls the normalizing of lies, “malignant normality,” through the sheer repetition of lies, people no longer expect the truth. The Washington Post Fact Checker reported that the current president of the US made “2,140 false or misleading claims” in the first year of office: (https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claimsdatabase/?utm_term=.67d53d5d0280).

In an interview with Bill Moyers, Lifton describes the concept of health care providers as “witnessing professionals” who have a responsibility to confront malignant normality. Lifton ends the interview with Moyers with the following statement: “I always feel we have to work both outside and inside of our existing institutions, so we have to…examine carefully our institutions and what they’re meant to do and how they’re being violated. I also think we need movements from below that oppose what this administration and administrations like it are doing to ordinary people.

And for those of us who contributed to this book — well, as I said earlier, we have to be ‘witnessing professionals’ and fulfill our duty to warn.” (http://billmoyers.com/story/dangerous-case-donald-trump-robert-jaylifton-bill-moyers-duty-warn/).

I am obligated to provide some follow-up to last year’s essay and to do my part as a witnessing professional. When I spoke of the de-evolution of E pluribus unum to “ME first,” I was speaking on how the current administration’s policies promoted selfishness and self-centeredness over the idea of coming together into union.

In many ways my essay predicted that the president would remove E pluribus unum from the official discourse, and in fact he literally did so when he removed it from the new presidential coin and replaced with “Make America Great Again,” (http://www.businessinsider.com/trumpmakes-changes-to-presidential-coin-2017-12).

The deletion of E pluribus unum promotes anti-democracy. I am very worried about the direction the United States is heading because we are seeing statements and actions that have historically led to the rise of totalitarian and fascist regimes.

Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) and I continue to work together to promote peace. In our upcoming book, Becoming Medicine: A Living Spirituality, we seek to illuminate the pathway in the heart that brings us from “other” to “brother and sister.”

Mystics, visionaries, and shamans teach us that there is a state of radical union that transcends even the separation implied in our relation as brothers and sisters. Joseph Rael teaches us that we do not exist as separate beings, but are all part of Divine Oneness.

Anti-democracy and radical other-ing are not consistent with spiritual reality. Spiritual Democracy asks us to walk the path of the heart at the center of the medicine wheel. Many Native American traditions speak of walking the good Red Road, and Joseph tells us that the Red Road is currently off kilter and we must all strive to straighten the path that we are walking upon.

David Kopacz (Article and photos by David Kopacz)

The Red Road Off Kilter Drawing by Joseph Rael

QUILTING AWAY I am here to stay…. a process

Lida Perry My arrival on the shores of USA was easy and uneventful.

Most things were as I remembered, on the surface, but looking more attentively I’ve realized that most people and places that I was familiar with many years ago have changed.

There are some cosmetic changes in the town, which I expected after 30 years. It looked like an aging lady, after a not entirely successful facelift , the character on the surface was there, but somewhat distorted and out of context.

“The psyche displays esthetically its state of the soul, character traits become intelligible images” says James Hillman (1999)*.

Something was different and I realized that it was the way I looked and perceived the environment and the people. It had changed in a subtle and not so subtle way and I did not yet understand what it was.

During this difficult process, I used all the tools and resources that I had to stay afloat from the tsunami of sensations I was experiencing without falling dangerously into regrets.

At some point I remembered reading in a book that considering the actual context is essential in order to understand and find meaning in our experiences as unique and not replicable.

Indeed, the context had changed for me.

I was no longer visiting on vacation, for a relatively short time, and then returning to the world I knew and that was full of meaning for me.

A world that had nurtured me with its beauty, warmth, and relationships for many years.

I was here to stay.

There were days that the reality of my present life; came to the surface and awareness, I woke up with a sense of emptiness, of loss, of instability, mixed with sadness and “saudade”.

In the first weeks of my return, many and different states of mind traveled through me, but as some old philosopher said centuries ago: “All is process…”

This became my mantra as I observed my different moods, expectations, and assumptions as I began to search for a place to stay.

I was looking for a place to live with “character”. I had a very specific and precise image of where and how the house had to be and look.

In some semi-unconscious way I wanted to find a house that would reflect my character.

“Genetic inheritance is shaped into our own peculiar pattern by character, that specific composition of traits, habits peculiarities, character influence the way we give and receive.. it can walk you at night and it can keep you awake….. old age is required for the fulfillment of character. .”

(Hillman J.1999) The words of James Hillman gave some meaning to the idea I held for my potential house. I had chosen the historical part of town with its Victorian mansions, large houses with stained glass windows, large verandas, as well as nicely kept lawns… an atmosphere of old Europe. The search was frustrating and nothing was available that met my expectations.

As I widened the area of my search, no apartment touched my cords, until a call came from a friend who gave me an address, a block from the historical quarters I liked so much.

With some reservations I went to see it. It was a large dignified house, with a veranda, spacious rooms, and a good view of the river, surrounded by a lawn with many flower beds.

The landlord and his wife live upstairs, they are Portuguese, so I feel assured that the house will be well kept inside and out. (The Portuguese in this area have an excellent reputation for showing pride for their properties.)

I looked around the apartment and realized that it has everything I need and it responds exactly to my present context.

As I confirmed my commitment to rent the apartment I couldn't help but muse about what just unfolded.

The search began with a very specific idea of what I wanted in a place to live, what I found instead was something that had some of the elements I desired but also much more.

My new flat has character that holds the functionality and pragmatism of the American culture, but it also shows the pride, the care, and the aesthetic touches of Southern Europe.

This is a place where I can stay.

Then finally my 72 boxes arrived to my new address, after crossing the ocean and landing in the port of Boston.

I am a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. I have the fleeting thought that maybe I have brought over too many thingsâ&#x20AC;Ś As I pull out objects, clothes, and things, I realize that at least one third of it is not necessary, not even useful here, in this reality.

When I was packing it all seemed essential and valuable, since it was part of my history.

Now I choose what I need in my new context, among the old and familiar I take out only the objects that are really appropriate and fit in this new reality.

The house is now ready, it has been a great project, selecting the furniture, hanging the pictures on the wall, organizing the things very close to the way I had them in Italy, so it will be easier to find them, to create some point of reference, and also some sense of comfort that comes from familiarity.

Every day, more and more, this house gives me warm feelings of belonging, and it is a reflection of my character, it is a metaphor of who I am, the inside meaning of my experience and the energy I put into creating it: ceramics from Italy, scrolls, masks and objects from my trips in Asia.

I am in all of this and I feel at home.

Then there is the world outside.

I am still trying to orient myself not in terms of the physical space, but in terms of the life style, the values, the outlook on life.

I observe, I look with neutral eyes at what surrounds me, and I know there are differences and at the same time similarity with what I believe and hold true for me, and I make an effort to embrace all of it.

Maybe this is the beginning and the foundation for the next phase: toward settlement.

I am here to stay.

Lida Perry Edited by Antonella Vicini *James Hillman :The Force of Character And the lasting Life (Random House Publ. Co. 1999 )

AROMATHERAPY Aromatherapy Massage for Chakras 1

Renato Tittarelli Memory and Sense of Smell Smell is memory strongest ally: it allows us to travel back in time.

A smell or a perfume we know have the unequalled power to materialize even our most intimate memories, long past events become present, so that we can remember a scene from our childhood, a landscape, an episode from our life.

The persistance of memories through our sense of smell, as well as the emotional charge associated with them, explains better than any other cause the success of smell as it was celebrated by writers such as: Balzac, Baudelaire, Flaubert, Wilde, Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Annunzio, Proust, Gadda, Calvino, SĂźskind.

A memory associated with smell is always connected to the emotional and sensory experience in which it was felt/experienced. When we evoke a smell we associate it to the sensation and re-live the situation which that particular scent impressed us with.

We know that a memory associated with a perfume can activate the regions of the brain which are sensitive to smells. This piece of information leads us to think that an episode of our life accompanied by multisensorial suggestions (smells, sounds, images) is not stored only by one cerebral centre (hyppocampus), but it may be stored in different areas, so that it can be awakened by only one sensory channel (Gottfried et al.

2004).

Another characteristic of memories produced by smell is the leading role of feelings. Usually these are positive memories, connected to plesant events, happy childohood times, holidays, excursions to the sea or the mountains, festive banquets, perfumes and aromas of people we are familiar with.

The information coming from smells are stable in our long term memory and are strong anchors to our emotional memory. For this reason the oldest olfactory memories will re awaken the deepest emotions.

The explanation of this smell property comes to us from biology: the "perfumed" brain that elaborates the information coming from our nose on one hand coincides with the lymbic system or visceral brain, including the hyppocampus and the amigdala (these are the most archaic structures of our brain that control emotions, feelings, instincts, appetites, including the sexual urge, some memory operations), on the other hand it coincides with some areas of the frontal neo cortex.

Essential Oils and their effect on the psyche.

Essential oils, thanks to their intense smells have usually beneficial effects on our psyche. Their perfume reaches the cerebral centres and the lymbic structure, thus regulating the neurovegetative, autonomous and instinctive responses.

Smell is the sense of emotions, it adds emotional nuances to our perceptions, without supplying too detailed information, it helps us to process facts and things in a different and more complex way than the other senses.

The sense of smell leads us back to our animal nature, where the relationship with the world is not mediated by consciuosness, by language, but by the immediate reaction of pleasure or distaste that makes us recognize, without any filter, what is good and what is bad for us.

When we perceive a smell we are penetrated and invaded by it and we react instictively to it.

Our moods, our emotions, some of our choices are influenced by our perception of smells, including attraction or disguste for a person. Every human being has his/her own smell, a peculiar aromatic note which is produced according to genetic and enviromental factors.

In Italian we have a saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;questa persona a naso non mi piaceâ&#x20AC;?, it can be translated "I do not like this person, following my nose".

Essential Oils and the Sense of Smell.

Essential oils and their aromatic notes interact with our sense of smell and influence our psyche.

As mentioned in previous articles, psycho aromatherapy base their beneficial effects on the effects achieved by the essential oils scents.

Once the molecules have reached the brain emotional/instinctual area they regulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, through the adrenergic or cholinergic responses that influence our basic functions: breathing, digestion, hormonal secretions.

Essential oils can act on the reactions called Psycho Neuro Endocryne Immunology.

Aromas/scents can regulate the psyche, our mental attitude, the autonomous neuro vegetative system and all the reactions connected to it, the hormonal system and even our immunity to disease by making it stronger to face the needs of the moment.

In this way we can understand why some essential oil in aromatherapy are used as euphoric, others as relaxing, others as stimulant and balancing.

Renato Tittarelli

Copyright Š Luglio 2017 Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini

APOTHECARY Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum) Jo Dunbar In European traditional medicine Wild garlic has been used as a digestive cleanser, to protect against cardiovascular diseases, and as an antimicrobial herb against infections such as bronchitis, sinusitis, wound infections, skin disorders, and in acne.

Also known as Ransoms or Baerlauch (bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garlic), according to Eastern European folklore, this is because the bear does not eat anything during its winter hibernation, but only licks his paws. He licks so much that by spring his paws are white, and when he comes out of hibernation, he gorges on the Baerlauch in order to cleanse his stomach from these impurities.

This old story reveals a truth which is currently being verified by science; that Wild garlic is a potent anti-microbial agent, able to kill tropical parasites such Trypanosoma sp - The African Sleeping Sickness, and Leishmaniasis, as well as our more common gastric bacterial infections such as Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus faecalis. Some of these bacteria reside in our guts and only cause illness when we our immune system is weakened, however considering that many of these bacteria are food-borne it seems prudent to follow the bear by gorging for a few weeks on Wild garlic, so as to cleanse our intestines of the parasites and bacteria which may have built up over the winter.

Wild Garlic has been used traditionally against asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis and whooping cough, which makes sense, as the disinfecting and smelly sulphur compounds are absorbed into our blood stream and breathed off through our lungs and nose, on the way killing infective bacteria and yeasts.

In our age of high sugar diets, stressful living and the over prescription of anti-biotics, many people suffer from fungal infections such as Candida overgrowth which produces symptoms of abdominal bloating, poor concentration, unexplained fatigue and recurrent thrush.

Kitchen garlic has always been used to kill yeast over-growth, and now Wild garlic has been investigated and found to be very effective against Aspergillus niger and the various Candida species. Although Aspergillus niger is a rare cause of lung infection, other Aspergillus species can cause severe lung infection particularly in those who have weakened immune systems or lungs.

The research suggests that it is the Wild garlic flowers which have the strongest anti-fungal activity due to their high sulphur content.

Considering that bacteria are becoming more anti-biotic resistant, and yeast over-growth is not always acknowledged as a cause of illness, Wild garlic may be a very powerful ally in our taking care of our common infections diseases.

Just as kitchen garlic is well known to have a positive effect on the heart and circulatory system of humans, so we see that Wild garlic has the same but even more potent therapeutic effects. It has been shown to lower blood pressure significantly and inhibit blood clotting, reduced total cholesterol but increase the HDL (so called healthy cholesterol), thus supporting our hearts and the health of our blood vessels.

The charred remains of Wild garlic bulbs which have been discovered in Mesolithic archeological sites support evidence that it was eaten as a food and also quite likely as a medicine by our very ancient ancestors, as well as by the early Celts and Romans.

We know that Ramsons has been used for centuries to promote general health, and as you can see from the above, this medicine is as relevant today as it was in Mesolithic times, thus it may be wise to follow the old advice to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eat leeks in Lide [March] and ramsons in May, And all the year after the physicians may play.â&#x20AC;?

Jo Dunbar (Medical Herbalist) www.botanicamedica.co.uk

FOOD IS OUR ALLY Spring Garlic Jo Dunbar Bears gorge on it when coming out of hibernation, rabbits refuse to cross a boundary of it, and in Africa, another type of wild garlic has the same inhibiting effect on snakes.

For those of us who love to forage, wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a much anticipated treat every spring time. The leaves and flowers are both delicious.

I find the flowers add a lovely pungency to salads or sprinkled over new potatoes with olive oil and chopped olives. The leaves can be turned into pesto, or eaten with a chicken and mayonnaise sandwich, or cheese and tomato sandwich, or crushed with butter and melted into a jacket potato.

I often make a velvety wild garlic and potato soup in a chicken stock, which I enriched with double crème, and ate with crusty bread. It is a memorable dish.

So if you want to kill any "inner" enemies, use garlic to keep them at bay, as you can read in the recipe below.

Jo Dunbar

Wild Garlic Pesto: A handful of wild garlic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; leaves and flowers. Rinse and pat dry. Then air dry so that there is no moisture clinging to the plants.

Roughly chop the leaves and then drop into a blender.

Top up with extra virgin olive oil, so that the oil covers the leaves once they are chopped.

Whizz until as smooth as you like it.

Now add a handful of pine nuts and whizz again.

Then add a handful of parmesan cheese and briefly whizz again.

I personally find it a great treat to dip crusty French bread into the pesto as a snack.

JD

TRAVELLING INSIDE Raffaella Vicini I’ve been working on board cruise ships for over 2 years, quite a long time already. I chose this new carreer because it would give me the opportunity to travel and meet people: my real passion!

I like people, since childhood I was attracted to people, to their faces, to their different colors, to their different habits and way of living.

For me there were no differences, although I could see them, for me they were all just people.

Looking into someone's eyes made the difference for me, not the country nor the religion nor the color of the skin nor the sexual preferences.

People are as they are.

In my job I have the opportunity to meet many people coming from very different places: Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Japan, Philippines, South/ Central America, Europe, India, Korea, Vietnam ….

All the people on board have stories to tell and I’m very happy when they share them with me.

Some are happy, some are sad, some are lucky some are not, but through all these stories I can make a tour around the world and within the human beings.

How far do we have to go to discover the beauty of each other?

How far do we have to go to understand that we are equal?

How far do we have to go to stop in front of another human being and say: you are welcome in my life?

If we just stop for a moment and look into each other’s eyes, we could understand so much and our choices could be so different…

These days of senseless rush, nobody has time to stop and think, to stop and recognize the beauty of each other, to stop and breath in each other’s eyes, to stop and dedicate a moment to welcome someone, to stop and pray for each other’s life.

Through this job I fulfill my passion for people, I can look into people's eyes discovering the truth of their lives, I can hear their stories that fill up my box of treasures, so I can grow, becoming stronger and wiser.

Travelling inside human stories is a never-ending journey that goes through all seasons and directions, giving us the opportunity to build a new pattern of strength and connection we all need in order to be truly alive.

We are all connected in some ways, even if we don’t always like to admit it, and the depth of this conscious connection will make a difference on our earth and in our souls.

Raffaella Vicini Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini

PHOTO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GRAPHY Marco Iorio

A strawberry flies in the white sky and plunges amusedly in a pond of crystal water.

It splashes around happily, playing with the tiny waves formed by its dive, until they sky turns dark and it is caught, now ready to be eaten...

Or it could be the other way round, a caught strawberry finds her freedom in the waters, so she escapes her dark destiny...

The editing of the story is up to you readers.

When I first saw Marco Iorio's photos I had no idea he could produce these short entertaining stories with photos, so here it is for you the spring flight of a strawberry.

Enjoy Antonella Vicini

Picked A Strawberry Picked a strawberry, Picked a strawberry That was growing In the sun.

Then I washed it, And I ate it, And I picked another one.

(Original Author

Unknown)

This is a nursery rhyme to be sung on your favourite tune, it is perfect to accompany the brief flight of our strawberry. AV

DRUIDRY The Heart of England Forest Philip Carr Gomm There is a lovely tree planting project taking place in South Warwickshire called The Heart of England Forest…

The Heart of England Forest’s mission is to restore and rebuild some of the lost ancient forest that meandered across this countryside. So far, we’ve planted over 3,000 acres between Honeybourne to the south and the Spernal Estate to the north…

It’s a simple vision: to plant, protect and preserve a huge broadleaf forest – a place of tranquility and natural beauty that’s open to anyone and planted with the help and support of everyone.

Whether you live in the heart of the forest, or you’re visiting our green and rolling Warwickshire countryside, you can play a vital role in this exciting new woodland. Planting a tree is a great way of connecting with your environment and sowing the seeds of a better world for the next generation.

The forest stretches across the heart of England – from the ancient Forest of Arden, south to the edge of the Vale of Evesham. It’s an area dense in cities, towns and industry. Which is why we’re creating a place to walk under shady canopies and through airy glades, away from the bustle of city life.

The UK has less than a third of the native tree cover of many other European countries, including France, Germany and Italy. So far, we have created over 3,000 acres of new woodland. That’s more than 1 million trees. And our dream is for it to become 30,000 acres. But with patience and your support, who knows how far it will grow!

If you want to learn more and offer support visit The Heart of England Forest website and their Facebook Page. https://www.heartofenglandforest.com/ https://www.facebook.com/heartofenglandforest

Philip Carr Gomm

DHARMAKSHETRA Antonella Vicini Inspired by Battlefield directed by Peter Brook and Marie-HeĚ lene Estienne

Pinned down by the arrows that will eventually kill him, the old man chooses words of wisdom and compassion instead of hatred, adding one of the most beautiful tales of the great Indian tradition: A man is chased by his enemies, in his rush he falls in a dark bottomless pit, above him an elephant is ready to crush him, below a fierce snake is poised to bite him without mercy. Birds of prey are already cycling above his head, honey carrying bees are preparing to attack him, from their bodies some minute drops fall, the man slowly reaches out to capture them and savour their sweetness.

We are all warriors on the battlefield of our lives, pinned by the arrows of our destinies, chased by different forces, yet human beings are forever reaching out to catch life honey.

The field of the utmost destruction was the site of the highest spiritual truths.

What remains after the battle is over, after mourning the dead and welcoming back the few survivors?

In the epic tradition of India, Kurukshetra (the battlefield of King Kuru, where all the dead heroes would find ultimate freedom) was also called DHARMAKSHETRA: the field of Dharma, the highest ethical law, the foundation of civilized living.

Bhishma on his bed of arrows It is not by chance that the winner of the great battle of the Mahabharata is Dharma's son, it will be up to him to renew the land with just government.

Until the very end of his life Prince Yudisthira, now become king, will be respectful of Dharma and its requirements.

Krishna and Arjuna before the battle The magnificent, concise, magical and deeply inspired piece staged by Peter Brook comes as a closure to his almost lifelong work on the exstensive epic of the Mahabharata.

When I saw the original version in 1986, I was deeply touched by how the spirit of India, i.e. the spirit of humanity, was present in the simple materials used on stage, how the magic of earth, fire, water and air could describe and support so much meaning.

Battlefield uses the same simple elements and (of course) great actors to convey the answers to so many questions after the great war is over.

Each person in the audience will make their decisions on what the answers are.

The drum breaks the initial silent darkness, and the same drum speaks the ineffable words murmured by the god, leading us to a world beyond the elements, a reality of pure vibration. Before and after there is only silence and the breath of god which is at one with the breath of every human being.

It is only up to us to re discover it.

Antonella Vicini

Kurukshetra

NOTES: The Mahabharata is the longest epic poem in the world. It is so comprehensive that at the beginning it boasts: What you can find here, you may find elsewhere as well.

But what you cannot find here, you will not be able to find anywhere else.

The profound reflection on life entitled Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata and it happens in the middle of the two armies, before the beginning of the final battle.

Here below you can find links to more information both on the latest show Battlefield and on the original Mahabharata staging.

AV http://www.bouffesdunord.com/en/season/558031b50b942/battlefield Website https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX6H-uC2CUw Battlefield Trailer Old Vic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX6H-uC2CUw Battlefield a Les Bouffes du Nord (French) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpBFpO-0jHY Battlefield a NYC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rojcGNhfprw Battlefield in Japan https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jan/13/peter-brook-battlefieldyoung-vic-theatre-mahabharata from Mahabharata to Battlefield http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/25/arts/peter-brook-transforms-anindian-epic-for-the-stage.html?pagewanted=all NYTimes review of the original MahaBharata in 1985 Avignon.

To the forest

DERMOREFLEXOLOGY STRESS The imprisoned Soul 2 Samantha Fumagalli and Flavio Gandini

As discussed in our previous article, since our goal is freedom, Dermoreflexology offers a precise path that shows some fundamental steps: – recreate balance between the main moods – discover the inner unprocessed convictions such as : lack of self esteem, easy surrender, pessimism, etc.

– start a process of dream recapitulation of our own life, checking that there are no limiting “hereditary” , either biological or behavioural conditionings – process the information from dreams – restoring the true Self image, remembering that it is a dynamic and continually evolving image.

Since dreams are essential for the completion of our path and Dermoreflexology techniques amplify their memory, we are now going to discuss the dream world.

Journey in the Dream World A man who does not continuosly renew the strength of his exausted body with sleep, he destroys his own life; in the same way, a study of the world that is not seeded by the acknowledgement of what is invisible leads to desolation. Rudolf Steiner Dream life often seems not so relevant in daily life. Our society is strongly interested in a productive and active life, it does not leave much space for sleep and dreaming. On the other hand it would be a mistake to concentrate only on these aspects, neglecting the importance of a healthy activity during waking time.

Life is a rythmic movement between these states. Human beings cannot stay awake all the time, nor can they sleep all the time. Only a correct balance facilitates a healthy well being.

Life proceeeds from the awake state to sleep and dreams, we could also say that it continues also after we have left our physical body.

Whatever the religious beliefs, human beings have usually accepted that there is some kind of continuity after death: whether it is an eternal life in another dimension or a series of re incarnations, it does not matter, but it is universally recognized that the human essence does not end with the physical death.

Therefore, since we do not neglect death, why should we neglect the sleeping state?

If we do that we soon realize we erase a big slice of our life on earth.

If we consider sleep only as resting, then that's what we do. But if we consider sleep some form of “nothingness”, then sleeping becomes useless, or at very least a waste of our time!

Yet, we do realize that without sleeping we are tired, nervous, angry. If we sleep well we feel fresh, rested, efficient. Our mood is also influenced by the quality of our sleep.

So we are “forced” to acknowledge that sleeping is important, actually it is essential for our body.

And what about dreaming?

We cannot consider dreams like movies projected for our entertainment, in order to prevent boredom; even if the dictionary supplies us with a definiton close to this idea: “Dream is a sequence of images more or less coherent that show up during sleep” Naturally we can ask ourselves the question: what is dreaming?

We can answer this question using a psychological key that can be used to recognize the dreams as manifestations of our unconscious; or we could use a more esoteric key that widens the scope of dreaming to the perception of other worlds, such a perception is possible through the spiritual essence of human beings; or we could take advantage of the explanations and interpretations given by anthroposophy which considers dreaming an activity of our soul and spirit.

These are only some of the points of view of the disciplines that have realized the importance of dreaming for human beings.

How could we not give high consideration to dreaming when the very perception of reality is largely connected to our unconscious?

Even if the physical senses (hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, tasting) react to real phenomena such as sounds, visions, smells, etc. they can do so because they are transferred from the plane of reality to the mind and comprehension level.

Understanding, in fact, does not happen at the level of the senses. In our unconscious these perceptions become psychic events, we can perceive the world through a precise decryption of the information from the senses, such an interpretation happens inside us using a symbolic and emotional key.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;landâ&#x20AC;? of the unconscious in everybody's life is a world, as vital and real as the conscious one, but much wider and richer. Dreams are its media: they speak to us via symbols and characters.

Jung used to define the unconscious as the great guide, the conscious counselor. Each person can recognize in dreaming a fundamental activity of human beings: let's just think of the richness of its symbols and meanings, the incredible actions we can perform, the variety and intensity of the sensations and emotions that dreams can communicate to us, so intense that they can last for days.

What could we say about prophetic dreams? They may not be as common as others, but we have all probably had at least one of them.

Dreaming has an extremely important role in the deep knowledge of human beings and our world. Our life experiences are processed by our uncoscious, our memories, even the oldest ones, can find an opening towards the conscious part, experiences can be re-lived, understood, processed and, sometimes, changed. “... there are some events that we have not consciously recorded, they have remained, so to speak, under the level of our conscious experience. They did happen, but they were absorbed subliminally, without the participation of our conscious knowledge.... they may resurface, for example, as a dream. As a rule, the uncoscious aspect of any event is revealed to us through dreams, where it appears not as a rational thought, but as a symbolical image” Carl Gustav Jung.

The world of dreams represents an opening through which other worlds, very different from the ones we experience when awake, can appear in ordinary reality. “... the unconscious is not a simple storage of the past, but it is also full of seeds and ideas of future psychic future situations...”

Carl Gustav Jung.

Giuseppe Calligaris, genial neurologist from Italy at the beginning of the XX century, gave great importance in his experiments to the experience of dreaming.

We have been working, deepening and widening Calligaris's work for the last 20 years. We have developed Dermoreflexology from his studies, our techniques give ample space to dreams.

Samantha Fumagalli and Flavio Gandini Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini

STORY TELLING The Red Cloack Part 3 of 3

Bianca Veronica

In front of the mirror with Gestalt Many years later, I was able to understand the dynamics of that encounter in more depth. It happened without a precise will or research, yet it was not by chance, I do not believe in chance.

I was in a Gestalt workshop with a lot of work done in front of the mirror. I had to do my work, but I didn't really feel like it, I dragged myself in front of the mirror "kicking and screaming", so to speak.

I didn't have anything to share and I didn't even like that kind of process. I had gone there to learn new tools for my therapy, so when it was my time I was very reluctant, even if the previous work done by my collegues had been extremely interesting to watch.

I went near our teacher, Anna a very experienced and precise person.

I sat on the floor and looked at myself without interest. Anna asked me almost in a whisper to share something about me.

I didn't have anything to say, I could not remember any episodes of my life, I was not responding to her questions; at some point Anna seemed to be losing her patience and challenged me:

" A short story will do! Something that has happened to you! I am not asking you to tell us a meeting with the Pope that I am sure you didn't have!"

That sentence struck me down like a lightnening! Suddenly that meeting was resurfacing from the depths, the time when I actually met Pope Woytila.

I have been convinced for many years that when I am ready the lesson comes to me so that I can receive its teachings. Obviously at that time, I was finally ready for a deeper understanding, it had been waiting a long time to return at the right time in the right moment. Anna had been the mean for such a message to be expressed.

I couldn't have asked for a better person to help me explore such an event that I had not yet been able to unravel entirely.

Are we really free to choose?

I have always been attracted to precious and elegant things, answering my teacher's request I chose something meaningful to me from a basket provided. I was attracted to a piece of material, it looked like brocade, perhaps from India, it had golden threads in it; I wore it with pleasure, draping it on my shoulders.

It immediately gave me an elegant aspect that I loved. I was looking with pleasure at that well dressed shape in the mirror, I noticed that my look was proud. I was looking at myself with approval, the kind of look I define as "looking at oneself from outside with approval".

Sitting on the floor in front of the big mirror, draped in the precious cloth, I started to tell the story of my meeting with the Pope.

I was talking about myself, it was difficult for me to tell that episode while I was looking at my reflected image, while Anna was asking me questions, digging into every word I was saying.

Every minute the cloth seemed to become heavier to wear, its style now seemed extravagant and was in contrast with the image reflected in the mirror.

At some point, the unexpected happened: the elegant and proud image in the mirror evoked my mother, it bent down, in the same way a person would do when burdened by a terrible weight.

The clothes had become more and more unsuitable so much so that they were in contrast with the aspect: the image was changing under the influence of the other look.

It was looking at me in disbelief, glaring at me, while in the mirror another image alternated and was superimposed on the previous one, this image was simple and a little homely. Who was the shape shily emerging from the bottom of the mirror? It didn't take me long to realize that the slightly shabby and grey image was me.

There were two in front of me now: I and my image that I could suddenly see in its splendor and misery.When I discovered that pretense, I was horrified, I felt the great emptiness inside those elegant clothes and immediately after the pain of having chased someone elses's life instead of one's own.

The revealed mask fell to the ground quickly and disappeared like a ghost, leaving the clothes on the floor. I was flooded with pain and, in that moment, I saw in the mirror the shy and fearful little girl that used to imitate her mother's ways.

In one moment I had a complete vision, now it was clear. When I met His Holiness Pope Woytila it was not me there, but the image I had of me, a completly empty image, a woman who was not allowed to feel emotions, nor appreciate or recognize simplicity.

But at that appointment there were no other masks or pretenses, only a Pastor who was doing his job in spite of his shining red cloak.

He was there to bring his message and he had met me with his heart, thus creating chaos in my certainties, planting a seed of awareness just with the quality of his presence.

How long does it take to have a seed germinate?

I don't know and it does not matter.

Bianca Veronica Š 2016 Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini (The previous parts of this story appeared in THE BADGER Year 3 Volume 3 and 4).

ENTERTAINING INTERLUDE â&#x20AC;&#x153;HORI OSHIâ&#x20AC;?

Death of a Japanese Tattoo Artist Cesira Borromei 3 Emma was preparing her luggage: the heaviest part was the huge pile of printed pages, her research for the Sociology Institute that had led her to Milan and, previously, to many more Italian cities.

The thought occurred to her that now her entire life seemed to be under threat. She had behaved in a totally irrational way fleeing the crime scene, she was angry with herself because of it.

She could only hope the police could not find her, after all there was no way she was connected to those men.

From the television in the small living room she heard the local news: "Macabre finding in an old area of Milan" Emma run to raise the volume: "The maid who goes to clean daily the study of the tattoo artist Andrea Barbieri, in Vicolo dei Fiori, found a horrifying scene: the corpse of a man, a Japanese citizen, according to his documents. He was laying on the floow in the bedroom. The weapon used for the crime seems incredible: two ivory sticks, a working tool for tattoo artists, planted in his chest where the heart is. They provoked almost immediate death.

The police is looking for the person in charge of study.

And now let's talk about the traffic emergence..."

Emma switched off the tv with a sigh of relief. At least for the moment there was no mention of her name. He thought again about what had happened and, once again, she gave up trying to find an explanation.

Yet she did have a clear idea: Andrea Barbieri could not be the killer.

The only thing she could do now was leaving Milan as fast as possible.

She went to the small bathroom, to fill her beauty case; she looked around to make sure she had not left anything in the flat. She then went to the hall where she was going to turn off the electricity, just as she was turning around, she almost tripped in the cat and had to hold herself to the door, in order to avoid falling.

It took her a while to convince Greta, the German painter who lied on the same landing, but eventually Emma managed to do just that, telling her a pitiful, yet totally false story.

Greta was on the verge of tears " Ok, ok, just leave the stupid cat here and disappear".

Emma didn't need to be repeated the invitation and left professing eternal gratitude.

Silly me â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she thought â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when she arrived at the door of the flat, I must have forgotten to lock it.

She went in and to her bedroom to pick up her bag and coat, but suddenly she felt uneasy, as if she weren't alone anymore: she raised her eyes and the image she saw in the mirror left her breathless.

Some hundred kilometers away from Milan, Andrea was slowly waking up. He had slept a few hours, after reaching his destination already exhausted. It took him a few minutes to understand where he was. Then he saw Mark who was with his back turned to him at the stove. He turned around and spoke to him: "It was time! Lazy boy, get up and set up the table. In exactly 5 minutes you will be able to taste the famous explosive pasta by Mark, complete with ketchup and red chilli powder."

Andrea groaned and exclaimed: " This is what I needed: an Irish man who has learnt to cook in the Legion Etrangere ??!

Smiling to him, Mark added "Let's eat, my friend, then we will find a solution to your problems, don't you think so?"

His eyes were reassuring, so Andrea realized he was really hungry, but when he had his first mouthful of pasta, he became very red, he started coughing without managing to speak. He had something to drink and this made the situation even worse, while Mark was laughing holding his head between his hands.

Between coughing, Andrea managed to shout at him " You are a disgrace!

Now I know what solution you had in mind: the final one! I am not sure if I prefer you to the Yakuza killers."

Mark's laughter was contagious, so Andrea ended up laughing as well.

When they were finally able to spealk again, Mark sat down and rolled a joint.

You can take a bottle of Whisky under the sink and we can sit down comfortably, the doctor is in!

He slumped in an old leather armchair in front of the wooden stove that warmed up his floating house. Immediately Sahel, an old mangy dog, placed his black head with big sad eyes asking for a caressing hand that was soon available.

Andrea sat in front of him on a smaller armchair covered in faded flowers, he started his story, trying to remember all the details.

" Last week, I received an unusual phone call, it was my old teacher HoriOshi, I have told you about him. At the beginning of my carreer as tattoo artist I went to his study, there were many western students, we were all in love with the Japanese culture. We learnt the traditional technicque using bamboo sticks. Every time it was a great emotion to follow the master in his work, we became friends, a connection that I have always considered precious.

After my departure from Japan, we have remained in touch by mail through all these years. Nevertheless, when I received his phone call announcing his arrival, I felt concerned and perplexed.

He was very excited, he said he needed to see me because something terrible had happened to him. He was talking about a precious and dangerous secret he wanted to share with me. He was going to use the invitation he had recievd to participate in the tattoo convention in Amsterdam in order to meet me. He also added that his secret had to do with the old dream of giving man invulenrability.

When we met at the airport in Milan, I foudn him a little older looking, but with the same spirit. During the trip to my house I told him about the old friends and my work. I restrained my curiosity until the time he would choose to share his secret."

"What did he do?" Asked Mark, refilling their glasses. " A few hours later, unexpectedly, while I was showing him my collection of ancient tattoo artists, while he was holding one drawing by Charlie Parrins, he slowly started to tell me"

Cesira Borromei Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini

WITNESSING The Postmen of the Sea Benedetto Minuto I am glad to welcome Benedetto Minuto, he has many interesting stories to share with us he was able to witness first hand, they are all connected to the sea, his great passion and current work. AV I was 10 years old in 1973, during the summer time the schools were closed and our days seemed to stretch into infinity.

At Cannitello, a small village of 3000 people in the province of Reggio Calabria, right in front of the Messina strait, we didn't have many toys or sources of entertainment, but we had our imagination, what nature gave us and, above all, we had the sea.

The sea was a vital part of our days, we spent most of our time there. We had become a sort of guardians of the coast, we checked all natural events (storms, flooded streams, sudden rough sea). We also liked to watch the intense traffic with all the ships crossing the strait.

There were big and small petrol tanks, merchant ships, cruise ships. We tried to get close to these enormous vessels in order to wave and attract the attention of the sailors on board.

Technology was not so advanced then, sometimes the seafarers could not go to a port for over a month, so that communication with their families was very difficult and infrequent.

This problem was overcome with the cooperation of the Calabrian fishermen: One day in the sixties, a fisherman's boat approached a huge petrol tank from northern Europe, sailing through to Greece.

The big ship sounded its horn as a way to greet the fishermen, who answered waving happily. Then they noticed the sailors dropped a white package in the sea, gesturing the fishermen to pick it up.

The people on the small boat were surprised, but, as soon as the ship had gone and the huge waves had subsided, they picked up the big parcel.

They found a foam box wrapped in a plastic bag and sealed with tape.

The fishermen were surprised by this unexpected event, they decided to return back home immediately, since they had no idea what to do with the box they had not opened yet.

When they reached the shore they run to the house of an old retired captain in order to ask him for suggestions about what to do with this parcel. The captain took a knife and tore off the plastic bag and the tape, thus opening the parcel.

They were surprised to find some plastic bags full of letters, some cigarettes, a bottle of whisky and some money. The captain burst into laughter, while the fishermen were perplexed, since they could not understand what was going on.

The old sea man grabbed the bottle, he opened it and poured whisky into three glasses, inviting them to drink with him and he started to explain the meaning of those objects.

There was the mail the seafarers wanted to send to their families, in fact on the envelopes there were different addresses; the money was for the stamps, the cigarettes and the whisky were the "payment" for the service performed by the fishermen.

So, almost by chance, since that day a tradition started and lasted for several years. In the village the story was told and re-told, so that many fishermen approached the passing ships more often than in the past, among seafarers the news spread quickly as well, so everybody going through the strait of Messina knew that the local fishermen could perform this "service" in exchange for cigarettes or some other item.

Some were so engaged in this activity that it became almost like a second job.

They used to wait long hours looking towards the horizon, until they could sea from Punta Faro in Messina some ship approaching. As soon as this happened they pushed they small boats down the shore, on the planks covered in grease, they jumped in the boat at sea and turned on their small engines, so that they could approach the incoming petrol tank.

When they were close they waited for the big parcel.

Next to the big ship, their small boat looked like a fragile shell in the sea made suddenly rough with high waves produced by the huge vessel.

However, the compensation was enough to pay for the effort, the money sent for the stamps was always more than what was actually needed to mail the letters, there were many cigarettes, tuna or meat tins, liquor bottles, hat, wollen sweaters, gloves, biscuits, chocolate, it was always a different payment.

In a parcel left by a Russian petrol tank, a fisherman found even a fox fur that immediately became a precious addition to his wife's coat.

This activity had a real social usefulness, it lasted for about 20 years, until the 80's brought new technology that allowed for faster communication (fax, first cellular phones) that effectively put a stop to it.

It had been an important activity, so much so that many seafarers around the world knew that in the Strait of Messina there were people who could help them to communicate with their families, in exchange for a small gift.

They didn't even know the names of the fishermen, who had become the "Postmen of the Sea", they were just unknown faces.

Yet Franco, Pippo, Alberto, Giovanni, Consolato, Nino, Pasquale, Giuseppe, etc. kept working at this second "job", in spite of its many dangers due the trecherous local waters, it also brought prosperity to their families.

Benedetto Minuto Edited and Translated by Antonella Vicini

Excerpts from the book: Mysteries, legends and recipes from the Messina Strait Š 2000

AUTHORS

Antonella Vicini http://badgermedicinespirit.wix.com/tirthayatra Writer and editor of THE BADGER, author of Talking with Gods, Sages, Fairies.... (a novel published in 2014). Steeped in classical and indological studies, I have spent all my life learning from people as well as from the ancient texts that keep revealing their immortal, thus contemporary teachings. I am happy when I can share new visions and face new challenges. I am a professional rebirther and trainer (since 1987), Reiki master since 1991, stress management and leadership trainer, writer and visionary. I also lead workshops on shamanic journeying and soul healing. I am deeply grateful to all my teachers and elders. Badger Medicine Spirit

Adrian Rooke I am a person centered therapist specializing in addiction and the consequences to family, I counsel the bereaved, and supervise other counselors. I am also a massage therapist and Reiki practitioner. I am a member of the spiritual companions and practice as a celebrant conducting Handfastings and funerals. I have been a member of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids for over 20 years, where I have served as the press officer for 12 years and a Tutor for many years. I have an interest in Wicca.

Composer, pianist, Italian teacher. Andrea "EXO" Garella began studying piano at 9 years old under the guidance of Walter Ferrato who shared with him the art of improvisation and composition. Between 16 and 20 he reaped the fruits of his studies with long concert tours. In everyday life he works in education and training in the field of safety. He is also a licensed designer for mechanical and thermotechnical projects. He has always been interested in occultism and esoterism. He is about to publish a book where he will delve into these studies connecting such Masters as H.P. Blavatsky, Wolfgang Pauli, C.G. Jung, A. Einstein, Jeremy Narby, C. Castaneda,Rick Strassman, Jean Dubuis and more. Here you can find one of his musical pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FmaMRyjF6o

Bianca Veronica Born in Sicily, Palermo, now living in Rome. The main themes of my life are the reasearch of the meaning of life, love for the arts, desire to help other people. For these reasons I have devoted my life to natural therapies, art therapy, painter, Reiki Master since 1995. I have started to write for an ancient memory that keeps calling me.

David R. Kopacz, MD The focus of my work is bringing creativity, spirituality, and healing to my work with clients as well as to the larger challenges that face health care and society. I work at Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Seattle in Primary Care Mental Health Integration and have an appointment as an Acting Assistant Professor at the University of Washington. I am board certified through the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, the American Board of Integrative & Holistic Medicine and the American Board of Integrative Medicine. I have worked in a number of practice settings over the years. Prior to moving to Seattle I spent three and a half years in New Zealand where I worked in Assertive Community Outreach at Manaaki House Community Health Center and also served as Clinical Director at Buchanan Rehabilitation Centre.

Fredric Lehrman http://www.nomaduniversity.com/ is one of the original “Wealth Psychologists” who looked deeply into the subconscious habit patterns that may either support or thwart personal financial success. He began teaching these insights in the early 1970’s, and his seminars, articles, and coaching have been the launch point for many of today’s best known experts and authors ever since. Fredric’s personal career has included intensive study with master teachers in many disciplines, and professional success in music, psychology, martial arts, photography, and global entrepreneurship, networking and innovation. He founded Nomad University in 1974 as a way to expand the concept of education as a life-long individual path of self-directed learning. The ideas he articulated then are now starting to appear in new schools all around the internet-connected world of the 21st century.

Laura Bottagisio www.laurabottagisio.com is an astrologer and seeker. She started studying astrology at the beginnings of the 80's with Lisa Morpurgo, she later worked with the Cosmos Institute of Milan, where she learnt about the theory and practice of Vibrational Waters. She has attended seminars with gerard Athias and Jp Brebion on new medicine and bio analogy. She shares her discoveries in her blog. She also creates tableaux with recycled materials, in this way she creates images out of emotions and inner worlds.

Philip Carr Gomm http://www.philipcarr-gomm.com/ Philip lives in the wide open landscape of the South Downs in Sussex, England, with his wife Stephanie. In his teens, he began studying Druidry as a spiritual path with Ross Nichols, the founder of The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. Later he took a degree in psychology from University College London, and trained in psychotherapy for adults at The Institute of Psychosynthesis, and in play therapy for children with Dr Rachel Pinney. He also trained in Montessori education with the London Montessori Centre, and founded the Lewes Montessori School. In 1988 Philip was asked to lead The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids, and he combines this role in the Order with writing and giving talks and workshops.

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.

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/ http://www.dermoriflessologia.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.

Cesira Borromei My childhood was spent among the fog of the milanese province. I studied languages at the Catholic University there, but I dropped out of school when I moved to Rome, over 50 years ago.

I write to avoid boredom and pain, so I can use all my self irony. I have travelled most of my life for work and leisure, with my partner, then alone. At the moment I â&#x20AC;&#x153;do not liveâ&#x20AC;? in Tuscania.

Jo Dunbar www.botanicamedica.co.uk Medical Herbalist for over 18 years , hypnotherapist for over 10 years. She founded Botanica Medica herbal apothecary. She has reached Druid level (member of OBOD). Author of Spirit of the Hedgerow, winner of the 2016 Local Legend spiritual writing competition, finalist in the Wishing Shelf book awards, author of Stress, Burnout and Fatigue (Self-published), and How to Cope Successfully with Candida (Wellhouse Publishing). Leader of many workshops in herbal medicine over the years. Currently running Magical Forest retreats with Adrian Rooke .

Lida Lodi Perry https://www.facebook.com/lidaperry?ref=profile Lida was born in the North East of Italy (Vicenza) after graduating from a teacher Institute she came to the USA, where she continued her education at the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Psychology and later a Master in Social Work. She worked for many years at a drug clinic in the local hospital. In 1984 she went back to Italy to work with abused children as a director of a residential facility. She moved on to work as a supervisor and Psychologist at Milan Cancer Institute where she is still consulting, while having a successful private practice as psychotherapist.

She was also cofounder of the Rebirthing Institute with Antonella Vicini, she became a Reiki Master in 1992, she is still active with the local and international Reiki community.

Marco Iorio I have been a professional photographer for over 30 years. I am also a reporter, usually my field is sport (soccer, tennis, motorbykes). I also work with still life, advertising and portraits. I work towards capturing the emotions and the important moments in people's lives.

Benedetto Minuto Born in Reggio Calabria, from my background in finance, I followed my dream and became a chef under Gualtiero Marchesi's teachings. In 2003 I opened a restaurant with my family, 5 years later for personal reasons, I started yet another career as Hotel Director on board cruise ships.

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THE BADGER TRAININGS present:

A PATH INTO WISDOM Becoming an Elder with Antonella Vicini and Lida Perry A path of reflection and deepening of our connection to our roots.

We will get in touch with the eternal wisdom that belongs to all of humanity and all stages of life.

4 online sessions appointments with our lives ways to observe our lives steps into the mysteries + 1 final session to connect all the experiences The first 4 online sessions will be held every 2 weeks, the fifth will happen one month later, completing the circle of experiences.

We will â&#x20AC;&#x153;meetâ&#x20AC;? online, please contact us at

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SACRED OGHAM ADRIAN ROOKE

Quilting is the art of creating very colorful quilts, using small pieces of fabrics stitched together preferably by hand, in different colorful and amazing patterns.

My Quilts are stitched and quilted by hand to assure a more precise assembly and even thickness.

It takes time to create a quilt: for a single bed at least 3 months are needed.

A quilt can be a very precious gift for a wedding, a special occasion, or for a significant person.

Visit my Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/lidaperry/?fref=ts

Many of my quilts can be reproduced but not copied.

BEAUTIFUL PAINTED ARROW VISIONARY ART CARDS

THE PATH OF THE RED ROAD A Powerful Tool for Transformation

Through these beautiful and unique cards Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow) shows us the Path of the RedRoad. A great wisdom teacher, Joseph Rael, imparts a personal message to each of us in the individual revelations of the cards.

Beautiful Painted Arrow (Joseph Rael) helps us understand through the blending of two languages, two separate realities, that we each come as a gift to life. . . . His use of sound in the practices he offers is very illuminating and special.”

Brooke Medicine Eagle on “Beautiful Painted Arrow”

http://www.millichapbooks.com/

WEARABLE MICROSCULPTURES by BIANCA VERONICA

"Le Ammoniti " Earrings and Bracelet, Silver

biancarosa.veronica@gmail.com

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June 2018