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<p>As an Italian, I thought I should give you a bit of information about the "Federation of Damanhur", aka the <a title="Damanhur" href="http://www.damanhur.org/" target="_blank">Eco-Society of Damanhur</a>, a place (the name has been taken from an Egyptian city on the Nile River) not very far from Turin, Piemonte, Northern Italy, founded in 1975.</p>
<p>Although widely recognized as a model for spiritual, artistic and social research, and appreciated for its blending with nature, the community became pretty famous in Italy when their secret "Tempio dell'Uomo" (Temple of Humankind) inside a mountain became known in 1992 through one of its members who left the community and informed the local Italian administration, which wanted to destroy this temple (as it was built illegally). The Federation eventually succeeded in keeping it and it is now one of the places open to visitors (guided tours with a fee). Though not a very big community, its organization is very similar to the one of any state, with its Constitution, its own money and banks, schools, newspapers, etc., except that every aspect of life revolves around its head or chief, who is highly regarded and respected. In fact, I believe their daily life is fully based upon the thought and religion as established by the founder, the eccentric and paranormal (to say the least) Oberto Airaudi, whose totemic name is Falco (hawk).</p>
<p>It is what we could call a New Age cult, with a mix of neo-paganism (they negate God and Jesus), esoterism, and magics, where daily life is a sequence of precise, symbolic rites, which include dances and ceremonies with the use of fire, to celebrate the equinox and the solstice and other natural events, as well as experiencing travel through time. The tree is central to the whole story and plays an important role in rituals, that's why they hug it constantly. The inhabitants all bear totemic names, like deer, oak, sparrow, etc.</p>
<p>I could go on and on, but you have understood the style. </p>
<p>Anthropologists and historians of religion, who have studied this movement, consider it quite dangerous, as these people attract others from outside, in order to integrate them into the community and get their money. It is not even clear if and how they pay taxes to the Italian Government, on which land they live, after all, and members have been seen going around with vacant stares, like zombies.</p>
<p>Damanhur is considered by many just another New Age sect.... if you are in passion with the Age of Aquarium, if you are obsessed by Avatar (which is just a movie, I should remind, not a real place) and believe that "love is the air", if you support Scientology, this is a mix of all of the above, and you would certainly like to live in such a place.</p>
<p>As said at the beginning, I just wanted to tell you more from an Italian viewpoint.</p>
<p>Thanks and best,</p>
<p>Emanuela Appetiti</p>
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<p>On 13.04.2012 10:12, marguerite uhlmann-bower wrote:</p>
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<p>So what's going on inside your head? <br /><br />True, warm 'mammals' cry, scream, blat and squirm. <br /><br />No noise or movement from green beings though. <br /><br />That blender looks pretty ... horrendous eh?<br /><br /> My sincere apologies if I've offended, I'm just having a deep clear day today. <br /> <br />Truly,<br /><br />Marguerite <br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>
<div class="gmail_quote">A re-thinking of what we're really doing. <br /><br />Please listen, if just for 5 minutes but if you could listen longer, there are excellent points made at 6 to 8 minutes. <br /><br />And please, if you have children, listen with them. <br /><br />Italian research on plant intelligence. If you're interested for more after listening, google - Plant Neuro Biology.<br /><br />I'd say ground breaking - perhaps to some of us here in the U.S. - but has been studied in Italy for 30 yrs. at the Federation of Damanhur. <br /> See You Tube link below. AND this is what many indigenous people have always known. <br /><br />(Vesti, Kaela, Steph, and Nisha, remember this is what I told you about.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXhhAXjKmIU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXhhAXjKmIU</a><br /><br />Marguerite<br clear="all" /><br />-- <br />
<div><br /><br />The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. - Carl Jung<br /><br /><br />Part of 'holding space' for another is not to try to choose form, rather it is to spend time considering its content and allow form to present itself.<br /><span style="color: #888888;"><br /><br /><br />Marguerite Uhlmann-Bower <br />R.N., Herbalist, Reiki <br />Herbal Educational Services<br />226 Kelso Rd. / Sanders Lane <br />East Meredith, NY 13757<br /><a>(607) 278-9635</a></span></div>
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<br /><br clear="all" /><br />-- <br />
<div><br /><br />The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. - Carl Jung<br /><br /><br />Part of 'holding space' for another is not to try to choose form, rather it is to spend time considering its content and allow form to present itself.<br /><br /><br /><br />Marguerite Uhlmann-Bower <br />R.N., Herbalist, Reiki <br />Herbal Educational Services<br />226 Kelso Rd. / Sanders Lane <br />East Meredith, NY 13757<br />(607) 278-9635</div>
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