FLY: Astroshamanic Healing Network

Alice’s Adventures in Reality (by Elaine Silverfire)

2011-01-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

In Reality things are upside down. This is what Alice discovered when she slipped from Dreamland and found herself on a Reality programme for three months. She had been lured there with the promise of living from purpose and soul, only to find that she was in a completely different world, the world of Reality. In this strange world Alice three times met the Duchess and the Duchess pointed out the error of her ways and told her that, if she didn’t change her ways, she would never work in Reality. The Duchess said that Alice had to talk more and become more visible.

Alice was puzzled by this because Alice’s spiritual practice was the Art of Invisibility, a practice for dropping the ego that involves being very quiet, not doing anything to draw attention to yourself and not looking for any acknowledgement, and, after three months of talking and talking and talking, Alice became so disturbed by the sound of constant chatter that she felt she was going mad, mad as a Hatter.

The Duchess noticed this and kept on talking and talking and talking about how strange it was that Alice didn’t feel the need to talk all the time and Alice became more and more and more silent until, for three days, she was completely silent and, by going into silence, Alice slipped back into Dreamland, but, after three days of silence the sound of talking returned and the feeling of madness returned and Alice returned to Reality.

Then one day a man from Dreamland suddenly appeared and asked Alice if she would like to work in Dreamland and so Alice returned to Dreamland where she continues to practise the Art of Invisibility and, maybe one day, like the Cheshire Cat, she will actually become invisible, leaving behind only the felt sense of a smile.

Arnold Mindell, Dreaming While Awake for information on Dreamland.
Carlos Castaneda, Tales of Power for information on the Art of Invisibility. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_(Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland) for information on the Duchess.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Hatter for information on the Hatter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire_Cat for information on the Cheshire Cat.

Italian Travel Notes by Christine Dreifus

2008-11-04T02:31:00.000-08:00

After the beautiful summer gathering, July passed quickly, with some light and summery days. August was over so quickly that I thought it had been stolen. Soon there would be the next workshop end of September and I had to collect my resources. Astonishingly this came quite easy and without a lot of fear and feelings of loss. September came and there was the final problem of someone looking after my cats, alas all the good men where on holiday, so I asked my daughter and she agreed to my surprise, only to fall ill later and forget all about the cats. Luckily I left a lot of food and my cats are not greedy, but wise eaters. They survived three days by themselves until someone could come and visit.

As the train journey is about the same I decided to visit Assisi again, I even got a very cheap ticket. Also I could avoid having to change trains in Milano, which to me is one of the most dreaded stations anywhere. The energy is a little similar to the Zurich station, as both are end stations and trains have to go back. In other places the train goes on to either side and doesn’t hold or block the energy. That would be a Feng Shui explanation, as Florence is also an end station but they have entrances on either side of the rails and I am probably just blubbering here, but anyway hanging around Milan station for two hours is not my favorite pastime.

So on the 17^th I got up at 5 o’clock in the morning and got ready for the 7.20 train to Florence. It was unbelievably cold after a very sunny spell that month. So I bundled up and took the trolley car to Zurich main station.

I made my way to the right platform announced and calculated the right distance to wait for my wagon. As the train arrived I had to realize that the wagons didn’t start with one at the beginning but somewhere in the middle and my wagon was at the very front. I thought this quite hilarious, only to hurry back to the beginning to fid my seat.

In my compartment four young and very polite men said goodbye to each other and three left to leave the last one, which duly fell asleep for the whole journey. I couldn’t do so but after a brief late breakfast settled with my crime novel set in east Africa.

Traveling through the Swiss Alps always holds a great fascination to me, as going through these tunnels I’m taken back to when I was a child going on holiday with my parents every summer to the same place in the southern part of Switzerland, my fondest memories.

After reaching Chiasso, the weather started to brighten considerably and I went to the toilet to shed one pair of my two pairs of trousers that I was wearing.

Arriving in Florence it was the most beautiful weather with about 24 degrees Celsius. I rejoiced and started to kill the one and a half hours that I had until my connection train arrived. Walking around Florence station is much nicer that Milan, as there is not the fear of having my luggage stolen at every corner and the atmosphere is much lighter. I wandered around and looked at postcards and later settled in the restaurant to have a light meal of peas with potatoes. After that I still had more that 40 Minutes and went to have a peak outside to see and remind myself what the city looked like outside of the station. Finally the train arrived without being announced and I asked my way around to make sure I got on the right one.

After a pleasant trip passing Perugia, I got out and found the bus, that I was recommended to take from the hotel manager, right away, and some nice Italian man explained to me where to buy a ticket. Assisi has this friendly atmosphere and I feel at home, like nothing bad could truly happen there.

I made it to the hotel that was recommended to me by Astrid and settled in my room. Later I went for a walk in the almost deserted streets of the town, looking for something to eat and sampling the places feel.

As most of the tourists leave before evening, it is very quite and I stood at the foot of the marvelous Basilica of St. Francis all by myself in the half twilight, to marvel at the architecture and my intent to visit the Basilica again as well as St. Claire’s , to renew the contact I had during the summer gathering in front of both tomb’s.

First I went to bed, where the toilet flushed water down all night, making me feel like being in a boat under a waterfall.

The next morning was bright and sunny and after breakfast I went up to the church to connect with St. Francis again. It was unbelievably crowded but I managed to get a seat on one of the wooden benches in front of St. Francis tomb and stayed there for quite a while. An incredible sadness came over me, that I later did not believe to have come from me but from the place and it’s accumulated pain or release of it. I sat there quietly and let the tears run down my face, not minding what anyone else could think about me. Later, after visiting the shop also flush with almost hysterical pilgrims out for a holy souvenir. I kept my calm, bought a postcard with a prayer and left to march in direction of the church of S.Chiara. On the way I indulged in a soft drink and a piadine. Then I went on towards the other end of the town, occasionally stopping to take some pictures. After a late lunch and several drinks, as the sun was burning down, I finally reached S. Chiara’s basilica and sat near the fountain for while to breathe the air. Then I proceeded to climb down the stairs to her resting place. As during the summer gathering the saint had come to me in a dream that had left me sleepless for almost the rest of the night, I continued very slowly and held on to the marble pillar in front of the window that separated the viewer from the tomb and let others pass in front of me to go very slowly around the large marble pile. I peaked around a little anxiously, maybe S.Chiara was already up and waiting for me. When I finally looked at her, she was quietly resting and beautiful as ever.

I stayed in front of the window for quite a while. At a certain hour the curtain was closed and I could hear the nuns sing. When the curtain opened again, they had replenished the candles.

With a beautiful feeling of freedom and love and wholeness I left the church and walked around to find a shop for buying some provisions. I found a typical Italian shop with everything but fruit. I was redirected to another shop, but this happened to be closed. As I need my fruit I later bought two bananas at a restaurant near by, probably the most expensive ones I’ve ever bought, but without my bananas I go bananas.

I went back to the hotel with my heavy bag containing liters of water and passed a group of teenagers that were probably on a school outing. One of the kids called after me: Ciao bella!

He couldn’t have been older than 15 years old and I had to laugh so hard I nearly dropped my water.

Later another group of kids mingled around me while descending a flight of stony stairs. They appeared to be German. On of the girls tried to be very smart and started speaking to me in English jet I answered her immediately in German. She was quite flabbergasted and looked at me really astonished. Her friend found this a great cause of mirth and couldn’t stop grinning.

I arrived at the hotel exhausted and stayed for a while to rest.

The next morning was rainy and overhung. I caught another bus in the rain and got on the train to Jesi. Before at the station I found a little globe with the pictures of my two favorite saints on it.

The funny thing about this trip is: ever since I’ve been back from Assisi all the dogs in the street look up at me, as if they want to start a conversation. Sometimes they really stare curiously for a while, it’s almost embarrassing.

Arriving in Jesi I saw a familiar figure going up the stairs, but Anna didn’t hear me calling after her, so I waited patiently for her to emerge again from wherever she had disappeared to.

Together we waited for our lift to the bed and breakfast. Dear Giulietta arrived and together we went to have a look at our beds for the weekend. Arriving at the place it turned out to be a

rather splendid new house, built like a Roman mansion complete with swimming pool and fake marble statues in the garden. Anna had the whole attic to herself and I moved into my humble single bedroom with the toilet in the hallway.

As for certain technical reasons the Erremo wasn’t free, the seminar was held at the beautiful country mansion of Serena. As we went up the hill through the garden I had the feeling of entering another time zone, as the house looked like out of an ancient film, complete with small church and unused stable.

Meeting my soul brothers and sisters is always close to completing the circle and coming out of supposed separation.

Franco held the course in an atmospheric salon equipped with Persian rugs and old engravings on the wall. As a chair I had a throne-like armchair that made feel very comfortable, as opposed to my usual sitting down.

During the next two days, Franco took us safely into the autumnal journey of letting go.

The outside manifestation of this message is obvious.

As usual we did several exercises and practiced the different touch techniques on each other.

I remember one quite clearly, where I put the whole intent into my body and felt complete and without pain, which felt most invigorating. At this very moment, I felt all the pain and emotions that were locked in my back and was able to release them. The following day I feel like my vertebra has been straitened and I walk very tall.

There is an exercise where we have to challenge our fears and I go back to the lodgings and attempt to find a dark place where I might spend half an hour. Although it occurs to me later on, that I live my fears almost every day and have to deal with them on a constant level. I always find myself in unknown situations that have inspired fear in me, but I no longer fear them but I deal with them and have learned to live with the unknown for a long time now.

Jet I wander through the garden and find a spot where I could be in the cold for a while. There is light everywhere and I think about the neighbors that could possibly find it strange that someone walks in the garden in the middle of the night.

There is a large garden shed in the back and I install myself close to it. There is a very dark spot behind that shed but I cannot go there, it is dark and damp. After a while I give up and remember my fear of the basement when I was a child.

Soon the weekend is coming to an end and most part in a hurry. I spend part of Sunday evening with Anna and Giulietta and then head back towards my quarters.

After returning home I feel fine for a few days, like usually almost a new me.

Then, when October starts I have a cold for a week. The following week I don’t feel good and after that I get another virus and really have to stay in bed, which I usually never do.

Then finally by the end of October I find the records of my finished lesson 1 that mysteriously I couldn’t remember to have done , but had obviously already send the e-mail to Franco and he didn’t remember either. Very relieved I start on lesson 2 and feel obliged to go on a journey almost every single day. This gives me a lot of back up and I feel strong to go into the wintry season.

Yesterday there where the first globs of snow coming down, very early this year. They say it is the most snow we had since the 1930’s.

I’m thinking of a poem by Reiner Maria Rilke: Herbsttag (Autumn day) One line reads:

Wer jetzt allein ist wird es lange bleiben (Who is alone now will stay that for a while).

I’m not alone I have all of you.

Le Vie della Santità (di Anna Luna)

2008-07-21T02:32:00.001-07:00

Cari Amici,

è per vie strane e a volte misteriose che il Divino si manifesta e questo può accadere anche attraverso la ricerca di una semplice, umile, piccola, sacra pietra.

Venerdì 18 luglio, Luna Piena. Seguendo un'ispirazione mi dirigo verso la località detta delle Tre Fontane, alla ricerca della prima pietra del Sud. Si tratta di un complesso monastico, un tempo in aperta campagna, ora completamente inglobato nel tessuto cittadino. Lascio l'auto e mi dirigo a piedi lungo il viale chiamato delle Acque Salvie. A pochi metri dalla trafficatissima Via Laurentina si ha immediatamente la sensazione di aver attraversato un varco spazio-temporale.

Il luogo è ricco di fascino, e simboli. Il primo incontro è con una grande statua di San Benedetto che invita al silenzio portando un dito sulle labbra. Lo sovrasta il suo sigillo scolpito nella pietra. In fondo al viale, l'ingresso al complesso monastico è un vero e proprio portale. Costituito da una serie di tre archi, è decorato nella parte frontale da un bassorilievo della Madonna col Bambino, mentre sulla volta si intravedono i simboli dei quattro Evangelisti (o elementi, o direzioni) in quel che resta di un antico affresco. Mi rivolgo a ognuna di loro, nei quattro angoli, e silenziosamente le invito.

Il complesso è costituito da tre chiese. La prima è la chiesa abbaziale, la seconda nasce da una visione di Bernardo di Chiaravalle, fondatore dell'Ordine Cistercense, e la terza è la chiesa sorta sul luogo del martirio di San Paolo, che ha dato il nome alla località (Tre Fontane). La tradizione vuole che qui sia stato decapitato San Paolo e che la sua testa rimbalzando sul terreno tre volte abbia fatto scaturire tre sorgenti.

Entro nella chiesa abbaziale dei Santi Anastasio e Vincenzo che è la prima e la più vicina, attigua al convento di clausura. E' un edificio spoglio e austero e quasi sempre in penombra. In fondo il coro, dove se si capita nelle ore giuste si possono ascoltare i frati che intonano le preghiere delle Ore, separato da una grande cancellata dal resto della chiesa.

È ancora pressoché deserta e la semioscurità e il silenzio ispirano raccoglimento e meditazione. Sosto, appunto, in meditazione, respirando la santità di cui sono impregnate le antiche mura.

Uscendo nella luce del mattino mi dirigo verso la chiesa di San Paolo, dove c'è un'atmosfera completamente diversa. Un giovane con la chitarra canta un inno di alleluia e un gruppo di ragazzi e bambini seduti nelle panche ai due lati lo accompagnano con strumenti musicali e sonagli. Altri giovani si alternano cantando inni di lode e leggendo passi del Vangelo. La chiesa non è molto grande e risuona tutta dei loro canti sacri. C'è aria di festa, anche per la presenza davanti al piccolo altare centrale di due inginocchiatoi e due sgabelli, preparati evidentemente per un matrimonio imminente. La bellezza, l'armonia e la semplicità dell'insieme mi rapisce estasiata per qualche tempo.

La terza chiesa, Santa Maria Scala Coeli, è così chiamata da una visione avuta da Bernardo di Chiaravalle, in cui la Madonna accoglieva le anime dei defunti che salivano in cielo lungo una scala. Nella chiesa è tuttora presente un altare pagano dedicato a Dia, divinità agricola romana. La chiesetta è chiusa perché necessita di restauri. Tuttavia riesco a girarle attorno, nella speranza anche di trovare un varco verso il boschetto di eucalipti, ma scopro con disappunto che non c'è alcun passaggio.

Gli alberi di eucalipto si estendono per una vasta area intorno al complesso monastico e oltre e sono stati piantati nell'ottocento dai frati Trappisti per bonificare la zona, a quei tempi acquitrinosa e malarica.

Decido così di continuare il mio percorso di ricerca esteriore/interiore, materia/spirito, sul lato opposto della Via Laurentina, verso il Parco degli Eucalipti, altro luogo santo e di grande venerazione per i romani. In questa località il 12 aprile 1947 la Madonna apparve in una grotta ad un uomo e ai suoi tre bambini, che vi si erano recati per una scampagnata.

Comunemente conosciuta come la Madonna delle Tre Fontane, è un'immagine di Maria a me molto cara, alquanto insolita: bruna, la pelle piuttosto olivastra, il manto verde e una fascia rosa in vita. "Io sono la Vergine della Rivelazione" furono le parole con cui esordì rivolgendosi all'uomo, che si convertì in seguito a quest'evento. Oggi la grotta è inglobata in una cappella ed è luogo di adorazione e preghiera.

Anche qui c'è poca gente, dati forse il giorno e l'ora, e la trovo una magnifica occasione per sostare in raccoglimento e recitare il santo rosario, con un sottofondo musicale unico, l'orchestra delle cicale. Tutto è presente e partecipe del tutto e ogni cosa è perfetta, la terra, il cielo, la natura, ogni piccola presenza è pervasa da un'aura di santità.

Attorno alla cappella, in un percorso detto "dell'Angelo", un impressionante numero (centinaia, forse migliaia) di ex-voto testimonia le grazie e i miracoli ricevuti.

Completo il cammino nel parco, sdraiata sull'erba sotto un eucalipto. Guardando il cielo blu e le nuvole bianche in continuo movimento attraverso i rami mossi dal vento, medito sulla mia ricerca.

Cercavo qualcosa di ben preciso e definito e "sento" con i sensi che quello che si è manifestato sul piano fisico non è rispondente alle caratteristiche che avevo in mente. Nessun frammento di materia è stato dunque così speciale da scardinare l'idea preconcetta di come le cose "dovrebbero essere"? Nessuno è stato meritevole di rappresentare ciò che cercavo, nel modo in cui lo "percepivo"? Penso che dovrei lasciar andare qualsiasi idea mi sono costruita e aprirmi a quello che è già arrivato o arriverà, senza giudicarlo, accettando i doni della terra in tutte le loro forme, anche le più umili.

E mi chiedo: è la vanità dell'ego o il desiderio di bellezza, armonia e perfezione, che altro non sono che attributi del Divino? Forse un po' dell'uno e un po' dell'altro. E quando divento consapevole di come l'ego influenza i miei desideri e le mie aspirazioni, perfino quando sembrano motivate dalle finalità più sublimi, ecco che l'ego è scoperto e perde immediatamente il suo potere (almeno temporaneamente). Posso allora abbandonare le mie idee preconcette e aprirmi a un sentire diverso, più profondo, che scaturisce dal cuore.

E la ricerca della pietra nel mondo materiale diventa ricerca interiore, la ricerca di Dio nel mondo dello Spirito. E poiché siamo nel Sud, regno della materia e del corpo fisico, onoro entrambi, spirito e materia, perché finché sarò in questo corpo, su questa terra, essi sono inscindibili e santi, e l'uno veicolo di benessere e gioia per l'altro. Almeno così credo dovrebbe essere.

E a questo punto mi si ripresenta un vecchio quesito al quale non ho ancora trovato una risposta esauriente: Qual è il significato della sofferenza fisica? È generata soltanto dalle nostre disarmonie interiori e dalla separazione, o è uno strumento di purificazione e insegnamento? Santità e sofferenza sono strettamente connessi o si può essere santi senza necessariamente passare attraverso il dolore? Certamente il dolore non garantisce la santità, ma esiste la santità senza dolore?

Sappiamo che molti santi e persone considerate spiritualmente elevate, nell'antichità usavano indossare indumenti per mortificare la carne, come il cilicio, oppure si infliggevano volontariamente ferite corporali (e abbiamo visto recentemente nelle basiliche di Santa Chiara e San Francesco il cilicio indossato dalla santa e delle corde irte di nodi usate da entrambi). Queste torture venivano praticate nel nome di Cristo e volevano essere, credo, un modo per unirsi a lui nella sofferenza della passione e della morte.

Anche in tempi più recenti, e addirittura oggigiorno, si sente a volte di persone che adottano tali pratiche apparentemente anacronistiche e per molti di noi incomprensibili.

Ma come può Dio, pura gioia ed estatica letizia, chiederci di soffrire? O addirittura di sottoporci volontariamente a pene corporali martoriando e mortificando il nostro corpo, tempio di quella scintilla divina che ci unisce al Tutto, ossia a Dio?

Tuttavia, nella maggior parte dei casi la sofferenza non è desiderata o ricercata consapevolmente. Può presentarsi sotto forma di malattia, povertà, stenti, violenze, soprusi (purtroppo tutto questo esiste ancora nel nostro mondo cosiddetto progredito e civile ma in realtà soltanto separato) ed essere "subita". Ma possiamo crearla anche noi stessi senza rendercene conto, quando insistiamo nel mantenere in piedi una situazione, una relazione, uno stile di vita. In questi casi la sofferenza/malattia potrebbe essere un campanello d'allarme che ci avverte che è tempo di cambiare o lasciar andare qualcosa nella nostra vita, e probabilmente persisterà finché non avremo imparato la lezione.

Personalmente ho sofferto moltissimo nel vedere la sofferenza negli altri. Durante il seminario di Assisi, ripercorrendo la mia vita alla ricerca della presenza di Dio, non l'ho trovata in verità in momenti di benessere, felicità e beatitudine, ma in un periodo di sconvolgimento e dolore, nel caso specifico in una (mia) storia personale/collettiva che ha visto la persona in quel momento a me più cara prostrata da una malattia terminale particolarmente aggressiva. Mesi di sofferenza e impotenza davanti a qualcosa che sentivo più grande di me e non sapevo come gestire spiritualmente, emozionalmente e fisicamente, mi hanno sprofondata in uno spazio di dolore, disperazione e rifiuto. Ho creduto di essere stata abbandonata da Dio. Avevo pregato, bussato, chiesto, implorato e Dio non mi aveva ascoltato, ma si era preso quanto di bello e sacro c'era nella mia vita (almeno questo era quello che percepivo in quel momento).

Ero molto arrabbiata con Dio in quel periodo e non volevo avere più niente a che fare con lui. Eppure mai come allora Dio fu più presente nella mia vita.

Mi sentivo divisa in due. Una parte di me se n'era andata e quella che era rimasta si sentiva sola e abbandonata. Ancora oggi, a volte, si sente sola e abbandonata perché vorrebbe raggiungere l'altra parte, ma non può, e questo le causa molta sofferenza.

Questa circostanza tuttavia ha guidato la mia vita in una direzione completamente diversa, ossia sul sentiero che mi ha portata fin qui, dove mi trovo oggi, dove altrimenti non sarei mai arrivata, e dove in qualche modo sto ritrovando e riconoscendo la presenza di Dio nella mia esistenza.

Ora vedo con maggiore chiarezza il dispiegarsi di un disegno superiore, frutto probabilmente di accordi presi in altri tempi e in altri spazi e, se ripercorro le tappe più significative della mia vita, non posso fare a meno di notare come gli eventi sono tutti strettamente concatenati e interconnessi gli uni con gli altri. Non c'è nulla che non abbia significato.

Ora so, perché lo sento, che Dio è sempre presente, lo è sempre stato e lo sarà sempre. Non devo fare altro che affidarmi a Lui. Lui mi aiuterà a riunire le mie due parti, in un modo o nell'altro. E qualunque sia il modo che sceglierà, sarà certamente quello giusto.

La mia storia personale non è esclusivamente mia, ma è la storia di molti. Fin dall'inizio dell'umanità la sofferenza e il dolore sono stati sempre presenti nella vita di tutti gli esseri viventi e questo forse ci ha indotto a credere che non fosse possibile evitarli. Ma è davvero così? O si tratta dell'ennesima credenza da smantellare?

Dio è gioia, sorriso, amore. Dio non ci chiede di soffrire, ci chiede soltanto di ascoltare. e di credere.

E quando ci abbandoneremo nella Sua pace, in perfetta armonia con il flusso dell'esistenza, accettando tutto ciò che è, forse la sofferenza non sarà più necessaria.

Nella pace di Dio vi abbraccio tutti con amore,

Annaluna

Terra, Terra

2008-07-18T02:29:00.000-07:00

TERRA,TERRA di Letizia Mocheggiani

Un incanto si apre davanti ai miei occhi in attesa………..nonostante la conoscenza del luogo visitato in diverse occasioni, l’arrivo ad Assisi, mi emoziona.

Libero la mente dai miei pensieri e mi avvio a salutare gli altri ragazzi del raduno estivo..

11 è il numero che frequentemente si presenta nella mia vita, ed è qui manifesto come numero dei partecipanti, riconosco tutti, anche chi vedo per la prima volta.

Mi sistemo nel piacevole appartamentino e dopo aver ammirato velocemente il luogo intorno a me cominciamo il lavoro ……….

Preparo assieme a Franco la stanza che per 5 giorni sarà il nostro luogo dell’anima, in onore della terra mettiamo nell’altare un vaso con lavanda, rose e ortensie, candele per le Direzioni e un mazzo di carte astrologiche chiuso ………..non so ancora che qui è racchiuso il lavoro che mi porterà alle rivelazioni……….

Una volta riuniti prendiamo posizione intorno al Centro, e qui si giocherà il nostro futuro lavoro ……..L’invisibile si manifesta in noi sia che ne siamo consapevoli o no, la scelta del luogo dove sediamo non è mai casuale e determina le conseguenze future…….

Io mi siedo nel Settore 11, anche se ancora sono inconsapevole…

Inizio lavori, il tema che ci apprestiamo a sviluppare è la Pace e la Santità.

Io voglio la pace di Dio (UCIM), il pensiero con cui iniziamo, e che sorpresa……….non c’è altra pace che la pace di Dio, è la lezione di oggi.

Mentre chiediamo con convinzione la pace di Dio e uniamo le nostre menti scopriamo la verità………. un unico pensiero ci accomuna e si amplifica , lasciamo i sogni, le illusioni il mondo del dolore e accettiamo la pace che è dentro di noi.

Il pomeriggio scorre velocemente tra accordi, programmi e presentazioni ed arriviamo a sera sotto un altro aspetto, sorridenti e rilassati ci troviamo davanti ad un delizioso cibo, preparato con amore dai ragazzi che ci ospitano, mangiamo con gioia scambiandoci emozioni.

E la notte alziamo gli occhi al Cielo, cercando noi stessi e le nostre parti perdute, uniti nel silenzio dei nostri respiri.

Altro giorno, arriva il sole, alcuni di noi sono svegli da molto presto e girano intorno al parco, tra fiori di lavanda, ginestra, pini e l’acqua chiara della piscina, luogo di riposo per la mente ed il corpo, ci troviamo di nuovo per la colazione, prime parole dopo tanto silenzio della notte, ancora la voce non ha il suo tono ma questo non ha importanza…

Prima meditazione silenziosa del mattino, 20 minuti di immobilità per collegarci con il Centro e vedere Dio dentro di noi. Franco parla per molte ore spiegandoci il lavoro, tra ascolto e manifestazioni di emozioni cresciamo, ci spostiamo fuori, in un cerchio benedetto sotto dei pini, il vento fresco ed il sole ci accarezzano ed altre emozioni arrivano…….

Ora di pranzo, invece del cibo preferiamo nutrirci d’amore e ci prepariamo per il Rituale del Sacro Cono, gli accordi sono che ogni mattina e sera verranno fatte 2 meditazioni silenziose ed il rituale di base del Sacro Cono, a turno ognuno di noi lo guiderà, inizio io con Astrid……dopo esserci preparate cominciamo, e diamo voce al Sole e Luna dentro di noi permettendo il rilascio e infine l’ascolto….

Nel pomeriggio il lavoro continua all’esterno e ci spostiamo ad Assisi, Chiesa di S. Chiara e Basilica di S. Francesco, questa parte del lavoro è molto delicata ed incomprensibile sotto certi aspetti, ma seguiamo le istruzioni che ci vengono date e lavoriamo a coppie, legati solo da un filo invisibile silenzioso……..

Al termine siamo sfiniti e forse più consapevoli del lavoro fatto, visioni, ricordi e voci ci indicano la via per i futuri giorni……..

Un po’ di libera uscita ci rallegra il cuore e ci concediamo gelati e qualche divertente spesa….

Rientro per cena, la fame e l’allegria ci travolge……..e di nuovo arriva la notte, ricordiamo il pensiero di pace che ogni giorno chiediamo e lanciamo in cielo tra le stelle i nostri cari, per riprenderli benedetti dentro di noi……..arriva il sonno, davvero troppo desiderato…….

Ancora ritorna il sole, di nuovo la luce riempie i nostri occhi e ci permette di vedere, o almeno così ci sembra, dopo la meditazione mattutina lavoriamo ancora dentro e fuori di noi, stiamo ascoltando i segni zodiacali che abbiamo scelto inconsapevolmente, e riconosciamo le molteplici forme di noi attraverso gli altri, comprendendo gli opposti, le quadrature, i trigoni, e ogni altro aspetto dell’astrologia. Personalmente non avevo mai fatto esperienza di questo modo di rapportarmi con i segni in relazione ad altre persone, scopro collegamenti, relazioni, legami e un mare di visioni e intuizioni mi giungono da ogni dove…. sono affascinata e sento piacere nel seguire questo metodo, è un mondo che nel profondo conosco e mi appartiene, sono in armonia con il lavoro e osservo le energie muoversi intorno a me…

Giorno dopo giorno, ora dopo ora cresce la consapevolezza e nella nuova uscita ad Assisi, Eremo delle carceri, Porziuncola, seguiamo il nostro compito legato al Mondo dell’Alto e Mondo del Basso tenendoci uniti per 4 dal solito filo invisibile …………ultima uscita.

Notte di danze e abbandoni, le energie si intensificano e tra noi si sciolgono antichi blocchi ed emergono i legami, lacrime dolci, abbracci e sfioramenti, perdono e benedizioni scendono nei nostri corpi, le carte astrologiche e gli Spiriti Totem sono tra noi, rappresentazioni di un mondo velato che ha bisogno di manifestarsi, prestiamo la nostra fisicità con consapevolezza per essere liberi………

Nel sonno lavoriamo con l’inconscio e seguiamo senza perderli di vista i segni che durante il giorno non notiamo………

La mattina siamo più silenziosi, forse è la verità che non ha bisogno di parole, forse un velo di tristezza sta entrando, in breve facciamo colazione e ci apprestiamo alla meditazione silenziosa, Franco ci fa il meraviglioso dono di svelarci il mistero, gli Archetipi, la vita, e per rilasciare tutte le nostre emozioni ci guida in un Rituale del Sacro Cono senza pari, un’infinita saggezza, un antico sentire, il riconoscimento di ciò che è………ci lasciamo andare ed ogni tempo è perso, solo l’eternità rimane per sempre……… e amore e perdono.

Una lunga pausa ci divide dalla sera, nonostante la bella piscina ed il sole tutti si prendono tempo per dormire…….cos’altro rimane se non sprofondare nel nostro inconscio senza ricordare più nulla!

Ormai i nostri linguaggi si sono compresi, non esistono barriere di lingue, ma forse ciò che più è manifesto è l’unione dei cuori. La notte ci accompagna in una lunga passeggiata nel bosco, guidati dai nostri giovani amici che ogni giorno ci preparano il cibo e ci ospitano con amore, li seguiamo insieme al loro cane Lola e il gatto Lino, al buio le stelle c’illuminano il sentiero, e nel silenzio terminiamo la giornata con la meditazione immobile all’aperto…….

Ultimo giorno, poche ore ci separano dall’addio finale, ultimo lavoro con i Settori , ci apriamo alla visione e ci prepariamo al lavoro che svolgeremo durante i prossimi mesi del Sud.

Ancora un viaggio intorno ai segni, ormai è chiaro cosa è successo ed ognuno può vedere il perché attraverso la rappresentazione della carta scelta inconsapevolmente sedendoci il primo giorno, per me Acquario, con opposizione Leone, quadrature in Scorpione Toro, trigoni Bilancia Gemelli, quinconce Cancro Vergine……..cosa ci dicono questi segni, ascoltiamoli, c’è un messaggio per noi, una rete invisibile tutti i giorni ci lega creando fitti intrecci e relazioni ………non viviamo inconsapevoli di cosa accade, il gioco comincia proprio qui.

Love

Letizia

A Pilgrimage to Assisi

2008-07-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

A pilgrimage to Assisi

I was really looking forward to the summer gathering in Italy, but first it had to be July. Between the last weekend working with fire in March it would be three months until the next weekend in June and a lot had to be done: Daily practices, meditations, finding money for the next workshop and calculating right, in between looking for work and living and breathing. Not so much actually as summer came closer and summertime makes the living easy as I believe.

With the group meditations I was really fine and in the first two months took part as much as I could, sometimes four times a week. With finding funds for the workshop it was more difficult as I had, like always, a few bills lying around and didn’t know until the last moment how much cash I could take with me.

I had done a ritual for 28 days to ensure the help, to make it to the gathering. I enjoyed doing that ritual very much, opening the directions every day for myself, and scaring my cats with the rattle I used to pronounce the different directions.

When finally the time came to pack my bags I felt like going to a scouts summer camp, as I thought about packing my sleeping bag, torch and Swiss army knife, just in case. In the end I remembered that my torch is still in my bag in the basement at Cluny, waiting for me to return and the sleeping bag was really too big. Although I packed a full set of metal cutlery that once belonged to my grandmother, which came in handy when I was staying in Rome in between workshops, but first things first.

I had booked in advance a ticket from Zürich to Milano but couldn’t really check the timetable, as this was just about to change in the middle of June. So I booked a seat on the same train as always but went home to realize that on the Swiss timetable this train didn’t exist. The main problem was that I had bought a ticket that was slightly cheaper but non refundable. As I couldn’t spare a cent I had a small nervous breakdown at first, then I spent a few days mulling the problem over and over, blaming the women behind the counter that had sold me that ticket. Also I blamed myself for not listening to my intuition that had groaned like an empty stomach when I had waited at the ticket office.

Finally I made a rather frantic phone call and a very nice lady ensured me, that I could probably change the ticket when it was sure that I had no connection to my destination that same day.

So once again I went to the ticket office and surprisingly the right train suddenly existed after all and the journey could begin.

Traveling on a day when the moon is in Aries, Gemini, Sagitarius or Aquarius is always a pleasure for me as the journey goes smoothly, I meet interesting people and all the trains, even Italian ones are suddenly on time or even too early.

So it was on this Thursday when I set out again to conquer the Alps again, not on foot with elephants but by train. I was in a compartment with two elderly couples, one German and the other I couldn’t make out the dialect at first, but they must have been from India. The German man explained to the Indian lady a bit what we were going to see outside or she, as I was only eavesdropping.

Always as soon as the train emerges from the last tunnel, my mood changes. We started in Zürich with rain and cold weather. In the Tessin it is usually sunnier and the houses and nature remind me of the many happy times I spend there when I was a child.

Just before we arrived, I had started a conversation about literature. Although the German lady didn’t understand my affection for Great Brittan and the English language. But then she was the right age to understand, that Germany had lost the war and wasn’t so keen on the great island at all. Some things never change.

We also talked about the Japanese author Haruki Murakami and they knew a little about shamanism. Thus we arrived in Milano and I grabbed my bags and jumped out of the train. The problem with being on time is that I had now at least one and a half hours to spare and Milano station is far from interesting place to wait. It is in fact not Italy at all, like New York is not America.

I kept on the move and walked around and around, getting some lemonade from one of the machines twice, as I had found out that it was cheaper than from the stalls.

Finally my train arrived and it proved to be choc full of people going on holiday or home.

Very Italian style, the seating order was ignored despite the directive of reserved tickets. In the end it all matched. Apparently the aircon was off, so I spent the journey from Milano to at least Bologna sleeping in a very warm carriage. Changing at Ancona was also a dream with lots of time to spare and no rush.

As usually when I’m abroad I get chatted up by men. Usually the species is much older or at least very intoxicated. This time it was a man with both attributes. He thought I was under 30 years old, which of course was met by much mirth from my part. The conversation wasn’t going anywhere, as he believed me hailing from parts of the late Soviet Union. As I declined he tried every eastern European state on me. When I lastly revealed that I’m from Switzerland he off course had worked there at one time. As I got a bit bored by his interrogation, I stopped talking and in the end he had fallen asleep when I got off the train.

Arriving in Jesi, the same taxi driver waited outside the station and he recognized me from the previous trip.

It was very hot that day and I really enjoyed my air conditioned room at the small hotel in the middle of town.

After a relaxing shower I went for dinner at the same simple and inexpensive Trattoria, and later strolled back to my borrowed home, enjoying a gelato on the way.

The night could have been relaxing but I had forgotten to lock my door and my unconscious mind kept sending me messages that some kind of boogey man would enter. I didn’t get the message until the morning, so it was a rather restless night for me.

The next day I paid a visit to Barbara and her partner at the shop and later waited for Anna to arrive from Rome and later to get picked up to drive to the Eremo. This time I rode with my dear Italian sister Christina. At first we took the wrong route up the hill, but as Christina drives a bit like a Formula one driver we made it quite on time.

Arriving at the Eremo, seeing the beautiful place in the summer light I felt like coming home, as I do also in Cluny, again and again. These old walls hold a fascination for me and the visit is always to short. Maybe I’ve dwelled here in one of my many previous lives. Like Cluny Hill College or the island of Iona, the Eremo is a magic place for me, where my endless inner wandering can come to an end for a short while, where my soul can rest and my body can be.

Immediately after arriving and gathering all the friends around we jumped into action and started work. Franco, our beloved master, ringleader and everyday magician let us from Fire into Earth whereas never extinguished the fire.

Despite my good intentions and the comfy bed I couldn’t sleep the first night. So after much tossing and turning I got up and started to write a story. At least that made up for the fact that I had decided to lug my laptop halfway across Italy, might as well use it.

The following days passed to my great chagrin very quickly.

Although on the night of Saturday to Sunday we danced in the courtyard to music destined for courtly love. The love from afar when two partners cannot get to each other. A very romantic version, which I’ve lived certainly a few times too many in my life, but the dancing was lovely, beneath the slowly appearing stars in a place where I could almost see the monks dancing. In fact on the first night I had the faint sensation that a monk figure was briefly staring through my window. That was in fact the reason why I couldn’t sleep.

On Sunday we parted company and I had the pleasure to take the train with Anna to Rome. Alessandra also joined us later. Said train was a regional one, stuffed full of people and at first we couldn’t find seats. Not to forget that the fast train had been booked solid even first class, so Anna changed her ticket to be able to travel with us on the other train.

After a few stops we were able to get three free seats and sweated away in the non- air- conditioned carriage.

What I like about traveling in Italy is that at least people talk to each other or they look and stare. Everyone was suffering under the heat and so we suffered together in mute unision.

I felt like in a strange movie, almost a parallel universe.

Finally we arrived in Rome and almost started singing. Alessandra had gotten off at a previous station.

Anna accompanied me to my bed and breakfast behind Termini station.

It turned out to be a lovely, air-conditioned room in a neighborhood dominated by Chinese shops. The first night I didn’t mind, enjoyed the amenities of my surroundings, like shower, tea maker and TV.

On Monday I walked the short distance to S.Maria Maggiore, a beautiful church with extremely good energy, despite the touristic invasion.

It was hot outside, and after a short while I retreated back to my quarters, to hold a long siesta.

Rome struck me as a city I don’t get. For one thing I couldn’t find any food stores. In any major European city I’m always able to make out the shopping area, in Rome I searched and stumbled only by chance on a small supermarket quite close to my lodging, where I could buy water and some foodstuffs. I don’t know what the other Romans are eating but I never saw another supermarket again.

After a very long siesta I had a cup of tea and decided to take a walk and find one ancient palace that belonged to Nero once. The journey turned out to be much longer than I had thought and the said palace is not really open to the public, only by appointment. Although the park around the Domus Aurea is very beautiful and when I walked out of the far side I stumbled upon the Colosseo. Unfortunately this relict from Roman days is flanked by two super highways.

Slightly disappointed and hot and sweaty I walked past it back towards my room. On the way I was amused to be greated by a friendly and cute waiter, while stumbling through his terraced restaurant. Also on the way back I walked through a part of town that reminded me strongly of Paris, for me the most beautiful city on a superficial level.

I also walked past a tasty gelateria with very friendly staff.

On Tuesday I walked again much too far in the heat and spend the evening reading in the cool air. So far I hadn’t really seen much of the anticipated eternal city. At my bed and breakfast I had met a communicative girl from Serbia that is a great Italy fan. After her raving to me about all the places I hadn’t seen, I decided on Wednesday to use my last day and just be like a Japanese tourist. I got myself a daily bus pass and got on a bus with good faith, as the timetable resembles a telephone book. I landed at S.Giovanni in Laterano which I liked very much. From the lovely elderly nuns in the shop I bought a few saints and went to catch another bus. Then I dared to get the metro to go to the Vatican. I had vouched not to pay any entrance fee on this journey, so I just got in line for the Basilica and left the museums for maybe another time.

The Basilica was really a disappointment as I couldn’t sit down, they don’t let you even lean on the marble and the masses of tourists spoil what other silence you are seeking. Then the ceiling is so high up that I couldn’t really see anything. The piazza is another matter, for the sheer size of it makes me dream of the Roman Empire.

I stumbled home with a sunburned shoulder and after a short break took another bus that brought me close to the Trevi fountain, which I could hardly make out because it was swarmed by tourists. I had an ice cream instead and eavesdropped on some Spanish group that went towards the Pantheon and quietly followed them in a short distance.

The Pantheon also looked a bit strange within those other much more modern houses they had built around it. A bit consternated I walked towards piazza Navona to find a bus and bought on the way back the probably most expensive toothpaste of my life.

After almost hours of waiting for the bus, it took me all around the monuments towards home, driving like a bat out of hell all the way.

Thursday I had to be out of the room by 11o’clock and had about three hours to spare before I’d meet Anna to go to Assisi.

Rome Termini station is like an airport without the airplanes. There are not really any lockers where I could have deposited my luggage. So I changed my plan to visit the city one more time and stayed in the station wandering around and around.

Finally the time came and with it Anna and her friend Alessandra. The journey to Assisi was quite lovely apart from the businessman behind me that kept talking on his mobile phone incessantly.

Upon arriving in Assisi we found a friendly taxi driver that had knowledge of Casa Faustina or could at least find out where it was.

Up in the hills, with a lovely view of the neighboring towns, with Perugia just on the horizon.

Simple but comfortable apartments awaited us. At the time only Derek and Tessa had arrived. So later we five sat for dinner and enjoyed the wonderful meal, one of many.

We went to bed quite early, but again I couldn’t really sleep, as the beds where too narrow.

The next day, I asked if I could push the two beds in my room together in order not to fall out at night.

On Friday morning as nobody else had arrived we decided to make a trip to St.Francis Basilica. We organized the same friendly and chatty taxi driver and did like tourists do.

When you drive up to Assisi, the Basilica lounges on the hill like a lion crouching on a tree, strong and beautiful. It is the most arresting sight. Inside the beautiful church it was cool and not too swarmed. I went to the lower part to see Francis tomb, as I usually like the crypt best.

The whole lower chamber had a quiet energy and I had the distinct sensation of healing energy in my body. The tomb itself wasn’t too spectacular.

The basilica also has beautiful rose windows that I marveled upon.

Later we returned to our agritourismo, to meet the rest of our Gathering group.

We started in the afternoon, sitting outside in a circle under the trees.

The heart of Italy and sainthood, that was the beginning. I don’t remember all of the details and I don’t want to explain everything, as everyone has to experience it.

What I want to say is, that we worked with the Zodiac, the real stars and of course the different directions. I didn’t feel much at first, didn’t see anything but I went through phases of pain and also joy. One of the beautiful moments was, when one night, we gazed at the sky, the night dawn and later at the stars. Another evening we danced to mixed music and later did the silent and immobile Meditation. That was probably my absolute highlight of the week.

A time for test was for me, when we went to the Eremo delle Carceri, where Francis and his brothers spent the early times tucked away in the woods. This represented the high world.

The lesson consisted of staying connected to the other two signs, represented by the quincunx in the circle, in silence.

As we descended into the tiny building I had a panic attack. That doesn’t happen very often, so I was quite taken by surprise. The first steps had posed no problem. Then I turned and saw the next opening and the next and panicked. It was like a Babushka opening, always getting smaller. I told Diane to go, as I couldn’t pass through. I breathed deeply and climbed up the stairs to wait, till the others would come back up, as I thought, but they didn’t. I put all my will together and again I climbed down and looked at the opening and told myself: you can do this, you really can. And very slowly I squeezed through the passageway only to discover on the other side, that there was a back door and my group had disappeared. I walked outside towards the trees and looked around. I couldn’t see anyone, anywhere. Everyone had disappeared into thin air. I had been left alone, left behind, and a nagging feeling of complete solitude was taking over.

I was getting frantic and walked as fast as I could around the Eremo towards the entrance.

Nobody was there. I had a desolate feeling creeping over me and had to sit down in the shade. Behind my large sunglasses I started to cry quietly. A nun watched me in wonder from afar and had no idea what to make of me.

Sad and feeling very lonely I used my logic to work out hat everyone would eventually be back at the parking lot, where we had left the cars. And so it was. Still a bit shook up I wandered after the others, tail end as we prepared to drive to the Basilica of S.Maria degli Angeli, representing the lower world.

I felt very much at home in this very beautiful church, which had been built around the original small first church of St. Francis. There were also amazing stucco figures coming right out of the wall high up on the ceiling.

I mused a while upon what had happened to me at the Eremo, and the only conclusion was, that I had picked up the strong energy of solitude at this place.

When on the first afternoon we had embarked on the journey through the middle world, wandering from St.Chiara to St. Francis basilica, I had felt different, The heat and the journey was like it is: I have to take it slow. First at the basilica di S.Chiara I had stared in wonder at the tomb of S.Chiara, as she had been embalmed of some kind and really looked like she was just asleep, every moment to wake up. I stared and stared, waiting for a toe to move, feeling the energy coming of that marble surrounding her tomb. I in fact stared so much that this very night she came to visit me in my bedroom, at least I thought she would. S.Chiara talked to me in my dreams, very softly. I was a bit scared and woke up a few times, opened and closed the shutters and tried to go back to sleep.

Some days later I came to the conclusion that I should not be afraid, that she meant well.

The last morning when we meat before paring in all the different individual directions, we did several powerful exercises. What I remember is that I felt completely held, full of love, one with the world and everyone in it.

To conclude, I came back to Switzerland in a wonderful state of mind and body, only to fall into a fierce two day depression, also because it suddenly got extremely cold and wet.

I’m better now, saved by writing and some sunshine and the knowledge that nothing lasts forever, even the worst of times have an end eventually and hopefully I’m on my way to sainthood. Farewell my beloved, farewell

ll Cortile Estivo dell'Eremo di Luciana Samaritani

2008-07-15T10:20:00.001-07:00

Eccomi qui, con la pietra che rappresenta la direzione del Sud e l’intero gruppo, e che mi sono impegnata a custodire come facevano gli antichi templari; ho voluto onorarla con la luce della candela ponendola al centro del mio Sacro Cerchio onorando la vostra presenza.

Ed è con questo dolce sentire che ripercorro attraverso la scrittura, condividendo con voi, le sensazioni provate durante il ritiro all’Eremo dei Frati Bianchi, in quella struttura che sin dalla prima volta che l’ho vista, l’ho sentita come un luogo a me caro e famigliare, un luogo già vissuto e amato; e queste sensazioni si sono rese tangibili attraverso la “luce del fuoco”, ed in seguito con il “Tocco della Terra”; in modo particolare quando attorno al Sacro Cerchio, Franco ci ha invitato ad osservare con gli occhi delle mani dei particolari da tre figure diverse, in modo da dare origine ad una immagine che rappresentava la fusione di quelle tre figure. Ed ecco che con quell’insieme uscivamo allo scoperto, ritrovandoci attorno alla fontana a constatare la sua effettiva consistenza.

Guardavo la fontana, e l’infrangersi dello zampillio dell’acqua sulla pietra e sulla superficie dell’acqua, il cui impatto richiamava in me il canto di una preghiera che consisteva in un canto d’amore.

Dalla fontana, seguendo il richiamo che sentivo dentro di me, mi sono portata nei pressi del Monastero, dove il mio sguardo aveva individuato da quale forma proveniva quella voce calda e suadente.

Ho toccato con le mani e il corpo le mura di quel monastero, ma il richiamo continuava insistente come a spingermi all’interno.

Sono entrata dall’ingresso principale timidamente, come una bambina, e mi sono trovata nel cortile; mi guardavo attorno accarezzando con lo sguardo tutto ciò che sentivo e vedevo. Vedevo la luce del sole, che oltre baciare e riscaldare le mura esterne, toccava anche quelle interne del cortile, vedevo i vari ingressi ai servizi del monastero, attorno a me respiravo l’aria mistica di un tempo vissuto in un analogo luogo della mia infanzia trascorsa con le suore che in quel momento si confondevano con le figure dei frati, che un tempo avevano abitato nel monastero. In quell’intera struttura dove vivevo momenti di gioia indimenticabili che mi hanno accompagnato lungo questi anni, quel luogo dove passavo il tempo a svolgere non solo i compiti di scuola e lavori istruttivi che le suore ci insegnavano, ma anche lezioni di canto, di danza, di musica, e ancora altro dove quelle suore si trasformavano da madri a bambine nel condividere con noi i momenti di gioco.

Un luogo dove tutto si svolgeva con amore; quel cortile con i vari ingressi che conducevano ai servizi di quella struttura, e tra questi quello principale alla cappella dove mi trovavo frequentemente a parlare con l’immagine della “Bella Signora madre d’Amore” e con la presenza dell’amato Gesù custodito nel tabernacolo. Mi rivolgevo a Lei come a una mamma, un’amica e una sorella, Lei che custodiva ogni mio singolo gesto, ogni mio pensiero, a Lei che dedicavo i miei momenti di gioia, a Lei che confidavo ogni mio piccolo sogno, ogni mio piccolo tormento. Amavo Lei amando quel tanto amato suo figlio Gesù, il cui Spirito veniva custodito accanto a Lei, in quel tabernacolo che veniva aperto dalle mani di quell’uomo che era custode di un luogo sacro, per portare allo scoperto quel calice che conteneva l’ostia consacrata, un piccolo corpo che racchiudeva un grande spirito d’Amore. Felice mi avvicinavo a quell’altare per ricevere un dono così prezioso che assaporavo delicatamente, quella presenza che si scioglieva nella mia bocca come un cioccolatino, entrava in me come una dolce carezza. Quell’assunzione creava nel mio cuore una sensazione magica che seppure nel mistero, io sentivo viva, vera, felice di avere incanalato in me quella dolce essenza, quel sapore, che sapeva già da allora d’amore.

Uscivo da quella cappella senza mai volgere le spalle, non potevo volgere le spalle a Colei che per me rappresentava l’amore, nè a Colui che ne era l’essenza, per ritrovarli comunque all’esterno in ogni persona a cui venivo a contatto.

Ed ancora mi rivedevo bambina, desiderosa di abbracciare la vita monastica, dedita allo spirito di Gesù.

Uscendo dal cortile, camminando lungo la parete del Monastero, la mia attenzione è stata attirata per l’ennesima volta da due finestrelle affiancate e situate nella roccia che mi sono apparse come fossero la fusione di due testi facenti parte dello stesso libro, dall’acqua che usciva da un piccolo rubinetto dove ricadeva a terra su di una pietra di raccolta scolpita dall’acqua stessa.

L’insieme di quel libro aperto, che come uno sguardo ritraeva la fusione di due immagini in un unico corpo. Da quel punto, la strada da percorrere era breve per raggiungere quel continuo richiamo che proveniva dalla fontana, e nel momento stesso che mi sono trovata di fronte ad essa è stato come toccare e vedere l’invisibile. Quello che ho sentito è stato talmente forte che andava oltre la fisicità e sono scoppiata a piangere perché sentivo un’amore talmente potente da non poterlo contenere. Lacrime di gioia e di felicità, ma al contempo ero turbata da tutta quella forza, ed anche se mi allontanavo di qualche passo quell’essenza che sentivo sembrava essersi espansa nello spazio; non potevo sfuggire a tutto quel sentire perché tutto continuava a esserci, come se un corpo di luce si ritrovasse nella luce.

Lacrime che uscivano ininterrottamente come una fontana straripante d’acqua e che non riuscivo a contenere.

I miei piedi toccavano ripetutamente la terra che accoglieva le mie lacrime come messaggi d’amore, nel frattempo che tutto il mio essere era in uno spazio sublime e quei messaggi si trasformavano in una richiesta alla terra e al cielo affinché tutto si ridimensionasse dato che sapevo che dovevo rientrare a terminare il lavoro che stavo svolgendo.

Rientravo all’Eremo, ancora conturbata per tutto quel sentire in modo così tangibile che mi sembrava di aver vissuto la realtà di un sogno e il sogno di una realtà. Una verità che continuavo a toccare con lo sguardo in ognuno di voi, sia nel femminile che nel maschile; ciò che era invisibile continuava a rendersi visibile, palpabile in ogni cosa che toccavo.

Ancora di più alla sera quando Franco ci ha invitate a uno spettacolo all’aperto, in quel cortile che durante il giorno avevo visitato nelle vesti di una bambina e che rientravo insieme a voi nelle vesti di donna che aveva ancora in serbo qualcosa da esprimere.

Rientravo in quel luogo a piccoli passi che accompagnavano quella dolce musica che Franco aveva adattato per quell’occorrenza, con la presenza delle stelle che si erano presentate a quell’appuntamento prima del nostro arrivo. Entravamo in quel palcoscenico di luci che si presentavano sopra di noi come tante fiammelle, tanti piccoli corpi celesti che richiamavano come un “manto stellato”, il manto di un Re e di una Regina.

Danzavo sulle note di un ritornello che si presentava al mio cuore come una dolce filastrocca e man mano diventava una musica e un canto, una lode, una poesia, un ulteriore espressione di amore in cui mi sentivo di vivere. Danzavo e guardavo le stelle, danzando e giocando con voi liberamente, toccando quegli occhi luminosi che si affacciavano sopra di noi e poi tra di noi come occhi di Dio che si rendevano complici di quella danza, di quel gioco d’amore che si era instaurato dentro di me.

Ad un certo momento le note calde del tamburo che suonava Franco, entrava in quel luogo come una forza vemente, inarrestabile, dalla calda voce avvolgente; una voce che riferiva dettagliatamente a pieno ritmo chi in me operava con il fuoco della passione. Sentivo il calore della terra e il calore di quelle fiammelle provenienti dal cielo, l’una riprendeva l’altra a formare un unico fuoco e quella calda energia che si era instaurata in me già da tempo continuava a muoversi in tutto il mio essere come due anime unite in una relazione d’amore.

Un fuoco che bussava alle porte del cielo, alle porte della terra che si aprivano e man mano che quel fuoco si attenuava entravo nella luce di quel luogo che mi accoglieva tra le sue calde braccia e nello sdraiarmi a terra, con le mani sul cuore aderivo a quel corpo di luce che mi avvolgeva teneramente nelle sue braccia e nell’aprire le mie braccia accoglievo in me quell’essenza nel mio cuore.

In silenzio mi rialzavo per portarmi a sedere in quel piccolo spazio, posto sotto la chiesetta che prospettava un giaciglio di raccoglimento, per poi ritrovarmi a guardare nella penombra all’interno di un antico lavatoio dove una volta venivano lavati i panni, nel rivolgere il mio sguardo al cortile rivedevo una figura bianca che sembrava attendere qualcuno. Avvicinandomi a lei ci siamo guardate negli occhi….., occhi di bimba in un corpo di donna, e nell’abbracciarla piangendo di gioia, appoggiando il capo sulla sua spalla è stato per me come abbracciare quella figura sacra al mio cuore. Riabbracciavo in lei due immagini che portavano il simbolo di Gesù Cristo.

Con amore a tutti voi.

Luciana

Tales from the Benevolent Ego in Pisces moving into Aries by Celia McKenna

2008-06-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

Tales from the Benevolent Ego in Pisces moving into Aries by Celia McKenna

The Observer

Once upon a time there was so much light! So much love! For it was one and the same. Golden. Abundant. So powerful; so beautiful. So incredibly dazzling! An all-singing-dancing carnival of love-light. It was all of existence; it was existence. It shone like the brightest star imaginable, seeming to grow and grow in intensity. Until…. something happened… difficult to explain, describe but it reached a point of luminous ecstasy so intense it dissolved into itself and in doing so, expanded outwards for both directions were one and the same. Like a gigantic, cosmic sigh, it overflowed. This rocked the senses of the Abundance. It called out to itself and in doing so, another kind of energy was born. One that rippled and moved in streams. The Abundance focussed deep within itself and discovered a new way of seeing; a kind of optical illusion. Things started to look fuzzy; a kind of fragmentation was occurring, as though the wholeness had actually been an infinite number of tiny individual parts held together. This was of course ridiculous, but the Abundance enjoyed witnessing it. It was interesting. Like the opposite of looking at one of those optical illusion pictures, where random dots suddenly make a picture. This was a picture, a wholeness, that suddenly looked (if you squinted and took a step back) like dots! How funny! The Abundance suddenly had another new thought, a kind of joke really and made the “dots” call out to “each other”. “I am here!” “I am here!” And called back “Don’t be silly, of course you are, “we” know!” And the dots/Abundance giggled.

And it didn’t matter because it was just a joke and the “parts” were all really one and the same and part of the whole. And the overflowing and fragmentation continued and the parts kept calling for a while, but then they stopped, for they knew they were all still here, still together. Of course they were. And a joke is only funny for so long. But ions passed. (Another kind of dimension that we call time.) And they stopped calling: “I am here” and they stopped hearing “Of course you are”. And they Forgot. And the Abundance allowed this to happen. Allowed itself to dissolve a little, as it expanded. And the “dots” started to rotate on their own axes although they were still held by the stream to the whole. And some even started to pay attention to what appeared to be in between them, apparent gaps in the light, and they called this darkness as though it too was a something that had a separate existence.

And then something even stranger happened. The stream changed, vanished. It didn’t really, but they had forgotten how to “see” it. They started to actually believe in separation. And in doing so they started to act “as if” they really were separate. The “parts” started to gravitate away from one another randomly. A new kind of energy was born, one that was the polar opposite of the stream that had held them together. This was exciting at first, but then they started to feel strange and after a while it wasn’t fun anymore. There was an awful lot of this darkness! They became desperate to “come back together”, but of course to believe that this was necessary, only confirmed the idea of separation. And so they tried to do it “on their own”, which was a tautological cosmic joke. In failing to see the funny side they fell further “away” from one another. Now there was a serious problem. The expansion had become a random out-flowing. The intensity of the Abundance, an intensity of movement away, away from unity. And when the poor fragmented parts met by accident, they didn’t even recognise one another, and indeed, even repelled one another. They started calling out: “I am here”, “I am here”(even when they believed there was no one listening or even out there at all).

A few parts cried out mournfully to their cellular memory of the Abundance.

“I am alone, I am separated, I am lost”

And it replied with a thoughtful sigh:

“You are here”

And it showed them a map. One in merely three dimensions. A map which pandered to their sickness, one which used the very symbolism of their deluded hearts. It understood that it needed to speak their language to get them to listen at all. A map in which everything was indeed separate and they could find themselves and each other and the way home. It went back to basics! Indeed it had to create them for the purpose.

Alright… now pay attention please. This…is “Up” and this is…”Down”…er… and this is the most important bit… align to this first please! Yes, good!

Now you are tuned in to the Abundance again. Now…turn around slowly… yes that’s very good! No, keep your back pressed against the tree for now, so you don’t get lost again! Start to move slowly round…we’ll start with four directions for the time being and then we’ll do 12.

You need to travel to each of the 12 directions. As you do this you will remember a little more each time. But keep coming back to the centre, to the Tree! What do you mean, “It’s a bit Dark?” “Dark??” Ah…I see.

Well, it gets er.. “darker” the further “down” you go and “lighter” the higher “up” you go. And in the middle it’s sort of “ambient” like you had invited a girl round and were on a promise. You need to go down and up to see and understand this. And you need to visit the 12 as you do this.

But most important of all… you have let go of every separated thought you have ever had.

“But how do we do that?” they cried.

The Abundance smiled- “Look!”

And they looked and they started to smile too for they saw something they had long forgotten. It was the stream. And it moved in swirling, spiralling movements around the centre. And it pulled the pain and the fear and the other unmentionable and mentionable energies that they had created in their long exile to keep themselves company. And these energies and creations moved into the centre and out from the spiral came a beautiful golden light that filled their emptiness. And slowly, ever so slowly, some of them came to believe they were, themselves, the Abundance. They were so golden, so very bright and beautiful. And the others saw this and were drawn towards the spiral. The stream flowed the other way again. And the flow of the stream started to pull others back into awareness too. And they remembered they were the abundance and the steam flowed even more strongly. And the Abundance grew brighter and brighter until it reached that same original point of ecstasy and once again it dissolved into itself and started to overflow and the process started again (although really it had never stopped). And it overflowed again and again…

“Well, that’s all very well but what’s the bloody point?” snapped fragmented part 8 x 10 to the trizillion power. She shifted her HAC-ness a little, raised a pert buttock and farted. “It’s all very well to witter on about unity and one-ness and the great cosmic flow of existence, but why bother at all? If unity is so great why are we going through this tedious exercise? Why go on a journey if we are already at our destination?”

Because it is only the movement of the stream that matters. The stream must flow, must wax and wane and change polarity. Like the movement of the tides, the very breaths we take. All of existence is in this energy of ebb and flow. Nothing that is static and unchanging can truly exist. Permanence is actually constant change, constant flow. The cosmic breath.

Separation

I am alone in the darkness. I have been here for all of my memory. There is only this. And I am afraid. Yet I have had moments when I have glimpsed light. These moments move in and out of my awareness. Part of me does not believe in them at all. They are the hallucinations of a diseased mind. For I am also separated within myself. I do not even know where to locate this thing I call “I”. A cry of the wounded animal in the darkness. I look for these glimpses of light as I rotate on my axis, believing, not believing. And then I make a decision. I choose to believe. And in the choosing the light becomes more tangible. And I see a spot of light hovering in the darkness and move towards it. It is so luminous, so beautiful. And I draw closer and closer. But as I draw ever closer the light disappears. And I am in darkness again. I repeat this process over and over again. And then I stop. And I listen. And in the darkness I hear something. It is my own breath. Yet it is more. And suddenly I see the light again, but it is within me. And I move towards it in an act of no-movement. Of complete surrender and acceptance and forgiveness.

Unity

I am the Abundance. I am the light. I am everything and nothing. In essence I am merely the flow. There is no effort, no movement, no goal, nothing to achieve. I simply am flow. And I breathe out and allow my light to expand until its fullness. Then a gap. A gap of peak luminosity and darkness. Of fullness and emptiness where a transmutation occurs. And then it passes and without any will, the expansion reverses and all comes back towards the centre. And so it continues.

The Search for Meaning and True Jurisdiction

2008-06-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

We live in a world in which we are constantly exposed to huge amounts of information. Never in the whole of human history have we experienced a time such as this. In the past most people would refer only to limited sources of information. No internet, no television, no e-mails, no radio, no written material, apart from, in some cases, a religious text, such as the Bible or other scriptures.

The fact that nowadays we have such superiority in accessing information does not necessarily mean that we get more understanding and meaning. On the contrary, what is more evident in these times is that the abundance of information appears to go together with a peak of scarcity in meaning. There is a thirst and hunger of meaning, for we spend more and more time in processing information, while not having space to find out what this information truly means. Hence we continue to remain at a level of basic alphabetisation, a state of intellectual infancy which prevents us to express any meaning in our communications. As soon as I try to get into the meaning, there it comes another piece of information, which I need to acquire from scratch, and the work starts all over again. As a result the part in me that is nourished by meaning starves. And unless I am connected with the part that lives through meaning, which is indeed my true self, my life loses all meaning, and I become like a robot. I simply go on living, making ends meet in a meaningless world.

The search for meaning is the primary quest on the path. It is astroshamanically associated with the Intent and the first stage. Meaning is also the central theme of the first lessons of A Course in Miracles, such as Lesson 1 (Nothing I see means anything), 10 (My thoughts do not mean anything), 11 (My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world), 12 (I am upset because I see a meaningless world), 13 (A meaningless world engenders fear) and 14 (God did not create a meaningless world), which is the preliminary conclusion upon which A Course in Miracles further builds up.

This always relates with the simplicity of the three stages, which no matter in what complex form or language they are defined (for Dante they are Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso), they are always three stages.

Our emotions and experiences encompass all three stages, and here one of the greatest tests is the confrontation with the fire of Hell (Inferno). This is where we are faced with real fire, which is different from a fire emergency test. Hell is a burning reality, and not a superstitious fantasy. Hell is basically populated by folks, who continue to claim allegiance to a territorial jurisdiction of victims.

These are folks who keep on blaming others for what they have done to them, who continue to live in the past, who are stubborn to hold on to their territorial jurisdiction in Hell, whose only wish is to drag other people in Hell (especially those whom they blame or "love"), who thrives on sucking blood, who suffer and cry for help, and yet who tend to oppose or screw up all forms of healing attempts.

They are in desperate need of healing, and yet they will never be saved unless they resolve to get out of their territorial jurisdiction of victims, where the law of guilt, separation and projection applies, and move into a different state. The point is that this is not at all a difficult enterprise. All you need to do is simply to fill a simple application form, where it is only a matter of ticking the box that says "yes" to the question: "Do you accept to let go of your state of victim?", and then you are automatically admitted to the other jurisdiction.

The point is that, just as we may find it easy, for some people it is the hardest thing in the world. And the question here is: if they are not willing to get out of their Hell, how can I help them?

If they are resolute to stay in Hell, the obvious conclusion is that I need to go to Hell too. Yet if I go to Hell in order to help them, I may also end up being trapped there, just as they are.

This is the risk, and if I am truly concerned about their healing, I need to make it absolutely clear that I do no intend to get trapped in Hell, that I am totally entitled not to move a single step in that direction, unless I have taken all necessary precautions. And what is the primary precaution? It is that of not going alone. It is going with God, and making sure that God is always with me, because as long as God is with me, I am not in Hell. Hence, I need to be absolutely clear about my territorial jurisdiction. That I abide by God's law, which is the law of Love and Unity.

Hell is a place where there is no God. God is Love, and Hell is a place where there is no Love. Love is Unity and Hell is a place of separation.

Since I was a child I have always had a passion for the United Kingdom. I simply liked the word “United Kingdom” and the sense of unity, security and power that it conveyed. In the past years I have travelled a lot by plane, using various airlines, and yet my favourite one remains British Airways. An interesting thing about planes is that if I am in Italy at Bologna Airport sitting in a British Airways aircraft, I am still in the United Kingdom, and not in Italy. The plane is under British territorial jurisdiction, and as long as I am there Italian laws do not apply. Hence on one side I have a direct contact with Italy, I am right inside Italy itself, and yet officially and by law I am in the United Kingdom. In the same way I can be in Hell, while still being in Paradise.

Well, I’d better find another example for the Italian version of this text…

Hence, whenever I move to Hell, I need to make sure that I remain on board of God’s vehicle. It is not me who is going to save those in Hell, it is God. And God needs to be visible for those who want to be saved, because it is only by getting on board that they can be saved. The point is that some of them do not want to get on board, also because they may not see the aircraft at all. They cannot see God, or they do not want to see Him. They can only see me. It is me they want.

And here, the worst thing that can happen, which unfortunately does happen, is that in order to be of help and truly compassionate I lay aside God, who for them does not make any sense, and rescue them on my own. I give myself to them, which is all they want. And then we will be two in Hell.

A victim cries for help simply because she does not know how to get that help. As she does not know how to help itself, whatever she claims as source of help way is rather unreliable.

We can see many examples of these Hell people around us. Maybe some of them are just in front of us right now. If this is the case, please close your eyes for a moment. Then, please ask yourself: is that person still there in your thoughts and emotions now that you have closed the eyes? I believe the answer is very likely to be "yes".

How come that I can still feel that person even if I do not see her-him anymore? And maybe I do not even need to close the eyes, so as not to see that person, because she-he is not there at all. Perhaps the last time I saw him-her was one week ago, or one year ago or even 20 years ago, or more! Hence, how come I can still feel him-her?

Well, you know the answer. Hell, and all the people who populate it, is not out or down there. Or, rather, the reason why it is down or out there is because it is primarily inside, and this is so unbearable that I need to find a way to get it out and splash it on someone else or damp it down there.

As seekers on the path, we all know these things. We know all the theories about projections and forgiveness. It is important to be aware of such theories, to have a mental understanding, because Hell develops first in the mind, and then moves in the emotions and the physical. And it is also vital to implement this mental understanding, to take action, to operate whenever required.

This is, as I perceive it, what we are called to do. I am aware it is not easy, which is one reason for supporting each other in this endeavour.

When the Fire burns there is no time for theories or spiritual speculation, I need to take immediate actions, and in those panic circumstances I am likely to forget most of what I have learned or even appear to have forgotten it all. In those moments I need to be able to seize a fragment of what I have learned, of what for me represents the truth. I need to find a way to grab God in the most direct and simple possible way.

Hence, the invitation is to have adamant clarity about this simple way. While this clarity emerges as part of the mystery on our ongoing path of initiation, and requires considerable patience to be grasped, it is also true that its essence is most simple and at hand for whoever is sincerely committed to the path.

It is this essence that I invite us to define together, also as part of our upcoming meeting.

Love, Franco

The comment below (by Simonetta) has been distributed through FLY, together with other comments on the article Take a Nap, Stop Worrying! – Exploring the Gemini Section in the Gospel of Mark in PAN 80 and Roberto Benigni’s recital on Dante’s Inferno (Canto V) about the story of Paolo and Francesca, and the woman with the blood flow. You can see Benigni’s recital by clicking here.

When I heard Roberto Benigni commenting on television the story of Paolo and Francesca from Dante’s Inferno: (Canto V), I also was touched. And yet, just as during my school years, I kept asking all the time: WHY? Why are Francesca and Paolo in hell? At first glance this allocation appears very unfair, especially in the eyes of modern readers.

During my years at the lyceum, I found an explanation, which I dared to express in an assessment test when I argue that the two lovers were “heroes of evil”. I was literally shut up by the teacher and all my school companions!

Francesca grumbles and blames the whole world for her misfortune, without taking any responsibility:

"Amor, ch'al cor gentil ratto s'apprende, prese costui della bella persona che mi fu tolta" (Love, that can quickly seize the gentle heart, took hold of him because of the fair body taken from me— how that was done still wounds me). She is passively drawn by a force that she projects to be out of herself.

Moreover from her words I did not perceive love for Paolo. He did not even call him by his name, addressing him as “that one”.

In the end, I was also touched by Dante’s faint, after the meeting with the two lovers, surely not out of compassion. I believe he faints only two other times in Divine Comedy and in circumstances apparently much more dramatic.

I have always asked myself what is the real fault of Francesca?

Surely it is not the act of adultery! After all it seems as if the two lovers only managed to exchange a few kisses before they were killer by Francesca’s husband.

Perhaps Francesca’s true fault is her role of victim.

Personally, when I play the role of the victim, I am totally passive, slothful and I feel in hell. In this state, only the Touch of Fire can wake me up…

Recently I had the chance of reading a good book on the Divine Comedy (Things secret; Dante amongst Hinduism and Medieval Heresies by Maria Soresina). The author explores how the lustful are treated in Hell (Canto V), Purgatorio (Canto XXVI) and Paradise (Canto IX). In particular she refers to Cunizza da Romano, who Dante placed in Paradise in the Heaven of Venus. Cunizza was a famous, controversial woman, with a reputation in Dante’s time. The annals define her as a “big whore” with at least three husbands and several love affairs. The episode in her life which caused more scandal was when she abandoned her old husband, the count of San Bonifacio, lord of Verona, in order to follow the Troubadour poet Sordello (a sort of rock star in those times!) Maria Soresina asks herself: “How come” Poor Francesca, who only had one lover is in Hell, while Cunizza, who had so many is in Paradise?” The justification of repentance in not enough here…

If Francesca’s sin is infidelity, Dante could have placed in Paradise an uplifting example of conjugal fidelity as a contrast. On the contrary he puts Cunizza, whose love appears as much more “unfaithful”. Moreover, from Cunizza’s words, there is no trace of repentance. She says:

"Ma lietamente a me medesma indulgo la cagion di mia sorte, e non mi noia" (But gladly to myself the cause I pardon Of my allotment [the tendency to love that I have received as part of my destiny] and it does not grieve me)

This is perhaps the explanation:

Cunizza takes responsibility for her actions and, most of all, she forgives herself…

A warm hug, Love, Simonetta

Bless the Day I was born

2008-06-02T04:05:00.001-07:00

Bless the day that I was born? - On birthdays by Astrid Gude

For my recent birthday (Sun in Taurus, Moon in Aries, Ascendent in
Sagittarius to give you my astroshamanic "PIN code") I received two cards
from loving friends that seemed quite contradictory. "Welcome to this world,
child, and all it has in store...", wrote the one, quoting words from a song
that was very dear to her, whereas the other saw no reason to celebrate the
day of one's physical birth, but wrote about celebrating one's spiritual
birthday, the day when one knew for sure that he is not a physical body.
I must admit I was confused, seeing the validity in both positions, yet not
quite knowing what to make of them. I sat with it for a while, remembering
an old teaching story, which I heard from a teacher with a Sufi and a
Christian background. It is about a garment with two pockets. We can put our
hand in the one pocket and we realize "From dust you were made and to dust
you shall return." In the other pocket it says "The whole universe was
created just for you." And depending on what pocket we put our hand in, we
experience the world at that time. And both is true.
I remember being deeply impressed by two sculptures I saw many years ago in
an art exhibition. The one, called "The Hand of God" showed a little human
form lovingly held by a warming and protective hand, whereas "The Hand of
the Devil" depicted a little being brutally thrown out into an alien,
hostile environment: again, both experiences I can relate to in my
"psycho-spiritual make-up".
Into this spiritual and existential dimension enters the personal: childhood
messages of not taking myself too seriously, not being selfish, not being
right etc., more confusion.
And how much "egoic" space do I want to take in the present spiritual
environment I live in?
Laying that aside, I move back to the roots, to the origin and come to the
conclusion that this is basically about incarnation, my ability to say "yes"
to having incarnated as a soul in a body in this dimension, seeing the body
as a precious container for the soul for an unknown, but certainly limited
length of time, being in awe of that divine spark to which I owe my
existence and being aware that my journey throughout this dimension serves
the reflection of that light from within.
On some level these apparently so contradictory statements which I quoted at
the beginning then meet, and in the light of divine humanness, in the
awareness of my mortality I feel entitled to celebrate and to be celebrated,
open all my presents, honour all my gifts with joy and gratitude, gratitude
on the horizontal as well as the vertical level, which I did.
The day after my birthday I sat in a longer group meditation in Cluny
Sanctuary and saw two powerful streams of energy in the vertical axis: from
above radiant, divine golden light transmitting blessings, from below in a
different, but equally intense colour the gratitude arising from the human
realm. Where these two streams met, they amplified beyond measure.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~

The Sacred Heart of Jesus - Il Sacro Cuore di Gesù

2008-06-02T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Tomorrow 30 May 2008, in the Anglican and Catholic Christian traditions is the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In astroshamanic terms “Sacred Heart” is a synonym of “Sacred Cone”. Hence the Basic Ritual of the Sacred Cone might also informally be called the Basic Ritual of the Sacred Heart.

The major emphasis in the worship of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as well as in the practices related to the Sacred Cone is on Release and Forgiveness.

The Sacred Heart is traditionally depicted as a flaming heart gleaming with divine light surrounded by a crown of thorns and bleeding. A typical illustration shows Jesus pointing with his left hand to the heart and with his right hand to the sky in the act of blessing. This is an exemplification of the function of the hands in many healing practices, such as astroshamanic touch. With the right hand I establish the connection with God, to whom I direct what is drawn by the left hand, and I also bestow the blessing. The left hand touches the bleeding wound as well as the Heart (Cone), which is the neuralgic centre of Forgiveness.

The mantra “Maranatha”, as I experience it, is aimed at stimulating and opening the Heart centre, so as to allow it to promote its Function. “A” is the vowel associated with the Heart centre, which is here repeated four times (each related to a direction of the Heart) together with four most vibrating consonants. As you know, the term “Maran” means “Lord” or “Master” in Aramaic, and “Atha” means “has come” or “come”.It is interesting to note how in Sanskrit the two terms also make sense, though in a different order, which puts together, confronts and reconciles the two polarities. In Hinduism Mara is the goddess of death, while in Buddhism Mara, besides being also related to death, is the name of the demon who tempted Gautama Buddha and who is the source of all nuisances. In Sanskrit the term Natha means "Lord, Protector, Refuge". In Buddhism, the God Natha, which literally means ‘no form’ and ‘no shape’, is generally associated with the unknown Maitreya or Buddha to come.

In Catholicism the Sacred Heart of Jesus is traditionally associated with 12 blessings allegedly promised by the Christ to those who practice the devotion to his Sacred Heart. Please find details on such promises by clicking here. Each promise is obviously associated with a Sector, of which it reflects the power of its spirit medicine. The use of the intellect is a requirement in order to release possible resistances to Catholic terminology and tap into the authentic meaning.

I understand some in our group are meeting tomorrow for the regular meditation, and this is an invitation to everybody in FLY to join in meditation, either through the “Maranatha” or a Basic Ritual of the Sacred Cone, at any time during the day. Then, I also invite you to share about your experience or simply give a blessing to the whole group. It would be great if you could do so, so that we receive at least 12 blessings. Please be aware that a blessing can be expressed also with one word (Blessings) or three words (I bless you), and even with 12, 24, 144 and so on words.

I leave you with the words of the chant Ego vos elegi, from the Liturgy of the Celtic Saint Columba, which I have just heard sung by the monks of the nearby Abbey of Pluscarden.

“I have chosen you out of the world so that you might go out and bear fruits, fruits that will last. I am giving you these commandments so that you may love one another." (John 15:16-17)

This reminds me that God calls me, God lovingly calls each one of us by our own name, no matter how unsuitable or worthless we may think to be, God addresses each one of us. God calls you, for he is the One Who has chosen you.

Il Sacro Cuore di Gesù

Domani, 30 maggio 2008, nella tradizione cattolica e anglicana è la solennità del Sacro Cuore di Gesù. In termini astrosciamanici “Sacro Cuore” è sinonimo di “Sacro Cono”. Quindi, il Rituale Base del Sacro Cono potrebbe pure chiamarsi Rituale Base del Sacro Cuore.

L’enfasi maggiore nella devozione del Sacro Cuore di Gesù, così come nelle pratiche del Sacro Cono, è verso il Rilascio e il Perdono.

Il Sacro Cuore è rappresentato tradizionalmente da un cuore in fiamme risplendente di luce divina e circondato da una corona di spine e sanguinante. L’illustrazione più tipica mostra Gesù che indica con la mano sinistra il cuore e con la mano destra il cielo e l'atto di benedire. Questa è un’esemplificazione della funzione delle mani nella pratica del tocco astrosciamanico. Con la mano destra stabilisco il contatto con Dio, cui dirigo ciò che traggo dalla mano sinistra, e offro la benedizione. La mano sinistra tocca la ferita sanguinante e pure il Cuore (Cono), il centro nevralgico del perdono.

Il suono “Maranatha” stimola l’apertura del centro del Cuore, e la promozione della sua Funzione. La vocale “A” è associata con il Cuore ed è qui ripetuta per quattro volte, una per ciascuna direzione o lato del Cuore, insieme a quattro consonanti di forte vibrazione. Come sapete, il termine “Maran” significa “Signore” o “Maestro” in aramaico, mentre “Atha” vuol dire “Vieni” o “E’ giunto”.

E’ interessante notare come in sanscrito i due termini messi insieme hanno pure un gran senso, seppure in un senso distinto, che pare confrontare e riconciliare le due polarità. Nell’induismo Mara è la dea della morte, mentre nel buddismo Mara, oltre ad essere associato con la morte, è il nome del demone che tentò il Buddha e pure la fonte di ogni rancore. In sanscrito il termine “Natha” significa “Signore, Protettore, Rifugio”. Nel buddismo, il Dio Natha, che significa letteralmente “senza forma”, è generalmente associato al Maitreya sconosciuto or il Buddha che deve venire.

Il Sacro Cuore di Gesù è associato tradizionalmente con 12 benedizioni, che furono promesse dal Cristo a coloro che praticano la devozione del Sacro Cuore. Per l’elenco delle 12 benedizioni cliccate qui. Ciascuna promessa è connessa con un Settore, di cui esprime il potere della relativa medicina spirituale.

Alcuni del nostro gruppo si incontreranno domani per la meditazione, e questa mia è un invito a tutti coloro in FLY, che lo gradiscono, di svolgere una pratica domani. Può essere il “Maranatha” o un Rituale del Sacro Cono, a qualunque ora della giornata. Poi, vi invito a condividere l’esperienza o a dare semplicemente una benedizione all’intero gruppo. Sarebbe ideale ricevere un minimo di 12 benedizioni. Una benedizione può essere espressa anche con solo una parola (Benedizione), ma pure con tre, 12, 144, ecc.

Vi lascio con le parole del canto Ego vos elegi, dalla Liturgia di San Columba, che ho appena udito cantata dai monaci della vicina abbazia di Pluscarden

“Non voi avete scelto me, ma io ho scelto voi e vi ho costituiti perché andiate e portiate frutto e il vostro frutto rimanga; perché tutto quello che chiederete al Padre nel mio nome, ve lo conceda. Questo vi comando: amatevi gli uni gli altri. (Giovanni 15:16-17)

Ciò mi ricorda che Dio mi chiama, Dio ci chiama amorevolmente con il nostro nome, non importa quanto indegni o inadatti pensiamo di essere. Dio si rivolge a ciascuno di noi. Dio ti chiama, perché è Colui che ti ha scelto.

The Yeast - Il lievito

2008-05-14T01:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

With Pentecost, the liturgical season of Eastertide is over, and I wish you now a good transition into Ordinary Time. I include below one of today’s (13 May 2008) mass readings from Mark 8:14 - 21 (the Sector 4 part).

The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then he gave them this warning, ‘Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod’. And they said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread’. And Jesus knew it, and he said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ They answered, ‘Twelve’. And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ And they answered, ‘Seven’. Then he said to them, ‘Are you still without perception?’

As you may notice there is the emphasis on twelve and seven, most recurrent numbers both in Christianity and astroshamanic work. There is also the stress on perception, acknowledgment of what is really happening beyond the illusion of our separated world, which is also a recurrent and vital element. This involves retrieving our veritable focus, keeping the connection with Spirit, bringing into the present all the epiphanies we have experienced in life and generously sharing them within and without.

The stance we take towards the apparent difficulties or crisis in life are merely based on our perception. When I focus on the provisional and, yet inevitable, grievances of this separated reality, with all their troubles and stress, I miss the awareness of my true focus, and lose the vital part of my soul. Then, I inexorably suffer and either I succumb or choose to retrieve it again. Here the only way to retrieve it once more is to shift my perception, to change my focus and direct it towards what is good and luminous, to what unites and not to what separates, to the areas of power, my gifts and talents, and not to the zone of weakness and misery.

It is most of all in those moments of apparent darkness, when I am about to release the vitality of my soul, when my perception is suffocated by the illusion of separation, it is in those moments that I am called to claim my connection with the Guide. Such connection is of no use if I do not employ it when it is truly needed. This may require an effort, the endeavour of stepping out of the seclusion of a separated perception and embrace the true reality of who I am. In those moments, such efforts require an investment of trust. I appear to be just one step from the grave, and all hopes seem to be lost. Yet I still have the capacity to ask for support, to cry out for help. This is all I need to do, and if I do not do it, it will make a radical difference. This is the required trust, a trust not in me, because in a dramatic moment of crisis there is no way I can have any trust in me. It is a trust in the connection with God, no matter how weak is the memory of such connection. If I do retrieve that fragment of memory, it will be brought into the present, and just as it was, it is now and ever shall be.

In the current workshop (The Blessed Way of Passion) I hold at the Findhorn Foundation, yesterday we focused on the above theme. We worked on the awareness of our own direct connection with Spirit and, especially, on how to make sure that this is not forgotten. Obviously, the best way to make sure that it is not forgotten, is to use it as much as possible, to make it part of the routine, so that just as I cannot forget to eat or drink, I will not forget about my connection with God.

During yesterday’s session each participant described their own way of connecting with Spirit. Some of them were not totally sure whether theirs was truly a connection with Spirit, and the sharing helped them gain more confidence. Also listening to the sharing of others allowed us to realise how different are the ways in which this connection manifests. This also allows learning about other types of connection, so that we can use them too, thus expanding our capacity to experience Spirit.

There is no private connection with God. One of the major teachings in working in a circle, as I see it, is becoming aware that whenever I do connect with Spirit I am supporting all those who are doing the same, as well as those who have difficulties in doing so.

I would like to encourage the readers of PAN to describe and share the way in which you connect with your Spirit Guide. This also includes significant experiences you have had, or anything that allowed you to sense the presence of the Divine. Also I invite you to share about what you have found useful in astroshamanism, what has benefited you or others in employing the tools that characterise this work.

Whatever you share in the above regard can be extremely useful for other friends on the path, and also can allow you to remember. And, most importantly, when you do forget, the friends who read your sharing can remind you.

There are many workshops taking place in the next months, which I trust will be precious opportunity for healing and learning. In this regard I would like to point out for those who are in involved in astroshamanic training some of the forthcoming workshops that constitute a requisiste in the formation process. These you are invited to attend at least once, either this year or later. The workshops are:

Findhorn, 14 - 21 June 2008, The Original Quest: An Astroshamanic Journey into Space and Time
Assisi (Italy), 4 - 8 July 2008, Distil, You Heavens, from Above! Astroshamanic Summer Gathering or any other Summer Gathering
Findhorn, 2-9 August 2008, Astroshamanic Trance Dance and Drumming
Jesi (Ancona, Italy) 25-29 September 2008, Sacred Relationships Intensive Retreat
Findhorn, 6-12 December 2008, Restoring the Fragmented God: A Healing Voyage into Shamanic Christianity
Findhorn, 28 December 2008 – 2 January 2009, The New Year Healing Retreat or any other New Year Retreat.

I also encourage those in the astroshamanic network who have never attended a workshop in Findhorn to find a way to do so. If you need support or assistance in this regard, please let me know.

Blessings, Franco

Cari Amici,

Il tempo di Pasqua si è concluso con la Pentecoste, e siamo ora entrati nel Tempo Ordinario. Indi vi auguro una buona transizione nell’Ordinarietà.

Allego la lettura dal Vangelo della messa odierna, da Marco 8:12-21 (la parte del Settore 4)

¹⁴ Ma i discepoli avevano dimenticato di prendere dei pani e non avevano con sé sulla barca che un pane solo. ¹⁵ Allora egli li ammoniva dicendo: "Fate attenzione, guardatevi dal lievito dei farisei e dal lievito di Erode!". ¹⁶ E quelli dicevano fra loro: "Non abbiamo pane". ¹⁷ Ma Gesù, accortosi di questo, disse loro: "Perché discutete che non avete pane? Non intendete e non capite ancora? Avete il cuore indurito? ¹⁸ Avete occhi e non vedete, avete orecchi e non udite? E non vi ricordate, ¹⁹ quando ho spezzato i cinque pani per i cinquemila, quante ceste colme di pezzi avete portato via?". Gli dissero: "Dodici". ²⁰ "E quando ho spezzato i sette pani per i quattromila, quante sporte piene di pezzi avete portato via?". Gli dissero: "Sette". ²¹ E disse loro: "Non capite ancora?".

Come potete notare c’è un enfasi sul 12 e sul 7, numeri ricorrenti nel cristianesimo e nel lavoro astrosciamanico. C’è pure un’evidenziazione sulla percezione, il riconoscimento di quel che veramente accade oltre l’illusione del nostro mondo separato, che è pure un elemento ricorrente. Ciò comporta recuperare il nostro autentico punto di focalizzazione, mantenendo la connessione con la Guida, portando nel presente tutti i momenti di luce che abbiamo esperito nella vita, per condividerli con generosità, dentro e fuori.

L’attitudine che prendiamo nei confronti delle difficoltà o crisi apparenti della vita si fondano unicamente sulla nostra percezione. Quando mi concentro sui rancori provvisori e inevitabili di questa realtà separata, con tutti i loro guai e stress, perdo la consapevolezza del mio vero punto di focalizzazione, e smarrisco la parte vitale della mia anima. Allora, soffro inesorabilmente. Alla fine, o soccombo o scelgo di recuperarla nuovamente. Qui il solo modo per recuperarla è spostare la mia percezione, cambiare il punto di focalizzazione e dirigerlo verso ciò che è luminoso e buono, ciò che unisce e non ciò che separa, verso le aree di potere, i miei doni e talenti, e non le debolezze e la miseria.

E’ soprattutto in quei momenti di buio apparente quando sto per allontanarmi dalla vitalità dell’anima, allorché la mia percezione è soffocata dall’illusione della separazione, è in quei momenti che sono chiamato a rivendicare la mia connessione con la Guida. Tale connessione non serve a nulla se poi non la impiego quando ne ho bisogno. Ciò può richiedere uno sforzo, lo sforzo di uscire dalla reclusione di una percezione separate, per abbracciare chi sono veramente. In quei momenti, lo sforzo richiede un investimento di fiducia. Mi pare di essere ad un passo dalla tomba, e ogni speranza sembra perduta. Eppure, ho ancora la capacità di chiedere soccorso, di gridare “aiuto!”. Questo è tutto quel che ho da fare, e se non lo faccio, la differenza nel risultato sarà radicale. Questa è la fiducia richiesta, una fiducia non in me, poiché in un momento di crisi profonda non c’è modo in cui possa avere fiducia in me stesso. E’ una fiducia nella connessione con Dio, non importa quanto debole sia la memoria di questa connessione. Se recupero anche solo un frammento di quella memoria, porterà tutta la memoria bel presente, e così come era, lo è ora e sempre lo sarà.

Nel seminario The Blessed Way of Passion in corso presso la Findhorn Foundation in questi giorni, abbiamo trattato il tema della connessione con lo Spirito Guida, e su come assicurare che non sia dimenticata. Ovviamente il modo migliore per non dimenticare la connessione con lo Spirito Guida è di usarla con frequenza.

Ieri, nella sessione, ogni partecipante ha descritto la sua connessione con la Guida. Alcuni non erano sicuri del loro rapporto con la Guida e parlarne ha loro permesso di acquisire fiducia. Ascoltare le condivisioni altrui è utile perché permette di avvederci di quanto vari sono i modo di rapportarci con la Guida. Inoltre consente di apprendere nuove modalità che possiamo noi stessi usare.

Non esiste una connessione privata con Dio. Uno degli insegnamenti principali in un cerchio è comprendere che ogni volta che mi connetto con lo Spirito ciò apporta supporto a tutti coloro che fanno lo stesso, e anche coloro che hanno difficoltà a farlo o non lo fanno affatto.

Vorrei incoraggiare i lettori di PAN a descrivere il modo in cui si collegano con la Guida e le loro esperienze più significative di connessione. Ciò comprende qualsiasi esperienza di pace, amore e bellezza che abbiamo vissuto. Invito pure a condividere riguardo ciò che trovate utile nell’astrosciamanesimo, ciò che porta benefici a voi e agli altri, quando usate gli strumenti che caratterizzano il nostro lavoro comune come gruppo astrosciamanico.

Qualunque cosa condividete a tale riguardo può essere di utilità estrema ad altri amici sul sentiero, e inoltre vi può aiutare a ricordare. E, cosa ancor più importante, quando vi dimenticate, coloro che hanno letto la vostra esperienza, possono aiutarvi a recuperare la memoria. In fondo, come Cerchio, questo è il lavoro.

Vi sono diversi seminari in programmazione prossimamente, e confido che saranno occasioni preziose di guarigione e apprendimento. A tale riguardo vorrei indicare per coloro che frequentano l’Astroshamanic Practitioner Training o altri programmi di formazione, i seminari che costituiscono un requisito. Si tratta di seminari che è necessario frequentare almeno una volta, prossimamente o più in là nel futuro. Per favore, siate consapevoli che questi requisiti si applicano solo a chi intende completare la formazione ufficiale. I seminari sono:

Findhorn, 14 - 21 giugno 2008, The Original Quest: An Astroshamanic Journey into Space and Time o qualsiasi altra edizione.

Assisi (Italy), 4 - 8 luglio 2008, Distil, You Heavens, from Above! Astroshamanic Summer Gathering o un altro Summer Gathering

Findhorn, 2-9 agosto 2008, Astroshamanic Trance Dance and Drumming o altri sullo stesso tema

Jesi (Ancona, Italy) 25-29 settembre 2008, Sacred Relationships Intensive Retreat o altri similari.

Findhorn, 6-12 dicembre 2008, Restoring the Fragmented God: A Healing Voyage into Shamanic Christianity o altri seminari analoghi

Findhorn, 28 dicembre 2008 – 2 gennaio 2009, The New Year Healing Retreat o qualsiasi altro New Year Retreat.

Incoraggio inoltre chi non ha mai partecipato ad un seminario a Findhorn di considerare questa possibilità. Findhorn e il nord della Scozia svolgono un ruolo decisivo nel lavoro di formazione astrosciamanica. Per certi versi, è un po’ come un pellegrinaggio in una terra santa. Se avete bisogno di supporto o ulteriore incoraggiamento, contattatemi.

Blessings, Franco

Up with God and Saint Cone!

2008-05-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Up with God and Saint Cone! by Franco Santoro

I would be tempted to write several pages and also provide specific details, to describe the following experience. I will not do so. As a result, what I write may appear rather cryptic, yet I prefer to run this risk, otherwise I will inevitably unveil many details. And indeed, these details are irrelevant. It is the essence that counts here, and I believe we all know this essence, for it has been abundantly expressed throughout all human history, including our own life. For various months I had cherished an intent that I humanly perceived as most beautiful and loving. Everything had been planned for that intent to manifest. My wish to manifest that intention also coincided with a feeling of not being entitled to it, of not knowing whether this was truly the will of God. Therefore during the past months I had regularly offered my wish as a sacrifice, connecting the intent with the Function, as it is done in the Ritual of the Sacred Cone, surrendering it to God, inviting Him to decide what to do with it.

. Then, I received the answer, and this implied letting go of my intention. It appeared as a cruel guidance, and yet, despite the pain and sadness, I perceived a deep integrity in it, and everything was calm and clear. And yet, when I moved from the theoretical implications of releasing to the tangible act of letting go, all my serenity vanished. I was confronted with real fire, a fire that burns. And it did burn! And it did hurt! Then I become aware that there was a missing element. I realised that I was just in my emotions and thoughts, with no trace of God. Since I was offering a holocaust to God, this was unacceptable. I understood that I was destroying and not sacrificing. I was employing my personal fire, one made of my own emotions and thoughts. I was not using the Fire of God. Thus I firmly state: “I will not burn this offering with personal fire! I will only give it to the Fire of God!” Hence I had to call God, which is what I did. I opened the Sacred Cone, I called upon the Fire, and It came. I immediately sensed the abysmal difference between the two fires. My personal fire was full of painful emotions and thoughts. The Fire of God was just Fire. It had a presence of Its own, devoid of any emotion or thought. And when I placed my sacrifice on the pyre, it did Burn! The offering Burned layer after layer, until it reached the ultimate bit, the one that would complete the sacrifice and definitely wipe away the offering. And at that stage the sacrifice was unexpectedly called off. The Fire ceased and the offering was returned in its essence, much more beautiful and luminous than before. What I had delivered to the Sacred Cone, what the Fire Burned, was given by the Sacred Cone, the Fire of God. It was given blessed and sanctified.

Up to God and the Sacred Cone!

In the evening I watched a movie. In the past weeks, after a long abstinence, I have watched several movies. The condition is that they all have to refer directly to Christian topics. I had several films to choose from and I decided to toss. The Bible story of Abraham was elected. I already knew the story, especially the piece about the sacrifice of Abraham’s son, Isaac. And yet, only yesterday, when I saw this latter story again, I realised that I had never truly known it, and that now I could finally start to get to know it.

Sunday, 11 May, was Pentecost day, celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit in the shape of tongues of fire. It was also the feast of Saint Cono (Cono means “cone” in English) traditionally celebrated the second Sunday of May in the town of San Cono in Sicily. The feast lasts for an entire week. During the celebrations the statue of the saint is carried through the streets, while the people cry: “Viva a Diu e Santu Conu!” (Up with God and Saint Cone!). There are various most amazing videos on the feast of St. Cono on the internet, and I particularly recommend watching these, by clicking here and also here.

In Teggiano, where the saint was born, there is even a 100-foot monument and statue of St. Cono, with his head crowned with a golden halo, Saint Cone is also popular in other places, such as Brooklyn (New York), where there are many people called Cono (see the Conos of Broklyn) and there is even a Cono Club, and Australia, Argentina and Uruguay. In the town of Florida (Uruguay) there is a sanctuary dedicated to the saint, who is also the patron of gambling, bookmaking and lottery.

Signs of Fire - Segnali di Fuoco

2008-05-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

Segnali di Fuoco - Signs of Fire di/by Letizia Mocheggiani

(please find the English version after the Italian text)

Il corso annuale di tocco astrosciamanico che si tiene all’Eremo dei Frati Bianchi di Cupramontana è il proseguimento e ampliamento del precedente corso annuale sulle Direzioni e Settori tenuto a Jesi. Il gruppo che si è creato è numeroso e con passione e costanza lavora sia in sottogruppi vicini che a distanza. Una rete di cooperazione, amore e guarigione viaggia anche in internet con un programma Google Group realizzato con lo scopo di guarigione; “FLY” ci permette di condividere le nostre esperienze e stadi avanzati del lavoro astrosciamanico, e spirituale.

I corsi sono tenuti in 2 lingue italiano ed inglese, oltre che per necessità di comprensione, hanno il vantaggio di “allentare” la nostra mente e permettere il risveglio multidimensionale.

Il primo incontro avvenuto in Gennaio, è stato un seminario introduttivo d icollegamento e riconoscimento del Centro, del Divino, e del nostro rapporto con esso. Molti rancori e dubbi sono stati rilasciati nella consapevolezza di iniziare una nuova via. In effetti il primo incontro è stato innovativo, provocante, disinibito e potente, per diversi mesi abbiamo lavorato collegandoci con lo Spazio Divino ed il Centro e giunti al secondo incontro ci siamo ritrovati più forti ed uniti.

Il Centro è il nostro punto di riferimento ed è anche la forza immutabile che non cambia e ci permette di riportare il Cerchio e il viaggio nel mondo della separazione all’unità centrale.

Lo scopo del corso annuale è quello di rapportarci con le diversità del Cerchio senza perdere il riferimento con il Centro e non importa cosa accade intorno a me, felicità, tristezza, isolamento… io mantengo costante la mia presenza nel Centro.

Il potere delle pratiche ci permette di riconoscere il nostro fuoco interiore, ed una volta ritrovato va alimentato e mantenuto.

Il seminario dell’Est ha affrontato temi relativi al Fuoco ed al Fuoco dell’Amore. Il fuoco dell’amore è in rapporto con la semplicità, dipende solo dalla mia volontà attivarlo, e scopro che in ogni momento posso fare una scelta d’amore …

Durante il seminario abbiamo svolto diverse pratiche che ci hanno permesso di entrare dentro il nostro Fuoco, ci siamo impegnati a proseguirle nei mesi che ci distanzieranno dal prossimo incontro, in effetti il lavoro è basato tutto nel mantenere costante la nostra presenza nel Centro e custodire il fuoco sacro… La semplicità del fuoco dell’amore sta nel prendere atto di ciò che è bello e buono per me e mantenerlo dandogli energia.

Le meditazioni, gli incontri, gli scambi, che abbiamo avuto sia a stretto contatto fisico che a distanza ci uniscono nell’intento e nell’amore e nulla è più bello di sostenerci a vicenda e sentire l’assenza di tempo e spazio..

Il fuoco attivato durante il corso dell’Est brucia nei nostri cuori, costantemente osservato e curato dai suoi custodi. Riconoscere questo fuoco è stato doloroso e amorevole allo stesso tempo, o meglio, amorevolmente doloroso. Dimenticarlo è stato un atto incosciente ma il ricordarlo consapevolmente ha portato con se tutta la tristezza del passato.

Ricordo…… lego il ricordo a Dio e alla mia umanità, prima del ricordo c’era la conoscenza e la verità dimenticate. Man mano che ricordo affiorano le lacrime della dimenticanza……

Con attenzione osservo il mio Fuoco bruciare, dentro la sua immagine ritrovo me , riconosco coloro che osservano il Fuoco e mi lego a loro per creare un’onda di risveglio.

Il respiro dell’anima passa attraverso il fuoco del mio essere. Come le cellule del mio corpo si attivano l’un l’altra creandolo e ricreandolo costantemente così noi ci attiviamo mantenendo il Fuoco costantemente acceso. Ascolto la Voce che mi riporta nella via della Funzione per non dimenticare ancora…….. E come in un’altalena, vado verso il Cielo e mi riempio di gioia nel sentire quanta Aria c’è intorno a me, per poi tornare verso terra e portare tutta la gloria con me…….. E dietro me differenti persone, ognuno a suo modo, mi spingono verso il Cielo……

COME STA CAMBIANDO LA MIA VITA…

Un giorno di fine settembre durante una sessione con Franco scaturisce l’opportunità che io esegua un rituale quotidiano… Delineo la mia pratica e chiedo allo Spirito maggiore consapevolezza e conoscenza. Trascorso il tempo stabilito eseguo l’ultima di queste pratiche rafforzando il mio intento-richiesta. Il giorno seguente ecco il dono: mi accorgo di essere ricaduta in una vecchia malattia per la quale mi ero già lungamente curata tanti anni fa! Sembrerà strano ma questo è stato proprio un dono, anzi direi meglio “il mezzo” per arrivare a ciò che avevo chiesto! Inizia il cambiamento: sempre maggiore conoscenza riguardo me stessa e il mio cammino…

Il corso sul tocco apporta ulteriore consapevolezza e benedizioni sia da elargire che da ricevere… il fuoco si accende con estrema semplicità e una calda fiammella resta sempre accesa nel mio cuore…

Ora trascorro più di un’ora al giorno assorta nella preghiera: mi accorgo che tutto può diventare preghiera e allora la estendo sempre di più… recito preghiere che conosco a memoria, mantra, canti… danzo, ascolto musica, suono il tamburo… medito, ascolto me stessa e cerco di ascoltare anche gli altri…. Questo è il mio PREGARE celebrando la VITA!

Patrizia.

Mi chiamo Giulietta, ho 48 anni, sono sposata, ho una figlia e faccio parte del Gruppo di Jesi insieme alle mie compagne. Ci siamo ritrovate dopo il corso di astrosciamanesimo dello scorso anno e da quella volta praticamente non ci siamo mai lasciate..Prima di conoscere Franco, il mio percorso di guarigione seguiva altre vie ma, dopo aver letto la presentazione del programma, qualcosa mi ha spinta a contattare Letizia ed eccomi qua. Devo dire che il lavoro che abbiamo fatto e che continuiamo a portare avanti è tanto e anche l'impegno che ognuno di noi mette è notevole. Durante lo scorso anno, oltre agli impegni fissi settimanali, ci sono state delle uscite notturne, alcuna delle quali in occasione delle lune piene. E' capitato anche di esserci alzate prima dell'alba per andare a vedere il sorgere del sole e, un'altra uscita per andare a vedere i cerchi di grano.. Ognuno di noi fa quello che può in base alla propria disponibilità ma, mai una volta abbiamo saltato l'incontro fatta eccezione nei periodi Festivi. Da quest'anno, il lavoro è ulteriormente aumentato, il Tocco ci attrae e ogni occasione è buona per scambiarcelo o in gruppo o a distanza. Vengono fuori esperienze incredibili, non una più bella e l'altra più brutta ma, semplicemente interessanti e per molti aspetti pieni di magia... Il Tocco in generale muove diverse cose, questo del fuoco sembra ancora più potente anche se richiede meno tempo di esecuzione. Oltre che per il Tocco, ci incontriamo anche per la meditazione e così succede che gli incontri settimanali diventano due. Capita anche di fare il Rituale del Sacro Cono ma, il tempo richiesto per le pratiche aumenta sempre di più e se consideriamo anche quello necessario per le pratiche personali, va da se che siamo costantemente a lavoro.... Il Gruppo sicuramente aiuta ma, come dice Franco, il risultato di uno è il risultato di tutti...per cui, cari compagni di viaggio, non perdiamoci d'animo......con amore e gratitudine vi abbraccio.

Giulietta.

A report from Letizia Mocheggiani on the One Year Course in Astroshamanic Touch at the Eremo dei Frati Bianchi in Cupramontana (Italy).

The One Year Course of Astroshamanic Touch at the Eremo of the White Friars in Cupramontana is the follow up to a previous one year course in Jesi on the Directions and Sectors. The group has grown abundantly with passion and constant work, also creating its own forum in the internet (FLY).

The courses are held in Italian and English, which provides an opportunity to explore the inner dynamics of both languages.The first workshop took place in January. This was an introductory seminar of connection with the Centre. This first event was very innovative, provocative, uninhibited and potent. During the gap between the first workshop and the second, we remain connected and worked together, so that we found ourselves much stronger and united when we met again.

The Centre is our reference point and is also our unchanging strength that doesn't alter and permits to bring back the Circle and the voyage into the world of separation at the central unity. The aim of the One Year Course is to refer to the diversity of the Circle without loosing the reference to the Centre. Everything that occurs inside of me, happiness, sadness, isolation... I maintain my constant presence in the Centre. The strength of the practises allows the recognition of our fire inside and once found it is fed and maintained.

The seminar of the East has confronted themes relating to the Fire and the Fire of Love.

The fire of love is related to simplicity depending only on my willingness to activate it. I will find out that in every moment I can make a choice with love.

During the seminar we used several practises that allowed us to enter our Fire inside. Actually the work is based on the constant holding up of our presence in the Centre and nourishing the sacred fire.

The simplicity of the fire of love is the fact of acting on what is good and beautiful for me and maintain it in the energy.

The meditation, the meetings, the exchange that we had, be it in direct physical contact or in distance, joined in intend and in love. Nothing is more beautiful than to support continuously and feel the absence of time and space.

The activated fire during the course of the East burned in our hearts, constantly observed and looked after by its custodians. To discover this fire was painful and affectionate at the same time, or better affectionately painful. To forget it was an irresponsible act, but to remember it consciously has brought all the sadness of the past with it.

........Remember...., I will the memory to God and to my humanity. Before the memory there was the knowing and the forgotten truth. I remember gradually the tears of absence. With attention I observe my Fire burning, inside it's likeness I find myself. I recognise the ones that observe the Fire and I commit myself to them to create a wave of awakening.

The inside breath passes across the fire of my being. Like the cells of my body, they activate one another to create and recreate constantly like we sustain to activate the Fire that constantly burns. I hear the Voice that reports to me from the path of the Function in order to not forget again...

And like on a swing I fly towards the Sky and I fill myself with joy when I hear what Aria is inside of me but returning a little towards earth and bringing all the glory with me......

And behind me other people, each in their own right, push me towards the Sky...

A Touch of Fire by Christine Dreifus

2008-05-07T00:54:00.000-07:00

A Touch of Fire: A weekend in the Raining Sun

by Christine Dreifus

What is important when the fire is burning everything? All the old crusty habits go up in smoke and there’s a new start. That’s also how I see it with my devil Tarot card that I’m taking home. The devil will burn away a lot of old stuff to make space for new ideas.

But let me start at the beginning first. Two months went by like a song and again I found myself on the train to Italy quite early in the morning in order not to miss my connection train to Milan. You see, I don’t trust the Italian trains: they keep loosing time while snaking through the big Alpine holes.

Only later that day I realized that I was traveling on a day where the moon is in Sagittarius, which worked like a miracle. Suddenly all the trains are on time, when I need an official to ask directions there’s one and specially, there’s no hectic stress attacks for me.

As I later learned, poor Franco was not so lucky. When traveling the previous day, he had missed his plane in Paris by a mere 5 Minutes and had to wait for 5 hours for a next connection.

As the trains suddenly rolled on a different schedule, I had time, actually too much of it.

Arriving in Milan, first, I chased after a magazine a friend had requested at all the kiosks. After that I found out, after several tries, how the self-serve machines work to get lemonade. I loaned 20 cent to a stranger and assured him that I didn’t want it back. I wandered around the station until my train arrived, only it looked like an airplane, shiny, pointy and new. The doors opened like on a jet and even on the seats there where buttons I didn’t dare to touch in case they released some hidden parachute.

After a few hours of trying not to fall asleep, we arrived in Ancona perfectly on time, so I had more than 20 minutes to change platforms. I checked my connection on the big board. It said: Platform 2 Ovest. Where might that be, I mildly wondered. Was I already in the west part, or not? I wasn’t concerned at all, that I could miss my train. At this very moment, an agitated man came towards me, asking for the same platform. As I declined to know the answer, he jumped around to ask each and every one where this mysterious platform 2 west might be.

Slightly bemused, I watched a middle aged man behave like a chicken, running around nearly headless. Never the less I followed him to the other end of the station. I still had lots of time, so why don’t I take a walk. The man in front of me was still running around like he had laid an egg, mumbling abuse at everyone that could have invented the strange platform setting. He was so agitated, that he overlooked a sign saying: Place west. I tried to tell him, but he kept on running, fluttering his wings, mumbling abuse and trying to find someone to ask directions.

I was still relaxed and got on my right train. The man followed suite, having also found someone that had efficiently told him where to find his train. He still kept on running around, even on the train. I on the other hand, sat down outside, on the bumper seat, as it would be a short ride.

This time I had a ticket. Two conductors passed me by and I looked at them in anticipation, but neither of them wanted to check my ticket, or that I even had one.

So much for the Italian economy.

Arriving in Jesi I was kindly met by Letizia. Apparently it had rained a storm and would again in the morning. A good start to evoke the fire.

Letizia had reserved a wonderful room near the Teatro Pergolesi, in the very center of Jesi.

I slept so well in the bed that I made a mental not to get a softer mattress and a bigger cushion for my bed at home.

The next day I took a few steps around the center and bumped into Letizia and Franco. They where on their way towards the Eremo. They’d have a massive ignition problem in the pouring rain.. By that time it rained really very heavily and I went to borrow an umbrella. Even with that little protection from the water, I was wet like a washcloth, so I went to get some lunch. Jumping in came Giulietta and Anna, so I didn’t have to eat alone.

Later on, we all rode to the Eremo, in the rain, and hoped for a lot of fire.

End of part one. This is an intermission, time to make a toilet brake or get a glass of water.

In part two the fire is coming closer.

At the Eremo I got assigned to the same room as last time, only I had it for myself. In a Feng shui attack I moved the two single beds to the other side, between the door and the window, to create a bigger bed. Not surprisingly I slept much better than last time, also because the temperature was somehow milder and I didn’t see the light of the fire alarm blinking.

Spring, fire, east. Unlike the other elements, fire is not easy to get. Fire has always represented spirit it should be kept alive.

That was our first assignment: Call for the fire inside. Heal and look for the love to remind the love inside, that had once been and is still there, hidden, buried between the folds of time.

The keeper of my fire is my inner child. Several people saw it during meditations playing or crying, searching for his mother. As I called for my fire, I saw my beautiful child carrying the fire towards me, proudly, happily. My fire is so save there, so guarded.

During the weekend there was a lot of burning. When I burn things I don’t sacrifice them, I give it back to the source. When I burn my thoughts and grievances it is a relief for me.

We did a lot of practices and the weekend burned away in no time at all.

Specially the silent meditation, reciting a mantra inside in immobility was deeply affecting for me. The first one I had the impression of choking and I had to cough several times. I tried breathing it away, but that proved to be difficult. The next one started well, then my legs felt like a million ants and I nearly couldn’t hold still. Usually it is my mind, that’s restless.

The third meditation on Sunday morning went quite well. I was able to burn a lot of thoughts, fear, pain.

My personal fire is my creativity. It has been burning on a low flame but with the help of the devil (the tarot card, not satan himself)I want to kindle my inner flame into a happy bonfire.

The weekend was really over too quickly, burned away.

As soon as we had started on Friday, the sun shone to honour the fire.

In the end I had to say goodbye to my dear brothers and sisters again too soon, to work three month with fire. Time will burn away very quickly and I will stay in contact through the meditations.

On Sunday evening I felt a little alone, going to dinner by myself, with only families around,

And for a moment I couldn’t chase the thought of separation.

Again I slept wonderfully in the great bed, which is a blessing, as my mind keeps me up a lot at night.

On Monday morning I managed at last to visit the Chiesa della Morte. Apparently the churches also have a schedule and are closed over lunch hour, so it was always closed on me.

Very unlike me, I tried to do a short meditation, but could not get any contact and found myself utterly blocked. I left with the firm knowledge, that I have my church within me, and need the other ones only for architectural accomplishment and wonder.

As an afterthought I find the silent meditations using the Mantra Maranatha very effective and soothing.

Even at this distance to my friends I feel the energy strongly, the group helps me to be together, to be united and not separated.

In a postmodern version: We are Christ.

Love and only love

Christine

FLY - Indicazioni guida in italiano

2008-05-07T00:52:00.000-07:00

Benvenuti su FLY (Volo) - Network Astrosciamanico di Guarigione

Che cos'è?: FLY (o VOLO in italiano) è uno strumento gratuito online. Utilizza un programma web chiamato Google Groups realizzato su misura per scopi collegati a questo network. L'adesione è libera e non occorre scaricare nessun programma sul tuo computer. Devi avere solo accesso ad internet e possedere un indirizzo di posta elettronica.

Come funziona: Per far parte di FLY occorre prima di tutto chiedere di unirti al gruppo. Poi si tratta formalmente di entrare nel gruppo, un procedimento che avviene online con una serie di facili passaggi. Questi passaggi sono spiegati man mano che procedi e se hai bisogno di ulteriore aiuto ti sarà dato a richiesta. Una volta diventato membro comprenderai rapidamente come funziona FLY..

Chi può farne parte?: i partecipanti all'APT (Formazione Astrosciamanico per Praticanti), OTA (Formazione Operativa in Astrosciamanesimo), corsi annuali di astrosciamanesimo e Foundation Training nonché i partecipanti ai corsi astrosciamanici, membri del Cerchio del Sacro Cono, e chiunque è direttamente collegato a questo lavoro.

Perché farne parte?: I membri di FLY possono condividere esperienze collegate al lavoro astrosciamanico di guarigione. La tecnologia internet fornisce un'opportunità simile al dialogo interpersonale. Invece di stare insieme in tempo reale, si opera su internet e ognuno può dialogare con l'altro senza vincoli di tempo, secondo la propria disponibilità.

Che cosa comporta essere membro?: Essere membro di FLY implica diversi livelli di coinvolgimento, che potrai scegliere al momento dell’iscrizione.

Quello che segue è il regolamento provvisorio.

FLY (VOLO)

Network Astrosciamanico di Guarigione:

Indicazioni Guida Provvisorie

FLY è al servizio della rete astrosciamanica di guarigione e del Cerchio del Sacro Cono. Lo scopo di FLY è essenzialmente condividere esperienze ispirate dal lavoro astrosciamanico e guarigione spirituale. I membri sono incoraggiati a fare riferimento a elementi e pratiche astrosciamaniche, con particolare
riguardo alla Formazione Astrosciamanica, (APT, OTA, Corsi annuali), materiali di corso, o qualsiasi altro aspetto significativo di questo lavoro.

Le lingue ufficiali all'interno di FLY sono l'italiano e l'inglese. Sebbene i membri sono invitati a scrivere in entrambe le lingue, se sono in grado di farlo, la comunicazione bilingue non è un requisito di FLY. I membri che non conoscono una delle due lingue possono usare solo la lingua a loro familiare.

L'intento di FLY è riconoscere e onorare tutte le forme di comunicazione, indipendentemente se esse siano comprensibili o meno. Questo implica anche andare oltre i confini della propria lingua, svelando l'essenza all’interno di altre forme di espressione. Altre lingue possono essere usate (come lo spagnolo, il francese, il tedesco, ecc) se necessario, anche se per il momento, solo l'inglese e l'italiano sono usate per le comunicazioni ufficiali.

L'Intento di FLY è consentire la circolazione di visioni ed esperienze, per promuovere il riconoscimento della nostra natura multidimensionale e la sua integrazione nella vita di tutti i giorni.
Possiamo ispirarci e insieme apprendere di più. Possiamo anche scoprire similitudini nelle nostre esperienze, quindi uscire dall’isolamento, la paura e la vergogna che circondano spesso queste esperienze non ordinarie.

Franco, o altri operatori avanzati, potranno inviare speciali comunicazioni esclusivamente indirizzate ai membri di FLY.

FLY è privata e indipendente. FLY è un Google Group privato non listato nella Google Directory. Solo le persone invitate dal responsabile del network (Letizia Mocchegiani) possono aderire. L’adesione è a disposizione di coloro che hanno lavorato con Franco Santoro, e hanno stabilito una connessione diretta. Il pubblico generico non ha accesso al gruppo o ai suoi contenuti.

FLY ha uno specifico protocollo. Le linee guida in questa sezione sono volte a mantenere l’integrità della comunicazione.

1. FLY è uno spazio sacro. Ti invito a co-creare questo spazio sacro con il massimo riguardo per questo regolamento e per tutti i membri del gruppo, anche se hai punti di vista diversi. Ti prego anche di prendere nota che tutti i messaggi saranno amorevolmente esaminati da Letizia prima della distribuzione ai membri di FLY. Se un messaggio non possiede i requisiti richiesti, esso non sarà distribuito in FLY. Quando questo accade sarai informato direttamente.

2. FLY è confidenziale. Ti è richiesto di non inoltrare o condividere i messaggi pubblicati su FLY con persone estranee al gruppo, salvo che tu non riceva un permesso scritto da Letizia.

3. Condividi le tue esperienze. Come si usa nei seminari astrosciamanici, impiega la prima persona, scrivendo delle tue sensazioni ed esperienze, piuttosto che di quelle degli altri. Se ti riferisci a messaggi di altri, esprimi unicamente le tue esperienze e le tue sensazioni, senza fare valutazioni o critiche sulle condivisioni degli altri. Evita inoltre di fare affermazioni generiche o iniziare dibattiti o discussioni.

4. Condividi esperienze astrosciamaniche pertinenti. Riferisci le tue dirette esperienze non ordinarie, incluse episodi di tutti i giorni che senti collegati ad esperienze sciamaniche. Ciò comprende anche la condivisione di risonanza o ispirazione tratta dalla lettura dei messaggi dei membri di FLY, o da seminari, articoli su PAN, e pure libri, film, sogni, ecc.

5. Mentre sei incoraggiato a condividere, sii consapevole che stai ricevendo attenzione, tempo e concentrazione da parte di tutti i membri che leggono i tuoi messaggi.

Se non sei sicuro se inviare qualcosa, sei incoraggiato a chiedere consiglio alla tua Guida. In alternativa puoi chiedere a Letizia o Franco.

6. Astieniti dall'interpretare le tue esperienze. Adotta un'attitudine di riconoscimento piuttosto che di interpretazione o giudizio delle tue esperienze.

7. Astieniti dall'interpretare le esperienze degli altri. Mentre sei invitato a condividere l’ispirazione che ricevi nel leggere i messaggi su FLY, ti prego di trattenerti dal dare risposte sulle esperienze di altri membri o identificare i membri per quello che hanno condiviso. Il principio è che la condivisione è una forma di rilascio, alla quale non dobbiamo rispondere, ma semplicemente essere testimoni. Se rispondiamo, il flusso di guarigione si può bloccare. Per esempio, qualcuno può raccontare un'esperienza dolorosa, ma questo non significa necessariamente che la persona sta soffrendo e ha bisogno d’aiuto. Una volta che un membro ha condiviso l'esperienza, il dolore può sparire, come generalmente accade. Ricevere messaggi da persone che esprimono interesse per il loro dolore e danno suggerimenti e interpretazioni può riportare indietro il dolore stesso. Consenti ai membri di rilasciare e in questo modo di trasformare. Se un membro necessita d’aiuto esplicito, lo esprimerà in modo diretto, e in questo caso chi può essere utile lo farà rivolgendosi privatamente alla persona in questione. Qualora ci sia una situazione di emergenza e un membro richiede il sostegno dell’intero gruppo, si potranno creare cerchi di guarigione o preghiera, la cui struttura sarà comunicata su FLY

8. Chiedi il permesso se desideri interagire con i messaggi di altri membri.
Se un membro scrive qualcosa a cui ti piacerebbe rispondere, ti suggeriamo di chiedere indicazioni alla tua Guida, e se ti viene dato incoraggiamento, contatta il membro direttamente utilizzando l'e-mail privata. Chiedi al membro se gli va bene che tu risponda a quello che ha condiviso, senza presumere che il membro accetterà la tua richiesta.

9. Rivolgi le tue domande a tutto il gruppo. Come membro di FLY, sei libero di fare domande generali relative al lavoro astrosciamanico, se ti senti spinto a farlo, Ognuno è libero di rispondere o meno.

Ti prego di non usare FLY per inviare e-mail a Franco su problemi interamente personali.

Franco o altri membri possono essere disponibili per una consultazione personale o una sessione di guarigione, ma questo non è il proposito di FLY. Se necessiti comunicare personalmente con Franco o altri membri, contattali direttamente.

10. Sub-laboratori possono prendere forma spontaneamente. Due o più membri del gruppo sono invitati a collegarsi tra loro tramite e-mail private, purché questi membri decidano liberamente di farlo. Questo può creare sotto-laboratori finalizzati in seguito a contribuire verso l’intero gruppo. Un rappresentante di ogni sotto-laboratorio riferirà al gruppo più ampio riguardo l’interazione del suo gruppo, se ciò è utile per i membri di FLY. I sotto-laboratori sono anche formati dai partecipanti di uno specifico training o corso, come APT, OTA. Se il tema di tale sotto-laboratorio è riservato o ristretto a questi corsi, lo scambio di e-mail non sarà visualizzato su FLY, anche se un rappresentante può riferire al gruppo allargato.

11. Il silenzio collettivo è bene accetto. Nei periodi di silenzio collettivo, in cui ci sono pochi o nessun messaggio, sappi che il gruppo è ancora connesso e rimane un'entità sostenuta da energie universali.

Il silenzio collettivo è benvenuto. L’invito è di comunicare prima ad un livello interiore, senza invio di messaggi scritti, e poi, in un secondo tempo, se ciò è ritenuto necessario, di comunicare in forma scritta attraverso FLY. La prima comunicazione in FLY è il silenzio, e la seconda comunicazione è con le parole. Il primo tipo di comunicazione è un requisito, mentre il secondo è facoltativo.

Se desideri unirti alla rete e ricevere l'e-mail di invito, prego contatta Letizia Mocchegiani
(letizia@astroshamanism.org or zone25@tele2.it)

Guidelines for FLY in English

2008-05-07T00:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to FLY (Volo) – Astroshamanic Healing Network

Guidelines for FLY - Astroshamanic Healing Network

What it is? FLY (or VOLO, in Italian), is a free online tool in Italian and English. It uses a web-based software program called Google Groups that has been tailored for purposes related to this astroshamanic healing network. It is free to join and you do not need to download anything onto your computer. You DO need Internet access, and an email account.

How it works: To be part of FLY you first need to request to join the group. Then you have to formally join the group, which is a process that happens online in a series of easy steps you will take. These steps are explained as you go through the process, and if you need extra help it is available upon request. Once you become a member you will quickly see how the technology works.

Who can join? Participants to APT (Astroshamanic Practitioner Training), OTA (Operative Training in Astroshamanism), Astroshamanic One-Year Courses, Foundation Trainings and regular astroshamanic workshops, former astroshamanic trainees, members of Sacred Cone Circle groups and whoever is closely connected to astroshamanism..

Why join? Members of FLY share experiences related to astroshamanic and healing work. The technology provides an opportunity similar to an in-person dialogue, but instead of being together in real time, the Internet is the medium, and we can each visit the dialogue according to our own timeframe.

What does membership entail? Membership in FLY allows you to choose your level of involvement. What follows below are the provisional guidelines.

FLY (VOLO) - Astroshamanic Healing Network: Provisional Basic Guidelines

FLY serves the Astroshamanic Healing Network and the Sacred Cone Circle. The aim of FLY is essentially sharing experiences inspired by astroshamanic and spiritual healing work. Members are encouraged to reference elements and practices of astroshamanism, with particular regard to the astroshamanic training (APT, OTA, One-Year Courses) and courses material, or any other significant aspect of astroshamanism.

The official languages in FLY are Italian and English. Although members are strongly encouraged to write in both languages, if they can do so, bilingual communication is not a requirement in FLY. Members who do not know either Italian or English can use the language that is more convenient for them. The aim of FLY is to acknowledge and honour all forms of communication, whether they can be intellectually understandable or not. This also involves moving beyond the boundary of one’s own language and unveiling the essence within other forms of expression. Also other languages may be used (such as Spanish, French, German, etc.) if this is appropriate, although, at least for the time being, only English and Italian are used in official communication.

The intent of FLY is to allow circulation of visions and experiences, in order to promote acknowledgment of our multidimensional nature and its integration in daily life. We can inspire each other and learn more about astroshamanism together. We can also discover similarities in our experiences, hence breaking through the isolation, fear and shame that may surround these non-ordinary experiences.

Franco and other senior practitioners will post advanced information related to astroshamanism and special communication exclusively addressed to FLY members. Information may be in the form of synopses from workshops and other types of news and information.

FLY is private and independent. It is a private Google Group that is not listed in the Google! Directory. Only people who are invited by the network keeper (Letizia Mocchegiani) may join. Membership is available to people who have worked with Franco Santoro and/or read his books, and have had a direct connection with Franco through e-mail or other communication. The general public does not have access to the group or its postings.

FLY has specific etiquette. The guidelines in this section are aimed at making the group successful. This section refers to "postings" and "sharing" and "writing" interchangeably, since FLY is an online group that communicates through written, electronic messages.

1. FLY is a sacred space. Please co-create this sacred space by holding these guidelines and all members in high regard, even if you carry different viewpoints. Please also note that all postings will be lovingly reviewed by Letizia and/or her designate, prior to distribution through FLY.

2. FLY is confidential. Please do not forward or otherwise quote or share any messages posted in FLY with non-members, unless you receive written permission by Letizia and any member involved.

3. Share your own experiences. Just as it is done in astroshamanic workshops, please use I-statements, writing about your own feelings and experiences, rather than someone else's, and acknowledging what you express as your own experiences and feelings. Please avoid making general statements, espousing philosophy, religion, or theories, or debating.

4. Share relevant, shamanic experiences. Share your direct shamanic or non-ordinary experiences, including everyday experiences that you sense link with shamanic experiences.

5. Stay relevant to the group. While we encourage personal sharing, please be mindful that you are receiving the attention, time, and focus of all members who choose to read your postings. If you are uncertain as to whether to post something, you are encouraged to seek council from your inner guidance. Alternatively, you can contact Letizia or Franco for suggestions.

6. Refrain from interpreting your experiences. Adopt an attitude of acknowledgment rather than interpretation or judgment of your experiences.

7. Refrain from interpreting others' experiences. Please resist posting feedback about the experiences shared by other members or identifying members by what they share. The principle is that sharing is a form of release, to which we do not have to respond, we simply witness. If we respond, the healing flow may become blocked. For example, someone may relate a painful experience, yet this does not necessarily mean that he or she is in pain and needs help. Once a member has shared the experience, the pain may go, which is usually the case. Receiving messages from people expressing concern about the pain and giving suggestions and interpretations may bring the pain back. Please allow members to release and thereby transform.

8. Request permission if you wish to interact with members' postings. If a member posts something that you would like to engage, we suggest that you to ask for inner guidance, and if you're given encouragement, contact the member directly using private email. Ask the member whether it is all right to engage what he or she has shared, and do not assume that the member will accept your request.

9. Address the whole group with your questions. As a FLY member, you are welcome to post general questions related with astroshamanic work. if you feel so moved, everybody is free to respond or not. Please do not use FLY to address Franco with concerns that are entirely personal. Franco or other members may be available for one-on-one consultation and healing sessions, but this is not the purpose of FLY. If you seek personalized attention from Franco or other members, please contact them privately.

10. Sub-laboratories may form spontaneously. Two or more group members are welcome to connect among themselves using private email, provided that these members freely agree to do so. This may create sub-laboratories aimed at converging towards the centre. A representative of any sub-laboratory will report back to the larger group regarding their group interaction if it seems of service to the membership of FLY. Sub-laboratories are also formed by participants to a specific training or course, such as APT, OTA or One-Year Courses. If the theme of such sub-laboratories is confidential or restricted to those courses, the exchange of e-mails will not appear in FLY, although a representative will report back to the larger group if it seems of service to the membership of FLY.

11. Collective silence is welcome. In times of collective silence, in which there are few or no FLY postings, please know that the group is still connected, an entity held by Universal energies. Collective silence is welcome. The invitation here is also first to communicate at an inner level, without posting any message, and then, if there is guidance to do so, communicate in a written form through FLY. The primary communication in FLY is silent, and the secondary communication is through words. The first type of communication is a requirement, while the second is optional.

If you wish to join and receive the e-mail of invitation. please contact Letizia Mocchegiani (letizia@astroshamanism.org or zone25@tele2.it)