Showing 624 articles
Reflection on Life and Death
Author: Natalia LemaJanuary 23, 2016
Life and death are two sides of the same coin. However, we spend most of our time dealing with life and rejecting or denying somehow the natural aspect of death, perhaps because we might see it as a final end. Death is commonly related to pain, suffering, loss and uncertainty. Ancient civilizations like that of [...]
Beauty in stone – the Greek Miracle
Author: Agostino DominiciJanuary 23, 2016
I have just learned that in the next few weeks the British Museum will be launching a major exhibition on Greek art – Beauty in the human form. Why is it that, despite the passage of twenty-five centuries, the beauty of Greek sculpture still commands so much attention? In what is sometimes called the Greek [...]
Revival of the Renaissance
Author: Yaron BarzilayJanuary 20, 2016
Philosophy is an approach to life, a search for a way to try to live a little bit better, a little bit truer, everyday. But by what moral standards should we judge our actions? There is a difference between being immoral, and being amoral. Amoral means that there is no recognition of right and wrong [...]
The Mask – a Sacro-Magical Art Form
Author: Agostino DominiciJanuary 13, 2016
The making and use of masks dates back several millennia. It is one of the most ancient and widespread art forms – one which has captured the imagination of countless people around the world. On a recent visit to Portobello Market in London, I found myself confronted by a remarkable display of antique Balinese masks. [...]
The Genius of Nature
Author: Miha KosirDecember 29, 2015
“Nature does nothing in vain.” Aristotle Human beings have always observed, learned from and imitated nature. If we look at any process in nature we can see an engineering which has been developing for millions or billions of years. The more we understand its complexity the more we find an immense intelligence at work. One [...]
Inanna, the Queen of Heaven in ancient Mesopotamia
Author: Pinar AkhanDecember 28, 2015
The principle of the life force on which everything depends, along with fertility, love and procreation were just a few of the principles that Inanna, one of the oldest Sumerian Goddesses, represents. Her name means Lady of Heaven and she was associated with the planet Venus, the morning and evening star. The rising and setting [...]
The Eco-Philosophy of Henryk Skolimowski
Author: Istvan OrbanDecember 27, 2015
The World is a Sanctuary – according to Henryk Skolimowski, a contemporary Polish philosopher regarded as the father of eco-philosophy – and not a Machine, as Newton proclaimed. Skolimowski studied at Oxford, where he received his PhD, then went on to teach philosophy for many years in the United States. Skolimowski’s eco-philosophy goes against the [...]
The Summer Solstice
Author: Matina KarastatiraDecember 27, 2015
The period between the 20th and the 22nd of June is the Summer Solstice. “Solstice” is Latin for “sun stands still”. In the Northern hemisphere the sun reaches its most northerly position and we experience the longest day and the shortest night. The summer solstice is often associated with change, nature and new beginnings, a [...]
The Hermetic message of Dante
Author: Agostino DominiciDecember 23, 2015
Dante Alighieri is very well known in the world of art and literature, but not many people are aware of the hermetic and occult teachings he purposely disseminated throughout his works. Despite current historical misconceptions, Dante’s time, the so-called “Middle Ages”, was a time of great spiritual vitality, in spite of its contradictions (such as [...]
Australian Aborigines
Author: Natalia LemaNovember 2, 2015
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, with an area of 7.6 million km2. It is a developed country and one of the wealthiest in the world. Its aborigines arrived 40,000 – 60,000 years ago, probably travelers from Asia who had a great ability to adapt to new circumstances. Europeans came later on [...]
The Philosophical Beauty of Chinese Calligraphy
Author: Jim PangOctober 31, 2015
The word “calligraphy” is derived from a Greek word meaning beautiful writing. And in the East Chinese calligraphy (書法 – Shufa) is valued as “high art”. Throughout the history of China, leaders, scholars and people from all walks of life have practised calligraphy. Calligraphy and Tao The essence of calligraphy is to express the innermost [...]
Lost civilisation – myth or reality?
Author: Florimond KrinsOctober 31, 2015
It is a fact that mankind has lost and rediscovered knowledge in its short known history. Especially after the fall of a great civilisation such as the Egyptian ancient dynasties or the Roman Empire, we notice a decrease in the quality of life which is partly a result of the loss of a previously known [...]