Showing 624 articles

The Inner Gold of the Alchemists

Author: Julian Scott

May 12, 2014

Alchemy seems to be an almost universal science. Not only do we find it in Medieval Europe, but also in China and India, amongst other places. This is perhaps because it is not just a primitive forerunner of modern chemistry, but a sacred science in its own right, which was studied wherever esoteric knowledge has [...]

The Mozart Effect

Author: David Hirschorn

May 12, 2014

“Thus, then, excellence of form and content in discourse and of musical expression and rhythm, and grace of form and movement, all depend on goodness of nature, by which I mean, not the foolish simplicity sometimes called by courtesy good nature, but a nature in which goodness of character has been well and truly established.” [...]

Pythagoras

Author: Anonymous

May 12, 2014

Although his exact origin is unknown, most authors, including Porphyry, agree that he was born and raised on the Ionian island of Samos, around 560 B.C. His father, Mnesarchus, was a “ring engraver” of Tyrrhenian origin, who did business with the Greeks and Phoenicians. His mother, Parthenis, was a descendant of Ancaeus, the founder of [...]

Pan’s Labyrinth

Author: Anonymous

May 1, 2014

Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Ariadna Gil, Sergi Lopez, Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones Duration: 119 min. This is a story that unfolds at two levels. At a real one (in Franco’s Spain where his generals face the resistance of the extreme left rebels) and at a symbolic level, the inner world of the [...]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Author: Anonymous

May 1, 2014

Original Title: Wo hu cang long Year: 2000 Running Time: 119 min. Directed: Ang Lee Screenplay: Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai. (Novel by Du Lu Wang) Music: Tan Dun Cinematography: Peter Pau Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Sihung Lung, Pei-pei Cheng, Fazeng Li, Xian Gao, Yan Hai, Deming Wang [...]

Blade Runner

Author:

May 1, 2014

Blade Runner is a US science fiction movie, directed by Ridley Scott, premiered in 1982 and based loosely on Philip K. Dick’s novel: Do androids dream of electric sheep? (1968). It has become a science fiction classic with two Academy Award nominations. It is a favourite among cinema lovers and academics and quickly earned cult [...]

The Truman Show

Author: Anonymous

April 1, 2014

Director: Peter Weir Screenplay: Andrew Niccol Producers: Paramount Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions Cast: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Brian Delate, Blair Slater, Peter Krause, Heidi Schanz, Ron Taylor, Don Taylor, Ted Raymond, Judy Clayton, Fritz Dominique, Angel Schmiedt “The Truman Show” is a 1998 North American movie directed by [...]

Pay it forward

Author: Anonymous

April 1, 2014

Release year: 2000 Duration: 123 minutes Movie category: Drama, Romance Director: Mimi Leder Writers: Catherine Ryan Hyde (book), Leslie Dixon (screenplay) Main actors: Kevin Spacey, Haley Joel Osment and Helen Hunt Life lessons from an 11-year old boy! At the beginning of the school year, a teacher writes an exercise on the blackboard. “Think of [...]

The Monkey King and the Mangoes

Author: Anonymous

March 21, 2014

Once upon a time, the Buddha came into the world as a Monkey King and ruled over 80,000 monkeys. He was very tall and strong and had wisdom like the sun. In his kingdom on the banks of the Ganges River, there was a mango tree as big as the moon. The 80,000 monkeys jumped [...]

The Man in the Moon

Author: Anonymous

March 21, 2014

There was a blacksmith once who complained: “I am not well, and my work is too warm. I want to be a stone on the mountain. There it must be cool, for the wind blows and the trees give a shade.” A wise man who had power over all things replied: “Go you, be a [...]

Avatar

Author: Anonymous

March 1, 2014

Release year: 2009 Duration: 162 minutes Movie category: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Director: James Cameron Writers:  James Cameron Main actors:  Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver In a future not so far away, people discover a new planet, Pandora. This planet contains a mineral which people use as fuel. The People try first to civilize [...]

The Symbolism of the Scarab

Author: M.A. Carrillo de Albornoz & M.A. Fernández

February 22, 2014

The scarab is the most venerated, the most common and the most familiar of the Egyptian symbols. Its symbolism is twofold: with its folded wings, it represents the disciple, life that has not yet come into existence, that starts its journey trying slowly to unfold its wings until it can flap them quickly. Then, this [...]