Showing 433 articles
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 [...]
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 [...]
The Heroic Spirit
Author: Natalia LemaOctober 11, 2015
Many of us associate the term ‘hero’ with a brave character mostly from stories, myths and historical events: a very special person who is able to overcome weaknesses and fears, displaying great courage and other virtues such as sacrifice and strength. We might even think about a sort of warrior who is victorious, saves others [...]
The World of the Aztecs
Author: Elena LöberOctober 10, 2015
The Aztecs – or rather the “people from Aztlan”, a translation from the Nahuatl word ‘aztecatl’ – are largely still a mystery for us. Their strong and determined character, their practical sense and the value they ascribed to the strength of will enabled this people to develop a highly advanced culture and conquer vast parts [...]
Bringing Back the Happiness
Author: Pierre PoulainOctober 7, 2015
I was in Marseilles, in France, last December. I was presenting a special photographic exhibition about “Paradoxes” at the opening of a congress organized by the International Institute Hermes, for the 2400 year anniversary of the Academy of Plato. At the end of the congress, Fernando Schwarz, the director of the Hermes Institute gave a [...]
In Conversation with Geshe Lhakdor
Author: Yaron BarzilayOctober 7, 2015
During their grueling journey across the Himalayas, Tibetan refugees carried hundreds of manuscripts into India, often guarding them with their lives. Many of these precious texts were offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who founded the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala (India), dedicated to preserve and promote the Tibetan heritage. Today [...]
Must we live in stress?
Author: Ilanit AdarAugust 19, 2015
Every period in life as in the life of a society as a whole, can be characterized through different aspects: social, economic, scientific, educational and others. Every period is different from the previous one and from the following one, because everything changes with time… If we consider the social-psychological perspective of the actual period, we [...]
Into the Matrix – Pt. 1
Author: Gilad SommerAugust 12, 2015
Part I – The Human Being or the Machine? The technological advances of the last decades have drastically changed our lifestyle, so much that it is hard to recall how life used to be in the past. What Did human beings do with their time before Youtube, Facebook, Twitter? How did people live before status [...]
The Inner Mirror
Author: Jorge Angel LivragaJuly 20, 2015
Today, as the myth of equality is losing force, it is easier to appreciate the wisdom of the ancients, who affirmed that all things and all beings have a different existence. More than that, even within the same person it is difficult to find two identical states of mind throughout the course of a day, [...]