Henochius Simon shares some of his excitement and insight from connecting with the spheres during his Contact with the Cosmos night…
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Have typical New Year’s Eve parties lost their spark? They have for me. Noisy and alcohol-saturated gatherings on New Year’s don’t really appeal to me anymore…
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When “Henochius Simon” entered into the Labyrinth in the Temples of Humankind, he was so inspired, he penned this poem:
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A tale by Fenice Felce, one of the original founders of Damanhur posted here to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Temples of Humankind opening to the world For a while we had been asking Falco to start building the Temples of Humankind. He always replied with a smile that it was not the right time yet. Meanwhile, we had purchased an old house on a hill that overlooked the town of Vidracco. The all-stone house was nudged up against the earth and surrounded by thick vegetation. In a small clearing on the side of the house, there was a large walnut tree that majestically overlooked everything. The place exuded harmony and had a magical atmosphere that enveloped all that was there. We began restoration work on the land, removing brambles, cutting grass and cleaning everywhere. In the end, we found ourselves with a cottage in the woods like the ones you read about in fairy tales. Amazing! On the house beside the front door, a hawk was painted inside a hexagon with the words, “Think well of others,” which is the basis of our way of life. We loved the place. After the day’s work constructing the village of Damanhur and clearing the land, we went by foot in the evening to this magical place up on the mountain, because the dirt road full of vegetation did not allow for cars to pass. We prepared dinner, which was served on two large wooden tables positioned under the big walnut tree, which also held a nice swing for our kids to have fun and play. During our communal dinners, we exchanged comments, ideas, projects and laughter, and afterward, there was the long-awaited moment of “the talks around the fire.” Sitting in a circle on low benches, wooden stumps and large stones, with wool blankets over our shoulders to protect from the dampness of the night, we asked so many questions to Falco, who answered with humor, happiness and joy that permeated our hearts, as...
read moreIn 2013, we will celebrate the 35th birthday of the Temples of Humankind, as the Temples were started in August of 1978. Special events throughout 2013 will culminate in the main festivities to be held in August 2013. This week there is another commemoration happening, the 20th anniversary of the Temples opening to the world. We are sharing our stories with each other about the first time we entered into the Temples. Would you like to share yours too? Feel free to write your story and post it on the comments of this page! We kicked off the events on Wednesday evening with the Forge of the Temples: Stories of the Construction and Art of the Temples of Humankind. The evening was emceed by Orango Riso and Cicogna Giunco. Those who were present during the early years, like Orango, Fenice Felce and Puzzola Primula, told their stories about the moment a shooting star streaked across the sky during a campfire gathering and the digging begun. Others told about the campaign to save the Temples after they were discovered, the legal battles and signature drives that activated all of Damanhur. Cocorita Camomila told about her childhood impressions when large squadrons of authorities came to the Temples, and she thought to herself, “If all these people are coming to us, we must really be important!” Piovra Caffè’s stories brought to life the intense dedication of the artists and their contributions to creating the Temples as a magical act. A special commemorative coin that was made in honor of the 20th anniversary was shown during the evening as well. Thursday evening after the ‘Serata’ with Falco, the Damanhur theatre group performed a show called “The House in the Rock,” that recalled the moment that the Temples were opened, with imaginative twists and divine interventions, written by Stambecco Pesco. Other events for the anniversary include “The Colors that Unite,” collective art making at Damanhur Crea, an afternoon in the Sacred Woods which are considered the “Hair of the...
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After nearly a month in Damanhur I finally go to the underground Temples. When I come out of there my head is pretty much empty for awhile. How can I even begin to attempt to describe the experience with words? It’s not a word kind of place. Well, actually I do have words. Two of them: Go There! Aside from that, if you want to get a feel for the Temples, it’s better to have a visual input. You might explore website for Damanhur’s Temples of Humankind and take the virtual tour. Or get a hold of Dreams of Damanhur by Keith Busha (through the Damanhur website). This is the DVD that inspired me to come here in the first place, and it captures the essence of the Temples far better than black words on a white page can. I won’t focus much on general descriptions of the Temples, just some of the aspects that moved me. When I enter the Temples of Humankind I feel a sense of awe that dissipates the words right out of my head. My own skull becomes an empty container for vast and interpenetrating images. Consider the soul of Michelangelo returning to earth, dividing itself into a group of dedicated folks in order to create this contemporary miracle of Spirit, Art and Passion. Not only this, but to do it underground, digging into solid rock, and initially in secret. It was Michelangelo, after all, who said that sculpture was an act of liberating the angel from within a block of stone. And when I look up at the intricate mandala-like stained glass ceilings, what resonates is the Sistine Chapel (not so much in similarity as in effort and beauty). Surely I am looking up into a place that reaches into the heavens. But wait, we are not even touching the sky. We are underground and the ceiling glass is illuminated by subterranean lights.This in itself shifts my experience of time and space. I have the sense of being...
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