Hill Station BlueThe Health of the Eye depends on a horizon to View - Plato 2008-09-17T11:33:43ZUser 433http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/OrgSpace NewsLogEra AwakesThe new Palladio exhibition in Venice is apparently heralding a new era, by suggesting an alternative departure point to its profession in the future. The exhibtion is set to tour major centres. At the least a fresh set of references will be thrown into the debate.
Most interesting of all as...The new Palladio exhibition in Venice is apparently heralding a new era, by suggesting an alternative departure point to its profession in the future. The exhibtion is set to tour major centres. At the least a fresh set of references will be thrown into the debate.
Most interesting of all as is often the case is the light thrown on the pre existing status quo - liberal modernism - in design. Quite suddenly this can be viewed as an opposite, in parts, for some modernism does lay actually within a classical mould, to a trained eye! The other however which relies on much self expression, currently an undisputed right in our liberal society, can now actually be viewed as Gothic. A stance which carries with it, an outpouring by necessity of spiritual evolution. Hence all the gargolyes, griffins, and goodness knows what adorning such well known structures of the associated era, Medieval, and neo Gothic (of Victoriana fame) both in the UK and in France and the rest of Europe. The energy of these cathedrals can be seen to be emanating from the earth and rising upwards and away, a clearing of the air and current angst. The best example of this self expression is in the famous Musters TV serial, in the black and white of those days, of this famous family living in cobwebs, of dracula hair styles and loving giants. Kindly but weird.
Even tho the current modernism has shed its gargoyles in its place we have rasor sharp points to street furniture, columns, edges of steps, on which the unwary could easily impale: the features themselves shouting pain, go away and writhing. The opposite of classical buildings which create auras of peace and tranquility for contemplation and moving on to other earthly realms from a centred stance, not dependent on initial unrelated individual expression.]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000077.htm2008-09-17T11:33:43Z2008-09-18T14:58:53ZChild of the BushThis title surely describes the writer. There are childhood memories of being surrounded by the pristine natural woodlands of glistening dried grasses and strange leafed trees, a type of deciduous savanna in a high veld. This area is still an untouched wilderness. There was a notion of being mesme...“I, Wenewenya, village headman and all the people have the honour of thanking you for your visit. We thank God for his immortal Providence and Guidance during your journey.
We have the honour to welcome you, our District Commissioner, as our true helper through all our difficulties and ignorance. Our gratitude to a great extent may rather be imagined than expressed in words. We are short of words to express our inestimable indebtedness.
Your all visits and instructions to us are constructive and inspiring and so are unforgettable to a man of understanding. We therefore thank you for your presence which shows further help to us.
I, Wenewenya, alone frankly say that your help and advice are noted with great distinction. I am an African Chief and do not know very much how to pay compliment to you on all your work you undertake in K., District.
As to the fact that you show a deep interest in helping me and all the people therefore I have great pleasure to appear myself before your honourable presence with great applause and affection.
I, Wenewenya, together with all the people, wholeheartedly welcome you with great joy. In advance we apologise for any mistakes we may make during the sitting of the meeting.
Welcome Sir, may God bless you and give you success on your work during all your lifetime. God be with you during your visit until you return to K., your honourable headquarters.”
In the Northern Province, part the former Kingdom of Kitwa many hundreds of years ago.
This gives an idea of the sentiment and expectation greeting such visitors at the end of the 1940's era. The innocence and total reliance on achieving all assistance required imagined for the villagers as they knew it, is palpable. So is the trust and human warmth evident, on this so far ever so clean introductory slate, to fall on Western Civilisation.
NW 3.2008]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000075.htm2008-03-05T09:38:25Z2008-09-18T14:56:12ZSolar ShuttleSurely a multi-use vehicle or residence suitable to Arctic Melt days. Or a solar ark?
http://www.solarshuttle.co.uk/cruises.htm
The Way to Go!
Nulah Surely a multi-use vehicle or residence suitable to Arctic Melt days. Or a solar ark?
http://www.solarshuttle.co.uk/cruises.htm
The Way to Go!
Nulah ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000074.htm2008-02-13T15:53:55Z2008-09-18T14:55:43ZThe WildernessRosemary and thyme
Sage and fennel
Tarragon and chevril
Anyone can live in a place with easy access to vast areas of wilderness with some kind of work which will cover the essentials. There is no need to become involved in the greater socio economic connundrums when one can retreat regularl...Rosemary and thyme Sage and fennel Tarragon and chevril
Anyone can live in a place with easy access to vast areas of wilderness with some kind of work which will cover the essentials. There is no need to become involved in the greater socio economic connundrums when one can retreat regularly to stare at trees or rivers.
Living within the densely built environment (italics) there becomes a dire need to FIND and influence in some way those factors related to the achieving of a HARMONIOUS and balanced life style.
The former would apply to most of America, and the latter to Europe roughly speaking. It also applies to Africa the former and India the latter. The bringing of the wilderness to the City is the most advanced in the City of Paris. It should be in the City of Rome, the eternal city, but something else abides here, of a different nature. ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000072.htm2008-01-18T21:18:38Z2008-09-18T14:55:17ZMinologue Jazz Debating Democrats quote of the year must be:
"There are more people who have seen UFO's than support Bush" !
The Line Up was there demonstrating an internal party robustness replete with charming regional twangs of intonation. Someone mentioned in addition to UFO the word Anglo Saxon too....Debating Democrats quote of the year must be:
"There are more people who have seen UFO's than support Bush" !
The Line Up was there demonstrating an internal party robustness replete with charming regional twangs of intonation. Someone mentioned in addition to UFO the word Anglo Saxon too. The differential twangs rarely cross the Atlantic and so we miss out on the essential lyricism integral to the " 'States ". A longer airing of this banter would have been interesting and possibly enjoyable.
Nulah ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000070.htm2007-11-01T09:51:14Z2008-09-18T14:54:26ZFirst Modernist
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) is a fashion icon unlike any other. She invented modern clothing for women: at the height of the Belle Époque, she stripped women of their corsets and feathers, bobbed their hair, put them in bathing suits, and sent them out to get tanned in the sun. She in...
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) is a fashion icon unlike any other. She invented modern clothing for women: at the height of the Belle Époque, she stripped women of their corsets and feathers, bobbed their hair, put them in bathing suits, and sent them out to get tanned in the sun. She introduced slacks, costume jewelery, and the exquisitely comfortable suit. She made the first couture perfume-No. 5-which remains the most popular scent ever created.
Anything written about this unassuming personage is an understatement of the facts and her mould breaking achievements for the feminine physique which became never ending after both world wars. Most critical of all was the fact that she was able to create without attention to herself, but just as a designer. In those days the clothes and styles were more important than the label. Eyecatching in her own right in social circles, but quietly working earthbreaking approaches to couture and everyday wear and living entirely of her own inspiration, in fact by having to stitch her own clothes sufficient to suite the practice of the time but also more importantly to suite her own active outdoor pursuits too. So many firsts for one person from an orphanage, and so rarely championed.
Soon in 2008 is a new film to be released on her life. ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000069.htm2007-09-18T14:14:47Z2008-09-18T14:53:58ZRemote Tassia 1In the Northern realms of Kenya, in the lands of the Massai warriors, a so called community conservancy has been set up. The Massai people are able to receive groups of guests to stay in their unique Shamba's seen dotted on the middle distance hill.
The success of this conservancy means it...In the Northern realms of Kenya, in the lands of the Massai warriors, a so called community conservancy has been set up. The Massai people are able to receive groups of guests to stay in their unique Shamba's seen dotted on the middle distance hill.
The success of this conservancy means it is now being used as a model for including local tribal people is some form of economic venture which also preserves their lands, and gives real tenure in law, a key factor in the process of assisting those to assist themselves, at a fundamental level. More images to follow. ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000068.htm2007-09-04T14:45:47Z2008-09-18T14:53:15ZThe Mountain RevisitedI was raised on vegetables and fruit grown mainly on mountain humus. This was collected from the Mountain rising steeply about 100 yards away behind the new house. The humus was fresh leaf mould, black powdery and cool, and apparently bursting with natures’ goodness. Lettuce, cucumber, beans, b...We were lucky, pipes carried the water to the house: many houses we knew had people water- carriers, two buckets on a pole with leafy branches on the top stemming splashes while in foot transit. Hot water for bathing went to a specially built open air furnace behind the kitchen: a brick fireplace with a very large 40 gallon drum or two cemented above a huge fireplace for whole tree sized logs. A special person was employed simply to sit by this fire at night to watch over it. Often this excellent job was given to a village elder who suffered difficulty walking, as it was a sitting wrapped-in-a-blanket job. Someone else chopped the fire wood, one of the five garden boys. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of the names of the garden boys. Often in this land, if someone did something necessitating the loss of his job or sacking as they say, the same chap would persistently appear the next day with an apologetic glum but determined look to continue his work. In this manner they nearly always hung on to their job. However, they could also and would also give their job to their brothers or uncles without warning. They considered their job as a right of place, so to speak, something only they, in their notion of native responsibility as owner of their job, could do with as they wished. The reason could be a simple “time to go to the village now, for a rest” a quite indeterminate leave taking but with automatic substitute lasting six or eight weeks or longer, and nothing could be done about it!
The chemical inferno did not end with the vegetables, the inside of the house was sprayed with DDT anti-pest spray every 6 months. Even the dogs and cats got sprayed. Outside my window was the graveyard covered in yucca spines and flowers of the children who had not survived this life in the wild. It was difficult to reconcile the abundant growth factor of the food stuffs with the abundant disease factor for both humans and foodstuffs at that time. I now assume that this world, in darkest Africa contained many unknowns for all its inhabitants local and foreign alike.
The various livestock on the farm below the Mountain consisted of four herds of cattle of different species - two imported and two indigenous - plus herds of sheep and goats none which got the chance to miss the monthly dipping in the famous DDT. They would be corralled and one by one in single file they had to walk down a murky concrete passage which lead to a long tank full of dark green liquid swilling away and buried in the beautiful mountain humus earth. With much mooing, bleating and grunting they would be whistled and shoved down this passage in order to finally leap or slip into the long tank which they then had to swim to the other end, mouths straining above the liquid level in order to finally walk into the outward corral to drip off. A thatch roof structure on poles over the long tank protected the lovely pure rain from getting into the poisonous mixture lurking in this tank. I suppose that it was emptied in the virgin humus earth when finally used, and this was the reason for it being placed just within the edge of the mountain forest by the people originally setting up this farm.
They were a Scottish pioneering shipping family who also owned the grocery store chain of shops to be found in each emerging town or village or out-station. As such they constitute the oldest known history of the area, ever. This goes back to the times of about 1915 thereabouts, but no earlier.
All in all, the humus may have saved our lives. About 100 feet up the first steep mountain slope of humus an enormous piece of igneous rock emerged with straight sides up out of the mountain, known as the Small Peak. The conquering of this Small Peak was my dream project. Having surveyed the summit, I had already bribed the store keeper for nails and a hammer and other such useful items for the construction of a shelter in a carefully chosen spot. The idea was to also build a rope pulley system from the foot of the Small Peak to its summit. This was to carry up our “supplies” of water and edibles, but also just to look good as an achievement as seen done on other larger scale mountains of 6,000 feet under the aegis of a Government Forestry Department. An axe was procured from the wood chopping garden boy with a small bribe of a packet of TomToms, the local brand of untipped cigarettes. However the axe was so heavy, unwieldy and sharp that while being carried it hit the large toe of its carrier almost severing it. This unexpected emergency required the attention of “adults” demanding to know how such a thing could have occurred. Of course the entire goal of conquering the Small Peak was at stake here, and which had it been confided would undoubtedly have been banned as a suitable activity for a group of children aged variously from 5 to 14.
After a time to heal all the wounds, and with school friends visiting, we (I) decided to attempt a reaching of the summit as something of special interest to do for our playmate, and also reacquaint and pick up from our first failed expedition attempt. Earlier, I had located a rock chimney in the mountain formation, a large crack in the rock face running all the way straight to the top of the Small Peak beyond the forest foliage behind the house. We had been practicing climbing rock chimneys, both on other mountains next door, and in our homes up the walls in the corridors and in between door frames. So off we went, climbing up the steep foothill of the mountain. This meant walking on the already fallen trees because the humus was soft and sinking, and more, the profusion of giant nettles, bushes and creepers everywhere. Armed with big sticks we beat our way through. The youngest in our group, my youngest brother, perhaps 4/5 years old, was still then very small and very sweet. Our expedition gear was the usual hat, short sleeved shirt and shorts with flip flops or plimsoles.
We reached the rock chimney and I took charge. First I sent up brother No 1, followed by young friend with my sister behind, and then smallest brother followed by me to help him up. The rock chimney was about 50 feet high and I stood at the base watching the progress, suddenly there were screams, and shouts of bees, bees. We had disturbed a nest of wild African rock bees, known to be deadly as we all too well knew. I saw my brother No 1 shoot up to the top, and the others jumped shrieking from wherever they were in the chimney as I tried catching them to stop the falling down rolling on, into the steep forest undergrowth. I caught my little brother and started squashing the bees with my hands in the air around his head. His hat was pulled down hard and he was screaming. Contrary to what we had always from very young been taught, to lie down in the presence of bee swarms and never to flee – I shouted to everyone to run from the attacking bees in thought that their flight would be hampered by the undergrowth . Still running pelter melter back down the giant fallen tree logs the same way we had come up. In such flight we were unable to watch out for the giant stinging nettles, but had had such a scare all we could think of was to get the hell out of there.
We decided to put in our first stop, to raise the alert, at a neighbouring family’s house nearer than ours, and much less strict in its way, and more understanding and comforting in times of complete self-made disaster. This worked well because a house boy was sent with the mishap message to inform our own household meaning that the ensuing riposte from hearing such news would have been expended far far away from our ear shot and presence, thus easing a painful situation considerably. Also ensured was that the first sight of our bee sting swellings would be with other adults present, in their own house, giving more assurance of at least reluctant sympathy and treatment rather than serious admonishments.
That night I had a Date. At 14 years old this was far too important to miss. With swollen eyes and hands like footballs, I absolutely insisted to go to the dance, and the Small Peak climb was never attempted again.
To this day atop the Small Peak there is stache of nails, hammer and string and wire under the rocks overlooking the ideal spot with its distant views to the Western horizon and hills of the land lying hidden and protected from the wild mountain elements of sudden mists and violent thunder and rain storms.
NW 14 March 2007 ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000067.htm2007-09-03T14:25:23Z2008-09-18T14:52:54ZDawn WorkoutDawn workout on Mount Khgale overlooking the Kalahari
Taking the Lobatse road south of the capital, take a right turn at the local school painted turquoise blue and follow the track towards the mountain until reaching an open space in the bush and scrub overlooking a dried river bed.
Follo...This session of yoga will form the testing ground and trial location for the future siting of an eventual a built platform. A Platform of Peace. A place to practice Peace Exercises within Constant time frames for maximum benefit to both place and participants.
The session starts with a laying of mats and removal of stones or dead wood to create a solid surface. While seated quietly in Padmasana it is nice to just take in the view of brilliant morning sun rising over the distant hills of the Limpopo river valley area and the Kalahari itself towards the West. Some large birds may suddenly show themselves to reinstate their claim on what is essentially their territory, but with offerings of assurances with peaceful intentions they will be pacified and resume normal life patterns.
Some Salutes to the Sun, to remind oneself of the limbs, some twists, some rests before going into Lotus proper for however long for acquirement of total quietude. The bird song will become particularly vocal and colourful at this point, often indicating a sure guide to actualisation of the realm of Peace. The breeze will be rustling the leaves and a snake may even swish past, in a flash, as part of its investigation of the scene. All should merely be observed and passed on thoughtfully. Other sounds may waft up the mountain sides from distant villages, a herdsman calling his sheep and goats, a drum banging, a baboon barking and leaping about playfully.
Whilst slowly regaining real time consciousness so to speak it will be like returning to another world from where one had been, but with a deeper awareness, akin to the deeper ocean seas. A sense of both being very much there but also simultaneously far away, one could suppose this is breadth of vision in a truer sense. When making such an effort, it is the beginning of a critical mass point of shifting modalities; others may be just a little moved through association or proximity to gain greater thoughtfulness about their business and life, to make the right choices and help others.
By this time we back down at the foothills of the mountain making our way through the now hot sun back towards the truck by the dried up river bed. It could be surrounded by a herd of wandering cattle moving their way slowly through the scrub looking for leafy morsels of fodder, this can be difficult when it rains but 3 months of the year. The truck doors and seats will be burning hot from the sun, the doors have to be opened on both sides to create a through draft before settling behind the wheel and driving back to town.
NSR early 2007 ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000066.htm2007-08-20T15:23:49Z2008-09-18T14:52:02ZPeace PrattleThe major battles or warfare in my own current life are against the three major proclivities of the environment and their impact on Mind/Body system. Throughout the course of the year the types of battle vary precisely with the seasons. In the Autumn the battle is to reduce movement, but this is...The last battle is one of Heat, early preparations here remove all residues of heat in the physical which will assist greatly when the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable with a surfeit of this energy, bringing with it all the lack of inspiration to cope and function creatively.
The daily contemplations will be of quite different natures, often quite new experiences requiring shifts in perspective continually to incorporate in the sum total of awareness to maintaining and gaining more rungs on the Ladder of Health and Happiness.
There is one way to avoid all these continuous wars which is simply to eat meat and drink alcohol. Both these sedate the mind/body into a continuous need for more of the same meat and drink, making the mind comparatively oblivious to the vicissitudes of the weather and climate effects.
However, a battle is part of life, so the battle ground moves to the arms industry. Also going with this like apple pie and cream is a church which advocates martyrdom for everlasting happiness. This church is the only church that can be for a carnivorous populace, so the people get the church they deserve. I believe this church is as real at the end of the day in its offerings of guidance for the soul in the afterlife, but the dictates it must make for a meat eating congregation will by default be quite different to the guidelines and life view offered to a vegetarian group or community. For it is only the latter who can actually FEEL non violence in their very limbs, and fingers as they handle lovingly little grains of freshly cooked sweet tasting rice, and realise that to continue this precious existence, one needs a great deal of protection from the outside world to maintain this stance of Love and Peace.
In literature, this idea of Peace can move across to the meat eating public as a marvellous idea the altar of which many will adore all their lives, but never actually grasp it in their hands for keeps.
The moral of this story is that if you live in the colder climes of the world. The temptation to eat meat in order to maintain a level balance of mind, less hampered by the vagaries of the weather will be too great to overcome. If you do go vegetarian, you will need a large army to defend you anyway. Perhaps this is the reason for Judo and Karate being discovered and practiced. But anyway to all the preachers of Peace, please be aware of the limits to which you are putting your constant words here. It is unlikely to come about while the weather is variable and meat eating stays… Also it is no good doing a religion for another climate, it will be without integrity. Religions go with life styles, and it is wrong to deny meat eaters their rightful religion. You may not agree with their religion and you may not agree with their warfare tactics, but I am afraid that the two go together. It is a hard life they have chosen, and luckily it is not yours – this is a factor that should be part of any new paradigm for new existences.
Wrong doing is all relative and should not be pronounced upon too harshly – within their own science systems they will be able to prove their own existences and be unable to perceive outside of their systems unless they change their outlooks (Parahamsa Yogananda). This means taking up the Battles of the Seasons instead of the Battle for Power & Riches with all its societal superficialities and psychological improbabilities which are now taken quite for granted as the unavoidable inheritance of human life.
NSR - May 2007 ]]>http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v433/__show_article/_a000433-000065.htm2007-08-20T13:46:25Z2008-09-18T14:51:24Z
“I, Wenewenya, village headman and all the people have the honour of thanking you for your visit. We thank God for his immortal Providence and Guidance during your journey. 
Debating Democrats quote of the year must be:
In the Northern realms of Kenya, in the lands of the Massai warriors, a so called community conservancy has been set up. The Massai people are able to receive groups of guests to stay in their unique Shamba's seen dotted on the middle distance hill. 
We were lucky, pipes carried the water to the house: many houses we knew had people water- carriers, two buckets on a pole with leafy branches on the top stemming splashes while in foot transit. Hot water for bathing went to a specially built open air furnace behind the kitchen: a brick fireplace with a very large 40 gallon drum or two cemented above a huge fireplace for whole tree sized logs. A special person was employed simply to sit by this fire at night to watch over it. Often this excellent job was given to a village elder who suffered difficulty walking, as it was a sitting wrapped-in-a-blanket job. Someone else chopped the fire wood, one of the five garden boys. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of the names of the garden boys. Often in this land, if someone did something necessitating the loss of his job or sacking as they say, the same chap would persistently appear the next day with an apologetic glum but determined look to continue his work. In this manner they nearly always hung on to their job. However, they could also and would also give their job to their brothers or uncles without warning. They considered their job as a right of place, so to speak, something only they, in their notion of native responsibility as owner of their job, could do with as they wished. The reason could be a simple “time to go to the village now, for a rest” a quite indeterminate leave taking but with automatic substitute lasting six or eight weeks or longer, and nothing could be done about it!
This session of yoga will form the testing ground and trial location for the future siting of an eventual a built platform. A Platform of Peace. A place to practice Peace Exercises within Constant time frames for maximum benefit to both place and participants.
The last battle is one of Heat, early preparations here remove all residues of heat in the physical which will assist greatly when the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable with a surfeit of this energy, bringing with it all the lack of inspiration to cope and function creatively.