Damanhur : The Community They Tried to Brand a Cult

by Jeff Merrifield

• ISBN13: 9780722537008
• ISBN10: 072253700X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: Thorsons Element

Summary

"A great introduction to some extremely remarkable people." -- Ken Campbell, writer, actor.

The Temple of Mankind at Damanhur is the home of a fascinating spiritual and artistic community. Hidden inside a mountain in the Italian Alps, it is renowned for its exceptional artistry and breathtaking mix of marble, mosaic and stained glass. It is one of the most extraordinary buildings on Earth, and equally extraordinary is the story of how it was built, and became the center for a utopian community of like-minded people.

Author Biography

Jeff Merrifield is an author and playwright who first made contact with Damanhur in 1996. Since then he has spent many months living in their community and exploring their hopes, desires and motivations. This book is the result of the fruitful association.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	ix
Prologue Perchance to Dream	xi
Part 1 A Journey Within: II Tempio dell'Uomo	1	(54)
Construction Matters	3	(14)
Incredible Artwork	17	(38)
The Blue Temple	18	(3)
The Water Hall	21	(7)
The Earth Hall	28	(11)
The Hall of Metals	39	(4)
The Hall of Spheres	43	(2)
The Hall of Mirrors	45	(3)
The Labyrinth	48	(1)
A New Chamber	49	(6)
Interlude The Myth of the Magic War	52	(3)
Part 2 From Group to Nation and Beyond	55	(108)
A Unique Experiment in Social Living	57	(28)
The Social Structure	59	(3)
The Federation	62	(3)
The Constitution	65	(2)
The School of Meditation	67	(3)
Tentyris	70	(5)
Etulte	75	(3)
Damjl	78	(2)
Living at Damanhur	80	(1)
Val di Chy	81	(4)
The Seven Ways	85	(36)
The Way of the Word	86	(9)
The Way of the Oracle	95	(6)
The Way of the Monks	101	(7)
The Way of the Art and Work	108	(4)
The Way of Esoteric Couples	112	(3)
The Way of the Knights	115	(3)
The Way of Integrated Arts and Technologies	118	(3)
A Stable Base: The Companies and Arts Workshops	121	(8)
Forces Against: Negatives to Positives	129	(16)
Oberto Airaudi: Man of Vision	145	(18)
Interlude The Myth of Etulte's Wood	160	(3)
Part 3 The Game of Life	163	(44)
Life as a Game	165	(10)
Quesiti: Questions and Quests	175	(12)
Education for Life	187	(8)
Concerts and Ritual Celebrations	195	(12)
Interlude The Myth of the Arrow of Complexity	205	(2)
Part 4 Adventures in Time	207	(40)
Personalites Within: The Structure of the Soul	209	(12)
Esoteric Physics	221	(12)
Development of the Selfica	233	(6)
The Major Work of Damanhur	239	(8)
Epilogue Beyond the Dream	247	(16)
Afterword	251	(4)
Postscript - The Media Obsession with Cults	255	(6)
Further reading	261	(2)
Appendix I Constitution of the Nation of Damanhur	263	(4)
Appendix II On the Threshold	267	(8)
Index	275