Patch Adams, the American doctor, clown and activist came to visit Damanhur June 21 - 22, 2010. He participated in a discussion with Damanhurian doctors and health care providers to share experiences and perspectives on holistic health care and his dream of a hospital based on fun and friendship. Patch also visited the Temples of Humankind and some nucleo communities of Damanhur before leading the seminar "How to Live a Life of Joy" at Damanhur Crea.
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 During the first weeks of June, Damanhur welcomed Inti, an indigenous Peruvian from the Huari lineage, a pre-Incan peoples. Inti travels as a messenger of the wise elders of South America, who have given him the role of meeting groups that are involved in spirituality and community life. According to the vision of his people, Europe represents the mind of the planet and can guide it, linking spirit, emotion and strength.
Inti stayed in Damanhur for one week, and then he left for Norway. Amongst others, he met the Damanhurian with his same name: Inti China, who is also Peruvian. Inti, the guest, also heard about the Temple of Peoples project and has announced a possible return trip to Damanhur in 2011, coming back with a more extended representation of the elders of his people. |
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Tuvan shaman Nikolay Oorzhak and Valdislav Matreitsky, Oorzhak's assistant and Russian-English translator, came to visit and present their cultural traditions. The Tuvan people number about 400,000 and live in the mountains of central Asia in Russia and Mongolia. A strong shamanic tradition is alive in Tuva.
After visiting the Temples of Humankind, the two guests gave a ceremonial public presentation of Tuvan throat singing and music at the Damanhur Crea conference center, with deeply resonant voices accompanied by rhythmic drumming and the sounds of traditional instruments. The shaman recounted, "Only two elements have kept up the life and spirit of my people over the centuries, our songs and the capacity to heal people and animals. This evening, I present both of these experiences to you." He explained that Tuvan singing requires tremendous energy and discipline.
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Enrique Molina, the Chief Executive Officer of Ciudades Luz (City of Light) in Guatemala visited Damanhur to build a bridge between our realities. Damanhur means City of Light as well! Ciudades Luz is a model city in formation that aims to provide people of all economic classes a dignified lifestyle in an ecological, spiritually elevated environment.  Molina met with Falco, sharing the vision and intent of Ciudades Luz and has proposed future contact and collaboration with Damanhur. He also met with Elfo Frassino (Antonio Bernini), the Mayor of Vidracco to speak about a potential future sister city relationship between Ciudades Luz and Vidracco, Italy. |
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Anahid Nazarian, who produced the movies Tetro (2009) and Youth Without Youth (2007), both directed by Francis Ford Coppola, came for a one-day visit to Damanhur, and she very much enjoyed her experience here. |
Kavitha Rao and Jeff Golden, the founders of The Common Fire Foundation, have come to visit Damanhur for the first time, along with their daughter Samiha, on November 11 – 19. They stayed in one of the nucleo communities of Damanhur and visited many others. The guests also visited the Damanhur School, guided by Anaconda, and found the Temples of Humankind to be incredible and breathtaking.
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Stanislav Grof, psychiatrist and researcher of non-ordinary states of consciousness, came to Damanhur before his participation in a conference of the European Transpersonal Association in Milan. He was very moved by the Temples of Humankind and commented that having such a vision in and of itself is incredible, and the fact that Damanhurians succeeded in realizing it is a truly extraordinary feat.
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Ashok Khosla (center) and Maneka Gandhi (right) came to visit Damanhur after their participation in the World Political Forum in Turin. This was Khosla’s second visit to Damanhur, and he and Gandhi visited Damjl, Damanhur Crea and the Temples. They also went to Cuceglio for a visit to Aval, where they received a tour of the bio-architectural features of the home, its renewable energy technologies, and the scientific laboratories of Damanhur.
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Alien Jon (first row left) and Nick Woolsey (first row center) share poi skills
An international group of 20 fire dancers and poi spinners came to Damanhur for a five-day Poi and Meditation Retreat, 23 – 27 September, organized by giada in collaboration with Nick Woolsey of Playpoi. Poi is a form of dance with weights on the ends of tethers swung in rhythmical patterns. 
The lively and playful group, who all but one were visiting Damanhur for the first time, did poi workshops, visits and guided meditations in the Temples of Humankind by day, and fire danced at the Open Temples in Damjl by night.
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Interview with Alien Jon and Nick Woolsey of Playpoi and a participant in the Poi and Meditation Retreat at Damanhur
What is your impression of Damanhur? How was the Poi Retreat here different from others you have organized?
Nick: Daman hur is a unique place. Being an intentional community and the fact that we were meditating together, it helped people to open up to each other and for the group to bond. People were in a state of openness to connecting with each other.
My experience in Damanhur, it raised a lot of questions and curiosity for me. I’m interested to know more about the ceremonies and meditations that happen here. I hear that people often come to the community after a strong experience that they’ve had. I wish we could have engaged with Damanhur in a deeper way, with more direct experiences. Perhaps in future retreats we can integrate a Damanhur course with the program.
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