Venue talk highlights beliefs of secluded society Damanhur

Translated as “city of light” in ancient Egyptian, the Federation of Damanhur is hidden in a town called Vidracco, Italy, in the foothills of the Piedmont Alps.

Last night, partners Kaleo Wheeler and Bill Land elaborated on the beauty of the temples and discussed the Damanhur community in detail at the Venue Fine Arts and Gifts.

Founded in 1975 by Oberto Airaudi, also known as Falco, Damanhur is home to “the eighth wonder of the world” and “a model for a sustainable future.”

The Temples of Humankind were dug by hand into the side of a mountain. They extend for thousands of square meters and are connected by miles of corridors. There are several levels.

“This is one of the most fantastic works of art on the planet,” feng shui expert Bill Land said. “These temples, known as the “eighth wonder of the world” by many, are marvelous.”

The lecture was a preview of an upcoming visit by Crotalo Sesamo, who has lived in the Federation of Damanhur as a spiritual researcher for 20 years.

“There is a place in the world that has created a sustainable living model for us to follow,” Land said. “What we’re asking you to do is to consider this for your own edification.”

The small crowd of attendees remained attentive as Land explained the idea behind the conception of Damanhur.

Damanhur, a cooperative community with a population of nearly 1,000 people, did not have an easy beginning. Italian authorities would not have approved the digging of tunnels into the side of the mountain, so Falco and the Damanhur community dug for 16 years in secrecy.

“When they were discovered, Falco feared they would be shut down,” Land said. “But when the police saw the beauty of the temples, they were so in awe, you could see tears in their eyes.”

The community was not stopped and continued their work on the temples and their research.

The society believes in time travel and bringing the past to the future in order to create a more sustainable society.

“They have brought ancient alchemy from the past and combined it with modern technology to create things such as this stiloself,” Wheeler said.

Bringing out a small, golden shaft topped with a decorative square, Wheeler explained the power hidden behind the stiloself’s simplicity.

Wheeler placed the shaft on an acupoint on her wrist. Making a deep, throaty noise, she aimed her breath at the square, which is composed of minerals and other complex elements while slowly moving the shaft.

“I can feel it all the way down my legs,” Wheeler said.

Jewelry is an important part of the culture in Damanhur. They make rings, bracelets, necklaces and other pieces that alleviate or aid stress, pain, success and several other elements.

Selfica, introduced through the research of Airaudi, explores the energies that interact with the environment and humans. Wheeler shared her experience with this research.

“They have these things in Damanhur that look like synthesizers,” Wheeler began. “You connect a set of pinchers to the plant, and you can hear it. Each one is totally different. Are they speaking? I don’t know, but I do know that I heard them. Some are really quiet. Others are really loud.”

Damanhur is part of Italy but totally self-sufficient. The community has its own language, currency, government, schools, work and services needed to survive on its own.

“Though they generate their own currency, jobs and such through their own sustainability, they put time into the community, and that is how they survive,” Land said.

Their beliefs in the interconnectedness of people to the environment and a human being’s capability to create a better world through sustainability were awarded by an agency of the United Nations as a model for a sustainable future.

“Falco’s intention in establishing Damanhur was to create a better world,” Wheeler said. “It’s a community that’s been very successful for years.”