My essay focuses on the main features of shamanism that allow us to consider Lancelot a shaman hi... more My essay focuses on the main features of shamanism that allow us to consider Lancelot a shaman himself and, upon being named a shaman, the pas- sage from his ordinary to his extraordinary life. This passage of a shaman’s path to initiation is characterized by periods of time when the neophyte cut off his or her biological and social identity to obtain a new existence. Lancelot faces a series of initiation tests before losing his social identity altogether with the death of his horse, in fact being called li chevaliers . This knight without name is given his own name by his spiritual guide, the Queen Guinevere, and the hierogamic union of the two celebrates the conclusion of the initiation path of Lancelot, the Saver of the Queen.
Jonathan Safran Foer è un giovane scrittore americano, solo trentacinquenne, con all’attivo due r... more Jonathan Safran Foer è un giovane scrittore americano, solo trentacinquenne, con all’attivo due romanzi tra i più acclamati degli ultimi tempi: Everything is Illuminated, del 2002, e Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close, del 2005. Tuttavia, come accade per tutti i romanzi di successo, non si può ignorare il fatto che entrambi i lavori dell’autore newyorkese abbiano ricevuto critiche negative.1 Altrettante, però, sono le note positive e gli apprezzamenti sull’originalità del lavoro di Jonathan Safran Foer sui temi dell’Olocausto, toccati con mano delicata e ironica nel primo romanzo, nonché sulle tragiche vicende dell’attacco terroristico dell’11 settembre 2001 per quanto riguarda Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close. Certo è che Foer offre molti spunti a chi si appassiona di onomastica, a chi rimane colpito dalle scelte antroponimiche che si inseriscono nella trama del racconto come parti imprescindibili della storia narrata. Foer, in effetti, sembra soffrire di una vera e propria ossessione onomastica: in entrambi i romanzi la profusione di nomi, nonché le valutazioni e le spiegazioni del motivo per il quale tale personaggio così si chiama o così viene chiamato non può che essere extremely interesting.
In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the... more In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the prophecy says that the wizard can be emprisoned just by women's cunning. Silence is guided in this adventure by an old man met in the forest, maybe Merlin himself in one of his many disguises. Viviane also captures Merlin with the simple effort of the witchcraft she learned from Merlin's teachings. An analysis of the names of Viviane and of Aquane with their descendants is carried on, examining these female mythical figures who share their being linked to spring water (lakes, rivers and springs) living in the woods or forests and being close to the Wild Man with Merlin's lover. This may show that all the emphasis put on the ability to cheat, to deceive which is usually destined to women, loses its importance and uncovers the original benevolence of the fairies. 1. Il Roman de Silence Il Roman de Silence, 1 ad opera di HELDRIS di CORNOVAGLIA, racconta la vicenda di Silence, giovane cavaliere alla corte di re Ebain d'Inghilterra, che fin dalla nascita veste panni maschili, ma che in realtà è una fanciulla. Il motivo del suo travestimento deriva dalla sciagurata legge che re Ebain ha fortemente desiderato, la quale impedisce l'ereditarietà per linea fem-minile. Cador ed Eufemia, i genitori di Silence, di fronte a una nascita fem-minile, decidono per il travisamento poiché permette loro di mantenere il feudo di Cornovaglia e non vedere intaccato il proprio patrimonio. In mezzo a mille avventure il/la nostro/a eroe/ina dimostra tutta la propria abilità di cavaliere e guerriero, nonché il proprio fascino e la propria gra-zia, tanto da far invaghire la regina Eufeme, consorte di re Ebain. Ai tenta-tivi di seduzione della regina, Silence risponde con un fiero no, causando-ne l'ira e la vendetta. La punizione che la perfida regina escogita per il/la nostro/a Silence è la cattura di Merlino. La quest che Silence deve compie-re in realtà sarebbe, negli scopi della regina, una trappola, poiché la profe-zia dice che Merlino potrà essere catturato solo dall'astuzia femminile
In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the... more In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the prophecy says that the wizard can be emprisoned just by women's cunning. Silence is guided in this adventure by an old man met in the forest, maybe Merlin himself in one of his many disguises. Viviane also captures Merlin with the simple effort of the witchcraft she learned from Merlin's teachings. An analysis of the names of Viviane and of Aquane with their descendants is carried on, examining these female mythical figures who share their being linked to spring water (lakes, rivers and springs) living in the woods or forests and being close to the Wild Man with Merlin's lover. This may show that all the emphasis put on the ability to cheat, to deceive which is usually destined to women, loses its importance and uncovers the original benevolence of the fairies. 1. Il Roman de Silence Il Roman de Silence, 1 ad opera di HELDRIS di CORNOVAGLIA, racconta la vicenda di Silence, giovane cavaliere alla corte di re Ebain d'Inghilterra, che fin dalla nascita veste panni maschili, ma che in realtà è una fanciulla. Il motivo del suo travestimento deriva dalla sciagurata legge che re Ebain ha fortemente desiderato, la quale impedisce l'ereditarietà per linea fem-minile. Cador ed Eufemia, i genitori di Silence, di fronte a una nascita fem-minile, decidono per il travisamento poiché permette loro di mantenere il feudo di Cornovaglia e non vedere intaccato il proprio patrimonio. In mezzo a mille avventure il/la nostro/a eroe/ina dimostra tutta la propria abilità di cavaliere e guerriero, nonché il proprio fascino e la propria gra-zia, tanto da far invaghire la regina Eufeme, consorte di re Ebain. Ai tenta-tivi di seduzione della regina, Silence risponde con un fiero no, causando-ne l'ira e la vendetta. La punizione che la perfida regina escogita per il/la nostro/a Silence è la cattura di Merlino. La quest che Silence deve compie-re in realtà sarebbe, negli scopi della regina, una trappola, poiché la profe-zia dice che Merlino potrà essere catturato solo dall'astuzia femminile
Virtual Shamanism and the Sacred-Cyber-Space
A. Airò and W. J. Costello V
Abstract:
Sacred space... more Virtual Shamanism and the Sacred-Cyber-Space A. Airò and W. J. Costello V Abstract:
Sacred space has typically been understood as a physical location with specific characteristics and qualities, which differentiate it from mundane (profane) space. Chosen to represent the link between mortals and gods, a sacred space usually undergoes specific “architectural events” (Jacobs, 2007). These events include enclosing the space through stone circles or walls, and imbuing it with spiritual or religious significance. Verses from the Quran, written on mosque walls, or frescoes in Christian churches, depicting the Stations of the Cross, demonstrate this ascription of religious significance to reinforce the sanctity of the space. Shamanistic practices call for a similar process in order to deem a space sacred. The construction of tents, teepees or yurts prepares a space for ritual and, just as church bells or a call to prayer announce when to engage in prayer, time and sacred space are unified in shamanism by using the lunar calendar. Antithetical to the civilized and highly organized setting of a church or mosque, shamans generally choose a forest clearing for a ritual site. The woods have always acted as an initiation spot where young boys are brought by the tribe’s shaman to be reborn as men and warriors. In choosing a sacred space, shamans designate the center of the space, first by digging the omphalos and then setting the axis mundi, which allows the shaman to traverse the three levels of the universe. The shaman then performs his or her function “as an intermediary between a worldly and a spiritual or supernatural world with the aim to help people of his society.” (Schlottmann, 2007). The fact that shamans travel cross-dimensionally for the betterment of their society is, in fact, integral to their role in the community. Upon request, a shaman will attempt to make contact with the spiritual world and try to resolve “an imbalance due to transcendental powers” (Schlottmann, 2007) This communal need of shamanic intervention is stunningly depicted in the short film “The Shaman” (2015) directed by Marco Kalantari. Set in a dystopic future, a long-fought war rages between two groups of humans. Instead of engaging in person-to-person combat, each group commands intelligent machines of death and destruction. However, both sides also employ shamans who are used to cross over to the “Netherworld” where they engage the machines’ souls in psychological warfare. Only in this cyber-spiritual world can these shamans hope to convince the machines’ souls to change sides. Coincidentally, it is also only in cyberspace that you can access this film. Gazing through the computer display, we now have the ability to journey away from our terrestrial dimension and into one decidedly more virtual. This mode of accessing the virtual realm mimics the liminal threshold made of water, which shamans often cross during their passage into the spiritual world. This connection is made eerily apparent by the fact that most displays used today (either LCD or LED) work by shining light through liquid crystals. While the virtual world has been described as being a “spaceless space” (Castells 1996) this has no bearing on its capacity to be used in a sacred event. In place of tangible materials, digital code defines the parameters of cyberspace. As shown by S. Jacobs (2007), virtual churches and temples exist online, which replicate the experience of physically visiting these sacred spaces. Jacobs details the versatility of these sites in allowing visitors to go through the stages of religious practices, namely cyberprayer and cyberpuja, at their leisure. Referring to this new phenomenon as “asynchronous” cyber-ritual, Jacobs demonstrates how our concept of time has drastically changed as a consequence of “computer-mediated communication” (Jacobs, 2007). Thanks to the Internet, one simply needs to search “shamanic ritual” on YouTube to find a plethora of videos dedicated to guiding users through asynchronous cyberséance. Meanwhile, Facebook groups and websites like Reddit also host thriving communities of cybershamans and their followers. Yet while extremely useful, these avenues do not preserve the sensation of a collective “live” religious experience. Given the technological advances since Jacobs’s research, we intend to demonstrate the evolution in this realm of “synchronous” cyber-ritual, and specifically in reference to cybershamanism. Services such as Facebook Live, Periscope and Skype along with super-fast cellular networks have given us the ability to broadcast our lives in any place and any time. In response to our initial satisfaction with worldwide asynchronous communication, today we see an increased focus on simultaneously spending our most valuable resource—time. In the modern sacred cyberspace, time has become the universal binding structure, reinforcing spiritual significance not through “architectural events” but through temporal ones. Finally, we will give our tentative predictions on how developments in virtual reality may signify the coalescence of traditional sacred space and the new location of the shamanic cyberséance of the 21st century.
Il motivo della moglie di Putifarre tra silenzio e parola: confronti letterari dal 428 a.C. al 12... more Il motivo della moglie di Putifarre tra silenzio e parola: confronti letterari dal 428 a.C. al 1270 A.D.
Lo scopo della ricerca è l’individuazione dei temi comuni nelle storie che si fondano e ruotano attorno al motivo della moglie di Putifarre attraverso la lettura del rapporto tra parola parlata, parola scritta, silenzio e personaggio femminile. Quale il silenzio della Fedra di Euripide confrontato alla violenza della sua parola scritta, se in seguito messo in parallelo con la parola parlata implorante della Fedra di Seneca? Quale la brutalità della parola parlata della regina Eufeme quando accusa Silence di violenza nei suoi confronti, se messa in relazione con la parola parlata fredda e calcolatrice di Ginevra nel Lanval di Maria di Francia? Su tutti questi personaggi femminili sovrasta il desiderio di mantenere un silenzio globale e avvolgente delle dinamiche interiori e delle vicende esteriori voluto da Silence che riflette lo stesso silenzio morboso della Fedra di Euripide. Tale rapporto tra silenzio e parola evidenzia un rapporto malato tra i due generi: in particolare la differenza di posizione sociale della figura femminile che domina il giovane, anche dal punto di vista dell’età anagrafica, porta a una relazione vissuta dapprima come offesa e poi come desiderio di vendetta definitiva, oppure in altri casi come senso di colpa devastante. Interessante il capovolgimento dei temi nel Roman de Silence, nel quale il giovinetto impersonato da una fanciulla travestita avvia un secondo livello di lettura della relazione tra donna adulta e giovane desiderato: il rapporto con il silenzio diventa necessario per Silence, la quale agisce in armonia con la volontà di due figure maschili dominanti, il padre Cador e il re Ebain, accordando la propria volontà alla loro, investendola inoltre di negazione della parola sia parlata che scritta.
My essay focuses on the main features of shamanism that allow us to consider Lancelot a shaman hi... more My essay focuses on the main features of shamanism that allow us to consider Lancelot a shaman himself and, upon being named a shaman, the pas- sage from his ordinary to his extraordinary life. This passage of a shaman’s path to initiation is characterized by periods of time when the neophyte cut off his or her biological and social identity to obtain a new existence. Lancelot faces a series of initiation tests before losing his social identity altogether with the death of his horse, in fact being called li chevaliers . This knight without name is given his own name by his spiritual guide, the Queen Guinevere, and the hierogamic union of the two celebrates the conclusion of the initiation path of Lancelot, the Saver of the Queen.
Jonathan Safran Foer è un giovane scrittore americano, solo trentacinquenne, con all’attivo due r... more Jonathan Safran Foer è un giovane scrittore americano, solo trentacinquenne, con all’attivo due romanzi tra i più acclamati degli ultimi tempi: Everything is Illuminated, del 2002, e Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close, del 2005. Tuttavia, come accade per tutti i romanzi di successo, non si può ignorare il fatto che entrambi i lavori dell’autore newyorkese abbiano ricevuto critiche negative.1 Altrettante, però, sono le note positive e gli apprezzamenti sull’originalità del lavoro di Jonathan Safran Foer sui temi dell’Olocausto, toccati con mano delicata e ironica nel primo romanzo, nonché sulle tragiche vicende dell’attacco terroristico dell’11 settembre 2001 per quanto riguarda Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close. Certo è che Foer offre molti spunti a chi si appassiona di onomastica, a chi rimane colpito dalle scelte antroponimiche che si inseriscono nella trama del racconto come parti imprescindibili della storia narrata. Foer, in effetti, sembra soffrire di una vera e propria ossessione onomastica: in entrambi i romanzi la profusione di nomi, nonché le valutazioni e le spiegazioni del motivo per il quale tale personaggio così si chiama o così viene chiamato non può che essere extremely interesting.
In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the... more In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the prophecy says that the wizard can be emprisoned just by women's cunning. Silence is guided in this adventure by an old man met in the forest, maybe Merlin himself in one of his many disguises. Viviane also captures Merlin with the simple effort of the witchcraft she learned from Merlin's teachings. An analysis of the names of Viviane and of Aquane with their descendants is carried on, examining these female mythical figures who share their being linked to spring water (lakes, rivers and springs) living in the woods or forests and being close to the Wild Man with Merlin's lover. This may show that all the emphasis put on the ability to cheat, to deceive which is usually destined to women, loses its importance and uncovers the original benevolence of the fairies. 1. Il Roman de Silence Il Roman de Silence, 1 ad opera di HELDRIS di CORNOVAGLIA, racconta la vicenda di Silence, giovane cavaliere alla corte di re Ebain d'Inghilterra, che fin dalla nascita veste panni maschili, ma che in realtà è una fanciulla. Il motivo del suo travestimento deriva dalla sciagurata legge che re Ebain ha fortemente desiderato, la quale impedisce l'ereditarietà per linea fem-minile. Cador ed Eufemia, i genitori di Silence, di fronte a una nascita fem-minile, decidono per il travisamento poiché permette loro di mantenere il feudo di Cornovaglia e non vedere intaccato il proprio patrimonio. In mezzo a mille avventure il/la nostro/a eroe/ina dimostra tutta la propria abilità di cavaliere e guerriero, nonché il proprio fascino e la propria gra-zia, tanto da far invaghire la regina Eufeme, consorte di re Ebain. Ai tenta-tivi di seduzione della regina, Silence risponde con un fiero no, causando-ne l'ira e la vendetta. La punizione che la perfida regina escogita per il/la nostro/a Silence è la cattura di Merlino. La quest che Silence deve compie-re in realtà sarebbe, negli scopi della regina, una trappola, poiché la profe-zia dice che Merlino potrà essere catturato solo dall'astuzia femminile
In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the... more In the Roman de Silence the male-female knight is sent to the forest to catch Merlin, even if the prophecy says that the wizard can be emprisoned just by women's cunning. Silence is guided in this adventure by an old man met in the forest, maybe Merlin himself in one of his many disguises. Viviane also captures Merlin with the simple effort of the witchcraft she learned from Merlin's teachings. An analysis of the names of Viviane and of Aquane with their descendants is carried on, examining these female mythical figures who share their being linked to spring water (lakes, rivers and springs) living in the woods or forests and being close to the Wild Man with Merlin's lover. This may show that all the emphasis put on the ability to cheat, to deceive which is usually destined to women, loses its importance and uncovers the original benevolence of the fairies. 1. Il Roman de Silence Il Roman de Silence, 1 ad opera di HELDRIS di CORNOVAGLIA, racconta la vicenda di Silence, giovane cavaliere alla corte di re Ebain d'Inghilterra, che fin dalla nascita veste panni maschili, ma che in realtà è una fanciulla. Il motivo del suo travestimento deriva dalla sciagurata legge che re Ebain ha fortemente desiderato, la quale impedisce l'ereditarietà per linea fem-minile. Cador ed Eufemia, i genitori di Silence, di fronte a una nascita fem-minile, decidono per il travisamento poiché permette loro di mantenere il feudo di Cornovaglia e non vedere intaccato il proprio patrimonio. In mezzo a mille avventure il/la nostro/a eroe/ina dimostra tutta la propria abilità di cavaliere e guerriero, nonché il proprio fascino e la propria gra-zia, tanto da far invaghire la regina Eufeme, consorte di re Ebain. Ai tenta-tivi di seduzione della regina, Silence risponde con un fiero no, causando-ne l'ira e la vendetta. La punizione che la perfida regina escogita per il/la nostro/a Silence è la cattura di Merlino. La quest che Silence deve compie-re in realtà sarebbe, negli scopi della regina, una trappola, poiché la profe-zia dice che Merlino potrà essere catturato solo dall'astuzia femminile
Virtual Shamanism and the Sacred-Cyber-Space
A. Airò and W. J. Costello V
Abstract:
Sacred space... more Virtual Shamanism and the Sacred-Cyber-Space A. Airò and W. J. Costello V Abstract:
Sacred space has typically been understood as a physical location with specific characteristics and qualities, which differentiate it from mundane (profane) space. Chosen to represent the link between mortals and gods, a sacred space usually undergoes specific “architectural events” (Jacobs, 2007). These events include enclosing the space through stone circles or walls, and imbuing it with spiritual or religious significance. Verses from the Quran, written on mosque walls, or frescoes in Christian churches, depicting the Stations of the Cross, demonstrate this ascription of religious significance to reinforce the sanctity of the space. Shamanistic practices call for a similar process in order to deem a space sacred. The construction of tents, teepees or yurts prepares a space for ritual and, just as church bells or a call to prayer announce when to engage in prayer, time and sacred space are unified in shamanism by using the lunar calendar. Antithetical to the civilized and highly organized setting of a church or mosque, shamans generally choose a forest clearing for a ritual site. The woods have always acted as an initiation spot where young boys are brought by the tribe’s shaman to be reborn as men and warriors. In choosing a sacred space, shamans designate the center of the space, first by digging the omphalos and then setting the axis mundi, which allows the shaman to traverse the three levels of the universe. The shaman then performs his or her function “as an intermediary between a worldly and a spiritual or supernatural world with the aim to help people of his society.” (Schlottmann, 2007). The fact that shamans travel cross-dimensionally for the betterment of their society is, in fact, integral to their role in the community. Upon request, a shaman will attempt to make contact with the spiritual world and try to resolve “an imbalance due to transcendental powers” (Schlottmann, 2007) This communal need of shamanic intervention is stunningly depicted in the short film “The Shaman” (2015) directed by Marco Kalantari. Set in a dystopic future, a long-fought war rages between two groups of humans. Instead of engaging in person-to-person combat, each group commands intelligent machines of death and destruction. However, both sides also employ shamans who are used to cross over to the “Netherworld” where they engage the machines’ souls in psychological warfare. Only in this cyber-spiritual world can these shamans hope to convince the machines’ souls to change sides. Coincidentally, it is also only in cyberspace that you can access this film. Gazing through the computer display, we now have the ability to journey away from our terrestrial dimension and into one decidedly more virtual. This mode of accessing the virtual realm mimics the liminal threshold made of water, which shamans often cross during their passage into the spiritual world. This connection is made eerily apparent by the fact that most displays used today (either LCD or LED) work by shining light through liquid crystals. While the virtual world has been described as being a “spaceless space” (Castells 1996) this has no bearing on its capacity to be used in a sacred event. In place of tangible materials, digital code defines the parameters of cyberspace. As shown by S. Jacobs (2007), virtual churches and temples exist online, which replicate the experience of physically visiting these sacred spaces. Jacobs details the versatility of these sites in allowing visitors to go through the stages of religious practices, namely cyberprayer and cyberpuja, at their leisure. Referring to this new phenomenon as “asynchronous” cyber-ritual, Jacobs demonstrates how our concept of time has drastically changed as a consequence of “computer-mediated communication” (Jacobs, 2007). Thanks to the Internet, one simply needs to search “shamanic ritual” on YouTube to find a plethora of videos dedicated to guiding users through asynchronous cyberséance. Meanwhile, Facebook groups and websites like Reddit also host thriving communities of cybershamans and their followers. Yet while extremely useful, these avenues do not preserve the sensation of a collective “live” religious experience. Given the technological advances since Jacobs’s research, we intend to demonstrate the evolution in this realm of “synchronous” cyber-ritual, and specifically in reference to cybershamanism. Services such as Facebook Live, Periscope and Skype along with super-fast cellular networks have given us the ability to broadcast our lives in any place and any time. In response to our initial satisfaction with worldwide asynchronous communication, today we see an increased focus on simultaneously spending our most valuable resource—time. In the modern sacred cyberspace, time has become the universal binding structure, reinforcing spiritual significance not through “architectural events” but through temporal ones. Finally, we will give our tentative predictions on how developments in virtual reality may signify the coalescence of traditional sacred space and the new location of the shamanic cyberséance of the 21st century.
Il motivo della moglie di Putifarre tra silenzio e parola: confronti letterari dal 428 a.C. al 12... more Il motivo della moglie di Putifarre tra silenzio e parola: confronti letterari dal 428 a.C. al 1270 A.D.
Lo scopo della ricerca è l’individuazione dei temi comuni nelle storie che si fondano e ruotano attorno al motivo della moglie di Putifarre attraverso la lettura del rapporto tra parola parlata, parola scritta, silenzio e personaggio femminile. Quale il silenzio della Fedra di Euripide confrontato alla violenza della sua parola scritta, se in seguito messo in parallelo con la parola parlata implorante della Fedra di Seneca? Quale la brutalità della parola parlata della regina Eufeme quando accusa Silence di violenza nei suoi confronti, se messa in relazione con la parola parlata fredda e calcolatrice di Ginevra nel Lanval di Maria di Francia? Su tutti questi personaggi femminili sovrasta il desiderio di mantenere un silenzio globale e avvolgente delle dinamiche interiori e delle vicende esteriori voluto da Silence che riflette lo stesso silenzio morboso della Fedra di Euripide. Tale rapporto tra silenzio e parola evidenzia un rapporto malato tra i due generi: in particolare la differenza di posizione sociale della figura femminile che domina il giovane, anche dal punto di vista dell’età anagrafica, porta a una relazione vissuta dapprima come offesa e poi come desiderio di vendetta definitiva, oppure in altri casi come senso di colpa devastante. Interessante il capovolgimento dei temi nel Roman de Silence, nel quale il giovinetto impersonato da una fanciulla travestita avvia un secondo livello di lettura della relazione tra donna adulta e giovane desiderato: il rapporto con il silenzio diventa necessario per Silence, la quale agisce in armonia con la volontà di due figure maschili dominanti, il padre Cador e il re Ebain, accordando la propria volontà alla loro, investendola inoltre di negazione della parola sia parlata che scritta.
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Papers by Anna Airò
A. Airò and W. J. Costello V
Abstract:
Sacred space has typically been understood as a physical location with specific characteristics and qualities, which differentiate it from mundane (profane) space. Chosen to represent the link between mortals and gods, a sacred space usually undergoes specific “architectural events” (Jacobs, 2007). These events include enclosing the space through stone circles or walls, and imbuing it with spiritual or religious significance. Verses from the Quran, written on mosque walls, or frescoes in Christian churches, depicting the Stations of the Cross, demonstrate this ascription of religious significance to reinforce the sanctity of the space. Shamanistic practices call for a similar process in order to deem a space sacred. The construction of tents, teepees or yurts prepares a space for ritual and, just as church bells or a call to prayer announce when to engage in prayer, time and sacred space are unified in shamanism by using the lunar calendar. Antithetical to the civilized and highly organized setting of a church or mosque, shamans generally choose a forest clearing for a ritual site. The woods have always acted as an initiation spot where young boys are brought by the tribe’s shaman to be reborn as men and warriors. In choosing a sacred space, shamans designate the center of the space, first by digging the omphalos and then setting the axis mundi, which allows the shaman to traverse the three levels of the universe. The shaman then performs his or her function “as an intermediary between a worldly and a spiritual or supernatural world with the aim to help people of his society.” (Schlottmann, 2007). The fact that shamans travel cross-dimensionally for the betterment of their society is, in fact, integral to their role in the community. Upon request, a shaman will attempt to make contact with the spiritual world and try to resolve “an imbalance due to transcendental powers” (Schlottmann, 2007) This communal need of shamanic intervention is stunningly depicted in the short film “The Shaman” (2015) directed by Marco Kalantari. Set in a dystopic future, a long-fought war rages between two groups of humans. Instead of engaging in person-to-person combat, each group commands intelligent machines of death and destruction. However, both sides also employ shamans who are used to cross over to the “Netherworld” where they engage the machines’ souls in psychological warfare. Only in this cyber-spiritual world can these shamans hope to convince the machines’ souls to change sides. Coincidentally, it is also only in cyberspace that you can access this film. Gazing through the computer display, we now have the ability to journey away from our terrestrial dimension and into one decidedly more virtual. This mode of accessing the virtual realm mimics the liminal threshold made of water, which shamans often cross during their passage into the spiritual world. This connection is made eerily apparent by the fact that most displays used today (either LCD or LED) work by shining light through liquid crystals. While the virtual world has been described as being a “spaceless space” (Castells 1996) this has no bearing on its capacity to be used in a sacred event. In place of tangible materials, digital code defines the parameters of cyberspace. As shown by S. Jacobs (2007), virtual churches and temples exist online, which replicate the experience of physically visiting these sacred spaces. Jacobs details the versatility of these sites in allowing visitors to go through the stages of religious practices, namely cyberprayer and cyberpuja, at their leisure. Referring to this new phenomenon as “asynchronous” cyber-ritual, Jacobs demonstrates how our concept of time has drastically changed as a consequence of “computer-mediated communication” (Jacobs, 2007). Thanks to the Internet, one simply needs to search “shamanic ritual” on YouTube to find a plethora of videos dedicated to guiding users through asynchronous cyberséance. Meanwhile, Facebook groups and websites like Reddit also host thriving communities of cybershamans and their followers. Yet while extremely useful, these avenues do not preserve the sensation of a collective “live” religious experience. Given the technological advances since Jacobs’s research, we intend to demonstrate the evolution in this realm of “synchronous” cyber-ritual, and specifically in reference to cybershamanism. Services such as Facebook Live, Periscope and Skype along with super-fast cellular networks have given us the ability to broadcast our lives in any place and any time. In response to our initial satisfaction with worldwide asynchronous communication, today we see an increased focus on simultaneously spending our most valuable resource—time. In the modern sacred cyberspace, time has become the universal binding structure, reinforcing spiritual significance not through “architectural events” but through temporal ones. Finally, we will give our tentative predictions on how developments in virtual reality may signify the coalescence of traditional sacred space and the new location of the shamanic cyberséance of the 21st century.
Lo scopo della ricerca è l’individuazione dei temi comuni nelle storie che si fondano e ruotano attorno al motivo della moglie di Putifarre attraverso la lettura del rapporto tra parola parlata, parola scritta, silenzio e personaggio femminile. Quale il silenzio della Fedra di Euripide confrontato alla violenza della sua parola scritta, se in seguito messo in parallelo con la parola parlata implorante della Fedra di Seneca? Quale la brutalità della parola parlata della regina Eufeme quando accusa Silence di violenza nei suoi confronti, se messa in relazione con la parola parlata fredda e calcolatrice di Ginevra nel Lanval di Maria di Francia? Su tutti questi personaggi femminili sovrasta il desiderio di mantenere un silenzio globale e avvolgente delle dinamiche interiori e delle vicende esteriori voluto da Silence che riflette lo stesso silenzio morboso della Fedra di Euripide. Tale rapporto tra silenzio e parola evidenzia un rapporto malato tra i due generi: in particolare la differenza di posizione sociale della figura femminile che domina il giovane, anche dal punto di vista dell’età anagrafica, porta a una relazione vissuta dapprima come offesa e poi come desiderio di vendetta definitiva, oppure in altri casi come senso di colpa devastante. Interessante il capovolgimento dei temi nel Roman de Silence, nel quale il giovinetto impersonato da una fanciulla travestita avvia un secondo livello di lettura della relazione tra donna adulta e giovane desiderato: il rapporto con il silenzio diventa necessario per Silence, la quale agisce in armonia con la volontà di due figure maschili dominanti, il padre Cador e il re Ebain, accordando la propria volontà alla loro, investendola inoltre di negazione della parola sia parlata che scritta.
Books by Anna Airò
A. Airò and W. J. Costello V
Abstract:
Sacred space has typically been understood as a physical location with specific characteristics and qualities, which differentiate it from mundane (profane) space. Chosen to represent the link between mortals and gods, a sacred space usually undergoes specific “architectural events” (Jacobs, 2007). These events include enclosing the space through stone circles or walls, and imbuing it with spiritual or religious significance. Verses from the Quran, written on mosque walls, or frescoes in Christian churches, depicting the Stations of the Cross, demonstrate this ascription of religious significance to reinforce the sanctity of the space. Shamanistic practices call for a similar process in order to deem a space sacred. The construction of tents, teepees or yurts prepares a space for ritual and, just as church bells or a call to prayer announce when to engage in prayer, time and sacred space are unified in shamanism by using the lunar calendar. Antithetical to the civilized and highly organized setting of a church or mosque, shamans generally choose a forest clearing for a ritual site. The woods have always acted as an initiation spot where young boys are brought by the tribe’s shaman to be reborn as men and warriors. In choosing a sacred space, shamans designate the center of the space, first by digging the omphalos and then setting the axis mundi, which allows the shaman to traverse the three levels of the universe. The shaman then performs his or her function “as an intermediary between a worldly and a spiritual or supernatural world with the aim to help people of his society.” (Schlottmann, 2007). The fact that shamans travel cross-dimensionally for the betterment of their society is, in fact, integral to their role in the community. Upon request, a shaman will attempt to make contact with the spiritual world and try to resolve “an imbalance due to transcendental powers” (Schlottmann, 2007) This communal need of shamanic intervention is stunningly depicted in the short film “The Shaman” (2015) directed by Marco Kalantari. Set in a dystopic future, a long-fought war rages between two groups of humans. Instead of engaging in person-to-person combat, each group commands intelligent machines of death and destruction. However, both sides also employ shamans who are used to cross over to the “Netherworld” where they engage the machines’ souls in psychological warfare. Only in this cyber-spiritual world can these shamans hope to convince the machines’ souls to change sides. Coincidentally, it is also only in cyberspace that you can access this film. Gazing through the computer display, we now have the ability to journey away from our terrestrial dimension and into one decidedly more virtual. This mode of accessing the virtual realm mimics the liminal threshold made of water, which shamans often cross during their passage into the spiritual world. This connection is made eerily apparent by the fact that most displays used today (either LCD or LED) work by shining light through liquid crystals. While the virtual world has been described as being a “spaceless space” (Castells 1996) this has no bearing on its capacity to be used in a sacred event. In place of tangible materials, digital code defines the parameters of cyberspace. As shown by S. Jacobs (2007), virtual churches and temples exist online, which replicate the experience of physically visiting these sacred spaces. Jacobs details the versatility of these sites in allowing visitors to go through the stages of religious practices, namely cyberprayer and cyberpuja, at their leisure. Referring to this new phenomenon as “asynchronous” cyber-ritual, Jacobs demonstrates how our concept of time has drastically changed as a consequence of “computer-mediated communication” (Jacobs, 2007). Thanks to the Internet, one simply needs to search “shamanic ritual” on YouTube to find a plethora of videos dedicated to guiding users through asynchronous cyberséance. Meanwhile, Facebook groups and websites like Reddit also host thriving communities of cybershamans and their followers. Yet while extremely useful, these avenues do not preserve the sensation of a collective “live” religious experience. Given the technological advances since Jacobs’s research, we intend to demonstrate the evolution in this realm of “synchronous” cyber-ritual, and specifically in reference to cybershamanism. Services such as Facebook Live, Periscope and Skype along with super-fast cellular networks have given us the ability to broadcast our lives in any place and any time. In response to our initial satisfaction with worldwide asynchronous communication, today we see an increased focus on simultaneously spending our most valuable resource—time. In the modern sacred cyberspace, time has become the universal binding structure, reinforcing spiritual significance not through “architectural events” but through temporal ones. Finally, we will give our tentative predictions on how developments in virtual reality may signify the coalescence of traditional sacred space and the new location of the shamanic cyberséance of the 21st century.
Lo scopo della ricerca è l’individuazione dei temi comuni nelle storie che si fondano e ruotano attorno al motivo della moglie di Putifarre attraverso la lettura del rapporto tra parola parlata, parola scritta, silenzio e personaggio femminile. Quale il silenzio della Fedra di Euripide confrontato alla violenza della sua parola scritta, se in seguito messo in parallelo con la parola parlata implorante della Fedra di Seneca? Quale la brutalità della parola parlata della regina Eufeme quando accusa Silence di violenza nei suoi confronti, se messa in relazione con la parola parlata fredda e calcolatrice di Ginevra nel Lanval di Maria di Francia? Su tutti questi personaggi femminili sovrasta il desiderio di mantenere un silenzio globale e avvolgente delle dinamiche interiori e delle vicende esteriori voluto da Silence che riflette lo stesso silenzio morboso della Fedra di Euripide. Tale rapporto tra silenzio e parola evidenzia un rapporto malato tra i due generi: in particolare la differenza di posizione sociale della figura femminile che domina il giovane, anche dal punto di vista dell’età anagrafica, porta a una relazione vissuta dapprima come offesa e poi come desiderio di vendetta definitiva, oppure in altri casi come senso di colpa devastante. Interessante il capovolgimento dei temi nel Roman de Silence, nel quale il giovinetto impersonato da una fanciulla travestita avvia un secondo livello di lettura della relazione tra donna adulta e giovane desiderato: il rapporto con il silenzio diventa necessario per Silence, la quale agisce in armonia con la volontà di due figure maschili dominanti, il padre Cador e il re Ebain, accordando la propria volontà alla loro, investendola inoltre di negazione della parola sia parlata che scritta.