LoveWalk - The walk of LoveBased on a project conceived and materialized by

Ilaria Cusano e Sandro Pravisaniilaesan@gmail.com - www.fareamore.blogspot.com

All rights reserved, ISBN code being attributed.

Love is the only logic with some meaning.

The craftsmen of Love Introduction

At the beginning God created the sky and the earth. ButGod was not a single individual, He did not reign onthe universe alone. He ruled with his partner who was

his beloved. That is how in the first book of Moses, namedGenesis, the Lord said «Let’s make man In the likeness of us»,while he was speaking to His half, His spouse. As Creation isa miracle that occurs in the most perfect of ways only whenthere is union between the masculine and the feminine princi-ples. And God, the Lord, said: «There, man has become likeone of us.» And the book of Moses narrates: «Thus God created man inthe likeness of Him, male and female He created.»How could God have created the woman in the likeness ofHim if He had no feminine image? He did have it, and at firstshe was called Athiret. With time Athiret became known to the Jews as Asherath, ourDivine Mother, and the Lord was known with the name El,our Heavenly Father. And it was thus that El and Asherath wished to experimenttheir deep and sacred love in a physical form and share suchhappiness with the offspring they would generate. Each and

every soul that was created was matched, it received a twinmade of the same essence.In the book named Genesis this is narrated in the allegory ofAdam’s mate, who is created from his rib, that is to say his es-sence, because she is his own flesh and blood, his own bones,his own spirit.Then God said «And they became one only flesh». Thus the Hieros-Gamos was born, the sacred marriage whichis founded on the trust and the awareness that unites the loversin one single thing. This is the holiest present that we weregiven by our Heavenly Father and Mother. Because when wemeet in the wedding room, we discover the divine union whichEl and Asherath wished all their earthly children would expe-rience in the light of pure joy and in the essence of true love.A word to the wise.

El and Asherath and the sacred origins of hieros–gamosfrom the Book on love, according to the transcription of theRed book.From the novel The line of Mary Magdalenby Kathleen McGowan.

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The Masculine and the Feminine: the holy couple.

The couple: so predictable, so targeted and in difficultyon one hand, but fundamental, unmissable, pre-destined,on the other.

Apart from the times, from fashions and individual trends,the couple has always been and will always be the milestoneon which the entire society is founded. It is the primary in-stitution, the central nucleus, the heart (in all ways) of anymore complex union: groups, associations, firms, states andso on.The couple is not to be conceived only as an encounter bet-ween two people but also as a symbol, the basic symbol onwhich the whole social construction stands, the symbol ofthe union between masculine and feminine, between oppo-sites and complementaries, between soulmates, between thetwo archetypical principles which give birth to the entirecreation.In the mythology of all cultures we find the same story al-though in different forms: when God the divinity or the uni-versal principle started giving shape to life on Earth and tohuman beings, what they made before anything else was acouple (Adam and Eve, Shiva and Shakti, etc). The whole

world originates from the encounter of masculine and femi-nine. You can test this truth in your personal experience. You go towards the couple instinctively, since childhood andpuberty: you are attracted by another person and in a moreor less primitive or refined way you move towards her. Growing older, after being disappointed, hurt and conditio-ned, we structure ourselves in one way or another; in somecases people build real anti-couple shields, assuming theycan choose once and for all that it is better to keep a consi-derable distance from the calamity of a life in two. Alternatively we build an artificial character with the precisescope to inhabit the couple in one sole manner, the one wehave chosen. Although it may be possible, within certain li-mits, to make it in these exploits of self control, we can un-doubtedly observe a phenomenon: when we are unable tolive the couple we cannot give life to any other constructivesocial formation, positive and longlasting.

I mean: many individuals are not part of a couple but workin firms, go out with a group of friends or frequent an asso-ciation. What we refer to here is not the unequal and super-ficial union in which people do something together, perhapseven in an efficient and productive way, but without everbeing together.

The craftsmen of Love Introduction

Being together means opening to someone else with authen-ticity and wholeheartedly, feeling safe while doing so and,better still, feeling joy and gratitude for the opportunity of-fered by life; it means communicating what you really feelthink and want, with no mask, strategy or omissions.Being together means learning to know each other, to respecteach other, to continually adjust one’s distance and proxi-mity to one another; it means being oneself without reserveand, in the process, to give and receive in equal measure, asit happens between peers. It seems like Utopia but it is not;anyone who lives within an evolved couple (many belongto this category) knows very well.It is possible to realize this also in a group reality of anykind, but only if you have been through the experience ofthis type of couple - otherwise yes: it is only an illusion.

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The craftsmen of Love and Soul Trekking.

Each and every couple has a central heart around which eve-rything turns, a heart made of a certain kind of perceptionof reality, a specific way of feeling, ideas, values, a generaldirection that orientates action.

The Craftsmen of Love were born from a powerful uni-fying element: the fact of being on a spiritual path. This pas-sionate research typifies Ilaria Cusano and Sandro Pravisanifirst as individuals and then as core, making them vibrate onthe same wavelength. In the acknowledgement of the im-portance of this fusion and in the gratitude of being able tolive they imagined that a nice way to celebrate it, meanwhilepreparing for their wedding, would be a pilgrimage. As a re-sult, in the spring of 2011 LoveWalk was born, and in Sep-tember of the same year Ilaria and Sandro were happilymarried.

To prepare for their wedding they created a walk AD HOCas a truly propitiatory ritual.Ever since 2012 they have been sharing this experience witha group, every summer, to go together along the eternal anduniversal Path of Love again, to remember what the most

important fact in the world and in life is: union, beauty andharmony, the alliance between Men and Women.Prior to this the Craftsmen of Lovewere engaged in a num-ber of projects, but after the experience of LoveWalk theydecided to specialise in one field only, which they namedSoul Trekking.

Soul Trekking is a way to live the walk, a way in which theexternal and the internal worlds connect, negotiating and ex-changing useful information and interesting experiences.It is an activity during which, while visiting peculiar placesof power (historical, cultural or natural) filled with a precisequality and evocative atmosphere, you experiment sobre andsimple practices aimed at exploring one’s own interiorityand at communicating with one’s own soul. The scope of Soul Trekking is to improve one’s relationshipwith oneself and with the environment, thus favouring a li-festyle which is healthy and satisfying, from all viewpoints.

What is love if not a continuous walking? A continuous exploration.

Discovering marvellous places and stopping to breathethem, live them and savour their thousand tastes.

The craftsmen of Love Introduction

To find oneself in the depths of the wood while the wind ishowling between the trees and while it makes the branchescollide with one another, far away, far up towards the sky,too far to be able to spot where exactly. To feel the fear, tostop, to look round, to hesitate, until your feet will start mo-ving again, by themselves, simply by a spontaneous impulse;and to follow them. To discover lands so beautiful that youcould never even have dreamt about them, or such thick dar-kness as to think you cannot manage to survive, and then tofind yourself walking again.

By walking in history, in nature and in the ancient life, youwalk inside yourself, with others. At every moment the Earthspeaks to mankind, and the more time goes by, the more youcan clearly hear what she says. Stones, trees, breathtakingviews, but also constructions, ancient streets or simply theterrain; everything whispers, suggesting what is in the air,within and outside oneself, reminding human beings of whothey are and that they are not alone.These strong impressions have led the Craftsmen of Love toworking with the transforming power of the walk.

They started by doing short half-day pilgrimages, then theydecided to start sharing with others the places and practicesthat bring so much magic in their relationship, by structuringthese walks in such a ways to make it possible for every sin-gle participant to contact their Feminine and Masculine byevoking nature and the hand of Man who has built in accor-dance with it.The Craftsmen of Love conceive and realize all sorts of trips:near and far, on foot, by boat, with various means; but al-ways in contact with the Earth and human beings, always ata pace that makes it possible to savour places, people andexperiences in depth, with no haste, with no particular ob-jective other than to learn to live and love. During the trip the Craftsmen of Love propose some simplepractices to “amplify” the effect of voice, space, the energyof the earth and sky.

Ilaria Cusano has trained and worked as a performer (dan-cer and actress) since she was very young, starting her careeras Personal Coach in 2005. She teaches Yoga, Tantra andSoul-integration techniques. She devised the S-Coaching®

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method for the awakening of Spiritual /Social Intelligence.She graduated in Sociology with an anthropological-inter-cultural course of study.

Sandro Pravisani is a researcher and teacher of SacredGeography. He conducts experiential seminars for the con-nection with the elements of nature and the exploration ofconscience, integrating energy techniques of different tradi-tions (i.e. Taoist, Tantric, Egyptian, Andean and European).He has been an enthusiast of archaeology and of compara-tive religious studies since his childhood; in the space of hislife he has experimented several ways to unify these pas-sions and propose them to others.

Sandro and Ilaria are united in their total love of nature, tripsand adventure. They live life as a wonderful journey inwhich you can ripen through awareness, joy, lightness anddepth. They strongly believe that the best keys to do so arelove and sensitivity towards themselves, the other humanbeings and nature. That is why they work within personalgrowth and social awareness: to transmit to the ones whohave this desire those tools necessary to improve one’s lifein this sense.

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The craftsmen of Love LoveWalk2011 and 2012

LoveWalk 2011.

In 2011 LoveWalk took place from 21-28 June followingthese stops:1st stop 21/06: from the Sanctuary of Divino Amore (DivineLove) in Rome to Castel Gandolfo (Rome)2nd stop 22/06: from Castel Gandolfo (Rome) to Velletri(Rome)3rd stop 23/06: from Velletri (Rome) to Cori (Latina)4th stop 24/06: from Cori (Latina) to Sermoneta (Latina)5th stop 25/06: from Sermoneta (Latina) to Priverno (La-tina)6th stop 26/06: from Priverno (Latina) to Terracina (Latina)7th stop 28/06: The Temple of Jupiter Anxur (Giove Anxur),Terracina.The interior aspect of this pilgrimage has different nuances.The first one is hidden in the numbers: 7 stops.Number 7 is a sacred number, linked in every culture to thecycles of the spirit: God created the world in 7 days, 7 arethe steps towards enlightenment in the Indian system of thechakras, 7 are the deadly sins, 7 the Angels of the Apoca-

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lypse; 7 the days of the week, the Seas and the Pleiades. Ac-cording to Pythagoras the number 7 stabilized the union ofthe divine with the human. Different was the meaning of the day of departure, that ofthe Summer Solstice. At that time of year the light is to theutmost of its presence on Earth; the spirit has reached thepeak of its manifestation, donating beauty, warmth and pro-sperity, blessing every living being with joy, energy and nou-rishment indiscriminate.This is the mark that Sandro and Ilaria desired for theirunion! Then there were the stops.They left from the Santuario del Divino Amore (Sanctuaryof Divine Love) because it represented the primary purposeof the pilgrimage. This place of cult is dedicated to two hu-mans, a couple, that with their conduct rich in love, dedica-tion and generosity, donated very much to the community,going down in history just because of the beauty and eleva-tion of their bond, between them and with God.Beyond the field in which we choose to operate, Sandro andIlaria wanted to donate a tribute to this couple, drawing in-spiration from them for their life together.We continued along a stretch of the southern Via Franci-gena, from Castel Gandolfo (Rome) to Terracina (Latina).This ancient route is very well known from the north of Italy

to Rome, but it continues also to the south of Italy, reachingPuglia and Sicily.Our aim was to walk on the way of our ancestors, so as toharvest the precious teachings and the memories of a tradi-tion that does not speak, but whispers to the hearts of thosewho are able to listen. Step by step, like the roots of a tree,“sucking“ the ancient wisdom of our predecessors from theroad, absorbing it, so it can support and nourish us.The final stop was Terracina (Latina) because it is on thesea. This way, by diving in the immense waters from whichEarth emerges, Sandro and Ilaria have immersed all the trea-sures that were collected along the way in the personal sub-conscious and in the collective conscience, symbolized bythe sea itself.In doing so they donated an invaluable contribution to theirmarriage and, in general, to the Holy Couple, at the disposalof anyone who wants to draw from it. Every day they reali-zed and published a video, as an account of their walk:

111st stop 2nd stop3rd stop

4th stop5th stop6th stop

7th stop

Conclusion

The craftsmen of Love LoveWalk2011 and 2012

LoveWalk 2012.

The second edition of LoveWalk (from 08/31st to 09/7th), thatwas offered for free to a small group of people, was carriedout in 2012. We walked on the same stretch of the road, di-scovering small new diversions, which boosted its beautyand practicality.The group changed the experience substantially, enrichingit and providing new inspirational cues to Ilaria and Sandro,that could then go on with their creative expression.Compared to the 2011 walk different practices were experi-mented: the theme of the Masculine-Feminine union wasplaced at the service of group communication and connec-tion. People met, discussed, shared a very profound expe-rience full of enchantment and marvel, difficult to describewith words. They returned changed, physically and inside.There were also challenges and difficulties to overcome:some people who lacked training were discouraged and wereforced to move slowly and were accompanied by strong phy-sical pain. That is the reason why in the third edition, that of2013, participants were advised to follow a programme of

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preparation for the body, fundamental to enjoy the expe-rience and to preserve the group harmony.

Physical issues, severe weather conditions and logistic dy-namics (timing, telephones, etc.) put a strain on the sensiti-vity and the sense of adaptability of everyone, giving us thepossibility to learn again how to live together.

To follow the links to the videos of LoveWalk 2012:

During the second edition Ilaria and Sandro, having suppor-ted most of the expenses themselves, did their best to involvethose who were present in the area by inviting them to walk,by offering the walking group a meal or accommodation forone day, by meeting the group for a few hours to ride partof the way together. Several realities responded immediatelygiving birth to events, newspaper articles and internet con-tributions.

With regard to institutions, the Church distinguished itselfby offering free hospitality and generosity, repeatedly andat different stops. But beyond structures and work activities,the true encounter took place between people sharing thesame sensitivity as to certain peculiar themes.

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1st stop2nd stop3rd stop

4th stop5th stop6th stop

7th stop

Conclusion

The themes of LoveWalk.

Over the years the LoveWalk has been setting itself in par-ticular as a vehicle of some specific themes.

1) The spiritual kind of relationships. It is not a question of

religion or of God, but of having a peculiar type and degreeof sensitivity towards living beings, of the Earth and of lifein general. A great number of people have developed thatkind of gentleness, many other people pursue it. Essentiallyit is about learning to feel in addition to thinking, being be-sides doing; it is about reconnecting with the invisible level

The craftsmen of Love LoveWalk2011 and 2012

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of reality, in which emotions, feelings, intuitions, visions andso on live a level just as important for human serenity as thevisible, material, tangible one.

2) The relationship with the territory. In LoveWalk we prac-tise the dialogue with the elements of nature and with particularplaces of power. You can pass through a place without establi-shing any contact with it or activate yourself at will to be pre-sent in the trip, in your steps and in the environment. That ishow you learn to exchange information with the planet, auto-matically acquiring a totally new way, transformed, renovated,to stay in the world, in reality, on Earth.

3) The cultural connection. Every area of the Earth narratessomething; each geographic area is a basin of precise memo-ries, which are extremely important for the continuation of theevolution of the human species. When you go through all cul-tures remaining closed and impervious to them, you waste avery precious opportunity: that to grow and ripen. The Franci-gena Way of the South tells us about the Mediterranean, a ter-ritory of landing and departures, of sophisticated arts, ofmeetings between peoples and of valuable trade; it speaks ofthe Italian, open people, generous, sympathetic and welco-ming.

The stretch from Rome to Terracina is the one that goes to-wards Gerusalem, to cross the sea, meet something else, a dif-ferent continent, a close though distant culture, on the footstepsof millions of people who within millenniums of history havetrodden exactly the same routes, leaving an objectively unfa-thomable mark, just as important as the archaeological find.To connect to such a basin of information is just as beneficialfor those who are indigenous to Italy and want to make peacewith their historical and cultural roots, as for all those who, co-ming from other parts of the world, feel the call of this won-derful land.

4) The Social. The LoveWalk sets itself as a gathering placebetween people. People who walk together, who are presenton the web around this event, who write, who inform and in-spire. People who donate a contribution so to let the project goon, who offer hospitality, a meal, a chat under a pergola or out-side a bar. People who indicate the best way, an antique sheep-track, still inexplored, a part of wood in which the solar bullsgraze, a path that was never marked on the maps but is still re-membered. Folks of every age sex and orientation, who communicate, re-late to each other, unite around a small/big gesture: walkingtogether.

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LoveWalk 2013.

The 2013 LoveWalk is going to take place from 1-7 July.The third edition has been structured as a proper workshopthat we can participate in by paying a small sum, which will

allow the project to go on in the future.

Besides, while looking for the most fruitful way to involvethe realities that are present on the territory and at the sametime to offer them something useful, this ebook guide wasborn. Inside it all the activities that in one way or anotherhave contributed to LoveWalk are made visible, with im-mense gratitude on our part, facilitating or improving its rea-lization. Thus with great joy that slice of active society thatparticipates in a lively way in the collective construction, of-fering its resources, know-how and personal supplies, is hi-ghlighted by investing, in a direct manner, in a humanproject and potential.

In LoveWalk there is humanity in motion, that walks, evol-ves, communicates, changes, creates, faces others; that hu-manity which lives in nature, meets the solar bull, that fromone generation to the next, honoured, passes on the relay;that humanity whose heart beats, whose feet cannot keepstill, whose minds fly far.

The craftsmen of Love LoveWalk2013

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LINK• The craftsmen of Love

The Craftsmen of Love From Rome (Sanc. of Div. Am.) to Cast. Gandolfo (Rome)

1st stopTOT KM: 12 APPROX

DIFF. LEV. 260 M (UPHILL 260M, DOWNHILL 0 M)

From the Sanctuary take Via Ardeatina, towards Pomezia. After 2.5km, on the left, you cross Via della Falcognana. Take it and go to theend of it - subsequently it becomes Via del Divino Amore. When thisroad crosses Via Nettunense Nuova, take the latter, turning left. After100 m, on your right, there is Vicolo del Divino Amore; enter it andwalk straight to the end until you intersect Via Appia Nuova. Turnright and take it. Carry on for 850 m and you will see the beginningof Via Spinabella to your left. To its right there is Via Pascolaro; keepgoing on this road. Cover Via Pascolaro to the end of it, then turn left.Go straight ahead for 160 m; on your right you will find Via A. To-scanini, do it all and, at the end of it turn left. Carry on along the mainroad, and then still ahead, onto Viale A. Costa. Via Prati, which startsjust before the end of this road, walking down on your right, is wherethe Don Bosco Salesian Oratory is located, where we were hosted(ask for Padre Diletti).

1st chakra (Muladhara, chakra of the root)

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19LINK• Map of 1st stop

IlariaFirst day, 1st chakra (Muladhara, chakra of the root) –31/08/2012, from Rome to Castel Gandolfo (Rome). Ever since we met with Carla and Gigi in S. Giovanni inRome to take the bus together, it was clear that we would bea peaceful group, united chiefly by the desire to spend apleasant week. When, at the place of departure, the San-ctuary of Divine Love (Santuario del Divino Amore), wemet also Alessandro, we had our final confirmation: every-thing would go smoothly. The Walk of Love is so called be-cause first of all it is a re-unification of the masculine andthe feminine on the relational level, through the energies ofthe natural elements and the communion of men and womenwithin a trip together – which better metaphor of the walkcan represent the dance between the two main archetypeswhich, in all cultures and at all times, create the universe?That is why the starting point is the Santuario del DivinoAmore: it is dedicated to a lay couple that distinguished itselffor having devoted their entire life to the collective wel-lbeing. An example for those who today are looking for aman-woman union that has value and an echo not only in

two individuals, but in so-ciety as well.The first perception withregards to the first chakrathat I experienced, is thestrong sense of belongingthat the group experiencemay arouse, when it is plea-sant - and luckily this oneis! We all feel very good together, or at least that is my im-pression; there is a peaceful and serene atmosphere, I amsure we all feel perfectly at ease. Another trait that emerged from the ocean of the first chakrais the basic instinct that pushes each one to approach theothers, as an individual and as a whole, to get in, mysteriou-sly moved by an invisible energy, in the perpetual dance ofthe collective consciousness in which every person playstheir part. It is about very subtle and profound movementsthat some of us can clearly detect thanks to a particular flairor to experience; often, though, we are the leading actors wi-thout knowing it.For dinner we are at the Arte e Vino (Art and Wine) restau-rant in Castel Gandolfo. We had arranged a dinner with afirst dish (the Italian primo piatto, i. e. pasta, soup or rice)

The Craftsmen of Love From Rome (Sanc. of Div. Am.) to Cast. Gandolfo (Rome)

1st stopTOT KM: 12 APPROX

DIFF. LEV. 260 M (UPHILL 260M, DOWNHILL 0M)

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and a side dish for € 10 per person, and instead for the sameamount they offered us a thousand delights!! First chakra: basic nourishment, survival, ancestral pleasu-res.Terrific service, beautiful surroundings, red everywhere inthe decor (it is the colour of Muladhara!) and, blow the trum-pets, they had reserved the so-called «room of the grappa(an Italian liquor) and of the games», which was full of toys!Pinocchios, Geppettos, Snowwhites, old tricycles, fairies,carillons, and all you can think of in Toy-land. For the first time I understand in an extremely clear way thedouble feeling that arouses in me before so much materialabundance: on one hand gratitude and happiness for beingable to enjoy it, on the other hand a slimy and muddy sub-stance that spreads at the bottom. Toy-land, precisely: gor-geous but dangerous, for a temptation that, depending onhow strongly you live the interior conditioning, can nourishyou or make you a slave, can donate the privileges of Ha-ving, depriving you of the freedom of Being. It is all 1st cha-kra: food, money, home.It is always wonderful, no matter how much we may havegot used to it, to observe how the universe responds to theinputs that we give it with our intentions.After dinner we visited the absolutely fascinating cave that

extends from one side of the road to the other in the under-ground passage of the restaurant. All sorts of antique objects:weighing scales, utensils, washing troughs, safes, every-thing. For me two visions again, simultaneously: preciousevidence of the past, of our anchestors’ everyday lives, andfetishist attachment to objects, to an inheritance that is onlymaterial. The curious thing? That it is always the first cha-kra: earth, underground passages, cultural roots, materiality.But all this, obviously, is only me, not the things themsel-ves.

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The Craftsmen of Love From Rome (Sanc. of Div. Am.) to Cast. Gandolfo (Rome)

1st stopTOT KM: 12 APPROX

DIFF. LEV. 260 M (UPHILL 260M, DOWNHILL 0M)

SandroLoveWalk goes along the same road system that, ever sincewe were in the mists of time, has vehicled an incessant flowof people, animals, merchandise and culture along the Tyr-rehnian coast of central Italy.Nowadays some of these routes have been rediscovered, rea-dapted and reunited under one sole name: the Via Francigenaof the South.Used in the Christian Age to go on a pilgrimage from Sou-thern Italy to Rome, they gathered all the wayfarers whowere on their way to St. Peter’s tomb in a northernly direc-tion and those who,starting from the year 1000 continuedtheir journey setting out for the Holy Land from the City ofthe Seven Hills ( Rome )in a southernly direction, towardsthe harbours of Puglia.They are named Francigene because they are the natural con-tinuation of the famous itinerary that the Francs walkeddown from the north of Europe, to go to the Eternal City.The basic idea that accompanies the wayfarers along thisroute is the idea of intense Love as an empathic capacity toconnect with the surrounding world and that is founded on

the relationship with the territory and the people living onit. Right from the start, the site which represents this forcewe wish to connect to deeply resonates with this vibration:the Santuario del Divino Amore, completely built on the fi-

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gure of two spouses who devoted their whole existence tothe expression and realization of the union between mascu-line and feminine (metaphorically compared, in the brochu-res of the sanctuary, to a fabric made of Weft and Warp).The route along the Via Ardeatina is accompanied by me-tropolitan sounds and rhythms that, with a real sense of li-beration, lessen little by little as you penetrate into the fields.You must be careful,motorists are not used to pedestrians atthe roadside. We slowly return to more human speeds andpace. The feet aim at Colli Albani. It is there, where the seedof the Roman civilization found fertile ground to germinate,that that the sacred wood awaits us.

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Castel Gandolfo (Rome)to Velletri (Rome)

2nd stopTOT. KM. 21.8 APPROX.

DIFF. LEV. 171 M (UPHILL 131 M, DOWNHILL 171 M).

FYI: The departure here is from the Don Bosco SalesianOratory.In Via Prati go up the stairs leading to Viale B. Buozzi and turnleft. Walk few metres (about 50) and turn onto Via M. D’Aze-glio, which starts on the right. Do it all and carry straight on,on Via Galleria above. When you reach Le fratte ignoranti (aplace where you eat, you will find it on your left), get onto thepath that starts on the left, towards the wood. Go straight; everytime the path forks, keep to your right. On the left you can catcha glimpse of Lago di Albano (Lake Albano). Once you reachthe spot represented by picture 1, turn left. It is a right/left wi-thin a five metre radius. The path becomes steeper, between bigrocks, until it resumes a more modest slope. Pay special atten-tion to the first fork to your right: sometimes it is very difficultto notice due to the thick vegetation. If you find yourselves ina meadow, you have gone beyond; go back and look for it onyour left. You will get to a crossroads with four paths; take theone to the right. At the end of a way filled with rock emergen-

ces, turn left. Follow in slight slope as far as a tunnel (picture2), which will allow you to pass under the reknown «uphill-downhill slope”, that from Via dei Laghi (the Lakes route) takesyou to Genzano di Roma-Albano Laziale. Follow the red andwhite signs of the C.A.I. (Italian Alpine Centre) route, sailingalong the Via dei Laghi. You will reach a crossroads with a roadin the middle, downhill. Take it until you reach the so-called«Tempest Fountain». Continue walking to your right for 20 mand turn left, in the direction that is opposite to the sign of theVia Francigena del Sud (The Southern Francigena Way). A fewmetres beyond, keep the right, walking downhill. Keep to thepath, which eventually will display rock emergences. You willstart catching a glimpse, on your right, of the Lago di Nemi(Lake Nemi – Rome). Once you get to the carriageroad madeof «sanpietrini» (ancient Roman cobblestones) take it by mo-2nd chakra (Svadhisthana, chakra of the pelvis, sweetness)

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PICT. 1

ving to your left. The arch signals the entrance to Nemi. Walkthrough the village centre and head for the main square. Go to-wards your right, where the Chiesa del Crocifisso (Church ofthe Cross) is, on Via Nemorense. Reach the fork for the ceme-tery (you will find it on your left after about 1 km) and take it.Go straight, entering the wood. After two clearings where thereis the sign system for the Via Francigena del Sud on the left, assoon as you hear the cars drive along the nearby Via dei Laghi,turn towards the path on your right - if you go past a yellowhouse-warehouse, walk back approximately 40 m, you willhave gone beyond the path; in some periods of the year theplants are in their full splendor and they hide it. Following thepath you will get to a descent that is sailed along, on the right,by a massive dry wall. After a 90 degree bend to the right youwill emerge in Via fontana fiume (fountain river street); turnleft. Walk past the elementary schools (they are on your left)and get onto Via ponte veloce (fast bridge road), a long descentthat opens up on the right. Walk along it to the end, until youcross Via Appia Nuova (New Appia road). Take it by going tothe left; in that stretch it is named Via Roma. Carry on until youreach Piazza Garibaldi (Garibaldi Square); you are then in thecentre of Velletri (Rome). Turn left on Via Lata and after 100mtake Via degli Atlantici (Atlantics’ road), on your right. Walkstraight ahead and continue onto Via Vezzi; at the end of which

turn left. 100 metres and we are back on Via Appia that in thisstretch is called Via dei Volsci. Keep walking straight up to theroundabout; here enter the first to your left, Via C. Cesaroni.You will get to a second roundabout from which you must enterthe first road to your right, Via M. Johns. By walking along tothe end of it you then reach Via F. Parri. By first turning rightand then left at the crossroads, after 150 m there is the fork forVia Piazza di Mario, where you will find the B&B L’Acquerelloat number 49. The next day we will return to Via Parri and goon towards Via Troncavia; at the fork you may take Via LeCorti-Giulianello.

25PICT. 2

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LINK• The map of the second stop

The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Castel Gandolfo (Rome)to Velletri (Rome)

2nd stopTOT. KM. 21.8 APPROX.

DIFF. LEV. 171 M (UPHILL 131 M, DOWNHILL 171 M).

Ilaria2nd day- 2nd chakra (Svadhisthana, chakra of the pelvis,sweetness) – 01/09/2012 From Castel Gandolfo (Rome) toVelletri (Rome). Today was hard, but less than I thoughtthanks to the closeness of people. I spent one of the worstnights in my life, I must have slept about one hour and ahalf; the remainder was insomnia, noises, people snoring, anunbearable discomfort and, in the ray of sleep that I managedto conquer, even nightmares! A train on water (element ofthe second chakra) which we could not figure out at whattime it was due, anxiety, fear of missing it; then a strikingjealousy unmotivated, totally irrational. The preparation tothe work with Swadistana.The morning, in fact, faced me with a series of internal «de-aths» that naturally left some voids inside, some silences thatnow invoke the alchemy of transformation and renewal, inorder to know another new life. Strangeness, dampness, asensation of freshness; elves and pixies in the wood, un-known and unpalpable little voices, the unfathomable my-stery of which nature is a perfect manifestation. Watereverywhere: Lago di Albano (Lake of Albano), the ancientcanals dug in the rock, the «aqueduct of the one hundredmouths «in the wood of Castel Gandolfo, the Lago di Diana(Lake of Diana) in Nemi (Rome) and, in the countryside of

Velletri, old troughsand disused fountains.On this day that wasso absurd and in itsown way difficult, allthe nourishment re-ceived with extrememagnanimity frompeople was very hear-tfelt, encouraging: theForum of the CastelliRomani (the socalledRoman Castles) Slow Food from Albano (Rome), the Mer-cato Contadino (Peasants’ Market ) from the Castelli Ro-mani and then Eva and Marco, Gianna and Daniela,Cristiano and Silvana, and at night the group of the Confra-ternita di Sant’ Antonio da Padova (Confraternity of St. An-tony of Padua) from Velletri! Hospitality, smiles, food, hugs,photos, rides, interviews, solidarity, really a lot!2nd chakra: maternal love, creativity, life that ends and startsagain; unstoppable in its eternal flow.And so I smoothly move through the small obsessions of mybelly and my features, in which I cannot recognize myselfanymore. I want a different silhouette.

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Castel Gandolfo (Rome)to Velletri (Rome)

2nd stopTOT. KM. 21.8 APPROX.

DIFF. LEV. 171 M (UPHILL 131 M, DOWNHILL 171 M).

SandroThe second stop goes through the Castelli Romani park, aplace where, according to the myth, Ascanius the son ofEneas, thirty years after the landing of the Trojans on the co-asts of Latium (Lazio) founded Albalonga, metropolis ofRome (from Meter, Mother - and Poleis, city). The echo ofthese narrations enlivens the rocks that emerge from the re-freshing green of the wood. The path that starts in front ofthe Convento dei Cappuccini di Albano – Rome (The Con-vent of the Capuchins of Albano), twisting and turning bet-ween chestnuts, hornbeams and hazels, slopes down withinthe ancient caldera that hosts Lake Albano today. Just beforecoming across the ruins of the hermitage of S. Angelo inLacu (St. Angel in the lake), passing through the tunnel be-neath the famous uphill/downhill road (a phenomenon yetto be explained clearly) you move to the coast of the otherColli Albani lake, «Diana’s mirror». All along the way, sym-bols and myths take us back to the encounter between op-posites and complementaries. The «Sacred route» that leads to the mountain summit(union of the high and the low), where the Temple of Jupiter

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stood and, once a year, the Latin League strengthened theties between the populations which formed it (meeting bet-ween different peoples); on the shore of the lake of Nemi,where the bloody ritual of the succession of the king-keeper

of the sacred oak, narrated in the world-famous essay by Fra-zer The Golden Branch (a symbol of the regenerative powerof Virbius, God of Nature and Diana’s partner) took place;and more, in the very many sites dedicated to St. Michael

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Castel Gandolfo (Rome)to Velletri (Rome)

2nd stopTOT. KM. 21.8 APPROX.

DIFF. LEV. 171 M (UPHILL 131 M, DOWNHILL 171 M).

archangel, who with a pointed weapon (sword or lance de-pending on the cases) runs through the devil, represented asa being half human and half snake, that in the symbolic ima-gination represents the obscure forces of subterranean origin,once again reproposing the meeting/clash between celestial(the winged angel) and terrestrial (the infernal demon) for-ces. Penetrating into the wood between Nemi, Ariccia, Albanoand Rocca di Papa the call of the water elements is verystrong. Under the foliage of huge trees we catch sight of an-cient springs near which the tradition claims tha Numa Pom-pilio went to meet his inspirer nymph «Egeria»; everywherevery ancient underground passages dug in the rock for hun-

dreds of metres, which provided with water the places ofcult, villas and villages of all the surroundings, Rome inclu-ded. The view from the height of the two lakes (Albano andNemi) is a unique spectacle that arouses some strong emo-tions.

B&B “L’ACQUERELLO”Via piazza di Mario, 4900049 Velletri (RM)

Tel. +39 06 9627743 +39 335 8274068 +39 346 5194770E-mail: info@acquerellobb.com

www.acquerellobb.com

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Velletri (Rome) to Cori (Latina)

3rd stopTOT KM. 14.5 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 168 M, DOWNHILL 132 M)

FYI: The departure here is from Via Le Corti-Giulianello.Stay on Via Le Corti-Giulianello, go straight on to the end of thisroad. Its natural continuation is Via Crocefissi (Crosses road – it doesnot appear on the maps but it exists); turn right at the end of the roadand then left right after that, on Via dell’Artista (Artist road). Followit to the end, where on the left there is a small gate that overlooks anuntilled meadow; go inside. By following the path reach the smallwooden bridge (picture above), cross it and take the white road to theright. Skirt the hills westward; cross two bridges. The dirt road leadsleft and it passes in front of an old tufaceous cave. Go up again untilyou reach the aviation surface. From that point, head east of the sheds;cross the field and enter, on your left, a small road in packed earth,keeping to your right. AS you get to the next intersection with anotherwhite road, turn left and, after about 500m, as you go past the begin-ning of the ditch, move to the right (looking for the passage betweenthe bramble bushes), beyond the low wall of an ancient sheep-track.Turn right and, after few metres, go up the cartroad on the left (Picturebelow) until you get to the summit of the hill. Turn right and walkdown following the cartroad to the left. Cross the stone bridge andstay on the path until you get to the asphalt road; off the crossroadsgo inside the olive grove that you will find in front of you. Walk alongthe grove to the end of it, downhill, finally turn left and, near a redbar take the path on the right, up to the ditch. At the end of it there is

a passage that makes the crossing possible; go through to the otherside of the ditch. Walk up to the white road, follow it to the left untilyou come to the built-up centre of Giulianello di Cori. You willemerge on Via Anita Garibaldi. From here go towards Cori. Keepgoing straight until you cross Via S. Nicola (St. Nicholas Street) toyour left (there is the road sign: Cori Alto; take it and and follow itup to Piazza Signina. From there, go to the right following the signsfor the Santuario della Madonna del Soccorso (Sanctuary of the Vir-gin of Rescue).

3rd chakra (Manipura, chakra of the navel button)

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33

LINK• The map of the 3rd stop

Ilaria3rd day, 3rd chakra (Manipura, chakra of the navel button,the embellished citadel).02/09/2012, from Velletri (Rome) to Cori (Latina). A curiousdetail is in the fact that, working with the chakras, I noticeda recurrent theme, for me and partly for the group; in themorning: tests, in the afternoon: reassurances. Today, as theother days, the first part of the day was marked by challenge:we woke up very well but everyone had at least one acutephysical pain and when we got to the dunes of Giulianello(a hamlet of Cori), immersed in the yellow of the third cha-kra, although they were gorgeous, in some way they diso-riented us and swallowed us up. We got lost and to resume the right way we walked for aboutan hour and 2km more than we anticipated-which, with ourrucksack behind and an aching body makes the difference!Besides there was another signal that I interpreted as a war-ning connected to our energy practice: a very vast area wastotally burnt out. Possible effects of fire, element of the thirdchakra. On the other hand the fire had brought to light won-

derful archaeological traces on the stones of the area, oncehidden.After this stretch, we were in a spot where we needed tocross a brook and a crag; the path we were supposed to walkalong, moreover, was invaded by bramble bushes. Our sticksin hand, the two men of the group generously did their ut-most to open the way. They made me think of Prince Charming of The SleepingBeauty: the masculine that in order to unify to his feminineside must overcome the bramble forest – the 3rd chakra ismasculine! The moral of the tale: we reached Giulianelloand had lunch at 3pm!!! By divine grace in that place Tonino

The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Velletri (Rome) to Cori (Latina)

3rd stopTOT KM. 14.5 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 168 M, DOWNHILL 132 M)

34

and Simona (Osteria dal Contadino) refreshed us well: beansoup, sheep’s cheese and freshly grated onion, sausages andfried peppers, everything was delicious and skillfully coo-ked! At 4:30 pm we resumed our walk; the rest of the tripwas clear sailing. On the way to Cori we experimented apractice of connection between umbilici (the umbilicus isthe centre and corresponds to the third chakra); it chargedus, supported us and made us more agile and fast, so muchso that as 6:30 pm we had reached our destination!Our host was the church of San Francesco (St. Francis), amarvellous place where we were given no less than threerooms, two bathrooms and five beds, plus a clotheshorse,water, wine and a breathtaking view! In any case the senselinked to the third chakra is precisely the sight!

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Velletri (Rome) to Cori (Latina)

3rd stopTOT KM. 14.5 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 168 M, DOWNHILL 132 M)

SandroThe archaeological and mythological vestiges unite the routeto that of another great hero of ancient times: Hercules. Wefind marks of the passage and devotion to this demigod fromthose peoples who dwelled in the villages we cross in theruins of the large temples dedicated to him, like that onestanding in a highly scenographic position at the summit ofthe city of Cori (Latina). Rumours have it that Hercules cros-sed Italy after stealing Gerione’s oxen in the west, foundingcities and temples along the way. The figure of the hero istied to very ancient sites of foundation, probably operatedby groups of migrant peoples of ancient times. Close to themost ancient ways of half of Europe we find personages whoshare similar features tied to the foundation of ancient colo-nies of merchants and pioneers (Noah is one of them); oneof the most famous is the «Heracles way» which ran alongthe Padana plain, from east to west, since pre-historicaltimes, linking the populations of the Black Sea and of theAdriatic Sea with those of today’s Provence and Spain. Mo-reover Hercules is closely linked to the practice of transhu-mance between the Italian populations, and its worship had

an important role also for the Roman and Latin settlers whohad established themselves on the Tyrrhenian coast. Walkingalong the Via Francigena is the same as following a fil rougethat connects the many historical and archaeological sitesthat we come across along the way. Sites that are hardlyknown to the majority, but whose peculiarities make themunique worldwide. You only have to think about the giganticwalls in polygonal opus work, named «cyclopean», whichare mainly present in Greece/Albania, Peru and Central Italy.This kind of wall made of enormous polygonal blocks (fromwhich the term cyclopean) built without the use of mortaror any other adhesive, are still for the most part intact andclearly visible in cities such as Cori, Norma and Sezze, while

36

some isolated stretches suddenly appear in the woods of theCastelli Romani, Sermoneta and from the podium of theTemple of Jupiter Anxur in Terracina.This particular shape of construction has not as yet beendated for certain; some historians believe it is Roman builtwhile many others, also at an international level, date it fromthe time of the large migrations coming from the Aegian-Anatolian zone of the XII/XVI centuries BC.To walk alongside these massive walls donates a double ex-perience: on one hand the awe in finding oneself faced withconstructions that are so incredible that they make you feeldwarfed and on the other hand the amazement as to the factthat in Italy nobody talks about such marvels which are inno way inferiorto those ofCuzco in Peru.

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• FARMACIA VILLANI UMBERTOVia Achille Grandi, 1004010 Giulianello di Cori (LT)Tel. 06 9664000 - 06 9665325

• RISTORANTE TRATTORIA “DA CHECCO”Via Repubblica, 174 - 04010 Cori (LT)Tel. +39 06 9678336 - +39 333 6916586Fax +39 06 9678336E-mail: trattoriadachecco@live.itSito web: www.trattoriadachecco.it

The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Cori (Latina) to Sermoneta (Latina)

4th stopTOT.KM.: 18.5 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 153M

(UPHILL 26M, DOWNHILL 153M)

FYI: The starting point here is the Santuario della Madonna delSoccorso (the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Rescue).Once you have come down the large staircase that leads to the Santua-rio della Madonna del Soccorso, you will be inPiazza Signina again. Just before reaching it though,you need to turn left on Via G. Leopardi. Continuewalking down while staying on the road, until youarrive at the point shown in picture 1; there you needto turn right. If you can ask some elderly man orwoman for directions for Via delle Fontanelle – it isnot indicated as such on the maps, this is the antiquename. Speaking the language of GoogleMaps, get on Via delle vallecchie e dellecupe and continue walking to the end.Once you have reached the small square,

there is a road on theright; DO NOT take it.Go straight to the

end of the square where there is an intersection andturn right. At the junction which is immediately afterthat, turn left on Road to Norma. Walk ahead on thisroad. At the level of the spot represented in pictures2-3-4, take the old muletrack which starts on yourleft - you will reach the cntre of Norma in about tenminutes. Carry on and cross the village along Via passeggiataSan Giovanni.Once you have arrived at the fountain, which is onyour left (picture 5), and got past it, the road forks(picture 6); take the left fork, Via delle svolte. Gostraight on keeping to the right; you will arrive neara carrepairer’s, where the asphalt road ends (picture7). Enter the path to your left and follow it, keepingto the right side of the valley (picture 8). Once youhave reached the asphalt road coming from Norma,

4th chakra (Anahata, the heart chakra)

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1

5

3

42

39

LINK• The map of the fourth stop

6

7

keep walking towards your left downhill. Go on to the roundaboutwhere Sermoneta and the Abbazia di Valvisciolo (Abbey of Val-visciolo) are indicated. After passing the latter, walk on headingfor Sermoneta town centre (NOT for Sermoneta Scalo). At the endof the road turn left on Via Ma-donna delle Grazie; after anuphill climb and a sharp U-bend you will reach the centreof Sermoneta. As soon as youarrive in the village, whereMadonna delle Grazie inter-sects Via Sermonetana, turnright. In Via G. Matteotti, avery central road, there is theSan Nicola Hostel. (Pic 6-7 -8)

8

Ilaria4th day, 4th chakra (Anahata, the heart chakra, the unstrai-ned).03/09/2012, from Cori to Sermoneta (Latina). Strange daytoday. Last night I had a surreal dream, in which Sandro andI had two bodies totally different from the real ones and wethrew a huge party in an immense villa; it seemed like anannual feast. I was totally detached from any material matter,I was walking «10 cm from the ground», as they say. Bothof us were carefree and light. When I woke up I had an un-fathomable feeling, which was very peculiar: I was half di-soriented and half surprised, with the memory of a fresh andvivid experience, joyful and free.Then I spent the day in a wholly different space: I felt likebeing alone and in silence, I was reflexive and caught up inthis terrible jealousy that sometimes possesses me. It is ab-surd because I believe that either you are jealous or you arenot; while in my case for 363 days a year this state does noteven cross my mind, but for the remainder 2 I am literallyseized by this condition and I experiment it with unbelieva-

ble intensity! It is a mystery. I preferred staying, as much asI could, in touch with myself, carefully avoiding to projectall this in my relationships - it would have been useless andharmful.Speaking about the 4th chakra, perhaps I live a sense of se-paration from the others, and this is where jealousy stemsfrom: I get jealous because I think I cannot participate – athought I was very familiar with as a child. It would makesense also because the 4th chakra is also connected to social

The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Cori (Latina) to Sermoneta (Latina)

4th stopTOT.KM.: 18.5 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 153M

(UPHILL 26M, DOWNHILL 153M)

40

identity. Avoiding targeted practices came spontaneously to me. Byrationalizing I understand that actually for me the connectionwith the heart has two main characteristics: silence andbeing, the Being against the Doing. I pursued this line; afterall the most heartily actions are just the most simple and un-speakable.

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Cori (Latina) to Sermoneta (Latina)

4th stopTOT.KM.: 18.5 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 153M

(UPHILL 26M, DOWNHILL 153M)

SandroBy walking down the old sheeptrack and those roads thatbefore the provincial asphalt roads existed united the urbancentres, you dive into breathtaking sceneries with suddenchanges of perspective. Along the whole way, one of theaspects you bump into more frequently is the visual link bet-ween the places you cross. By moving in the territory yourealize how mountains, bell towers, temples, wells, and soon, constitute a proper reference frame and triangulationcreated in ancient times to orient oneself and to move inspace.At each spectacular change you meet a series of sacred sitesconnected with the ancient science of the territory, many ofwhich today have become marine shrines or rural churches,but that legends and traditions disclose to be reference pointsof a system of reading the territory that is capable of creatinga very efficient map.The holiness of these places lies just in the visual connectionof the environment that is able to keep it united, organizedand oriented (from «to orient» - turn to the Orient). The ex-perience of this sense of union between parts that are appa-

rently distinct and which form a sole territory, allows us tofeel, at a deeper level, the link between the single individualsof a community.The sense of belonging expands in a way that is parallel tothe vision that people have of the environment in which theylive. A true expansion of the consciousness which during hi-story passed through the family, the enlarged clan, religionsand the nations, and that nowadays is starting to comprisethe whole planet. The sort of vision that is developing now,travels hand in hand with the technological, cultural and eco-nomic globalization.The highest mountains were always worshipped ever sinceantiquity as catalysts and as a guarantee of the order that flo-

42

wed on the earth from the sky. Astronauts, who during their journeys sense a sort of mysti-cal crisis (which was studied by eminent Nasa researchers)while they move away from the planet watching very vast,limitless territories and boundary lines, know somethingabout it.

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Sermoneta (Latina) to Priverno (Latina).

5th stopTOT. KM. 27 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 62M, DOWNHILL 168M)

FYI:. The start point here is Ostello San Nicola (St. Nicholas Ho-stel).From the centre of Sermoneta take the road that goes towards the ce-metery, Via S. Francesco; carry on straight keeping the right,then getonto Via Casai. At the subsequent fork keep to your left and enter ViaAntignana (Pictures 1-2-3). Keep walking straight until you arrive atan open space with two ancient columns and, on the right, a container(pic. 4). At this point you must not be mislead by the small Via Fran-cigena sign that points to the left towards Bassiano: on the contrary,go past the small columns and cross the entire valley, in an amplepacked earth road. (pic. 5) At the end of it, follow the path keepingthe left, until you reach an asphalt road that will take you straight tothe foot of Sezze: first stretch Via Casali. (pic 6) Keep on this road,crossing the small bridge right after the bar which is on your right(pic 7), climb back up Via Collemeso and go on. After this area thereare two roundabouts; at the first one carry on walking towards theright, heading for Via Fanfara and at the second one take Via Pioggemarine. Once you have set out towards the latter, keep going straightahead until km 16.500; when you cross the fork to Priverno on yourright, take it, you will be in a small, white secondary road, at Mezza-gosto. Walk a few hundred metres, go past the small bridge over theSS 156, soon after that, on your left, you will find the B&B Mezza-gosto (Via Limaccette 3).

5th chakra (Visuddha, chakra of the throat)

44

1

2

3

4

45

LINK• The link of the fifth stop

5 6

7

Ilaria5th day, 5th chakra (Visuddha, chakra of the throat, purifi-cation).04/07/2012, from Sermoneta to Priverno (Latina). Terri-fying! If I take into account the whole way, I have to admitthat my chakras are reaching their so-called last resort!! Sofar I have not found even one in good health; they are all de-vastated, exhausted, limping. Speaking about psycho-phy-sical wellbeing, today I reached the climax of my interiorobscurity: it may have been due to the relentless rain andwind that we were forced to face or perhaps it was the con-stant sinking of my feet in the mud of Via Antiniana, or thewedge that formed under the soles making each leg twice asheavy, the fact remains that my sense of malaise and loneli-ness knew extreme peaks.Dulcis in fundo, all my good intentions not to project mynegative thoughts on people went to the dogs and I remem-bered that I am a potential murderer! Luckily there are hor-des of psychiatrists who claim that the more we are awareof our homicidal force the less we are dangerous (and vice-

versa: the more we think we could never kill, the more weare out of control) - the last boundaries of delirium, sigh...let’s draw a veil over it.Anyway, in this predicament I realized that either I spokeabout what weighed on me, or a volcano would have sparkedoff, with unpredictable consequences. Thus I activated myfifth chakra and expressed myself in my authenticity, bravelyrevealing my frailty and bringing into the open one of themonsters that caused me more pain over the past years. Atfirst I experienced my weakness, the fear of being in danger;but as time went by, it was clear to me that in order to acti-vate a process of purification (and that is what you do in the5th chakra), the only way is the honest manifestation of thetruth you guard- it is a first step, from which to move on;but without it you lie to yourself and to the others, and noreal transmutation can take place. The masks and the super-structures protect us until we have become strong enoughand stable enough to face the impetus of reality; when thissacred moment arrives, though, it has to be honoured andcrossed with noble-mindedness or else you are travellingonly on the more superficial (and less interesting) layer ofexistence. Besides the hell I am confronted with deep down, also mybody is letting out a cry-and not only mine!

The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Sermoneta (Latina) to Priverno (Latina).

5th stopTOT. KM. 27 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 62M, DOWNHILL 168M)

46

Four of us are literally falling to pieces, so much that tomor-row we will be forced to cover the last stage of our walk bybus – it is better to humbly give up completing the walkingroute rather than risking to seriously hurt a tendon or bone!This too is a message from the fifth chakra (the physicalbody), that reminds us of our limits, of the importance of the

quality, (rather than the quantity) of experiences and of theexpression of the best in us.

Responsibility: ability to respond. By cunningly respondingto this subtle input, we will receive the necessary vigour tocarry on with our walk, step by step.

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Sermoneta (Latina) to Priverno (Latina).

5th stopTOT. KM. 27 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 62M, DOWNHILL 168M)

SandroOnce you have left the small village of Sermoneta, a longuphill stretch starts which takes, in a short while, to a placewhere time seems to stop. Before our eyes a highly sceno-graphic space opens up; a natural corridor that flows bet-ween two high mountains where ancient settlements, whichcarried out productive defensive and cultural functions, hide.The area was never the object of systematic studies even ifover time it surrendered finds and vestiges that are importantfor the history of the entire country. You only have to thinkthat some rock paintings representing some rhinoceros, deerand a few anthropomorphic figures were found inside a cave(riparo Roberto) that opens on the side of the Pontine plain;while further down, towards Priverno, the only anthropo-morphic figure in Italy forming a PHI was found.The findings witnessed the extreme antiquity of the habitualattendance of these sites by nomadic groups that perhaps,while waiting for the herds of animals to go by in the plainbelow, served propitiatory rituals to have a lucky hunt. Onthe mountain peaks that accompany the walk to Sezze, youwill find the remainder of ancient battlements with emban-

kments that reach a 5m thickness and have a diameter of60m; they were probably settlings for the control and obser-vation of the sky. Currently, a study of the astronomicalorientation of such structures, that prove how the ancient po-pulations of these sites were endowed with advanced skillsand tools that could measure time through the movement ofcelestial bodies is under way.It seems that at the southern end of the valley, an ample plat-form, made of huge worked masses (some of which are stillvisible in the proximity) existed and from hence it is stillpossible to observe the effect of the sun which rises at thebrake of dawn of the winter solstice - 21st December – rightfrom the centre of two summits that stand on the horizon tothe left and right of Monte Trevi, the elevation that towersabove Sezze.There are two main versions regarding the origin of the nameof this hidden valley, one learned and one popular. Historiansand scholars of the past century saw a link between the ruinsof a rustic Roman villa and the Castrum of Acquapuzza ofthe Antonini’s (the Caracalla family),that was built in a po-sition strategic for the control of the practicability between

48

Rome and the south of Italy for the whole period when ViaAppia was turned marshy (from the IV century AD to 1700).The legends and oral traditions handed down by the elderlyof that area narrate of Frate Antonio (Friar Antony) who builta hermitage on the peak of the mountains which separate thevalley from the Pontine plain below. Both the versions are

«true» because they highlight on one hand the importanceof the morphology of the territory that lends itself to the pro-tected passage of goods and pilgrims travelling to Rome andthe southern regions that, with their harbours served as ameans of communication with the countries of the Mediter-ranean and the Holy Land; on the other hand the possibility

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Sermoneta (Latina) to Priverno (Latina).

5th stopTOT. KM. 27 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 168M

(UPHILL 62M, DOWNHILL 168M)

to find a secluded spot where to lead a life of contemplationin direct contact with nature’s forces and with the «perfect»movement of celestial bodies, from time immemorial a me-taphor of the cosmic order that is the one thing that drawsus the nearest to the voice of God.

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Priverno (Latina)to Terracina (Latina)

6th stopTOT. KM: 25.7 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 151M

(UPHILL 0M, DOWNHILL151M).

FYI: The departure point here is the B&B Mezzagosto.As you leave the B&B, head towards your left, on the dirt road; atthe end of which turn right and then, as soon as there is the smallbridge that will allow you to cross the river Amaseno on your left,take it.At the end of the bridge go left and walk along the Amaseno bank;carry on walking straight on, staying by the river for a few kilome-ters.When you reach a spot where several roads fork, turn right and, onceyou get onto the asphalt road, to your left. This diversion will enableyou to reach the Abbazia di Fossanova (Abbey of Fossanova); if youdo not want to visit it you can stay on the river embankment. Onceyou have left the Abbazia, get back onto the asphalt road continuingin the same direction where you were walking before; take the first

road you cross, on the left. As soon as you meet the river, get backonto the river embankment, turning right - from where you come youhave to take the first river embankment, not the second.

6th chakra (Ajna, the third eye)

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LINK• The map of the sixth stop.

Ilaria6th day, 6th chakra (Ajna, the third eye).05/09/2012. Today, as anticipated, I was not in the conditionto walk due to a very strong pain at my cross-shaped liga-ments; so I joined Carla, Gigi and Alessandra and we cove-red the last stretch of the road by bus, while Sandro andBozena continued on foot. The sixth chakra reminds me ofhow precious my ability to concentrate is, to travel firmlycollected in one point, as a river which moves on only withinits bed. Even if I know that at such moments to others I mayseem distant, mysterious, unfathomable, and even cold andunfriendly, for me this is an indispensable transit to remainlucid and come out of the flow of distorted thoughts. In thesemoments I am all right by myself, whether other people arepresent or not, I deal with my crisis myself; not only theothers are totally helpless, but they actually often confuseand distract me with their ideas and perceptions, which arenot mine. This clarity of thought and vision is the fruit ofthe good condition of the 6th chakra.Another memory of Ajna: the power of prayer. In desperate

case it saves, it orients the mind towards light. I often pray,for gratitude or to give myself a direction, but oh how youfeel the creative force of prayer when you are desperate isincomparable, absolutely convincing!The walk puts to the test physically, mentally and spiritually.Physically because you need to come to terms with your li-mits, with your health conditions and with the managementof your energies; mentally because at some point it appearswith disarming clarity how powerful the use of the mind inlife is and how, in some test situations, it is vital to learn howto field it in an intelligent and constructive way; at last spi-ritually, because, when you leave your «comfort space» (inwhich everything is ordinary, known and familiar) you maybecome aware of the fact that in life there are not only ob-jectives, will power and capacity, but also fate, hope andfaith - how present are these factors in our life? By walkingfor a continuative period of at least one week you have achance to ask yourselves this question and to access the an-swer.

The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Priverno (Latina)to Terracina (Latina)

6th stopTOT. KM: 25.7 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 151M

(UPHILL 0M, DOWNHILL151M).

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The Craftsmen of LoveFrom Priverno (Latina)to Terracina (Latina)

6th stopTOT. KM: 25.7 APPROX. DIFF. LEV. 151M

(UPHILL 0M, DOWNHILL151M).

SandroThe walk from Priverno to Terracina (at Porto Badino) is setfor the most part along the bank of the river Amaseno, ac-companied by the slow and winding flow of the water.Once you have reached the Abbazia di Fossanova, the envi-ronment changes radically moving to a completely differentperspective that from the alternation of heights, woods,views and landscapes, broadens flattening in the uniformityof the Agro Pontino (the Pontine marshes).Leaving the Lepini mountains behind, the only landmark onthe horizon remains Monte Circeo (Mount Circeo) thatstands in the middle of the land, majestic, immersed in thepeculiar and typical atmosphere of the plain typified by agreater density and humidity.The nearness of moving waters allows us to enjoy a constantbreeze which dilutes the heaviest climate. The sounds, lightand its reflections all change, the human settlements; weenter a hushed environment. The eyes often go back to loo-king for the silhouette of the elevations that distance them-selves and the Mount of Circe, to our right, becomes ananchor in the sea of the plain.

Those ancient and first navigators who, on arriving from thecoasts of Africa and the near Orient after the last glaciation,ventured out to sea in search of new fertile lands and thosesame pioneers who at the head of peoples rich in traditionand culture first gave those mountains which for their parti-cular shape and position became fundamental for orientationand thus sacred, a name, must have felt a similar sensation.On the summits of Circeo two of these sites are still present,the Acropoli of San Felice, surrounded by gigantic walls inpolygonal works (that is precisely why they are named «cy-clopean») and the so-called Tempio di Circe (a priestess ofthe cult of the Great Mother or Goddess of Earth who han-dled the cycle of life and the feminine power, mediator bet-ween the human and the divine), she who in the Odisseyturns Ulisses’s comrades into pigs, and that unveils to thehero the dangers to be overcome on his journey back to hishomeland.

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The Craftsmen of LoveTTerracina (Latina): The Temple of Jupiter Anxur

7th stopOT. KM. 8.5 APPROX. - DIFF. LEV. 227M

(UPHILL 227M, DOWNHILL 0M)

From the promenade of Terracina it is possible to reach the templeby several shuttle buses; there is no point in writing down numbersand timetables, as they may change year by year. It will be enough toask the managers of the camping/hotel/B&B where you spend thenight, they are bound to have that information. In alternative, obviou-sly, you can walk! For this last stop we opted for the shuttle, we hadthe impression that one day of rest is necessary for each week of wal-king, besides being beneficial and regenerating. Should you want tocontinue the walk experience, even for one day only, without shoul-dering your rucksacks, here is all the information about the kilometersand the difference of level.Total kilometers: 8.5 approximately, one way (17 with the return)Difference in level: 227m (uphill 227m, downhill 0m / 227m withthe return).

7th chakra (Sahasrara, the crown)

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Ilaria7th day, 7th chakra (Sahasrara, the lotus of the thousand pe-tals).06/09/2012. Terracina, the Temple of Jupiter Anxur (Tempiodi Giove Anxur). Everything ended in the best possible way.This morning Sandro and I talked extensively, to draw ourconclusions about the walk, to evaluate together the wholeweek, exchanging impressions and reflections. It was a veryfruitful conversation. Unexpectedly the climate spared usand we were blessed, for the umpteenth time on this trip,with a pleasant day: the morning on the beach to rest andenjoy relaxation, the afternoon at the temple of Jupiter Anxurto conclude our cycle with the practices for the seventh cha-kra.We consulted the oracle by means of the oracular stone thatis there; I suggested asking what each person's role was wi-thin the group in this walk. It seemed to me that we all hada moment of deep and easy silence and connection. In theend everyone told the group what reply they had received;it was immediately clearer to all of us what the various per-

sonal contributions to the community were. It was, on myside, a simple way to draw attention on the common sphere,putting away for a few minutes the individual one.Later it drizzled a little, thus Sandro and I had perfect syn-chronicity at our disposition to do our conclusive ritual forthe couple - two strange priests, or sorcerers, or 21st centurywizards! It was exciting and joyful, I lived moments of per-fect connection with my «cosmic role” - I know it all soundsterribly New Age, but this is the inconvenience of usingwords: sometimes there are no words that are really proper! With the rain came breathtaking skies and a spectacular sun-set finally sealed the end of this year’s LoveWalk. Each oneof us had his/her experience, perhaps just the one the personwas subconsciously looking for, surely the one they deeplyneeded in order to grow. Together we realized that the magicof walking is extremely impalpable, undescribable, very dif-ficult to transmit through a narration; and yet it sets in mo-tion some changes and some prodigious interior awakening!To tread the soil, to beat music on it with one’s steps; to brea-the the trees, the skies and the colours; to feel you are onewith the other people, with whom an orchestra is created,one common soul… these are simple experiences and yetthey are essential, ancestral, and they take us back to the ori-gin of being Human.

The Craftsmen of LoveTTerracina (Latina): The Temple of Jupiter Anxur

7th stopOT. KM. 8.5 APPROX. - DIFF. LEV. 227M

(UPHILL 227M, DOWNHILL 0M)

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The Craftsmen of LoveTTerracina (Latina): The Temple of Jupiter Anxur

7th stopOT. KM. 8.5 APPROX. - DIFF. LEV. 227M

(UPHILL 227M, DOWNHILL 0M)

SandroThe final stop of our walk entails a ritual ascent to the sum-mit of Monte S. Angelo where the monumental Temple ofJupiter Anxur stands, in turn built on previous Italic placesof worship.On the southern side of the base on which the templar com-plex is founded, twelve huge arches of a portico as long asthe structure open up. Observed from Terracina below, thewhole structure is really full of atmosphere and is remini-scent of ancient cults connected with celestial divinities.From up there the view covers the whole Pontine plain sofar as to embrace at north-west the ”Roman Castles» (Ca-stelli Romani) and Monte Cavo.Lowering one’s eyes southward, we once again find MonteCirceo, of which the two peaks of the so-called Tempio diCirce and Acropoli di S. Felice are clearly distinguishable.Recent studies by eminent researchers (among whom JeanRicher, a member of the prestigious Academie Francaise)are highlighting some extraordinary alignments between an-cient sacred places that overlook the Pontine Marshes andthe Temple of Jupiter Anxur, whose name could be linked

to the Sanskrit root Sur (Sun), which emphasizes a specialrelationship between this very famous oracular centre of an-tiquity and the privileged position for the observation of thehorizon.By drawing a line along the direction of the 21st June (theSummer Solstice) sunset and extending it towards north-west, you intersect with spectacular precision two of themost important holy places of antiquity; the Temple of Sa-tricum at Le Ferriere near Latina and the Temple of Sol In-diges at Pratica di mare, the last mythical landing of Enea,the progenitor of the Roman culture.Further to the north, instead, it is possible to draw a line thatconnects the acropolis of all the saturnian cities (surroundedby cyclopean walls in polygonal works) that overlook thewestern side of the Lepini Mountains; Sezze, Norba and Cori(Latina). The structure was not connected solely with thesky, but also with the underground forces. On the westernside of the temple the stone of the oracular sanctuary is stillvisible: a natural isolated rock with cavities within linkedbetween them, which allowed to make breaths of fresh airreach the exterior. We know that this was the area where the

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Goddess Feronia was worshipped; she was an ancient Italicdivinity often partnered, in the sites dedicated to her, with a«paredro» with solar characteristics (see Lucus feroniae nearMonte Soratte - sur).We are back in a sanctuary where the masculine meets thefeminine in a union of forces of the sky and the earth.We started from the Divino Amore in Rome, passing throughthe sacred wood of Diana, dominated by the summit of

Monte Cavo where the Temple of Jupiter Latiaris rises andin a continuous series of ups and downs, of connections withmasculine and feminine elements, of sky and earth, we havecome to destination, to the sanctuary of Terracina where, bywalking over the footprints of ancient pilgrims, we bring, asan offer, our purest essence laid bare by the moulding forcesof the journey.

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Where to eatFIRST STOP

• «LE BONTÀ» di Patrizia Corbi & C. sncPiazza Signina, 904010 Cori (LT)Tel. +39 392 6936075E-Mail: le.bontà@yahoo.it

THIRD STOP• Ristorante Trattoria «DA CHECCO»Via Repubblica, 17404010 Cori (LT)Tel. +39 06 9678336 +39 333 6916586 - Fax +39 06 9678336E-mail: trattoriadachecco@live.itwww.trattoriadachecco.it

• Bar «AURORA»Via casali SNC04018 Sezze (LT)

FOURTH STOP• «AL RISTORO DELLE FATE»CUCINA TIPICAVia del Corso, 5604010 Norma (LT)Tel. +39 0773 488358+39 331 9925900www.lefatedellago.it

Where to sleep FIRST STOP

• B&B «LA TARTARUGA»V.lo del laghetto, 1900040 Castel Gandolfo (RM)Tel. +39 06 9311298 - +39 339 3280438E-mail: vittoria56m@gmail.comwww.bblatartaruga.com

SECOND STOP• B&B «L’ACQUERELLO»Via piazza di Mario, 4900049 Velletri (RM)Tel. +39 06 9627743 +39 335 8274068 - +39 346 5194770E-mail: info@acquerellobb.comwww.acquerellobb.com

FOURTH STOP• B&B «L’ALBERETO»Via pozzo di guerra, 204010 Norma (LT)Tel. +39 0773 354886+39 333 7326443+39 331 3732772E-mail: info@lalbereto.itwww.lalbereto.it

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• RELAIS B&B«LE FATE DEL LAGO»Via del Corso, 5604010 Norma (LT)Tel. +39 0773 488358+39 366 3820494www.lefatedellago.itE-mail: info@lefatedellago.itfiammetta67@libero.it

SIXTH STOP• «HOTEL CASA YVORIO»Via Bad Homburg, 304019 Terracina (LT)Tel. +39 0773 730249Fax +39 0773 790751E-mail: info@hotelcasayvorio.comwww.hotelcasayvorio.com

Other infoTHIRD STOP

• Farmacia «VILLANI UMBERTO»Via Achille Grandi, 1004010 Giulianello di Cori (LT)Tel. +39 06 9664000 +39 06 9665325

FIFTH STOP• Herbal products – Mother Ticturegem extracts«REGIFLOR NATURA» s.r.l.Via montagna, 5604018 Sezze (LT)Tel. +39 0773 887007+39 347 3169531 - Fax +39 0773887007E-mail: regiflornatura@libero.itwww.regiflornatura.it

• Products for organic farming «BIOFARM»Strada macchia grande, 115/a04100 LatinaTel. +39 0773 423581+39 392 9360456E-mail: info@biofarm.itwww.biofarm.it

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Places to visit

Castel Gandolfo (RM)

• Eremo di Sant’Arcangelo in lacu video

The path is not marked but with a littlebit of luck and spirit of adventure youcan find it. You will reach it from thepath that starts from the convent of Pa-lazzolo or from a detour from the ViaFrancigena half way between the hill ofthe Capuchins and the tunnel under theSS 218 between Rocca di Papa andAriccia.

Velletri (RM)

• Civic Archaeological Museum “Ore-ste Nardini” • Civic Museum of Geopaleonthology

and Prehistory of the Colli AlbaniPalazzo ComunaleVia Goffredo Mameli 4-600049 Velletri (Roma)www.velletrimusei.it

Tel. +39 0696158268

Timetables: The museums are open every day, in-cluding holidays, not on Mondays, Ja-nuary 1st, Easter, August 15th andDecember 25th from 0900 to 1300 and300pm to 700pm. Access / pathways forthe differently abled. The demolition ofthe architectural barriers makes both themuseums accessible to all people.

Cori (LT)

• Chiesa di Sant’Oliva (Church of St.Olive): Piazza di Sant’Oliva (historiccentre). If you leave some ID you mayask for the keys at the nearby bar, du-ring opening hours.• Tempio di Ercole (The Temple of Her-cules). Via del Tempio di Ercole (histo-ric centre). It is always possible to visitit from the outside.• Tempio di Castore e Polluce (Templeof Castor and Pollux): Via delle Co-lonne (historic centre)

• Cappella dell’Annunziata (Chappel ofthe Announced) (link)Via Annunziata, 5904010 Cori (LT)Ask for the keys at the stationer’s oppo-site the chappel at number 61. Hours:

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9:00/11:00 am and 3:00/6:00 pm – Ho-lidays: 9:00/11:00 am.

Norma (LT)

• Park and Archaeological Museum ofthe Acropolis of ancient Norba. Hours:Mon-Fri 9:00/12:30 am. Sat, Sun andholidays 9:00/12:30 am and 3:00/6:30pm. Info: +39 0773/353806.

Sermoneta (LT)

• Abbazia di Valvisciolo (link)Via Badia, 14 04010 Sermoneta (LT)Tel. 077330013Orari:Sabato 15.00/18.00Domenica 9.00/12.00 - 15.00/18.00feriali su richiesta.

Priverno (LT)

• Abbazia di Fossanova (link)Via San Tommaso D’Aquino, 104015 Priverno (LT)Tel: 0773.939061(+39) 340.3289592 Hours: 7:00/12:00 am and 3:00/6:00pm(solar time) – 4:00/7:30 pm (daylightsaving time). On Saturday and Sundaythe Abbey is open all day.

Terracina (LT)

• Tempio di Giove Anxur (link)Piazzale Loffredo04019 - Terracina (LT) Tel: +39 06 88522480 Hours: From June to September:9:00am/12:00pm. From October toMay: 9:00am/5:00pm.