Sotto il manto della Dea

sabato, 31 maggio 2008

Scienziati britannici hanno annunciato di aver messo a punto una tecnica per 'trasformare' le cellule del midollo osseo della donna in spermatozoi, con il risultato di 'tagliare fuori' l'uomo dal processo del concepimento.

Lo studio, pubblicato sulla rivista New Scientist, è di alcuni ricercatori della Newcastle upon Tyne University ed ha oggi conquistato ampio spazio sulla versione online del quotidiano britannico 'Daily Mail'.

La tecnica si focalizza sull'utilizzo delle cellule staminali, le 'cellule bambine' in grado di trasformarsi in qualunque altro tipo di cellule: i ricercatori intendono infatti prelevare cellule staminali dal midollo osseo di donne donatrici per poi 'trasformare' tali cellule in sperma attraverso l'utilizzo di speciali vitamine e sostanze chimiche. Il biologo Karim Nayernia, della Newcastle University, ha già richiesto i permessi necessari e si dice pronto a dare il via alla sperimentazione "entro due mesi".

L'esperto, che ha già sperimentato la tecnica sui topi, sostiene che 'sperma femminile' ad uno stadio iniziale potrà essere prodotto entro due anni, mentre si potrà arrivare a produrre sperma 'maturo' in grado di fertilizzare un ovulo entro cinque anni. Sperma allo stadio iniziale è in passato già stato ottenuto da cellule staminali del midollo osseo maschile. La nuova tecnica avrebbe però una 'limitazione': un futuro, eventuale utilizzo dello sperma prodotto da donne permetterebbe la nascita solo di femmine, poiché allo 'sperma femminile' mancherebbe il cromosoma Y.

Intanto, afferma il 'Daily Mail', è in atto nel Parlamento britannico una revisione delle leggi riguardanti la procreazione ed è "probabile che si permetta l'utilizzo di sperma e ovuli artificiali nei trattamenti di fecondazione artificiale, ma solo per coppie eterosessuali".

Gli scienziati affermano che questa tecnica innovativa potrà portare a nuovi trattamenti per la cura dell'infertilità. Ma l'annuncio ha già dato il via alle polemiche: molti sono infatti i contrari che sottolineano come, in realtà, in questo modo si apra la strada ad un futuro di bambini concepiti interamente con metodi artificiali e, soprattutto, ad un'allarmante prospettiva che vede gli uomini totalmente esclusi dal processo della creazione della vita. Al contrario, si creerebbero le condizioni per permettere alle coppie lesbiche, rilevano i critici, di poter avere bambini biologicamente "propri". Altri scienziati invitano invece alla prudenza, sottolineando come tale ricerca sia ancora alle fasi iniziali e saranno dunque necessari molti anni prima di arrivare ad un suo impiego pratico.

Vari ricercatori inglesi, poi, avvertono anche del rischio che bambini nati da tali tecniche possano presentare seri problemi di salute, come verificatosi, affermano, nei topi impiegati nelle sperimentazioni già effettuate.

Ma le sfide in campo di procreazione non finiscono qui. I ricercatori del Butantan Institute in Brasile, rende noto il Daily Mail, affermano di aver trasformato cellule staminali embrionali di topi maschi sia in sperma che in ovuli e starebbero ora conducendo sperimentazioni utilizzando cellule staminali della pelle. Si aprirebbe così uno scenario del tutto inedito: uomini gay potrebbero in futuro ottenere ovuli dalle proprie cellule staminali. Gli ovuli, è lo scenario disegnato dai ricercatori brasiliani, potrebbero venire fecondati dallo sperma del partner e poi essere impiantati in una 'madre surrogata'.

postato da: Neferkr alle ore 13:13 | Permalink | commenti (4)
categoria:donne, intuizioni geniali, arcaico potere delle donne

giovedì, 22 maggio 2008

arco sacro giapponese

THE EVIL DESTROYING YUMI
by Kanjuro Shibata, Sensei

(The following talk was given by Shibata, Sensei at the Kyoto Dharma Study Group).

Good afternoon. It is now the nicest season in Kyoto. How is your mind? Is everybody happy? Today my talk is about kyudo and Hama-yumi. These ideas have been transmitted from the past, but I will also talk about some of my own ideas. Western archery is based on the idea of hitting the target. There is no other reason for doing it. Western bows are made very scientically for that purpose. However, Japanese bows are made from bamboo, which is cut by people. Since they are made in a natural way, no two are the same, each one is different. To make a yumi (bow) is very difficult and drawing a yumi is also difficult.

In western archery there are also steps to drawing the bow, but the goal is completely different. Kyudo is very difficult, but it makes no difference whether you hit the target or not. In ancient Japan, kyudo was the highest form of ettiquette. A samurai also needed to know the proper ettiquette associated with horsemanship, swordsmanship, and spear. During the time of Nobunaga guns were introduced in Japan. They were more accurate, but made a big noise when fired. The yumi was silent and one never knew where the arrow came from, so the Tokugawa Shogun prohibited the use of yumi in battle. The yumi then became a means of spiritual discipline and learning ettiquette. It is also during this time that the Hama-yumi came into being.

The Hama-yumi or Evil-Destroying yumi is used as a means of purification. To purify the environment and your own spirit. The Buddhist image of Amitabha is sometimes shown holding a yumi and ya. Why is the Buddhist ideal of peace and compassion connected with violent weapons? Because they are not weapons of violence. They are weapons of purifcation. About 700 years ago, a demon had appeared at the Imperial palace. It came out at night and made the emperor ill. A skilled archer named Yorimasu Minamoto was sent to the palace and he killed the demon with the first arrow. The emperor regained his health and Yorimasu was promoted. This was the beginning of Hama-yumi. What can we learn from Hama-yumi?

They are for cleaning the mind. The Shihobarai was originally performed with Hama-yumi. Everyone is surrouned by "hungry ghosts" - temptations, desires, negative thoughts and so on. The haya, first arrow, is to exorsize these hungry ghosts. The otoya, second arrow, symbolizes welcoming happiness since one has been purified. How is all this connected to kyudo? Kyudo is based on strict rules of ettiquette. It is competition with oneself. In sports one trys to be a champion, but kyudo is not like that. The target is not a target. It is a mirror of your own mind.

People have seven basic emotions or defilements. Happiness, anger, greed, expectation, sadness, fear, and surprise. The aim of kyudo is to cut through these defilements in order to experience mu, emptiness. Many people pactice meditation, but after fifteen or twenty minutes one becomes restless and wants to be finished. Kyudo is standing Zen. All of these hopes and desires and thinking while you are drawing the yumi, such as "I want to hit the target, I want to have beautiful style," will cause the ya fly of somewhere else.
Know yourself. Know your mind first and then you can practice kyudo. If your mind is right you will hit the target naturally. It is the same in your whole life, not only in kyudo. If you are always wondering about the target or the result, nothing good can be accomplished. If you always look at yourself first - your own feet, your own basis, then things will naturally go right.

The word "do" in kyudo means "way". This concept of "do" is difficult to talk about. To practice the way of kyudo is very difficult, although people think it is easy. This is also true for the way of flowers, tea and so on. The practice of "do" has no concept of a goal. The kind of kyudo I would like you to understand is not based on becoming better and better. This discipline is a means of cleaning or polishing your own mind through self-reflection. Life seems very long, but it is very short. It is over in a flash.Hansei is the process of looking back over your life. You reflect on your own deeds.

America and Europe are highly industrialised. Traditionally, eastern nations have been more concerned with development of the inner life, of mind. Do you think we are living in a happy age? Computers, televisions - we have many such things. Our food and coffee is instant, but does it taste good? Although we have scientific gadgets all around us, something is missing. Aren't people forgetting their own mental and spiritual development? I think human society has forgotten heart and mind. Wonderful mountains are destroyed. The trees and soil taken away and large buildings put in their place. The mountains cry, I think. The mountains say, "Why are the people cutting off my head and my arms?" Sometimes the mountains become angry.

When rain falls the water rushes down causing landslides. For the sake of future generations shouldn't we be paying more attention to mind? In the old days people walked everywhere. Now we drive our cars even a short distance to go shopping. Is this really convenient? Shouldn't we think a little more about these things that are happening in the modern world?

I am very happy that on such a beautiful May afternoon you have come to listen to my somewhat comical talk. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you all attain happiness. Thank you very much. I am used to speaking at universities where people don't listen to me quite so sincerely.

Hama-Yumi (photo at http://www.zenko.org/bows.htm )

According to legend, in 1103 A.D. the Imperial palace was possessed by an evil demon, causing the emperor great anxiety and suffering. When high priests had failed in their efforts to dispel the demon an archer was summoned with the hope that his bow and arrow could rid the palace of this plague. He killed the demon with the first arrow and his bow was designated as a Hama- yumi (evil destroying bow).

Since then hama-yumi have been used in Buddhist and Shinto rituals of purification. (For example- Shihobarai- the Purification of the Four Directions) and smaller replicas have been placed in shrines and people's homes for protection against the forces of evil and for purification. They are also believed to have the ability to attract vast good fortune. Hama-yumi replicas are scale versions of a Japanese Bow coated with urushi, wrapped in fine rattan and accented in gold leaf. They are displayed in a stand along with two arrows tipped with yanone (traditional warrior tips), one representing male and the other female.

postato da: Neferkr alle ore 19:51 | Permalink | commenti (4)
categoria:giapponeserie, cercando la via

domenica, 04 maggio 2008

Dedicata ai Moscerini

Conosco vite della cui mancanza
non soffrirei affatto -
di altre invece ogni attimo di assenza
mi sembrerebbe eterno.

Sono scarse di numero - queste ultime -
appena due in tutto -
le prime molto di piu' di un orizzonte
di moscerini.

E. Dickinson

postato da: Neferkr alle ore 14:58 | Permalink | commenti (10)
categoria:poesia, donne, il bello delle donne, intuizioni geniali

sabato, 03 maggio 2008

sacerdotessa shintoista

postato da: Neferkr alle ore 18:38 | Permalink | commenti
categoria:donne, il bello delle donne, arcaico potere delle donne, cercando la via

sabato, 03 maggio 2008

5 maggio festa dei maschietti

(こどもの日;こどものひ; meaning "Children's Day") is a Japanese national holiday which takes place annually on May 5, the fifth day of the fifth month, during the Golden Week period. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.

It was originally called Tango no Sekku (端午の節句), which may originally be the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (端午節). Sekku means a season's festival (there are now five Sekku per year). This one marks the beginning of summer or the rainy season. Tango has a double meaning: Tan means "edge" or "first" and go means "noon." In Japanese go also means five (五), which could refer to the date of the festival: the fifth day of the fifth month. From the beginning of history, the fifth month of the Chinese calendar was said to be a month for purification, and many rites that were said to drive away evil spirits were performed this month.
"Japanese Festival in Honor of the Birth of Children" from Sketches of Japanese Manners and Customs, by J.M.W. Silver, illustrated by native drawings, published in London in 1867
Although it is not known precisely when this day started to be celebrated, it was probably during the reign of the Empress Suiko (593–628 A.D.). In Japan, Tango no Sekku was assigned to the fifth day of the fifth month after the Nara period.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodomo_no_hi

Until recently, Tango no Sekku was known as Boys' Day (also known as Feast of Banners) while Girls' Day (Hinamatsuri) was celebrated on March 3. In 1948, the government decreed this day to be a national holiday to celebrate the happiness of all children and to express gratitude toward mothers. It was renamed Kodomo no hi. There is some disgruntlement that, despite its renaming, it is still Boys' Day and it is inappropriate that Boys' Day is a national holiday, while Girls' Day is not.[citation needed]

Before this day, families raise the carp-shaped Koinobori flags, one for each boy (or child), display a Kintarō doll usually riding on a large carp, and the traditional Japanese military helmet, Kabuto. Kintarō and the kabuto are symbols of a strong and healthy boy.

Kintarō (金太郎) is the childhood name of Sakata no Kintoki who was a hero in the Heian period, a subordinate samurai of Minamoto no Raikou, having been famous for his strength when he was a child. It is said that Kintarō rode a bear, instead of a horse, and played with animals in the mountains when he was a young boy.

Mochi rice cakes wrapped in kashiwa oak leaves — kashiwa-mochi and chimaki — are traditionally served on this day.

postato da: Neferkr alle ore 17:25 | Permalink | commenti (1)
categoria:

giovedì, 01 maggio 2008

calendimaggio

postato da: Neferkr alle ore 09:39 | Permalink | commenti (1)
categoria:

You are The High Priestess