Would you like to watch the recording of the inaugural lecture?
Do you know that for thousands of years people lived in peaceful communities?
Marija Gimbutas (lit. Birutė Marija Alseikaitė-Gimbutienė) known in the world as a controversial archeologist, whose theory of the Neolithic, peaceful and egalitarian civilization of Old Europe undermined many stereotypes and beliefs deeply entrenched in our culture, according to which every civilization must be based on the oppressive pattern of dominance and “wars and violence are as old as mankind.” Drawing on her long term, well-documented research she showed us that people were able to create and, for thousands years, cultivate a culture rooted in celebrating life and acceptance of death. A culture characterized by deep respect for female principle and at the same time equality of the sexes, where neither needed to subjugate or fight for dominance with the other.
Marija named that culture the Civilization of the Goddess, described its temples, art, burial rituals as well as its symbolic language, in which the life philosophy of our ancestors was written.
This way, she presented us with both the priceless knowledge about our European spiritual and cultural roots and a healthy reference point in our contemporary search of a way out of the present global crisis.
Inspiration for the future!
Do you want to co-create a peaceful world?
Marija Gimbutas, writing and working in the second half of the 20th century as an independent thinker and scholar, arose a lot of controversy and was attacked by the academic circles, despite her impressive, vast and well-documented research. Today, many years after her death, those attacks are gradually withdrawn – DNA studies support Mariji Gimbutas’s hypoteses!
Since her scientific research confirms that people were able to create and, for thousands of years, cultivate a peaceful culture, why can’t we?
In our work and research (Anija – philosophical, Natalia – anthropological) we analyse and transform patterns of culture. The question: “How to co-create a peaceful world?” has guided us for many years. For us, work and discoveries of Marija Gimbutas are an invaluable inspiration. That is why, to celebrate her hundredth birth anniversary we want to offer a series of open lectures, to invite to a meeting – conference; finally, to publish one of her books so that it is finally accessible to Polish readers.
We are eternally grateful to Marija Gimbutas for her courage, scientific diligence and panache in formulating comprehensive hypotheses. For her ardor, for breaking cultural taboos and scientific prejudice. For perseverance in walking her own path. We embark on this project with the intention of support for all brave women, explorers, discoverers, who map out new paths for all of us.
We do it pro bono, because we want to honour Marija Gimbutas, her life, work and discoveries. Her inspiring courage, impressive vision, intellect and heart. We invite you to cooperate with us!
We want to celebrate 100th anniversary of Marija Gimbutas’s birthday and remind the world of her work and discoveries!
We announce 2021 the year of Marija Gimbutas!
100th anniversary of Marija Gimbutas’s birth – Agenda
Would you like to watch the recording of the inaugural lecture?
In spring we meet online every full moon, at a series of open lectures and meditations/ceremonies.
We begin on the April full moon, Beltane celebration of love, 26 April at 19:00, with an open lecture by Anija Miłuńska: We return home. Discoveries of Marija Gimbutas as inspiration for the future.
17-19 September – meeting – conference, during which we want to honour Marija with a birthday concert, there will be lectures and a panel discussion, and we will finish with a Double Spiral ceremony for peace.
We also plan to publish a book, publish Marija’s lecture in Polish, prepare Polish subtitles to Marija’s films, edit the entry in Polish Wikipedia;
Do you want to honour Marija Gimbutas and her discoveries? Join us!
About Marija Gimbutas
Kim była Marija Gimbutas?
Marija Gimbutas (lit. Birutė Marija Alseikaitė-Gimbutienė), born on 23rd January 1921 in Vilnius, is known as a controversial American archeologist and a pioneer of interdisciplinary research. She created a new field of study described as archaeomythology. Her most revolutionary theory was that of Old Europe, according to which in the Neolithic times a peaceful, egalitarian, matristic civilisation existed here for over three thousand years. It was founded on a paradigm radically different from the patriarchal one, based on hierarchical structure of dominance, which was subsequently imposed by the Indo-Europeans.
Recepcion of Gimbutas work
As an advocate of interdisciplinary research, Marija Gimbutas succeeded in combining, creatively and productively, two related, though formerly separated fields, thanks to which a new science emerged, which became known under the name archaeomythology. Although it met with positive and even enthusiastic reception among scientists studying mythology, it arose criticism among archeologists.
About us – why we have started this project?
The question: “How to co-create a peaceful world?” has guided us for many years. A world in which people are part of nature, which embraces feeling and thinking, in which closeness and freedom coexist. For us, work and discoveries of Marija Gimbutas are an invaluable source of inspiration.
We are eternally grateful to Marija Gimbutas for her courage, her scientific diligence and panache in formulating comprehensive hypotheses. For her ardor, for breaking cultural taboos and scientific prejudice. For perseverance in walking her own path. We embark on this project with the intention of support for all brave women, explorers, discoverers, who map out new paths for all of us.
Anija Miłuńska
www.anija.pl
a philosopher by education, who for many years practiced zen buddhism and other forms of meditation, explored indigenous spiritual traditions and finally discovered roots of European spirituality in the culture of Old Europe. She brings to the world a contemporary version of the myth of Goddess and celebrating life as a cycle: life-death-regeneration. She created an original method of deep transformation through work with folk tales and myths, energies of the elements, totems and the healing energy of the circle. Since 1998 she has been leading circles, workshops, ceremonies and initiations for women and girls, and since 2009 – also for men. She teaches connecting with the energy and rhythm of the earth through dance and meditation. She loves trees, flowers and all plant beings. In the garden which she created they teach her the art of embracing life (in its entirety).
Natalia Miłuńska
www.nataliamilunska.com
I am an anthropologist of culture, innovator and educator. For 20 years I have been studying cultural patterns shaping our experience of the body, femininity, cycle, sexuality and menstruation. I have developed my own method of /I work with women using my own method, transforming painful experiences into sources of power. I give lectures, workshops, and training.
I created the School of Dreams. For many years I led dream circles following the method of Connie Kaplan, and now I invite dreamers to my own, holistic vision of dream and dreaming, and their relation to waking reality. I have heard and worked with over 1500 dreams, I have led over 120 dream circles. I teach how to understand and realize dreams and how to lead a dream circle.
We invite you to cooperation!
Would you like to translate the movie? Or maybe become a volunteer at the conference? Do you also want to write about Marija in the press or you don’t know what, but you feel that it is important and you want to get involved? Write to us. We do all the work in this project on a pro bono basis and we will need our hands to work a lot. Write to us.