It fills me with great joy to announce the official opening of my own publishing house: geniusloci-publishing!
Books have always played a very important role in my life. Language has always been a way for me to access the essence of life, the beauty, its secrets.
And because it’s stories that bring us together, that touch us, I want to tell you the story of the how geniusloci became what it is.
The idea of geniusloci publishing started in Bali, during the year we spent living on the island.
Marko Pogačnik, UNESCO Artist for Peace had been invited to come to Bali by a small Waldorf-Group and during his time on the Island of Gods he held several talks and a two day Earth healing workshop.
Dominic, the photographer of the workshop and me were just in the middle of putting together a little booklet about the experiences and events of the workshop. We were sitting on the terrace of our open living room in Ubud overlooking the vast palm jungle when I asked him: “ Have you ever heard of the genius of a place? The genius loci?”
“No” he replied “never. Please tell me about it”
“The genius loci is the spirit of a place. Certain places in the world have a unique energy, an atmosphere, an individual story. Our ancestors have visited these places to connect to their spirits. They asked them for guidance, healing and also protection.“
We looked at each other here it was: geniusloci-publishing. And now, a year later, the small publishing house is born!
I am full of gratitude to announce Celebrating Bali as geniusloci-publishing’s first publication!
Marko Pogačnik’s work embodies all that I want to express with geniusloci-publishing:
the poetry of life within his Earth healing work, carved within the cosmogrammes. In his Gaia Touch Body Exercises the beauty of the Earth becomes a conscious movement, a conversation with the Gaia, the soul of the Earth.
Marko’s workshop in Bali brought people and places together. Their memories and stories, their spirits and ancestors. He made it an tangible experience for all participants from across the world.
Celebrating Bali takes the reader on a journey to the holy Temples of Bali. It is here that we can experience the importance of Bali for the entire Asian continent.
A group of wonderful people have supported me on this journey to make Celebrating Bali possible: Dominic, Tjok Gde, Sedana, Clara, Friederike, Gisela, Tobias, Albertine, Christiane, Joseph, Lena, Manuel and Marko! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
Marko gifted us his time on Bali and similarly most of the people mentioned above helped me without wanting something in return. My own work on Celebrating Bali is also a present.
And now please see for yourselves. I hope you can find joy and inspiration: www.geniusloci-publishing.com