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In June and July of 2011, I took part in a study tour as a student of Griffith Universitys Queensland College of Art.

On the trip, I experienced for the first time different locations in Europe. My experience of these places centered largely around my perception of different energetic resonances and feelings created by my interaction with these energetic fields.

As the only QCA student from the photography discipline, I have used the medium as a way of illustrating my thoughts, feelings and interactions through the lens of my own perception.

all photographs are those of the author unless otherwise stated

ENERGY INTERACTIONS

D. B.

As someone with a keen interest in spirituality and philosophy and their convergence with science

and psychology, my perspective on the places we were visiting was related closely to the energy
embedded in each new place, and this appeared to shape my perceptions and experience.

Europe has a wealth of history and culture, dating back to ancient times, some of the structures or significant sites from this time still existing.

THE IMPACT OF ENERGY


This cultural density is compounded by the collective energy of the people who inhabit these environments and the common attitudes and belief systems of the communities and societies who came before them... Engels Smith (2011) suggests that these thought vibrations from different people accumulate and multiply to create a collective consciousness, a term used in Jungian Psychology to describe this phenomena.

THE IMPACT OF ENERGY


Bender (1993) suggests that Feng Shui masters have long asserted that there are important and reciprocal

energy interactions between us and our surroundings which affect our lives.
Professor Thomas Yun Lin from Berkeley (cited in Bender 1993) speaks of vital energy, which affects and changes the energy of our physical surroundings and consequently those who share these environments.

THE IMPACT OF ENERGY


Energy exchange between people and/or other living things as well as inert objects is permitted by the electromagnetic field which surrounds all matter (Hunt 1996, p.20). The human field interacts with and influences matter and the electromagnetic fields of inert matter react passively(Hunt 1996, p. 20)

PERSONAL ENERGETIC INTERACTIONS


GERMANY

GERMAN PROVERBS
Be silent, or say something better than silence.

Love your neighbour, but don't tear down your fence.


Take the world as it is, not as it ought to be..

GERMANY
Wurzburg It seemed to me that Wurzburg had a large-village type of atmosphere, a feeling of community pride and integration of the old and the new, regarding attitudes and beliefs as well as areas and physical structures.

GERMANY
In Germany I noticed a general emphasis on nature and health. I

saw this in the importance placed on gardens and parks, protection


of land and farming industries, commonality and wide availability of health foods, bicycles often a regular mode of transport, leadership of Germany in organic farming, wind farming and eco sustainability.
The graffiti of sharp teeth surrounding the dispenser of an abandoned cigarette machine (pictured right) speaks volumes on the attitudes towards health-harming products.

GERMANY
It seemed to me that there was an open energy of recognition and acknowledgment of the past and an attitude of moving forward and creating a future where the people have the power to effect positive change, as well as taking ownership and actively creating a fair and democratic society where individuals have the right to free expression.
Art installation at the Jewish Museum in Berlin

The Berlin Wall today, the last remaining section covered in the work of various artists.

GERMANY
Berlin In Berlin, graffiti or street art is highly political and allows free expression in the public arena. To our surprise it is not considered illegal unless destruction of property is involved. There is a sizeable artistic community in Berlin and an energy of individualism is easy to sense in the city.

GERMANY
It was obvious to me that freedom and privacy are closely guarded, as a result of the oppressive political climate of the past.
It is unacceptable to photograph people without permission and there are strict privacy laws regarding the storage of personal information. Google maps has recently been forced to cease photographing the streets of Germany for its Street View function (Oates 2011).

CONNECTION
I resonated deeply with Germany and German culture, finding the general attitude of organisation, practicality, efficiency and friendliness without the unnecessary small talk in alignment with my own energy and values. It felt to me that their culture is one with a more holistic approach to life and worldview which is rooted in common sense.

PROVERBS AND CULTURE


Proverbs have been recognised as providing small packages of truth about a people's values and beliefs (Schuster, 1998)

Be silent, or say something better than silence.


Love your neighbour, but don't tear down your fence. Take the world as it is, not as it ought to be..

In what ways are these proverbs reflective of the German culture as described here?

PERSONAL ENERGETIC INTERACTIONS


CZECH REPUBLIC

CZECH PROVERBS
He who gives is foolish, he who doesn't accept is even more so. Beer makes beautiful bodies. If you wake up in the morning and feel no pain it is to be feared that you died in the night.

CZECH REPUBLIC
In stark contrast to Germany, Prague felt to me like quite a hostile place... Repeated warnings to keep belongings close at all times left some of us a little weary.

CZECH REPUBLIC
As with other European nations, economy, culture and history influences attitude towards recovery after liberation from oppressive political regimes. It has only been 22 years since the fall of communism, and the Czech Republic continues to suffer a struggling economy and are still trying to form their identity as a democratic republic.

CZECH REPUBLIC
In my interactions with them, stony-faced shop assistants and waiters were contemptuous, or at best disinterested. It felt as though there is some discord in the collective feelings of many, with a general attitude of suspicion and mistrust towards others remaining prevalent. It appears to me that the people are holding on to negative attitudes and patterns of resistance lodged deep within their culture, formed by collective energy accumulated by the Slavs throughout history. The common attitude seems to be one of life is a struggle. Even the sky seemed to continually reinforce and add to the negative atmosphere.

CZECH REPUBLIC
Many rely on tourism for income but most locals have a disdainful attitude towards tourists. Prague is a hotspot for British party animals, who are thought to be obnoxious by the locals.

CZECH REPUBLIC
After a few days of feeling out of alignment and absorbing, focusing on and therefore contributing to and multiplying the negative energy I sensed, my companion and I missed the tour bus after stopping at a bakery.
This allowed us to let go of our attachment to the schedule and enjoy the sun which had finally appeared, sitting on a bench eating delicious cakes in a quiet street underneath the trees and later finding a beautiful restaurant with great service.

CZECH REPUBLIC
From there my attitude began to shift, seeing things differently I wandered through the main streets, bustling with tourists. I started to really feel for the locals, their city overrun by tourists in peak season, almost trivialising their beautiful citys historical landmarks.

CZECH REPUBLIC
I had a great time exploring while making light of the negativity I had experienced and trying to see the place from alternative perspectives. I also realigned my energy with a traditional Thai massage, allowing me to release all resistance and freely enjoy and experience the city and its amazing wealth of history and art.

PERSONAL ENERGETIC INTERACTIONS


ITALY

ITALIAN PROVERBS
A happy heart is better than a full purse. A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine. By asking for the impossible, obtain the best possible.

ITALY
Upon our arrival in the centre of Venice for the first time, in the late afternoon with the sun close to setting, it felt as if we were walking around in an oil painting. The city has such charm, a rustic kind of beauty, enhanced by the famous Venetian light which illuminates the buildings, giving them a soft, nostalgic glow. The atmosphere was free and light, even reflected in the clear skies and sparkling waters of the canals.

ITALY
Walking down shady, quiet side streets and sprawling narrow alleys was like stepping back in time. There was a sense of the remnants of energy from great artists, craftsmen and nobles that once inhabited the city. Its exterior seemingly unchanged, the past silently lingered.

ITALY
It seemed to me that in Venice, appearances are most important, but there was also a relaxed atmosphere, possibly owing to the exhaustion that results easily from the heat of the long European summer days. The general attitude seemed to be one of indulgence and enjoyment and values appeared to centre around family, friends, food and beauty, as well as the simple pleasures of life. Venice is really a place for one to be seen, where the rich and famous attend exclusive parties and exhibition openings. There seems to be an emphasis on the arts and the prestige associated with any affiliation to them.

Luxembourg Pavilion, 54th Venice Biennale

ITALY
Tourism, like in Prague, seemed almost rampant. The attitude towards tourists was generally very friendly, but there is still a debate amongst locals as to the benefit vs. cost of tourism to their beautiful city, which has become more and more overcrowded over the years.

ITALY
I felt welcome in Venice and explored with a great sense of freedom. Since our week there was not structured, we were able to attend Biennale art exhibitions at our own pace and wander the city at our leisure to discover what it had to offer.

ITALY
The last two days of the trip were spent in Milan, which is commonly known as a Mecca for shopping. By this time, after nearly 3 weeks of travel, my focus was on my imminent arrival home.

I feel like I interacted only on a superficial level with the city of Milan,
to me it felt something like an industrial city which lacked character. Here it was very obviously a place where image and appearance are the primary focus, with designer stores and exclusive shopping reserved for the rich and famous.

ITALY
The sky was grey and there was the occasional drizzle of rain, adding to the atmosphere of an impersonal city lacking in substance.

ITALY
By the last day I could not contain my excitement for commencing the journey home, reflecting on how far we had travelled, the multitude of different experiences I had taken in and how profoundly they were likely to influence me later in life.

RESONANCE
Surprisingly, although I had never been to these places and they were all different to

anywhere I had experienced, I felt a sense of sameness or familiarity in each of them.


Everything is energetically connected astonishingly we can resonate with people, places and environments thousands of kilometres from home somewhere completely foreign.

SCIENCE MEETS SPIRITUALITY


Quantum physics is beginning to realise that the Universe appears to be a dynamic web of interconnected and inseparable energy patterns. If the universe is indeed composed of such a web, there is logically no such

thing as a part. This implies we are not separated parts of a whole but
rather we are the Whole." (Brennan, cited in Paterson 2008)

WHAT REMAINS?
After returning home and having time to reflect on and integrate these experiences, I have been able to more fully understand their impact on who I am now and how I understand the world. I now have a greater understanding of how to keep my own energy in alignment, so that I can experience and explore different places while maintaining my own balance and keeping an open mind. All experiences, no matter how they appeared at the time, led to positive outcomes with the right attitude.

The unique human field does not merely react or interact; it transacts because it dynamically makes choices. Here, matter and energy, mind and spirit, are not really different things, only aspects of an expanded reality.
(Hunt 1996, p. 51)

YOU GUYS!!
I would like to thank all of my fellow travelling companions for their contribution and collaboration in this amazing experience! Special thanks to the enigmatic Rosie just one more shop Attwell,

didnt know ya from a bar of soap


but can no longer imagine life without you!

REFERENCES

Bender, T 1993, There are no secrets: our energy connection to our surroundings. Retrieved September 30, 2011, from http://tombender.org/energeticsarticles/fenghop.html

Engels Smith, J, What in Heavens Name is Collective Consciousness? Retrieved September 26, 2011, from http://www.positivearticles.com/Article/What-in-Heaven%92s-Name-is-Collective-Consciousness/18141
Hunt, V 1996, Infinite Mind:the science of human vibrations of consciousness, Malibu Publishing Co, Malibu. Oates, J 2011, Google calls halt on German street view. Retrieved September 30, 2011, from http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/11/google_street_view_germany Paterson, A 2008, Quantum Physics. Retrieved September 28, 2011, from http://www.vision.net.au/~apaterson/science/physics_quantum.htm Schuster, E 1998, Proverbs, a path to understanding different cultures, Extension Journal, vol. 36, no. 1. Retrieved 1 October, 2011, from http://www.joe.org/joe/1998february/tt2.php Czech Proverbs, retrieved October 1, 2011, from http://www.myczechrepublic.com/czech_culture/czechproverbs.html

German Proverbs, retrieved October 1, 2011, from http://thinkexist.com/quotes/german_proverb/2.html


German Proverbs, retrieved October 1, 2011, from http://www.famous-proverbs.com/German_Proverbs.htm Italian Proverbs, retrieved October 1, 2011, from http://www.world-of-proverbs.com/ItalianProverbs.html Proverbs, retrieved October 1, 2011, from http://www.quotesandsayings.com/proverbial.htm

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