Connecting The Dots
Dr. Giovanni Boni was a pragmatic spiritualist and premier healer, a homeopath and acupuncturist who used modern medicine combined with ancient techniques. He dedicated his life to balancing minds and saving lives.
Dr. Boni was a forerunner in the field of “pre-natal education”. He employed homeopathy and acupuncture to benefit development of the fetus and prepare both the infant and the mother’s body for ease in delivery.
Connecting The Dots is his story/my story. It’s about the quest for expanded awareness, Divine Providence which comes forth to support that intention; and serendipitous events which trigger time collapse and a deeper understanding of previous experience. I began this project over 20 yrs. ago and last March (2006), a string of fortuities led to an epiphany and an opportunity to shoot more video. I realized I must complete this work.
I’d had the privilege of documenting some of Dr. Boni’s personal stories and his work process for dual purposes/projects – to further his work and for my personal spiritual/artistic interest. When he had a heart attack and subsequently died, I set those projects aside. However, I preserved the video/audio.
Now I can see how to proceed with this 1-hr. “experimental documentary”.
Because of the passage of time, there is an urgency to record storytelling and information from those associated with Dr. Boni; to archive the images and stories of his life and work. Some of the key figures are of advanced age and live in Italy.
This project requires the following: audio fixes/enhancement; processing of archival footage; further storytelling by myself and others; as well as re-enactments & video interpretation of my on-going journey relative to my spiritual connection to Dr. Boni and his teachings.
Included will be archival video and audio, HD video, some digital effects, computer graphics and a soundtrack comprised of classical and synthesized music.
I have preserved 80 mins. of video of Giovanni Boni, from 1985, in which we discuss the following topics:
1. Non violence/violence
2. His time in Italy during WWII (how he got through the war – starting with a story of how he broke both arches in a hunting accident as a teen; living/hiding out in an attic after stealing documents from the Germans and what he did during that time)
3. His study of martial arts
4. The use of purified sea water to replace blood transfusions
5. Pre-natal education, including various doctors’ research/publications; and the application and importance of homeopathy and acupuncture during gestation of the fetus and for delivery.
Also, I recorded a 45-minute audio tape of Dr. Boni teaching me a rare Masdasnan breathing technique as preparation for, perhaps even more rare, Egyptian Yoga.
In addition, I have video of: an interview with his assistant, Dr. Christina Vittorini (a medical doctor who was his asst.); Kate Vosoff and her baby girl, Nora, in which Kate describes her sessions with Dr. Boni and Christina during her pregnancy; animation artist, Kathy Carol, during an appt. with Dr. Boni to discuss how her pregnancy was going and how he might help her.
The Backstory…
In Maremma, Italy, in March 2006, I was on my first vacation in 5 years, to take the healing waters of Saturnia. In search of a WWF orchid/bird sanctuary, I entered a tourist office in a very tiny village, set in an Etruscan ruin atop the highest point in Maremma. The sanctuary was closed due to “bird flu” but, somehow, I found myself telling the tourist guy (who actually spoke a little English) “Look, I’m an American and vegetarian; and at the b&b the fare is bread and cheese and cheese and bread and bread and cheese and torte. I simply cannot eat one more meal of bread and cheese. I know it’s out of season now but If I don’t have a salad soon, I might die and, also, I can’t wait until 7 p.m. for a restaurant to open.”
He made a call and delivered me to a not-quite-open restaurant where I met the owner/chef, Maria Pena, a vivacious, friendly, 40-something beautiful woman. She spoke no English, I no Italian, but somehow we talked. She fed me salad and soup and, turns out, she owns a vegetarian restaurant in Rome (in itself quite a phenomenon). As I was leaving, she brought out a bottle of herbal remedy, Biancospino, which name I didn’t recognize. She kept saying it, over and over, and saying it was for the heart and the heart chakra. I said, “Oh, Crataegus!”. She said “No, no, Biancospino!”. But then she retrieved the box from kitchen and said, “Oh, Yes, Homeopatica is Crataegus! Here. You should take some now. For your heart. It’s very good for you. . . to open your heart. You can buy it at farmacia.” (Well she said it all in Italian but you get the drift).
Time collapsed. Crataegus was the very first remedy Dr. Boni gave me during my first office visit with him when I was 26. After he checked my pulses, he said, “Your heart needs strengthening. This is your remedy.” I had been surprised, at age 26, to hear that.
So, I’m in the empty restaurant with Maria Pena, awash with: I am in Italy and Teresa had moved back to Umbria – Gianni is buried there. They were from Rome and I’d flown into Rome. And here I am on this mountaintop being drawn into that memory, those times, that remedy – I could probably see Umbria from there, etc. Why hadn’t I thought of Gianni and Teresa before I came and brought along an address and phone no? And what’s with this Maria Pena woman and the remedy????
Through Divine Providence and THE GUY from the tourist office, Andrea, I returned to Italy 6 mos. later and tried to contact Maria Teresa. I had the wrong number for her, apparently she was unlisted; I couldn’t find anyone in the States who had a contact number for her. I had lost track of everyone connected with her. I had injured my lower back and was wearing a TENS unit for pain so I couldn’t carry video equipment from the states and the long drive to Umbria was not an option. However, Andrea – get this – turned out to be a videographer and owns equipment and we shot video – me hiking up to the highest point in Maremma, talking about the journey, the dreams, the teachings, the questions. Video of me walking through Etruscan ruins, etc. There is some very nice shadow on land, spiral stone work, ruins. etc. Bizarrely, I found his shooting style was similar to some of my own, even before I gave him any direction. And we were perfectly in sync. And, in spite of back pain, at times, I laughed harder than I ever had in my life. And my heart was open again. I was refreshed and renewed – resurrected from the stranglehold of ageism in NY; in the States (or perhaps just in my closed mind and heart).
After returning to New York, I tried, off-and-on for months, to find Teresa. Very frustrating. I started thinking, maybe the video doesn’t include her. Maybe she’s gone already. Oh God, how will I do this? Why did I wait so long?
Middle of the night Dream 3/20/07:
The place was large and light and stone, marble and wood with ceiling high windows and skylights, minimally but elegantly furnished.
Gianni and Maria Teresa were there – it was their home. I didn’t know what year it was but I thought it was before he had his first heart attack. They were happy to see me. I had found my way to them via time travel.
They were moving around, doing things. We weren’t just sitting. I don’t recall what Gianni was talking to me about but I interrupted him to say that I wasn’t just visiting – that it’s urgent and I had come back through time and that it was now 2008 (in reality it is now 2007). Dr. B. was fascinated (Ah!, he exclaimed) and found it very exciting. He asked “Are we still alive in 2008?” I didn’t know how to tell him that he is not. I looked at Teresa and said, “You are. You’ve moved back to Italy and are living in Umbria, not far from Rome, in a town called, Castella. . . .uh Castella . . something del . del. . .” Gianni filled in, “Ah! Castiglione del Lago!” “Yes, that’s it”, I confirmed. “I’ve been trying and trying to reach you but the phone number doesn’t work any more and I need to find you to interview you and get video of you and follow up information.” She didn’t reply. She seemed sad to realize that Gianni wouldn’t be with her there. She moved away, perhaps to another room. Gianni didn’t seem upset at all. He only said very happily and pleasantly, “I think that would be a wonderful place to live – to be that close to the children and yet to be above Rome and away from all the trouble and noise there.” At that moment, I felt as if my journey to them was partially to advise her to be there, in that town. But I still didn’t know how to reach her and I wanted to ask him what to do.
“Fascinating!” Gianni continued, “Tell me, what technique did you use to travel here?” I started telling him that I wasn’t sure how I had done it and that I was slipping away now and still had so much to ask him. I was trying so hard to stay there – to hold on to it (and to let it be by not trying too hard to hold on). I realized I was half awake and half asleep and that it was through dreaming that I had reached them. 3/21/07 (The next day) I’m working at my desk and suddenly remember Norma Gremore, a mutual friend of the Boni’s and mine and another student of Gianni’s. I haven’t heard from her in 20 years. I call Albuquerque information. She’s no longer listed. I Googled her name. She’s married now and changed her name but there’s a reference to a Norma Gremore Curry in Cincinnati. I call information, get the number; call it. She answers. She’s thrilled to hear from me and fills in some information. And she tells me the town in Montana where Teresa’s son, Franco, lives. I call Franco. He’s thrilled to hear from me. He fills in loads of information and gives me Teresa’s phone number. Next day, I call Teresa. She’s delighted. She sounds as vital and joyful as ever.
I tell her about the dream. She says, “You’ve exactly described the house I’m living in now”. I met with Teresa in L.A., early June, ’07, where she was visiting. She is more beautiful than ever; mid 80’s and stunning. Her eyes and skin are clear and bright and she retains a commanding presence; a wonderful, living embodiment of dedication to spiritual/physical disciplines.
Now:
We shot real time interviews with Gianni and others: Christina, who was a physician and his asst.; Kate Vosoff and her daughter, Nora; Animation artist, Kathy Carol, during an appt. with him to discuss how her pregnancy was going and how he might help her.
Research and inquiries are required to learn who else might have significant stories or input and whether or not they’re interested.
How many/how much of the above stories will be told/depicted is, as yet, undecided. What degree of dreamscape, mysticism, digital effects, etc. will be employed is to be determined at a later stage.
Whatever the ultimate shape, the final product will present extraordinary intuitions which I experienced with my mentor and his group. These experiences shaped how I am. When one is allowing oneself to be touched, however one is impacted, there’s a push to create something – to bring something forth to share.
The recent synchronistic events brought about the reminder of how much I was helped by the dedication of someone who was not satisfied with the status quo of his time. He constantly looked for ways to improve the health and well being of those he worked with. It wasn’t enough until he found a solution. He kept digging deeper.
This work is timely and ready to go forth. Events and people are falling into play and into place.
Contact/Contribute
If you would like to contribute to this project which aims to explore, illuminate and preserve Dr. Boni’s teachings, donations will be gratefully accepted. We accept Paypal or if you prefer to write a check or make in-kind donations such as air miles, editing facilities, etc., please email Aysha for details.
You can contact Aysha Quinn by email at info@ayshaquinn.com
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