Since our modern culture is building large civilization structures expanding all over the globe, and at the same time ignoring the multidimensionality of the Earth, the life base of the planet is under threat of destruction. This realisation led me to create different methods of protecting and restoring the invisible levels of life which I simply call Earth healing. It is an approach alternative to the scientific ecology, which is taking care only for the material body of the Earth. With methods similar to acupuncture and homeopathy it is possible to intervene with the vital, emotional and spiritual levels of places, cities and landscapes and work on restoring or balancing the subtle levels of life.
My work is consciously based on art as complementary to science. Instead of the head-orientated view of the modern science, I try to promote a heart centred approach to the Earth, nature and the human essence, based on personal experience and transpersonal insights. The knowledge called “geomancy” functions as base for my explorations and for practical work. (See chapter on geomancy!)
Having experience in land-art and other forms of conceptual approach to art, derived from my work with the OHO group (1965-1971), I developed a method of Earth acupuncture that I call “lithopuncture”, plus different methods of Earth healing work that can be done by groups.
Lithopuncture is similar to acupuncture of the human body. Like the human body, the Earth is also a living organism with energy centres and interconnecting veins of energy – which one can understand as acupuncture meridians. By “touching” permanently the acupuncture points of a landscape through stone pillars, it is possible to get some positive and healing effects within the respective environment.
I call this method “lithopuncture” – from “lithos”, Greek for stone, and “punctura”, Latin for a stitch. Lithopuncture basically means positioning stone pillars on acupuncture points of a place or a landscape. The pillars have, as a rule, a pattern – a “cosmogramme” – carved upon their surface, which reflects the spiritual identity of the corresponding site and brings the consciousness level of the place into the work. In urban environments, where a stone pillar would represent an obstacle, a round bronze plate with an engraved sign is laid into the pavement on the site of an acupuncture point.
Lithopuncture and creating cosmogrammes are methods that are not reserved for my work. I teach them and there are artists world-wide who implement these methods of Earth healing and environmental balancing in their work.
I carve lithopuncture pillars together with my wife Marika. Our lithopuncture projects include:
- Lithopuncture of two castle parks in Germany, Türnich (1986-89) and Cappenberg (1988-92)
- Lithopuncture of the territory on both sides of the border between Derry – Northern Ireland and Republics of Ireland in Donegal (Orchard Gallery, Derry, 1991-92)
- Lithopuncture of the castle park Murska Sobota, Slovenia (1993-94)
- Lithopuncture project for Atlantis-Mariposa project, Tenerife, Canarian islands (1994)
- Lithopuncture for the cities of Villach (1995) and Klagenfurt (1998), Austria
- Lithopuncture for Rogner-Hundertwasser Baths in Blumau, Austria (1996-2007)
- “Star of the Alps” Lithopuncture Project, a cross-border project including acupuncture sites in Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Italy (1997)
- Lithopuncture of Circuito das Aguas, Minas Gerais, Brasil (1998)
- Lithopuncture of the Seeland landscape near Bern, Switzerland (1998-99)
- Cross-border lithopuncture project Austria/Slovenia in the south of Carinthia, (1999), contact Galerie Falke Bleiburg/Loibach
- Aachen lithopuncture project, Ludwig Forum Aachen (1999)
- Lithopuncture of the urban ambiences of Bad Radkersburg, Austria (2001) Nova Gorica, Slovenia (2001-02), Quito, Ecuador (2003), St.Veit, Austria (2004), Zagreb, Croatia (2004), Prague (2005-06), Bad Pyrmont, Germany (2006)