Manuela Maletta; Artist, Meditator, Founder of SanghaWomen - February Edition

Manuela Maletta is an italian actress based in London. Mother of 3 gorgeous souls, behavioural psychologist, philosopher, artist, Waldorf Steiner education activist and Founder of SanghaWomen: an holistic project aiming to uplift women lives and their full potential. She is such a strong warrior and if I were to describe her in an archetypal way, I would say she is a pure transformative Goddess. She lives fully, loves fully, works passionately, nothing scares her, she fights her battles with integrity and reminds me with her everyday choices of the inner source of power we all have even in the most difficult circumstances. She is the one that would stand up to remind all women to keep going with intense desire, passion and courage. Here a bit of her life:

1. Tell us 3 things about you?

1. I act as a job 2. I meditate as a philosophy 3. I love life .

2. How do Sangha Women happen to you? Tell us about it and what you want to offer through it…

Sangha Women emerges from the realisation that Women in 2017 are still condemned by patriarchy, an experience that touched and still touches me deeply and directly. A lot of work has to be done in terms of defining what “Women empowerment" is about. When we Women ask for Equality, which is an essential and indisputable request, but try to adapt to a patriarchy-led world, we are engaging in a pervert game that is not healthy, neither for women, nor for men. And it’s the opposite of "Women empowerment" really. Sangha Women offers inspiration, ideas and practices to develop the sacred and powerful feminine aspect of our being human, embodied throughout different traditions by the “Dark” Goddesses Kali or Magdalene. The project is still newborn, a lot of work has to be done but I’m confident we’ll have time and energies to make it grow with time. And, with my great surprise, there are a lot of men following the project, which is a confirmation of the fact that the feminine aspect of our souls is beyond the gender debate. Let’s call it Sangha Wo-men, to be fair though!

3. Tell us about your meditation practice…

This is where my deepest love and passion resides…I meditate and chant every morning and every night. It’ s a routine, like having breakfast or supper, like sleeping. It’s a beautiful way of living. When I was in University studying for my Philosophy degree, I couldn’t bear the fact that all that knowledge didn’t actually help people living a better life. And I decided to label as "good philosophies” the ones that have an actual positive impact on people’s lives. Meditation is the practical side of my Philosophy.

4. What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream is half way accomplished! It is living in an inner state of peace and bliss, no matter the circumstances, and, through this, making the world a better place. My inner peace is secured, changing the world is on its way...

5. What feels like love to you?

Love to me is that same state of inner peace and bliss I was telling you before. When this state expands from within to the world, to other people, to a partner, it’s a solid foundation. From that place there are no issues that can’t be tackled, because true love always wins and just can’t die: it’s a powerful energy and energy, as we know from Science, never dies. There is a lot of misunderstanding in our society about it. There is a lot of confusion since the roots of Western culture and philosophy. I hope education will bring some clarity in young people’s minds at some point.

6. Share with us why Steiner Education?

I believe Steiner education is the future really. All the teachers do their job as a mission, do substantial daily spiritual practice on themselves (as Thich Naht Hahn says: "happy teachers will change the world”) and look at the children as spiritual beings in the first place. Consequently, the children start seeing themselves as spiritual beings and see the world with “spiritual glasses”- which is exactly what our world desperately needs- but respecting at the same time the curriculum offered by any other school, only choosing a different path: the path of art. As an artist and philosopher myself, I can only agree and wish that all the parents can be brave enough to make this fantastic choice, beyond any social conditioning. The change we hope for starts with education.

7. The best advice you had ever been given.

"Trust what you feel”.