A-Ma Alchemy of Love or Playing the Glass Bead Game with Pythagoras (AoL Mindfulness #1) 

For Further Info and Reviews chech https://amabook.yolasite.com 
Join this mystical journey of Portuguese settlers to Macao, Jesuit Priests, Dutch traders, Chinese governors, artists, set in the Age of Enlightenment during the Dutch attack to Macao in 1622.
Sunday Times Book Review/Author Interview "A Beautiful Mind" by Ana Matkova says:

"Seated on a panel with her fellow writers, Maltese-Serbian novelist Nataša Pantović has been known to use slam poetry to perform her poetic body of work. Like her prose, the improvised words, tribal music, percussionist sounds, lengthy ‘aum’ chanting, are neither too preposterous nor too earnest but endlessly curious. A bridge builder between East and West, following ancient archaeological findings, she often dives into historic settings more than 2,000 years back in time.

In her novel, Ama: Playing the Glass Bead Game with Pythagoras, the 52-year-old author makes a bold swerve into less-travelled territory. She chooses for her protagonists Ama, an African priestess, living in China’s Macao in the 17th century; Ruben, a Portuguese Jesuit priest; and Fr Benedict, an Orthodox Christian.

The book explores the rapidly-growing Macao, its changing sights, sounds and smells from different perspectives, from that of a bat to a goddess to a spirit. Its miracle and its enigma are within the worlds of inner alchemy of the Age of Enlightenment.

Can you tell us about Ama: Playing the Glass Bead Game with Pythagoras?

Both Hesse and Tolstoy were my first spiritual gurus. Through their deep insights and soulful messages, for the first time I experienced the world of spiritual growth and deep contemplation. Many artists have inspired my writings, the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Lao Tzu and Giordano Bruno. Pythagoras lived on the crossroads of civilisations, as I see us, and he has given us his fascinating research into music and numbers. With my deep respect towards ancient worlds, Pythagoras with his ancient Egyptian mystical knowledge had to be my protagonist.

In your novel, you follow the famous reform of the Chinese calendar during the 17th century. Can you tell us about your research?

I started writing this as a 17th-century novel. In this novel, it was easy to write from the point of view of the main character, a priest or Ama’s mother or a man without a name or a goddess, Lilith. Holding up a mirror to society of ancient worlds can be fanatical or too obvious within the storytelling environment, so I had to break the rhythm with myths, with art, with dreams I wanted to bring in the many first-person singular voices, starting with an animal ‒ a bat, as a story-teller, moving to Pythagoras, to people who meet Ama within the setting of her coffee house. This narrative framework is 50 per cent inspired by the ‘yin’ mindset; dreamy and emotional, and 50% factual, male and mind-driven.

What is it within this black main character that fascinates you so much?

Ama lived with me for 10 years before I knew I would adopt two kids from Ethiopia, yet Ama as the main protagonist of the story has decided to be black.

Was Athens black at the time of the ancient Greeks or was it full of Slavs that during the Dark Ages were not allowed to have their own European history? All my characters do have strong political, ideological and moral commitments, their ideas are ground-breaking; it is a science against the Church, male against female, East against West conversation.

Holding up a mirror to society of ancient worlds can be fanatical or too obvious within the storytelling environment, so I had to break the rhythm with myths, with art, with dreams. This novel is, of course, about the search for truth, but from the goddess perspective, about love and union, of the priestesses that have given us the first commandment “Do not kill".”

Sunday Times Interview with Natasa Pantovic Review of Historical Fiction Book Ama Alchemy of Love

Sunday Times Culture Art Section Interview with Natasa Pantovic, 5 Star Review of Historical Fiction Ama Alchemy of Love set in Age of Enlightenment

All my characters do have strong political, ideological and moral commitments, their ideas are ground-breaking; it is a science against the Church, male against female, East against West conversation.

Holding up a mirror to society of ancient worlds can be fanatical or too obvious within the storytelling environment, so I had to break the rhythm with myths, with art, with dreams.

This novel is, of course, about the search for truth, but from the goddess perspective, about love and union, of the priestesses that have given us the first commandment “Do not kill...”

In this novel you explore the Age of Enlightenment, and ‘Western’ ancient Greek philosophers. Can you talk about your use of the Eastern concept of ‘mindfulness’ in this context?

There are a number of ‘instant happiness’ gurus out there, I do not believe in a ‘get rich in a day’ message, but I do believe that if we learn how to listen to our soul, we will be able to live our highest potential.

We live in a rapidly changing world. When I was born in Belgrade in 1968, at the time of no TV or internet, the population on the planet was three billion. Now they say it is seven billion.

The changes I have seen during my lifetime are huge. Emotionally, mentally and physically, we have to adopt different behaviour patterns, not just to survive, but to thrive without abusing other social groups or animals or endangering planet Earth.

The next stage, the stage of cultural life, is beyond the knowledge of more than 90 per cent of the population.

Having a percentage of the population that neither collects objects nor watches TV, nor reads newspapers, that is still capable of thinking, un-hypnotised, to appreciate art, or dance or sing, and is able to think creatively, is a part of my research fascination.

Ama DeNobille Fiction book Ama Alchemy of Love historical set in Macao China Age of Enlightenment

Ama De-Nobille Fiction Character living in China Macao at the Age of Enlightenment

China, at the Age of Enlightenment, was the cultural, political or economic center of the world. In response to the British request to recognize Macartney as official ambassador, the Emperor wrote:: "The Celestial Empire, ruling all within the four seas, simply concentrates on carrying out the affairs of Government properly... We have never valued ingenious articles, nor do we have the slightest need of your country's manufactures, therefore O King, as regards to your request to send someone to remain at the capital, which it is not in harmony with the regulations of the Celestial Empire – we also feel very much that it is of no advantage to your country." In the late Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a belief in Chinese cultural circles that knowledge entering China from the West had already existed in China in the past. China was "all under heaven" and the philosophers have considered it "the civilized world".

Ottavio de Nobille Ama's father Portuguese alchemist philosopher of Renaissance Age of Enlightenment

Ottavio de Nobille (1572 - 1641), Ama's father, was a Portuguese physician, alchemist, theologian, and philosopher of the Renaissance's Age of Enlightenment.

A fiction character, a pioneer in several aspects of the "alchemy" of the Renaissance, was deeply influenced by Leonard da Vinci, and Giordano Bruno. Born in Lisbon, Most of the Portuguese expeditions of the Age of Discovery left Lisbon during the period from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. During this time 3,000 Jews were massacred in Lisbon. He attempted to publish an extended treatise on "alchemy", but its publication was prohibited. Now married to Ama's mother, a Kenyan Queen, who he saved from slavery, he attempted the journey across the Ocean, to China, ending his voyage in Macao. The Battle of Macau in 1622 was a conflict of the Dutch – Portuguese War. The Portuguese, outnumbered and without adequate fortification, managed to repel the Dutch. Ottavio's Alchemia magna was completed in 1607, but published only in 1631 in the publishing press of Macao that he co-financed. It is a treatise on alchemy, and magic. The owner of the coffee shop "Ole".

best books Goodreads list historical fiction Ama Alchemy of Love by Natasa Pantovic set in Macao

A-Ma Voted Best Historical Fiction Book by Goodreads Users in Alchemy / Goddess Novel Lists

A-Ma voted as best Historical Fiction by Goodreads users in the Lists: Goddess books, The Path of the Divine Feminine, researching Macao, ancient China and Alchemy during the Age of Enlightenment, Best Alchemy Books as voted by new readers.

Malta Today Interview with Natasa Pantovic Maltese Serbian Novelist Author of Ama Alchemy of Love

Malta Today Q&A Interview with Natasa Pantovic

Nataša Pantović is a Maltese-Serbian novelist, management consultant, adoptive parent, and ‘ancient worlds explorer’ based in Malta.

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Meditate in an attempt to recall my dreams. A dream diary is the most beautiful technique I’ve learned from Jung – he understood dreams to be messages from the unconscious, and through his own self-analysis, containing imagery that illustrates our internal soul “messaging” system.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

My dad, who had a PhD in law, used to discuss ancient philosophers with me, introducing me to Aristotle’s ‘eudaimonia’ - the “long-term happiness” that achieved throughout a lifetime when human beings achieve health, wealth, knowledge, friends and this in turn leads to the perfection of human nature...

Ponto Final Macau Interview

“A-Ma: Alchemy of Love”, uma narrativa passada em Macau sobre “a busca pela verdade”

“A-Ma: Alchemy of Love”, um livro cuja acção se passa na Macau do século XVII. Agora, em entrevista ao jornal Times of Malta, a autora, Nataša Pantović, explica que o romance “é sobre a busca pela verdade”. A história tem como protagonista Ama, uma sacerdotisa africana.

Nataša Pantović escolheu como cenário para “A-Ma: Alchemy of Love” a Macau do século XVII e colocou como protagonistas Ama, uma sacerdotisa africana a morar na região, Ruben, um padre jesuíta português e Benedito, um cristão ortodoxo. Ama reunia artistas, pregadores, padres e filósofos de todo o mundo, dentro dos cenários mágicos do seu café. O livro explora o crescimento rápido de Macau, quer nos horizontes das cidades, quer nas mudanças socioeconómicas.

Retratando a vida na Europa e em Macau no século XVII, a obra é vista como uma fábula histórica e dos hábitos e costumes dos chineses e dos portugueses que viviam em Macau. O livro tem 12 capítulos e Nataša Pantović coloca Deus e outros espíritos a narrar a acção.

A autora do livro, que foi publicado originalmente em 2016, deu agora uma entrevista ao jornal maltês Times of Malta, onde explicou que o romance foi escrito “do ponto de vista da personagem principal, Ama”.

“Todas as minhas personagens têm fortes compromissos políticos, ideológicos e morais, as suas ideias são inovadoras, é uma ciência contra a Igreja, homem contra mulher, uma conversa do Oriente com o Ocidente”, explicou a escritora com ascendência maltesa e sérvia. Neste caso, o tema central é “a busca pela verdade”.

A filosofia da Grécia antiga também é abordada neste livro. Questionada sobre as influências filosóficas, a autora respondeu apenas: “As mudanças que presenciei durante a minha vida foram enormes. Emocionalmente, mentalmente e fisicamente, temos de adoptar diferentes padrões de comportamento, não apenas sobreviver, mas prosperar sem abusar dos outros grupos sociais ou animais ou colocar o planeta Terra em perigo”.

“O facto de haver uma percentagem da população que não vê televisão, não lê jornais e que ainda é capaz de pensar, de apreciar arte ou dançar e cantar, e é capaz de pensar de forma criativa, faz parte do fascínio pela minha investigação”, atirou a autora.

A autora vê Hermann Hesse e Leo Tolstoy como os seus primeiros “guias espirituais”: “Através das suas percepções profundas e mensagens emocionantes, pela primeira vez experimentei o mundo do crescimento espiritual e contemplação profunda”. A escritora diz ter sido influenciada por outros artistas, e destaca Leonardo da Vinci, Lao Tzu e Giordano Bruno.

 

Make a free website with Yola