In AUGUST 2016 – My venture into the world of stone balancing was born out of curiosity about those who mastered this art. Yet, I believe it all begins before one becomes aware of their interest in something that captivates them. I pondered, “If others can do it, why can’t I give it a try?”
Even today, when I admire those accomplishing extraordinary feats, I ask myself the same question. A warm summer sunset in the southern Salento, on the low cliffs facing the sea, a group of friends, and the inevitable mix of drinks and food triggered what happened next.
During one of my moments of detachment, observing the surrounding stones, I felt the urge to stack some. However, the fear of judgment crept in: “What if they fall, and I make a fool of myself?” I found myself ignoring the voice urging me to stay still. In the dim light of nearby lampposts, I began grabbing stones, stacking them one after another. With legs spread wide and the fear that a collapse could turn my feet into sacrificial victims, I delicately placed the last stone on top. Gently, I let its weight release onto the rest of the structure, forming a stack. There, incredulous, I admired this precarious balance—ten stones in a column. I did it! It can be done! As the wise Dr. Frankenstein said in “Young Frankenstein”: “It’s alive!”
From that moment, my journey among the stones began. I started to understand their physical nature, perceiving the structures as living organisms with which I silently converse. A silence that shuts off the incessant flow of thoughts, allowing me to be solely there, with my hands, my breath, and the sounds of the sea on the cliffs or leaves singing in the wind, and all the other senses our being possesses. In that moment, all thoughts vanish, except for the act of love you give and receive during the operation you’re performing, letting go of everything else, giving and receiving the magical wonder of balance.
