Journalistic Articles

The Gaucho: Soul of the Argentine Pampas

Carmen Maya Posta
Mar 11
2 min read

The gaucho embodies the soul of the Argentine pampas: a free, wild, untamed man who cannot be captured by anything but the passion of love. He roams from taberna to taberna, always on horseback, defying the scorching sun and the pounding rain. Protected by his long poncho, he faces every weather condition with the same unwavering determination, living a life that is both a choice and a destiny.

He tames horses, knowing their tricks, such as inflating their bellies when saddled to loosen the girth later. His bond with the animal is symbiotic, built on mutual respect and silent communication. In the steady rhythm of the ride, he finds a movement that lulls him, carrying him far away, making him feel as if he could travel effortlessly, thoughtlessly, immersed in the boundless vastness of the Argentine pampas.

© Carmen Maya Posta ॐ Elaichi Tales "Folkloric Journeys" — © *Carmen Maya Posta* ॐ *Elaichi Tales* "*Folkloric Journeys*"

In this pampa, impressions are swift and intense but fade away in the wind, dissolving without a trace. Here, under an immense sky studded with stars, nature takes center stage. When the rain falls, it hammers the ground with force, and the gaucho wonders if his poncho will be enough to shield him. Then, when the sun breaks through the clouds, the earth seems reborn, fragrant, charged with new energy. The land listens, the sky expands, the light dances over the hills. And in that instant, the gaucho feels renewed, capable of enduring any trial fate may bring.

He is a born storyteller. The gaucho’s language is a world of its own, rich in expressions that reflect his culture and folklore. He tells stories around the fire, savoring yerba mate in a small gourd adorned with alpaca. He enchants those who listen with tales of adventure, danger, and burning passions. Likewise, he dances the polka, a European legacy that has become Argentine, and in the taverns, he surrenders to the rhythm, the music, the instinct that guides him. Every movement is an expression of his untamed nature, of his desire to live unchained.

A figure that does not bend to the rules of society; on the contrary, he flees from them. A solitary lover of the perpetual journey, he finds his true refuge in the vastness of the fields. His anarchy is lived with ease, an instinctive adherence to absolute freedom, where no bonds exist except those imposed by nature and his fate.

And so, as the wind whispers through the grassy plains and the starry sky watches over his solitude, the gaucho continues his eternal destiny. As Ricardo Güiraldes writes: “Walking, walking, walking.”

Guacho — © *Carmen Maya Posta* ॐ *Elaichi Tales* "*Folkloric Journeys*"

📝 Thank you for reading! I wrote this article in Italian for the newspaper Periodico Italiano Magazine on March 5, 2025, under the title Essenza Argentina. You can also find it on the following platforms, with links to the Spanish and Italian versions on my website:

Explorers of the Earth's Forgotten Depths

Carmen Maya Posta
Feb 24
2 min read

Updated: Feb 28

Human will is activated by fear or desire. These are the two driving forces behind human actions, which we could assign a multitude of synonyms. Each person is thus guided by their aspirations and sentiments toward a particular direction. And so began the history of humankind and the exploration of the caves scattered across our planet.

This ancient relationship has recently gained more recognition thanks to the growing interest in speleology among scientists and the most intrepid curious minds. The very word coined for this discipline originates from the Greek ‘spélaion’ (cave) and ‘lògos’ (discourse), offering us a clue about its scope. Speleology is the science of explorers — those who wish to experiment and document knowledge of the underground world.

Me In a Cave in Sicily — Me descending a cave in Sicily © Marco Vattano

What drives a person to venture into the long caves of ‘living rock’ that resides deep within the Earth?

The idea of descending underground for kilometers and kilometers, or even just for a few hundred meters, may initially provoke fear or rejection. But it is precisely here that a mechanism inside us is activated: the challenge of discovering the unknown.

Some are driven by the desire to explore hidden places and uncover the world beyond the boundaries we’ve grown accustomed to, thus embracing this extraordinary discipline. It’s not so hard to become passionate about it. Others, however, motivated by fears like claustrophobia, choose to face them in an almost unusual way through what could be called ‘shock therapy.’ When we summon the courage to confront the factors that deeply intimidate us, we discover that, in the end, they are not so terrifying after all. The truth is that, once the first step into uncharted cavities is taken, an incredible surge of adrenaline takes over. We feel alive, filled with wonder.

Jo De Waele — Joe De Waele in the Cave of the Three Levels, Etna, Sicily © Carmen Maya Posta

The sight of sparkling minerals in vast karst chambers or the immense volcanic rooms can leave an indelible mark on the memory of anyone brave enough to experience it. These are unique landscapes that have never been seen before. Inevitably, our gaze nourishes itself; our senses settle into an unusual peace, surrounded by the calm and silence these places generously offer.

Moreover, in caves, one never goes alone — safety reasons ensure that. This creates deep bonds, fostering simple yet genuine interactions, as life itself depends on the companions who accompany us. Speleology, thus, becomes a form of ‘personal therapy.’ The exploration shifts from the external world to our ‘inner self,’ evolving into a means of self-affirmation and transcending our limitations, helping us understand ourselves better.

Through this personal willpower, we grow stronger, overcoming even our deepest fears, and fulfilling desires we didn’t even know we had. Perhaps, this is what makes this discipline so fascinating.

📝 Thank you for reading! I originally wrote this article in Italian, for the newspaper “Periodico Italiano Magazine” on July 18, 2024. You can also find it on the following platforms, with links to the English and Spanish versions on my website:

Beyond the Myths: Experiencing India

Carmen Maya Posta
Feb 22
3 min read

When traveling, as in life, we should cultivate the ability to let go of control. To give ourselves the freedom and presence to be, without expectations simply. But it is almost inevitable to form ideas, especially when heading to a place like India. A part of us always creates a mental image, yet we only realize it upon arrival — when we immerse ourselves in the daily life of the place.

India, after China, is the most populous country in the world. The moment you land in New Delhi, you immediately sense this reality. Just to give you an idea: even at four in the morning, the Indian capital feels like Rome during rush hour. A tangled flow of cars — ‘tuk-tuks’ that are called ‘rickshaws’ here — bicycles, and motorcycles; a river of people blending, with humidity thick in the air and the incessant honking of horns, which here serve as a safety measure.

rikshaw — 2023 Rishikesh, India © Carmen Maya Posta

Birds, monkeys, and colorful sarees — a traditional Indian women’s garment — in shades of yellow, red, orange, and gold. The central station bursts with moving colors, inexplicable smells blending, shifting from the pleasant floral scents of incense to unbearable and undefined odors. People running from one side to another, the frenzy, people sleeping on the floor, waiting for their next connection.

Poverty, humidity, and sweat; but at the same time, an inner state of calm, created by the unmistakable feeling of being in the right place at the right time.

This is what you can expect upon first encountering the subcontinent, home to the closest descendants of Lemuria. An ancient lineage that existed over 50,000 years ago.

But our destination is elsewhere: the renowned yoga capital, Rishikesh. The same place where even the Beatles stayed for a long time, making it famous. A five-hour train journey from Delhi to Haridwar. The excitement starts to take over, and suddenly, yes — this feels like “the real India”. During a journey like this, it is essential to maintain a non-judgmental attitude: simply allowing space for passive observation. An authentic gaze upon this world that we have idealized for so long, now unfolding before our eyes. It naturally leads to the thought that, in the cycle of continuous reincarnations, perhaps India is a place we have all passed through — when we were simply “younger souls.”

Here, life is complex in material terms: there is a chronic lack of infrastructure, but also a level of consciousness different from what one might expect. Ah, expectations again. It is easy to assume that everyone in India is deeply spiritual or that this land somehow imbues its inhabitants with the wisdom of those who came before them, sharing great truths recorded in sacred texts. Nothing could be further from reality: as in any place, in India — and Rishikesh in particular — you will find all kinds of people, some aware, some asleep.

But there is an oasis where things take a different form: the ashrams. These are places dedicated to human spiritual evolution through yoga. When you enter these spaces, you leave everything behind. You step into a protective aura created by those capable of dispelling darkness: the guru. The one who helps guide us, showing us a new possible path. You end up profoundly inspired by chants and purifying practices.

When you travel to India, thank yourself for the opportunity to free yourself from the mind’s expectations, allowing yourself to experience the world as it truly is. There is no other way to learn the essence of things, to understand the meaning of life.

Remain silent, observe, and practice yoga. Meditate and surrender to the immense joy that only here, within your inner Self, you will be able to experience — the realization of the Self. You will return home with a deep understanding: the state of the external world does not determine our inner state, but rather the opposite. Because the true journey is, in reality, the one within ourselves.

📝 Thank you for reading! I originally wrote this article in Italian for the newspaper “Laici “on March 28, 2024. You can also find it on the following platforms, with links to the English and Spanish versions on my website: