St George's Cabin

06.40

St. George’s Cabin.

A good night’s sleep.

Morning Sitting at 07.15.

09.12    Raining on the way to the Chapel for the sitting.

Breakfast at 08.00.

Words presented on quiet journeying: talking is expensive.

Our Kitchen Co-Ordinator remarked on a violation of the kitchen rules. This has repercussions that spread out into the course. The gist was this: any action with care may honour the sacred. Any careless action, particularly when we know better, spoils something available & precious, but delicate.

Words from Curt.
The noise last night at the end of the House of Guitars.
Thinking on our feet is necessary today.

A question from one of the Orchestra: how to move from visual cues when Curt can’t be seen? The principle is: move with the group. So, rather than direct our attention towards the mechanics of visual contact with one person, even the principal or section leader, we develop a sense of the group as a whole; this in the knowledge that the group is one person in many bodies. So, while we address the mechanics of the situation & the event, which is necessary, this is not the focus of our attention. When we work with others in service of a common aim, at a certain point, we are the same person: this is the focus of our attention.

A practical example from my own experience, in a professional musical context… Seeing myself looking out through the eyes of a particular group member, watching the movement of their hands & experiencing their experiencing; and recognizing their personal Blind Spot (which was what I had believed it to be). This, in a flash; but a Point Of Seeing is not into the functional world, where time is one thing after another. There is something creative involved in a Point Of Seeing, and in the creative world, creative time is of an entirely different order. A creative insight moves into our consciousness, and continues resonating.

Words of utility & necessity were then spoken.

On the board I…



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Morning views I…



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09.44    St. George stands watch over this cabin (and much more besides) I…



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The sword is a great idea, George, but given the noticeable lack of dragons around here, good insulation & a working heater would be a lot more welcome. On the other hand, if the dragon was one of the fire-breathing variety, we could put it to good use. So maybe the sword is the right way to go after all.

In such simple ways, with our attention fixed on small & subjective concerns, do we undermine the work of the Saints, acting in our best & larger interests.

13.53    A gentle preparatory morning; with one or two possible strategies presenting themselves.

A personal meeting came to the door while I was dripping wet from the shower, bearing an authentic concern to be discussed. This person has considerable responsibilities to the course, and is being undermined by cluelessnesses.

A quiet lunch at 13.00. A sense of the beginning-performance presented itself.

The Six Principles, plus the invisible Seventh, were declared. Practicalities, utilities & necessities called.

Guitar cases are currently being marked to identify their player. The advance party leaves soon, the main Performance Team to gather by the vehicles at 15.30 for a 15.45 departure to Fremont Abbey.

Greyness. Wetness. Raft Island.

15.12    The Group Exercise is underway. Practising now done, to change into performance clothes. Transporter call for 15.30.

23.29    Into the Transporters I…



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… and on the road I…



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… to Fremont Abbey & sound check I…



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While engaged in personal collecting & centering guitar-practicing, following the sound check, a hovering and waiting-to-pounceness from one of the clueless members of the Team began to impinge upon my presence. This is commonplace in dealing with innocent audients who acquire consumer rights when parted from their hard-earned pay. They have the right to suck & disturb even when they know they shouldn’t! But they just couldn’t help themselves! But in a member of the Team this is dangerous: they act within the defined, protected & held space; which is sacred.

Pre-performance I...



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In the Basement…



Frank & Sandra Alexanderising I…



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Onstage punctually at 20.15, an Inner Circle of 12 guitars & an Outer Circle of 28, to a well-attended house I…



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Into whizz mode I…



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TTA encore…


… joined by RF for Eye Of The Needle…



The performance of The OCG II…

The beginning Invocation by the Orchestra was unfamiliar to most of those present.

The first Call: Mother! Help! What am I doing here? This might have been rendered: Holy Mother of God! Grant me the clarity to see what is required of me, the courage to accept what is required of me, and the capacity to discharge what is required of me, subject to thy Will & Grace. But this is not an appeal that falls easily on contemporary ears & was presented instead in the vernacular. An added resonance to the Call: Co-Leader of TTA Jaxie’s Mother was in the audience, sitting with Father & two daughters.

The second Call: So what do you understand by the word Music?
The third Call, directed to Mr. It-Took-Him-Twenty-Years-To-Get-Here: Solo!

The fourth Call: Tuning The Air - will you please play a sensible tune.
This was Kashmir, the finest performance by TTA I have witnessed.

At c. 15 minutes into the performance, the fifth Call: So, who do they think they are?
Alexander work on the Outer Circle by Frank & Sandra, in polar positions, was now underway.

The sixth Call: When ready, please - Rhythm!
The seventh Call, by Curt, leader of TTA: Brazil.

At c. 29 minutes, the eighth Call: May we have another proper tune from TTA.
This, a superb rendition from Shostakovitch.

The ninth Call, directed to Mr. Gnarly: Solo!
Support was provided by The Orchestra.

The tenth Call: Now that’s a strange thing to play. (Nothing).
The eleventh Call: Now that’s a very strange thing to play.

The twelfth call: Tuning The Air.
Beginning at c. 45 minutes, an improv into a repertoire piece.

The thirteenth Call, at. C. 50 minutes: Will you please move to Whizz Formation.
With the Formation in place, form (3 whizzes by Group One, 3 whizzes by Group Two & 4 whizzes by the Full Circle) & displacements (90 degrees to the left at the end of each sequence) were called.
The Whizz moved to take off velocity, the set ending at c. 57 minutes.

Encores were demanded. The first encore, at c. one hour: a TTA piece that wasn’t of sufficient gravity to bear the moment. Followed immediately by Eye Of The Needle joined by RF, with the additional exercise shown this week.
Ending c. 1’08”.

A second encore was demanded & TTA played THRAK.

Afterwards, sandwiches for the Team downstairs, a space where a visitor visited, although perhaps uninvited. A little mingling with pals in the audience, including Brother Steve Ball.

Leaving Fremont Abbey c. 22.05 & returning to Raft Island…



… just back in the first car.