Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House Tepoztlan
09.31
Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House, Tepoztlan, Cuernavaca, México.
Rising at 06.00, on local time at last.
Morning Sitting at 07.15.
Breakfast at 08.00. Many explosions from the surrounding area generated much conversation. Perhaps these are the works of a dog-sacrificing cult, worshipping Old Gods of the sacred mountain, acting within the forms of conventional Christian celebration?
Talking then re-directed towards comments, observations, reports, noticings and Points of Seeing.
Meeting with the North American Federation of Guitar Circles Quorum at 09.00.
Reports on, from and to members of the NAFGC:
We like this house.
It would be a good location for a longer course.
Sandra left for an 09.30 Alexander Meeting with the House Team.
11.58 Guitar Meeting with the Intro Team at 10.00.
Becoming present.
Distribution of Procession chords around the Circle. These are particular three-note voicings in D natural minor (one flat).
Queens Vicious Three and One were moved into the two pole positions, at the head and tail of the Circle; Vicious Queen Two into the middle seat, where the process weakens and becomes vulnerable.
Various distributions among five groups of the 28 guitars, and a short break 10.55-11.15 for the groups to refine their parts.
Returning to the Circle: the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Assumptions For Work In The Circle were presented, these following the first Four Assumptions introduced yesterday. Mention was also made of the Eight Assumption: the Assumption Of Virtue.
Into The Paradise Garden.
Then, moving around the Circle, Procession chords ascending stepwise to the left, chair by chair. As the sounds of these clusters began to fill the space, perhaps ten chairs along, something changed; as if the space opened. The chords unfolded slowly, but the process held and continued to unfold. Chords ringing out from all the seats of the Circle, Queen Vicious Three led the Procession Into The Paradise Garden and around the cloisters.
I was standing outside the ballroom at the edge of the garden, profoundly moved, as the Procession continued on its way. The words sprung to mind, as if speaking to me of and from themselves: That this might move outwards into the world and heal its grieving heart.
Queen Vicious Three brought the Team back into the ballroom, although I found myself hoping the Procession would continue for another circuit of the cloisters. An interesting return to the seats, in keeping with the Rules Of Movement within the Circle, although one I have not seen before: spontaneously adopted by a person whose familiarity with the workings of the Circle began on this course.
A powerful event, one that may even redirect the course of lives.
These definitions of
Procession refer to different levels at which processing takes place:
the act of proceeding in a regular formation
a group of people or things moving forwards in an orderly, regular, or ceremonial manner;
a hymn, litany, etc sung in a procession;
Christianity: the emanation of the Holy Spirit
There is another definition / description, of where the initiative is taken by the laity as an affirmation of their faith (I note, beliefs are many, Faith is one).
12.21 The NAFGC Quorum member who had been standing next to me on the edge of the Paradise Garden, with tears flowing, has just visited.
This can end wars.
We need to get on this straight away!
I saw lives change.
I…
II...
III...
IV...
15.59 T’ai Chi at 12.30.
Lunch at 13.00.
Comments invited. Mostly good, with one person wittering on about the Procession, but not quite addressing what had been available.
A good comment from Queen Vicious Three, who was at the head of the Procession.
Chris: One step into the garden and I felt alive.
Tom noted the distance between the Circle on the first morning and today. Who would have believed this possible?
Tom and myself shared a Point Of Seeing. As no-one else referred to this, so we refrained from speaking of it.
Sandra commented on the Procession as if moving through the Garden of Eden.
Calling our afternoon’s work. The Intro Team act from their own initiative at 15.00.
Meeting with Luciano immediately after lunch, including a report on the Circles in Argentina. Luciano shared the same processional Point Of Seeing as Tom and myself, expressed slightly differently but essentially the same.
16.35 Tea at 16.00 with good comments on the Hour of Initiative:
respect;
listening;
honouring the role;
improvements.
18.31 Alexander with Sandra, Rodrigo and Erin at 17.00: walking and breathing. Wow! That’s quite a concept. Superb.
18.34 More explosions, more dogs being sacrificed to the Spirit of the mountain.
19.59 Dinner at 19.00.
22.13 Meeting at 21.15 in The Room Next Door with four small groups, self-selecting from the Intro Team, and nominally at 15-minute intervals. Rough going.
Into the Ballroom for House Of Guitars at 21.30.
In two Circles, Inner and Outer. The set-up of the chairs was a mess. These had to be re-organised before the meeting could get underway, but after the Team had already sat down. The person responsible for putting-out the chairs entered the Circle and moved to the right! The Rules Of Motion within the Circle allow for messy situations such as this, proscribing movement to the left. With the seats in place…
Passing notes with down and up beats: failed.
Passing notes in 5/8, on 1 and 4: failed.
One member of the Circle arrived c. 25 minutes late.
Rough.
Putting Queens Vicious in pole positions for a Whizz Circle, which didn’t take off, although there was a hint of lift-off at one point.
The Circle felt tired, with little volitional attention available after a long, good day.
This morning: an example, taste and promise of what is possible; sometimes even actual.
This evening: a reminder of what low might be.
The first, of what is possible with Help.
The second, of what happens when we are (or as if we are) left to act from ourselves, from our own capacity.
