Monasterio Nuestra Seora De Los
08.39
Monasterio Nuestra Señora De Los Angeles / Monjas Dominicas
Mare de Deu del Roser, 2.
Sant Cugat (08174),
Barcelona.
Rising at 06.40.
Members of the Team were leaving before the Morning Sitting at 07.30. Two Americans were getting into a taxi of the local kind c. 07.15, one returning to Seattle, the other to the East Coast & a meeting of the about-to-be newly-invigorated NY Guitar Circle.
Breakfast at 08.00.
Hernan had 4 hours of sleep last night & 2 personal meetings beginning about now. Coffee ran out on the top table, but I discovered one Happy Gigster’s Emergency Earl Grey Tea Bag in my wheelie for Dr. Mike, who has been suffering the pitiful variety of Earl Grey from Lidl’s, which doesn’t quite qualify as the aristocracy of tea.
Silence walked into the dining room, several times. Were I to have been put on the spot & asked: what is that Silence? I would have replied: Music waiting to be born. But that would be only one aspect of the richness available at breakfast this morning; and whenever Silence jumps in & bites our ass.
I might also have added: Love, trying to give itself away.
08.48 Departures continuing.
09.51 Another taxi has pulled up the hill.
10.16 Empty rooms I…
II…
III...
The board I…
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III...
A SergyMobile call for 10.30.
20.13 Bredonborough.
An on-time departure with Director Nunez & Sergy the Good; actually 1’30” ahead…
… and a straightforward baggage drop.
A coffee with Sergy & Hernan discussing the presence of a small & significant proportion of students, on nearly all GC courses, whose psychological & physical health, often relating to drugs, are a continuing problem. Problem, because a considerable amount of course energy is directed into handling, supporting & containing those who would, in another context, be in rehab, therapy or on professionally supervised medication.
GC is conventionally described as a way of developing three relationships: with the guitar, music & ourself. Working in the Guitar Circle adds a fourth: a way of working with other people. It is not sufficient, at this stage, that someone sitting in the Circle stares at a note moving towards them, slowly, around the Circle, with perhaps 27 chairs’ prior-notice of an about-to-be-becoming note to accept & pass on; be puzzled & surprised when it reaches them; and it is unable to smoothly hit the note. This, even without an instruction as to key (such as C major) or time (perhaps one-, two- or three-four).
Alternatively expressed, for those for whom the simplest basic requirement of entering the Guitar Circle is a level of challenge beyond that to which they may reasonably respond, entering the Guitar Circle is not appropriate.
For some in the GC family, 2 or 3 days of a course’s intense & demanding atmosphere is enough to trip personal fuse-boxes. Conventionally, we have put much energy & attention into support systems & containment; but this is not always possible to the required degree for someone who, properly, needs qualified professional support. There is a cost to the staff, other students & the course itself.
GC is challenging enough for the normal-abnormal. We are not a clinic for those in withdrawal from hard drugs, on medication, or whose brains are fried from years of different forms of substance abuse. Although, I note, we have been a home, family & support system to all of these. But, now it is the moment we hand that responsibility over to appropriate persons & bodies, to those who are properly qualified in these fields; and to those who recognize that this is their vocation, or at least a part of their work in life. Some of these may even have a Guitar Craft background.
Straightforward security clearance & boarding. Then almost 2 hours on the tarmac, the flight crew announcing a passenger not on-board with a loaded bag-in-the-hold.
Landing 90 minutes late to the most packed Terminal 3 Immigration – Customs Hall I have known in 40 years of landing at Terminal Three. Signs announce new, stronger measures in place, and longer times for clearance. Today, I have seen the future of immigration procedures at Heathrow: in a rush hour, they are unworkable.
The KevinMobile was standing by, waiting loyally, and we made good time I…
II...
… arriving in Bredonborough c. 18.10.
The Minx & WillyFred were waiting to greet me…
Yippee!
Tastinesses lovingly obtained by the Minx were served. A walk around the town, now to gentle; albeit with a fierce itching of mosquito bites on the feet.
