08.07
A long queue for breakfast outside the door, as usual, although serving has improved. But big excitements: this morning there was hot water in the shower! Not warm-cold water, or very-cold cold water, but very hot water. I used this sparingly, and emerged from the shower grateful.
There is merit, and blessing, and reward for those who undertake necessary work; attenuated to the degree that this work is undertaken in the anticipation of merit, and blessing, and reward.
10.14
The house is cooking. This is the middle. Staff & Buddies' Meeting at 09.00 & the Kitchen Team meeting at 09.30 both reflected this, focusing mainly on practical details such as heating, dining room table arrangement, tea & coffee station, clean-up, washing up. Also, concerns were expressed regarding personal meetings & arising burning issues. My expressed interest was for clarity & definition in the calendar. At the moment, 30 minutes lost in a queue at breakfast equivalates to 3 personal meetings.
The Middle-And-How-To-Get-Out-Of-It was discussed at the Staff Meeting.
Our motives push us as far as the middle of the middle. Our aim pulls us out of the middle. The confusion in the Great Divide may cause us to lose our way, even cause our process to unwind to the extent that we end up back at the beginning. The difficulty is, although our aim attracts us and pulls us towards it, if we are confused we may lose touch with it.
Tony is arpeggiating with a lot of guitars in the ballroom.
14.50
Lots of meetings & good issues, real issues, practical issues.
Good lunch with a strong performance from We're Only In It For The Money (I call them Good Time In Osaka) among others. Several comments from the morning, including on the confusion over personal meeting schedules.
17.37
The first Guitar Craft Lifer meeting was held in the chapel at 16.30 for approx. 50 minutes. Not all the Lifers in the house were present. Perhaps some find the term daunting; perhaps they have not yet recognized themselves.
Very good comments presented by all, very much as in a Quaker meeting. The agreed consensus on "what is a lifer?" (in addition to "you clean toilets") was that "lifer" implies a "substantial & ongoing commitment".
For myself, I mentioned that I am not attached to Guitar Craft.
17.43
There will be a Level Three course this autumn at the Center For Creative Aspiration in Atlanta, Georgia to be directed by Curt Golden.
17.48
Also just on the board:
21.00 Good Time In Osaka vs. The Gauchos in chapel with Robert
21.30 Perky Guitars with Curt & Tony.
20.19
More personal meetings, mainly addressing life issues.
Performances at dinner by The Gauchos, a Kitchen Team ensemble, a solo song, and Joe playing his second solo. For this he was awarded a tasty packet of exceptional tastinesses for his courage in performance. Silence visited for some 30 minutes, which I apologized for interrupting with two announcements --
Not all the lifers in the house were at the Lifers' Meeting;
There will be a Level Three course in Atlanta this autumn for 10-12 weeks for 12-15 people with Curt Golden.
22.32
I had an insight working with the Zum Gauchos Of Osaka regarding the difficulties people experience with their right hands: the small pressure needed for hitting the strings, which is released once the strings are struck, by many students is held for most of the time. Something like, a karate master who chops a block of wood maintaining the specific rigidity necessary for the small moment of impact.
The ballroom was full of Perky Guitars as I walked by.
"When we recognise a fault in others, we recognise a fault in ourselves."
