Camp Caravan Royalston Massachusetts Rising
09.07
Camp Caravan, Royalston, Massachusetts.
Rising 05.15. The shower does not.
Morning Sitting 07.15.
Breakfast at 08.00 in the Tent. The dining room in the house is small for the number of persons on the course - c .69 - and a tent has been acquired. This is a first. The air changed at 08.25 and Silence visited shortly afterwards.
Q: How long will it take to restore the tent to its beginning condition?
Tom: Five hours!
Patrick: One and a half hours.
The Inaugural Meeting was called for 11.00.
2.52 A quorum-meeting of Special Study Group I at 09.30: five present plus one AAD.
Moving to a meeting of The North American Federation Of Guitar Circles plus guests: eleven present.
Inaugural Meeting at 11.00.
In the Circle: 67. One attendee left last night, one is yet to arrive.
Moving around the Circle stating who we are, where we come from, what brought us here, our aims for the course.
The OCG VII is presenting public performances in Boston, Hadley and NYC.
A few words…
The Orchestra Of Crafty Guitarists VII is going out in public. We are manifesting our work to others; noting that, according to the principle of structure, there are seven levels of manifestation.
On one level, we are addressing three generations:
the young, who are looking for something in keeping with their aspirations towards what is of value. For this generation, we are waving a flag.
We are speaking to the middle-aged, perhaps those who twenty or thirty years ago shared the aspirations of that young generation, and are wondering where these are today. This middle-generation is pressed by two to three decades of earning a living and meeting family responsibilities, of putting their aspirations to the test. For a professional musician of this generation, perhaps they find themselves at a point where they lie with music to earn a living.
We are speaking to the elderly, those who were part of the counter-culture; who knew that music can change the world, even that through the act of listening itself the world might be changed.
In The OCG VII there are also three generations:
those whose first course was earlier this year;
those who have been here since the beginning – the first Guitar Craft course;
those who have been involved for an extended middling-period.
In the early years, the manifesting body was The League Of Crafty Guitarists.
It was asked of the players that there was some proficiency on the guitar.
In The OCG, the primary criterion for participation is presence. This is addressed directly on courses with The Guitarist Inside.
The external skill-level may be nil, but familiarity with the Whizz and the Procession are basic.
But, even without these, participation is available through presence.
In Mexico in February, following The Procession Into The Paradise Garden, Tom told us: We have to take this into war zones! In Mexico, we were already in a war zone. Boston is a war zone. NYC is a war zone. (We are unfamiliar with the situation in Hadley).
So, our work is to heal the world.
But, this is not possible for us to do.
We begin with the possible, and move gradually towards the impossible.
So, what is possible? Perhaps, being present and going out in public.
If we don’t go out in public, nothing will happen.
Personally, during the week before a course I am terrified: I know that what is required of a person in this role is beyond me. But, I also have faith that what is required will be made available.
Similarly with The OCG. We cannot heal the world: this is beyond us. But we may go out with the hope, and for some perhaps the faith, that what is required will be made available.
But, if we don’t go out, nothing will happen.
We do what is possible, and allow space for the impossible to enter.
Three personal aims: to present exercises, and support a body of practice, to become present, rapidly, when entering the Guitar Circle.
That is, to continue with The Guitarist Inside.
The second personal aim: to present development, extrapolation and variations of the First Primary and First Secondary exercises.
That is, to develop The Guitarist Outside.
The third personal aim: as many personal meetings as are necessary to the course.
In addition to the mixed capacity of The OCG, High Fliers will meet to consider how to present pieces to the audiences. Curt is meeting with the High Fliers.
Sandra is meeting with the Mid-Fliers.
Victor volunteered to meet with the Low Fliers.
These at 12.15 after the Inaugural Meeting.
Lunch at 13.15.
Outline for the afternoon called.
Free dispersal from the Circle, the Kitchen Team leaving first.
14.26 Lunch at 13.15.
Invited: comments, reports, observations, Points of Seeing and noticings.
Many good comments.
A Blind Spot recognized, and the suffering that followed.
The categories of High/Mid/Low Fliers considered unhelpful.
No judgment is being offered here, rather external measures of capacity. Eg one assumption of a High Flier is competency to play semiquavers at 126 BPM for ten minutes continuously; a second assumption, familiarity with the repertoire. Assume the virtue! The division between LowF and HighF is fluid, and the middle is in-between.
Reports were presented to the Kitchen Team by those in the different flying-groups.
Two ticks were killed on the top table.
Work for the afternoon called.
18.09 A Buddies’ Meeting at 14.45.
Practicing, and a choice of several instruments.
My own (black) Ovation, recovered after some eleven years of being held for me. Its neck is bowed.
A Beaudoux GC Professional: not my favourite of this line.
So, I do not have a guitar that I want to pick up. There is one that I would: the blonde Ovation from the first years of Guitar Craft, and from which Eye Of The Needle appeared in the Claymont mansion. This went to Victor when his own instrument was crushed on a flight from the US to the UK. Curt has a greater entitlement to use it on this course than I do.
Tea at 16.00.
Conversation with Tom, who admired my tie.
The first two cups of coffee were lukewarm, and the conversation much warmer.
An agreed view on the work of The OCG.
Frank at 17.00 in the Auditorium: The Stick With Two Ends that has many ends. Moving into action, practicing walking while becoming aware of the space around ourselves, while maintaining a sense of presence within.
21.19 Luciano at 18.30 with T’ai Chi.
Dinner at 19.00.
Salad with squerd dressing: a brown, glutinous mass of indeterminable origins, but tasty.
Comments on the various degrees of flying.
May we have the clarity…
Before we move from A to B, better to know we are at A.
Observed over many years: we ascribe to ourselves, and others, the station above where we actually live.
In determining our level of flying, we are asked in part to assess our capacity. We assume the virtue, and nothing is fixed: if we aim a little too high, we re-orient ourselves. Or a little too low. But, we are asked to make an impartial judgment as to our personal capacity.
Choices for this evening.
My own contribution: personal meetings; or presenting the First Secondary Exercise. The consensus opted for the First Secondary.
Comments:
Noting the
Rule Of Seven + or – 2 (
Choices...), there is only so much new information we can take in, at any one time, before our brain pickles. Perhaps we might meet in small groups, so each group can take one variation and absorb it, then show it to their chums.
No words of utility or necessity at the end of the meal (such as inviting volunteers to clean-up the tables and kitchen). One of the aims of The OCG is to examine the self-organising properties of a complex whole. It sees what is necessary, and addresses it.
The First Secondary at 20.10 in four small groups of three, with various others observing.
Then to variations on the First Primary.
Then to developing boogie-variations of the First Secondary with the Master Kabusacki soloing.
22.13 The OCG at 21.30.
One large Circle.
No words were spoken.
A few sounds. Then the Circle began to move. And wonderful things emerged.
C. 30 minutes.
Now, at 03.18 body time, if not dribbling, wilting.
