Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House Tepoztlan
09.41
Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House, Tepoztlan, Cuernavaca, México.
Waking at 06.14, one minute before the alarm. The practice of putting-attention-on-waking-and-getting-out-of-bed-tomorrow-morning, as part of expanding our present moment of attention to one whole day (advice given to the Intro Team yesterday evening), clearly worked for me this morning.
Morning Sitting: the 60-Point Exercise in the ballroom for all those other than the Intro Team, who were sitting in the Chapel; with Sandra on my right and Luciano on my left. A very different experience to that of yesterday morning.
Breakfast at 08.00.
Superb, rocking performance of Crosstown Traffic led by Leo.
The Intro Team reported they were working until around three this morning. Comments presented on performance conventions, such as pelting the players with fruit and nuts, even pieces of soft fruit.
Table conversation with Dev at the end of the meal.
Personal meetings begin at 10.00: with guitar.
12.11 Personal meetings defined as with guitar: this is a first in several years. Most of the visitors were from the Intro Team here one year ago, and arrived with some experience in the hands.
One important report to all Diary visitors out there in RadioLand and ether-world: here, present on this course, is a simple joy in music and a recognition of music’s transformative and moving power in our lives.
It was, once, even possible to have a conversation with a record company Power Possessor where, as a background to business, it was a given that music had power. This conversation was not possible to hold after c. 1995, a conversation that had become muted, perhaps questionable, from about 1985. Live Aid was about the last gasp in the mainstream department.
From the mid ‘50s and through the ‘60s popular music was a vehicle for a very high level of action that manifested itself, and made itself felt, in ordinary people’s lives IMO. Today, it’s business. And it’s a business where the business model doesn’t include the musician. Spotify, GooTube, streaming – come on! Own up time. GooTube and streaming are well established, and Spotify is working hard to become accepted within the industry, and may well. So, none of these primary music-providers intend an equitable income-distribution to support the musicians whose work is the basis for their operations. The half-arsed slow-drip of dimes does not equate to remuneration.
I do not engage with the act of music to earn a living, although for decades I have taken part in musical performance in contexts mediated by the industry and within the marketplace. Which is a very good job (ie not a very good job). Because if I were beginning today, I would not be beginning as a professional musician. Manager maybe, estate agent more likely, and semi-pro a good option.
As a (what is conventionally regarded as) successful professional musician, between 1991 and 2014 I have been actively involved in dispute and litigation in order to get paid what was (mostly agreed as being) owed. The music industry is only one corporatized-industry where people are not taken into account, other than the people who run the corporations. Hey! And I’m a-political, brought up in trade to sell houses. I don’t shrink from engaging in business. But I am appalled by what I see and know in my industry.
Here, I am with people who are moved by music. Their skill-set is, mostly, limited. And it doesn’t matter! They engage with music, with open hearts and open ears, accepting of their chums, including those with less capacity than their own.
13.50 T’ai Chi with Luciano at 12.30.
Lunch at 13.00. A performance by a large ensemble, excellent and well received.
Silence visited.
A question on the 60-Point Exercise. Naming an experiencing beforehand can hinder the direct-experiencing of the experience which the exercise is making available.
Fernando the Provider would be a happier boy than usual if some of the items he is asked to buy in town are closer to necessary than optional.
Work for the afternoon called.
22.45 Kitchen Team with Robert at 15.00: The Guitarist Inside.
Sixty Circulations with the 60 Points.
Strengthening Wish, holding the intention in the head, passing Wish into the note we are moving into and along the Circle.
Into circulating-groups with one, two, three and four notes of choice. Wonderful eruptions.
Tea at 16.00.
Personal meetings from 16.30 to 18.00. All real concerns and arisings.
North American Federation Of Guitar Circles meeting at 18.00.
Reports of seeings and arisings.
Discussing future courses, as well as this course.
Dinner at 19.00 with a performance of Voices Of Ancient Children by a women’s group.
Washing up.
Performance at 21.30 in the Ballroom.
Intro: Welcome Ladies, Gentlemen and Robert.
Some of the pieces were very conceptual.
The audience were awful and misbehaved constantly, but nothing sticky was thrown. Four encores.
