Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House Tepoztlan
09.02
Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House, Tepoztlan, Cuernavaca, México.
Rising c. 06.00.
To the Chapel c. 07.15 for 07.30: an Introduction To The Practice Of Doing Nothing.
Our late arrival from the US was waiting outside the Dining Room.
Into breakfast at 08.00.
Silence visited. Our new arrival introduced themself, stating where they come from, what brought them here, and aims for the course.
A comment on last night’s sleeping: everything predicted for unfortunate nocturnalities had transpired, even a circulation of snoring.
Work for the morning called.
Morning view I…
II...
III...
12.22 Alexandrians Sandra and Rodrigo with the Beginners in The Room Next Door at 10.00.
Moving to a recapitulation of the Left and Right Hands, the Principles within their functioning, noting recent developments, extrapolations and variations;
and applying the Principle Of Graduating Extension.
In a series of steps, this became a figure in 7/4 on three strings in the nut position;
moving from G major to D major to G major to C major and continuing.
At 11.15: Beginners with guitars and Robert in the ballroom.
Eleven in the Circle, becoming present with direction.
Choose a note, any note; when ready, please play this first intentional note of at least a week, and respond as you see fit. C. 10 minutes.
Please choose a note, any note other than the note you have just chosen, which gives you a choice of eleven…
One of the Team had problems with their tuning. Actually, this was a discrepancy between the OST tuning and the NST, which had not been put upon the instrument. Luciano gave support for the re-tuning.
Please choose a note, any note other than the note you have just chosen, play that note and respond as you feel right. C.
To the Exercise Of The Transmission Of Qualities.
What we are passing is not so much a note, as our experience and understanding of that note.
What followed, for perhaps 40 minutes, was closer to Dialogue (in the
AGE Blake sense/
Duoveristy) than circulating in a manner immediately recognised by most Guitar Circlers. Rather, more a series of personal conversations than the impersonal movement of energies around the Guitar Circle. This particular Circle was communicating between its members, its parts, rather than the Circle as one body, IMO.
This first meeting with guitars for Beginners is very different to any I have known.
13.59 T’ai Chi with Luciano at 12.30.
Lunch at 13.00 with a performance.
Various comments (paraphrased):
Will we be sitting for most of the time?
Will there be direct instruction (eg left and right hand)? The approach this morning gave me anguish.
On the approach of Silence: the more people accepting, the more readily Silence can enter.
Josh (who was here one year ago): The difference a year makes. What are the implications of this?
Help with tuning: the Buddies are available day and night: Curt, Luciano Leo and Dev stood to make themselves known.
Sandra reported a question asked of her after a morning meeting: What do you do for a living?
16.48 Sandra and Rodrigo met with the Buddies and Beginners at 15.00, approaching how to sit on a chair, place the guitar on the body, and an introduction to the functioning of the left and right hands.
Tea at 16.00. Many conversations over last night’s bread-pudding slices, and biscuits.
An invitation to present some of these comments, which were interesting, informed and experiential.
An apology from one of the lunchtime-performers.
Q: How to turn this around? How to redeem the moment?
A: A solo performance tomorrow at 16.10.
Orchestral Maneuvres in the Ballroom with Sandra and Kitchen Team at 17.15.
Beginners with the Buddies in The Room Next Door, also at 17.15.
T’ai Chi with Luciano at 18.30.
Here, developing variations on Primary and Secondary Exercises.
20.26 Dinner at 19.00.
Stunning performance of 777 by a part of the Mexico Guitar Circle.
Many good comments, and questions too. Would that I were able to report them all. But, they were exceptionally insightful, especially on the first night of a course.
The “conversation” in the Beginners first meeting.
Silence: Interrogate the Silence!
House of Guitars called for 21.15. Without chairs.
21.04 The Second Secondary develops.
22.18 House of Guitars in two standing Circles: Beginners the Inside Circle, Kitchen Team, the Outside. Late arrivals. Go! mode c. 21.22 with one cello among the guitars.
When ready, please begin! C. 30 minutes moving through several moods and, from where I was sitting, powerful and interesting.
The second improv began with various sounds and scrapings, and then moved in several directions for c. 25 minutes.
Astonishing for the first evening.
