Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House Tepoztln
08.57
Quinta Tonantzin Retreat House, Tepoztlán, México.
Rising 06.02. Continuing to recover from a long overnight flight. In the shower: a sense of a piece of work to be done for the Book Project.
To Morning Sitting in the Chapel for 07.15.
Breakfast at 08.00.
Silence visited at 08.20. The Silence here has a different quality, or different characteristic, to the Silence that visits us in Caorle. Perhaps gentler, less “demanding”. And most welcome: the course here last year had more unnecessary talking than any I can easily recall.
The first scorpion has been sighted: in the room of Fernando the Happy Boy.
Schedule for the morning called.
12.15 Kitchen Meeting in the Ballroom at 10.00 with one late arrival.
Addressing practicalities, such as sanitising during the washing-up.
An exercise presented for those working in the Kitchen which, for those at the beginning of their practice, is already quite substantial. For those with an established practice, and who might look on this cursorily, it is an opportunity to engage at a deeper level by exercising Choice. At this point, our relationship with the process changes: rather than simply moving along in the time-stream, where cause gives rise to an effect, in this case while preparing a meal, our relationship with the flow-time of the event changes radically: we are connected to all of the event for the duration of its unfolding process. That is, we are connected to each of the stages in the process, whether they have occurred yet, or not. (In terminology, this is engaging with an Expanded Present Moment).
Then a tour of the kitchen, including where the washing up takes place.
Guitar Circle at 11.00.
Circulating any notes of your choice to the left.
Then, to the left, on the downbeat; and to the right on the upbeat.
To the left, in C major; to the right, in B flat major.
Then, the note struck twice; to the left in C, to the right in D.
Then, the note struck three times, to the left in D on the down, to the right in E, on the up.
Then, to Bm and C#m.
Then to F#m, with the left-moving note picked 1-2-3, and the right moving note 4-5, in a bar of 5/8.
These until c. 11.30.
Then to alternating bars of 11/8 and 13/8 with a moving beginning note in a sequence of 4 + 5 notes.
Until c. 12.05.
17.20 T’ai Chi with Luciano at 12.30.
Lunch at 13.00 with forty around the tables.
A question asked by a new arrival: what is the topping sprinkled on the beans? Several good answers. The plant is held sacred in Mayan and Aztec cultures, even incorporated into sculptures, and can’t be cooked while green: the Friendship seed.
Work for the afternoon called.
17.20 A walk around the property I…
II...
III...
IV...
V...
VI...
Practising.
Tea at 16.00 with several more arrivals. Silence visited.
To practising: the Second Secondary Exercise.
20.24 Dinner at 19.00. Silence visited.
As is conventional, an attempt was made to dissuade those visiting a course for the first time from staying on. Several good reasons for leaving were presented, including unfortunate nocturnalities in shared accommodations.
Several House Rules were cited by experienced persons on the Head Table. One rule seems to be missing from the notice board: Fruit is not a dessert. Then bread pudding was served. Lots of it.
Inaugural Meeting called for 21.15. Anyone who arrives is asked to stay for the duration, and on the property.
22.24 Inaugural Meeting: 45 in the Circle. One attendee is missing, due to an expired passport, and will join us later. The course was acknowledged underway at 21.19 and 50 seconds.
Moving around the Circle, introducing ourselves and stating:
who we are;
where we come from;
what brought us here;
our aim/s for the course.
A suggestion: to pay particular attention to what brought us here.
There is no end to the depth where these simple questions may take us.
Who am I?
Where do I come from?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?
RF: What brought me here: this is my work in life.
Three primary aims…
1. To help those here for the first time to establish a practice of becoming present. Without this we are not: nothing happens, everything happens to us. When present, we move to establish a foundation on the instrument. After two or three years, honourably undertaken, this foundation may be sufficiently established to support our playing.
2. To help those with an established foundation to deepen their practice.
3. To be available to what is required:
may I have the clarity to see what is required of me;
may I have the courage to accept what is required of me;
may I have the capacity to discharge what is required of me.
Two other aims, supporting undertakings in Mexico…
1. The seven-week course in July 2014.
2. Something that has not yet been discussed, but is on the horizon.
For tomorrow’s Morning Sitting:
Beginners in the Chapel at 07.30.
Those with an established practice in the Ballroom at 07.15.
Everyone is confident they will rise in time, with no need of the bell.
Participants AAD and those sending good wishes were spoken for. I spoke for Bill Rieflin, presently in England. Tom is ignoring us at a distance.
22.30 Dogs are barking.
