Intention
Presence
Goodwill
Common Practice
Playing In Tune
Playing In Time
Listening
1. Intention.
Our entry to the Circle is intentional.
One simple, practical example: when entering the room, crossing the liminal threshold into the sacred space of the Circle, we pay attention to our first footfall.
Our attendance is not by accident, nor is our participation arbitrary. This implies that we have an aim.
2. Presence.
We cultivate a sense and awareness of our personal presence, of the Circle and our place within it. This is determined and governed by the quality of our volitional attention.
3. Goodwill.
We participate in a spirit of goodwill. We leave any negativity at the door, outside the room, and enter holding goodwill towards the others in the Circle: without judgment, without criticism, without hostility.
The quality of our feeling lives is revealed in the quality of sound we produce from our instrument: the depth and richness of timbre. This is the personal correspondence to playing in tone.
4. Common Practice.
We assume familiarity and a sufficiency of competence in the
elements of a common practice:
the morning sitting and Doing Nothing;
the Guitar Craft, C pentatonic major, tuning;
specific guitar techniques, such as the Primaries:
NB the GC repertoire is useful but not necessary;
entering, moving within and leaving the Circle;
circulating;
the scale of C major / A natural minor;
the GC House Rules.
5. Playing in tune.
This is indicative of our personal state.
6. Playing in time.
This is indicative of our personal harmony.
One practical example: punctuality.
7. Listening.
This is indicative of our station; ie our level of Being.
If we can’t listen to ourselves while speaking, we’re not quite present with what we are saying.
If we are absent from our speaking, our words are empty: there is nothing to be said.
If we have nothing to say, better to say nothing. For some, this is very hard.
So, if we don’t listen to ourselves while speaking, better to be quiet.
(This is part of the practice of Necessary Speaking employed in the GC Kitchen).
If this is true of words, how much more of music?
The Eighth Assumption:
The Assumption of Virtue.
Saturday 2nd. October, 2010
Casa De Encuentros San Juan Bosco, Av. Fuerza Aerea 1800
Funes, Pvcia. de Santa Fe
Argentina.
