Tensegrity Seminars

New York City - June 1998 [ 1998 Index | Previous | Next ] To:   The Ixtlan Mailing List Date:   Mon, 15 Jun 1998 12:46:53 -0400 After exposure to the raw energy of a rainy, Saturday morning in NY we were guided to the relative safety of a gymnasium on the 3rd basement level of Hunter College in the upper east side of Manhattan. It was described as being in the womb of NY. There was a blend of new and experienced practitioners but a show of hands seemed to indicate that as a group we were predominantly first timers at a workshop, an estimated 300 participants of every age, shape, and size. We were told that there was no benefit or advantage to be lost or gained between newcomers and the more experienced, each struggle was individual, and by learning and practicing the passes we all have an equal opportunity to experience the benefits and to witness the effect of mass on sequential learning through saturation. That is exactly what happened. We were taught the Magical Passes for not-doing. The energy drain caused by our focus on the demands and routines of daily living (bark on the outer shell)? has rendered us unable or incapable of learning new behaviors and processing new information. Our awareness has been reduced to the area around the ankles. The passes were designed, and are utilized, to stir and free up this energy and make it available for us to begin perceiving other uses for our energy and other possibilities (paraphrased of course). The issue of how to gauge the intensity of our endeavors was illustrated by a story about the man who complains about his shoulder hurting. He was describing how he swung a sledgehammer all day and this pain was hurting right here. The advice of course was stop doing what was causing the pain..... if it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't..... if it feels bad for you, don't do it! It was only the masculinity series that was not performed by women historically. At some point, the women overthrew the men and there has been a deep distrust between the sexes since. The men regained control several thousand years ago. People with a womb have the equipment to 'see' it is a natural occurrence..... they see constantly.... they take it for granted. The time they spend with sorcerers or warriors is important..... to have it pointed out to them.....make them 'aware' of their seeing. People without wombs have to 'learn' seeing. Once this has been accomplished, it is recognized as a treasure and is never taken for granted. (interpretations and corrections [of my notes] are not only welcome but essential) Two of the chacmools from the videos were present on the team of tensegrity instructors. They are recognizable, but a profound difference is present. They resonate with a sense of strength and growth. Even the newest member [of the energy trackers] has an inner something. They were not overtly demonstrating, or teaching impeccable behavior, rather the stage was flowing with smooth transitions and fluidity. There were no video screens as described in other, larger workshops.... with a square stage in the center of the gym, and trainers facing four directions, they accomplished almost a sense of intimacy. Personal concern over the end of DJ's lineage seemed to dissipate....... with beings like these to learn from, a new sense of hope seems to manifest. The team of tensegrity instructors began with the Masculinity series long form, then the series for the womb. Mats were pulled out later, after lunch, for the running man series. Then there was an unanounced special surprise, the hauntingly beautiful series of passes called the Passes for Abstract Affection. How warriors love. This series has been taught before. Performed together in pairs, we selected 'same sex', 'same height' partners. All day long rules of personal space had been observed, we had spread out evenly about the gym, physical contact limited to handshakes and hugs. Suddenly we were surrounded by intensely shifting of AP's..... at one point warriors foreheads touching..... breath mixing. Then back to back, AP's touching, piercing, occupying the same space....... scientifically impossible and unimaginable. Experiencing the unknown the unknowable (trying to describe the undescribable). It would be interesting to find out how as individuals that series affected the participants. Question of how many of the partners lingered together after the workshop...... if you were there, try to post your perceptions of that moment. Later, my partner performed the passes in Madison square garden while I wrote them down.... we sat on a bench in a park and talked about everything....... we strolled through central park in the middle of the night. We breathed in Times Square. In Times Square, a group was performing a tai chi series that looked amazingly similar to pulling a rope of energy.... he suggested that we cross the street and do the passes beside them,.... I hesitated. the moment had passed..... the wheel of time had turned. A 12 hour drive home...(partly due to a wrong turn and being lost in Queens...then another wrong turn and being lost in the Bronx) the further I drove the more I could feel slipping away.... with the slipping went all concerns about the expenses..... With abstract affection, Sven [ 1998 Index | Previous | Next ]

Unauthorized use, copying, or re-posting of this page without permission from the author is prohibited. Links are acceptable.