New York City - June 1998
To: The Ixtlan Mailing List
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
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