Impressions as food, in the way that Gurdjieff talks about it, has become a focus for me. I was especially struck by a story in the last chapter of Meetings With Remarkable Men. In this chapter, Gurdjieff recounts his on-going struggles with financing his enterprise. The strain he puts himself under to do this results … Read more
The Work is like an isometric exercise. At least that is how I’ve come to experience it. After periods of ongoing efforts, both internally and externally, I’ve come to see that it is during the interval of letting go and relaxing, that my “work” muscle grows. This is a phenomenon I’ve come to appreciate. Take … Read more
What the students said in a survey about Claymont’s hybrid Course of Study completes this review. My hope is that you get insight into the course’s strengths and weaknesses from the students’ perspective. With that end in mind, I’ve condensed some of the feedback and included a few direct quotes. What Students Found Rewarding In … Read more
Leaderless leadership when there have always been leaders? At the Prieuré there was Gurdjieff. At Sherborne House there was Bennett. Pierre Elliott directed courses at Claymont for decades. With a teacher, the direction and energy for spiritual work comes through a single source. That has been the model throughout history. The recent experiment at Claymont … Read more
Claymont’s Fourth Way Course of Study, dubbed the COS, was a risk and an experiment. By mostly, it was a success. Here is an overview: How it Came About During a summer seminar at Claymont, a participant suggested/requested we provide a longer work event. The notion of having a “course” was already in the air. … Read more
Here’s a real-life experience of bridging an interval. Just as there are two intervals in the musical scale, there are intervals in a process. These intervals are key to staying on track. In my case, the intervals involve two seemingly unrelated events. The first is the period following the writing of my memoir, Real People. … Read more
The author grapples with the desire to do good deeds but feels inadequate compared to grand gestures. They advocate for small, achievable acts of kindness like calling a relative or being punctual. The post emphasizes the importance of intentionality and putting thoughts into action, as these small deeds carry more value than inaction fueled by overwhelming aspirations.
My relationship with sensation is expanding, literally. Initially, my experience of sensation was of a prickly, electric, warm, moving, “something” in me. In the beginning I managed it, moving from arm to leg, to leg to arm, around the body. Skipping one limb each time, I kept my attention engaged. In truth, that was mostly … Read more
You know, where I am keeps coming back to haunt me. After my recent foray into what felt like unknown territory, frightening in it’s very unknown-ness, I find myself back here again. Back here with myself. The very self that shimmered for a moment thinking it had transformed. But maybe this wasn’t the faná I … Read more
This is the story of 100 cloth napkins. Once upon a time—a long, long, time ago—in the last century, there was a special kind of school. The things this school taught were not at all what other schools taught. And they were not taught so much with words and letters, but with experiences. This school … Read more