Claymont’s Fourth Way Course of Study

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. For me, the theme running through that seminar was, “Open to What is Being Asked.” It felt like I was being asked to commit to a program, as yet unformed.

Subsequently, a sub-committee of Claymont’s Board of Directors began meeting. After a year of consensual work, a three-month hybrid “Course of Study” emerged. Board members put dates on the calendar and designed a prospectus and an application process.

John-Henry Dale and Christopher Chromey were hired to construct and manage a website for the Course of Study. This included a link to an online meeting room and the ability to post recordings of meetings and presentations.

A staff of five men and five women formed and divided into sub-groups. These became responsible for morning exercises, weekly themes, daily tasks, presentation of ideas, movements, and guest speakers. One over-all administrator took on communications and maintaining schedules.

A comment of Cynthia Bourgeault’s, who admonished us to respect and support each other in our leadership roles, was taken to heart. For me, that was the glue that kept me in-tune with “what is being asked” and gave my inner work direction.

The Course of Study is Born

The course started on August 19, 2023, the first and final weeks  at Claymont. Ten interim weeks continued on-line via the website. We had nineteen attendees ranging in age from their 20’s to 80’s, about equally divided between men and women. Some came from as far away as Estonia and Canada, the rest from the West coast, Midwest, and Eastern seaboard.

Two participants dropped out at the end. Two others did not make it to the final in-person week. However, three out of four took advantage of live-streaming for morning exercises and meetings during that final in-person week.

The schedule started with morning exercise at 7:30am and ran to nine or ten at night, both during the in-person portion as well as the ten weeks online. We included practical work and work in the kitchen during the in-person weeks. All other meetings and classes (see Prospectus) moved to zoom for the ten interim weeks, where we met two to four times a day, seven days a week.

Reflection

The transition from in-person to zoom felt energetically seamless to me when we went home after the first week, as if there was no interruption.  I was also surprised that three to four daily zoom sessions over ten weeks did not tire me out. Until it was officially over in November, I never felt not “on the course.”

The question in front of me now, is—will I continue to listen for “what is being asked” to know what comes next?