Convocation at Chisholme House, 4-6 September 2015

This weekend was about setting a new intention for the School at Chisholme

Understanding the Past: a talk by the Principal, Peter Young – read or listen here...

Considering the Present: an exercise in intention and imagination; read more...

Looking to the Future: 
               Richard Gault, the 'about-to-be' Principal, 
               Aliya Ryan the Development Office Coordinator, 
               Aaron Cass, Director of Studies for the next Six-month Course
               Tim Roberts, Chairman of the Institute
               Open Session – comments from participants


Sunday Morning: looking to the future...

Open Session

Copied below are some of the thoughts and sentiments which people offered as part of an open discourse, following the talks mentioned above.
Three main themes emerged from this wide-ranging discussion:
The first was about reaching out – how can the educational work done at Chisholme connect with a wide public, and what skills, and what kind of language do we need to learn, so that this can happen easily and naturally?  
A further theme was to do with volunteers coming to Chisholme; this was discussed with the greatest enthusiasm, as its value and huge potential is something everyone could readily understand.
Last but not least, we considered the necessity to listen to each other – whoever the ‘other’ might be – and to be receptive, and trust.

1. Outreach:

Someone who had worked for and with the Development Office since its beginnings, started this morning's discourse with a thoughtful comment on different aspects of 'outreach':
‘Regarding the Development Office: I think it has a really important function in what has happened here, and what could happen here and elsewhere. Yesterday afternoon we had a sense of Chisholme as place, as body – one thing we have learned over the years is the importance of being properly embodied, and the recognition of Chisholme as a place in its own right, without any unnecessary additions, is very important.
…but we also know that a body does not exist in isolation – a body exists in relationship to the world at large, so we need to understand how this body extends into relationship This is one of the areas where the Development Office has a very important part to play – as the real interface between this place and the world: this world that we serve, in the sense that we come here to serve the emergence of spirit as it is. We know this as Beshara; it is also known by many other names around the world, and it is also known by no name at all. So there is a responsibility to clarify what we mean by the spirit of Beshara when it extends into the world, and that the very nature of spirit is that it is different at each moment.
…just as spirit is in process, the education that we have been exposed to here is in process. I firmly believe that what Bulent gave us is not fixed or finished, but that he gave us the framework for something marvelous, something immense. If we are going to be true to that spirit, we need to develop it in and as ourselves, because each one of us is actually on the edge of the future. Each moment we are at that edge, and how we are in that and what we are in that is what this education is about.
…so, looking again at the role of the Development Office, this is one of the places where this connected intention to be of service to humanity can come together and be expressed now.
…as Aliya said earlier, just now it may be a little difficult to focus on this, at this moment of transition – but please – I ask the directors, I ask the future principal – don’t let this languish too long, because it is the life-blood of this place. 
…we’ve seen in recent years the development of new course formats, new languages and new forms of expression, how they extend into the world, and how important this has been. Please let it continue.
…having said all that, great work has been done, but there is a long way to go, a lot of work still to be done. I don’t feel we have as yet found that language which speaks to people in the street, and that’s an on-going work.
How do we find it, how do we find the words ?
Can we learn from others? …because there are others who express this spirit of Beshara, and we can learn from them.  Let’s not be proud.  This matter is not exclusive to us – as has been said – it’s of humanity, from humanity, to humanity. Let’s be large…let’s address people where they are – that’s the starting point. If we address people with where they are not, we will simply meet with blank faces and perhaps a smile.’

Someone adds: ‘…a practical suggestion: It could be a job for the Development Office to look what is out there, what groups and traditions, or non-traditions – other movements of the light, which can receive – and find out what they are doing, and be in contact with such groups. …also, there are millions of people around the world who are attached to traditions, and they speak different religious languages – some are politicised, but many are not – and it seems part of the work here, I think, is to be able to speak to all of them, and that the language of Beshara, the language of Chisholme, should not be an exclusive language, but an inclusive language… and also, as you used to do, invite speakers from other traditions, mystical traditions, to speak here…’

A response from Aaron C.: 'There always has been, and there is now the intention to invite  speakers, such as you mention, specifically for the six-month course, and there may be times next summer when we can further expand such possibilities…'

Another participant, responding to the matter of ‘language’: ‘…I have been pondering this matter of a new language for a long time, I tried to write about it, and really looked at this – and what arose recently is that I had looked in the wrong place, or maybe it would be more accurate to say, from the wrong place… what I seem to be discovering now is that it is the meaning, the spirit, the voicing of a single truth, which allows itself to be covered in language…and it seems to me that if this is the place from which language is clothed, then it will be attractive, it will resonate in people who have a taste for this.’

2. Volunteers at Chisholme

A participant and gardener who has been helping with all the volunteer weeks, speaks from his experience: ‘The potential in these Volunteer weeks is really extraordinary… people come here often quite free of any preconceptions, or without any idea of what will happen.
They throw themselves into the work, and the transformation that does happen to them is incredible – and quite often, at the end of the week, they will say: ‘…this here has changed my life!’
This is a really huge statement – saying that!
We need to focus on this – whoever is doing this – it’s good as it is, and it could be a lot better…and also, we could have a lot more people…it’s incredibly hard work for the staff here, when everyone comes…it’s hard on the kitchen, hard on the housekeeper, hard on the garden…but it’s valuable beyond the hardship, really, it’s valuable – and the more the merrier, in my opinion.  
We really need to open that door!’

Another participant responds:‘…may I offer an observation, which seems really significant: most of the people who come in this way are really young – this year even younger – mostly in their late teens or early twenties; and last year they came 13 different countries…this year maybe even more… from China, from Hong Kong, from Slovenia, from Poland, India and the US, France, Germany, Spain, Scotland, England etc etc…this feels like something we need to be really grateful for, and there is like a current of ‘world-wide-ness’ about it…’

…and another comment: this Easter we had a volunteer week, the weather was beautiful – just like this weekend – and the whole garden was prepared, seeded and planted in one week! …these weeks are like a prototype of how this education can find expression in many dimensions – we get letters from people who came, and English wasn’t their first language, and they were really struggling to communicate while they were here, and yet are totally moved by what they found…

A further response, from a volunteer:‘…I live on the streets on and off, and – believe it or not – about six weeks ago I was left with a black bag and two pairs of jeans and 26p in my pocket and I was sleeping in a shed in a Hawick allotment…and then coming here – I have only been here three weeks, but I’ve learned so much; the place is so big, so huge…and all these things people are talking about – I’ve had these thoughts all my life – and to see them in action …it’s amazing!
…people come from all over, and I just would like to say that this is an amazing place!
Today is about the ‘future’, and I know just from being here three weeks…it’s going to happen, it’s going to work – we’ll get together and make it work – the spirit – that’s what keeps it going…anyway, thanks everyone…!’

Someone else adds to this: ‘I work as volunteer coordinator in Edinburgh: What is happening here is amazing, and also, there is a great need for more help, and this needs a vision and support; also financial support. Peter said yesterday that not everyone who comes here needs to be a student – it is open to everybody, which was news to me – but the infrastructure and also the financial support needs to be in place to receive volunteers – needless to say Chisholme cannot support a large number of volunteers who cannot make a financial contribution to their stay here.
I could name six or seven trusts or organisations that support volunteer work, but applying to these involves filling in 20-page application forms…to be successful in this way takes people with a clear vision of what they are asking for…this is the language we have mentioned earlier, the language of ‘everybody’…my question here is: how can this happen? Who can help?’

3. Language, listening and the mystery of contagion
A participant stands up: ‘This is the first time I’ve had the courage to speak in such a large meeting…[and gets a spontaneous applause]… Perhaps, we can look at attitude and the ‘other side’ of speaking out and language, i.e. receptivity, and hearing, listening…when someone speaks clearly from their heart, it is a wonderful thing to hear – can we give it a moment, to pause and allow it to sink in and be with?
Perhaps – instead of trying ‘get’ people to come here, perhaps we can look at our attitude – can we be fully receptive and listen and hear what people want and be able to offer something? …because clearly, we care about human beings – about each and every person who comes here…
…so, the other side of being able to speak, is really being able to hear, listen to what people are actually saying. We can learn a lot by simply pausing, and sincerely being willing to listen.’

…and someone replies: ‘Following on from what was just said – I feel it is really important how we relate to each other…  I want the best for the future here – but when people come here, I still hear this: ‘…no, you are doing this wrong...’ 
…there is a Greek word that comes to mind, called ‘tyro’, which means ‘beginner’ or ‘novice’ – it’s a far nicer word than this ‘alumni’ word we keep using – it would be inclusive for everyone who comes to Chisholme, whether they have done a course or not…
…please, I just want you to carry this in your heart, how important it is that we relate to each other in a proper way, we are all individuals!’

A further response: ‘…hearing what people say, about language, and listening – it’s what we used to call the language of the heart!
…and you can hear it when someone speaks – I call it authenticity – it’s something any student will spot immediately – if a person is genuine, and genuinely wants to communicate with them, and you know that in a flash!
…and this is the kind of universal language of the heart – everyone will recognize it when they hear it.’

The question is asked: ‘How do people come here?’

Someone responds: ‘… we considered how we ‘recruit’, what we say, how to get people to come here, and our actions in that…but there is an other side, which is that everyone who is meant to be here will be here, and everyone who is meant to be here will make their way here, whatever the path is.
Nobody ever spoke to me about Beshara – ever – before I came here – it was just a whole lot of really strange co-incidences that brought me here!
…so I have no doubt – whoever needs to be here will be here – there is guidance! …that leaves the question, what do we do? What should be our publicity?
It seems that the best thing is to be really open…we never, never know who needs to come – we don’t know that, so whatever we do in that respect has to be the least determined, the most welcome, the most loving, the most open – it’s a fine line, just as in our own life – between making plans, and knowing we always stand on the edge...
And another thing – we talk about language, and language is very important, but we also know that in our communication with each other, most of it happens non-verbally…and the word that comes to mind is ‘contagion’ – it’s the biggest, biggest communicator!’

And here is one final comment: ‘I was here for a week doing the study retreat, and last night, I went home…and watched the news – just briefly.
I want to mention what I saw: I saw thousands of people, refugees, who are now being welcomed in Germany…adults applauding the people coming off the trains, children giving children sweets, and the commentator said: ‘…the numbers are so great, this movement is so strong - it is breaking all the rules!
…so, the rules can’t cope with this, they were never designed for this…and yet, it’s obviously what’s happening, but in a manner and a scale that we can only try to imagine.
…and in relation to all that has been said here, it is my hope – and it’s a hopeful hope – that we get behind what’s happening and follow it.  As has been said in so many ways -  it will inform us of what it wants.   All we have to do is learn to listen.  
...and follow it.’

Peter Coates, who chaired the Sunday sessions, now concludes: ‘…time is moving on, and the one thing I hear, when I listen, is the need for our gratitude…the absolute need for our gratitude, for what we have already received, which we can’t really comprehend…
That gratitude can be expressed in a thousand ways – such as coming here to help, or covenants etc etc…
…and I want to express my own gratitude to all of us, including myself, for this event, which has been a source of great compassion, in what has been said.
…and a gratitude from us all, I think, is in order!
...and may I thank all those people who worked so hard to put this on, and put this up [pointing to the pavilion] …and designed it in the first place.
…and to continue on a note of gratitude…if we can keep that in our hearts, to be grateful for what’s been given, and what we are, and what we may become, we’ll safeguard it!
– thank you very much!’

…and then Maria Young gets up in the audience to say: ‘…on that note, I would also like to thank our Principal – not because it is the last moment – but because he needs to be thanked!’
…and she said quite a bit more, but that was lost as everyone present gets up as one, and gives the out-going principal Peter Young a standing ovation!