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: see below

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

Saturday Afternoon: The Present: 

On Saturday afternoon (Sept. 5), everyone present at Chisholme, from principal-designate to visitor and cook, was invited to join in an exercise of imagination and intention:
After lunch, all of us would walk out of Chisholme.
… leave it, as if we would never come back again.
… walk away from all memories, aspirations, hopes and regrets that connect us with this place.
We were to leave everything behind, so the place would be completely empty of us, the people, and we would find our way up to Chapel Hill (the highest point in the vicinity).
There we would meet, and see what we could see.
Then we would walk back down and follow the road back to the gates of Chisholme and enter as if we had never been there before. What would we see?  What would we find?

Later that afternoon we all met up again in the pavilion, to tell what we had seen and discovered. Here are just a few of the things people said:

…the leaving was done in an orderly fashion, we turned the lights off, we turned the gas off. Then coming back down the hill, it felt like the place had been set free, because we had left it. We both were given our freedom.

I came to the gate, then saw the huge, incredible trees along the drive, the lovely cottage and then on to an open space, a large house. It felt like a place that had been really loved, but also it needed to be looked after, as if it was in process; I was surprised to discover how extensive it was; a big place with a lot of room – enough for a lot of people to come together. I felt evidence of love, care and tenderness, beauty – a great potential. It seemed as if this had been a busy place with lots going on, and everything is provided; everything is ready – well balanced – nothing out of place.

Walking up and walking down – there seemed to be infinite ways to get to the top, but there is only one top. What a view – the whole earth laid out before me – nothing higher anywhere – it felt like holding the heaven up and the earth down; then I came down and was enchanted, really enchanted to find this place. I felt like I had stumbled on paradise.

…I found something that I wanted to be a part of, and when I arrived here I realized that I was already a part of it.

…I found myself wondering what had happened to the people here – what were their circumstances? Lets try and find them, bring them back. Who are they?

…I have a highly conditioned view of most of the people here, I am full of opinion – and on Chapel Hill it was like ‘Salam’ – let people be what they are!
People come and go and we have long lasting friendship, and yet also we don’t really know each other at all. Is there the possibility to know each other in a new way?

How beautiful it all looked, and then I noticed the need; there were weeds in the garden, the things growing out of the roof, windows needed painting, a once beautiful green-house which could be beautiful again. And how much more could be put into it, and maybe that was the reason all these people were here. And when I was in the vegetable garden, I just wanted to start weeding.

I’ll paint the windows!

Question: What is this place for, now?

I found a place with huge potential, so beautiful, serene, calm – so many people could be helped, so many people could benefit – people with less privilege – find a new sense of themselves here, in these beautiful surroundings. Maybe a charity could pay for such people to come?

...I walked into this empty house and found a room with a book open on the table – ready for whoever would come. Is this place [pointing to herself] ready?

...the generosity of the place, the tolerance – I could feel it. And then I saw my mind, the chatter, which is incessant, and then I saw this is a school – this is the work.

…perhaps we left without that sense of appreciation, and it is extraordinary to hear the sense of appreciation – I must appreciate what is here, leaving every minute and arriving every minute – Thank you Peter – this is a very nice lesson!

Question: ‘If this was offered to you on a plate: here is an esoteric school, fully prepared, ready to be used, together with an endowment – would you take it on?’ There was a resounding ‘Yes’ in the room.