Higher Learning

FRom the Robert Fripp diary:

Establishing a stable personal presence in a relaxed & engaged state, alternatively expressed, the quality, quantity & intensity of our personal energy field, has been the primary focus of our work in Guitar Craft over its period of 25 years.

[ "A stable personal presence." How many do we know that do not qualify? How many times, uncountable, as a young man was I so uncomfortable in my own skin? I sure could have used these words so many years ago. Today, I see their wisdom.]

A very brief practical introduction to this, which is a life-work, addresses three points:

Eliminating leaks.


1. The most expensive of these are anger, boobyism & twitching, and unnecessary talking. That is, all automatic, habitual & unintentional behaviour.

[Anger is an obvious one. Anger is a fire that distracts us from our true selves. "Boobyism" is a Fripp term that he uses when people have no idea or mindfulness of their physical presence. Think of people who come to the movies and kick the back of your chair. etc.

Unnecessary talking. Amen. Automatic behavior is wasteful.]

2. Attracted attention. Sex, as in advertising; cf the advice given to young male GC students when walking past newspaper & magazine kiosks. Forms of negativity, such as in mainstream media. Negativity is a form of control.

[Negatvity is a form of control. Oh yeah. There's an A-hole who emails all the time about my programming. He seeks attention and control.]

Conservation.

Efficient functioning. Honouring necessity & sufficiency: Do as much as is necessary & as little as possible.

[As a player, sometimes I tell myself, "Just play the damn notes."]

Generation.

This is a subtle area. On our retreat here in NYC we have been addressing intentional breathing & “eating air”. It is also possible to “consciously borrow” from reservoirs & accumulators of finer energies, knowing that, when we die, we can take with us nothing that is not ours.