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Newsletter
4/2002
Review international seminar in Niederkumbd
My impressions of the Movements Seminar at Niederkumbd
by Ramon Martinez
From July 13 to July 22nd, a Movements Seminar led by Jose
Reyes and Wim van Dullemen was held in Niederkumbd, Germany.
The Seminar, which was truly international given the diversity
of the participants' nationalities, was attended by 51 participants
from Germany, Holland, the United States, Belgium, Israel,
Palestine, the Dominican Republic, Denmark, Brazil, Cameroon,
France and Italy.
While Jose and Wim have seemingly different styles, they
proved to be highly complementary, thus contributing to create
a great Work environment conducive to all participants sharing
a unique experience.
The farmhouse of Joachim Gottwald provided a very suitable
accommodation where all participants were able to conduct
the various activities of the Seminar with relative ease.
The house is located near the center of Niederkumbd, a rural
village close to Simmern and surrounded by lovely houses full
of flowers depicting a typically German architecture.
The Seminar was centered around Gurdjieff's Movements but
it also included other Work activities, namely morning exercises,
small and general group meetings, Zikr, practical work, voluntary
fasting, Gurdjieff's music and theater and musical experiments.
While the participants' experiences covered a wide range,
from beginners to seasoned veterans in the Work, the way in
which the Seminar was conducted made possible a significant
sharing of experiences and in creating a sense of oneness
that became apparent fairly early on.
The Movements classes were divided into two groups: the first
was made up of the most experienced participants and the second
group by the others with Wim and Jose, alternatively leading
each class. It is worth mentioning the great contribution
of Ugo Bonessi, the Italian pianist that played the Movement's
music together with Wim with much feeling.
From my personal perspective, I feel that never before did
I have the gift of experiencing the superb level of energy
that was present throughout the development of the Seminar.
In particular I was deeply moved while performing the Movement
"I wish to have being" which impressed upon me a
sense of harmony and peace. Similarly, taking part in the
Zikr in the presence of such a large group represented for
me a once in a lifetime experience. It was quite evident how
this practice was able to fill all of us with the sense of
being part of something that had the force of unity and love.
It was my first experience in participating in theater and
musical experiments. I found it rather interesting as it made
me see much more clearly how certain body postures can induce
specific states and feelings. The musical experiments have
given me a new perspective from which to appreciate music
in a much more active and conscious way, something on which
I hardly focused in the past.
Jose's leading the highly energetic rhythmic exercises performed
against a background of merengue music aroused a great level
of enthusiasm among most participants and constituted an excellent
prelude to the closing Seminar party where, after enjoying
a typical Dominican dinner, participants danced to the tune
of Dominican music.
A wonderful open Movements class where guests joined participants
gave us all a flavor of how much we were able to achieve in
such a short period. The various Movements performed by both
classes which included very gentle as well as very forceful
Dervish type Movements contributed greatly in creating an
atmosphere of energy, harmony, and peace.
The last activity in which we all participated in a very
solemn Movement prayer was very suitably chosen to close an
octave rich in feeling and joy.
As a closing note I wish to draw everyone's attention to
the forthcoming Seminar to be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic to be led by Wim van Dullemen and Jose Reyes from
January 17 till January 26. Given the recent experience of
having Wim and Jose working together, this will undoubtedly
be an opportunity not to be missed. For further details, please
contact:
contact:
In the Dominican Republic:
contact@gurdjieff.321mx.com
4.camino@codetel.net.do
Phone: 1-809-563-1586
In Germany:
tachi@epost.de
Phone: 06747-9647
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