Activities in the Recess

As a break from our practice in recent years, we tested the water to see what demand there might be for meetings and other activities in the break and the response has been very encouraging.  The two Wednesday evening events were particularly well supported.  The Saturday morning meetings saw fewer numbers and that could be attributed to the 7 o'clock start.  If we run these from 9 o'clock might there be more participation?  Please let us know.

Into Great Silence:

The interest in the film, shown at Salisbury House, was almost surprising - so much so that the wonderful food provided by the ladies only just managed to meet the demand!  Everyone appeared to really enjoy the presentation.  The art of the filmmaker seemed to epitomise the principle of "participation without attachment" in capturing the simple life of the monks, going about their daily routine mostly in silence, untouched by the presence of the camera and potential audience.  There have been requests for another screening, which we will arrange as soon as practicable.

The Renaissance and Your Re-awakening:

Mukesh Bhavan had us all captivated with his presentation at the FNB Conference Centre in Sandton.  Drawing on his personal experiences when encountering the renaissance masterpieces, he described the impact of this aspect of the Christian tradition on his Hindu background.  This was brought together in the consideration of fundamental values and virtues. The presentation was very well received and we were left with serious questions to ponder as to our own re-awakening.

As a Man Thinketh:

Raymond Rossouw prepared a very well structured session which led to a very lively discussion on the subject.  Drawing on sources such as James Allen, the Bible, Shakespeare and Plato, as well as the trigger for the subject, a book and film currently in the news "the Secret", we explored and shared our own views.  What is thought?  Where do thoughts come from?  Do we think thoughts or do they think us?  What are the effects of thoughts on circumstances, actions, vision, and serenity?  It has been suggested that we get whatever our minds dwell on but often the desire for something positive is underlain by a fear of its opposite and that is what we get instead.  So we should observe our thoughts with care and attention; or perhaps, just "be here now".

The Need for a Value System:

The discussion session led by William Angus was very pertinent to every student's participation in the current environment, which seems to be largely devoid of any sense of real values. Posing the question "are the outcomes of your decisions morally, spiritually and ethically correct?" and comparing this with the virtues presented by traditional moral codes and our usual sources of wisdom, provoked some searching observations and further questions from the group. Much food for thought as we play our parts in the world.

"Where am I?"

Steve Winks used a selection of visuals as a backdrop to the discussion around the meaning of infinity in relation to ourselves.  In addition to the words of Blaise Pascal and Kenneth Walker, who made us contemplate the furthest stars in the universe and the minutest entities within the human cell, we had contributions from Plato and Asclepius, Einstein and Bonaparte, even Douglas Adams and Andy Warhol!  It became evident that even to consider this question with reason, one certainly needs to connect with the present moment.

The Art of Facilitation:

Our final "Saturday mornings at Salisbury House" session was presented by William Angus.  The highly participative discussion dealt with the skills and techniques that are vital to effective facilitation.  Although the presentation material is designed for teachers working with the "Thinking through Philosophy" courses, it is equally relevant to anyone facilitating group discussions.  

Concert at Salisbury House

Our very first concert in our new home was a resounding success.  The venue was the original pharmacy section of the building, with its exceptionally high ceilings, wooden floors and wall panels, plus beautiful stained glass windows, creating a magnificent 'salon' ideal for musical events.  The room revealed excellent acoustices and allowed the music to fill all the spaces with clarity and resonance.

The repertoire had to be adapted due to various musicians dropping out (illness, better paid gigs! etc.), and we ended up enjoying a varied selection of music including Scottish and Irish folksong arrangements by Beethoven entertainingly performed by soprano Deirdre Blignaut, a quartet by CPE Bach and a wonderful performance of the Haydn G major keyboard concerto, performed on fortepiano by John Reid Coulter supported by members of his Baroque Ensemble.

The evening was rounded off with our 90 guests enjoying a feast of Italian cheeses and some interesting wines, donated by Juliet Cullinan Wine Events.  Guests made themselves at home in all the ground floor rooms, beautifully decorated for the occasion.  All agreed that it was a very fine evening and we certainly hope that this was the beginning of a new tradition of bringing good music to philosophers and their friends.

Thank you to all who so generously donated creativity, time and effort in arranging a wonderful evening.