There's a lot of very interesting discussion around the subject of the SES. I've been in the School for twenty years but one thing I've learned is: you get out of it what you're prepared to put in to it. One of the theories is that 'service = happiness' which I've always treated with a certain degree of lazy scepticism. Funnily enough, on the occasions I've thought 'ok, time to have a go myself', it's proved to be true. It's healthy for me not to obsess over my own personal interests once in a while.
The main thing that's bugged me over the years is the white-middle-class character of School. You just don't see working class blacks! Not in England, at any rate. Not that there would be a problem, of course, it's probably the image of the SES that attracts the white professionals in the first place. But bearing in mind what I've got out of it (a lot), I wish it were more 'Everyman' in its approach. And from what I hear, that's exactly how it is New York. So there's hope yet.
As for the teaching, it's moved away from Gurdjieff/Ouspensky, which is where I came in, and now it's pretty much all Advaita Vedanta, though with a strong sprinkling of Plato, Marsilio Ficino, and let's not forget Mozart and Shakespeare! I've never been forced to believe anything I'm told, but I would also have to say that the 'drip drip' effect of constant exposure to Advaita, can subtly modify your belief system over the years. Not that this is a problem in itself, of course. Only fundamental evangelical Christians (Muslims/Jews), would find it hostile to their own beliefs, but they are notoriously inflexible and dogmatic anyway. Advaita seems to consist of two main aspects: the theory (a lot of which I take on trust until I can verify it - or not - in my own experience), and the practical, which - like Buddhism - has direct and beneficial impact on daily life, or so I and many others have found.
To those who say it's a cult which causes mental problems and family break ups, I can only reply that in twenty years I've yet to see it. Maybe it was more true in the 1970s? I only encountered Leon McLaren once, towards the end of his life, and he seemed mellow enough at the time. I have heard stories though... I was lucky enough to be tutored by Tom Gerry, a pint-drinking Yorkshireman with no time for 'airy fairy nonsense' and a very down to earth attitude to philosophy. He always emphasised the 'practical' side of it. Sadly Tom died in 1991.
This is in danger of turning into a memoir and that wasn't my intention at all. But just because I'm in the SES doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to talk philosophy with other people. For instance,
"the nature of God now that physicists have hypothesised eleven dimensions to handle superstring theory."
Anyone?
I've been with the SES for twenty years
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might as well e dit this then - thanks ft
Last edited by a different guest on Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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