[HANASHIR:3110] Re: Blues?

[eblank <eblank...>]

Actually, I did have an amazing time at Hava Nashira last year, but I also
had moments of extreme discomfort.  Being around large groups of people is
not my idea of a good time, and there was necessarily a certain amount of
regimentation.  Of course, for educational purposes I'm going to CAJE this
year (from the fire into the frying pan, I guess...).  Emily

----------
> From: Rglauber (at) aol(dot)com
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:3102] Re: Blues?
> Date: Thursday, June 03, 1999 9:52 PM
> 
> Hello friends,
> 
> Someone has to be different, right?    I'm probably one of the only ones
who 
> didn't have the "amazing"  time at Hava Nashira.  While there were a lot
of 
> nice happenings within the 5 days, on the whole I found it less than 
> satisfying.  The main problem for me was the complete and utter lack of 
> physicality within our ranks.  There was far too much time sitting around
and 
> no time for moving around.  The implication of this is quite profound in
my 
> opinion: it's that our idea of spirituality and music is about a person
with 
> a guitar in front of a lot of other folks who are there to sing,
harmonize, 
> but in no other way interact.  I have a real hard time with the concept,
but 
> I seem to be in the minority.
> 
> Additionally, I felt that Hava Nashira was struggling with some growing
pains 
> last year, as enrollment was much higher than at any time in the past. 
I'm 
> sure that this year will be far larger still, if this list is any
indicator.  
> The result of the increased numbers was a lot of "top-down"
communication, 
> and not enough sharing among equals.  For me, the best moments were when
we 
> took it upon ourselves to meet and share..... among equals, each of whom
has 
> much to contribute.  It was much more valuable to me to learn this way, 
> rather than learning the latest Debbie Friedman or Donny Maseng tunes. 
This 
> sharing took place in spite of the program, rather than because of it.  
> Hopefully, this  type of activity will be built more into the program
this 
> year.   
> 
> There were other problems as well, but I don't need to indicate every
one.  I 
> mean, who wants to have that kind of a reputation?   Suffice it to say,
I'm 
> quite content to not be at Hava Nashira this year, and I figured I might
as 
> well share that.   
> 
> your faithful curmudgeon,
> Rich Glauber  presently in Eugene, OR
> 

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