To: alt.dreams.castaneda
Date: 17 Feb 1996 21:54:03 -0500

Oakland Workshop

I would like to share some of my experiences of the Feb. 9-11 Oakland workshop. This was only my second Tensegrity workshop. The only other one that I attended was the 3 week long one in LA. Given my current energetic situation, I can only attend one of these workshops if I read omens to do so. I have the means and drive to attend any or all of them if I become energetically available to do so. I am currently up to my neck in my own energetic process so I have plenty to keep me busy.

Tensegrity is interesting to me and I have learned many things from practicing the passes. However, I usually practice my own magical passes that I have derived from a dream like state. I've been practicing my own passes years before anyone ever heard of Tensegrity. I was taught how to derive my own passes from members of a very powerful Qigong lineage.

On my two previous encounters with Florinda and Carol I nearly exploded from the pressure exerted upon me energetically. I decided prepare for the possibilities of this happening again by not eating anything for two days prior to the seminar. When I fast I get super sensitive and my assemblage point moves more freely. As it turned our they didn't show.

The Friday night lecture was held in the main auditorium of the Holy Names College. I would estimate about 250 - 300 people attended. I was sitting comfortably up in the second section when the lecture started. Since I'm not into applauding I remained seated when Carlos took the stage. As Carlos took the stage most of the audience jumped up and started applauding. Right when they jumped up I felt this wave of energy slam me back in my seat. Then I saw this mass of energy fly up from the audience and bounce of the ceiling and walls. At the same time I was being physically bantered around in my seat. I was astonished at the intensity of the energy released to welcome Carlos. It was impressive. However, there was something very disturbing about it also. Something about it was very incompatible with me.

Carlos was as magnificent as the last time I saw him. He spoke formally for two hours on both Friday and Saturday nights. He also spoke for an hour or so prior to each Tensegrity practice session. He repeated a lot of his old stories. Some of them were more thought provoking the second time around. Instead of trying to give an account of each lecture I may write something about that later. For now I just want share some of my experiences.

We were taught about 20 different magical passes throughout the weekend. Most of them were fast moving and some of them were pretty physically challenging. At the beginning of the first session Kylie introduced a new configuration for the instruction. The Chacmools are no more. The three Chacmools are now one half of the energy trackers. The three new instructors are two women in their twenties and an eleven year old girl named Carola. They are grouped in three pairs associated by the time of day when they are at their best; The mourning sun, midday sun and the evening sun. There was three different stages in the gym, one on each side and one in the center. Each pair of energy trackers stood on their corresponding stage. Kylie and Carola were in the center representing the midday sun.

Carlos told us that the Chacmools had succumbed to notoriety. He told us that prior to the Chacmools fight to control the seminars their line of awareness was almost to their wastes. After their bout of self importance their line of awareness had dropped back down to their feet. They still have not recovered. Carlos said that he knows that they will get it come up again and they will not fall for that again. They did seem more indifferent towards the participants this time.

On Sunday the planned schedule was two hours of Tensegrity practice followed by a two hour question and answer period by Carlos. Carlos changed the schedule and spoke for an hour and a half first then we finished with Tensegrity practice. He wanted us to end the seminar on a more active note.

Carlos actually only answered a few questions that mourning. Once he was done talking we went right into Tensegrity practice. We practiced for about and hour and a half and then we took a short break. During that break an energetic door opened up for me and I was given some information that was commensurate with my task. The nature of that information is not really germane in this post but I mentioned it because it power knows no venue. I went back to Tensegrity practice knowing that I had just received something very magical.

During the final practice session Carlos unexpectedly shows up to expound upon a magical pass that the energy trackers were teaching us. The pass was designed to grab a hold of both ends of the assemblage point tube that runs from the front to the back of the cocoon and twist them like the lid of a jar. Carlos jumped up on a side stage that was on the opposite side of the gym from me. When people started to migrate towards him he told everyone to stay put and just follow what he was showing them. He wasn't wearing a microphone but I could still hear what he was saying. Despite what he said many people keep moving towards him. I stayed where I was at. After three quarters of the people had migrated towards the stage he was on, he jumped off and got on the center stage. They all followed him to that stage. There he repeated what he had said on the other stage. Then he jumped of that stage and got on the stage next to me. The crowd rushed to that stage and I had to get the hell out of the way before I got trampled on. There he repeated again what he had said on the other two stages.

Carlos was making a mockery out of the participants to illustrate a point.. Too many people feel that they have to be next to him no matter what, clinging to every word he says. I was very disappointed that most of the people were oblivious to what he was doing to them. Once he finished on the last stage we were told to go get ready to practice the pass. Right at that point I felt this tractor beam of energy pulling me to the other end of the gym so I went with it. It pulled me right to the side door where Carlos and company usually went in and out of. I was being position by the Spirit for something unknown to me. I had no idea what was going to happen.

I stood there a couple of minutes while the energy trackers took their places to teach. Just moments before we started to practice I looked over and saw Carlos stop near me as he headed towards the door. One of the men who usually escorts Carlos stopped him and introduced him to an Asian woman and her four year old little girl. Carlos politely said a few things to the woman. Then he bent over the little girl and placed the palms of both his hands upon here cheeks. The girl stood there resolutely. He said a few things to her and she smiled. Carlos walked a way and as he reached the door someone handed him the comment sheets that people filled out. He turned and looked straight at me then he left. We started Tensegrity practice seconds later.

The image of Carlos bending holding the palms of his hands on the cheeks of the little girl stuck in my mind. The Spirit wanted me to end the seminar with that image and not of a bunch of warriors herding themselves around like cattle. I was being reminded that I must persevere not only for my self but for those who may come after me. We practiced a few more magical passes and the seminar was abruptly ended at 1:00 PM sharp.

I headed towards the other end of the gym to get my bag and I didn't move more than a few feet when I got hit with a final omen. The details of that omen are not important because it was delivered in a fashion that would only have meaning to me. It should be sufficient to say that this was a very disturbing omen. I will try to explain the ramifications of it.

First of all I would like to say that I deeply want to see Carlos succeed at what he has been tasked to do. I would also like to see those who attend these seminars succeed. And most of all I would like to see mankind succeed for we are quickly running out of time. The events of this seminar have lead me to believe that something is about to go seriously wrong with this movement. However, there is plenty of time to avert this potentially tragic situation. Carlos' sure to be famous three stage stand illustrates an over zealous commitment on the part of many of the students towards him. My final omen of the seminar leads me to believe that the very people who currently hold Carlos at this high level of adoration are the ones most likely to turn on him in the future. What goes up must come down.

The Tensegrity seminars are quickly becoming a cult thing for quite a few people. A lot of friendships and socializing are being created around the seminars. This is having a binding affect on the energy. Perhaps this is the heaviness that Carlos was feeling. This will get even stronger at future seminars if the cult aspects are not busted up. If he continues to teach under these circumstances it will deplete him of energy to the point of endangerment.

There are a lot of ways to free up the energy at the seminars. First there just has to be the acknowledgment that this is what is occurring. Then changes can be made on the part of both the promoters and the participants.

It is not my concern whether or not anyone heeds this warning. I have been inundated all week with omens prompting me to post this message. I feel that I have no choice in the matter. I want to encourage people to practice Tensegrity and attend the seminars.

Anyway good luck to all.

John