The Enneagram Type 7 is one of the nine personalities of the Enneagram. People who resonate with Enneagram Type 7 are social, upbeat, and spontaneous. Enneagram Type 7 has the nicknames the Enthusiast and the Epicurean because of their enthusiasm and appreciation for the high life.

The Enneagram of Personality features nine points of a geometrical figure that represents a persons personality. The Enneagram assesses the strengths, weaknesses, basic fears, and desires to determine someones core motivation and true version of themselves. Philosopher George Gurdjieff popularized using the geometrical figure to visualize the nine personality types. A student of Gurdjieffs, Oscar Ichazo, brought the Enneagram to Chile and taught his theories surrounding the Enneagram at the Arica Enneagram school. Ichazos theories are the inspiration behind the modern interpretation of the Enneagram which was popularized by Claudio Naranjo in his book, Character and Neurosis.

Enneagram Type 7 is part of the Head center of intelligence. The Enneagram breaks down into three separate centers of intelligence the Head, Heart, and Body. The centers of intelligence describe how Enneagram types respond to stress and how they make decisions. For example, Type 7 people respond to stress with fear and choose to avoid stressors in favor of a good time. Enneagram Type 7s struggle to confront their problems directly which causes them to exaggerate their positivity and fun-loving personality.

The main strengths of Enneagram Type 7 include their charisma, quick thinking, and ability to always have fun. Enneagram Type 7s optimism makes them charming and their quick thinking skills help them keep the excitement alive. The main weaknesses of Enneagram Type 7 include impulsivity, unreliability, and absentmindedness. Their impulsivity creates a domino effect causing Type 7s to become forgetful and thus deemed unreliable.

Enneagram Type 7s find motivation through their desire to get the most out of their life and fear of missing out on exciting experiences. Healthy Enthusiasts are eager learners with infectious positivity. However, unhealthy Enthusiasts are frantic, egocentric, and demanding. Type 7s can grow from an unhealthy state to a healthy state by slowing down to appreciate what they have instead of always searching for something new.

The Enneagram Type 7 personality is one of the most prevalent Enneatypes. Type 7s account for 13.7% of those tested for their Enneagram type, according to a study on Enneagram population distribution. Type 7s may appear more prevalent in society due to their larger-than-life personality that makes them want to socialize with anyone and everyone. Type 7s social skills make them well-liked among team members at work. However, their impulsivity makes it difficult for Type 7s to stay on task, and an understanding management team is necessary to reel in the 7. 7s often find jobs in event planning, freelance gig work, or marketing because they are quick on their feet, enjoy variety in their work, and can draw from a well of experiences to help fuel their creativity.

Its necessary to consider the variety of elements that influence the development of Enneagram Type 7. Each Enneagram displays a unique combination of characteristics that are relevant to the type in question. However, its necessary to consider the neighboring points, or wings, on the Enneagram that affect development. For example, Type 7 has two wings, 7w6 and 7w8. An Enneagram 7w6 will display traits of Type 6 while a 7w8 will display traits of Type 8.

Below are the four main motivations of Enneagram Type 7.

Enneagram Type 7s find motivation through their desire to seek pleasure. Epicures believe they need to distract themselves from stress to achieve their goals of fulfillment and adventure. Their motivations differ from other optimistic Enneatypes because 7s are forcing their excitement as a way of ignoring their negative feelings.

Below are four basic fears for Enneagram Type 7.

Enneagram Type 7s fear feeling negative emotions and losing out on the excitement. Enthusiasts try to constantly entertain themselves and keep their minds off of depression, envy, or profound boredom. Their fears differ from other Enneatypes because they appear to lack inhibition as they enthusiastically move through life.

Enneagram Type 7 is referred to as the Enthusiast because of their enthusiasm for life. Type 7s view life through a lens of curiosity and amusement. Enthusiasts long to live life to the fullest extent and enjoy dreaming about the world of opportunity that awaits them. They have the most fun during outings with friends, trying new food and drink, or planning their next escapade and loving every second of the process.

The Enneagram figure explains Enneagram Type 4 using four elements. Firstly, the Enneagram figure uses a nine-pointed geometrical shape. Each of the nine points of the Enneagram represents the nine personalities within the Enneagram system. Secondly, the Enneagram uses wings to add nuance to the description of each personality type. Wings are the neighboring points of each time on the Enneagram. For example, Type 7 has Types 6 and 8 as wings. Thirdly, the Enneagram figure is used to outline Oscar Ichazos ego types. Ichazo theorizes that each Enneatypes egotype describes how they want others to perceive them.

Below is a breakdown of the Enneagram Type 7 figure and the primary standards used to describe important features of their personality.

Finally, the Enneagram figure uses stress and growth lines to describe each type. For example, Type 7 has a growth line that moves in the direction of Type 5 during a period of integration and a stress line that moves in the direction of Type 1 during disintegration.

The characteristic role of Enneagram Type 7 is being the Enthusiast, the Epicure, or the Adventurer. The main characteristics of Enneagram Type 7 are enthusiasm, hedonism, and escapism. Type 7s have an unmatched zeal for life and use their hedonistic impulses to escape from monotony. A real-world example of Enneatype 7 is Robin Williams. Williams enthusiastically enjoyed his role in life as a comedian and used the excitement to escape from his troubles.

The ego fixation of Enneagram Type 7 is ego-plan or planning for the excitement thats awaiting them in the future. Oscar Ichazo first introduced the concept of ego within the Enneagram as a way to examine how psychological obsessions influence development. Enneagram Type 7s desire to be free of pain and they use their ego fixation to plan their next adventure. The planning that Type 7 fixates on differs from Type 1 because 7s use plans to move from one thing to another while 1s use planning to structure their life.

The trap for Enneagram Type 7 is idealism. Enneagram Type 7s ego trap describes the habit that influences ego fixation. Type 7 has an idealistic view of the world and projects its ideals onto others. Enthusiasts consider their idealism a way to escape from negative emotions because, in their ideal world, there wouldnt be pain. However, the trap of idealism locks Type 7s into an infinite loop of disappointment.

Gluttony tempts Enneagram Type 7. Enneagram Type 7s temptation is the basis of their personality. If Type 7 enjoys something then its difficult for them to practice moderation. They become gluttonous, wanting more and more of anything that gives them pleasure. Type 7s convince themselves that by indulging they will combat their ego fixation. However, the temptation of gluttony holds Enneagram Type 7 back from true personal growth.

The virtue of Enneagram Type 7 is sobriety. Virtues of the Enneagram explain how an Enneatype can move past their passion and break free from their ego fixation. Sobriety describes the process Type 7s need to go through to clear their heads to see the error of their ways. Type 7s can move past their ego fixation with the virtue of sobriety by learning to control their impulsivity and see things through before moving on.

The holy idea of enneagram Type 7 is holy work. The Enneagram of holy ideas is a concept within the Enneagram ego-types that describes how Enneatypes can look beyond the traps and break away from their ego. Type 7 requires holy work according to the Enneagram of holy ideas. Holy work means Type 7s must work and live in the present and not plan for the future.

Enneagram Type 7 integrates with Enneatype 5. Integration means an Enneatype is moving in the direction of growth, which for Type 7 means in the direction of 5. As type 7 experiences positive personal growth, they will start to exhibit characteristics of Type 5. For example, an Enneagram Type 7 experiencing integration toward Type 5 can rationalize their decisions and enjoy the moment.

Enneagram Type 7 disintegrates toward Enneatype 1. Disintegration describes an Enneatype who is regressing toward a 1 due to stress. During Type 7s disintegration, they will start to display traits similar to Type 1. For example, Enneagram Type 7 experiencing disintegration will become critical of others and highly idealistic.

There are two scientists with opinions on Enneagram Type 7. Firstly, Dr. David N. Daniels is a psychiatrist who studied and wrote about the Enneagram in his book, The Essential Enneagram. Dr. Daniels argues that Type 7s can develop their personality by examining if their search for pleasure is a reaction to fear or a form of escapism. Secondly, Dr. Beatrice Chestnut is a psychotherapist and expert on the Enneagram of Personality. In her book, The Complete Enneagram, Dr. Chestnut argues that Type 7s can experience personal growth by becoming more self-aware.

The wings of Enneagram Type 7 are neighboring numbers on the Enneagram figure. Wings offer insight into the unique personality traits of each Type 7. Type 7s can be a 7w6 or a 7w8. Below is an analysis of each of the wings of Enneagram Type 7.

Enneagram 7w6 is one of two possible wings for Enthusiasts. Type 7w6 results from Type 7 exhibiting traits of Enneagram Type 6. Enneagram Type 7 wants to enjoy life but Type 6s skepticism holds them back. 7w6s are more productive and organized because theyre less distracted by 7s impulsivity. Enneagram Type 7w6s differ from the 7w8 because theyre more concerned with other people than Type 8.

Enneagram 7w8 is the second of two possible wings for Enthusiasts. Type 7w8 is the combination of Type 7 showcasing the traits of Type 8. The amalgamation of 7w8 creates a personality thats assertive with ample perseverance. Type 7w8s possess more self-control than Type 7w6 and focus on their concerns over the concerns of others.

There are nine developmental levels of Enneagram Type 7. Each developmental level falls into one of three subcategories: healthy, average, or unhealthy. The three subcategories explain how the main traits of Enneatype 7 help their progression or regression as they develop. The developmental levels are a crucial component in understanding Type 7 people and the steps they can take to help them achieve personal growth. Below is a breakdown of each category of the developmental levels of Enneagram Type 7 and the distinctive traits Type 7s display at each level.

A healthy Enneagram Type 7 is optimistic, excitable, and pleasant to be around. Type 7s are productive and ready to make things happen. Healthy 7s are quick to react and have sharp minds. Type 7s can slow down and appreciate their experiences if theyre moving through healthy levels of development. Below we analyze and describe the features of levels 1, 2, and 3, and how Type 7s can ascend and descend to different levels.

Enneagram Type 7 level 1 is the level of liberation. Level 1 is the healthiest level of development. Type 7s that reach level 1 are known as the Ecstatic Appreciators and can truly enjoy, appreciate, and experience the full breadth of life. They can live in the moment without planning their next move. Type 7s can reach level 1 of the levels of development by embodying gratitude.

Enneagram Type 7 level 2 is the level of psychological capacity. Level 2 is the second healthiest level of development. Type 7s at level 2 are known as the Free-Spirited Enthusiast and surrender to their fear of emotional pain by being overly enthusiastic and boisterous. Enthusiasts can ascend to the highest level of development once their fear subsides.

Enneagram Type 7 level 3 is a level of social value. Level 3 is on the cusp of average or unhealthy levels of development. Type 7s at level 3 are known as the Accomplished Generalists and display healthy traits such as pragmatic productivity. Enneagram Type 7s at level 3 can replicate traits from level 1 by conquering their fear and managing their desire.

Enneagram Type seven reacts to stress by distracting themselves with entertainment. Type 7s are reacting to their fears by giving into their desire to distract themselves from pain with positive energy and thrill-seeking behavior. Type 7s who move away from their unhealthy levels will move toward their growth line pointing to Type 5. However, type 7s move toward their stress line pointing to Type 1. Enthusiasts who descend the levels of development under stress will seek excitement in the form of large crowds or fast-paced events that prevent them from having a free moment to contemplate the stressful stimuli.

An unhealthy Enneagram Type 7 is critical of others, angry, and unpredictable. Unhealthy Type 7s are always looking for something new to distract themselves with and will switch to new tasks without finishing the task they were working on first. Enthusiasts that are resting at unhealthy levels are endlessly searching for happiness and fulfillment. Type 7s need to live in the moment and stop thinking about their next adventure. Below we examine the unhealthy levels 7, 8, and 9, and analyze their distinct features.

Enneagram Type 7 level 7 is the level of violation. Type 7 people at level 7 of development are rash and reckless. They want to avoid emotional turmoil and will violate their enthusiastic reputation by acting with cruelty if they cant escape their troubles. Type 7s at the 7th level of development are called Impulsive Escapists because of their impulsivity and desire to evade their emotions. Enthusiasts can shift from unhealthy levels to average levels by ignoring their impulses.

Enneagram Type 7 level 8 is the level of delusion and compulsion. Type 7 people that rest at level 8 are obsessive, prone to anxiety, and idealistic. Enthusiasts become delusional and refuse to face the realities surrounding their current situation. They begin to give into mood swings and narcissistic tendencies. Type 7s at level 8 is called the Manic Compulsive due to their erratic and obsessive behavior. 7s can descend to level 9 if they continue to give in to their impulsive behaviors only to be met with dissatisfaction.

Enneagram Type 7 level 9 is the level of pathological destructiveness. Level 9 is the lowest level of development. Type 7s are called Panic-Stricken Hysterics because they are prone to severe anxiety, self-destruction, and unpredictable behavior. Level 9 Enthusiasts try to escape their problems in such a reckless manner that they cause more for themselves through their irresponsible actions.

The average Enneagram Type 7 levels 4, 5, and 6. Each average level of development is an example of typical Type 7 behavior. Average Type 7s are impulsive and easily distracted by opportunity. They want to be part of the excitement and are always searching for their next source of fun. Average Type 7s are unhealthy because theyre trying to distract themselves from their negative emotions and fall into unhealthy practices such as avoidant behavior. Below is our analysis of the average levels of development of Enneagram Type 7 and the features of each average level.

Enneagram Type 7 level 4 is the level of imbalance. Type 7s that rest at level 4 try to maintain their self-image of the Enthusiast. 7s at level 4 are called the Experienced Sophisticate because they give into the temptation of gluttony. Type 7s want to remain busy and actively seek out a good time. Enthusiasts worry that they will miss out on a good time and display acquisitive behavior due to their greed for the latest and greatest. Type 7s can ascend to a healthy level if they learn to savor the good life rather than rushing through the motions.

Enneagram Type 7 level 5 is interpersonal control. Type 7s at level 5 display an abundance of enthusiasm and have the nickname Hyperactive Extrovert as a result of their energy. Level 5 Type 7s identify as the optimist and work hard to ignore anything that doesnt please them. Type 7s become manipulative of other people because they still fear pain and the loss of their loved ones. Type 7s can work to combat their fears and ascend to level 4 by slowing down to consider their options.

Enneagram Type 7 level 6 is the level of overcompensation. Type 7s that are moving through level 6 are envious of others, greedy, and depressive. Type 7 is called the Excessive Hedonist at level 6 because its on the cusp the unhealthy levels of development. Level 6 Enthusiasts become obsessed with greed and envious of others if they dont have what they have. 7s become depressed if they fear theyre missing out on life and they spiral into addiction and self-destruction.

There are four ways to recognize Enneagram Type 7.

The key way to recognize Enneagram Type 7 is to consider their activity level. Enneagram type 7s are optimists that are always jumping from one activity or plan to the next. Type 7s many hobbies and lack of inhibitions lead to them developing various practical skill sets.

An Enneagram Type 7 isnt rare. According to research, Enneagram Type 7s have an average population distribution. A study assessing the Enneagram test results of 189,957 people shows that Enneagram Type 7 makes up 13.7% of the population.

The famous Enneagram Type 7 people are celebrities who identify with the Enneagram Type 7. Famous Type 7 people are natural entertainers and are right at home in the limelight of fame. Below are five Enneagram Type 7 people and how we know theyre Enneagram Type 7.

The best occupations for Enneagram Type 7 people are fast-paced, exciting, and wont interfere with 7s plans. Below are four examples of the best occupations for Enneagram Type 7 people.

The hobbies of an Enneagram Type 7 are thrilling social experiences that elicit a feeling of fulfillment in Enthusiasts. Below are four examples of hobbies of an Enneagram Type 7.

Below are five growth tips for Enneagram Type 7.

Enneagram Type 7 people motivate themselves by seeking pleasure to distract themselves from pain or boredom. The primary motivation of Type 7 people is a combination of their fear and desire. Enthusiasts fear their life becoming boring and falling into a routine. They desire to avoid the painful monotony of life and work hard to stay busy having fun. For example, a Type 7 person learns their friends are going out at night but they have to work in the morning. Although they know they will end up staying out later than theyd like, they go out to avoid the boredom and feeling that theyre missing out. Enneagram Type 7s core motivation is avoiding a dull night in and not because they want to have fun.

Below are four strengths of Enneagram Type 7 for business.

Below are four main struggles for Enneagram Type seven.

Enneagram Type 7s socialize by staying active and having an upbeat energy level. Type 7s are always going out, having lively conversations, and planning memorable adventures for their friends. Enthusiasts wont always consider a night in with friends to be a good time because they could be missing a more exciting evening elsewhere. For example, if Type 7 isnt having enough fun at an event, they will start to look for other options. 7s will become angry and impatient if they cant secure more exciting plans, and they will lash out at other people for ruining their evening. Type 7s are enthusiastic and pleasant at work which helps them to get along well with their coworkers. They will keep their enthusiastic facade up as long as they feel fulfilled in their role at work.

An Enneagram Type 7 is fun-loving and spontaneous in a family. The Type 7 parent is eager to share their hobbies with their children, take them on adventures, or try new things as a family. However, Type 7 parents avoid discussing disagreements or difficult topics with their children and leave them feeling abandoned. Type 7s are always looking for the next exciting experience to cross their path and their fickle behavior makes their family members feel anxious that they arent good enough for their Type 7 parent or spouse. Type 7s make up for their faults by serving as the go-to family member to improve a bad mood.

An Enneagram Type 7 is passionate, clever, and thrilling in a relationship. Enthusiasts are always on the go and need a partner that can keep up with their schedule. 7s are passionate about their lived experiences. They keep their significant others on their toes because they create unique romantic experiences and know how to keep their partner happy. However, Type 7s fear simple satisfaction and crave a phenomenal relationship experience. As such, they can become bored with their relationship and choose to abandon their partner for someone new.

An Enneagram Type 7 shows love by sharing their experiences with other people. Enneagram Type 7 people make every effort to avoid boredom and are always finding a way to enjoy themselves. Type 7s show love by including others in their joy and avoidance of monotony and boredom. For example, an Enneagram Type 7 person will encourage their friends to participate in an activity they enjoy because they want them to experience the same level of fun.

An Enneagram Type 7 is exhilarating, spontaneous, and impersonal in friendship. Firstly, a Type 7 friendship requires an exhilarating experience and not a deep emotional connection. Type 7s are fun to have around as friends but if someone cant offer them a good time, they will pass them over in favor of more exciting friends. Secondly, Type 7 friendships are spontaneous because they jump at the chance to have fun. For example, without hesitation, Type 7s will encourage their friends to participate in events or travel to places they normally wouldnt in search of a good time. Thirdly, a Type 7 friendship is impersonal. Type 7s want to avoid serious or painful discussions to keep having fun. Their disinterest in supporting their friends and detachment from emotions leaves their friends feeling hurt.

An Enneagram Type 7 male doesnt differ from a Type 7 female. Male and female Enneagram Type 7s will display the typical characteristics of Enneatype 7s, such as enthusiasm and restlessness. Furthermore, the gender population distribution of Type 7 shows males and females are close in population. According to the Population Data Project, males make up 43.8% of the Type 7 population, females account for 54.7%, and non-binary people make up 1.4%.

Yes, Enneagram 7s have commitment issues. Enneagram Type 7s are averse to having concrete plans or schedules in place. They cant commit to people or plans because they fear something better might come along and theyll miss out. Unhealthy Type 7s will risk their employment, relationships, and social standing as they make their way through the latest and greatest crazes.

No, Type 7 Enneagrams are not trustworthy. Type 7 people are impulsive and will quickly move on to new interests once their old passions fade. Their difficulty committing to people makes them a flight risk in relationships and their fickle behavior doesnt inspire trust. However, healthy Type 7s and 7w6s take time to appreciate what they have and are deeply loyal to those they love.

Enneagram Type 7 people control themselves by recognizing the reasons for their impulsivity, meditating, and practicing mindfulness. Type 7 people lack self-control and make decisions without thinking them through. They jump from to and from different activities so much that people around them cant keep up. 7s will lash out at their friends and family if they feel stagnant. Type 7s work to control themselves by acknowledging that theyre impulsive, meditating on the root of their impulsivity, and practicing mindfulness to prevent a future loss of control.

A relationship with Enneagram Type 7 is invigorating and intense. Type 7s take the lead to plan unique dates and keep the relationship exciting. However, 7s will ignore problems in the relationship and redirect conversations to more pleasant topics. Having a relationship with an Enneagram Type 7 requires patience to deal with their erratic and avoidant behavior. Despite their flaws, Enneagram Type 7s are loving partners who want to experience life to the fullest with their partners. Below is an analysis of each Enneatypes relationship compatibility with Enneagram Type 7.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 1 relationship is a harmonious coupling centered around reciprocity. Type 7s and Type 1s complement each others traits and bring out hidden qualities necessary for personal growth. For example, Type 1s bring practical thought to the sporadic Type 7. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 1 relationships is their ability to bring out the best in each other. The biggest struggles they face are managing their emotions and respecting each other during arguments. Type 7s are quick to run away from an argument while Type 1s are cruel to their Type 7 partner for their anxious and erratic behavior. Type 7 and Type 1 can have a successful relationship if they learn to communicate their concerns with one another as opposed to dissolving into arguments.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 2 relationship creates a pleasant combination of compassion and adventure. Type 7 people are full of life and will take their Type 2 partner on endless adventures. Type 2 people are more empathetic than Type 7s and introduce a level of understanding that 7s need from anyone hoping to handle their upbeat personality. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 2 relationships is their desire to enjoy life. Type 7s want to have fun and Type 2s want to make sure other people are happy. The biggest struggle they face in a relationship boils down to Type 7s commitment issues.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 3 relationship is an unhealthy mixture of ambitious personalities. Type 7s are eager to seek out new thrilling exploits, and have a joyful attitude to a relationship with Type 3. Type 3s bring a sense of structure to their relationship with Type 7s because of their desire to stay on task to achieve their goals. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 3 relationships is their optimism and healthy pursuit of future goals. However, the biggest struggle of Type 7 and Type 3 relationships is dealing with the pressure each type puts on the other. Type 7s expect their Type 3 partners to understand their erratic behavior and fluctuating needs, but Type 3s require more stability to be happy in a relationship.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 4 relationship is a delicate union of opposite personalities to create a harmonious partnership. Type 7s differ from Type 4s in how they present themselves to others, 7s want to be the Enthusiasts and 4s are the Individualists. However, their opposing traits bring them together as much as they tear them apart. For example, Type 7s are impressed with Type 4s ability to channel their emotions to analyze them further, and Type 4s admire Type 7 for their outgoing personality. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 4 relationships is their ability to communicate with one another as both types love to have thoughtful conversations. The biggest struggle they face is understanding their differences and not judging each other for an inability to achieve their expectations in the relationship.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 5 relationship is a difficult partnership to make work without understanding between each type. Type 7s have a high energy level and stay active. Their encouragement to join them on occasion will bring Type 5 out of their shell, and 5s can get 7s to slow down and thoroughly enjoy their good times. The main strength of the Type 7 and Type 5 relationship is their complementary traits of 7s outgoingness and 5s shyness. The main struggle Type 7 and Type 5 relationships face is how they argue. They are both stubborn and wont back down before someone gets their feelings hurt.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 6 relationship is a pleasant match that works to balance both partners traits. Type 7s and Type 6s are both parts of the Head center of intelligence and respond to stress with fear. To handle their emotions Type 7s try to find as many options before making decisions while Type 6s try to assess the worst possible outcome of a situation. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 6 relationships is rapport and quick wit that keeps their relationship entertaining. The biggest struggle of Type 7 and Type 6 relationships is

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 7 relationship is harmonious and full of fun and freedom. Both Type 7s contribute the same spontaneous energy to the relationship and make for an exciting partnership. The main strength of the Type 7 and Type 7 relationship is a dual enthusiasm for life. Type 7s in a relationship with another Type 7 can jump from one activity to the next and their Type 7 partner will happily tag along. However, the biggest struggle for a Type 7 and Type 7 relationship is restlessness. Type 7s are impatient and jump from one activity to the next, but if one Type 7 wants to go another route, they will quarrel.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 8 relationship is a complicated pairing that can see success if each party learns to respect the other. Type 7 and Type 8 both have ample energy to handle the other and they both plan for the future. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 8 relationships is their ambition and ability to work together to accomplish goals. The biggest struggle Type 7s and 8s face is how selfish each partner is. Type 7 only wants to satisfy their desire to avoid pain and will disregard Type 8 and Type 8 simply wants to be self-reliant.

An Enneagram Type 7 and Type 9 relationship is a healthy combination of optimism and mutual respect. Type 7s show Type 9s how to have impromptu fun and let loose, while Type 9s provide 7s with a sense of balance. Neither Type 7s nor Type 9s want to argue and will avoid disagreements in favor of pleasantries. The main strength of Type 7 and Type 9 relationships is their shared desire to enjoy life. Both Type 7s and Type 9s have optimistic outlooks and want to experience a joyful existence. The main struggle Type 7s and Type 9 relationships will face is their inability to confront relationship troubles head-on. Both 7s and 9s try to avoid painful experiences and uncomfortable conversations.

The misidentifications for Enneagram Type 7 are Types 3, 2, and 6. Misidentification of Enneagram Types happens if an Enneatype displays characteristics of another type. Type 7 will misidentify as Enneatypes that are outgoing, passionate, and nervous. Enneagrams 7 and 3 both share an outgoing personality, 7 and 2 are passionate, and 7 and 6 are prone to anxiety from being part of the Head center of intelligence. Below is an analysis of the misidentifications for Enneagram Type 7 and how to differentiate each type.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 1 misidentification is due to each Enneatypes idealism. Both Type 7 and Type 1 have high expectations and corresponding ideals. Type 7s might confuse themselves with Type 1s if they consider themselves to be perfectionists because of their idealism. However, their core motivations illustrate their differences. Type 7s get motivation from their desire to avoid pain and stay happy, whereas Type 1s find motivation from their desire to perfect everything.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 2 misidentification occur because both types are emotionally reactive. Both Type 7s and Type 2s are friendly and enjoy socializing. Type 7s are happiest socializing at a superficial level while Type 2s want to be a shoulder for their friends to cry on. One difference between Type 7 and Type 2 that helps avoid misidentification is their core motivation in life and why they both require such social lives. Type 7s avoid pain by remaining active and joyful while Type 2 seeks the attention of others to avoid feeling unloved.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 3 misidentification happens because they are both charismatic, ambitious, and assertive. Type 7s are enthusiastic about socializing and their lively nature can be captivating to others they encounter. Type 3s are ambitious social climbers who use their strong character to propel themselves to the level in society they desire. Both Types see their ambition in the other and will confuse the many pursuits of Type 7 as the ambition of Type 3. The biggest difference between Type 7 and Type 3 is their core motivation. Type 7s find motivation in enjoying life and avoiding negativity while Type 3 finds motivation in their desire to feel valued and to avoid feeling worthless.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 4 misidentification is a result of displaying unhealthy selfish traits. Unhealthy Type 7s and Type 4s are gluttons for the finer things in life and act out in self-indulgence. Despite the impulsivity of unhealthy 7s and 4s, they have more differences than similarities. The main difference is seen in their core motivations. Type 7 draws motivation from their enthusiastic approach to experiencing life free of pain while Type 4 finds motivation through having a significant personal identity.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 5 misidentification occur because both 7 and 5 are the Head center of intelligence. Type 7 and Type 5 both process stress through their fear response. Enneagram Type 7 approaches their stressors by considering their options at hand while Type 5 focuses on personal needs. Both of their responses can be interpreted as avoidant behavior, causing each type to be misidentified. However, the main way to avoid misidentifying Type 7 and Type 5 is to consider their core motivations. Type 5 draws motivation from a desire to be skillful because they fear being useless.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 6 misidentification is due to their characteristics overlapping because they are wings. Both Enneagram Type 7 and 6 display similar traits because of their proximity to the Enneagram figure. Type 7 and Type 6 are both head types and have a deep understanding of fear. However, Type 7 and Type 6 share several differences, such as 7 remaining optimistic while 6 falling into pessimism. The easiest way to differentiate Type 7 and Type 6 is to identify their core motivations. Type 7 works hard to avoid their fear of pain and they try to remain in high spirits. However, Type 6 finds motivation through their desire to feel secure.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 8 misidentification happens because both types share similar traits because they are wings. Type 7 and Type 8 are neighbors on the Enneagram figure and share similar traits, such as having an assertive personality. The main way to avoid misidentifying Type 7 and Type 8 is to consider their core motivations. Type 8s desire to control their life in fear of others controlling them. However, Type 7 fears emotional turmoil and desires to stay in high spirits.

Enneagram Type 7 and Type 9 occur because both types are excitable extroverts who want to enjoy life. Type 7s and Type 9s are optimists and want the world to feel their positive energy. Each Enneatype is happy to be on the go and always has plans. Additionally, each type avoids negative feelings. Despite having similar vitality, Type 7 and 9 have their share of differences, such as their core motivation in life. Type 7 finds motivation in avoiding painful emotional turmoil and focusing on having fun instead. Type 9 draws motivation from their desire to avoid negativity and create a peaceful world.

There are two theories about the Enneagram Type 7 that help explain the more peculiar traits of the Enthusiast. Firstly, Don Riso theorizes about Type 7 and the Dominant Affect Groups in his book, Understanding the Enneagram. Don Riso argues that Type 7 is in the Frustration Group and grows frustrated from hoping for happiness. Secondly, Beatrice Chestnut argues that Type 7 is in search of positive future endeavors in her book, The Complete Enneagram. Chestnut states that 7s focus their attention on avoiding pain and looking for pleasant experiences instead.

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Enneagram Type 7 (Enthusiast and Epicurean) Motivations, Fears ... - TheCoolist

The chronicle of human events often seems to be an unrelenting tale of woe, emphasizing the presence of sin in our world. But God can bring good out of seemingly irremediable circumstances. Furthermore, he often uses pairs of people and their choices to teach us lessons about good and evil, or the right and wrong paths. That divine catechesis begins with Abel and Cain, and continues with Jacob and Esau, Moses and Pharaoh, David and Saul, and Peter and Judas.

We can also find historical examples closer to our era. The 1917 Russian Revolution was unmistakably a curse; paradoxically it was also a blessing. For the Russians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, and others who eventually comprised the populace of the Soviet Union, the revolution meant oppression, deportation, collectivization, and a host of other evils. Externally, the world received Russian-Soviet refugees bearing the ills of occultism, atheism, non-Bolshevik Communism, and schism. But the Bolsheviks also forced out thinkers, writers, and religious people who enriched the West. The Russian-Soviet loss was the worlds gain. The bulk of the Russian-Soviet thinkinggood or badthat flowed into the diaspora can be distilled down to spiritual anthropology, or how we understand the human being. Is he the highest form of animal, able to be analyzed by his component parts, instincts, and physical needs? Does she have a soul? How and why do they interact? Russian-Soviet refugees provided multiple irreconcilable answers.

According to the esoteric thinkers George Gurdjieff (1877-1949) and his disciple P.D. Ouspensky (1878-1947), humans are beings mostly unaware of the ways of higher consciousness and ignorant of large troves of hidden knowledge. The duo attempted, like their counterparts in Theosophy and Anthroposophy, to guide people into those purported higher levels of consciousness. Their school of thought is not compatible with a classical Christian understanding of humans, creatures of body and soul living under the burden of original sin.

Much closer to the traditional view were the works of writer Yevgeny Zamyatin and philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev. Zamyatin (1884-1937) is best known for his novel We, which centers on a nameless character in a future collectivist dystopia. The novel presents a technocratic world with a rigidly rational form of collective life in which food, clothing, sex, work, and time are all tightly regulated. This society exists in a sterile city protected by an encircling wall from nature and the remaining (primitive) humans. The protagonist, D-503, is a gifted engineer and lead builder of a space ship that will allow this society to spread its truths to other planets. D-503 appears to be a scrupulously logical and mathematical type; however, he also has a poetic and sensuous side. His world is upset when he meets a bold, mysterious woman, I-330. His deepening involvement with her takes him farther and farther from the truths he thinks he knows, even outside the wall and amongst the primitive people. By saying yes to her, he becomes more fully alive, even to the extent of betraying societys values and breaking its laws. A doctor he sees gives him a startling diagnosis: Apparently, you have developed a soul (89). In the meantime he has also said yes to O-90, his state-sanctioned sex partner and the maternal counterpart to I-330. His yes to her results in the conception of their child, even though that act is punishable by her death. In the end he helps O-90 escape outside the wall carrying their unborn child. D-503 cannot live with the chaos of freedom resulting from his yes and submits to a lobotomy-like operation. As the novel ends, he is a more pliant member of society, but we are left with an ambiguous conclusion as the forces of nature and the primitive people seem to be toppling the city society. The key fact revealed is that a person is one who says yes to anotherlove overcomes ego.

Like Zamyatin, Berdyaev (1874-1948) thought much about the relationship between individuals and society. He critiqued what he called the bourgeois spirit, whether capitalist or Marxist, by which he meant that which focuses on the material and rejects the spiritual. Freedom is a difficult thing, Berdyaev writes in Slavery and Freedom. It is easier to remain in slavery (247). According to Berdyaev: The real we, that is, the community of people, communion in freedom, in love and mercy, has never been able to enslave man, on the contrary it is the realization of the fullness of the life of personality, its transcension [sic] towards another (104).

That understanding of human relationship brings us to two Russian women, both migrs to North America, who proposed divergent approaches to life: Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum (better known as Ayn Rand, 1905-1982) and Catherine de Heuck Doherty (1896-1985). Rand was a major libertarian thinker, novelist, and founder of the philosophy of Objectivism. Doherty was a Catholic activist and mystic who eventually settled in Canada and began the Madonna House apostolate. Rand grew up with religion (Judaism in her case) but became an ardent atheist, while Doherty was raised in a Russian Orthodox family. Influenced by Zamyatins We, Rand thought about the person and society under totalitarianism, but came to different conclusions in her early novel Anthem. The world of Anthem is if anything more collectivist and totalitarian than We, but also much more primitive and quasi-religious. Rands protagonist is named Equality 7-2521. Despite his intellectual promise he has been designated as a street sweeper, in part because of his rebellious nature. While performing his duties he discovers technology from a previous age. His experiments lead him to re-discover electrical light and thus a new Prometheus. He also spots and meets an attractive female, Liberty 5-3000. Accused of being an evildoer, Equality flees into the forest. Eventually Liberty joins him and they begin a new life with new names. Liberty is not his equalshe is drawn to him by his demigod characteristics. Equality says no to society and yes only to himself. And here, over the portals of my fort, I shall cut in the stone the word which is to be my beacon and my banner. The word which will not die, should we all perish in battle. The word which can never die on this earth, for it is the heart of it and meaning and the glory. The sacred word: EGO (122-123).

Rand developed her thinking on ego into Objectivism, elaborated in a number of non-fiction books but also in the well-known novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. In Anthem, Rands Equality 7-2521 hopes to build and indeed becomes a builder solely through the force of his own will. Her protagonist is also persecuted by the ruling authorities: reviled (79-80), threatened with burning at the stake (80), and anathematized (82). What is not done collectively cannot be good, said [one of the ruling Council members] International 1-5537 (81). Rands views have remained influential, especially in North America, especially because of her defiance of all external authority.

Her counterpart Doherty is not as well-known to the public at large, but her books are influential nonetheless. Her best known work is Poustinia, an overarching look at Eastern Christian beliefs and practices for a Western audience. Doherty, unlike Rand, emphasized obedience to constituted authority. According to the author notes for her book Molchanie: At the beginning of her new life in the West, Catherine accepted the teachings of the Catholic Church, without rejecting the spiritual wealth of her Orthodox heritage (87). In the same book Doherty supplies the antidote to the alienation inherent in Rands ego-driven philosophy: [T]here is only one way to bring people to God, and that is to love each individual personally. It is to love one totally, completely, utterly.Yes, love must be communicated person to person, otherwise it will not be effective (77). In her book on pilgrimage, Strannik, Doherty insists that a prerequisite for pilgrimage is sobornost, which is reminiscent of solidarity in Western Catholic teaching. Sobornost reunites you to God and man and it is a unity that must not be broken (47). This unity also requires kenosis or self-emptying, a scriptural concept much-appreciated by Russian theologians.

The whole of Dohertys thought and mission is found in The Little Mandate, which reads in part: Arise go! Sell all you possess. Give it directly, personally to the poor. Take up My cross (their cross) and follow Me [Christ], going to the poor, being poor, being one withthem, one withMe. This is sobornost manifested and incarnate, the antithesis of Rands praise of ego.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979), writing during the Cold War, discerned the societal and spiritual consequences of rising individualism in our culture: As persons surrender a sense of responsibility to God, to the state, to family and to their vocation in life, they dissolve into atoms; atoms exist only for themselves. To say we live in the atomic age may be a more unfortunate characterization than we know; for if we are nothing but atomic individuals, then we are ready either to be split or fissioned mentally, or else collectivized into a socialistic dictatorship. The latter is nothing but the forcible organization of the chaos created by a conflict of individual egotism (213-214). Sheen correctly interpreted the signs of the times, foreseeing that a godless society reliant on science for guidance would be a society adrift, prone to either individualism or collectivismboth paths to a soul-crushing and dehumanizing existence.

Image by AwesProduction on Shutterstock

References:

Berdyaev, Nikolai. Slavery and Freedom. Trans. R.M. French. London: Geoffrey Bles, 1944.

Doherty, Catherine. Molchanie: Experiencing the Silence of God. (Combermere, ON: Madonna House, 2009).

Doherty, Catherine. Poustinia: Christian Spirituality of the East for Western Man. (South Bend, IN: Ave Maria Press, 1981).

Doherty, Catherine. Strannik: The Call to the Pilgrimage of the Heart. (Combermere, ON: Madonna House, 1991).

Rand, Ayn. Anthem. New York: Signet, 1946.

Sheen, Fulton J. Guide to Contentment. Canfield, OH: Alba House, 1996.

Zamyatin, Yevgeny. We. Trans. Mirra Ginsburg. New York: Harper Voyager, 2012.

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Sobornost? Or Ego? Two Women and Two Paths - Catholic Exchange

Changing the spatial relationship with the chakra system can alter interpretations dramatically. Unlike some people, I dont see the chakra system as a real thing but rather as a powerful symbol, a successful attempt at mapping a human being. It includes the physical body, energy system, four aspects of the human psyche, and a spiritual essence.

Traditionally, the chakra system is presented vertically, overlaid on the human body. While it makes sense, there are two other ways of presenting it, horizontal and upside-down. Changing the spatial relationship allows us to alter interpretations and discover new insights.

For clarity, Ill first look at the original vertical interpretation, followed by the horizontal and finally the upside-down. Because the chakra system is symbolic and meant to be interpreted, please dont stop with my elucidations. Explore your own.

The traditional vertical representation of the chakra system begins with the root chakra, the birth and sustenance of the human body. The second chakra represents the energetic animation of the body. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth chakras represent the development of self-identity, love and relationships, expression, and intellect. The seventh chakra represents an aspirational spiritual core that can be unveiled.

In this spatial context, human life begins with the body and energy. Then we develop our self-image, capacity for love, ability to express ourselves in various ways, and intellectual ability. The bottom-up approach tracks perfectly with most models of human development. The body is the foundation, the psyche is developed, and then, if sought, the spirit is unveiled (which is not in many psychological books, but enough to be noticeable).

By changing the spatial representation to horizontal, new interpretations arise. I immediately see the fourth chakra (heart) as the center. Numerically, it also makes sense. Four is in the middle of seven.

With the heart at the center, human life takes on new meaning. The energy of love, compassion, kindness and altruism flows in both directions toward the self, energy and body and expression, intellect and spirit. In this context, the purpose of life appears to be to nurture everything with heart energy. Love becomes the central feature.

Quoting Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (although some attribute this quote to G. I. Gurdjieff), Wayne Dyer used to say:

You are not a human being having a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a human experience.

Turning the chakra system on its head, the seventh chakra or spiritual center becomes the origin rather than the aspiration. The spirit is the seed from which everything else sprouts. In yoga philosophy, the spirit is called the causal body, i.e., the cause of everything.

Again, life takes on new meaning when the spirit is viewed as the beginning rather than the end. Life becomes an expression of spirit. After all, spirit is the cause. Without spirit, there would be no intellect, expression, heart, self, energy or body.

As you can see from this short thought experiment and overview, entire philosophies can spring from changing the spatial relationship to the chakra system.

One interpretation sees the body as the foundation in which the spirit can be unveiled. Another says that the heart is central to human existence. Yet another maintains that spirit is the cause.

I bet that if you play around with this idea of changing spatial awareness, you can find other interpretations and build entire life philosophies around them.

In Dead Poets Society, Robin Williamss character urged the boys to stand on top of a table to see the world in a new light. It appeared like a silly exercise at first that ended up having a profound effect.

What both his exercise and mine have in common is that they urge people to think differently about things that they take for granted.

We gain an understanding that would otherwise have remained hidden by changing our perspective. Each perspective presents a kernel of truth that adds to our understanding of the whole.

Gudjon BergmannAuthor, Coach and Mindfulness Teacherwww.gudjonbergmann.com

Picture: CC0 License

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Three Ways to Interpret the Chakra System - Patheos

THE leader of a California 'cult' which has landed Google in a lawsuit is abusive and has given a chilling warning to those who want to leave, a current follower has claimed.

Former Google video producer Kevin Lloyd is suing after alleging the tech giant's studio in Mountain View, California was made up mostly of members of The Fellowship of Friends.

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The controversial religious sect, led by Robert Earl Burton, has its headquarters based in Oregon House, a small town deep in the Sierrafoothills, around 200 miles away from the Google studio.

Lloyd alleges in his lawsuit he was fired after complaining about the department's link to the Fellowship and its bizarre practices, including Burton's rumored 'love fests' where he tried to bed 100 male followers in a day.

News of his firing came after a bombshell Spotify podcast, Revelations, hosted by investigative journalist Jennings Brown, who spoke to men claiming they were sexually exploited.

The Fellowship, also known as Living Presenceand theFourth Way School, was founded by Burton in 1970, who previously settled a sexual abuse lawsuit in the 1990s.

A current member of the group has now bravely decided to break ranks to speak to The Sun about the allegations the leader has faced over the years, while he has never been criminally charged.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said she believes the many survivors who gave harrowing accounts of alleged abuse in the podcast.

The Fellowship of Friends, which has around 1,500 members worldwide, is still active and run by Burton, 83, who lives at the headquarters in northern California.

Asked how she feels to hear about the latest claims featured in the podcast, the member told The Sun: "It's horrible. It bothers me, it's always bothered me. It should be called out."

She added: "Nobody that's in the group is supposed to talk to you."

The member, who said she rejoined years after leaving as her late husband and friends were still followers, said Burton should be removed, saying: "I do think it would be wonderful for the health of the community."

Asked if she feels the Fellowship is a cult, she admitted: "It's absolutely a cult. It meets all the criteria, it's leader centric, and you're punished if you leave."

Quizzed on what members are told will happen, she cackled: "Oh, you are going to the outer reaches ofhell!"

She added that when someone starts "exerting their spiritual authority," the choices are to speak out against what's happening within the group or leave.

"But for many people it's like, this is their social life, this is their spiritual life, this is their family, you know, it's a lot to walk away from," she admitted.

"These are not made up stories and I'd say, 'Why doesn't it bother you?' They [the other members] just put it back on me; 'Why does it bother you?'

"The tricky part about this is that there's some really powerful, important ideasthat underpin the Fellowship, that are overlaid with a lot of personal, cultish ideas, proposed by Robert Burton.

"He is a very, very flawed human being, he carved out something that worked for him."

In the podcast, Brown says he spoke to seven men who claim Burton sexually exploited them, two of which also alleged they participated in the rumored sex ritual where he attempted to sleep with 100 of his male students in one day.

They also claimed the Fellowship helped them obtain religious visas.

"They told me they were just two of many who had this experience. So if this has been going on, why has nothing been done to stop it?" Brown said in one episode.

The journalist also told The Sun this week: "I haven't heard of any law enforcement investigations since the podcast came out.

He added: "More survivors have reached out to me, making similar allegations [since its release]."

An insider claims the alleged victims have been too afraid to speak to law enforcement on the supposed historic abuse due to the statute of limitations and feelings of shame.

Brown's podcast also revealed in 2005, ICE received a tip, alleging the Fellowship was bringing non-citizens into the US on religious visas, for sexual exploitation.

The investigation only found that "non-citizens were brought to the US to work non-religious menial jobs for extremely low wages," according to Brown's reporting.

Five years later, in 2012, ICE agents raided the Fellowship's compound a second again. This time along with the DEA.

Fellowship President Greg Holman confirmed in the podcast there was a "big bust," telling Brown: "I mean, they put on a hell of a raid on this property, with FBI, Immigration, Fire Department, Sheriff's Department. It was amazing."

Brown obtained records from the Department of Homeland Security through a Freedom of Information request, which claimed some followers were paying membership funds with cash made from drug sales.

The agents seized marijuana plants and arrested three people, but the organization itself was reportedly never charged with any wrongdoing.

The report said that Homeland Security joined the DEA in the raid because it was still pursuing allegations of human-trafficking connected with the group.

Brown reported: "An ICE representative told me that the investigation didn't substantiate allegations that the Fellowship was using religious visas to bring non-citizens into the US for sexual exploitation.

"Even though the Homeland Security investigation into possible human-trafficking was set in motion by a tip about sex abuse, the reports show that agents didn't even ask members about that."

President Holman also told Brown he did not believe the reports of sexual abuse, but that he would listen to any member who had concerns, warning they must be "loaded for bear" with facts and evidence.

The Sun has also reached out to Holman and the Fellowship for comment about the sexual exploitation claims, but did not receive a response.

The anonymous member told The Sun followers have turned a blind eye to the latest claims, saying: "When you go to an event with Robert, it's usually a dining event, or it could be a concert.

"There's no conversation. It's all about him.He completely controls the environment.

"In terms of what is said, who gets addressed to speak, it's not like people spontaneously [speak]. There could be 20 people at a table, and there's no side conversations."

According to Brown's reporting, a Fellowship lawyer previously asked Burton about the allegations on behalf of the board of directors.

He said in the podcast he obtained an internal record of the exchange and that Burton insisted he "did not brainwash or coerce his students," and that all his relationships were consensual.

Burton, a former Arkansas school teacher who tells members he speaks with 44 angels, reportedly added that they monitor everything and "would not allow sexual abuse."

"The lawyer asked Robert why he had sex with male students even though, at the time, homosexuality was forbidden in the Fellowship," Brown went on.

"Robert responded by quoting the creator of the Fourth Way, Gurdjieff; 'When a man crystallizes into a conscious being, there are no longer any laws for him, he is a law unto himself.'"

The Sun visited the headquarters, named Apollo, and can confirm the group is still recruiting, handing out bookmarks often hidden in stores with a phone number for introductory meetings.

A reporter also stopped by local shops, with many staff members admitting to being paying members, including a cafe close to the compound.

When questioned about the accusations of abuse, one waitress's face fell, as she asked: "What have you heard?" before declining to talk further about the group.

Local resident Eric Stark, 22, also told The Sun he was concerned about the Fellowship having heard the accusations over the years.

He said: "They keep themselves to themselves, but everyone knows about the reports. I would like to see justice."

The member who spoke to The Sun said she originally joined the Fellowship back in the early 1970s, and left after her own issues with Burton which she cannot openly discuss.

But she said her husband was still a part of the group, along with many of her friends, and she decided to rejoin years later as they refused to leave - choosing to keep her distance from Burton.

The anonymous member says she feels powerless to do anything about their leader, adding that many followers do not agree with her views and ignore negative press.

She alleges Burton was initially confronted many years ago about rumors he was having sex with male students, to which she alleges: "He immediately recoiled and said, you know, my private life is my private life."

The member was shocked by the "distressing" claims as he had allegedly banned homosexual relationships within the Fellowship, along with sex outside of marriage.

She says a small group of members wrote to him around 1985 asking him to stop exploiting men after the allegations came to light, but claims their concerns fell on deaf ears.

"They said, you've got to stop this behavior. Ultimately they all left, because his behavior did notstop," she claimed to The Sun.

"I'm in that group. But I would like them to clean up their act around these issues, absolutely.

"Call out that behavior and let the group try to heal and go back to what was really good."

She said her late husband was "shocked" by the allegations from past members and "it took a few years for it to sink in", saying he insisted he wasn't sexually exploited by Burton.

But she claims the were both "under his sway" over the years.

Unlike many members, who live at the main headquarters, a 1200-acre plot of land, she has her home outside of Oregon House.

"I have friends that have places up there, so I visit them. And my husband is buried there [at Apollo], which is really the main reason [why I stay in the group]," she went on.

She added that she had heard of the Google lawsuit but that it was "a bit complicated" and she was unaware of the claims brought by Lloyd, who also wrote a medium essay about his alleged experiences.

A Google spokesperson told the New York Times they investigated the concerns and claimed Lloyd's "assignment ended due to well-documented performance issues," but the suit is ongoing.

The member admitted to The Sun she has spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" on the Fellowship but insists it has still helped her immensely on her own religious journey.

Burton studied the teachings of Russian philosopher George Gurdjieff, who focused on heightened self-awareness, which the woman says has given her comfort throughout her life.

She remains a member, paying an undisclosed annual fee, and says the community feels like family, despite its bad reputation.

"People became classical musicians, and excellent craft workers. My husband lived a refined life," she said, noting there are millions of dollars worth of artwork and antiques at the compound, which also hosts events and lavish dinners.

"He was a lover of ballet and opera, world travel and art, there were a lot of wonderful experiences that people had in that, absolutely."

"But, you know, bad behavior is bad behavior, there is no excuse for it.

"At this point, I feel like he's [Burton] pretty harmless sexually. I mean, he's 83 or something. But for the health of the spiritual community, it should be called out.

"I have asked people what's going to happen when he dies because he's like the glue that has held it all together, at least all these years. And they say, 'Well, there's a succession plan and you know, we'll see'."

Lloyd also claimed in his medium essay that he was told members were forced to have abortions, which echoed what ex-followers told Brown in his podcast.

The previous suit settled by Burton in the 1990s was brought by ex-member Troy Buzbee, who asked for $5million in damages, claiming he was assaulted from the age of 17.

He alleged in court documents Burton brainwashed members into a state of "absolute submission," allowing him to feed a "voracious appetite for sexual perversion."

According to Brown's podcast, Burton had previously sexually assaulted Troy's father, Richard Buzbee, who wrote to fellow members to warn them of the alleged behavior.

The Sun has reached out to Troy and Richard Buzbee for comment, but did not hear back.

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Here is the original post:
Google cult leader who tried to bed 100 male followers in a DAY gives chilling warning to betrayers, mem... - The US Sun

A SURVIVOR of an ultra-secretive "cult" that preyed on New York City's elite has revealed how the group's "insane" leader brainwashed members into manual labor and seized control over every inch of their lives.

Spencer Schneider, now 62, was 29 years old when he was introduced to the group, then known only as School, by an Ivy League-educated friend called Malcolm in the spring of 1989.

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Unbeknown to Schneider at the time, School - otherwise referred to as the Odyssey Study Group - was an alleged cult run by one-time actress Sharon Gans who siphoned cash from her loyal followers to fund her and her husband Alex Horn's lavish lifestyles.

The couple, who have both since died, first co-founded the group in San Francisco in the 1970s under the name "The Theatre of All Possibilities".

However, they were effectively run out of town in 1978 after the San Francisco Chronicle published a story exposing the physical and verbal abuses members of the group had been subjected to.

Gans and Horn then reopened shop in New York City in the early 1980s under a new name and preached the teachings of Russian philosophers George Gurdjieff and Piotr Ouspensky, who believed hard labor and intentional suffering were the keys to self-improvement.

In his new book, Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival, Schneider also discloses how Gans, who held herself in the same esteem as "Christ and Buddha", dispensed what she called "ancient oral wisdom."

It was through these "wisdom" forums that Gans seized complete control of her followers' lives, Schenider says, advising people on their sex lives, telling them where they could and couldn't work, who they could marry, whether or not they could have an abortion, and even forcing couples to divorce.

"The amount of control Sharon Gans had over us was significant, total," Schneider told The US Sun.

"She really controlled how I thought about things and she had ultimate authority on all important decision-making in my life - I ran everything by her.

"I was single, she knew I wanted to get married, and she knew a woman in the group who wanted to get married, so she put us together and within nine months we were husband and wife."

Calling the union to his now ex-wife an "arranged marriage" Schneider said many members of the group got married even faster at Gans' instruction, some within just days.

"But my situation was no way near as bad as others," he added.

"She had gay people marry straight people, because she believed in gay conversion which of course doesn't exist, and she would also break up marriages.

"I didn't realize how bad it was until I was about 10 or 15 years in and I finally saw how mercilessly she treated people, and how they weren't trying to improve anyone's lives but instead hurt them.

"But I couldn't get out because of how wrapped up my whole life was in that group.

"I was very afraid of leaving."

At the time of his introduction to the secret sect in 1989, Schneider was a big-shot corporate lawyer who was also in the throes of a quarter-life crisis.

Having endured the nonstop grind of college and law school before graduating to work 60 plus hours a week in the Big Apple, Schenider was looking for a reset, a new purpose, and a new sense of direction.

He was also mourning the loss of his father who had died suddenly four years earlier and contending with a growing sense of loneliness - watching on as many of his friends moved out of the city to start families while he was still single, married only to his job.

One night a friend by the name of Malcolm offered him the chance to change his life as he knew it.

Malcolm told Schneider he was a member of an "esoteric school" that met a few times a week, which was inviting very select people to join their ranks.

The group, Malcolm told him, met to discuss two niche Russian philosophers and applied their teachings to their lives in an effort to improve themselves.

He also referred to School as the most important thing in his life.

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"I was a philosophy major in college and I had never heard of the people he was talking about," Schneider said.

"I'd never heard of the group either and nor did I initially have any interest in it because of how secretive it all was.

"I was very suspicious and told him the group sounded like a cult, so I told him I wasn't interested and I kind of stormed out."

A few days later, Schneider called Malcolm to apologize for his abrupt exit, and during the same conversation, his friend insisted School was not a cult but rather an unconventional study group from which he could benefit a great deal.

The first month of membership was free, Malcolm added, and each month after would cost around $300, which would buy him lectures with Gans, in addition to things such as boxing and acting classes, and parties and retreats.

A reluctant Schneider agreed to go and check School out for himself but was forbidden from mentioning it to anyone else.

Around a week later Schneider arranged to meet Malcolm outside of an old industrial building in downtown Manhattan.

The two men stepped into an elevator up to the third floor, where the doors opened up to a loft with around 40 smartly dressed people - in their late 20s and early 30s - sitting on plastic lawn chairs in a circle.

Any fears Schneider had that School was a cult were allayed when he looked around the room at the seemingly sophisticated and well-to-do crowd - made up of fellow lawyers, doctors, teachers, and heiresses - that was gathered inside the room.

These people weren't strangely dressed individuals who lived on a commune and shaved their heads, he thought, nor were they the kind of extremists who branded themselves for supreme leaders like Charles Manson.

And while School didn't have any of the traditional trappings of a cult, a cult it was, Schneider now believes.

But the extent of his miscalculation that night in 1989 wouldn't be realized for more than two decades.

For now, School was in session; and Schneider believed his path to a better and more enlightened life was about to begin.

Quickly, Schneider found himself swept up in the group's belief system as he was introduced to Gurdjieff's The Fourth Way principle, requiring him to subject himself completely to the will of others.

This period of "brainwashing", as Schenider calls it, started slowly with him surrendering small decisions to longer-serving members in the group at first.

But before long, "you really started to obey them in really big life decisions, like where you worked, who you married, decisions about your children and your friends," he said.

"They used this method to take control of your mind."

After a year of attending "class" at the shadowy school, Schneider met its enigmatic leader Sharon Gans for the first time.

He attended one of her rituals in which she would sit in the center of a circle of students, issuing lavish praise and cruel criticisms to her followers as they shared intimate details about their lives in an open forum.

With her fiery-red hair, strange clothes, and even stranger demeanor, Schneider said his first impression of Gans was that she was "completely nuts."

"Imagine like someone who dresses like they're in a Shakespearean period piece who acted like they were Lady Macbeth.

"And she had this flaming red hair, very pale skin, and this sort of regal manner about herself ... she looked crazy.

"But we were told she was the leader of the people who were our leaders, and they showed such deference and love to her, so we thought we were missing something, maybe she's okay.

"We just didn't get it ... but turns out I wasn't wrong - she was completely nuts."

Despite his initial reservations, Schneider went to form a close relationship with Gans, to the extent that he would run every decision in his life by her so she could instruct him on what to do.

The group also started to rapidly expand, with its membership reaching the hundreds in both New York City and Boston, as Gans continued to mainly target the wealthy.

Schneider was tasked with recruiting affluent new members, while also acting as Gans' chauffeur around the city for free.

While calling the work exhausting, Schenider acknowledged he was let off lighter than other members of School, many of whom were forced to provide slave labor to buildher properties in Montana and Upstate New York.

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Many of the workers were forced to do so for 24 hours at a time without a break, with men stripping logs and installing plumbing and electricity - none of which they wereprofessionally trained to do.

The women, meanwhile, were forced to cook and clean for free, for both Gans and the working men.

Numerous injuries were sustained in the building of Gans' properties with one member almost losing an arm.

She also sourced revenues of income beyond just membership fees, seeking to exploit her loyal followers out of even more cash.

In his book, Schneider writes about one young finance executive bragging about a $20,000 bonus he'd just received.

Gans, according to Schneider, made him sign it over to her on the spot.

Despite the various abuses of power Gans was allegedly indulging in before their very eyes, members of School didn't question her rule believing their personal suffering was all for a greater good.

It was a facade Schneider blindly bought into until around 15 years into his "studies" when he said he was left particularly disturbed about an interaction he'd shared during a conversation with Gans.

At the time, Schneider and his wife, the woman Gans had selected for him to marry, were having trouble conceiving a child.

According to Schneider, Gans' solution to their problem was for Schneider to attempt to impregnate his 19-year-old step-daughter instead.

"When she said that to me it just shocked me," Schneider told The US Sun, "and I realized at that moment I wasn't willing to go that far for her.

"I was very unhappy and I just began seeing Sharon in a different light, as something eviler than I had before, but I still felt very stuck and I couldn't just leave.

"I didn't want to lose my marriage because the people who were married in the cult if one of them leaves, she forced them to divorce.

"So I was really stuck between a rock and a hard place."

As the years continued, Schneider became increasingly disillusioned by School and Gans, and the ways in which members were abused and humiliated.

There were "constant" public humiliations, he said, and increasingly members were ordered by Gans to do bad things, such as "giving children up for adoption instead of having abortions" or coercing women into having sex with men who were already married or forcing gay men to marry straight women.

Such instructions caused Schenider to really question Gans' morality.

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When his marriage started falling apart in 2010 he also became increasingly more concerned about the hold she had over his life, resulting in him having a nervous breakdown.

"I think it was just so many boundaries of mine that had been crossed by sharing all at the same time and they just reached a crescendo that I couldn't cope with anymore because my mind and life were so controlled by her," Schneider said.

"By the end of 2012 I was very depressed and I went to a therapist. That's when I realized this thing called School was actually really harmful.

"I then decided to leave and only after my exit did I realize that it was a cult."

More than a decade after freeing himself from Gans' shackles, Schneider said he's still in the process of rebuilding his life, calling the project a "working progress" through laughter.

Looking back on his 23 years inside the cult, Schneider said it's difficult to believe he surrendered so much of himself to the group while being in what he called a "hypnotic state of brainwash."

"It has none of the physical trappings of a cult: were not on a commune, or shaving our heads, or being physically branded," Schneider said.

"It was just a cult where businessmen and women met in the evenings to talk about philosophers.

"But what the leader did to us in our minds and our bodies was every bit like any other cult."

Gans died from Covid-19-related complications in January 2021 at age 85.

She passed away in her $8million apartment inside the Plaza Hotel, funded by the money summed over to her by Schneider and the hundreds of other members like him.

While once seeing Gans as an incredibly charming individual, he now views her as someone who was "very troubled and very dangerous, who also ruined a lot of lives and hurt a lot of people."

The School is still in existence today, according to Schneider, and is run by a small group of followers who inherited it from Gans in her will.

Following the release of his book, Manhattan Cult Story, Schneider is the first former follower of Gans to come forward with his story.

Speaking of his decision to tell all, he told The US Sun: "I was apprehensive at first but felt compelled to do it because I thought it was important to pull back the curtain on these people and to help save other people who were in the group.

"Some of it was really actually very painful to go back and look over.

"But now that it's over and written, I do feel a great deal of release and closure."

Link:
Inside NYCs secret cult that forced gay people into conversion therapy & brainwashed high-achievers into... - The US Sun

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Its a damp February afternoon in Tribeca. Arbiters of style from around the world are jostling for front-row seats at New York Fashion Week. But Carmen Busquets, arguably one of the greatest fashion visionaries of them all, is not among them. Instead, the Venezuelan entrepreneur is sharing her thoughts about the future of luxury from a sofa in her apartment a few streets away.

I used to go to a lot of shows, says the Net-a-Porter founding investor, tucking a Gucci-sneakered foot under a silk-trousered leg as she sips a Cuban coffee. But Im less and less interested in the kind of fashion where dictators say, Here you are, these are the real fashions, this is in and this is out.

She also refuses to buy fashion magazines, disliking their promotion of unhealthy ideas about physical perfection. In fact, she confesses: I dont think Im a true fashion person. Im more interested in the stories behind peoples lives.

You might not expect such admissions from someone who has made a fortune from fashions next big things. But many things about Busquets are unexpected. For those in the fashion world, her name is synonymous with luxury and profit; for those who know her, she embodies seemingly opposite priorities, such as sustainability and detachment from material possessions.

Her web of businesses has its main centres in London and New York; her main homes are in Verbier, Barcelona, Paris and Miami. (This is just a short-term let, she explains, gesturing at the curved glass walls of the Herzog & de Meuron-designed apartment she rents with her boyfriend, the television executive John Skipper; the same applies to their pied--terre in London.)

Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet (left) and Carmen Busquets.Credit:Courtesy of Carmen Busquets

Her public persona is that of a slightly ditzy fashionista; in fact, she has one of the sharpest brains in business. And while her partial deafness means that she has an idiosyncratic way of speaking all three of her languages (I speak Carmenese, she jokes), she is an inspiring communicator.

Most of her successes have been achieved behind the scenes. She started investing in internet companies in the 1990s, sold just before the tech bubble burst in 2000, and used the profits to double down on her main remaining investment, in Natalie Massenets Net-a-Porter. By the time it was sold to Richemont, in 2010, she had achieved a 1600 per cent return on her investment, and received another big payday in 2015 when it was merged with Yoox in a 1.45 billion ($2.66 billion) deal.

By then Busquets was well into her next wave of investments. CoutureLab, which sells luxury products made by artisans and craftspeople around the world, was launched in 2006 and evolved into an investment vehicle now subsumed into carmenbusquets.com for disruptive start-ups in fashion and luxury.

Since Net-a-Porter, she has invested more than 50 million in fashion-tech companies that include Farfetch, Moda Operandi, The Business of Fashion, PS Dept, Lyst, Figue and Flowerbx creating more than 10,000 jobs and a portfolio of non-traditional ventures whose trophy brands include Cult Beauty (curated beauty products) and Maison de Mode (luxury ethical fashion).

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Her recent emphasis has been on sustainability. Fashion is one of the worlds most profligate industries, generating more than 400 billion of wasted clothing each year. Busquets-backed ventures such as Armarium (online fashion rentals), Flont (jewellery rentals), Unmade (bespoke knitwear) and Villageluxe (peer-to-peer fashion sharing) suggest a way forward that is not predicated on further overproduction.

It sounds idealistic, but in 2018 it earned Busquets an award from the United Nations-linked Fashion 4 Development group for recalibrating the fashion industry to the benefit of people and planet. She has also proved herself, yet again, to be ahead of the commercial curve. Bain & Co forecasts that in five years rentals will account for 45 per cent of the luxury market.

Who is this woman, who senses so surely the pull of fashions big currents? Born in 1965, she grew up in Caracas, the eldest daughter of two political exiles. Her father, a metallurgist, fled Francos Spain after the civil war. Her mother, a social anthropologist, fled Cuba after Castros revolution. Both understood, and emphasised, the transience of material possessions. They knew you could lose everything.

Busquets father became one of Venezuelas leading industrialists; the family became wealthy. But their real interest was in values I think the first word I learnt was freedom and in spiritual matters. The couple were disciples of the mystic philosopher George Gurdjieff, and their children three girls and a boy learnt to meditate from an early age.

Carmen was a quiet, thoughtful child. When she was 12, she told her father, We need to talk, adult to adult and demanded that, to become my own self, she should be sent to boarding school. She was: first to a Sussex convent (Hogwarts without the magic), which soon expelled her, then to a school in Toronto, where she became a fitness fanatic and, for a while, struggled with anorexia. It took her 30 years to resolve the underlying body dysmorphic disorder.

I dont think Im a true fashion person. Im more interested in the stories behind peoples lives.

Despite this, she says, I was a happy teenager. But I didnt fit in. Much later, she learnt why. In addition to her partial deafness (spotted in her late teens after her younger sister was found to have the same problem), she suffered from severe dyslexia (diagnosed in her 40s, at the prompting of a friend with a dyslexic son). The combination hampered her interaction with the world around her. I just dont hear that much. I missed a lot of things.

She learnt to express herself through fashion and painting, and won a scholarship to study art at Parsons School of Design in New York, but instead, at her fathers insistence, went to the University of Miami, where she partied hard and studied marketing and advertising.

Then came the great trauma of her life, a tragedy she rarely discusses, but did mention in a blog interview in 2016; her brother died during a game of Russian roulette. She rushed back to Caracas, where the family tried to put back together its broken world. Busquets was shown the ropes of her fathers businesses, in a series of boring roles: in accounting, in a factory; and in the import-and-export department, where she learnt that import tariffs were about to be slashed. She persuaded her sceptical father to invest in an import venture of her own a boutique selling high-end fashion from Europe.

Her father was a tough investor: If he invested $10,000, hed refuse to invest more until hed got $20,000 back. But her boutique, Cabus, which opened in Caracas in 1990, thrived. The ambience echoed Chanels store in Paris; the clothes came from more than 50 designers.

The clientele quickly became international, and Busquets provided a service to match. She would visit shows in Europe and use DHL to send her customers sketches, Polaroids and detailed descriptions of garments she thought they would like. Thats why I knew Net-a-Porter would succeed. I had already been providing an analogue version of what Natalie wanted to do.

Her first forays into e-commerce, in the mid-90s, were linked to wellbeing. Both flopped. But Busquets never doubted the internets potential to make retail more intelligent. In Toronto she had devoured the visionary writings of Marshall McLuhan, prophet of the global village. When the worldwide web got going, she was ready.

My greatest privilege was that my parents empowered me with their values. They taught me not to get attached to things.

Venezuela, on the other hand, was in turmoil. Hugo Chvez, who had led a failed military coup in 1992, was elected president in 1998, then re-elected on a revolutionary platform in 2000. A plummeting currency threatened to make Cabus unviable, and when the press reported some anti-Chvez remarks that Busquets had made, her shop was attacked. The spray of bullets broke three windows. Thank god we were having lunch out the back.

After much soul-searching, the family decided to leave. Busquets and her father sold their businesses. The family settled in Switzerland. Busquets has not seen her homeland since.

She believes that all these experiences contributed to her success. I was lucky that I had money to risk. But my greatest privilege was that my parents empowered me with their values. They taught me not to get attached to things, because sometimes you have to let go of your roots. And they taught me to value spiritual things.

She laughs often and infectiously; she is much more human in person than her perfect, designer-clad image. Yet beneath her frivolous manner you can sense the inner strength. In boardroom battles, she is fearless; equal parts angel and pit bull, in Massenets admiring words. She has turned her partial deafness into an asset, which sharpens her visual perceptions, distances her from conventional thinking and frees her to empathise with consumers. Sometimes, in a long meeting, I lose track and just disconnect. A lot of things come to me in those silences.

Most of her energy now goes into charitable work, notably with Bhutan for Life (the state-endorsed program that has made Bhutan a world leader in environmental conservation), Glasswing International (which works with vulnerable children in Latin America) and the Oslo Freedom Foundation, through which she has supported victims of repression in Venezuela. Shes also on the council of the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Busquets during a visit to a Bhutan nunnery in 2019. Most of her energy now goes into charitable work.Credit:Courtesy of Carmen Busquets

The work takes her to some exotic and sometimes dangerous places: Guatemala, Colombia, El Salvador. It reminds her, too, that as an unmarried woman without children (I never wanted the responsibility), she defies the conventions of many cultures, especially in Latin America.

Young girls say to me, Youre not married? Is that an option? Its amazing to be able to help children by empowering them to make a choice. In other respects, however, she finds being a philanthropist much like being an entrepreneur. I want to apply the same ideas. Think big, start small. Work closely with the people you invest in. Only fight battles I can win. Look for ways to empower people.

And the future of luxury? Her money is on further growth in the sharing economy, not just in fashion, but also in, for example, shared living spaces and luxury experiences. The growth will be driven by mindful consumers, whose choices at the luxury end of the market may inspire a wider trend for minimal waste fashion. Consumers can change the world, she says. You can already see it happening with beauty products, with what we eat. Consumers are dictating the way we do things, and big companies are changing.

Theres always a place for luxury, for beautiful things, she adds. But they dont have to own you. Theres a difference between luxury and the accumulation of luxury. Accumulation is like eating caviar every day: whats the point?

The sun is setting over the Hudson. Its rays stream through the floor-to-ceiling windows, lending a golden glow to Busquets pale hair. For much of her life she obsessed about her appearance, but the need to put herself out there in support of her campaigning forced her to confront her fear of having her imperfections exposed.

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I realised that, in todays world, anybody can take a picture of you: when youre not in a good place, when youre doing weird faces, when you look like theres no Botox in your face. You cant control your image.

Around the same time, she was diagnosed with coeliac disease, which disproved her belief that, through meticulous attention to diet and exercise, she could control her body. Then it dawned on her that her 30-year internal war with body dysmorphia was over. Anorexia is about control. You cant control the world, so you control your body. But we cant control anything. Its all an illusion.

Today she is at peace. She still loves to dress exquisitely. Otherwise, she puts her faith in her mothers top beauty tip: to love yourself. Her enthusiasm for her work does the rest. I love the feeling that Im empowering people to change their lives, she says, blue eyes shining. Every night I say to the universe: If you dont need me any more, take me in my sleep. If you need me, wake me up. If I wake up, its because today Im meant to do something.

Edited version of a story that first appeared in The Times, UK.

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.

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The clothing visionary who refuses to buy fashion magazines - Sydney Morning Herald

Nearly a decade into their existence, Denvers In the Company of Serpentsled by guitarist and vocalist Grant Netzorg and drummer J.P. Damron (Vermin Womb, Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire)are changing things up. In the Company of Serpents recruited guitarist and bassist Ben Pitts to round out the lineup forLux, the Denver trios fourth and most-developed album to date.

Luxis a riff-driven affair, something In the Company of Serpents make very obvious from the first second of mammoth opener The Fools Journey to the dark spaghetti western sounds so present on The Chasm at the Mouth of All and album closer Prima Materia. The combination of influences gives In the Company of Serpents a unique sound; the droning sludge trio have riffs for days, but its the thoughtful inclusion of spaghetti western music that elevatesLuxto a new level.

In the Company of Serpents will officially release Luxtomorrow, May 15, butDecibelhas an early album stream as well as a track-by-track walkthrough with Netzorg about the albums themes, special guests and more. It becomes quickly apparent: there is more toLuxthan meets the eyeLux is heavy with spirituality and esoterica, each lyric and decision carefully weighed. Pre-order the album here.

This record is titled Lux, i.e. light in Latin, and one of the central ideas behind it is the notion of a Prima Materia, or fundamental root essence behind everything in the manifest universe, Netzorg explains of the albums theme. Philosophers, hermeticists, alchemists, occultists and all manner of different wizards have speculated what that Prima Materia, or root essence, is, but the three chief analogies Ive employed in this record are: All is sound All is mind and, critically, All is Light.

With that in mind, we are employing a wealth of Solar imagery with this record, both in the front cover, and lyrically. The cover is essentially an artistic re-imagining of The Sun arcana from Tarot. This ties into the broader solar & light themes at play in the album, but the title, cover, and broader theme is also uniquely personal to me. Lux is the etymology of my daughters name, Lucia. So, while this album functions as form of esoteric prayer on one hand, it also serves as a message to my 2-year-old, who, as they say in the clich, is the light of my life.

The basic idea of this song is that a tarot reading was done on the fate of humanity should we continue to follow our current trajectory, and it spelled bad news in no uncertain terms. However, divinations like this only portend future events should we not change our path in any way, and we ultimately have the agency to avoid negative outcomes should we decide to change our course when we foresee them. As such, the message here is not so much that were doomed, but that we stand at a critical juncture where we have the opportunity to ultimately change things for the betterment of all. But this will require us to act. The second half of the song appeals to that agency. On the heels of the tarot reading corresponding to the initial doomed question, a second question is posed: What can we do about this? The result points to our own fundamental ability to self-empower.

The title of this song is a nod to the tarot. In many decks the Fool is depicted as a young individual who is carelessly about to step off a cliff. This metaphor is often used to describe the first steps of a persons magical initiation, but it is also represented in the lyrics which begin, Were standing on the precipice of our own demise, laughing in its face. It will ignore our cries.

I like the idea that our understanding of time is fundamentally flawed, and the implication that, if we can use tools like Tarot to glean the shape of things to come, it also empowers us with the agency to shift fates. Yes, the world is a bit of a dumpster fire on the broader level, but on an individual level we can affect positive change. As the writer and host of the Rune Soup podcast, Gordon White, has been quoted saying several times, Optimism is a Spell! The song closes with a quote from Jodorowskis The Holy Mountain, a film rife with tarot symbolism relevant to this song and album.

The imagery here is of the weighing of ones heart/soul against a feather in Egyptian mythology. The scale was calibrated by Maat, and if you had lived a just, good life, your heart would be lighter than the feather. If you lived an unjust, evil life, you would be cast into darkness. The principle theme here is that we are all judged by our deeds, actions and sympathies. The closing lyrics which feature guest vocals from Ethan Lee McCarthy of Primitive Man, Vermin Womb and Many Blessings and Ben Hutcherson from Khemmis and Glacial Tomb to this song are, When were gone well be consumed by the maw of the all. Will we have been a worthy vessel for the light of the void?

This centers around themes of life, birth and rebirth, and general cycles of renewal. It is the first of two instrumental pieces on the album featuring my friend, Paul Primus, of the Colorado Symphony, performing the Viola DAmore, a type of viola which uses drone strings beneath the fingerboard to vibrate in sympathy with the other strings. It is tuned to the somber tuning of DADFAD with A=432hz. That tuning is known to guitarists as the Skip James tuning, as that bluesman was famous for utilizing it to wonderful, eerie effect in his songs like Hard Time Killing Floor Blues and Crow Jane, and its the tuning which four of the albums songs employ. However, it bears mentioning that it is said in certain esoteric circles that A=432hz is the vibration at which all of creation resonates, and thus is sometimes called the God frequency. This whole album was recorded with our tuners calibrated to A=432hz, and this is meant to consciously tie in to the theme of Prima Materia, or a fundamental root-essence, that runs throughout the whole record.

The overarching theme of Prima Materia and the All is Sound/All is Mind/All is Light current I mentioned above are chiefly whats at play here. The title of the song, and the opening lyric, We live in Chasm at the mouth of the All, is meant to confer that we live in an embodied, living universe, or God, if you will. The second line, Her lips are wet with venom and her quarry will fall, is both a homage to a vinyl-only bonus track from one of my all-time favorite records, SunnO))) and Boris Altar, as well as an assertion that, if we live in an embodied universe and it is all of God, God gets what it wants.

There are other themes at play as well here: in the second verse we have the lines, The sky above is the celestial womb; the soil beneath us the seed and our tomb. This is playing with a Nuit/Hadit dynamic from Crowleys infamous Book Of The Law, which he posited he had received telepathically from an angelic entity after performing the Headless Rite from the Greek Magical Papyri in the chamber of the great pyramid. The themes of Sex/Life/Death are all fairly intertwined here, and this could function thematically as a sibling of the earlier tune, Scales Of Maat. On that same theme, we all know that our journeys will end in death, and the reality is we must navigate that.

In Qabalah, the sephira, Binah, is associated crossing the void of death, and one of its alternate titles is The Great Sea, and this is what Im referencing in the lyric, Born unto the universe, The Great Sea we must traverse. Ive since come to realize that themes of life and death are utterly intertwined for me and this record. One rather unsettling example of this is that, on the day (and probably down to the hour) that we finished recording this album, we unexpectedly lost my wifes father. The later track, Nightfall, on which my friend Paul Primus once again performs Viola DAmore, was used during the memorial service, and is thematically about death and the ends of cycles.

This is the song that is most directly a message to my infant daughter, in terms of the broader themes of this record. With the lyrics, Child of Light, Blessed of inner sight, I am playing with the etymology of her name once again, but also the broader theme of the Prima Materia being something that could be described as light, and that her capacity to look within is a blessing. The next line, Your mind is larger than you think; divinitys within your reach, is playing with the notion that, if everything is of the All, and it All is divine, then we are each microcosmic reflections of the All experiencing itself, and thus divinity is not some abstraction that is apart from us.

As above, so below is one way this notion is usually articulated. Another way that the root essence has often been described is all is love or that love is fundamental to the operation of the universe. This idea manifests in lyrics like the one that ends the song, Inflame thyself with reverence, a love supreme enthroned which is both a nod to Coltranesclassic album, A Love Supreme, as well as the instruction to inflame thyself with prayer that is commonly quoted in occult discourse as a reminder that passion begets results.

This is running with the Gnostic idea that were trapped in a spiritual prison of sorts, and that the demons/prison wardens (the Archons of the song title) are constantly engaged in keeping us thoughtless, disengaged sheep. The lyrics are a call for us to engage directly and presently with our lives, and thus regain some semblance of what lies in our true spirit. The chorus (if you want to call it that) of the first half of the tune is, The machinations of control, Hiding in plain sight, Gilded Bars upon our cage, Slip them and take flight, and is very much in line with that notion. The mystic Gurdjieff remarked that most people are dead, or asleep, to their own innate spirituality and/or our souls. Only by directly engaging with the world around us, particularly when the gilded bars of our cage are so lovely and comfortable, can we regain our sense of spirit.

As mentioned earlier, this is the other tune which features Paul Primus on Viola Damore. Its meant as a somber mirror of the earlier tune, Daybreak. The compositions are almost identical, but this is thematically more about death, fall, and the end of cycles.

This is the most simple, direct version of the overarching theme of a fundamental root-essence which runs throughout the rest of the record. It plays with the three iterations of that notion mentioned above: All is Sound/All is Mind/All is Light in verses that are meant, on one level, as devotionals. The last part of the tune just lays that all out in caveman termsLight pervades allPrima Materia.

Link:
Full Album Stream: In the Company of Serpents - "Lux" - decibelmagazine.com

On late afternoons, after his work was done, the modernist poet, novelist, religious omnivore, and occasional playwright Jean Toomer observed a ritual that he called deserving time. Much of the latter half of his life was spent in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia, on his property, Mill House. On the grounds, alongside his family, Toomer housed a revolving retinue of devotees who came to learn his home-brewed adaptation of the spiritualist George Gurdjieffs mystical practices; the students also performed manual labor, a classicand, for Toomer, quite convenientaspect of Gurdjieffs Work. At four oclock, when the teacher had finished his writing and his charges had finished with their chores, theyd gather in the main house, where adults made drinks and children had cookies and ginger ale.

The placid hour wasnt only for idle fun. Toomera brutally intense, relentlessly abstract, comically vain man who took every quotidian moment as an opportunity to philosophizewould ask probing, pointed questions, turning conversation into a kind of Socratic extension of his teaching. (In 1937, he tried to sell a book of dialogues with one young student. Talks with Peter was rejected by several publishers.) Later in his life, deserving time devolved into a grandiose cover for Toomers encroaching alcoholism. Ive been working very hard, he wrote in a teasing letter to his wife, Marjorie Content. Dont you think Im deserving? Dont you think I might stop at that tavern and put my head in just to see if they have any beer?

During these virus-haunted days of padding around the house, anxiously taking in news and visiting my friends via video chat, I keep thinking about Toomers afternoon ceremony. A Sabbath atmosphere not unlike the one at Mill House has sprung up between my wife and me: we sit around reading and cooking and listening to music, contemplating work more than doing it, calling our moms, pushing each other fruitlessly to extrapolate on figures (testings and infections, hospitalizations and deaths) that neither of us fully understands. Cocktail hour starts a bit earlier than usual, and ends a bit later.

One of the little tortures of the moment is the sudden disappearance of live theatre, and the thought of all the plays that had been scheduled to open, some of which, barring an economic or logistical miracle, will go all but unseen by large audiences. Ive tried to console myself by turning to plays that have seldomsometimes neverbeen seen, but which I love nonetheless. Some are intentional closet plays, meant for reading rather than seeing; others are simply interesting attempts, still waiting for their turn onstage.

One such strange but promising specimen is Toomers odd, keening 1935 play A Drama of the Southwest, written, Im sure, between many deserving times but never completed. Id love to see it staged someday, perhaps clipped into a one-act and presented on a bill with Toomers other little-known plays. He was an earnest dramatist; the knotty contradictions of his life and his ideas seemed to rhyme with the dialectical possibilities of playwriting. Still, his attempts at having his plays produced were failuresas were many literary endeavors after his classic 1923 work, Cane, a quilt of poems, prose, and drama set in black Georgia.

Two versions of the manuscript of A Drama of the Southwest were skillfully collaged in a 2016 critical edition by the scholar Carolyn Dekker. In her introductory essay, Dekker presents the Toomer who, having firmly abandoned his identification with the Harlem Renaissance, black Americans, and the South, continued to rove the country, yearning to find a locale fit to birth what he imagined as a new race in America. The play, which is semi-autobiographical, chronicles his attempt to manage this trick among the cacti and adobe houses at the Taos art colony, in New Mexico.

Tom Elliot, the plays leading man, is not unlike Toomer: cruel, curious, nave, self-involved, cluelessly sexist, an essentialist obsessed with racial and regional admixture, a vague but expansive theorizer even when the moment calls for concision. He and his wife, Grace, have arrived in Taos, where theyve rented a house. Theyve been to New Mexico before, magnetized by its small but vibrant artistic scene; theyve come to visit with friends and to frack spiritual energies from a land that, to them, feels fresh. Tom and Grace are mirror images of Toomer and Content, who were acquainted with the scene in Taos thanks, in part, to their friendship with the wealthy arts patron Mabel Dodge Luhan (a fellow Gurdjieff disciple who fell rapturously in thrall to Toomers high talking) and with Georgia OKeeffe.

The play is a test of that groups guiding, if often unspoken, principle: that, owing to a places intrinsic, elemental featuresblue sky, red mud, brown folksit might work as a symbol of the American future and as an enabler for art. This was familiar territory for Toomer. Cane ends with a play called Kabnis, which portrays a Northern teacher who has come southward, to Georgia, his tourism the outer sign of an inner quest. Where Kabnis is poetic and mysterious, in places hard to follow at all except by rhythm and deftly enjambed nighttime images, A Drama of the Southwest is unsubtle in its study of oppositions.

Before Tom and Grace show up in Taos, after a lush stage description that works better as a guide to Toomers psyche than as an inducement to set design (try staging this: Then silence again... and life becomes existence again . .. and existence, focused for a time in a group of singing men, expands to the mountain and the close stars), we meet a pair of Taos locals named BuckterT. Fact and Ubeam Riseling. They sit on a roof and talk about all those art colonists descending on their corner of the country. Riselingwhom Toomer describes, cryptically, as being above artis rhapsodic about the visitors; Fact, a butcher who is below art, is more cynical. Through their patter, Toomers own unmistakable voice is sometimes awkwardly audible:

UBEAM: The spirit of the Indian still lives in and dominates this land. Disappearing elsewhere, it is vital here, vital like these hills.... To this little cluster of earth-built houses the entire world comes.

BUCKFACT: Comes and goes as fast as it can.... And why? Whats to be seen here? One bank, one newspaper, grocery and drug stores like you can see anywhere, an armory, a baseball field, a fish hatchery, bad roads, the plaza, and a dump heap. Why should anyone come all this way to get dust in his eyes? As for me, it means a job.

Read more:
Jean Toomers Odd, Keening A Drama of the Southwest - The New Yorker

03.03.2020 Buenos Aires, Argentina REHUNO Humanist Network of Health News Luis Ammann is a journalist, with a degree in Modern Languages and specialized in Linguistics. He has been a member of the Humanist Movement since 1969, where he formed and directed human structures of volunteers in 11 countries during 37 years. He has made different theoretical contributions to the current of thought of New Humanism, founded by Mario Luis Rodrguez Cobos, also known as Silo. He is the author of the book Self-Liberation, first published in Barcelona, Spain, in 1980 and published in more than 10 languages.

REHUNO spoke with Luis as part of the 40th anniversary of the launch of the first edition of the book Self-Liberation, which proposes personal work practices that have been used by thousands of people around the world.

The method of Self-Liberation is conceived as a response to the deepest needs of the human being; the overcoming of suffering. In this perspective, Self-Liberation is a tool that allows this objective by modifying behaviors, as the author explains.

REHUNO: How was the process of putting together this book? What is the relationship that the book has with Silo, founder of the Humanist Movement?

LA: This book was first published in 1980, but it was finished in February 1979. The materials that gave rise to it were notes of work carried out by groups of people in what was called Bases. These were six-month retreats where they carried out self-knowledge and research. They began in a place called El Arenal (Jujuy, Argentina) in 1966 and continued in different places in Argentina. In 1972, in Yala (Jujuy, Argentina) a first compilation of these works was made, entitled Siloism. Silo gave some clues in direct talks, notes were taken and work was done in groups, and there were many working with that until the 70s. The central ideas were always from Silo; we never added our own ideas to the text, only suggestions for implementation. After 72 there were new topics collected in unofficial notes and they were written from what some of us researched, such as transferences, for example. In other words, the intellectual author is Silo and the rest is the work of many people. Thats how it was. I always try to explain in that way, a teamwork, of many people, but in the end all the intellectual conception is Silos.

REHUNO: The book Self-Liberation is organized in two parts; the first covers relaxation exercises, psychophysical practices and self-knowledge practices. The second, called Operative, proposes works of catharsis, transference and self-transference. What is the origin of these works, did you create them?

LA: The work with the centres of response that is in the part of Psychophysics, for example, comes originally from Gurdieff (George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, Russian Master, creator of the Fourth Way) and the one who exposes for the first time for the West is Peter Demianovich Ouspensky in his book Psychology of the possible evolution of Man; but they did not develop those themes.

They explain only the cenrers, the parts and sub-parts, but they did not establish, or did not reach us, the exercises to determine what corresponded to each part and sub-part. And this is precisely what was done in the bases and fields before I entered in January 1969. Gurdjieff is also the one who discovered that it is fundamental to relax the face and the head in order to produce a good relaxation. Starting from the top is important for the subject of relaxation, but he did not leave a written work that could be followed to practice relaxation; that is what we developed. As far as Transference and Self-Transference are concerned, Silo explained the theory, gave a guide and many of us worked and made observations. This happened at a meeting with Silo in Corfu, a Greek island, in 1975. From there in Argentina two research groups were formed. One was coordinated by Juan Jos Pescio, who worked with Siloists from Buenos Aires to the South and the other by me, who worked with groups from Cordoba to the North. We coordinated several groups to work on transference. It was not written how the transferences were done, we had nothing more than the central idea discussed with Silo, a general guide. And we began to practice based on those central ideas, discovering new situations, solutions for those situations, understanding which were the paths that were not to be taken and where it was appropriate.

REHUNO: In the 1990s edition you explained that the system of Self-Liberation is not a therapy, nor is it a medicine, but it is a tool for personal development. Today, modern science is increasingly confirming what was said by the most ancient medicines such as Ayurveda or Traditional Chinese Medicine, which in turn are derived from philosophical systems. They knew that breathing correctly, keeping the body relaxed and meditating are fundamental practices for good health.

LA: Self-Liberation is based on a central thought of Silo that is the overcoming of human suffering, a thought of clear Buddhist root. The Buddha basically proposes this and creates a school of psychology, not a religion, although later some transform it into a religion. Today we could say that Buddha was an atheist, because the theme of god does not appear anywhere; his contribution is more referred to the theme of suffering, to the possibilities of coming out of the cycle of the different incarnations and everything else. Silo, in The Inner Look faces, in his books basically, the theme of the meaning of life and transcendence, that is, the overcoming of death. Silos work is more mystical, Self-Liberation is a translation, its made for a more western thought. Its the same central nucleus of overcoming suffering but its made for a more western mentality; its more like a cookbook (laughs) with the different things to do on that path of overcoming suffering. The overcoming of suffering has to do with health, psychophysical health, mental health, which is something that has been talked about more in the last 20 years and that Silo had already explained 50 years ago.

REHUNO: What is the key you found about relaxation and breathing?

L.A.: Few people paid attention to Gurdjieff about the importance of relaxation of the face, and we started there. The head, the face, the eyeballs, the two parts of the nose, the corner of the lips, all that is well stopped in our relaxation. And then the breathing as a concrete thing that serves basically for everything, from calming down before going to a job interview, for example, to facing any other situation or starting an internal work practice or a ceremony. Looking a little bit deeper into the theme of allegorical and symbolic that are in the transference chapter of the book, the connectives between one situation and another, one wonders:- And what are the connectives? It can be an image of a bus trip, or any image that has to do with going from one place to another, where you take advantage of it to close what you have already done and prepare for what is to come. Then relating that content to psychophysics: -How can you take advantage of a connective? -Making a muscle relax? -Impossible many times! But you can relax in a short interval with your breathing. Because breathing is the way we reach the internal organs. I can work the external muscles from the outside: I tense and release the muscles and they relax, but the internal organs how? Basically its with the air, through breathing. The air in turn is emotion, so it does not only helps you physically, but also neutralizes you emotionally, leaves you in a good tone, neutral. So its all very intertwined, and those exercises are synthetic.

REHUNO: The structure of how a transference is made, for example, the different elements that are analyzed allegorically such as the connectives, attributes, continents, contents None of this was previously theorized?

L.A: The idea, for example, that one had to work on three planes of images (high, medium and low), that is explained by Silo. What is there in each plane as significant? That wasnt established, we found that and Silo ordered it. For example, The luminous city at the top, which is a recurring image, we also found a luminous city at the bottom, so we thought, how can that be distinguished? Which is located at the top and which is located at the bottom? In short, all these explanations were given by Silo. We discovered that there was all that, and he helped to put it in order, to make sense of it. In other words, to a great extent it was a collective work, there was participation by many people. Everyone who entered the Movement at that time went to the field and grassroots work and that was related to the testing of the centres of response to the world. We all went through that, and that is how this manual was put together.

REHUNO: And at that time you also wrote what would later become Psychology 1, 2 and 3, which were precisely the notes from Corfu and the Canary Islands. Is it correct to say that in those years the main theoretical basis of Silos work was developed?

L.A: Yes, totally. Corfu in 1975 and the Canary Islands in 1976 and 1978. Then Self-Liberation was published in 1980, the year in which the mission of the 80s was launched, and that closed a whole stage, a stage of a lot of research, of very good work, other diffuse and disparate works, that is, materials of different levels, but all that is the basis of the subsequent stages.

REHUNO: And, do these works remain then as a synthesis of the internal work of the previous stage?

L.A: And yes, precisely the first two official books were published: The Inner Look and Self- Liberation, both in the 80s. Until that moment we didnt have official books, they were just notes.

REHUNO: In general, it is not part of Western culture to meditate, to know oneself, and even less so 40 years ago. How was the acceptance of that book at that time?

L.A.: Silo proposes meditation on oneself, he always insisted that you dont need teachers, but that you do need to reflect. Of course, this result can be quite different among people, first of all because almost nobody meditates. And those who do meditate already have a lot of co- presences, experiences and beliefs from their previous formation, so to really meditate on the present without the noise of the past and the expectations of the future, is something very difficult. Silo had already discovered and exposed in The Inner Look the key: nothing has meaning in life if everything ends with death. And how do Westerners who wants to do something with themselves, how do we translate that which Silo had discovered? Then Silo puts together a psychology too, and that psychology creates elements that are key, core elements that are exposed in the prologue of the first edition, creates a series of exercises that have interesting antecedents. For example, what Gurdjieff had left were techniques that this Master supported in art, in music, in dance, very elaborate things. I have spoken with music specialists who say that the work Gurdjieff had developed was very elaborate, with the theme of metrics and scales. That is, there is a lot of knowledge but it has to be passed on to people in a simple way.

REHUNO: Was that a concern in the book?

L.A.: Exactly! Yes, to make it as simple as possible. And later, Silo makes it even easier in The Message.

REHUNO: How do you propose to work with the book Self-Liberation? How often should people work with these practices?

L.A.: If you are looking to synthesize, the work in that book could be done once in a lifetime. If you do it well, working with the whole system of Self-Liberation could be only once in a lifetime. But then one wonders what you do with the new situations that arise, or in the face of things that you thought you had overcome and are not overcome. For example, very difficult situations that require elements of reconciliation. And not only with others! I have discovered that the greatest difficulty is in reconciling with oneself, with images in which one feels that one has failed, or feels that one has done something harmful to others or to ones own process. It is not easy. So for that I think you have to reach self-transference to reconcile yourself, self-transference to overcome certain internal conflicts, in short, self-transference to balance contents. Because the ideal for the consciousness is that there are no too dazzling contents that become a kind of food for secondary dreams. That you have balanced your life, your mission and that you can transfer some of it to the outside, to those closest to you, or wherever you can get to. And with the issue of health I think there is a very large field of application.

REHUNO: The basic model of psychological work that we have today is basically that of a patient and a professional, whether it be the therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. Does Self-Liberation have that intention of proposing work that can be done alone?

L.A.: What we permanently recommend is to work with others. If you want, there are many practices that can be done alone, but the work is much richer if its in a group. Everything in Siloism points towards the relationship with one another, or with others. The Principles, for example, speak of valid action, of actions that end in others, that one would repeat, that make one grow internally. Always in a relationship of parity, our works do not contemplate the therapist and the patient, always horizontal.

REHUNO: One part of the research you were doing was during the dictatorship in Argentina. How was that?

L.A.: We went through two dictatorships, and suffered the lack of freedom, the clandestinity, but without major consequences because we were very much infiltrated by the intelligence services. They knew we had nothing to do with the violence, they had our materials, they knew what we were doing because they were investigating us. We did suffer arrests and many of us were imprisoned, some in very harsh conditions and there were even friends killed in La Plata, but this was mainly during the rise of a parapolice gang called Triple A (Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance). In 1975 some friends from Crdoba, including my partner and I, were imprisoned in very harsh conditions in the clandestine detention centre D2. But fortunately here we are.

REHUNO: Would you change anything in a future edition of the book?

L.A.: In the chapter on psychophysics there is an explanation of the response centres (intellectual, emotional, motor, vegetative) and we decided to put only the examples of the intellectual center with parts and sub parts, of the others there are no examples, there is only the detail of the intellectual centre. I recently found a work that is quite well done, contributed by Mara Anglica Soler, and in a next edition of Self-Liberation we should make a call citing that work, for those who want to go deeper, because she develops it more and better. Another question that we should improve in a next edition is the subject of the bibliography. Although Silos work is very original, and for that reason it is difficult for us to put together a bibliography, since we dont have one, these books are not taken up in universities. That would have to be done, although we cant detail each part, since its a work that arises from experience, we would have to put those previous references.

REHUNO: What are your future projects?

LA: Im working on two projects. I want to develop the chapter on self-transference, which is a part of the book that many people end up not using because it seems complex, and I am writing a paper on conflict resolution. From dtente we are focusing on a part of the most serious conflicts, but we are going to expand it. The conflict has three vertices formed by a visual image of a problem, another is the muscular tension that this image produces and the third is the corresponding emotion. For example: a person is being harassed by their boss in front of their colleagues. There is the image of the boss saying I dont know what, and then the colleagues around them laughing, others feeling sorry, etc. And the person feels a terrible muscular tension, which is not always in the same place, it depends on the person. If you work only the muscular, physical tension, you can achieve relaxation to a great extent, but you can also achieve relaxation by changing the image of the situation that caused such tension. If you start working on the image, introducing elements that were not there, for example, curtains, a funny picture of a man with a moustache, imagine that while the boss is scolding and degrading their pants are falling down, that changes the scene, it is no longer the same scene, then the physical tension and the emotion associated with that image dissolves. That helps a lot in the resolution of conflicts, whether they are of childhood, adolescence or the present moment. The idea is to give new tools.

REHUNO: Luis, thank you very much for that interview and congratulations on the celebration of the books 40th anniversary.

L.A.: No, please, thank you very much. To know more: http://www.luisammann.com.ar/ Response Centres: An educational perspective on psychophysics. Maria Angelica Soler. Original article in Spanish https://www.pressenza.com/es/2020/03/entrevista-a-luis-amman-autor-del-libro-autoliberacion/

Translation Pressenza London

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Interview with Luis Amman, author of the book "Self- Liberation - Pressenza, International Press Agency

Alexis Gordon stars in Room at the Grand Theatre. Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press)

Whats happening in and around London this weekend and next week:

Chaucers Pub: Runa, Wednesday, doors open at 7 p.m.; tickets $25 advance, $30 at the door; 122 Carling St.; 519-319-5847 or visit http://www.folk.on.ca.

Eastside Bar and Grill: The RJ Conspiracy, Friday, 10 p.m.; Blues Jam, Sunday, 3 p.m.; Eastside Open Jam Night, Wednesday, 8 p.m.; 750 Hamilton Rd.; 519-457-7467.

Fox & Fiddle: Three Penny Piece, Thursday, 9 p.m.; Karaoke, Friday, 9 p.m.; 355 Wellington St., 519-679-4238.

Jimbos Pub And Eatery: Karaoke Party hosted by Maggie, Fridays, 10 p.m. and Tuesdays, 8 p.m.; Free Latin dance with host DJ Tavo, Saturday, 10 p.m.; 920 Commissioners Rd. E.; 519-204-7991 or visit http://www.jimbospub.ca.

London Music Club: Acoustic Open Mic, 7:30 p.m., Mike Evin, 7:30 p.m., Friday; A.M.S. (Ask me Somethin), Saturday, 6 p.m.; SOUP Ukulele Jam, Wednesday, 6:45 p.m.; 470 Colborne St.; 519-640-6996.

Oliver Whitehead

London Wine Bar: Oliver Whitehead, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., no cover; 420 Talbot St.; call 519-913-3400 for reservations or e-mail info@londonwinebar.ca; walk-ins welcome.

Mustang Sallys: Askher, Friday, 9:30 p.m.; Acoustic Jam with Alan Lynch, Bobby Keener, Jack Coveney, Don Oullette and Friends, Tuesdays, 10 p.m.; Lonnie Chicago, Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.; 99 Belmont Drive, 519-649-7688.

Richmond Tavern: Ball of Light, Fiends, Drug Rug, Dream Seer, Saturday, 9 p.m.; Karaoke Sundays, every Sunday, 9:30 p.m.; 370 Richmond St.; 519-679-9777.

Rum Runners: Onyx (Fredo Starr & Sticky Fingaz) with JD Era, Tef Zee, Rizzy Rio, Thursday, 8 p.m., $25; 178 Dundas St.; 519-432-1107.

St. Regis Tavern: Musical chairs with a St. Paddys-ish evening with Irish Stew, Saturday, 9 p.m., pay-what-you-will; 625 Dundas St.

Taproom: Popup Weekend, Friday, 5 p.m. and Saturday, 3 p.m.; Beerlab London, 420 Talbot St., 519-859-8853.

Wortley Roadhouse: Bluetonium, Friday; Journeymen of Soul, Saturay, HiLife, Sunday, 4-8 p.m.; 190 Wortley Rd.; 519-438-5141.

Come Dancing: With Patricia and Robert, Friday dance from 8 p.m. till 11 p.m. to ballroom, Latin and swing music; free cookies cheese and crackers; still only $10 per person and all are welcome, call 519-421-7234; at the Polish Hall London, 554 Hill St.

Royal Canadian Legion Lambeth: Dance to the music of Joan Spalding, Saturday, 2-5 p.m., free admission; 7097 Kilbourne Rd.; 519-652-3412.

Royal Canadian Legion Victory: Dance to the music of Guy Melanson & Band, Saturday, 8 p.m., $10 at main floor door; everyone welcome; The County Road Band, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., $5 at main floor door; 311 Oakland Ave.; 519-455-2230.

Singles Dance Party: Saturday, 8 p.m. with DJ Wolfeman host; $13 per person, snacks on the tables, all welcome; 1738 Gore Rd., 519-433-2579.

Tuesday Tunes:Old time fiddle and traditional style country music, every Tuesday, 1-3:30 p.m. at Seaforth Community Centre, 122 Duke St.; singers, musicians, dancers and listeners welcome, bring your own musical instruments; admission by donation; 519-357-1016.

Film screening: The Seekers of Truth, a film by Jean-Claude Lubtchansky documenting a life spent seeking and the philosophy of G.I. Gurdjieff, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; admission free with RSVP; Museum London, 421 Ridout St.

The Amazing Corbin: The Magic and Mysteries Show, Saturday, 1 p.m.; for kids of all ages, this will be a great event to end your March Break, children must be accompanied by an adult; to register, visit http://www.eldonhouse.ca/events or call 519-661-5169; cost: $15 per person including children and adults; Interpretive Centre, Eldon House, 481 Ridout St.

Art Emporium: Featured artists for March are Deb Dicker, Ethel Mitrovic, Jacqueline Kinsey, Robin Baratta, Christa Oglan, Judy Ross, Michelle Boyer; hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends only or by appointment, parking is free; 177 Main Street, Port Stanley, 226-658-1888.

Artlab Gallery: Together We Average As Zero- Take 1, extended to March 14 at John Labatt Visual Arts Centre at Western University; hours: Monday to Friday, noon-6 p.m., Thursdays till 8 p.m.; open to the public.

Art with Panache: Featured artists for March include Paul Snoddy and Robert Armstrong (until March 13) and Lynne Pinchin (March 16-27); the Gallery Artists also present The Alex Colville Challenge with their own interpretations on display; Talbot Centre, 140 Fullarton St.; 519-870-7218.

Aylmer-Malahide Museum: In Service Of, a look at the local service clubs, fraternal orders and community organizations and the impact they have on their communities, runs till May 29; hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., evenings and weekends by appointment; 14 East St., Aylmer; 519-773-9723.

Eldon House: Londons oldest residence contains family heirlooms, furnishings and priceless treasures of the Harris Family; hours: Thursday to Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; admission by donation; 481 Ridout St. N.; 519-661-5169 or visit http://www.eldonhouse.ca.

Excavo Fine Art: Carpe Diem Multiplos, runs till April 4; hours: Tuesday to Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m.; 711 Central Ave.; 519-719-3190 or visit http://www.excavo.ca.

Gallery in the Grove: Faces, Places, and Spaces: A Canadian Perspective, juried exhibition, runs till April 25; Justine Goulets glass art on display in Gift Shop; 2618 Hamilton Rd. at Wildwood Park, Brights Grove; visit http://www.galleryinthegrove.com.

Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre: Wings, mixed media images of birds by David Vancook, runs till March 29; hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; 125 Centennial Lane, Victoria Park, Ingersoll; 519-485-4691 or visit http://www.creativeartscentre.com.

Jill Price, Landscape on Table at Westland Gallery.

Jet Aircraft Museum: Cold War era jet aircraft and historic displays honouring Canadian aviation heritage; hours: Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; admission by donation; 2465 Aviation Lane, Unit 2; 519-453-7000 or visit jetaircraftmuseum.ca.

McIntosh Gallery: Accountability: solo exhibition by Kelly Greene, runs till April 9; Listening to Trees by performance artist Johannes Zits, runs till April 9; hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; Western University, 1151 Richmond St.; 519-661-2111 ext. 87576.

Museum London: Realisms: Canadian Art, 1850 to the Present, runs till May 3; Dean Carson, runs till May 17; 100 Years of Nursing Education in London, runs till May 24; hours: Tuesday to Sunday, noon-5 p.m., Thursdays till 9 p.m.; admission by donation; 421 Ridout St. N.; 519-661-0333 or visit museumlondon.ca.

Portside Gallery: Miniature Show and Sale features more than 150 little treasures on display, runs through March; hours: daily, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; 187 1/2 Main St., Port Stanley; 519-782-7066 or visit portsidegallery.ca.

Wallaceburg & District Museum: Giant Indoor Vendors sale, Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 505 King Street, Wallaceburg, for information call 519-627-8962.

Westland Gallery: Abstraction: new exhibition by Sharon Barr, Jill Price, Maggee Day and Bryan Jesney, runs till March 28; hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; 156 Wortley Rd.; 519-601-4420 or visit http://www.westlandgallery.ca.

Woodstock Art Gallery: Plates of Printers, runs till March 28; Given Her Due: Oxford County Women Artists 1880-1980, runs till June 27; Walk On: ongoing sculpture project of John McEwen, runs till June 27; 449 Dundas St., Woodstock; 519-539-6761.

Gardening in the City: Fruit Tree Maintenance, learn the basics of growing your own fruit in your garden, Thursday, 7-9 p.m.; London Public Library, 251 Dundas St., 519-661-4600.

Sarnia Horticultural Society: Monthly meeting, Wednesday, 7 to 9 p.m. with guest speakers David Hughes & Brian Corsault, Project Monarch, everyone welcome, free admission. 2020 memberships available to purchase, valid until Dec. 31, 2020; for more info, call Barb Toye 519-332-5837; Lochiel Kiwanis Centre, 180 College Avenue, Sarnia.

Amy Helm

Amy Helm: With special guests Altameda, Monday, 8 p.m.; tickets $30 advance, $35 at the doors; Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St., visit aeolianhall.ca or call 519-672-7950.

El Sistem: Aeolian concert, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.; free admission, donations accepted; Aeolian Education Campus at Cronyn, 442 William Street, visit aeolianhall.ca or call 519-672-7950.

Lenten Noon Recital: Claire Jones-Fright, violin and Lauren Thomson, piano, Friday, noon; lunch following $8 per person; freewill donation; First-St. Andrews United Church, 350 Queens Ave.

Lenten Organ Recital Series: Sandra Young-Tangjerd, Wednesday, noon; $10 per person includes soup, sandwich, dessert and coffee/tea; contact Dave Mathers at 519-631-3503 or admin@centraluc.ca; Central United Church, 135 Wellington Street, St. Thomas.

Matthew Good: Moving Walls Tour with Ellevator, Friday, 8 p.m., $39.50; London Music Hall, 185 Queens Ave.; 519-432-1107.

Opera Gala: Favourite Scenes, the annual opera gala includes scenes from opera and musical theatre, Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University, email musicevents@uwo.ca or call 519-661-3767 or Grand Theatre Box Office at 519-672-8800.

Parkhill Carnegie Concert Series: Londons Grace Lou and her ensemble, will play traditional Chinese erhu music and will wear traditional costumes, Sunday, 2:30-4 p.m. at the Gallery, 233 Parkhill Main St.; tickets are $12 which are available at the door.

The Dreamboats: Friday, 8 p.m.; tickets $30 advance, $35 at the door; Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St., visit aeolianhall.ca or call 519-672-7950.

Crinklaws Maple Products: Watch the maple sap being made, runs Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 4570 Westminster Drive, 519-690-1086.

Fort Rose Maple Company: Saturday and Sunday, runs till April 5 and March Break Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 27382 Coldstream Road, Parkhill, 519-232-9041.

Jakemans 4-H Pancake House: Take a horse-drawn wagon ride, runs Saturday and Sunday, till April 5, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; 454414 Trillium Line, Sweaburg, 519-539-1366.

Kinsmen Fanshawe Sugar Bush. File photo

Kinsmen Fanshawe Sugar Bush: Get outside and enjoy the tapping of the trees, runs Saturday and Sunday and March Break, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., till April 5; Lakeside Drive, Thorndale, 519-461-1073.

McLachlan Syrup and Sugar Bush: Learn about how our family makes maple syrup; hours: daily 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Mondays, runs till April 11, open all of March Break; 10279 Lamont Drive, Komoka, 519-666-1846.

Palmers Maple Syrup Shanty: Join us for a tour of the syrup shanty, learn about both modern and traditional methods of making maple syrup, runs till March 29; 34308 Lake Line, Port Stanley.

Saturday Morning Walks: Walk through The Coves, meet at Greenway Park, 50 Greenside Park, first car park on right; walks are approximately one hour; families with children are welcome, no dogs please; John Clark, 519-641-0442 or visit http://www.tvta.ca.

Ska-Nah-Doht Village & Museum: March break fun, guided nature hike and tour the village, from March 16-20, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., one hour in length, dress for the outdoors; Longwood Road Conservation Area, 8348 Longwoods Road (Mt. Brydges) just 6.5 km west of Delaware or 10 km east of Melbourne, 519-264-2420.

Springwater Maple Syrup Festival: Enjoy wagon rides through the Springwater Forest, weekends and March Break, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., runs till March 29; 8079 Springwater Road, Aylmer.

An Evening with Samra Zafar: Author of A Good Wife: Escaping the Life I Never Chose, Thursday, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Western University, Faculty of Education, Auditorium room 1050; 1137 Western Road, 519-661-4040.

Book launch: When Poverty Mattered, Then and Now with author Paul Weinberg, Thursday, 7-8:30 p.m.; the event is free and copies of the book will be sold; Bread and Roses Books, 870 Dundas St., call 519-697-4132.

Art Show: Exhibition features acrylic, oil, and water colour paintings by London artist Richard Thompson, runs till April 1 at Hillside Londons cafe space, 138 Thompson Rd.; free admission.

Genesis An Exhibition of Quilts: Encounters Art Quilt group from Israel will display their work, opening reception Thursday, 7-8 p.m., runs till April 2; hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; London Jewish Community Centre, 536 Huron St., visit http://www.jewishlondon.ca, 519-673-3310.

Jeff Dunham and Peanut

Jeff Dunham: Comedy show Seriously!?, Wednesday, 7-9 p.m.; tickets $69; Budweiser Gardens, 99 Dundas St., 519-667-5741.

*CANCELLED* Wearable Art Show and Sale: A show of original, unique pieces that can be worn, including garments, purses, hats, scarves, jewelry, and more, Friday, 5 to 9 p.m. with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 12 to 3 p.m.; First-St. Andrews United Church, 350 Queens Ave. at the corner of Queens and Waterloo; all works are hand made by London area artisans, no admission charge, church is fully accessible, free on-street parking; more details at http://www.wearableartsale.com.

Women in Business Fair & Variety Show: Keynote speaker Carole Eriksson, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; tickets $10; Goodwill Industries, 255 Horton St.

Grand Theatre: Room by Emma Donoghue, runs till March 28 on Spriet Stage; 471 Richmond St.; 519-672-9030 or visit grandtheatre.com.

London Youth Theatre Education: Guys & Dolls, runs March 18-22, evenings 7 p.m., matinees 2 p.m.; Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St.; tickets available at box office, by calling 519-432-1029 or online at http://www.palacetheatre.ca.

A.N.A.F. 393: St. Paddys Day Celebration with Derek, Frank & Jimmy Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m., dinner served at 6 p.m.; 649 Colbourne St. (Colbourne & Pall Mall), 519-434-5130.

Canadian Celtic Choir: An Irish Celtic Celebration with special guests Dan Stacey & Kyle Waymouth, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; tickets $25 advance, $30 at the door, available at Centennial Hall Box Office, Long & McQuade (725 Fanshawe Park Rd W), The Village Idiot (Wortley Village), Creation Bookstore (900 Oxford St E), and http://www.ticketscene.ca/events/27768/ or http://www.celticchoir.ca; Royal View Church, 218 Clarke Rd.

Eastside Bar and Grill: Daves Not Here St. Paddys Day Bash, Saturday, 10 p.m.; 750 Hamilton Rd.; 519-457-7467.

Fox & Fiddle: St. Patricks Day Party, all day, entertainment by Three Penny Piece, special menu & prizes, Tuesday; 355 Wellington St., 519-679-4238.

The Irish Rovers, from left, Gerry OConnor, Morris Crum, Davey Walker, Fred Graham, Sean ODriscoll (front), Geoffrey Kelly (rear), George Millar and Ian Millar, bring their farewell Saints and Sinners tour to London March 12 and Chatham on St. Patricks Day. (Supplied)

Irish Rovers: Wasnt That a Party, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; tickets $49; Centennial Hall, 550 Wellington St., visit centennialhall.london.ca or call 519-672-1967; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., Capitol Theatre, Chatham-Kent, tickets available at http://www.cktickets.com.

Mustang Sallys: St. Paddys Day Party, Saturday, 9:30 p.m.; 99 Belmont Drive, 519-649-7688.

Royal Canadian Legion Byron: Celebrate St. Patricks Day early, join us for Paddy-rama with celtic singer Tara Dunphy, Saturday, 1-6 p.m.; Corrigan School of Irish Dancing performing; 1276 Commissioners Rd. W., 519-472-3300.

Royal Canadian Legion Dorchester: St. Patricks Day party with Three Penny Piece, Saturday, 1-5 p.m. at 1227 Donnybrook Dr., Dorchester; free admission; 519-268-8538.

Royal Canadian Legion Lambeth: Jiggs Dinner to celebrate St. Patricks Day with corned beef and cabbage dinner, 6 p.m. followed by dancing with music by May & Company, Saturday, $20 per person; 7097 Kilbourne Rd.; 519-652-3412.

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St. Paddys Day Celebration: With Derek, Frank & Jimmy, Tuesday, 5 to 9 p.m.; Kelseys, 900 Oxford St. E. (Oxford & Gammage, across from the Superstore), 519-455-9464.

Calgorm, a group comprised of Mike Mulhern, Kate Emerson and Wayne Carroll. File photo

St. Patricks Concert: Wear your green and celebrate your Irish; Calgorm, a trio of musicians featuring Mike Mulhern, Kate Emerson and Wayne Carroll will get your toes tapping to traditional Irish music; Sunday, 2-4 p.m.; admission is $10 at the door; all proceeds to Inn out of the Cold, Centrals Music Fund & Veterans Poppy Fund; Central United Church, 135 Wellington Street, St. Thomas.

St. Patricks Day Dance: Kracker Jax Band, Saturday, 8 p.m.; $10 per person in advance available online at onstagedirect.com or $12 at the door; German Canadian Club, 1 Cove Rd., 519-433-2901.

St. Regis Tavern: St. Paddys Day Celebration with Irish Stew (Adair, Derek, Frank & Jimmy), Saturday from 9 p.m. to midnight; 625 Dundas St.

Wortley Roadhouse: Ken OThorne, Tuesday, 4-9 p.m.; 190 Wortley Rd.; 519-438-5141.

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Arts, culture, fun in London this weekend and beyond (March 12-18) - The London Free Press