Barnes/Sonnon Seminar?

[Doug G.]

And as long as I'm asking questions . . .

Steve: As I recall, earlier this year, you and Coach Sonnon were going to host some sort of a big multi-day seminar in San Francisco last summer. Subsequently, it was to be rescheduled for a later date. Are you still planning to hold this event at some point, or has it been tabled in lieu of busy lives? I for one would still be interested, though I must say that there would be more, mmmm, affordable venues than on the waterline in San Fran at the height of tourist season as previously planned.

Doug G.

[Steven Barnes]

Scott is in the midst of serious development in his current teaching. My impression is that he's down the rabbit hole right now, mining magic. What will come of it when he emerges, I can't say--and know only that both of us want to do that workshop.

Here's what I can say: Scott has developed an exercise methodology currently called "Eclipse" (I believe he's going to call it something different upon release) which may be as close to a perfect body-mind activity as I've ever seen, in that:
1) it can be learned in about an hour
2) It is almost infinitely flexible--no two workouts would ever be exactly the same.
3) it requires no equipment.
4) It covers all basic fitness aspects in only an hour a week (!)
5) Your grandmother can do it. And it can kick the butt of a pro athlete.
6) It induces MASSIVE physical flow.
7) It can be used to remove fear reactivity.
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There is more, much more. I'm still not certain of the limits of what Scott has done, and believe that he will have it ready for DVD release soon. Now here's the point--with Eclipse, in combination with a finite number of other techniques, I think it might be possible to pull together a "Mastery" workshop you can take home with you...and anchor the results in your body with an investment of only an hour a week. I'll keep you posted, but right now, man, things look very good indeed.
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[Doug G.]

I look forward to hearing more about this development, especially as filtered through your descriptions of them. I’ve found Coach Sonnon’s teachings to be rough sledding, though this is probably just the result of a rather physically ignorant person such as myself attempting to understand information coming from someone operating on a much higher physical plane. At any rate, I have much better luck with his stuff when I hear it from you. I suspect this is a function of a professional writer’s faculty for crafting clear and cogent explanations, and by virtue of your experience with geek types - you speak the lingo, as it were, and have an understanding of how the non-athlete needs to hear the information and have it make sense.

[Steven Barnes]

Your observations about Scott are accurate. I consider him a graduate course, arguably the finest resource for high-level but practical body-mind work I've ever encountered. "Be Breathed" is pretty basic stuff. The entire world of clubbells is applicable to basic fitness needs, as well. What I am praying is that he will hurry out with the "Eclipse" video, because if he will, I can use that as a foundation to teach a massive amount of the "mastery" system he and I have worked out over the last two years. But make no mistake--he is a genuine genius, and genius has its own rules. He disappears into his head, and into the world of physical energy, and it can be hard to make contact with him. Ah, well...when you find a person like Scott, you accept them on their own terms, or not at all. I chose to accept him. Meanwhile, a step "down" from Scott in overall significance but still ahead of the rest of the pack is Pavel. His stuff is suitable for all levels of development, and is WAY superior to most of the fitness advice being sold to the general public. Get his "From Russia With Tough Love" video, and experiment using a dumbell. Once you see what kettlebell-style exercises will do for you, buy one. Then apply the "Be Breathed" protocol to KB exercises, and you have found a doorway into Scott's incredible world.