The HISPANO AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CONTINUOUS EDUCATION is a nonprofit organization founded upon the principles of a ‘Fourth Way School’. The Society was incorporated- in the Dominican Republic with the presidential decree No. 413-89 on October 16th, 1989. The task of the society will be to create an integrated organization; the members of which will be committed to self-perfecting and service to Society, Nature and their fellow-men.
The term ‘Fourth Way School’, was used by Gurdjieff to distinguish the type of society we are creating.
A Fourth Way school exists solely to carry out an allotted task and to train people for the purpose of transformation.
With this purpose the Society supports the following:
-To establish schools which puts in practice the ideas of the Fourth Way.
-To achieve unity of purpose and harmony among people of different cultural and religious background.
-To promote the study of methods and teachings of G.I.Gurdjieff.
-To promote the study of human beings and its possible evolution.
-To help spread to all humanity the ideas of Transformation “The Work” as transmitted by G.I. Gurdjieff and J.G.Bennett.
-To remain open to the idea that The Work does not belong to any organization or person – it belongs to Humanity.
Our non profit society (SOHEC) owns a property, which is 50 minutes from the City of Santo Domingo. It has 189,000 Mt2 (48 Acres), a beautiful main river that crosses the property, “El Sumbador” , which means Humming bird, and a small river that springs on the hills of the same Land; both rivers are clean fresh water that runs all year round.
This Place in the Dominican Republic is called PIEDRA BLANCA (White Stone) , because in this area, and on the propriety itself, you can find white –beautiful quarts stones.
The main focus of the community project is the vision to create better conditions to Work together with members of the local groups and international community of the Gurdjieff Work, it is also our aim to help and develop several environmental and ecological projects in this area by education and training sustainable living, environmental education, farming, and multicultural understanding.
ADAH Associationis creating in Madrid a Work House, dedicated to the harmonious development of Man, based on the teachings transmitted by G. I. Gurdjieff and J. G. Bennett.
It will be an International Work Center where we will delve into the ideas and practices that Gurdjieff brought to the West. A center for human transformation, for self development, for continuous education, a center that has been founded with the impulse to bring us closer to a real humanity.
Our actual present situation is that we need to join forces so that the demands of life do not prevent us continuing to work together, to grow together.
THE PROJECT
“The Work or Fourth Way is the name given to the teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff. These teachings are based on the esoteric wisdom of the great spiritual traditions, adapted by Gurdjieff for contemporary needs and sensitivities. The aim of the Work is the conscious evolution and transformation of human beings. This requires the harmonious development of the whole person –body, mind and soul–. The practice of the Work includes meditation, sacred dances, music, the study of psychological and cosmological ideas, impartial self-observation and working with others.”
The ADAH center will become a center of work and spiritual quest, a center dedicated to deepening the legacy of Gurdjieff and J.G. Bennett and also a meeting place for seekers from other traditions.
The name, the Hive, comes from a very old tradition, from initiates linked to Zoroaster, who made use of honey as an image of the substance that accumulates in places and in the people where the inner work, the work of being, is alive. Gurdjieff used to say that nobody can work for you, but only the conditions can be created. In that sense this center will serve as a meeting place, as a physical environment, where conditions for Work on oneself will be available.
In this center two work groups will carry on regular weekly meetings. We will practice movements and sacred dances. There will be meditation meetings, lectures, art-related activities, a place for families and their children, and other duties aimed at the development of the three centers. In addition, as far as possible, the center may be a place to share experiences with groups from other related traditions.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO SET UP AND PROMOTE THE ACTIVITIES OF THIS HOUSE THAT WILL BE RENTED FROM FEBRUARY THE FIRST
The house is empty, therefore we need to get equipped:
The main hall
The rooms
The kitchen
The workshop
The office
And help to promote the activities that will take place in La Colmena: website, advertising, etc.
THE PLACE
It is a 120 square meter apartment in downtown Madrid, with wooden floor, a 50 square meter hall, kitchen, workshop, three rooms and a terrace. It will be available from February the 1st 2015.
THE GROUP
The ADAH Association was formed by the members of the work group in Madrid, which began its activities in 2007, coordinated and led by Íñigo Postlethwaite. Íñigo made contact with José Reyes and Katiuska Ortega and since then there has been a close collaboration with them.
Nowadays, some of the founders of the group have the task of serving the work, either coordinating the work on the theoretical, psychological or cosmological issues, or deepening the practice of the sacred dances, or in the management of the association in its different aspects.
The heart of the association is made up by ten people, each of them specialized in a particular field or area of knowledge. Some of them work in professions related to arts, while others are involved in economics and commercial management. This provides the group with a high dynamism and richness.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT “LA COLMENA”?
We are doing this crowdfunding campaign in order to open the center. In this sense you can support the project in the campaign itself, with your donations, and also telling anyone that you think can be interested in supporting it. Anyway, we greatly appreciate your interest and your personal support.
"Le possibilità dell'uomo sono immense. Non potete neppure farvi un'idea di ciò che un uomo è capace di raggiungere. Ma nel sonno nulla può essere raggiunto. Nella coscienza di un uomo addormentato, le sue illusioni, i suoi 'sogni', si mescolano alla realtà. L'uomo vive in un mondo soggettivo al quale gli è impossibile sfuggire. Ecco perché non può mai fare uso di tutti i poteri che possiede e vive sempre soltanto in una piccola parte di sé stesso." - G.I.Gurdjieff
Riparare il passato. Preparare il futuro.
Ciò che un uomo semina, raccoglie. Il futuro è determinato dalle azioni del presente, sia esso buono o cattivo, è il risultato del passato. E' dovere di uomo preparare il futuro in ogni momento del presente, e di aggiustare quello che è stato fatto di sbagliato. Questa è la legge del destino. Benedetta sia la fonte prima di tutte le leggi! - G.I.Gurdjieff
