Most extraordinary. Music very haunting. Was that Gurdjieff himself playing the harmonium do you know? Do you know who any of the people were in the movie?
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Well not many comments on this.  Anybody see “the Retreat” about a Sufi community near Granada?

no, missed it....was it worth watching? Who were they?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/noise/?id=the_retreat

On 9.00 p.m BBC2. A series so should be on tonight.

Have cut and pasted the following bit of info which gives more of a description of the program.

Have you moved to Berlin now or still in Spain

Regards

Paul

The Retreat

Following hot on the heels of the success of The Monastery and The Convent, this new three part series made by the same team explores the faith, tradition and culture of classical Islam as it tracks six volunteers on their soul-searching, thought-provoking and life-changing journey.

Away from the pressures of modern life, they take part in daily prayer, reflection and study at the Spanish retreat at Alqueria de Rosales, Andalucia, which caters to many different branches of Islamic faith. The final week will be a real test of their strength and commitment as the volunteers observe the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and are expected to fast between sunrise and sunset. Their experience triggers some real insight into deep seated personal issues around their faith or - in some cases - lack of it.

The group is led by Abdullah Trevathan, a respected scholar and academic. He lives in Spain but also works as a lecturer at the University of Roehampton in Twickenham. Born in New York City, he converted to Islam 30 years ago and was, until recently, head teacher at the Islamia Primary School in Queen’s Park, London, one of the first Muslim schools set up in Britain.

Paul, I really liked the series - it was ‘reality tv’ at its best (personally insightful without being too intrusive). After overcoming some initial reservations about the amount of ‘dressing up’ (Moroccan burnouses, mediaeval environments etc.) I found myself being more and more impressed by the way Trevathan was directing the retreat. He did a great deal of listening, seemed to have a good sense of where everyone was (and the challenges they faced) and - with some subtle and gentle prodding - managed to help everyone achieve a positive and beneficial experience. I also appreciated his brief discourses on intention and presence.

Like you James started with some initial reservations especially with Trevathan and the way he talked to Aziza. Also the fact that people seemed to be having more emotional experiences than spiritual ones. Also that people were being in a way conditioned to want a spiritual state or experience. However was very impressed again like you with his talk on Presence and the fact that most people who went there seemed to achieve a greater sense of harmony. Even Aziza seemed a bit melted at the end.

Paul, I agree - although I was impressed by the matter-of-fact way that Trevathan dealt with people’s experiences. Particularly striking was the way he ‘received’ Pom into Islam - he could have chosen to make a big song and dance about it, but he did it in a totally simple, straightforward, no nonsense way, but a way that also emphasized the significance (for her) of the moment.

What the program brought home to me was the way in which the psychological and spiritual aspects of our lives are totally intertwined. Everybody who participated was looking for ‘spirituality’ - but (like the rest of us), they all had unresolved psychological issues too. The ‘growing’ they did over the retreat had aspects of both. And, in my own limited experience, I can’t see how one can really separate the two - the spiritual life confronts us with the state of our psyche and perhaps our disordered psychology is what starts us on the life of the spirit?

Well we do seem to be in total agreement. There did seem to be an elemement of hypocricisy about the modest way the members of the community were dressed including headscarves and his attempts to get Aziza to show a bit of leg for the rude and vulgar gaze of the multitude including a vast television audience

It did appear to be Pom’s conversion to Islam that moved Aziza and got her to soften to Trevathan’s approach.