For the next hour, they led the group in gentle exercise. Now she, then he, often both together, took the assembled class through systematic relaxation and muscle awareness, on to stretching and limbering movements, and finally to light calisthenics. They didn’t talk as much as demonstrate, but they inserted personal recollections about exquisite work experiences.

They called a break to pass water around, and then had all class members, at once, introduce themselves to at least three strangers. By now, their maid and the other volunteers had joined the group, and they shared their own memories of first class experiences and their progressive involvement in the program. Between the hour of exercise, the milling around during this break, and the introduction of intermediates who had experience but no authority, the enrollees relaxed and began to enjoy themselves. They were ready to leave the amphitheater when they were led away from it toward the primary work site.

The area was huge. It was also largely unsheltered. There were a few tent-like structures with tools and sustenance, but the project was in full sun. Everyone could understand why it wouldn’t be possible to work in the hottest part of the day. It was already warm, but they were watered and limbered and wearing light loose clothes, and they were ready to work.

Some hauled, some pushed, others went ahead to place rollers. Together they moved the huge blocks. Of course the work proceeded slowly, but the site was already far enough along to take shape and offer promise. The construction had reached the height of a three-storied building, so they had to haul/push/roll the blocks that high above the ground’s surface. Perspiration flowed freely, but because it was happening to everyone, and with ample water to drink, the experience was more cleansing than uncomfortable.

The leaders weren’t building then. They had broken the class into four crews of about twenty-five each, and they were talk-teaching one crew at a time. That cycle meant that each participant was getting a rest fifteen minutes out of every sixty.

“Let’s talk about the shape of our structure,” began the first discussion. It didn’t matter whether she or he took the topic; either would lead the group through an examination of building shapes until all concurred on theirs. They agreed that an obelisk would impose, but they didn’t think it would leave a big enough footprint. A sphere would impress, but it would be impossible to stabilize. They sought the shape that would use the most land and be the hardest to topple. They meant to make a landmark. The leaders led, and the group members cooperated by knowing the answers in advance, but everyone took pleasure in the process of discussion and agreement.

The leaders had a moment during the changing of the subgroups. They used it to touch briefly and to compare impressions. As long as they agreed they continued without interruption. And they continued to agree.

“We build first for the sake of working, and secondly for the sake of building,” boomed the opening statement of the second discussion for all subgroups. “But we also build for the sake of entertainment afterward. Let’s plan a party.” With that, he smiled around and relaxed his posture. They took the group through the beginning of a session on recreation after labor, a talk that they continued during the third break. The idea of an internal maze appealed to everyone. Also the theme of night-time thrills: skeletons; dark corners; hidden rooms.

The fourth and final small discussion break was about building techniques. Most of the work was brute labor, as the attendees knew ahead of time by word and then by sweat and muscles. But there were some elegancies that enabled the huge construction. The slow but steady method of moving the blocks into place rested on the simplicity of many small wheels. The aligning of the planned or random passages was enabled by starlight. The attendees came to understand that, given enough people and time, they could build anything.