2008.04.13 07:00 - From Tudor tp Nisargadatta

First Storm stopped by, and we talked a bit more about the idea of building a pub around the corner, as a larger place that can hold more people for those times that the small tea house will overflow.

Pema Pera: So the idea is a three-pronged approach: tea house, bar, hall of appearance
Pema Pera: the tea house for small gatherings, the bar for overflow
Pema Pera: the hall of appearance for larger gatherings, perhaps once a week or so, centered around themes or presentations
Storm Nordwind: Sounds good
Pema Pera: what about Bar Be Cue?
Storm Nordwind: I have to say the suggested name does not fire me with enthusiasm
Pema Pera: well, I’m not to happy about the meaty associations either
Pema Pera: Be Inn is fun, but it is not going to be an Inn
Pema Pera: not to sleep
Pema Pera: I think
Pema Pera: Be Bar would be an alternative
Storm Nordwind: Most Inns in the UK no longer have sleeping provision
Pema Pera: really?
Storm Nordwind: The name is a throwback
Pema Pera: Ah!
Pema Pera: so perhaps Be Inn after all
Pema Pera: so what do you think would fit here?
Pema Pera: We could make it a Japanese style one
Pema Pera: but I think I prefer a more European
Pema Pera: to give the right assocation
Pema Pera: for most people
Pema Pera: not quaint or formal
Storm Nordwind: How about black and white half-timbered Tudor style. That would fit in reasonably well with the prevalent Japanese style
Pema Pera: ah, great idea!
Pema Pera: very nice
Pema Pera: where would be the place to look?
Storm Nordwind: And many old Inns in the UK still have that style. Many modern ones try to copy it. The archetype is there
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: perfect
Pema Pera: just one of those ideas that hit the mark

Just when Storm was leaving, Sky came by, and said hello and goodbye to Storm.

Sky Szimmer: hi pema
Sky Szimmer: this is becoming quite a morning routine for me. I hope you don’t mind
Pema Pera: of course not!!
Pema Pera: The whole point is to be here with friends
Pema Pera: so I’d be delighted to see you here regularly
Pema Pera: the more frequent the better
Sky Szimmer: i just want you to know that i did my homework
Pema Pera: Glad to hear that!!
Sky Szimmer: it was a bit hard as i was at a seminar so to stop was more diffficult
Sky Szimmer: but i have found it useful to write down some thought which popped up
Pema Pera: great!
Sky Szimmer: as in the past, maybe they would have come and gone.
Sky Szimmer: or i would have noted the observations but then they would just fade off in my memory
Sky Szimmer: perhaps this way, i can be reminded and see some trends
Sky Szimmer: i don’t know…. maybe something else would flourish if i continue
Pema Pera: yes, I would suggest try it for a week and then we can make up the balance and see where to go; and by all means, drop by once a day, if you can
Sky Szimmer: i had an interesting insight yesterday though
Sky Szimmer: i was in a large class and yesterday, i distinctly felt that each participant was truly a part of me, not my self identifying me but rather a bigger self so to speak
Sky Szimmer: it gave me a diferent sense of self
Sky Szimmer: a more macro view, i guess

Around that time, Tara dropped in, and the three of us talked for a bit.

Sky Szimmer: i am tryig to put my thought down right, sorry
Sky Szimmer: i guess if there is no duality, then there should be no “others”
Sky Szimmer: there is reality, whether i call it the big me without form or reality, there is a focal point
Tara Farmer: sky, i was just discussing this same thing with isen yesterday
Tara Farmer: i explained to him, that i went looking for myself in other people
Tara Farmer: that i needed their input to become my whole self
Tara Farmer: because in fact, i am everyone and everyone is me

Soon Tara had to leave, as she had announced already when she arrived, and Sky and I continued our conversation. It became clear, though, that something hadn’t clicked, and that I was not able to get the whole point of what Sky was trying to convey to me. We talked briefly about Nisargadatta, whom we both find very inspiring, but since there was not much time left, we had to postpone further discussion to the next occasion.

After Sky left, I reflected on the whole situation, of meeting each other in Second Life, having a pretty shared landscape which helps to create a sense of immersion, together with text based communication which has pros and cons. There are clearly many pros, as we had already mentioned in various sessions earlier. But there are also clearly some cons. This morning I had a sense that a meeting in RL might have clarified aspects that were hard to convey in SL. But I was not totally sure of that, either. In real life, no matter how well we know someone, there are occasions where communication just clicked and there are occasions where there is some kind of gap or mismatch or plain misunderstanding.

I look forward to see how these frequent meetings will unfold further and where they will lead to. The great advantage of having these meetings often is that misunderstandings can be cleared up relatively quickly, and that we can together fine tune our understanding rapidly. As long as we can cultivate an atmosphere of increasing openness, we may be able to be non-judgmental yet critically aware of what the needs are of each one of us.

We can view our life as one big experiment, one big adventure. I am looking forward to see how much we will be able to share of our adventures, individually and jointly, here in Rieul, over the weeks and months and perhaps years to come.