Stim and I had a nice chat about the background of Playing as Being, and connections with other traditions that he and I have been talking about for the twelve years that we have been discussing these topics, in the Kira Institute and in our Ways of Knowing Initiative. After a while, Moondust Sella appeared in the neighborhood, and I asked her in for a cup of tea. This led to the following conversation, in which I explained what we are trying to do here.
Pema Pera: Hi Moondust!
Pema Pera: you can just click on the door
Pema Pera: left click
Pema Pera: come on in!
Pema Pera: we are just chatting
Pema Pera: hi moondust
Stim Morane: Hello
Pema Pera: please sit down
Pema Pera: Stim and I were talking about reality
Pema Pera: how to really see what is real ;-)
Pema Pera: in a simple way
Pema Pera: and how to share that with others
Pema Pera: and then you walked by (^_^)
Pema Pera: have you been in SL for a long time?
Moondust Sella: Umm… a few months
Moondust Sella: I am a slow learner
Pema Pera: oh, we all are
Pema Pera: SL is hard . . . . .
Pema Pera: took me a looooong time
Pema Pera: this is a nice area, isn’t it
Pema Pera: You are interested in Buddhism?
Moondust Sella: yes I am
Pema Pera: we are too
Pema Pera: and at the same time
Pema Pera: we are also interested in trying to find ways
Pema Pera: to share the core of Buddhist insights with those who don’t like religion
Pema Pera: and don’t like to call themselves anything-ists
Moondust Sella: well, I guess I am with you there anyway
Pema Pera: glad to hear that, Moondust — wonderful name by the way, especially for me; in RL I am an astronomer ;>)
Moondust Sella: Oh.. actually I was a bit scared to talk to you after looking at your profile :-)
Pema Pera: hahaha, I’m glad I could get you over your shyness :>)
Pema Pera: it helped seeing that you had written that in your profile
Pema Pera: saying you’re shy is the best antidote for being shy!
Moondust Sella: Well, I came inside anyway :-)
Pema Pera: yes, thank you!
Pema Pera: so
Pema Pera: What we were discussing was this: in most traditional spiritual paths, you start thinking you are not much good, and then you follow a long path in order to reach enlightenment
Pema Pera: but actually
Pema Pera: when you read
Pema Pera: what the most realized people said when they seemed to have reached their goal
Pema Pera: it was always something like:
Pema Pera: hey, this has always been here, I went looking for what was here, how silly, how strange, how truly amazing!!!!
Pema Pera: so
Pema Pera: taking that as a hint
Pema Pera: there are some traditions
Pema Pera: that start at the end
Pema Pera: taking the goal not as something to reach for
Pema Pera: be to start out with
Pema Pera: “goal as path” is one shorthand for that idea
Pema Pera: so
Pema Pera: can we start with the hypthesis that we do not need anything?
Pema Pera: That anything we could possibly want is already here?
Pema Pera: then the only thing left is to celebrate
Pema Pera: learn to celebrate, share, express
Pema Pera: and in doing so learning to see, learning to Be
Pema Pera: at that point you strolled by
Pema Pera: so here we are ;>)
Pema Pera: does that make some kind of sense?
Moondust Sella: yes:-)
We then talked about Being and being nobody.
Pema Pera: how would you have said it, in your words?
Pema Pera: roughly speaking?
Moondust Sella: Everything is just as it should be and all we need to do is see things as they are???
Pema Pera: that is one way to say it, yes, and then the question is of course what each word and idea means — it is very easy to take such a sentence and then give the wrong meaning . . . .
Moondust Sella: well, what is the ‘wrong’ meaning?
Pema Pera: well, we can say “everything is already perfect, and there is nothing to do” and we can conclude that we can just be lazy and self-centered and not caring . . . that would be an example of a wrong meaning
Moondust Sella: the work is in seeing the truth of things as they are and not how we would like them to be??
Pema Pera: yes, very much so
Pema Pera: and in seeing who we are
Moondust Sella: apparently we are nobody ;-)
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: in some sense that is true
Pema Pera: but again, it so much depends on what we mean with that
Pema Pera: shedding your somebody sense can make you truly open and receptive and creative
Pema Pera: but others may feel like nobody and interpret that as being worthless . . . .
Pema Pera: which is the opposite
Moondust Sella: well, I guess
Moondust Sella: I didn’t think of it as ‘worthless’ though….
Pema Pera: no, I didn’t think you thought that
Pema Pera: but since we talked about meanings
Pema Pera: I know many people who do
Pema Pera: more or less
Pema Pera: when they honestly look in the mirror
Pema Pera: they do not see much worth
Pema Pera: while identifying themselves with the very limited body and mind they experience
Pema Pera: but our true worth is other
Pema Pera: and yet here
Pema Pera: not different
Pema Pera: and our invitation is to express that, every moment
This led us to talk about time . . .
Pema Pera: you and I and Sim, we all have a long history, long in RL and also somewhat long in SL
Pema Pera: and yet, we are here
Pema Pera: we met for the first time
Pema Pera: we can see time as starting here and now
Pema Pera: so here we are
Pema Pera: in a sense nobodies, or new bodies for each other
Pema Pera: and perhaps for ourselves too
Pema Pera: if we dare to shed the past
Pema Pera: like dropping a bath robe
Pema Pera: and be naked to what is
Pema Pera: now
Moondust Sella: all we have is the here and now??
Pema Pera: not even that
Pema Pera: no past
Pema Pera: no future
Pema Pera: no hope
Pema Pera: no fear
Pema Pera: no present
Pema Pera: only what Is
Pema Pera: and what Is
Pema Pera: is the door
Pema Pera: to everything and all
Pema Pera: eternity in a grain of sand
Moondust Sella: a door already!
Pema Pera: ahaha
Pema Pera: yes, as a matter of speaking
Pema Pera: an open door
Pema Pera: that you can’t go through
Pema Pera: because you’re already at the other side
Pema Pera: you see, you dropped into a rather curious conversation here!
Moondust Sella: That’s OK
Pema Pera: thanks!
. . . and to us talking about open secrets.
Pema Pera: if we can really dare to look at the notion that “the present, too, is an illusion”
Pema Pera: then any spiritual path becomes sooooooo much simpler
Pema Pera: a well kept secret
Pema Pera: but not really secret
Pema Pera: just hard at first to make any sense of
Pema Pera: so people ignore it
Pema Pera: and it becomes like a secret
Moondust Sella: a well-kept secret…. hmmmmmm
Moondust Sella: ignorance???
Stim Morane: Sorry, we are at the turn of the hour and I need to go get something. I’ll check back in later. It was nice to meet you, Moondust.
Pema Pera: bye, Stim!
Moondust Sella: Likewise Stim :-)
Pema Pera: well, ignorance, yes, but everything we say and think is in some sense part of ignorance
Pema Pera: that is true
Pema Pera: but the no-present idea has been said in the past, but most often not understood and ignored
Moondust Sella: you have a lot of information in your mind….
Pema Pera: May I quote a short poem, by an Indian master, Tilopa, a hundred years ago?
Pema Pera: only six lines
Pema Pera: not much information in that ;>)
Moondust Sella: of course….
Pema Pera: Let go of what has passed
Pema Pera: Let go of what may come
Pema Pera: Let go of what is happening now
Pema Pera: Don’t try to figure anything out
Pema Pera: Don’t try to make anything happen
Pema Pera: Relax, right now, and rest
Pema Pera: These six lines contain anything I could possible say, but more briefly (*^_^*)
Moondust Sella: then there is nothing more left to say…. :-)
Pema Pera: oh, there is
Pema Pera: and there isn’t
Pema Pera: both are true
Pema Pera: :-)
Moondust Sella: very enigmatic
Pema Pera: yes, I know it sounds that way
Pema Pera: but really there is no other way to say it
Pema Pera: if you consider words to form a plane
Pema Pera: a two dimensional surface
Pema Pera: and what we are talking about a stick standing straight up
Pema Pera: in a third dimension
Pema Pera: that what we are doing is trying to use words from two dimensions to describe the stick
Pema Pera: so we use a lamp
Pema Pera: and shine on the stick
Pema Pera: and the shadow fall on the plane of words
Pema Pera: now the problem is . . . . .
Pema Pera: . . . . each lamp throws a different shadow
Pema Pera: and they all sound very different in words
Pema Pera: very very very enigmatic!
Pema Pera: but when you look up beyond the words
Pema Pera: and see the stick
Pema Pera: or at least begin to see some outline of the stick
Pema Pera: it all makes a lot of sense . . . .
Pema Pera: I don’t know whether that metaphor is helpful
Pema Pera: ?
Moondust Sella: so we have no need of words???
Pema Pera: that depends . . .
Moondust Sella: a stick is still a stick
Pema Pera: ultimately not, no
Pema Pera: but they can help us, yes
Moondust Sella: unless we need a tool to describe it
Someone walked by, we said hello, and he passed on.
Moondust Sella: I saw a shadow on the glass
Pema Pera: isn’t that nice
Pema Pera: this building?
Pema Pera: the windows and everything
Pema Pera: A woman called Dakini Rhode built this tea house
Pema Pera: and let me use it
Pema Pera: we started two weeks ago
Moondust Sella: and you allowed me to come in :-)
Pema Pera: yes ;>)
Pema Pera: that’s how things go . . . and flow . . .
Moondust Sella: thank you
Pema Pera: you’re very welcome
Pema Pera: we meet here a few times every day, believe it or not
Pema Pera: I created a web site, http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/
Pema Pera: if you happen to be interested, you can have a look
Pema Pera: but there is a lot of material there, so no need to read everything, by any means
Pema Pera: you can just browse
Pema Pera: I write it like a blog
Pema Pera: a stream of what happens here
Moondust Sella: tell me………
Pema Pera: Would you mind if I mention you in the blog as well, by your SL name?
Pema Pera: I’m happy to tell
Moondust Sella: how did you come by such wisdom?
Pema Pera: since I’m enjoying this adventure very much
Pema Pera: with a little help of my friends, is the answer, Moondust
Moondust Sella: feel free to mention me anywhere :-)
Pema Pera: over the last 38 years or so . . . .
Pema Pera: thank you!
Pema Pera: If ever I write or quote something in my blog that you don’t like, just IM me and I will take it off immediately
Pema Pera: very easy
Pema Pera: I want people to be completely comfortable talking here
Pema Pera: so shall I tell? ;>)
Moondust Sella: Please tell :-)
I then summarized the main Play as Being idea.
Pema Pera: The basic idea of what we are doing here is simple
Pema Pera: I suggest that we all spend an hour a day, or perhaps a few hours a day, paying a 1% time tax
Pema Pera: 1% of that hour, or hours, we spend “playing as Being” instead of playing who we normally are.
Pema Pera: Every 15 minutes, we spend 9 seconds
Pema Pera: during that time we stop what we were doing, take a breath,
Pema Pera: and try to drop what we have, while trying to see what we are.
Pema Pera: Then we write down a few words, whatever pops up spontaneously, in a journal
Pema Pera: That’s all!
Moondust Sella: developing a living awareness??
Pema Pera: yes, you could say that, that is part of it, for sure
Pema Pera: like meditation
Pema Pera: but many people find it hard to spend an hour a day
Pema Pera: and even if they do, they tend to forget it all during the remaining 23 hours a day
Pema Pera: I know that from experience myself ;>)
Pema Pera: so here we are making a deal
Pema Pera: we are trading in the hard part
Pema Pera: we are trading in duration for frequency
Pema Pera: Doing 4×9 seconds per hour, for a few hours, is less than two minutes
Pema Pera: like brushing your teeth
Pema Pera: so doesn’t really take much of your time
Pema Pera: but doing it every 15 minutes gives a sense of continuity
Pema Pera: continuous reminders to look beyond
Pema Pera: beyond what you normally think you are
Pema Pera: if you like
Pema Pera: you could just try it
Pema Pera: for a few days, say
Pema Pera: see what happens
Just before this point in time, Tara had dropped by, but I hadn’t noticed her yet.
Pema Pera: Hi Tara!
Tara Farmer: hi pema
Tara Farmer: and moondust
Pema Pera: ah there you are
Pema Pera: hadn’t seen you behind the big kettle
Pema Pera: sorry
Moondust Sella: Hello Tara :-)
Tara Farmer: so, pema, have you convinced her yet?
Pema Pera: well, Moondust?
Pema Pera: Tara has been here before
Pema Pera: keeps coming back ;>)
Tara Farmer: he he
Pema Pera: fortunately
Tara Farmer: i’m a vagabond
Pema Pera: don’t look like it!
Pema Pera: looking lovely today especially
Tara Farmer: yes today i am a pretty pink fairy
Pema Pera: haha
Tara Farmer: thank you PEma
Pema Pera: SL and its possibilities
Tara Farmer: i love it, i can be like a little girl and have what my heart desires
Tara Farmer: for 50 cents
Pema Pera: So Moondust, if you like to try it, I would be very happy to hear how it feels
Pema Pera: This is a totally new adventure for me
Pema Pera: and I am very curious how we all take to it
Pema Pera: in our own way
Pema Pera: you can IM me or come back here, whatever you prefer
Tara Farmer: what does adipose mean?
Pema Pera: adipose?
Tara Farmer: yes
Tara Farmer: it popped into my head during my 9 seconds today
Pema Pera: I have no idea ;>)
Tara Farmer: i am going to look it up
Moondust Sella: fat
Tara Farmer: i will get back to you in a sec
Moondust Sella: it means fat as in adipose tissue
Pema Pera: that what we loose when we enter SL?
Moondust Sella: I guess LOL!
It became time for Moondust to say goodbye.
Moondust Sella: I have to go now Tara
Moondust Sella: Have a lovely evening
Pema Pera: nice meeting you Moondust
Pema Pera: Thank you!
Pema Pera: Here in California it is 1:30 pm
Pema Pera: lunch time ;>)
Tara Farmer: it means fat
Tara Farmer: oh jeez
Tara Farmer: cheese, and then fat
Pema Pera: Thanks for stopping by, Moondust
Tara Farmer: i think reality is telling me to stop being a fatass
Tara Farmer: bye moondust
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: reality is hard on you, it seems!
Tara Farmer: i know pema
Tara Farmer: so, am i trying to hard
Tara Farmer: or not enough?
Moondust Sella: good evening
Tara Farmer: Pema, I am trying to give it my attention
Moondust Sella: Thank you Pema
Pema Pera: hard to say whether we are trying to hard . . . .
Pema Pera: yw Moondust
Tara and I continued our conversation, and also talked about PaB practice a bit:
Pema Pera: Have you played a bit with the 9-second game?
Pema Pera: is that hard?
Tara Farmer: i have been doing my nine seconds about twice a day
Pema Pera: that’s fine
Pema Pera: of course
Pema Pera: and how did it feel?
Tara Farmer: i have been feeling more centered for sure
Tara Farmer: i guess i was expecting fireworks and got sparks
Pema Pera: hahahaha
Pema Pera: yeah, I know the feeling
Tara Farmer: LOL
Pema Pera: I’m glad to hear about centered
Tara Farmer: i am very scattered and can easily lose perspective
Tara Farmer: so an exercise like this can help someone like me feel more relaxed
Pema Pera: that would be great!
Pema Pera: creative and grounded are often hard to combine . . . . .
Tara Farmer: he he
Tara Farmer: i am somewhat grounded
Tara Farmer: but at work i have to run around and it gets stressful
Pema Pera: I can understand
Pema Pera: work situations can be hard to deal with
Tara Farmer: its okay, but the people and the travel can get to me
