Steven was already seated on one of the cushions on the tatami mats in the tea house.
Pema Pera: Hi Stim!
Stim Morane: I like your new outfit.
Pema Pera: Thank you!
Pema Pera: It is Japanese
Stim Morane: just so
Pema Pera: it is a hakama, given to me Theodote Carthage this morning
Pema Pera: she has a Bollywood presence, including a cothes shop
Pema Pera: next to Ryoanji
Pema Pera: which is a temple in Kyoto
Pema Pera: copied in SL
Pema Pera: Kessidri introduced her to me, when I met her in the Ryoanji garden; both Theodote and Kessidri are direct neighbors to the Ryoanji plot. I told her that I was still relatively new to SL, and she responded “oh, you are a newbie, just a moment, I’ll give you something that will fit your visit to Ryoanji”. That seemed the wrong time to claim that I was not a newbie, and that’s how I wound up with my brand new hakama (^_^).
Pema Pera: It is amazing how my network in SL is growing . . . very rapidly
Steven had been busy the whole day, leading a Chan (chinese Zen) retreat the whole day.
Stim Morane: So how are you holding up?
Pema Pera: oh, fine!
Pema Pera: How about you?
Stim Morane: I’m a bit tired.
Pema Pera: I can imagine!
Pema Pera: With a full Chan weekend
Pema Pera: We don’t have to stay here long
Stim Morane: Well it’s always interesting to check in.
Pema Pera: Yes
Pema Pera: everyday so much happens here . . . .
Pema Pera: by the way
Pema Pera: on my blog I wrote some parts of what we discussed the other day
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/200...-of-playing-2/
Pema Pera: you can probably look at it within SL as well
Pema Pera: just by clicking on it
Stim Morane: Yes, I saw that already. I always enjoy how you contextualize excerpts from this PaB space for the blog.
Pema Pera: oh, thank you!
Stim Morane: It will be interesting to see how this develops. But it’s much too early for me to have any real perspective…
Stim Morane: I also saw the blog entry by Storm.
Pema Pera: yes, very sincere and dedicated.
We then talked about how this Play as Being adventure is unfolding, a question that has been in the air now for the last few days it seems, perhaps naturally, given that we’ve been at it now for a few weeks.
Stim Morane: Do you think that participants are finding ways of “playing” during their nine second checks? That seems a bit tricky to me…
Pema Pera: well, a little early to say, besides
Pema Pera: my original idea was that the playing would be throughout the 15 minutes and
Pema Pera: the 9 secs would be more of a reminder
Pema Pera: but most people seem to focus on the 9 sec
Stim Morane: Yes, that’s what I understood also. I just wondered…
Pema Pera: which is probably how I protrayed it initially
Pema Pera: and it may be much easier to get into
Pema Pera: so at least for the first month I don’t mind if that’s what we focus on
Stim Morane: sure
Pema Pera: as for your blog
Pema Pera: perhaps the best is to not try to structure it too much
Pema Pera: and take it in blog-style, more a series of impressions
Stim Morane: I’m less than unsure
Stim Morane: The only idea I have regarding this experiment is to provide an occasional commentary on how I see it from the context of what I have studied and teach. But it’s far from clear to me that that can do justice to what may come out of PaB.
Stim Morane: Frankly, PaB may rewrite the book on “spiritual practice”
Pema Pera: well, I would of course be most delighted if PaB would really take off
Pema Pera: you never know
Pema Pera: like start up companies
Pema Pera: or any new ideas
Pema Pera: so we’ll see
Pema Pera: but if I follow my own gut feeling
Stim Morane: In any case, I have two strong impressions about PaB. One is that nothing I think matters. The other is that what may emerge from PaB is so different from the traditional approach is that I know, I have no meaningful perspective to provide. Or at least, no important one…
Pema Pera: I think you may be too modest (^_^) but at the same time I appreciate you not wanting to judge too early
Pema Pera: this is definitely far closer to what fits me than anything else I’ve ever done in my life
Stim Morane: Yes, I can see that. It’s a remarkable fit, in fact.
Stim Morane: But it’s a new category.
Stim Morane: I quite like being a witness here … I know something strange and new is emerging and I like having my categories challenged
Pema Pera: I can’t think of a better witness to have here than you!
Pema Pera: and if I were to attempt to make an admittedly very early evaluation
Pema Pera: it does have all the signs for me of a follow-up effort after your first tsk book
Pema Pera: of course I can be wrong
Pema Pera: but that is frankly how it feels to me
Pema Pera: but as you have emphasized
Pema Pera: that is not important
Pema Pera: what is important is to let it unfold
Pema Pera: by itself
Stim Morane: Certainly with respect to certain aspects, yes
Stim Morane: In any case, I shouldn’t keep you. I just wanted to drop by and express my amazement.
Pema Pera: thank you!
Stim Morane: take care!
