The guardian at this meeting was Pema Pera and the comments are his.
During the afternoon session, Dakini was the guardian greeter welcoming visitors to our PaB gettogether in her tea house. She sent me the following chat log, together with her comments. In the rest of this entry, the `I’ voice is Dakini’s. As an aside: it is so much fun for me to read these entries, from the point of view of a reader rather than a writer. And especially today, I enjoyed reading Dakini’s crisp summary of PaB, right in the opening of the conversation, as well as Raz’s quote of Ghandi, what a great start! But let me pass the narrative over to Dakini.
Preparing for the 1PM PaB session, I sat Dakini Rhode on the cushion and I sat myself on the sofa. I enjoyed a few minutes listening to the SL “crickets” and listening to the RL refrigerator humming, then started fiddling with the music settings. Although the Zen Retreat has streaming ambient music, normally I leave it off during our sessions. This time, I left it on and thus, I’m convinced, attracted Raz, a musician. Raz and I chatted for awhile, and I explained Playasbeing as well as I could.
Dakini Rhode: every 15 minutes
Dakini Rhode: we stop mentally
Dakini Rhode: stop what we’re thinking about
Dakini Rhode: and just “be”
Dakini Rhode: for 9 seconds
Dakini Rhode: sort of a micro meditation
Raz Baum: i guess my brains are anyway kind of stopped
Dakini Rhode: you can read more on the blog
Raz Baum: thx. it sounds interesting
Dakini Rhode: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/
Raz Baum: thx
Raz Baum: i’ll dig more..
Raz Baum: :)
Dakini Rhode: :-)
Raz Baum: yeap.. i’ll let u continue
I felt vaguely like a missionary handing out leaflets… Just then, Stim walked through the door. I’m not actually sure whether he opened the door first. I’ve made the teahouse doors phantom, which means they appear to be solid, but your avatar can pass through them. No more need to open the doors! I hope that will make it a bit easier to line the avatar up with the door and get into the teahouse.
Dakini Rhode: Hello Stim :-)
Stim Morane: Hello, Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: Raz, please meet Stim
Raz Baum: hi stim
Stim Morane: Hi Raz!
Dakini Rhode: i was just explaining about the playasbeing practice
Stim Morane: Good
Raz Baum: :)
Raz Baum: getting embaressed now
Raz Baum: :))
Dakini Rhode: Stim would you like to say a bit about it
Dakini Rhode: for Stim’s benefit?
Dakini Rhode: i mean Raz
Dakini Rhode: oops
I’d mixed up the names, but Raz stepped up to the plate and said something for Stim’s benefit…
Raz Baum: i read aqute
Raz Baum: quote from ghandi
Raz Baum: he said: it is not important what u do, but the fact u do it
Raz Baum: found that quite inspiring
Dakini Rhode: im interested…
Dakini Rhode: what does that mean to you Raz?
Dakini Rhode: i find myself thinking
Dakini Rhode: was he speaking of meditation practice only?
Raz Baum: i guess so.. to mee it mean that beeing occupied with something u like
Raz Baum: is enough regardless the result..
Raz Baum: or ?
Dakini Rhode: so i guess to tie that to playasbeing
Dakini Rhode: that we’re doing SOMETHING
Dakini Rhode: every 15 minutes
Raz Baum: :)
Dakini Rhode: matters….
Stim Morane: Yes, time is important.
Dakini Rhode: could you say more about time’s importance Stim?
Stim Morane: Well, I should not go beyond the basic picture and format for practice that Pema has suggested. His time tax in the latest in a series of approaches to encourage people to apply some quintessential form of a traditional View.
Stim Morane: In > *is
Dakini Rhode: some of us had a traditional practice before starting this
Stim Morane: yes
Dakini Rhode: so this is added on
Stim Morane: right
Dakini Rhode: i find… i thought i could remember to stop every 15 minutes
Dakini Rhode: with no timer
Dakini Rhode: and now i want a timer
Dakini Rhode: :-)
Stim Morane: yes, I know what you mean
Dakini Rhode: When I’m engrossed in something
Dakini Rhode: the time goes by
Dakini Rhode: it passes without my being aware
Dakini Rhode: then I stop
Dakini Rhode: when i remember
Dakini Rhode: sometimes i’m surprised
Dakini Rhode: for how long i didn’t remember
Stim Morane: lapses are as instructive as anything else
Dakini Rhode: yes
Raz Baum: is there any time anyway ?… to talk about ?
Stim Morane: What do you think?
Raz Baum: i can’t grasp the idea of time at all..
Raz Baum: just bits of it but only when it relates to some experience
Raz Baum: or transition
Stim Morane: In a traditional contemplative context, time is no-time. But that concerns a direct perception . As for the idea of time, yes, it’s illusive.
Raz Baum: beeing is direct..
Dakini Rhode: i can only talk about my perception
Dakini Rhode: time seems to expand
Dakini Rhode: or collapse
Dakini Rhode: depending on my attention
Dakini Rhode: if i’m sitting on the cusion
Stim Morane: Yes, that is also possible.
Dakini Rhode: cushion
Dakini Rhode: and i’m restless
Dakini Rhode: 20 minutes can be an eternity
Dakini Rhode: if i’m settled
Dakini Rhode: if i’m quiet
Dakini Rhode: i don’t notice time passing
Dakini Rhode: or maybe not thinking about it
Raz Baum: it happens to me very often to find my self in a timeless cuantuum, where everythining seem alien.. or strange..
Raz Baum: specially when contemplating something.. or look at something for long periods of time
There was a pause when nobody in the teahouse typed. Since the way we communicate during these sessions is by typing, it was interesting to experience that conversational gap. It made me wonder whether I’d lost my connection. So I checked.
Dakini Rhode: i’m here
Dakini Rhode: not sure i understand tho
Raz Baum: it was again a moment of timelessness
Dakini Rhode: how did you know it was timeless?
Stim Morane: ha
Raz Baum: i stoped thinking at time discutions, and then all this, the computer, fireplace where distant in time, like a few milions of years ahead
Dakini Rhode: not trying to be tricky
Raz Baum: :)
Dakini Rhode: just trying to understand :-)
Stim Morane: Yes.
Raz Baum: that was all
I wasn’t sure whether Raz had been describing “lag” - a common phenomenon in SL - or a profound insight. Another timeless moment followed, when none of us typed a word. This time, Raz broke the silence…
Raz Baum: still there?
Stim Morane: Still here. Just enjoying …
Dakini Rhode: do you have music on?
Stim Morane: no, is there music?
Dakini Rhode: yes! it goes rather well with this discussion
Stim Morane: I only notice the birds etc, which is fine
Dakini Rhode: do you have a musical note
Dakini Rhode: at the bottom of your screen?
Stim Morane: oh, interesting
Dakini Rhode: if you click on the arrow there you get music
Stim Morane: thanks
Dakini Rhode: streaming music :-)
Raz Baum: ogh, yes i m listenintg to some ambient music..
Raz Baum: streaming also
Raz Baum: limbikfreq.com
Raz Baum: it’s nice
Dakini Rhode: ah
Raz Baum: the music here is not working..
Raz Baum: i’ve tryed to enable it
Dakini Rhode: hmmm it works for me
Dakini Rhode: does it work for you Stim?
Raz Baum: all the buttons are disabled for me
Raz Baum: cant click on them
Dakini Rhode: go to edit > preferences
Stim Morane: oh, yes. I turned it on when you mentioned it.
Stim switched the conversation to ask me how I think the PaB practice is working for our participants. Hmmm… all y’all will have to weigh in on that one!
Stim Morane: Dakini, I have been wanting to attend one of the sessions in your zendo, but haven’t managed it yet. How do you feel the PaB time tax is working for the participants here?
Dakini Rhode: it seems
Dakini Rhode: everyone is doing something a little different
Dakini Rhode: which is OK
Dakini Rhode: but not sure how to say how it’s working
Dakini Rhode: some people - as i can see by reading the blog
Dakini Rhode: and in the discussions here
Dakini Rhode: have noticed things
Dakini Rhode: some of the comments
Dakini Rhode: mention similar things - like
Dakini Rhode: a sense of lightness
Dakini Rhode: not a disconnect from thought
Dakini Rhode: but a sense of lightness -
Dakini Rhode: i find i’m not expressing this well
Stim Morane: Regarding your first comment, about people doing different things, yes, I’m not surprised. The same thing has happened with the other approaches Pema and I have tried recently with various groups of participants.
Dakini Rhode: i’m trying to repeat other people’s words
Stim Morane: as for the rest, I think you’ve put it well.
Dakini Rhode: if i used my own words
Stim Morane: Yes?
Dakini Rhode: i would say a shift in perspective
Dakini Rhode: insight
Dakini Rhode: things seem more workable
Dakini Rhode: it does make a difference to pay attention
Dakini Rhode: :-)
Stim Morane: Of course.
Stim Morane: That’s interesting in several ways.
Leili walked in and sat on one of our cushions. I hope she enjoyed listening to us…
Dakini Rhode: hello Lieli
Lieli Ling: hello
Stim Morane: Hi Lieli!
Lieli Ling: may I join you
Stim Morane: sure!
Dakini Rhode: Raz check your Audio & Video preferences
Dakini Rhode: Streaming Preferences
Dakini Rhode: the checkbox next to Play Streaming Music
Dakini Rhode: sorry Stim
Dakini Rhode: please continue
Raz Baum: ok
Raz Baum: thx
Raz Baum: hahahaha
Raz Baum: it works
Raz Baum: i love it
Stim Morane: I’m sorry, I probably am not aware of the exact point you’re asking about. But I am interested in the way this particular exploration will differ from the more traditional approaches both in its method and in its outcome.
Dakini Rhode: do you think it’s similar
Dakini Rhode: to any of the traditional approaches
Dakini Rhode: in method
Stim Morane: The method of regular or even continuous awareness is certainly no different.
Stim Morane: But the view is quite open, in some ways even undefined. When Pema and I discussed this much earlier, we both felt this was an advantage.
Dakini Rhode: so in some ways
Dakini Rhode: already having a particular view
Dakini Rhode: would be a disadvantage?
Stim Morane: In my own teaching, I particularly like the View aspects and emphasize them. But here probably the whole point is different in some ways, there’s no necessary fruit or result that traditional teachings stress. This is realistic, at least.
Stim Morane: it make sense to me that something done in second life should not be held hostage to the standards of the traditions, even though I greatly value the latter.
Dakini Rhode: hmmm but actually
Dakini Rhode: we are doing this in so-called “real life”
Dakini Rhode: we have the same mind
Dakini Rhode: here as there
Stim Morane: Yes, that’s certainly true
Dakini Rhode: i’m interested to see this
Dakini Rhode: interested enough to try it myself
Dakini Rhode: but i dont’ know whether i’m enough of a beginner
Dakini Rhode: with the whole thing
Dakini Rhode: to be the best subject
Raz Baum: i found myself not knowing what is more real: reality or virtual reality.. cause in certain ways virtual is real .. to some extent, there’s no difference between those two
Dakini Rhode: yes RAz
Dakini Rhode: you are pointing out
Dakini Rhode: something a lot of us have noticee
Dakini Rhode: noticed
Dakini Rhode: you have company!
Dakini Rhode: I think i’m doing mahamudra
Stim Morane: yes
Dakini Rhode: because that is what i know
Dakini Rhode: so if someone says stop and be -
Dakini Rhode: i fill the gap
Stim Morane: If you followed the format that Pema has suggested, for 10 hours every day, you would still only end up doing six minutes of practice per day. So I just meant that we should not expect the same kinds of fruit that would figure prominently in a traditional approach, based on much more “practice”.
Dakini Rhode: i see
Dakini Rhode: i don’t want to give up
Dakini Rhode: my regular practice
Dakini Rhode: to do this only
Stim Morane: no, of course not
Dakini Rhode: so i see what you’re saying
Dakini Rhode: i think this complements my regular practice
Stim Morane: yes, that is my hope, and Pema’s too
Stim Morane: But it can also be something entirely new
Dakini Rhode: yes
Dakini Rhode: i’m not sure if he has someone
Dakini Rhode: with no experience in meditation or contemplation
Dakini Rhode: doing this
Stim Morane: that’s interesting
Dakini Rhode: i’m not sure
Dakini Rhode: i don’t know actually
Dakini Rhode: the people i talk to have some other experience
Stim Morane: Well then it will serve to complement the other approaches, perhaps throwing open the boundaries
Dakini Rhode: Pema will need to weigh in on this :-)
Raz Baum: i’ll go now. catch up with u later ..
Dakini Rhode: yes
Dakini Rhode: ok Raz
Stim Morane: see you later!
Dakini Rhode: good to meet you :-)
Stim Morane: yes
Raz Baum: oki….
Raz Baum: take care.
Stim Morane: bye
Leili was still sitting on the cushion in silence, and I thought, perhaps she felt we’d ignored her…
Dakini Rhode: Leili I should explain
Dakini Rhode: something of what we’re talking about?
Dakini Rhode: would that be good?
Dakini Rhode: hm ok
Stim Morane: I’m still here. Shall we ask again?
Dakini Rhode: i never know
Dakini Rhode: if people are IMing
Dakini Rhode: have left the room
Dakini Rhode: anything is possible
Stim Morane: Yes, I’m only beginning to see how things work in this env
Dakini Rhode: or just listening
Dakini Rhode: i dont want you to feel ignored, Leili
Dakini Rhode: i have to tell you
Dakini Rhode: I would get invitations to meditate
Dakini Rhode: here in SL
Dakini Rhode: i would sit my avatar on the cushion
Dakini Rhode: say, OK meditate for me
Dakini Rhode: and go take a shower
Dakini Rhode: true confession
Stim Morane: a new form of practice
Dakini Rhode: lol like visualizing
Stim Morane: yes
Dakini Rhode: well i needed a shower
Stim Morane: I wonder a lot about what VR in general will do to our sense of self, groundedness etc.
Stim Morane: Your comment reminds me of that concern, + the possibilities for something wonderful to come forward
This session highlighted, for me, both some of the possibilities of VR and also the peculiarities of SL social interactions, as well as SL quirks. As did this interchange…
Dakini Rhode: i just checked your profile
Dakini Rhode: to see how old you are
Stim Morane: there’s nothing there. I’m one of the oldest practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. I’ve been teaching the Chinese Ch’an tradition + other things for the last twenty years or so.
Dakini Rhode: Stim its the SL/RL thing again
Dakini Rhode: avatars less than 30 days old
Dakini Rhode: can get a lot of freebies - free skin, hair, etc.
_/!\_
