2008.05.11 13:00 - Musical chairs

That afternoon, Maxine was the PaB Guardian. She later sent me the following transcript, together with her commentary. From here on the 'I' voice is Maxine’s.

I came to the teahouse to find Timaeus already there. We both spoke of still learning about play as being. We were soon joined by another newbie, Thor.

Timaeus Kaul: hi
Maxine Walden: hi, Timaeus
Timaeus Kaul: How goes?
Maxine Walden: goes well, how for you?
Maxine Walden: or you may be asking another question
Maxine Walden: such as the play as being practice?
Timaeus Kaul: Ah, no was just asking for your well-being mine is fine as well
Timaeus Kaul: I’m still learning about play as being myself
Maxine Walden: me too
Maxine Walden: not sure if we ever stop learning about play as being…how is that going for you
Timaeus Kaul: Very well, I think. It’s the other life stuff I’ve got to get under control
Maxine Walden: (I am sort of sitting in for Pema this session as it is 1am in Japan)
Timaeus Kaul: ah, that makes sense
Timaeus Kaul: Both rl and sl (am kind of new to actually being here - I used to work for a company that made things for sl but never participated myself until recently)
Maxine Walden: perhaps the play as being well help in this other area

Thor joins us. We speak about some of the confusing elements of SL, especially for newbies but some of the new possible experiences that SL offers as well.

Timaeus Kaul: howdy Thor!
Maxine Walden: I am very new here…just over a month , hi Thor
Thor Friedlander: hello to you. Have only started yesterday
Thor Friedlander: how are you?
Timaeus Kaul: I’m quite well
Maxine Walden: ah, well thanks, as well
Thor Friedlander: This is far from the craziness
Maxine Walden: yesterday is more recent than my joining but it still is new…craziness?
Thor Friedlander: all the commotion and loudness of other SL places
Timaeus Kaul: quite confusing. still haven’t figured out how to get land or a house
Timaeus Kaul: but I’ve been collecting free things, which reminds me of college
Maxine Walden: In my limited experience SL does offer the opportunity of many different experienes, many perhaps quite confusinng
Maxine Walden: free things?
Timaeus Kaul: places like freebie island, etc. Got this coat there. Felt kind of like dumpster diving for poptarts. All the REALLY good stuff seems to cost money
Thor Friedlander: I enjoy the “playing dressup” part. I can have a tail, wings, or both
Maxine Walden: getting a sense of groundedness, yes, perhaps the good things cost money.
Timaeus Kaul: That’s been a big help, too.

I wondered whether offering some of the basics about play as being might be grounding.

Maxine Walden: We meet here at this teahouse every 6 hours or so, 1pm SL, 7pm SL, 1am SL and 7amSL.
Thor Friedlander: How do know SL time?
Timaeus Kaul: Having this place to come to
Timaeus Kaul: UTC-8
Timaeus Kaul: It should say in the upper left part of your screen
Timaeus Kaul: Upper right, I should say
Maxine Walden: yes, dressup allows trying on all sorts of new appearances, SL time is Pacific time, for the creators of SL, Linden Labs are on the West coast…oh yes, right on the screen
Thor Friedlander: so it does, then i am on time
Maxine Walden: how did you hear about play as being?
Timaeus Kaul: I was trying to find buddhist events or groups in sl.
Maxine Walden: right,
Maxine Walden: so many interesting groups in SL
Timaeus Kaul: Yes, though few with the great dedicated space and leaders this one has
Thor Friedlander: I was seeking a quiet place and find quiet minds
Maxine Walden: would you like me to mention the ‘practice” we try to do?
Thor Friedlander: Please
Maxine Walden: OK. Every 15 minutes during the day we are invited to take a deep breath, as it were, to just let our minds open for 9 seconds and try to ‘be’, to see what thoughts, images, experiences come to our awareness, sort of like opening our minds
Maxine Walden: outside of this time and then we come and talk about our experience
Maxine Walden: It is a kind of mini-meditation experience, compressed in time
Maxine Walden: My own experience in the last month or so is that my mind really has opened, assumptions I thought were ‘givens’ in life I more clearly recognize as assumptions or patterns rather than ‘reality’
Maxine Walden: so reality is more open, and we are exploring our sense of being or perhaps our being part of a larger Being (tho not really a god)
Maxine Walden: did not say that last part very clearly: not part of a Being, but part of Being (the verb, not the noun)
Maxine Walden: a kind of being in the moment… flowing with each moment without holding much to the last moment or the next one to come
Maxine Walden: I have talked a lot, maybe I should be silent for a bit, so there is time and space for other thoughts, responses

After mentioning some basics, Timaeus mentions some experiences we all remember and it feels that we both smile

Timaeus Kaul: Personally, I can say, having just gotten into it, I’m in a little bit of a musical chairs phase
Maxine Walden: musical chairs?
Timaeus Kaul: where when my fifteen minutes are up, I find myself rushing a bit to get in place
Maxine Walden: ah, yes, know that feeling
Timaeus Kaul: Which I know to be silly, but I think it actually has helped, because it allows me not to be so serious
Timaeus Kaul: which in the long term I hope will help relax me
Maxine Walden: very nice
Maxine Walden: (sounds of nature are very nice here)
Thor Friedlander: trying to focus intently on quiet can be agitating to me and relaxing into a place of great noise and energy can calm me
Maxine Walden: interesting
Maxine Walden: would you like to say more?

And some interesting insights

Thor Friedlander: this is very nice…time to listen, think feel be connect
Timaeus Kaul: I’ve found that mediation has changed that perception or me as I’ve gone on, I initially found the silence disturbing and aggressive
Timaeus Kaul: then as I got into it, I found noise outside meditiation to be painful
Timaeus Kaul: and finally I’m beginning to see the inherent similarities of the two
Maxine Walden: ah
Maxine Walden: is that helpful to see the similarities?
Timaeus Kaul: Very much so, I think it serves as a model for me to look at a lot of parts of my life, and how I perceive those parts
Maxine Walden: sounds meaningful for you
Maxine Walden: so nice to be able to gain helpful insights or perspectives

It felt like time to stop for today and we speak about landmarks and meeting again

Thor Friedlander: i am going off to wander now. how to save this place for easy returning?
Maxine Walden: I think that you can landmark it, if you open world (just a minute)
Maxine Walden: yes, at the top of your screen there is ‘world’ open that and click ‘create a landmark here’ then you will have it to return to
Thor Friedlander: thank you for your prescence and your assistance. i would be blessed to be here with you again
Timaeus Kaul: Nice to be with ya Thor
Maxine Walden: you are very welcome. Very nice to have you here and maybe we will see you again
Timaeus Kaul: I suppose it being a quiet sunday and all, I should call it a day for now too.
Timaeus Kaul: But thanks for sharing your insights with me and for listening.
Maxine Walden: yes, nice to spend time with you, and to talk
Timaeus Kaul: I hope to see you here again soon, Maxine.
Maxine Walden: Yes, I come here often, so please come again.

I reamain a few minutes more appreciating the stillness and the natural sounds which enfold the teahouse.