That evening, I arrived at the tea house a bit early, and saw that already various friends had gathered there. While still rezzing, I began to listen to the conversation.
Dakini Rhode: hi Pema
stevenaia Michinaga: evening…depending where you are now
And the next thing I new, SL had kicked me out again. It would take me a full five minutes before I succeeded to log in again. Arriving once more, I fell into the middle of the conversation. It seemed like a conversation of the previous one, six hours ago, which I had just read, but where I had not been present, since I had been asleep.
Dakini Rhode: dhukka means “wobbly axle”
Dakini Rhode: what we translate as “life is suffering”
Dakini Rhode: is “life is a wobbly axle”
Dakini Rhode: i reflected on that…
Dakini Rhode: hi Pema
Ecstasy Dreamscape: seems it is sometimes
Types Sideways: and?
Dakini Rhode: always
Ecstasy Dreamscape: hi Pema
Dakini Rhode: always wobbly
Pema Pera: Hi everybody!
stevenaia Michinaga: evening Pema
Pema Pera: slowly rezzing here
Types Sideways: wobbly when we dont fit maybe
Dakini Rhode: you are still grey
Types Sideways: when we fight
Dakini Rhode: when we expect it to be not wobbly
Types Sideways: yeah
Types Sideways: good analogy
Types Sideways: hi Pema
Dakini Rhode: ohoh where did Pema go
Types Sideways: hes here
Dakini Rhode: oh i see yes
Dakini Rhode: still grey to me
Dakini Rhode: hi Stim :-)
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Stim
Stim Morane: Hi all!
Pema Pera: HI Stim!
It was clear that the SL rezzing `weather’ was rather sluggish that day. Stevenaia had taken up a position in the corner.
Pema Pera: Steve, would you like to join us in the middle?
Types Sideways: nice to meet you Stim
Types Sideways: Steve
Stim Morane: Hello Types!
Types Sideways: hi:)
Ecstasy Dreamscape: hi Stim
Stim Morane: Hi!
stevenaia Michinaga: …smile, interesting I can actually see everyone nicely and hear all from here, thank you
Types Sideways: cool
Types Sideways: heard a nice rumi saying today
Types Sideways: want to hear?
Pema Pera: sure!
Types Sideways: lets see
Pema Pera: And good to see you again here, Ecstasy!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you Pema
Types recited his Rumi quotation, just when Jack was joining us.
Types Sideways: let your heart smile
Types Sideways: because a diamond is only worth something when it shines
Ecstasy Dreamscape: wow
Dakini Rhode: :-))
Pema Pera: Hi Jack!
Jack Milgrom: Hello
Ecstasy Dreamscape: Hi jack
Dakini Rhode: Hi Jack
Pema Pera: wonderful saying, Types
Ecstasy Dreamscape: that is beautiful Types
Types Sideways: good pointer
Dakini Rhode: it seems to get to the point better because it’s poetic
Types Sideways: yeah
Types Sideways: I love that
Pema Pera: some poetry can have an almost mathematical precision
Types Sideways: math?
Dakini Rhode: haha you would know Pema
Types Sideways: uh oh
Types Sideways: how so?
Pema Pera: math is also indirect, like poetry
Types Sideways: ahhh
Pema Pera: if you look at the words and the lines of the paper
Pema Pera: it does not mean anything
Pema Pera: but if you have enough of a shared background, it all comes to life
Pema Pera: and is very precise and recognizable
Jack Milgrom: an interesting observation Pema
We moved on from math to macha.
Types Sideways: so your a math guy?
Types Sideways: Pema?
Pema Pera: partly
Pema Pera: my specialization is theoretical astrophysics
Types Sideways: oh
Pema Pera: and math is part of theoretical physics
Types Sideways: like space?
Pema Pera: space is an essential mathematical concept, yes
Pema Pera: there are many mathematical spaces
Pema Pera: starting with a mathematical model of normal space
Pema Pera: and then getting more and more abstract
Types Sideways: if you say so have you had a geisha serve you Macha yet?
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: I did have a macha latte just an hour ago
Types Sideways: oh man
Pema Pera: here in a coffeeshop
Types Sideways: Im jealous
Dakini Rhode: haha i had one this morning
Pema Pera: where I am typing now
Pema Pera: y’all come visit!
Types Sideways: ok
Pema Pera: in Kyoto
Types Sideways: we are there
Types Sideways: now
Ecstasy Dreamscape smiles
Pema Pera: yes
Types Sideways: with you
Pema Pera: but drinking macha may be a bit difficult . . . .
I commented on Types’ ferocious samurai looks that evening.
Dakini Rhode: we have macha here in the pot
Dakini Rhode: no geisha
Types Sideways: ahhh
Ecstasy Dreamscape giggles
Types Sideways: got mine
Cha-No-Yu Japanese Tea Ceremony (Taupe): Please enjoy your ceremonial cup of cha, Dakini Rhode-san. Goziemashta arigato.
Pema Pera: goes well with your outfit today, Types!
Types Sideways: heeheh
Types Sideways: ty
Types Sideways: saurai
Types Sideways: traditional armor
Chawan : Mmmm, delicious green cha made in the ceremonial Japanese tradition, Dakini Rhode, so refreshing!
Chawan : Mmm..
Types Sideways: samurai
Chawan : Mmm..
Pema Pera: yes, you would be able to defend us all in Japan, Types!
Chawan : Mmm..
Types Sideways: hehehe
Types Sideways: just for looks
Chawan : Mmm..
Types Sideways: and zen
Jack Milgrom: As much as I enjoy it here, I have things to attend to in RL.
Jack Milgrom: I hope to see you again soon
Chawan : Don’t you feel at one with nature now, Dakini Rhode so peaceful and relaxed.
Jack took off, and Dakini returned to Isen’s reading of dukkha.
Stim Morane: Bye Jack!
Types Sideways: bye
Pema Pera: Thanks for stopping by, Jack!
Pema Pera: Does anyone have a question or comment about Playing or Being or anything like that?
Ecstasy Dreamscape: by Jack
Types Sideways: whats that?
Types Sideways: :))
Dakini Rhode: being
Pema Pera: Types, there may be nothing like that :-)
Types Sideways: :)
Types Sideways: what else can we do?
Types Sideways: but be?
Dakini Rhode: being on the wobbly axle
Types Sideways: hehehe
Dakini Rhode: just before Pema and Stim arrived
Dakini Rhode: I mentioned something Isen said..
Dakini Rhode: that dhukka should be translated “wobbly axle”
Dakini Rhode: “life is wobbly”
Dakini Rhode: and Pema I thought about playasbeing…
Dakini Rhode: and trying for “continuity”
Pema Pera: I like that, dhukka as wobbly, out of kelter, with friction, not flowing freely
Dakini Rhode: and wondered… is continuity attainable?
Dakini Rhode: i think of it as just wobbly, that’s the way it is
Dakini Rhode: interesting different ways to think of wobbly
I mused about continuity.
Pema Pera: not attainable but it is recognizable — strictly speaking, in the sense that it is already there but we tend to overlook it — not meant as a trick answer; I really think we should start with the orientation that nothing can be attained
Pema Pera: we express
Pema Pera: can’t attain
Pema Pera: already there
Pema Pera: Being
Pema Pera: we can ignore
Pema Pera: but not lose
Types Sideways: hard to see because its always there?
Dakini Rhode: now you see it now you dont?
Pema Pera: yes, too close to see, you could also say
Types Sideways: yes
Pema Pera: and yes, seeing varies
Types Sideways: yes
Pema Pera: but that doesn’t matter
Pema Pera: IT is always there
Pema Pera: that is the support, the resource
Pema Pera: that is the “don’t worry be happy” root
Types Sideways: no problem
Pema Pera: radically so
Types Sideways: uh oh
Types Sideways: problem
Types, after having stated “no problem” found an unexpected new problem in the fact that he had started to levitate.
Pema Pera: in the middle of the greatest trouble we can suddenly recognize that, fall into that
Types Sideways: levatating
Pema Pera: rising above us all, Types
Dakini Rhode: too much macha
Types Sideways: hhehe
Types Sideways: does it go down?
Dakini Rhode: you need to stand up to go down
Types Sideways: sound profound
Dakini Rhode: lol true
Types Sideways: stand up to go down
Dakini Rhode: stand up then sit again
Dakini Rhode: profound
Dakini Rhode: :-)
Types Sideways: up is down
Types Sideways: k
Types Sideways: thx
Pema Pera: yes, great teaching Dakini (sorry, lag)
Types Sideways: great teaching
Dakini Rhode: the wobbly axle?
Types Sideways: :)
Pema Pera: wobbly bicycle perhaps?
Pema Pera: can’t ride without wobbling slightly
Types Sideways: wobbly stability
Types Sideways: maybe
Stim Morane: It was nice to see you all, but I have to go now … till next time!
Pema Pera: See you, Stim!
Dakini Rhode: night, Stim
Stim Morane: good night!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: nite Stim
Stim Morane: bye Ecstasy!
After Stim left, Ecstasy mentioned the refreshing simplicity of just `be’.
Pema Pera: Ecstasy, have you gotten a chance to play a bit with Being, in some way or other, perhaps?
Ecstasy Dreamscape: no i have not
Ecstasy Dreamscape: formally …
Ecstasy Dreamscape: looked at anything
Ecstasy Dreamscape: but i know that i say “be” a lot at times to myself and appreciate the simplicity..
Pema Pera: that’s a great gesture!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: in not overworking or complicating things particularly like me emotions
Ecstasy Dreamscape: but try to experience “now”
Pema Pera: such gestures have already the power to radically change our life
Ecstasy Dreamscape: like the piece isen gave on “attention”
Hotaru Myoo: Hiya!
Pema Pera: Hi Hotaru!
Types Sideways: hi
Dakini Rhode: hi Hotaru!
Hotaru Myoo: Greetings…
Ecstasy Dreamscape: hi hotaru, *smiles
Hotaru Myoo: sorry to miss the evning activities
Hotaru joined us, and the conversation continued to flow, while I brought up the 9 second explorations.
Pema Pera: Ecstasy, have you tried to stop for a few seconds sometimes?
Ecstasy Dreamscape: stop?
Pema Pera: we have been experimenting here with what we call a 9-second practice
Pema Pera: for a few hours every day
Ecstasy Dreamscape: oh?
Pema Pera: we try to stop what we are doing roughly once every quarter of an hour
Pema Pera: and for 9 seconds we take a break
Pema Pera: take a breath
Pema Pera: and see whether we can look beyond our normal horizon
Ecstasy Dreamscape: wow
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/ contains a very short introduction
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i could have benefited from that earlier today
Pema Pera: just a few pages
Pema Pera: (^_^)
Pema Pera: what happened earlier?
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i have been so caught up in grief over my 16 1/2 year old kitty (twinkie) who died last week
Types Sideways: uh oh
Types Sideways: lost Dakini
Types Sideways: oh no
Pema Pera: yes, I remember you mentioned that the other day, I’m sorry to hear that, it must be a great loss
Pema Pera: after such a long time
Ecstasy Dreamscape: the grief has just been phsically aching inside of me for everywhere i look i look for her and she is not there
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i start to talk to her and remember “oh she is gone” :P and then the feelings hit me like an avalanche and the momentum just nails me
Ecstasy Dreamscape: so to take a step back or time out like you described would help
Pema Pera: if you can try the 9-sec practice for a couple hours, over a few days, I would love to hear what kind of difference that would make
Pema Pera: we are here four times a day
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i have no rl kids, she and my other kitty same age who died last year were my kids
Pema Pera: once every six hours, 1 am 7 am 1 pm 7 pm SLT
Ecstasy Dreamscape: ok i will try that
Types Sideways: is that the kitty in your proflie?
Ecstasy Dreamscape: ty
Ecstasy Dreamscape: yes my girl and my little boy
Ecstasy Dreamscape: can’t imagine when i hear of people losing spouses what that would be like
Hotaru gave her own very helpful angle on life and death.
Hotaru Myoo: I think that is why we have animals in our lives..
Hotaru Myoo: one of the reasons
Hotaru Myoo: to understand and come to grips with the cycle of life
Ecstasy Dreamscape: hmmmm
Hotaru Myoo: we will all outlive our animal friends
Ecstasy Dreamscape nods
Hotaru Myoo: we learn from their unconditional love
Ecstasy Dreamscape smiles “yes”
Hotaru Myoo: their way of being
Hotaru Myoo: is a path we can all learn from
Ecstasy Dreamscape: yes
Ecstasy Dreamscape: wow that is good
Hotaru Myoo: they give us reflection on how to live
Hotaru Myoo: moment to moment
Hotaru Myoo: I think the PaB will be a wonderful device for you as you work through this
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i will go to the website and read up
Hotaru Myoo: focus on the ‘is’ and not the ‘was’
Ecstasy Dreamscape: ahhhh ok
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you Hotaru that is powerful
Pema Pera: yes, thanks Hotaru! It is so nice to hear PaB descriptions from many different angles
Pema Pera: Play as Being
Ecstasy Dreamscape smiles “thank you Hotaru”
Hotaru, our fire fly, continued, through the joy of texting:
Hotaru Myoo: that brings up the ideas of memeory
Hotaru Myoo: the power of memeory
Hotaru Myoo: momory*
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: memory*
Ecstasy Dreamscape giggles thinking of doing same thing
Hotaru Myoo: and the life of memory
Pema Pera has the image of a meteoritic fire fly
Pema Pera: or meteorological fire fly
Hotaru Myoo: we have talked about (lol) being…
Hotaru Myoo: in it’s many forms
Hotaru Myoo: has memory been addressed?
Hotaru Myoo: in previous conversations?
Pema Pera: ((Ecastasy: Hotaru means fire fly))
Pema Pera: I don’t think so Hotaru
Ecstasy Dreamscape: hmm, wow i have walked around here all day trying to remember how she felt in my arms
Pema Pera: at least I don’t remember now :>)
Ecstasy Dreamscape giggles
Hotaru Myoo: we are our memories
Hotaru Myoo: but just as essential…we are what we forget
Hotaru Myoo: we are programmed to forget
Hotaru Myoo: as well as remember
Hotaru Myoo: selectively?
Hotaru Myoo: perhaps
Ecstasy Dreamscape: before she was gone i made a huge effort to try to remember for future and now i try so hard to bring it back and it makes me in a knot
Types came up with another angle, followed by Dakini.
Types Sideways: so we are like internet cookies Hotaru?
Hotaru Myoo: yes!
Hotaru Myoo: without the precision
Ecstasy Dreamscape smiles
Dakini Rhode: a box of cookies
Types Sideways: :)
Hotaru Myoo: along with the crumbs
Dakini Rhode: ecstasy if i may suggest
Dakini Rhode: when a loved one has died
Dakini Rhode: they need to move on
Ecstasy Dreamscape: ahh
Dakini Rhode: it helps them if we can let them go…
Ecstasy Dreamscape: mmm
Dakini Rhode: we may see them again, in time
Dakini Rhode: your cat may come back to you
Ecstasy Dreamscape takes deep breath
Dakini Rhode: just a suggestion
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you Dakini i appreciate that, i really had not thought of that before
Ecstasy Dreamscape: not like that
Types had to leave, and the conversation continued.
Types Sideways: bye all
Types Sideways: RL calls
Dakini Rhode: bye
Hotaru Myoo: Bye Types!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: bye Types, *smile
Hotaru Myoo: Good to see you!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i love this consideration of “being”
Hotaru Myoo: try considering it every 15 min
Ecstasy Dreamscape: reminds me of “be here now”
Dakini Rhode: ahh
Ecstasy Dreamscape: what a concept
Ecstasy Dreamscape smiles
Pema Pera smiles too
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i heard john lennon recently “let it be” and i thought wow he got it way back then
Pema Pera: yes
Hotaru Myoo: indeed he did
Pema Pera: that can be a very powerful mantra, all by itself
Hotaru Myoo: honto ni
Pema Pera: hai
Ecstasy Dreamscape nods thoughtfully
Pema Pera: many of us seem to know a smattering (or two) of Japanese, Ecstasy :-)
Dakini provided yet another angle.
Dakini Rhode: here is a thought: how many Beings are there?
Ecstasy Dreamscape: cool
Pema Pera: one Being
Pema Pera: ultimately
Ecstasy Dreamscape: i love sushi, *giggle
Dakini Rhode: so then we are not in fact separate
Pema Pera: indeed!
Dakini Rhode: and the kitties are not in fact gone
Hotaru Myoo: it is exponential
Dakini Rhode: they have only shed their coats
Dakini Rhode: their old worn out coats
Ecstasy Dreamscape: wow i love that, i felt a twinge at that thought
Dakini Rhode: time for new coats
Ecstasy Dreamscape smiles thinking of kitties flying free
Dakini Rhode: :-)))
Hotaru Myoo: I think of the butterfly ..
Ecstasy Dreamscape laughs “oh that is lovely dakini”
Ecstasy Dreamscape: yes shedding and breaking free of the cocoons
Dakini Rhode: :-)))
By then it was time for me to leave.
Pema Pera: I’m sorry but I’ll have to leave now; great being here with all of you! — thanks for finding us again, Ecstasy, please come back whenever you feel like!
stevenaia Michinaga: night pema
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you Pema very much for also being here
Dakini Rhode: bye Pema
Pema Pera: night everyone!
Hotaru Myoo: thanks for letting this run long too!
Pema Pera: please continue
Dakini Rhode: i need to take my leave too
Hotaru Myoo: so glad to be with you all!
Pema Pera: don’t let me break up the party :-)
Dakini Rhode: i didn’t think I’d make it this late :-)
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you everyone this has been so beautiful to hear and feel these things
Hotaru Myoo: _/!\_
Dakini Rhode: Namaste
Hotaru Myoo: nice work!
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Pema Pera: _/!\_
Hotaru Myoo: Take good care Ecstasy!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: _/!\_
Dakini Rhode: be well, Ecstasy!
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, be well
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you Hotaru you too
Dakini Rhode: (and all)
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you stevenaia and dakini, :-))
Hotaru Myoo: the plasure ia all mine
Hotaru Myoo: :)
Hotaru Myoo: nite all!
While most of us got up and left, Steve indicated he was ready to stay for a bit longer.
stevenaia Michinaga: If you say I can sit for a bit
stevenaia Michinaga: watch your head
Ecstasy Dreamscape: oops, nite Hotaru
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: big beams
Ecstasy Dreamscape: hehehehe
Pema Pera: sit for a bit here Steve?
Pema Pera: sure, of course, any time!
stevenaia Michinaga: take care Ecstasy
Ecstasy Dreamscape: well take care and i will come back more often, i love the discussions of such good things.
Pema Pera: and thanks again for joining our guardian group
Pema Pera: Steve
Pema Pera: thanks, Ecstasy!
stevenaia Michinaga: I hope to volunteer shortly
Pema Pera: sure, any time, Steve!
Ecstasy Dreamscape: thank you stevenaia, pema, take care and be safe
Pema Pera: you too!
Suddenly Steve and I were the only two left.
Pema Pera: It really seems that something is working here, it feels, something beyond any of us individually, I find it quite amazing
Pema Pera: Each meeting I just walk in, no idea what to expect
Pema Pera: nobody knows
Pema Pera: and yet often something quite profound comes out
Pema Pera: from nowhere
stevenaia Michinaga: there always seems to be something new to learn
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: something from nothing
Pema Pera: yes, learn and and share, learning by sharing
stevenaia Michinaga: from the void comes change
Pema Pera: yes!
Pema Pera: openness to the void is all that is needed
Pema Pera: and this group here is remarkably open
Pema Pera: no rules, no expectations
stevenaia Michinaga: I jsut need to feel a bit more comfortable either through visiting or by your 9 secs or by time
Pema Pera: np!
Pema Pera: you can take your time
Pema Pera: people here are very welcoming
Pema Pera: each in their own way
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, I am not uncomfortable with the people
stevenaia Michinaga: somethings I am just unfamiliar with
stevenaia Michinaga: much of the eastern thought
We talked about practice, and I remember the interesting story that Steve had told earlier about having been told to look up from cmoputer programming work to save what he had done.
Pema Pera: have you tried the 9-sec thingy a bit?
stevenaia Michinaga: no not yet
Pema Pera: may be fun to try for a couple hours a day, for a few days
stevenaia Michinaga: it will take a bit to work that into my practive
Pema Pera: wouldn’t take long :-)
stevenaia Michinaga: practice
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, I work with one other so I could make the time and place
Pema Pera: didn’t you mention doing this already, as computer work breaks?
stevenaia Michinaga: well in the past yes
Pema Pera: so you may have more experience already than any of us :-)
stevenaia Michinaga: but remember, my moments were replaced by software improvements
stevenaia Michinaga: thats actually what I am trying to do, is align or re-align what I may already have into another context, your 9 sec or something similar
Pema Pera: can you say a bit more about the other context?
stevenaia Michinaga: any re-alignment is a learning experience
Pema Pera: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: part motivation and part focus
stevenaia Michinaga: I actually work with a Buddist, but know very little about it
stevenaia Michinaga: actually most Buddists I know are very hostle people in many respects, so much for the vegatarian theroy about them not being hostle
stevenaia Michinaga: I eat plenty of red meat and I’m quite mellow :)
Pema Pera: haha, yes, I know what you mean
stevenaia Michinaga: it just must affect my typing
Pema Pera: I’ve had plenty of experiences like that too
Pema Pera: what we are doing here is not Buddhist
Pema Pera: even though there is overlap — but there is overlap as well with Hindu, Taoist, Sufi, with Christian mysticism too
Pema Pera: and with science, not to forget
stevenaia Michinaga: of course
I mentioned my hope to bring our exploration outside the context of religions.
Pema Pera: I hope we can have some people join us without any religious background whatsoever
Pema Pera: it would be great to see how they would explore the 9-sec thing
stevenaia Michinaga: I realize what you are doing is not religious based, makes it very appealing
Pema Pera: thank you, I consider that as one of the highest forms of praise for me, I appreciate that very much!
stevenaia Michinaga: you are welcome, and I enjoy your humility
Pema Pera: when people come here from a religious background, I deeply appreciate that too, and I want to resonate with that, which is easy for me, since I recognize the power of those approaches — but I also recognize the pitfalls and I want to be open to those who want to avoid those pitfalls
Pema Pera: thank you, Steve!
Pema Pera: actually I myself want to avoid those pitfalls
Pema Pera: which is one reason I don’t call myself a Buddhist
Pema Pera: people are often surprised hearing that
We continued to talk for a bit longer, but then my internet connection crashed. It took quite a while to get it back up again, and finally I said goodbye to Steve through IM.
