Pema Pera: Hi Nate!
Nate Bouras: hello
Pema Pera: Wanna join us for a cup of tea?
Pema Pera: We get together here in this tea house a few times a day
Nate Bouras: that’s cool, I’ve been by once or twice before.. :)
Pema Pera: we are just starting on the minute right now :-)
Pema Pera: good timing
Nate Bouras: great
We had walked into the tea house, just when Hotaru showed up as well. And she remembered that it was not evening for me, in Japan!
Pema Pera: Hi Hotaru!
Pema Pera: Meet Nate
Pema Pera: Nate, Hotaru!
Hotaru Myoo: Morning Pema!
Nate Bouras: hello hotaru
Hotaru Myoo: Hi Nate!
Hotaru Myoo: Buenos dias
Pema Pera: You have been in this area a few times, you said, Nate?
Nate Bouras: a couple at most, sat with Dakini Rhode before
Pema Pera: we gather here four times a day, a new initiative, to talk about the nature of reality
Pema Pera: in a very playful and informal way
Nate Bouras: ah
Pema Pera: complementary in many ways to what Dakini does
Pema Pera: she invited me to use this tea house that she built
Pema Pera: We have a blog on http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/
Nate Bouras: very cool, she’s been nice the couple times I talked with her
Pema Pera: yes, she’s great, gentle yet focused
Nate Bouras: :)
Nate Bouras: I blog at wordpress too
Pema Pera: yes, I just started looking at it, through your profile — will have a better look later
Nate Bouras: I’d check your out but my computer can’t handle a browse and SL at the same time without laggin badly
I gave a quick summary of our schedule.
Pema Pera: what we do is in RL to spend a few hours every day to engage in a few 9-second meditations, four times an hour, for a total of one or two minutes a day, about the time you need to brush your teeth
Pema Pera: then we meet in SL four times a day, to talk about our experiences
Pema Pera: at 1 am 7 am 1 pm 7 pm SL time
Nate Bouras: wow, that’s quite the SL commitment eh? I haven’t been on for a couple weeks I think… :)
Pema Pera: we make sure there is always one of us at least at each meeting
Pema Pera: haha
Pema Pera: we are spreading the commitment
Pema Pera: most of us have just one slot
Pema Pera: once a week
Pema Pera: but many of us come far more often
Hotaru Myoo: Pema has them all
Nate Bouras: lol
Hotaru Myoo: or so it seems
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: his baby
Nate Bouras: lol
Hotaru Myoo: spread across the lot of us
Stim joined us, followed closely by Trevor.
Pema Pera: Hi Stim!
Stim Morane: Hi Pema!
Hotaru Myoo: Hiya
Pema Pera: well, I started this, but quickly it spread like a little wild fire ;>)
Hotaru Myoo: Pema?
Stim Morane: Hi all!
Hotaru Myoo: You play Go?
Pema Pera: yes, I do
Nate Bouras: it’s an interesting idea
Pema Pera: Stim, meet Nate!
Stim Morane: Hi Nate!
Nate Bouras: ‘lo Stim
Pema Pera: He has been to this area a few times, sitting with Dakini
Hotaru Myoo: Now that is a fun thing to do/talk about in the context of PaB
Pema Pera: how so?
Hotaru Myoo: the strategy of movement
Pema Pera: Hi Trevor!
Trevor Berensohn: Huloo LL
Pema Pera: ah, yes, go is wonderful in that sense!
Hotaru Myoo: Hi treavor
Pema Pera: art and math and strategy and balance, you name it
Nate Bouras: hi trevor
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Hotaru Myoo: beauty in its patterns
Stim Morane: Hi Trevor
Trevor Berensohn: Hi all. I can’t stay something’s come up with work but will see you all soon =)
Hotaru Myoo: the way it touches space and time
Pema Pera: Trevor, meet Nate, first time here, but he has joined Dakini’s sitting group a few times
Hotaru Myoo: Didn’t see you slip in
Pema Pera: hello and goodbye, Trev!
While Trevor left, Thorberg walked in.
Thorberg Nordlicht: hello, everyone
Trevor Berensohn: Will see u soon guys
Hotaru Myoo: Hi Thor!
Trevor Berensohn: Ah I got to do that earlier.
Hotaru Myoo: Nice of him to do the 9 secs here
Pema Pera: hahaha
Nate Bouras: are you all logging the 9 seconds that people come here?
Pema Pera: lol
Thorberg Nordlicht: i’m here in body, but not in spirit; be right back
Pema Pera: Hi Thor!
Hotaru Myoo: hmmm
Hotaru Myoo: contagious
Pema Pera: hehe
Hotaru Myoo: another 9 sec particpant
Hotaru Myoo: bet he’s back in 15
Pema Pera: lol, Hotaru!
Hotaru Myoo: must be tonight’s flavor
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: yeah, one of those nights
Now that I’m preparing this chat text for the blog, I have to laugh out loudly again. Hotaru’s humor is certainly contagious (^_^).
Pema Pera: What we log in our blog, Nate, are snippets from our conversations
Pema Pera: to keep the continuity
Nate Bouras: ah ok
Nate Bouras: got it
Pema Pera: so that people can read what we discuss here, even when they’re not hear for some of the sessions
Nate Bouras: will check the blog out most definitely!
Pema Pera: Do you have a kind of practice, Buddhist or otherwise, if I may ask?
Nate Bouras: you should all see the small place I have some time, you are welcome to drop by it anytime
Pema Pera: thanks! Where is that?
Hotaru Myoo: got an lm?
Nate Bouras: I wish… I try to basically just be a kind person and know the consequences of certain actions
Nate Bouras: yes
Pema Pera: sounds wonderful all in itself Nate!
Pema Pera: we are not sectarian here
Hotaru Myoo: ah thanks Nate
Pema Pera: For example, I don’t consider myself a Buddhist, though I am very sympathetic to Buddhism
Nate Bouras: that’s cool
Pema Pera: but also to many other orientations
Pema Pera: I consider “waking up”, “realizing” as much a science as an art as something spiritual/religuous
Hotaru Myoo: Isn’t it interesting how the practice of PaB helps us to focus in on those orientations
Pema Pera: just reality — as it is
Hotaru Myoo: and find meaning through them
We talked about habits.
Nate Bouras: Buddhism is what I guess I would be closest too if I had to choose a persuasion, but I am far from how a “buddhist” is supposed to be, lots of work to do! :)
Pema Pera: lots of work to drop, perhaps :-)
Nate Bouras: to drop as well, either way things need a fixin, habits broken, etc
Nate Bouras: habits as in changing patterns based on habitual actions
Pema Pera: yes, and the question is how to fix: by doing or by letting go / dropping / letting be — subtle points . . . .
Nate Bouras: wow, never thought of that… how to fix it is what I’m trying to figure out. :)
Pema Pera: I think that spirituality is mostly and most purely about subtraction rather than addition
Nate Bouras: that makes sense though
Pema Pera: about not-doing rathere than doing
Nate Bouras: right
Pema Pera: at first a bit tricky to learn what that means
Pema Pera: then the most simple and easy and natural thing in the world
Pema Pera: we call our approach here Play as Being
Pema Pera: Being is what is,
Pema Pera: play is an easy way to shed
Pema Pera: to led go of our too-serious too-frozen habits
Pema Pera: does that feel right to you too?
Hotaru Myoo: always
Hotaru Myoo: Play is the essence of life
Hotaru Myoo: we begin our lives playing
Nate Bouras: kind of, I don’t think some are necessarily frozen, but changeable once a person realizes the re-action to things is based on habitual patterns we’ve grown accustomed to… so if that sounds like babble, getting late and brain is going to mush right now
Hotaru Myoo: and increasingly so ..
Hotaru Myoo: lose that
Hotaru Myoo: ability to play
Pema Pera: yes, I agree Nate — I just gave a rough sketch but indeed, habits are not necessarily bad
Pema Pera: keeping it playful and fluid is important, but habits are important too
It was time for Nate to leave, and we realized we had just lost Thorberg as well.
Nate Bouras: well I hate to say it, but I have to run soon too
Hotaru Myoo: would you argue that the antithesis is play?
Pema Pera: np, Nate
Nate Bouras: I will definitely be back again, this was great and is good chatting!
Pema Pera: Thanks for dropping by, and now you know where to find us
Pema Pera: Hotaru, roles are important parts of play
Pema Pera: and roles and habits may be related
Pema Pera: so not so much antithesis, I’d say
Pema Pera: or did I misread what you hinted at?
Pema Pera: Bye, Nate!
Stim Morane: Bye Nate!
Hotaru Myoo: Bye Nate
Pema Pera: And then there were three :-)
Hotaru Myoo: I think they are interconnected
Pema Pera: Thor must have crashed
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Hotaru Myoo: poof
Pema Pera: is there an English word for cushion that sounds like poof?
Pema Pera: or only in Dutch?
Pema Pera: it would be appropriate
Hotaru Myoo: whoopie
Hotaru Myoo: haha
Pema Pera: We spell it “poef”, actually what is underneath a cushion, a bit like an Ottoman, pronounced “poof”
Pema Pera: must be a very early tp device :-)
Hotaru Myoo: lol
We continued talking about habits.
Pema Pera: Stim, what is your view of habits
Pema Pera: ?
Stim Morane: habits? THat’s a very broad question.
Pema Pera: most of our questions here are :-)
Stim Morane: Yes, perhaps necessarily so. You mean habits related to Play?
Pema Pera: for example; Hotaru, would you like to say more about antithesis — was that about habits?
Pema Pera: or did I misunderstand?
Hotaru Myoo: well
Hotaru Myoo: play just seems to be more nonlinear
Pema Pera: yes
Hotaru Myoo: habits repeat
Hotaru Myoo: and are sequential
Hotaru Myoo: with a pattern emerging
Hotaru Myoo: play dances
Hotaru Myoo: so a rhythm might occur
Stim Morane: That’s interesting.
Hotaru Myoo: and a pattern settle in
Pema Pera: yes, and perhaps the emerging comes out of the play where habits are often more programmed — yes
Hotaru Myoo: so maybe it is just two different approaches that converge somewher
Pema Pera: but play can then lead to new habits
Hotaru Myoo: exactly
Pema Pera: and habits can provide new roles for play
Hotaru Myoo: sine/cosine
Pema Pera: yup
Hotaru Myoo: they weave
Pema Pera: ups & downs
Hotaru Myoo: ins and outs
Pema Pera: woove & warp — no how do you spell that?
Stim Morane: woof
Pema Pera: thnx!
Stim Morane: weft
Hotaru brought up her conversation with Isen recently, see our earlier Life is Wobbly session.
Hotaru Myoo: Isen said something to me today that I find interesting …
Hotaru Myoo: and it weaves into this conversation to a degree
Hotaru Myoo: about dukka
Hotaru Myoo: and the original sanskrit
Stim Morane: duhkha? I must have missed that part of the discussion.
Pema Pera: what did Isen say?
Hotaru Myoo: [15:18] Isen Enzo: A literal definition of “dukka! [15:18] Hotaru Myoo: get out! [15:18] Isen Enzo: from classic sanskrit.. [15:18] Hotaru Myoo: you read sanskrit? [15:18] Isen Enzo: means literaly, “wobbly axle” [15:19] Hotaru Myoo: haha [15:19] Hotaru Myoo: that has many applications [15:19] Isen Enzo: I got the info from “comp idiot g/t buddhism” and wikipedia… [15:19] Hotaru Myoo: oh…deep research [15:20] Isen Enzo: orig sanskrit allusion is from a potters wheel… [15:20] Hotaru Myoo: I like that image [15:20] Isen Enzo: chinese allusion was a wheel on a cart that was not exact… [15:20] Hotaru Myoo: huh [15:20] Isen Enzo: both allude to ‘wobbliness”
Stim Morane: oh yes, I remember that comment.
Pema Pera: yes, off balance, out of wack
Hotaru Myoo: weaving in and out of center
Hotaru Myoo: pattern and chaos
Stim Morane: I think play could be almost anything, even just looking out the window or walking down the street.
Hotaru Myoo: sure
Stim Morane: I am a fairly lazy person, so my sense of play is not very demanding, I’m afraid.
Hotaru Myoo: not the work hard /play hard type ?
Stim Morane: But in a spiritual sense, I hope that play can relate to celebration and expression
Hotaru Myoo: oh …I like your way of thinking!
Stim Morane: perhaps the work hard etc model you mention is itself play
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Hotaru Myoo: depending on your passions
Stim Morane: expression of what jumps the bounds of our local preoccupations
Hotaru Myoo: work is play
Hotaru Myoo: so true Stim
Stim Morane: yes, it should involve passion too, that is both gripping and yet not imprisoning
Hotaru Myoo: right
Hotaru and Stim continued talking about playing.
Stim Morane: enthusiasm is a related thing for me
Hotaru Myoo: if something to us has relevance
Hotaru Myoo: usually passion follows
Hotaru Myoo: and a meshing of work/play
Stim Morane: yes
Stim Morane: “driven by the presence of a god”
Hotaru Myoo: yes…a purpose
Stim Morane: yes
Stim Morane: higher purpose, and free too
Hotaru Myoo: yes…
Stim Morane: young creatures play to learn, to acquire motor skills & cognitive ones etc. But what does play mean as we grow?
Stim Morane: This is what we’re talking about, I guess
Hotaru Myoo: intentional release?
Stim Morane: that goes back to Pema’s point about subtracting
Hotaru Myoo: yes
Hotaru Myoo: paring down to the essential
Hotaru Myoo: speaking of paring …
Hotaru Myoo: I must take my leave you two..
Stim Morane: what would be an example of the play that involves rhythm etc? Oh, you have to leave. Well, another time!
Hotaru Myoo giggles
Hotaru Myoo: good to see and be here with you
Pema Pera: Thanks for dropping by, Hotaru!
Stim Morane: Yes, thanks!
Pema Pera: let’s continue this discussion some time soon!
Hotaru Myoo: the pleasure is all mine!
Hotaru Myoo: thank you!
Hotaru Myoo: cioa for now
Pema Pera: and all ours too at the same time :-)
Stim Morane: Bye!
Pema Pera: c u !
Stim and I were left, and continued the threads of the conversation.
Pema Pera: great conversation — and fascinating point, the question of what play is for adults
Pema Pera: perhaps we are all still growing up :-)
Stim Morane: I could have asked what “adults” are. Or should be.
Pema Pera: with respect to learning to deal with Being
Stim Morane: Yes
Stim Morane: I spent a lot of time pondering that question.
Pema Pera: can you say more?
Stim Morane: I never wanted to be an adult, until I realized there were hardly any around.
Stim Morane: Then I became interested.
Pema Pera: hahaha
Stim Morane: So there really aren’t many models for real maturity, and the issue of play as being consistent with maturation is not well understood.
Pema Pera: traditionally, maturation probably meant settling into the way of things — but our society’s patterns themselves change so dramatically on time scales of a decade or even less . . . .
Pema Pera: As for me, I felt I was growing older until I reached 23, early graduate days, and I felt comfortably staying there — still feel like about 23 :-)
Stim Morane: I know what you mean. And I agree re the conventional significance of play.
Stim Morane: I look forward to learning more about how participants of PaB understand play.
Pema Pera: we will help each other to understand
Pema Pera: that’s the beauty of PaB
Stim Morane: Yes, that’s a great opportunity, singled out here.
Stim Morane: Do some people feel like tossing the issue out?
Stim Morane: I mean, skipping it?
Pema Pera: don’t think so
Stim Morane: Good
Pema Pera: more a sense of meandering, in a good way
Pema Pera: exploring
Stim Morane: Yes, that’s preferable, all things considered.
Pema Pera: sniffing
Pema Pera: like dogs ;-)
Pema Pera: something new, what’s this ?!?
We continued talking about the idea of play.
Stim Morane: It’s certainly worth noting how little this point is explored in the traditions.
Pema Pera: can you say more?
Stim Morane: It’s mentioned, but not unpacked
Stim Morane: You are starting something new in that sense
Stim Morane: Of course things like taichi could be considered play, but here you’re looking at something much broader
Pema Pera: oh ya, much much less structured
Pema Pera: at least to start with
Pema Pera: though structure may emerge
Pema Pera: already happening: forest, building plans, guardian groups . . . .
Pema Pera: all totally unpremeditated
Stim Morane: Yes. But either way, placing so much on play is new
Pema Pera: interesting, I hadn’t conciously compared my intuition with the traditions . . . .
Stim Morane: practice in the traditional sense has to be put in the context of a view. i think the same applies to play, although only in a very open sense. I look forward to seeing what view emerges.
Pema Pera: . . . just seemed right for this day and age and for me myself :-)
Pema Pera: Yes, without a connection with Being I could not possible let this all flower the way it does
Pema Pera: and I feel on two minds, in some sense
Pema Pera: on the one hand, I see little point in stressing that, since it is so hard to put in words
Pema Pera: on the other hand, it is so essential that I’m not fully honest in a way if I don’t mention it
Pema Pera: quite a tricky situation
Stim Morane: Good luck with that one.
Pema Pera: I hope to express it in other ways besides words
Pema Pera: in all that I do — and don’t do, like not putting up rules and regulations ;-)
Pema Pera: But for me Being is like what the Time, Space, and Knowledge book points to — that book is not the only inspiration for me, but of all the books I’ve been influenced by the most direct one.
Stim Morane: As I’ve indicated in RL, I’m happiest with letting PaB be free of the traditional standard associated with Being, since that’s very advanced.
Pema Pera: But that may be just my personal trajectory, contingently so . . .
Pema Pera: . . . so while the TSK book itself is already outside any and all traditions, perhaps there is no need to invoke TSK — instead we can similarly start outside all traditions, including even TSK.
Talking about Being, Stim stressed how radically different Being is from anything else we tend to deal with.
Stim Morane: yes.
Stim Morane: they are not present in Being anyway
Pema Pera: Yes, and there are many other voices
Pema Pera: like Nisargadatta, whom Sky likes so much, and me too,
Stim Morane: yes. But he is not present in Being either.
Pema Pera: and many others, who each point to Being in their own very different way
Pema Pera: Indeed, the fact that Being does not include beings will the one of the hardest things to convey
Pema Pera: Just recently the topic came to that point
Pema Pera: perhaps for the first time since we started PaB
Stim Morane: they are not excluded, but they are not the center of what it Is.
Pema Pera: and they should never be the leverage point, the point of view, the place to look out from — something we’ve been trained to do our whole life . . . .
Stim Morane: Yes, that’s a point I try to encourage people to consider.
Pema Pera: To just BE without being a being, that’s all we need to learn . . . . even though that sentence already compromises since there is no need, no us, no learning no time to learn in . . . that’s why it’s almost impossible to speak about PaB and playing is easier :-)
Stim Morane: probably.
Pema Pera: But as an approximation, I could say, I think:
Pema Pera: As long as we think we are beings, we’ve missed to boat, and if we can just BE in a world without beings, we’re there — playing in a world in which Being plays, as Being, in Being, for Being . . . .
Pema Pera: The only question then is,
Pema Pera: a rather tricky questions,
Pema Pera: is it okay — close enough — to say:
Pema Pera: Being is playing beings?
Pema Pera: Beings is showing itself in a play of beings
Pema Pera: like you and me and everybody and everything we know?
Pema Pera: I know that has the danger of sounding as if Being is a type of Creator-God
Pema Pera: which would miss the point
Pema Pera: since nothing has ever been created . . . .
Pema Pera: and there is not even time in which to create anything . . . .
Pema Pera: Well, how would you phrase it?
Stim mentioned how hard it is to speak about Being in a positive way; much easier to talk negatively, stressing what it is not.
Stim Morane: the points you raise are the ones I’ve mentioned many times in previous discussions with you. But it’s not so easy to add more. My concern in the past was a “critical” one, to avoid attaching to ordinary structures and assumptions that don’t apply.
Stim Morane: To comment in a positive vein is more difficult _verbally_. It’s probably where play comes in.
Pema Pera: Concretely, if I say in a first approximation:
Pema Pera: “our goal is to play as Being, i.e. each of us can play as if we are not the little being we normally think we are and instead we can play-pretend to be Being . . . .”
Pema Pera: that would be a start
Pema Pera: and then I could immediately add:
Pema Pera: “but in fact, Being is already playing us — each of us are being played by Being”
Pema Pera: implying that in fact PaB means Being playing beings playing Being
Pema Pera: how close does that come? what is missed out there?
Stim Morane: I really think each of us, while unborn, is thereby the totality of Being
Stim Morane: I don’t think Being is playing us.
Pema Pera: how would you rephrase my few-sentence summary?
Stim Morane: well, this brings us back … there’s the time and causation problems, and the puppet-master image, etc. … things I would prefer not to invoke.
Stim Morane: In the unborn nature of beings etc., exactly There there is the totality, without creature or creator.
Pema Pera: but as an approximation, what would you say?
Stim Morane: you mean, in addition?
Pema Pera: that even phenomena are illusory?
Stim Morane: those are the same
Stim Morane: no, in the Suchness dimension they are unborn, and thus authentically present too.
Stim Morane: So they are the totality
Pema Pera: Yes, I can feel the force of that statement
I felt we were coming closer to the core of the question of Being, as the two of us had done at many occasions in conversations in RL, over the last few years.
Stim Morane: as objects (apparently) of a mind used by a subject to observe, they are not Being
Stim Morane: But then we are talking about something much more hypothetical, less directly So.
Pema Pera: but not outside Being either . . .
Pema Pera: they appear . . . .
Pema Pera: or . . . ?
Stim Morane: I would just say the scenario you posit has never Actually obtained
Stim Morane: this requires a stretch…
Stim Morane: there are not two cases
Pema Pera: So there is only Being, a tautology in a sense, the unborn, outside all of our categories including time, identity, beings, experience, even phenomena . . . .
Stim Morane: No
Stim Morane: It too has never Actually obtained.
Stim Morane: In that is the real Being
Stim Morane: I notice something is lighting up our little tea house.
Pema Pera: Your “No” refered to my “So there is only Being” ?
Stim Morane: yes
Pema Pera: You mean, “there is” is already wrong?
Stim Morane: yes
Pema Pera: Light changes in mysterious ways here :-)
Stim Morane: in the fact that that has never obtained, is the real Being
Pema Pera: So the “there” is wrong, only IS ?
Stim Morane: but once we start setting up abstractions as though they are Actual, then we have all sorts of problems
Pema Pera: “there” still implying location in time and space, subtly?
Pema Pera: yes, that I what I meant when I commented on the force of one of your statements above.
Stim Morane: re your comment, yes, talking tends to invoke claims like that … i wonder if play will jump people out?
Pema Pera: might, yes
Pema Pera: let people jump out of being people, lol
Pema Pera: me out of being me
Pema Pera: you out of being you
Yes, I continued to feel the force of what we were talking about, in a guts kind of way.
Stim Morane: I said play didn’t figure much in the traditions. Perhaps it would have been fairer to say that it only tended to be used in the highest part of things like Ch’an/Zen. That’s what we’re discussing now too.
Pema Pera: yeah, and the crazy Mahasiddhas perhaps
Pema Pera: seemingly crazy
Stim Morane: yeah, and thereby being really true to ourselves
Stim Morane: absolutely
Pema Pera: Milarepa bursting out in song
Stim Morane: oh, he made songs about all sorts of things. But they usually had a teaching emphasis.
Pema Pera: or Shabkar
Pema Pera: or Tilopa
Stim Morane: I’m curious about that light? Would you mind if I went to see what it is?
Pema Pera: sure
Pema Pera: and I can show you the Hall of Appearance, very appropriate in our discussion :-)
Stim Morane: oh good
Pema Pera: across the bridge, then to your left
Pema Pera: I emailed instructions just an hour ago
Pema Pera: but can show it right here now
Stim Morane: yes i saw them
Pema Pera: ah, okay
Stim Morane: but let’s take a look now
Pema Pera: just across the bridge, then left and straight
Pema Pera: you’ll run into the Hall
We had started to walk toward the Hall of Appearance.
Stim Morane: continue?
Pema Pera: behind the Peace Pagoda
Pema Pera: yes
Stim Morane: ah, I actually found something. A rare event!
Pema Pera: haha, the exploration is beginning!
Stim Morane: now I’m getting excited!
Pema Pera: if you walk through to the largest room at the end
Pema Pera: and turn right
Pema Pera: you have a view of the forest
Pema Pera: Here is where we have our guardian meetings
Pema Pera: Sunday morning 7:30 am for you
Stim Morane: yes, I’ll be there
Stim Morane: thanks for the help!
Pema Pera: so if you go through this door
Pema Pera: in front of me, you’ll see the forest — have you been there?
Stim Morane: no
To our pleasant surprise, we found Stevenaia walking around in the Hall.
Pema Pera: Hi Steve!
stevenaia Michinaga: evening
Pema Pera: have you met Stim yet?
Stim Morane: Hi
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, he was here yesterday
Pema Pera: I’m showing Stim the area
Pema Pera: Stim, why don’t you walk through the door
stevenaia Michinaga: how was tonight?
Pema Pera: in front of you
Pema Pera: great, Steve!
Pema Pera: we talked about Being
Pema Pera: very very directly
Pema Pera: will put up the log soon
Meanwhile we had walked up to the waterfall. Stim had sat down on the grass, and I was trying to sit nearby, which took me a few tries before I faced in the right direction.
Pema Pera: hard to sit on the grass correctly!
Stim Morane: yes
Stim Morane: it’s an advanced yogic skill
Pema Pera: there! done!
Stim Morane: since I have already used up all my luck just sitting down, perhaps I should quit while I’m ahead. I’ll see you both on Sunday!
Pema Pera: the problem here, Stim, is that outdoors if you are more than about 20 meters away from each other, you can’t “hear” each other anymore.
Stim Morane: I see. That’s helpful to know.
Pema Pera: so we have to be careful to either shout or use IMs to communicate, unless we are really close
Stim Morane: ah
Pema Pera: do you know about shouting?
Stim Morane: no
Pema Pera: hit control I think on a pc while hitting return
You shout: like this
Pema Pera: that last sentence should be heard over I guess 100 meter or so
Pema Pera: can you try it Stim?
Stim Morane shouts: OK, this is a shout!
Pema Pera: yes
Stim Morane: Hmm
Pema Pera: so when someone is walking near the tea house
Pema Pera: and we want to make sure to tell that person he/she is welcome to come in
Pema Pera: it is good to shout
Pema Pera: or to use an IM
Pema Pera: unless they are really nearby
Stim Morane: I see. I’ll remember.
Stim Morane: Thanks
Stim and I were both about to leave, but I first wanted to show the tavern.
Pema Pera: Well, I have to get going soon too.
Pema Pera: Stevenaia, where you just walking around?
Stim Morane: I should go now, but thanks for the nice chat!
stevenaia Michinaga: night pema, thx for the emails
Pema Pera: same here!
Pema Pera: Good to touch base about Being :-)
Stim Morane: nice place
Pema Pera: sure, let me know if there is any problem
Pema Pera: yes, Stim, Storm did all this
Pema Pera: singlehandedly
Stim Morane: yes, I gathered that. Amazing
Pema Pera: oh, do you have one minute, Stim?
Stim Morane: ok
stevenaia Michinaga: I had a fleeting Being moment today, but like a dream it’s been forgotten
Pema Pera: just wanna show the house here too, a kind of tavern
stevenaia Michinaga: take care
Stim Morane: thanks! Bye!
Pema Pera: Stim?
Pema Pera: Steve?
Pema Pera: So this is one kind of pub
Pema Pera: what do you think?
Stim Morane: un huh
Pema Pera: Yesterday we were playing darts here :-)
stevenaia Michinaga: is that a go board
Pema Pera: old british style
Stim Morane: I like the basic materials.
Pema Pera: hmm, could be go board, but probably not
Pema Pera: have to ask Storm
Pema Pera: ah!
Pema Pera: it does say 9×9 GO
Pema Pera: coloration a bit odd, white squares instead of blond wood
Pema Pera: well, we can try some other time!
Stim Morane: I look forward to a game sometime
And so it was, a real go board, albeit much smaller than the regular 19×19 boards.
Pema Pera: Sorry, Steve, didn’t mean to cut you off
stevenaia Michinaga: no it was a complete thought
Pema Pera: You said “stevenaia Michinaga: I had a fleeting Being moment today, but like a dream it’s been forgotten”
Pema Pera: yes, I know how that feels!
Stim Morane: yes, I should leave now. Let you get on with your chat!
Pema Pera: most moments are like that
Pema Pera: bye Stim!
Stim Morane: Bye Pema and Steve!
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Stim, nice seeing you again
stevenaia Michinaga: you heading out too?
Pema Pera: in a minute, yes
Pema Pera: lunch time in Kyoto!
stevenaia Michinaga: awww, nice
Pema Pera: But if there is something you’d like to say, by all means!
stevenaia Michinaga: you working there?
Pema Pera: yup
stevenaia Michinaga: no I just signed on
Pema Pera: one of the great pleasures of SL — you just sign on, from any place on Earth at any time, and you’re likely to find at least a few friends online as well
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
Pema Pera: well, I have to leave now
stevenaia Michinaga: no problem
stevenaia Michinaga: see you soon
Pema Pera: great running into you again, Steve!
Pema Pera: bfn
stevenaia Michinaga: always
