I arrived at the tea house just before 1:00PM, and, since I was still alone, sat outside on the deck enjoying the sunshine. Fael suddenly appeared and was quickly sitting beside me, with her speaking black cat Faenik on her shoulder.
Fael Illyar: Hello
Solobill: Hello, Fael!
Solobill: How are you?
Fael Illyar: I’m fine thank you, how are you?
Faenik: ah :)
Solobill: Doing great.
Solobill: Just taking in the flowers and trees…
Fael Illyar: You aren’t here for the PaB meeting?
Solobill: I am
Solobill: Sorry…
Solobill: Until you showed up that is what I was doing! lol
Fael Illyar: :)
Solobill: Have you come to any meetings before?
Fael Illyar: Yes, one 6 hours ago.
Solobill: Oh, great!
Solobill: Did you meet some folks then?
Fael Illyar: Yes, Pema and Dakini and there were some others who left before I managed to talk with them.
I was glad that Fael had met some other Guardians, when I noticed within the tea house Carlos had appeared.
Solobill: Hi, Carlos!
Carlos Cornelius: Hi!
Fael Illyar: Hi, Carlos.
Solobill: Great, let’s go in the tea house!
Solobill: How are you Carlos?
Carlos Cornelius: I am fine, have been very busy but I am trying to come to SL meetings
Solobill: Ah, I know what you mean.
Solobill: So you have been here before too?
Carlos Cornelius: Just twice
Solobill: OK, great.
Carlos Cornelius: i am also trying to familiarize myself with sl
Carlos Cornelius: have you been coming regularly?
Fael Illyar: It does take a while to get familiar with SL.
Solobill: Yes, I’ve only been around for, maybe 5 months, and I didn’t feel
Solobill: like I was very fluent (still kinda don’t) for a while
Solobill: I think though, it’s really all about what you are here for
Solobill: I still don’t really know that either!!!
Solobill: lol
Fael Illyar: I have been here … oh, I was going to say 3 months but it’s more like 3 and half now :)
Solobill: he he
Solobill: That’s great.
Solobill: What kinds of places and things have you done?
Carlos Cornelius: i dont know, actually… just been flying around
Fael Illyar: I tend to concentrate on one thing at a time so I usually familiarize myself fast.
Carlos Cornelius: :)
Solobill: Those are both great!
Solobill: I wasn’t sure if I was observing, or participating, or what
Fael Illyar: I have mostly been talking to people and hearing about new places that way.
Solobill: But there are great things, and also really great people
Solobill: Yes, I agree Fael
Faenik: why not?
Fael Illyar: I did try exploring by randomly flying around but that got rather dull quite fast.
Fael Illyar: Most places don’t interest me.
Solobill: I did the same.
Solobill: Every once in a while I’d stumble in something great
Faenik: could be
Solobill: but mostly those were referred to me
I decided to bring up the subject of PaB. After which, Fael suddenly vanished, and I’d thought maybe, to her, the topic was strangely verboten? …
Solobill: So are you both familiar with this Play as Being idea?
Carlos Cornelius: I have been reading the webpage or blog and it seems to be very productive
Fael Illyar: sorry, crashed
Solobill: Welcome back!
Carlos Cornelius: and i have also been trying to do the 9sec practice, but hasn’t been easy with everything else ive been doing
Solobill: Sure.
Solobill: I don’t do every 15 minutes either.
Solobill: I’m between 8 - 12 a day.
Solobill: But for me usually a minute or longer.
Solobill: the model that’s out there is just a model.
Fael Illyar: I’ve only tried to do it twice now. I didn’t come up with anything either time.
Faenik: could be
Solobill: I understand what you’re saying Fael.
Carlos Cornelius: what works for you?
Solobill: Well, for me, I come from a background of sitting (meditating) for longer periods of time
Solobill: Say 20 - 30 minutes.
Solobill: So that is my backdrop.
Solobill: But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t offer good things without that!
Fael Illyar: So far, I’ve only ever tried to do any meditation when I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by things. It usually helps.
Solobill: Oh, yes, it is great for settling the mind.
Solobill: There are some folks who talk about different beneficial outcomes to meditation, or other *practices* like PaB
Solobill: Relaxation
Solobill: Concentration
Solobill: Releasing “pent-up” feelings
Trevor joined us. Just then I was thinking about Fael’s and Carlos’ interest, so I thought I’d share some of my early “practice” experiences with them.
Trevor Berensohn: Good day, all
Fael Illyar: Hello, Trevor
Carlos Cornelius: Hi!
Solobill: Hey, Trevor!
Solobill: Join us!
Fael Illyar: What I’ve been doing myself seems to do all those simultaneously.
Solobill: Great!
Trevor Berensohn: Glad to as soon as the place rezzes a tad more =)
Solobill: With some consistency in practice, really powerful things can start to happen.
Solobill: I found, years ago, after sitting for a few weeks consistently
Solobill: That I was holding onto some deep feelings that became apparent
Solobill: as I practiced “letting go”
Solobill: Things like attachments, but just primarily thoughts
Solobill: like wisps of fog on a pond
Trevor Berensohn: Ah yes I’m surprised at what dissipates
Solobill: Then they’re gone, and there is nothing but you facing yourself
Trevor Berensohn: Even with my inconsistent practice
Solobill: Do tell, Trevor!
Solobill: Have you feel things dissipate?
Trevor Berensohn: Anger, for one, in traffic. Doesn’t happen, but it’s not like I was actively trying to let that go
Solobill: Yes, interesting.
Solobill: I found myself recognizing the feeling come, and then I could let it just as easily go.
Solobill: Road rage is a great example of that!
Solobill: lol
Fael Illyar: So, it allows you to decide which feelings to keep better?
Trevor Berensohn: I think it’s deeper than decision, hmmm
Solobill: Hmmm…I think you are aware of these “things” - “feelings” as something separate, and not you
Solobill: And it is easy to let them just go.
Solobill: Just go.
Trevor Berensohn: Well put, Solo
Solobill: Does that make sense?
Fael Illyar: Interestingly, I find that quite familiar. I wonder if it’s the result of my really infrequent meditation.
Cha-No-Yu Japanese Tea Ceremony (Taupe): Please enjoy your ceremonial cup of cha, Trevor Berensohn-san. Goziemashta arigato.
Solobill: I think some sort of frequency is more important that the length
Solobill: Which is why PaB has such great potential!
Carlos Cornelius: i like the idea of letting go, and i understand why the experience of letting go is powerful
Solobill: As little, or as much as you’d like, but something
Carlos Cornelius: but i think there is a limit as to how much and what you can let go
Solobill: Yes, Carlos, letting go is really important
Solobill: In what way do you mean Carlos?
Fael Illyar: I mean, I don’t remember holding on to a feeling because I felt it’s a part of me.
Solobill: I think Fael, in a sense, it is.
Carlos Cornelius: i guess some aspects of your perspective on the world
Solobill: But, what is “me”, to you?
Fael Illyar: I have no idea :)
Solobill: :)
Carlos Cornelius: perspective?
Carlos Cornelius: can i really let my perspective go?
Trevor Berensohn: This might sound selfish but u seem like a mirror, Bill
Solobill: I find that with that consistent practice, you can even see your perspective as something “outside” / “separate”
Dakini walked in to the tea house, at a perfect time to add another perspective to the subject of - perspective!
Solobill: :)
Solobill: Hi, Dakini!
Dakini Rhode: Namaste
Solobill: Join us!
Trevor Berensohn: D! =)
Fael Illyar: Hello Dakini :)
Solobill: We were just talking about practice, and letting go
Dakini Rhode: Hi!
Carlos Cornelius: Hi!
Solobill: of feelings, perspectives
Trevor Berensohn: …and feelings and perspective…
Dakini Rhode: ah
Trevor Berensohn: heh
Solobill: things that we usually see at “me”
Dakini Rhode: playing with that today
Solobill: :)
Solobill: Carlos, do you feel that your perspectives are somehow, “ingrained”?
Solobill: Or permanent?
Carlos Cornelius: i think that i can bracket my perspective, and have serious doubts about it
Carlos Cornelius: but i dont think i can let it go without radically altering my access to the world
Trevor Berensohn: Like it needs a replacement or something?
Dakini Rhode: it seems i’m in no danger of radically altering my perspective
Dakini Rhode: doing the 9 sec breaks
Trevor Berensohn: Oooh… that’s why the frequency
Dakini Rhode: maybe it becomes more transparent, things seem more workable
Dakini Rhode: does not feel radical
Solobill: Yes, that is a very practical approach to it!
Carlos Cornelius: i am using the subject object divide here, but that’s because i think the idea of letting go has to be very radical
Faenik is a hairy black ball with eyes and ears.
Solobill: I think it can seem radical at first, but there is nothing more natural really
Dakini Rhode: did you already talk about what you mean by radical?
Solobill: no.
Dakini Rhode: letting go
Solobill: yes, letting go, a bit I think.
Trevor Berensohn: I just realized that I think of my inconsistency as a “part” of “me”
(Sadly, as I was typing I missed this last comment from Trevor, and hope to readdress it soon (Trevor…if you’re reading!))
Solobill: Radical would be good to define!
Solobill: How would we all define it in this context?
Solobill: I’ll start
Solobill: A fundamental shift in worldview.
Solobill: eh, no notice.
Solobill: best I could do.
Dakini Rhode: yes to me also, “radical” implies sudden and fundamental
Solobill: Sudden, good addition!
Trevor Berensohn: Hmmmm but even sudden is so relative
Dakini Rhode: forced, in a sense? not organic?
Solobill: Yes, it can be gradual, but feel sudden when it occurs.
Trevor Berensohn: Makes sense
Dakini Rhode: ah, now to me gradual does not seem radical - but that is why we need to define
Fael Illyar: forced sounds like right
Solobill: Interesting!
Solobill: Sudden and gradual!
Solobill: Forced and organic!
Dakini Rhode: haha
Solobill: Kewl.
Solobill: I think Trevor hit it, it is relative.
Trevor Berensohn: Just that the change happens at all seems radical to moi
Solobill: Great point.
Dakini Rhode: it seems to me… the first moment of seeing a change
Dakini Rhode: is bright! it seems very different in that first recognition
Dakini Rhode: then after awhile, it is just the way you are
Dakini Rhode: your mind is different
Fael Illyar: Could radical be change in something you didn’t expect to change?
Solobill: Good point Fael, otherwise it wouldn’t seem “radical”
Carlos Cornelius: radical would be transformative but in a wholesome way?
Trevor Berensohn: So the radical part doesn’t last
Carlos Cornelius: like initiations in different cultures
Dakini Rhode: transformative i like that word
Solobill: Carlos, that is correct in my experience.
Dakini Rhode: Trevor i think like you said, it may be relative
Dakini Rhode: another person could see it as radical
Dakini Rhode: does radical mean somehow different from the norm?
Fael Illyar: isn’t that just another way of saying “not what you expect”?
Faenik: could be
Solobill: I think a lot of this type of practice leads to “that which you do not expect!”
Solobill: Like I alluded to earlier, when I started practicing, I was surprised to discover some deep stuff that I had to let go.
Trevor Berensohn just wants to more consistently practice… now that would be radical!
Solobill: lol
The idea of a regularly scheduled practice like PaB has brought up the topic of different kinds of timers before, and Dakini mentioned to Trevor that she has just obtained one. I thought it was in SL (it was not).
Dakini Rhode: Trev i just downloaded the Mindfulness Clock
Dakini Rhode: a chime every 15 minuts
Dakini Rhode: minutes even
Solobill: Is it trans??
Trevor Berensohn: Oh good make it chime in Houston
Dakini Rhode: ah it’s on my computer
Solobill: copy / trans?
Fael Illyar: oh, good idea, I should set up a chime every 15 minutes.
Solobill: Oh, RL software?
Dakini Rhode: http://www.mindfulnessdc.org/mindfulclock.html
Trevor Berensohn: Oh ty
Solobill: Thanks!
Fael Illyar: I’ll have to find something else as I do not use Windows.
Dakini Rhode: you can download it or run it from the website
Dakini Rhode: ah
I unfortunately had to prepare to take my leave…But before that could happen, we were formally introduced to Fael’s cat, and we practiced our chat “half-smileys”.
Solobill: You all know we post to the Blog, is everyone all right with that?
Trevor Berensohn: I’m good
Dakini Rhode: i just did my 9 sec practice - just like 9 sec lag
Solobill: he he
Fael Illyar: Lag :)
Solobill: You looked peaceful!
Trevor Berensohn: Ha
Dakini Rhode: haha i always look peaceful
Dakini Rhode: this av has only one expression
Solobill: Mine too, alas.
Solobill: Can we get a half-smile animation??
Trevor Berensohn: Well u r both quite expressive nonetheless
Faenik: ah :)
Dakini Rhode gave you Adjustable Smile (Freebie version).
Dakini Rhode: a full-smile animation maybe
Dakini Rhode: :-)
Trevor Berensohn looks around. “What’s a faenik?”
Fael Illyar: SL lacks proper system for face animation, unfortunately.
Fael Illyar: Faenik is on my shoulder.
Solobill: And I was trying to figure out a “typed” half-smile!
Solobill: :/
Solobill: That’s more of a frown
Trevor Berensohn: :-S
Dakini Rhode: lol that looks like… hmm drinking straw?
Solobill: lol
Faenik: Hello everyone, I’m Faenik.
Solobill: Well, hello, Faenik
Dakini Rhode: :-’
Dakini Rhode: nope
Trevor Berensohn: Hello, ah, Faenik
Solobill: he he
Trevor Berensohn: lol we try
Solobill: :@
Solobill: nope - too much tongue!
Trevor Berensohn: oh!
Dakini Rhode: :->
Solobill: Alas, so much for radical
Trevor Berensohn: Haha
Dakini Rhode: little smile
Solobill: In a few minutes I must be leaving.
Solobill: I do hope to see you again, Carlos and Fael, please join us again!
Solobill: You of course can stay after I go….
Carlos Cornelius: me too, but it was nice “seeing you” and talking to you
Solobill: Yes, good luck in your SL explorations!
Fael Illyar: I think I will. These meetings seem interesting :)
Dakini Rhode: i need to leave too, but glad to see you here :-)
Dakini Rhode: i mean :->
Solobill: Good to see you too again, Trevor.
Trevor Berensohn: Yes this is always nice
Trevor Berensohn: Even when Pema is making it clear that I have no logic =)
Dakini Rhode: he does that?
Solobill: No logic, is strong logic.
Dakini Rhode: haha now is your chance to talk back
Trevor Berensohn: Haha not hard to do D
Solobill: Trevor, that’s OK, he never reads these things….
Solobill: (he he)
Solobill: no effort, is great effort.
Dakini Rhode: good wisdom, bill
Dakini Rhode: the logic of no-logic
Solobill: :->
Dakini Rhode: like nondoing
Solobill: That is what I mean by letting go.
Trevor Berensohn: Haha is all very good
Solobill: If you don’t do anything, you can do everything!
Trevor Berensohn: seems to work as well as the Tibetan practice
Dakini Rhode: yes! more gets done by nondoing
Solobill: I’m only familiar with Tibetan practice through studying.
Dakini Rhode: seems illogical but it works
Trevor Berensohn: I like the practice with it or I wouldn’t do the studying
Trevor Berensohn: Radically illogical hugs all around!
Solobill: OK all, have a wonderful weekend!
Solobill: You too, Trevor.
Fael Illyar: Talk to you later Solo :)
Dakini Rhode: haha organic radical hugs…
Solobill: Nice to meet you Fael.
Trevor Berensohn: Thank u for this today Solo
Solobill: yw!
Carlos Cornelius: Yes, good weekend to all of you, i also have to leave, but ill see you soon
Dakini Rhode: tc Bill..
Dakini Rhode: u 2 Carlos
Trevor Berensohn: Glad u guys came too
Solobill: Yes, you too Carlos!
Fael Illyar: Good Weekend, Carlos :)
Carlos Cornelius: :)
