That evening, I meet Bertrum and Pia at the pavilion.
Bertrum Quan: Hi Pema
Pia Iger: Hi, Bert, Pema,
Pema Pera: Good evening, Bertrum, Pia!
Bertrum Quan: Hi Pia
Magdalena joins us as well.
Magdalena Colclough: Um, hi. Is this the same meeting as last night?
Pia Iger: Yes, Mag
Pema Pera: Hi Magdalena
Pema Pera: yes!
Pema Pera: Come join us!
Magdalena Colclough: thanks
Pia Iger: so I assume you tried our 9-sec practice today?
Pia Iger: Mag?
Magdalena Colclough: I did, but not every 15 minutes
Magdalena Colclough: just a few times
Pia Iger: that is fine
Pia Iger: how did it feel?
Magdalena Colclough: it was so beautiful just to pause
Magdalena Colclough: I hadn’t realized how rarely I do, normally
Pema Pera: I’m very glad to hear that, Magdalena!
I keep being amazed and grateful, each time I see how effective the 9-second exploration is, often already in the first day someone tries.
Magdalena Colclough: you can call me Maggie if you want
Magdalena Colclough: I shouldn’t have made such a long name
Pia Iger: Maggie, Pema is the one who started this grop
Pia Iger: group
Magdalena Colclough: oh! hi
Pema Pera: yeah, I know Maggie, about names
Magdalena Colclough: Pema is nice and short :)
Pema Pera: we all have no idea what name to pick when we first get into SL
Pema Pera: and then we are stuck with it!
Magdalena Colclough nods
Pema Pera: Since change names means you have to tell everybody you know that you now have a different name
Pema Pera: haha, an astronomer colleague of mine took an interesting name
Pema Pera: Lagrange
Pia Iger: ?
Pema Pera: a famous mathematician — astronomer from France
Pema Pera: Sound great, right?
Magdalena Colclough: oh, I should have known that
Pema Pera: Now, think for a moment . . .
Magdalena Colclough: both of my parents are math professors
Pema Pera: . . . . how do you think his name would be abbreviated?
Magdalena Colclough: lagrange….
Magdalena Colclough: lag!
Magdalena Colclough: hah!
Pia Iger: haha
Pema Pera: u c !
Pema Pera: poor guy
Pema Pera: had no clue when he choose the name!
Pema Pera: You got close, Mag
Pema Pera: but no Lag!
Pema Pera: :)
From SL names to RL names.
Magdalena Colclough: kids used to tease me and call me maggot
Pema Pera: ooooo
Pema Pera: kids can be SO cruel
Magdalena Colclough: nods
Pia Iger: so?
Pia Iger: still thinking the short of lagrange..
Pia Iger: Bert, what is your guess?
Pia Iger: Large??
Pema Pera: “Lag” is the abbreviation that we started to use . . .
Pema Pera: I don’t see any other obvious one :)
And back to Play as Being.
Pema Pera: Magdalena, is this your second time here?
Pema Pera: or Maggie :)
Magdalena Colclough: I was here for a few minutes last night
Magdalena Colclough: wasn’t able to stay long
Pema Pera: did you read something about our background?
Magdalena Colclough: a little
Magdalena Colclough: on the website
Pema Pera: so the basic idea is very simple
Pema Pera: and we don’t give much in terms of instructions
Pema Pera: rather, we prefer everyone to experiment and explore for themselves
Pema Pera: and then as a group we exchange ideas and suggestions and comments
Magdalena Colclough: k
Pema Pera: it seems to work quite well
Pema Pera: we are just starting our fourth month now
Magdalena Colclough: wow
Magdalena Colclough: that’s great
Magdalena Colclough: and someone said you have this 4 times a day
Magdalena Colclough: wonderful
Pema Pera: the key is continuity — or integration
Pema Pera: continuity of exploration — integration in daily life
Pema Pera: like the continuity of scientific research, or spiritual practice, or someone being in love or taken up totally with a hobby . . . .
Magdalena Colclough: I think I can relate to at least one of those ;)
Pema Pera: :)
Sky arrived and joined the group. Maggie noticed my “go player” group’s label.
Pema Pera: Hi Sky!
Sky Szimmer: Hi All!
Magdalena Colclough: hi Sky
Pia Iger: Hi, Sky
Magdalena Colclough: what does Go Player mean?
Pema Pera: ah, I like the game of go
Pema Pera: a Chinese game played a lot in Japan and Korea as well
Pema Pera: a board game
Magdalena Colclough: oh
I give Maggie some background about the Play as Being structure.
Pema Pera: the atmosphere changes here every session and often within a session ;)
Pema Pera: and sometimes of course there is a little friction, but interestingly, we have always been able to talk about that, sooner or later
Pema Pera: and those little frictions have let to large improvements in understanding
Pema Pera: people meet here who would never meet in real life
Pema Pera: some of them are rather sheltered, some are street wise; some are very educated, some not at all; and so on
Pema Pera: we all learn from each other
Pema Pera: and I’m surprised how open and willing everybody has been to learn
Pema Pera: You can see that Pia is called “guardian”
Magdalena Colclough: and Sky
Pema Pera: we want to guard the atmosphere here
Pema Pera: and Sky
Pema Pera: and Bertrum is one too
Pema Pera: and so am I
Pema Pera: there are 22 of us
Pema Pera: by now
Magdalena Colclough: wow
Magdalena Colclough: oh, well, I guess there would have to be a lot since you meet 4 times a day
Pema Pera: haha, watch out, if you keep coming here, you may be offered guardianship too :-)
Pema Pera: after a while
Magdalena Colclough: oh!
Pema Pera: basically everybody coming sem-regularly is welcome to join
Pema Pera: we have an email group to discuss issues more at leisure
Pema Pera: and a weekly meeting for the whole group
Pema Pera: yes, Maggie, we need many people to make sure there is always someone here
Magdalena Colclough: how long do the meetings last?
Pema Pera: during the 28 slots a week
Pema Pera: minimally 30 minutes
Pema Pera: but often they go over an hour
Pema Pera: people come and go
Pema Pera: only the guardian who is on watch is asked to be here for half an hour
Pema Pera: from the hour till 30 minutes past
Magdalena Colclough: k
Pema Pera: if others want to stay longer, fine
Pema Pera: so “guardian” has meant so far only to guard the time and place
Pema Pera: make sure there is someone at this place during the time allotted
Pema Pera: so that someone new coming will never come to an empty house
Back to the Play as Being exploration itself. I first ask Sky, but she seemed to be afk, so I then turn to Bertrum.
Pema Pera: Sky, how have you been doing?
Pema Pera: Any time for the 9-sec breaks?
Pema Pera: I guess taking a break of more than 9 sec :)
Pia Iger: :)
Pema Pera: How about you, Bertrum?
Bertrum Quan: I gave it try today. But was entirely conscious of it not working during meetings at work….
Magdalena Colclough: lol
Pema Pera: it’s important to start gently and not force anything
Pema Pera: but if at all possible, it would be great to write “doesn’t work” or simple “–”
Bertrum Quan: It’s not that there aren’t dull moments! But I find myself think about what has to come next and be prepared…
Pema Pera: ah, interesting observation Bert!
Pema Pera: How about this?
Pema Pera: instead of dropping what you are involved with
Pema Pera: keeping it more open, in a new light?
Pema Pera: for 9sec?
Pema Pera: while taking a deeper breath
Pema Pera: as if opening a window and letting fresh air in
Bertrum Quan: Yes. That would be something I will try.
At that moment Abbadon walks in. His groups name, listed above his avatar name is “world destroyer”.
Pema Pera: hi Abbadon
Abbadon Andel: hey every one
Pema Pera: come join us if you like
Pia Iger: Hi, Abbadon.
Pema Pera: how many worlds have you destroyed today?
Abbadon Andel: lol
Abbadon Andel: today none
Abbadon Andel: tomarrow who knows
Pema Pera: you still have a few hours to go :)
Pema Pera: depending on where you live
Abbadon Andel: noo it late late here
Pema Pera: we are talking about the nature of reality here
Pema Pera: but in playful ways
Abbadon Andel: i dont do any world dystroying after 10
Pema Pera: hahaha
Abbadon Andel: gatta get some rest some time
Abbadon Andel: lol
Gotta like a guy who takes a world wide mission that easy.
Pema Pera: actually what we do here is similar
Pema Pera: but easier
Pema Pera: we don’t have to destroy the world
Pema Pera: rather we try to see that there is nothing that can be destroyed
Abbadon Andel: what?
Pema Pera: you could say that life is like a dream
Pema Pera: you can’t destroy a dream, but you can wake up from it
Abbadon Andel: ok so im just gann wake up from life oneday
Abbadon Andel: and im in aanother life
Pema Pera: or in this one
Abbadon Andel: then wake up from that one and that one
Pema Pera: sometimes we can realize you’re dreaming while you’re dreaming
Pema Pera: yes, many possibilities :)
Abbadon Andel: u talkin about lucid dreaming
Pema Pera: yes
Pema Pera: and if you look very carefully, every moment you are in a different world
Pema Pera: we can learn to see that
Pema Pera: and then there is no room for addiction
Pema Pera: each moment the previous world is thoroughly destroyed
Pema Pera: no way to go back
Pema Pera: no handle for addiction
Abbadon Andel: addiction to what?
Pema Pera: anything
Pema Pera: drugs, tv, words, you name it
Sky Szimmer: i love that description!
Pema Pera: addiction is wanting to repeat the past
Pema Pera: you are bringing us a very radical message today: no past!
Pema Pera: no future!
Pema Pera: destruction!
Pema Pera: total!!
Pema Pera: thank you
Pema Pera: very liberating
Abbadon Andel: any time i can help out
Abbadon Andel: lol
Pema Pera: (*^_^*)
It was time for Sky to leave, and then Steve joined us, after which Abbadon abandoned us.
Pia Iger: now I understand why the saying ” we cannot step into the same river twice”
Pema Pera: yes, Herakleitos was one of the greatest Greek philosophers
Sky Szimmer: Got to run! Nice being here with you all! Ciao!
Abbadon Andel: later
Pia Iger: bye, Sky
Bertrum Quan: Bye
Pema Pera: by Sky!
Pema Pera: Hi Steve!
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Pema, Bertum
Bertrum Quan: Hi Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: Hi Pia
Abbadon Andel: see u all later
Pema Pera: bye Abbadon!
Pema Pera: Thanks for stopping by
Pia Iger: HI, Steve
Pema Pera: Well, I have to leave too
Pema Pera: been here for more than an hour and haven’t eaten anything today yet :)
Pema Pera: I’m in Kyoto, Maggie, it’s just a few minutes after 12 noon here
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Pema
Pema Pera: see you all, and feel free to come back Maggie, any time!
Magdalena Colclough: ah
Pia Iger: have a good lunch, Pema
Pema Pera: 1 and 7, am and pm
Magdalena Colclough: so lunchtime for you
Pema Pera: thanks, Pia!
Pema Pera: yes
Magdalena Colclough: good to meet you, Pema
Pema Pera: brunch I guess
Pema Pera: same here Maggie
After I left, Stevenaia kept a log, and sent it to me later. The comments are mine.
stevenaia Michinaga: sorry I missed the sesson… work will do that
Bertrum Quan: Indeed!
Pia Iger: Steve, Maggie tried 9-sec today, and she felt so beautiful to pause
Pia Iger: I was so glad to hear that
stevenaia Michinaga: nice
Magdalena Colclough: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: did you try is consistantly?
stevenaia Michinaga: is
stevenaia Michinaga: it
Pia Iger: many times when I do it, I feel I return to a home, or center of myself
stevenaia Michinaga: one of these day I may try it consistantly
Pia Iger: i have been to a spiritual group weekly for 2 years,
Pia Iger: but the 3 months of PaB brought me more changes.
stevenaia Michinaga: is it discussion or meditation or prayer
Pia Iger: we do discussion, very open formatt, like PaB, also meditation.
Pia Iger: but PaB is like 4 times a day, much more intensive,
Pia Iger: and so many like-minded ppl here, which is not possible in RL
stevenaia Michinaga: you may be the more successful PaB propel Pia, do you have a blog?
Pia Iger: no. I do have old school note pad.
Magdalena Colclough: I’m so sorry
Magdalena Colclough: I don’t mean to be rude
Magdalena Colclough: I have to go
Pia Iger: Oh, Mag, you don’t have to wait for us.
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Magdalena
Bertrum Quan: Great meeting you
Pia Iger: nice to see you again.
Maggie is leaving, and Pia continues her discussion with Steve.
Pia Iger: Steve, you can say PaB is the extension of my RL practice.
stevenaia Michinaga: I think that was the ideam but you are one of the more serious paractitioner, or whatever you wnat to call it
Pia Iger: I was very committed to my RL group too,
stevenaia Michinaga: what are your thoughts on what has changed about you or your view of things?
Pia Iger: like the confliction with ppl,
Pia Iger: used to my big problem
stevenaia Michinaga: confliction?
stevenaia Michinaga: disagreements?
Pia Iger: I tend to argue or be unhappy with ppl, yes, Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: nothing wrong with having opinions
stevenaia Michinaga: everyone has them, few agree
stevenaia Michinaga: seems to be the way the world is
Pia Iger: but I used to handle them very emotionally,
Pia Iger: now I can find other ways to see the issues or solve them
stevenaia Michinaga: It;s interesting, I work with a person very much like that, as she would call it, “I am a passionately opinionated person”
Pia Iger: but it can be very unproductive
Pia Iger: or distructive to ppl relationship
stevenaia Michinaga: she is rarely disuaded, and yes, it can be unproductive, and yes, that too
stevenaia Michinaga: but in a place of differing opinions, she is typicaly correct
Pia Iger: you mean her opinions are right.
stevenaia Michinaga: jsut a bit emotionally packed in her delivery
stevenaia Michinaga: her opinions are usually right on
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
Pia Iger: can ppl handle the way she express?
stevenaia Michinaga: she goes to many public meetings, expresses her opinions clearly and passionaltly and gets ovations from the crowds in these public meetings, usually local issues, but in the end the decision makers may not agree with her, and she feels bad and feels ineffective
stevenaia Michinaga: I observe this often
Pia Iger: It can also impact her inner peace, right?
stevenaia Michinaga: but she is also one of the most intuative people I know
stevenaia Michinaga: although she is a buddist, she is one of the angry ones I ever emt
stevenaia Michinaga: met
Pia Iger: good she has you as a friend.
Bertrum Quan: May I ask both of you a question?
stevenaia Michinaga: hahaha
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, plese
Pia Iger: yes, Bert?
stevenaia Michinaga: while we wait… does this sound familiar to you pia?
Bertrum brings up the always fascinating comparison of SL and RL.
Bertrum Quan: Don’t you find this “Virtual World” poses challenges for persoanl interaction, in many of the same ways as RL?
Bertrum Quan: personal
Pia Iger: maybe, but not bothering me.
Pia Iger: actually, I feel more comfortable in VR
stevenaia Michinaga: ofcourse, bert, but I find you can learn more of certain aspects about a person hare sooner than in RL
stevenaia Michinaga: although I ahve alos seem paople fall in and out of love faster here as well
Pia Iger: (to Steve’ question, yes, it sounds familiar. And I think I am quite intuitive too:)
Bertrum Quan: On the other hand, I think SL reflects accurately . I’ve been in a number of sessions with Pia and always found her welcoming and open.
stevenaia Michinaga: Can I ask what you do for a living, Pia
Pia Iger: oh, 9-6pm, office, cubicle
stevenaia Michinaga: I think it could be dificult to find such a group as this in RL
stevenaia Michinaga: and attend regularly for most of us
Pia Iger: Yes. I found one in RL and go there all the time.
Pia Iger: cause it is hard to find a real open place
stevenaia Michinaga: that;s great, as i have found yoga
Pia Iger: Yoga is great. only i don’t know how to do it:(
Pia Iger: back to Bert
stevenaia Michinaga: in a group, you really don;t ahve to know, yiu do what you can, jsut like PaB
Pia Iger: as Pema said, we presented the distilled self here.
Pia Iger: thanks, Steve.
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, there is a deep essence that comes through in Sl
Pia Iger: and I always found Bert being thoughtful, from the few session.
Bertrum Quan: Thank you.
Bertrum Quan: I like the idea of distilled essence.
stevenaia Michinaga: so Pia, I have never see your anger and confontation here Pia… why not?
Pia Iger: it is more like undercurrent, just torture myself.
stevenaia Michinaga: oh, i see, internal stresses
stevenaia Michinaga: tell me when to duck if your head explodes
Pia Iger: :)
Bertrum Quan: Steve, how you found your patience tested in SL?
Bertrum Quan: have
Pia Iger: Steve has qualities I don’t have
stevenaia Michinaga: no
stevenaia Michinaga: I have unusual patience, to the pount that people ahve me call the customer service lines to take through issues
Pia Iger: haha
Time to say goodbye.
Bertrum Quan: Sorry guys, I have to go now. Thanks for the ocnversation.
Bertrum Quan: conversation
stevenaia Michinaga: night burt
stevenaia Michinaga: Bert
Pia Iger: thanks, Bert, good night.
Bertrum Quan: bye for now.
Pia Iger: nice talking to you, Steve,
Pia Iger: hope we will have more chance
stevenaia Michinaga: Pia, thank you for opening up, what you experience I see often and to to some extent I used to be like too, but I ahve no idea how to get from there to a calmer palce
Pia Iger: I really appreciate your points of view.
stevenaia Michinaga: thank you
Pia Iger: see you next time.
stevenaia Michinaga: oh ok
stevenaia Michinaga: night
