2008.07.13 19:00 - Peace and Love

I was greeted by Doug, Rajah and Bala at Pavilion.  I never met Bala before and noticed both her and Rajah’s tags said,  ‘Shai Ming society’.

Rajah Yalin: hi Pia
Pia Iger: Hi, everyone.
doug Sosa: hello pla
Pia Iger: Is this Bala's first time here?
Rajah Yalin: yes it is
Rajah Yalin: hi Steve
Pia Iger: Rajah, what is Shai Ming society?
doug Sosa: hello
Rajah Yalin: the Shai Ming Society is Peace, Love, and SL all in One

Steve appeared and stood there for  a while waiting for rezz. Then Gal followed. Neela showed up a second and could not stay.

Pia Iger: Hi, Steve, all seats in front of you are empty.
stevenaia Michinaga: haha, thanks
doug Sosa: cool breeze
Rajah Yalin: hi Gar
Gar Hallard: hey rajah!
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Gar
Neela Blaisdale: Good night, sorry I can't stay
Gar Hallard: hey steven!
Pia Iger: Has Gar been here before?
Pia Iger: Np, Neela.
Gar Hallard: yes
Gar Hallard: but at a diff location

Our attention went to Bala, who was observing silence.

stevenaia Michinaga: hello Bala, welcome to Second Life, today is your birthday
Pia Iger: good, welcome back, Gar.
Bala Muircastle: smiles
Pia Iger: So I dont need to give introduction of PaB.
stevenaia Michinaga: interesting palce to begin your SL experience
Gar Hallard: smiles
Rajah Yalin: Bala is a Shai Ming monk
Rajah Yalin: so he doesnt speak
Pia Iger: what is Shai Ming?
Gar Hallard: ahh ok
Rajah Yalin: Shai Ming is Peace, Love and SL, all in "One" (TM sign) hehe
Rajah Yalin has too much time on his hands.
stevenaia Michinaga: can you explain that? does he look ruthed to anyone other than me?
Pia Iger: no, he is not ruthed.
Gar Hallard: is typing 'talking'?
stevenaia Michinaga: interesting question Gar
Gar Hallard: i mean it seriously..if someone takes a vow of silence can they write?
Rajah Yalin: good question
stevenaia Michinaga: is conversational writing talking
Gar Hallard: yes
Gar Hallard: i dont know
stevenaia Michinaga: don;t mean to turn the heat up on his first day, we are actually a friendly group
Rajah Yalin: in the Book of Shai Ming, it says "When Shai Ming says silence, silence must be observed"
Pia Iger: silence means no sound.
doug Sosa: doesn't sound peaceful to me. "must"?
Gar Hallard: good point
Pia Iger: it may just be the translation.
Rajah Yalin: the Book hasnt been written yet
Rajah Yalin: I just have special access to Shai Ming ;)
doug Sosa: so the translation comes first!

Nonetheless, Shai Ming gave me the inspiration of today’s  topic.

Pia Iger: anyway, maybe we can talk about peace and love today?
Rajah Yalin: we could
Rajah Yalin: Peace, Love, and PaB
Pia Iger: Gar, have you tried out our 9 sec meditation?
Gar Hallard: well i heard you talk about it but no i havent
Pia Iger: Ok, I just check if you want to share your experience.
Pia Iger: that is fine.
Gar Hallard: thanks
Pia Iger: I think Peace and Love would be good topics for Doug and Steve, too.

That was my personal impression of Doug and Steve , quite peaceful and loving persons. 
Gal actively engaged in our talk.

Gar Hallard: what is love?
Gar Hallard: and how is love and peace connected?
stevenaia Michinaga: I see them as separate first
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: love and happiness may be closer
doug Sosa: love is in part caring, and caring wants to preserve, so we have a desire for peace for the one loved.
stevenaia Michinaga: peace can relate to things on many levels as does love, inner peace, world peace, they are related but affect things at a different scale
stevenaia Michinaga: but if we all had inner peace, perhaps the world would reflect that
stevenaia Michinaga: love also works on a a micro(personal) and macro (external) level
Gar Hallard: yeah but how do you know its love?
stevenaia Michinaga: inner peacec and inner or self love seem to be aligned... I suppose
Gar Hallard: something can feel like love and then disappear
stevenaia Michinaga: does that mean it does;t exist?
Gar Hallard: i dont know
Gar Hallard: maybe wanting it to go on is a samsara cycle...
stevenaia Michinaga: it can be fleeting, but are you speaking of love of a person?
Gar Hallard: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: if you ever had love, it will be more likely you will be able to find it again
Gar Hallard: smiles..and why is that?
stevenaia Michinaga: I belive it;s  worth the wait.. what is the alterative?
Rajah Yalin: love is so overcomplicated
Rajah Yalin: is a good deed "love" or is it just a good deed?
Gar Hallard: you mean love is? or we make it overly complicated?
Rajah Yalin: we make it that way
Gar Hallard: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: agreed, I was talking about this the other night... it is like being, it;s not something you can find by seeking
Pia Iger: but seems love is very important part of our life.
stevenaia Michinaga: it is discovered
Rajah Yalin: it's already there -but many don't see it
stevenaia Michinaga: discovered within each of us at the right moment when we are ready
stevenaia Michinaga: well, that;s how I see it
Pia Iger: you mean it is not dependent on other people?
Rajah Yalin: what do you need other people for?
stevenaia Michinaga: I have an old friend who gave up on love and realtionships after many failed relationships... and it took that decision for her to find what she wasn;t looking for, her love,a nd yes another person was involved

Doug had to go.  For the rest of us, the word ‘love” apparently has different meanings.

doug Sosa: i must leave. excuse please. bye
Rajah Yalin: take care Doug
Rajah Yalin: Namaste
Pia Iger: love is usually inter-personal, at least 2 ppl.
Pia Iger: bye, Doug
Bala Muircastle: waves
Rajah Yalin: not always though
Rajah Yalin: you can do things like make music or paint because you love it
Gar Hallard: is that love?
Gar Hallard: or enjoyment? satisfaction?
Gar Hallard: i dont know. To me, love is something you experience with someone else
stevenaia Michinaga is Offline
Gar Hallard: and there are many levels of it
Pia Iger: I think the love difficult to handle is more inter-personal. Let us focus on that.
Gar Hallard: love for a friend
stevenaia Michinaga is Online
Rajah Yalin: see many people don't think they have love because they aren't satisfied with what they have
Gar Hallard: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: sorry, SL crash
Rajah Yalin: wb steve
stevenaia Michinaga: thx
Gar Hallard: for instance i love steven as a friend..though we have never met in rl
Rajah Yalin: do you need to have met him to love him?
Gar Hallard: no thats my point
stevenaia Michinaga: and Gar, with that you can also love others
Gar Hallard: sure and i do
Pia Iger: in this case it is not quite right to use the word "love"
stevenaia Michinaga: why not?
Pia Iger: more "like", is proper
Gar Hallard: yeah why not?
Gar Hallard: ok sorry steven...i only like you
Pia Iger: Love is usually a deeper relationship.
Rajah Yalin: is it?
Gar Hallard: laughs..no i do love him
stevenaia Michinaga: love is a connection, yes
Gar Hallard: but like i said there are diff levels arent there?
stevenaia Michinaga: I thought I said that...smiles
Gar Hallard: i mean if you define it as all encompassing..well then...
Gar Hallard: that brings me to my first question..what is love?
stevenaia Michinaga: love of the world..gar?
stevenaia Michinaga: we better google that definition
Gar Hallard: lol
Rajah Yalin: its tempting to put Shai Ming in this
stevenaia Michinaga: only 2 billion web hits
Gar Hallard: ahhahahah
stevenaia Michinaga: Love represents a range of human emotions and experiences related to the senses of affection and sexual attraction.

How about narrow down the range a bit for our discussion?

Pia Iger: sure, love can be a huge topic. How about to focus on "why it is hard for us to love other ppl sometimes"
Gar Hallard: ahhh good focus
Pia Iger: to me, that is most difficult part of love.
stevenaia Michinaga: is it hard?
Gar Hallard: sure
Gar Hallard: at times
Pia Iger: it is.
stevenaia Michinaga: it is that you are keeping them out for some reason?
Pia Iger: and hard to love ourselves, too.
Gar Hallard: yes at times
Rajah Yalin: you have to admit, it's easy to love Bala

At that time, I did not know how to respond to what Rajah just said. Afterwards, I found myself do have a very fond impression of Bala. She (or he?) is truly lovable, sitting there quiet and only smiled once or twice.

stevenaia Michinaga: ok, let''s discuss love of self then
stevenaia Michinaga: what keeps you from loving yourself
Gar Hallard: you have a backstage view of yourself
stevenaia Michinaga: being satisfied with yourself that you wouldn’t change yourself to be loved
Pia Iger: that is very ideal.
stevenaia Michinaga: don;t we all Gar?
Gar Hallard: you know the evil thoughts...the things you felt you should do but didn’t
Gar Hallard: the things you did you know you shouldn’t have
Gar Hallard: so you sometimes don’t like you
Gar Hallard: but you have to realize everyone is like that
stevenaia Michinaga: but isn’t love acceptance? of yourself and others?
Gar Hallard: and accept it in you
stevenaia Michinaga: no one s perfect
Gar Hallard: i find when i accept myself i am more accepting of others
Pia Iger: that is nice
stevenaia Michinaga: is perfection requirement for love (hope's not)
Gar Hallard: no acceptance
Pia Iger: lovable is required for love.
Gar Hallard: thats what you need is being able to accept them as they are
stevenaia Michinaga: no, acceptance is
stevenaia Michinaga: them and you
Gar Hallard: like that line in Juno ,steven...you have to find someone who loves you just the way you are
Gar Hallard: or something like that..i didn’t like the movie..laughs
stevenaia Michinaga: that;s not just a line from a movie
Pia Iger: love is more than acceptance, though
Gar Hallard: no, i just said it too
stevenaia Michinaga: in my case it has led to 29 happy years
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Pia Iger: good for you, Steve.
Gar Hallard: well intimacy must be there too
stevenaia Michinaga: no, that follows acceptance
stevenaia Michinaga: well not initially
stevenaia Michinaga: but you get to a point where you accept yourself and you can easily turn your love outward

Rajah and Bala were leaving.

Rajah Yalin: i have to go
Pia Iger: Is Bala staying?
stevenaia Michinaga: don’t ask Pia
Rajah Yalin: no he leaves too
Pia Iger: ok. Bye, Bala
Rajah Yalin: lol steve
Rajah Yalin: see you all
Gar Hallard: bye
stevenaia Michinaga: nice seeing you Raj
Rajah Yalin: take care
stevenaia Michinaga: looking forward to hearing from you Bala
Gar Hallard: steven!! you know he can’t talk
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, I know
Gar Hallard: smiles
stevenaia Michinaga: ....Pia move from across the room....

I did not want to sit alone on one side of the room either. So I moved to sit along with Steve and Gal. 

Pia Iger: I don't understand the vow, but I should not ask maybe.
stevenaia Michinaga: thought I’d help with the comments Pia
stevenaia Michinaga: vow?
Pia Iger: vow of silence.
Pia Iger: Bala's
stevenaia Michinaga: I can see where it could help in how you observe the world
stevenaia Michinaga: life isn’t always contribution
stevenaia Michinaga: there is much wisdom gained through observation
Pia Iger: Ah, it makes good sense.
stevenaia Michinaga: hope you understood that
stevenaia Michinaga: since it is established in many situations, nuns and monks, it must serve the intended result
Pia Iger: I can imagine.

This is quite inspiring to me! Be quiet inside and out, just observe.  Very likely I can see much  more than I normally do, wouldn’t I?

stevenaia Michinaga: but like any vow, it seals a promise and that could be a powerful thing to keep as well
Pia Iger: vow is also connected to love, traditionally
stevenaia Michinaga: Gar, you take a vow, as an attorney, I assume you take that seriously?
Gar Hallard: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: love of person, love of profession, do not harm... for doctors

I can’t help to mention Gar’s teeth. He is the first male AV having teeth shown while smiling. That morning, I just saw the first female AV with teeth.  SL keeps amazing me.

Pia Iger: Gar is 2nd AV I saw that has teeth.
Gar Hallard: it tooks months of surgery to get them
Gar Hallard: but i can eat anything i want
Pia Iger: I had been wondering about teeth for a while. then , this morning, I saw a girl with teeth.
Pia Iger: now I believe SL has everything.
Gar Hallard: a friend of mine has created floss and a tooth brush for sl
stevenaia Michinaga: more than everything from what I’ve seen
Pia Iger: hahaa. gosh.
stevenaia Michinaga: yes,
Pia Iger: how much is the floss?
stevenaia Michinaga: Ginny's floss
Gar Hallard: not much you want some? lol
Pia Iger: not at all, just curious
Gar Hallard: smiles
Gar Hallard: i smile a lot to show off my teeth..laughs
stevenaia Michinaga: thanks for coming Gar
Gar Hallard: well i must leave now..being summoned
Gar Hallard: thanks for the invite
Pia Iger: bye, Gar.
Gar Hallard: good to see you pia

Gar left. Steve reflected on our talk, and clearly he thinks very different from me.  Isn’t it the best thing that I can learn from other people at PaB meetings?

stevenaia Michinaga: wow, these session truly have a life of their own
Pia Iger: what do you mean?
stevenaia Michinaga: from a group of unfocused minds to just the opposite so quickly with just a word.. love and peace
stevenaia Michinaga: it’s wonderful
Pia Iger: I was expecting we can talk further, maybe I am a picky type
stevenaia Michinaga: a very hugh topic
Pia Iger: we can always continue, in other sessions.
stevenaia Michinaga: if you have something specific?
stevenaia Michinaga: these things do live on in the wiki now
stevenaia Michinaga: and can be picked up later and referred to, lol
Pia Iger: It is over time now. Let's wrap up until tomorrow.
stevenaia Michinaga: see you then, thanks
Pia Iger: I think I learn a lot about love and peace from u.
stevenaia Michinaga: thank you very much, happy to help
Pia Iger: I am a more troubled mind
Pia Iger: ok, see you next time.
stevenaia Michinaga: ok... and try not to be
stevenaia Michinaga: ...smile