2008.07.17 19:00 - Above the Water

The guardian was Pia Iger. She added below comments.

I was 15 min late. Luckily, Adams and Steve were already there and Adams gave me the part of their chat.

Adams Rubble: Hi Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Adams
stevenaia Michinaga: no one was here when I arrived
Adams Rubble: Hmmmmmm
stevenaia Michinaga: how are you?
Adams Rubble: There IS a lot of lag
Adams Rubble: I am good, how about you?
stevenaia Michinaga: good, one day to vacation
Adams Rubble: Oh great!
Adams Rubble: I hope you have a nice one
stevenaia Michinaga: going to the shore for a week, unfortunately no internet for a week
Adams Rubble: Hmm no message?
stevenaia Michinaga: but doing nothing makes up for it
Adams Rubble: I like to be without my computer when I go away
Adams Rubble: Yes
stevenaia Michinaga: there is always coffee in the morning at the internet cafe
Adams Rubble: Hi Pia
Adams Rubble: I haven't used one of those yet
stevenaia Michinaga: hi PIA
Adams Rubble: Work can't catch up to me if I leave the computer at home
Pia Iger: Hi, good to see you here.
stevenaia Michinaga: my laptop is my office, I take it everywhere and work everywhere
Adams Rubble: Not much of a vacation then :)
Adams Rubble: I haven't seen you for a while Pia

Oh, a while already? We were at the same session on Sunday afternoon. SL does make time feel longer?

Pia Iger: I am late today.
Adams Rubble has toothpicks holding her eyes open
Pia Iger: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: who is keeping the log tonight since no one was here when i arrived?
Pia Iger: I am the guardian.
Adams Rubble: Ah
Pia Iger: so how long have you been talking?
Pia Iger: how much did I miss?
stevenaia Michinaga: less than 5 minutes
Adams Rubble: Not long
Adams Rubble: we said hello
Adams Rubble: and how are you :)
Adams Rubble: and Steve is one day from vacation
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Pia Iger: for how long?
stevenaia Michinaga: will miss this for a week
stevenaia Michinaga: but will be by the ocean, so all is not lost
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble realizes if the RL person doesn't take the computer she will not get vacation
stevenaia Michinaga: I many have time to do 9 secs every 1/4 hour
stevenaia Michinaga: easier to restructure myself when environment changes
Adams Rubble: :)
Pia Iger: it may be interesting notes from your vacation 9 secs.

Wouldn't that be somthing! A week's 9 secs by the ocean! Hopefully he can put up a blog and share notes online...

stevenaia Michinaga: I should look for temporary vacation yoga classes so I don’t loose what little I maintain by going
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, will log my motes, perhaps online if I figure out how, I suspect nothing to interesting to others, how is your blog doing, Adams
stevenaia Michinaga: well so much for my typing tonight
Adams Rubble: I keep at it :)
stevenaia Michinaga: anything coming of it for you?
Adams Rubble: Oh yes
Adams Rubble: but I am in a period of wanting to listen now
Adams Rubble: but I express through the blog
stevenaia Michinaga: anything specific?
Adams Rubble: Hmmmm
Adams Rubble: I guess I have dealing with guilt, anxiety and doubt in the last few days
Adams Rubble: I am not getting any closer to understanding Being :)
stevenaia Michinaga: I am on the other side of that topic, for some time I have had less and less of those
stevenaia Michinaga: and Being is constantly redefining itself as time goes on
Adams Rubble thinks she may never catch up to Being then
Pia Iger: I am not worry about that at all, catching or not.
stevenaia Michinaga: there was a conversation a few nights ago with thorberg were afterwards I had a being defining moment, similar to your water moment Pia
Pia Iger: can you say more?
stevenaia Michinaga: I don;t know if Adams was here but the discussion related to self and being
Adams Rubble: No I wasn't
Pia Iger: what is your defining moment? Curious...

Holding our breath. This is Steve's Being defining moment.

stevenaia Michinaga: in this moment I was underwater which represented Self to me
stevenaia Michinaga: the I emerged above the surface , springing out of the water straight up... which represented Being
stevenaia Michinaga: not flying, just head above water
stevenaia Michinaga: an interested contrast
Pia Iger: then how do you feel, in each case, under and above the water?
stevenaia Michinaga: fresh air, clear sight of distance
Adams Rubble: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: under water was self reflective and somewhat contained.. defining self as somewhat introspective and contained
stevenaia Michinaga: but head above water was externally focused
stevenaia Michinaga: refreshing
Adams Rubble: that sounds great Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: worth the wait of not doing 9 second moments for that one
Adams Rubble: Sorry, sleep taking over, must go, will read the rest. Night Pia and Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: I know you wanted to listen Adams, but to some extent the very things you wrestle with maybe the things that distance you from being... doubt, etc
Pia Iger: nite,Adames.
stevenaia Michinaga: night Adams

Adams could not fight with her sleepiness anymore, disappeared from her cushion.

stevenaia Michinaga: sorry she had to leave, she brings much to the table
Pia Iger: I am imagining, during your vacation by the beach, you will have more of this kind moment,
stevenaia Michinaga: I think I can focus on that more easily
Pia Iger: I do get a clear picture of what you described.
stevenaia Michinaga: I once moved away to a job and restructured my life for my own interest, kept a lengthy dream log, woke myself up after dreams in the middle of the night and began writing about the dreams with clarity
stevenaia Michinaga: I can still read those pages and remember the dreams even after 20 years.. or perhaps 30...eeek

A lengthy dream log. That is extraordinary!  I really want to know more about that. But the following talk wound away from it naturally.

Pia Iger: did you analyze those dreams?
stevenaia Michinaga: no
stevenaia Michinaga: but people do
stevenaia Michinaga: but no, I don’t interpret dreams, and I dream so rarely, or remember them so rarely these days
stevenaia Michinaga: do you remember dreams much?
Pia Iger: yes, I ususally have dramatic dreams.
Pia Iger: but always too sleepy to get up and write them down.
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, it is something that requires motivation and focus

His special form of meditation. Then from awareness to ... and ..., we closed our talk on food:)

stevenaia Michinaga: i usually draw things on vacation in a sketch book and read for pleasure on the beach
Pia Iger: nice, sketches can be revealing.
stevenaia Michinaga: I consider drawing a kind of meditation
stevenaia Michinaga: even when I draw everyday on the computer
stevenaia Michinaga: so any other meditation seems supplemental
stevenaia Michinaga: do you meditate other than 9 secs at a time
Pia Iger: I want to, but not successfully.
Pia Iger: I try to be present, mindful all the time,
stevenaia Michinaga: it seems to be like exercise, the more you do the better you get
Pia Iger: yes. I already feel my awareness is much progressed, just by doing 9 secs.
Pia Iger: notice I still move around like zombie a lot of time,
stevenaia Michinaga: tell me about awareness
Pia Iger: like on the way home, I found I just got home without noticing how I crossed the streets, how I turned the corner
Pia Iger: dream-like, this is example of lack of awareness.
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, I used to drive an hour to work and sometimes never noticed how I got there
Pia Iger: exactly!
Pia Iger: on the contrary, if I am aware, I will notice ppl passing by me, notice the weather, wind/temperature, and how I was feeling at those moments.
stevenaia Michinaga: nice
stevenaia Michinaga: a lot to be gained from that
Pia Iger: so being aware, I am really living those moments. And the moments seem stretch out, have their own depth and length.
Pia Iger: also being aware, I can feel the value of things clearer.
Pia Iger: like I will instinctively don't like junk food, or junk news
stevenaia Michinaga: I have been trying to adjust what I eat as well recently
stevenaia Michinaga: you just  have to be more alert as to what travels toward your mouth
Pia Iger: yes, you will be more aware of what is nurturing, what is harmful
stevenaia Michinaga: well the hour is up, I have to tend to laundry... thank you Pia, always a pleasure
Pia Iger: Thanks, Steve, have a good vacation.
stevenaia Michinaga: see you if not tomorrow night, some time thereafter
Pia Iger: hope to hear your new inspirations