2008.08.28 19:00 - Sword Whisper

Pia Iger was guardian and prepared this log.

Only Adelene was sitting in Pavilion when I got there. I started to talk about some frustration a few guardians expressed since last Sunday's guardian meeting.

Pia Iger: Hi, Adelene,
Adelene Dawner: hi :)
Pia Iger: I have not been to any meeting since last Sunday.
Adelene Dawner nods. "They've been pretty much as usual, except for the guardians being a bit more insistant about focusing on the topic at hand.
Pia Iger: I read some new logs, the discussions are very interesting. So a little focus of topics is not bad.
Adelene Dawner: mm
Pia Iger: The reason the topic issue was brought up, from my understanding, came from one incident. Some visitor came here many many times, still have wrong impression of us. He thought we were teaching some solid meditation skill.
Adelene Dawner: hmm
Adelene Dawner: Focusing more on the 9-second meditations doesn't seem like it would solve that particular problem... o.O
Pia Iger: no. We could convey more that this is an exploration group, not just a conventional teaching/learning place.
Adelene Dawner nods. "That concept didn't come through very well in the Sunday guardian meeting, if I remember correctly."
Pia Iger: yes.
Adelene Dawner: I could be misremembering, but the focus seemed to be on the meditations.
Pia Iger: Many guardian felt pressured to keep on topic.
Pia Iger: which they don't need to be.
Adelene Dawner: I agree... though when the topic is 'being', it's hard to get *off*-topic.
Pia Iger: hehe, that is true.
Adelene Dawner: That's why I assumed they were talking about the meditations, I guess, even if they weren't intending to. It's a lot more possible to get off that topic than off the other one.
Pia Iger: no. The meditaion we discussion here is more an experiment. This needs to point out.
Adelene Dawner: *yes*
Pia Iger: The purpose of doing meditation is to open a window to see Being.
Pia Iger: meditaion itself is not the end of goal.

At this time, Cookie came. I wrapped up the previous thread.

Adelene Dawner: Hiya, Cookie.
cookieman Constantine: Hi adelene
Adelene Dawner: You're right, Pia.
Pia Iger: Hello, Cookie.
cookieman Constantine: Hello pia. nice to see you both again Adelene Dawner: ^.^
Pia Iger: anyway, I read many guardians expressed anxiety from the Sunday meeting. Just want to say, imho, it's important that guardians not feel that they have to follow some rules to guide the meeting.
Adelene Dawner: Also agreed.
cookieman Constantine: did i miss something on sunday?
Adelene Dawner: I intend to start asking 'how else do we play as being?' a lot... and still not have any particular rules or format to 'my' meetings.
Pia Iger: good.
Adelene Dawner: We had a guardian meeting, Cookie.There was some talk of adding an actual format to the meetings. :P
Cookieman Constantine: ah i got it. a little formality

I remembered the first time Cookie visiting us.

Pia Iger: Cookie, I met you at your first time coming here.Not sure if you have been here afterwards?
cookieman Constantine: yes i have a few other times.
Pia Iger: ok, so you knew about our guardian roles?
cookieman Constantine: yes i so somewhat. i am still putting it all together.
Hello stevenania
Pia Iger: Hi, Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: hello
Pia Iger: Cookie, you can ask us any question if you want.

Steve walked in. Cookie spoke his impression of us:)

cookieman Constantine: i know this a place for higher conversation and debate and appreciate that.
Adelene Dawner chuckles, and mutters something sarcastic but joking about 'higher' conversation. ^.^
stevenaia Michinaga: oh now, we can talk to whatever point you wish, there are no lower limits here

cookieman Constantine: I just know that i do enjoy this environment. reminds me of a temple I visited in Kyoto
stevenaia Michinaga: are you a traveler, cookieman?
cookieman Constantine: So i guess talking about my need for a new tooth brush wont offend anyone : )
cookieman Constantine: I am retired military steve
cookieman Constantine: I have been to a couple of places
stevenaia Michinaga: awww
cookieman Constantine: I went to Kyoto for some further training.
cookieman Constantine: Once i finished my training, I was taken for a sword to select me
Pia Iger: curious?

Both Steve and I were baited. It ended up to be a charming story.

stevenaia Michinaga: what doesn "taken for a sword to select me" mean
Pia Iger: 'taken for a sword to select me' not clear to me.
stevenaia Michinaga: ...smile
cookieman Constantine: for a true match between a sword and a person, a swordsmith takes you into his shop.
Pia Iger: ah, I get it.
cookieman Constantine: in looking at your and your teacher the swordsmith tells you the sword which is calling you.
Pia Iger: intriguing.
Pia Iger: so what kind of sward called you?
cookieman Constantine: I was chosen by a beautiful masterpiece made in 1812.
Pia Iger: amazing.
Adelene Dawner: ^.^
Pia Iger: Did the swordsmith tell you how the sward called you?
cookieman Constantine: Somewhat lost in the translation, the sword vibrated as i passed it and that was its sign. when he looked at it he whispered, stop, listen
Pia Iger: he is a sword 'whisper" :-)
Adelene Dawner may, perhaps, be able to put some words around that general phenomenon... but prefers to leave it mysterious. ^.^
cookieman Constantine: He should be on that show with jeniffer love hewitt

Hint: Jennifer is the actress in popular US TV show "Ghost Whisper".

Pia Iger: He could be better than Jennifer.
cookieman Constantine: Nah.... she is way hotter lol
cookieman Constantine: : )
Pia Iger: only you can compare :)
cookieman Constantine: As soon as i touched it, i knew there was a connection, my soul felt the sword and it was a part of me
Pia Iger: Adelne, I was thinking that you would have takes on this phenomenon, the connection of thing to person.
Pia Iger: feel wonderful to hear that, Cookie.
cookieman Constantine: thank you pia.
cookieman Constantine: It felt like that piece of metal was forged and hammered just with me in mind over 100 yrs ago

What Cookie just said sounded extraordinary. At the same time, I felt it can be vey true.
Adelene and Steve gave their similar experience. And cookie continued his sword story.

Adelene Dawner: Mm. It's an artist thing. When you're making something... or even when you're dealing with things thatare of the same type as things you've spent a lot of time making... mmm... you notice the details, kind of. Each thing is an individual, just as much as each person is, with its own personality, in a way.
Pia Iger: nods.
cookieman Constantine: i was told it was difficult & unpredictable but made for someone who could control their thoughts,mind and being.
stevenaia Michinaga: every now and then, and I am thankful it isn;t so often, I find a piece of art that pulls me in and needs me to have it, these are the pieces of art I buy if I can, as if they were painted for me
stevenaia Michinaga: must be like that cookieman
Constantine: i have never had a single issue handling her. She is hard for others to use but moves so easily for me
Pia Iger: so there is a special connection with you and the sword.
cookieman Constantine: its sad to say but i have a stronger bond to this piece of metal than to my wife
Pia Iger: maybe just different bond
Adelene Dawner grins at Cookie.
cookieman Constantine: she asked me to get rid of it when we got together and i told her i will not get rid of a piece of my soul.
Pia Iger: understandable. the strong connection.

I was intrigued by this kind of strong connection btween people and things.

Pia Iger: The other day, one person said he could imagine himself as a tree.
Pia Iger: made me think how deep connection we actually can have with other forms of appearance in the world.
Pia Iger: and the bond is so natural.
Pia Iger: with animals, flower, things, ....
cookieman Constantine: a tree has roots that are deep and unseen and connect to many parts of the world
cookieman Constantine: air for us, shelter for birds,
Adelene Dawner: Hi, Gen :)
Pia Iger: Hi, Gen,
genesis Zhangsun: Hi having probelms with lag
cookieman Constantine: Hey gen
Pia Iger: We are pondering the natural, inexplicable bond between us and the other creature/things in the world.
It make me think of Being, everything is connected somehow...
Pia Iger: We have separated us as human, but we are not different from trees, sword, animals, in some sense?
Pia Iger just thinks aloud.

Gen came in. I continued my speculation. But this thread was interrupted by a group of people coming in from nearby Zendo. It was hard situation to keep dialog continue, when people stepped in at the end of hour.

genesis Zhangsun: are we the same?
genesis Zhangsun: what about consciousness?
Pia Iger: Hi, Mango,
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Mango
cookieman Constantine: Hello Mongo
cookieman Constantine: He;;p JM
genesis Zhangsun: Hey JM
cookieman Constantine: Hello i mean
Mongo McGinnis: we were having a discusion about obams speech at the tree by the the zendo at 6pm slt time
Mongo McGinnis: tried but no one followed
Solobill Laville: Hi, all
Mongo McGinnis: sorry sololbill was there
cookieman Constantine: Hi solo
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Solobill
Mongo McGinnis: solo rules
Mongo McGinnis: nicw hat
JM Rexen: Hey everyone
Mongo McGinnis: hey jm
Mongo McGinnis: what was the topic tonight
Pia Iger: excuse me, just want to fill Gen in. our discussion was stemed from Cookie's connection with his sword "As soon as i touched it, i knew there was a connection, my soul felt the sword and it was a part of me"
genesis Zhangsun: Hmm ok thanks for the context Pia

Mongo won't let go of his politcal topic. But neither his nor my topic were picked up by others.  It's already passed the hour. One by one, people scattered.

Mongo McGinnis: were you looking at Obama's speech
Pia Iger: sorry, not really, Mongo.
Mongo McGinnis: like to check out what everyone has to say will probably vote for McKinney
cookieman Constantine: I'm writing in a vote for the table for president
Pia Iger: that is profound:)
Solobill Laville: This table in front of us can certainly change as much as any politician!
genesis Zhangsun: or a politician can change as much as this table things can go from seeimingly transparent to opaque quickly
Pia Iger: so, Mongo, since you started this topic, I sense you did not buy into Obamas' speech.
cookieman Constantine: I mean it has an amazing foreign policy
Solobill Laville: It certainly is convincing, yes cookieman!
Mongo McGinnis: he scares me in a way he says that he will invade irann and will invade a country without UN support Mongo McGinnis: he says good thingsand bad things
Pia Iger: Hi, Neela,
Mongo McGinnis: McCain say worse things but thats not the point
Neela Blaisdale: Hi everyone
cookieman Constantine: I am so GLAD i retired.
cookieman Constantine: Hi neela
Mongo McGinnis: hi
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Neela
Solobill Laville: Retired, cookie??
Solobill Laville: Do tell... :)
cookieman Constantine: Retired Army
Mongo McGinnis: we dont need Bush or bush lite
Solobill Laville: Ah, thank you
JM Rexen: Good night,i leave
JM Rexen: bye everyone
Mongo McGinnis: good night
Neela Blaisdale: Nite JM
Pia Iger: bye, Jim
Solobill Laville: Bye, JM
Mongo McGinnis: zai jian
Pia Iger: not sure which thread to continue, while looking at my watch.
cookieman Constantine: well all the pillow calls.thanks for having me again.
Mongo McGinnis: any thread go with it
Solobill Laville: NIght, cookie
stevenaia Michinaga: night a all
Pia Iger: bye, Cookie, see you next time
Neela Blaisdale: Goodnight Cookie
Mongo McGinnis: what is going on in your life
genesis Zhangsun: Night Cookie and Steve 

Cookieman Constantine: I'll leave some cookies behind so you can munch on
Neela Blaisdale: Nite Steve S
olobill Laville: :)
Pia Iger: :) Cookie.
Mongo McGinnis: mmm cookies yummmmm
Mongo McGinnis: mcCain was born in Panama Obama was born in Hawaii Mongo McGinnis: sorry looking at cnn

Though I attempted to pick up previous thread again. Nobody else was as energetic as Mongo. Below  more  lines  of Good nights.

Pia Iger: Just want to mention the previous discussion was based on Cookie's connection with his sword "As soon as i touched it, i knew there was a connection, my soul felt the sword and it was a part of me"
Pia Iger: in case anyone is interested in talking about this special connection between human and things.
genesis Zhangsun: hey all got to go
genesis Zhangsun: Good night
Mongo McGinnis: sword? what use do you have with a sword spirtual combat athletic
Solobill Laville: Night, Gen Neela Blaisdale: Nite Gen
Pia Iger: I guess we all have this kind of experiene, that something speaks to us, we feel we are connected to them deeply.
Pia Iger: (Mongo, Cookie used to be in the army)
Mongo McGinnis: i have a sword passed doen by my ancestry from the revolutionary war i like it for spiritual practice Mongo McGinnis: it reminds me of karma and the actions that i do or lack oof actions that i do Mongo McGinnis: both or equally important
Solobill Laville: Night friends!
Adelene Dawner yawns... it's late.
Adelene Dawner: Time for bed.
Mongo McGinnis: good night
Neela Blaisdale: Night Bill and Adelene
Mongo McGinnis: good night
Mongo McGinnis: sorry every time i talk every one leaves Mongo McGinnis: i should never talk
Pia Iger: no. Mongo, it's just getting late
Pia Iger: not because of you.
Mongo McGinnis: ok
Neela Blaisdale: I think I need some sleep too, too many late SL nights. Goodnight Pia and Mongo. No it's not you Mongo!
Mongo McGinnis: see you later
Neela Blaisdale: Bye

Mongo McGinnis: say hi to pema havent talked to him in a while
Pia Iger: sure.
Mongo McGinnis: what time zone is he in
Mongo McGinnis: jap or est
Pia Iger: Jap
Mongo McGinnis: ok makees sense
Pia Iger: When was the last time you two talk?
Mongo McGinnis: months
Pia Iger: that's long. Our meeting is only less than 5 month old
Mongo McGinnis: he was meeting in the tea house for years
Mongo McGinnis: i think
Pia Iger: No, he started in April 1 2008.