2008.10.30 13:00 - Newcomers, like buses, arrive in threes

The guardian for this meeting was Storm, though he arrived late due to a combination of daylight saving time being out of sync this week and having just given a demo of SL. The comments, however, are Storm's.

When people arrived, they started doing a very British thing, even in my absence, and started discussing the weather!

Threedee Shepherd: Hello Quel, I am not sure if we have previously met. I don't often come to this session.
Quel Karillion: Hi Pema :)
Threedee Shepherd: Hi Pema
Pema Pera: Hi Threedee, Quel!
Pema Pera: How are you Quel? I think we've met before, a while ago
Quel Karillion ponders how much sense there is in dividing attention to two places like this.
Pema Pera: ?
Quel Karillion: well, nevermind :)
Quel Karillion: I'm good, how are yuo
Quel Karillion: yes, we met a while ago.
Pema Pera: fine! Enjoying a beautiful autumn day here in New Jersey
Quel Karillion: few weeks it is
Pema Pera: yes, I thought so
Pema Pera: And how are you, Threedee?
Pema Pera: I guess you were pretty busy lately?
Threedee Shepherd: I'll describe in a moment on this beautiful sunny Autumn day in Colorado at 70 degrees.
Pema Pera: quite a bit warmer than here, for sure
Quel Karillion: Not so warm summer night here at 39 degrees.

The talk turned to busy schedules, reschedules and de-schedules. And old chat logs.

Threedee Shepherd: Too busy, and then the big trip and presentation I was to give tomorrow got cancelled by them, on tuesday
Quel Karillion: oh wait, autumn
Pema Pera: cancelled? What a shame!
Threedee Shepherd: It's a long story, and the cancellation is not surprising, more of an anticlimax.
Pema Pera: (btw, if you can send me the chatlog of October 10, 20 days ago, I would greatly appreciate it, Threedee, thanks in advance :)
Pema Pera: Sorry to hear that, Threedee
Quel Karillion: which time?
Pema Pera: 7 pm, on 10/10/2008
Threedee Shepherd: Yes. that is ONE of the many many things on my list. Right now, in the 9-sec, I had the sense that I was sitting on the top of a delicate glass dome. Each pillar and part of it is another thing on my to-do list and By sitting on it I am keeping it from exploding into a million shards, which I think would actually be a welcome result ^.^
Quel Karillion: oh, just the one missing from autologger.
Pema Pera: Yes, Threedee, I know the feeling . . . . these days I often am glad just to get through my emails and make a list of things to do ; sometimes don't even have time to do that . . . .
Pema Pera: Quel, have you been working on the autologging project too?
Quel Karillion: Yes
Pema Pera: ah, of course . . . . slow memory :)
Pema Pera accepted your inventory offer.
Pema Pera: (ah, thanks, Threedee! I'll post the 10/10/19:00 log soon)
Threedee Shepherd: Pema, Because the date is stripped (another long story) I am 99% sure that is the log that is wanted
Pema Pera: well, we'll post it as such, and if anyone notices anything on the contrary, we'll hear about it :-)
Threedee Shepherd chuckles
Pema Pera: Thanks a lot! It's nice not to have gaps
Threedee Shepherd: Are there others I am responsible for Monday's 7 PM that are missing?
Pema Pera: let me check
Pema Pera: yes, both October 20 and October 27, at 7 pm each, are missing, so if you could give those too, that would be great
Threedee Shepherd: I will cull them from my logs and send them later
Pema Pera: thank you!!

Threedee raised the subject of the get-together, at Princeton, of a dozen or so Play as Being guardians nearly two weeks ago.

Threedee Shepherd: Pema, do you have further reflections from the Princeton meeting?
Pema Pera: hmmmm, I've had many reflections over the past ten days or so . . . . . hard to know where to start. How about you?
Threedee Shepherd: My sense is that it occurred at a "pivotal" moment in PaB evolution, as follows.
Threedee Shepherd: we all got along as if we had been together for a long time and were at ease.
Quel Karillion: Yes, that was my view as well :)
Pema Pera: yes, the contrast was something delightful: meeting in person for the first time in RL, yet being so familiar with each other in so many ways through SL
Threedee Shepherd: And that is the sense I now ALSO get from the daily PaB sessions: easy comradeship, all the usual topics "talked-out" and a kind of waiting for the next stage. Not much PaB observational discussion any more.

Pema looked to the present and the immediate future with new meeting schedules, especially the new guardian meetings.

Pema Pera: well, we'll have a few changes: already the addition of the Kira Cafe, as a place to hang out, at 2 pm SLT every day, which is really fun (and no recording nor logging!!)
Pema Pera: another change is the four new guardian slots each week, I'm really curious to see how that will work out. Do you have any comments on that initiative?
Pema Pera: either of you?
Quel Karillion: well, in practise, it just means we're reducing the number of meetings by one ;)
Quel Karillion: but if people do come to those, then it's a change :)
Pema Pera: another change will be if many guardians meet each other in those four meetings
Threedee Shepherd: Yes, I was confused. These REPLACE the regular PaB slots at those times?
Pema Pera: we'll see how that works out -- more than half the guardians did not get much of a chance to meet many other guardians at onc e
Pema Pera: No, they coincide
Pema Pera: and they take place in the same place as the regular PaB slots (not in the Hall of Appearance)
Threedee Shepherd: How does one choose which to attend--that is, what is your intention?
Pema Pera: it's just a way to concentrate guardians, like distilling spiritis :)
Pema Pera: Oh, whichever you like, and whichever are convenient for you, and you can change your mind each week
Pema Pera: depending on how you feel, or where you are, or how busy you are with what activities
Threedee Shepherd: So, it is equivalent to "earmarking" four slots for special efforts at attendance
Threedee Shepherd: ?
Pema Pera: I will try to come to all of them
Pema Pera: yes, exactly!
Pema Pera: That's a good way to summarize them
Pema Pera: Those PaB slots are "more equally than others" :-)
Threedee Shepherd: I CAN attend on Sat and Sun, and i will try to as much as possible.
Pema Pera: look forward to seeing you then!
Pema Pera: I like the idea of fluctuating attendance, like the weather

A new visitor arrived, and the discussion gradually blended into an introduction.

Quel Karillion: Hello Meabh :)
Threedee Shepherd: Hi
Meabh Muircastle: hello ;)
Pema Pera: Hi Meabh!
Meabh Muircastle: hello Pema ;)
Quel Karillion: Hi Solo :)
Threedee Shepherd: Pema, I would like to go back to my sense that these daily meetings are in a sort of holding pattern, due perhaps to extreme familiarity, and seeking ways to explore new stages
Pema Pera: Hi Solo!
Solobill Laville: Hi, Quel, hi everyone!
Meabh Muircastle: Helloo ;)
Threedee Shepherd: Hi
Pema Pera: Do you have particular suggestions, Threedee?
Pema Pera: And Meabh, have you visited here before?
Meabh Muircastle: no this is my first time here. ;)
Solobill Laville: Welcome, Meabh
Meabh Muircastle: thank you Solo ;)
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wik.is/ is our web site, this is a very informal group of people getting together here every day, four times a day, called "Play as Being"
Threedee Shepherd: Pema, I don't and hope we can brainstorm a bit now
Pema Pera: anyone is welcome to join; we generally chat about the nature of reality, and anything else we like to talk about
Pema Pera: Unfortunately, Threedee and all, I am being called away now
Pema Pera: Sorry about that!
Meabh Muircastle: sounds nice ;)
Solobill Laville: I'll get you a notecard too, Meabh
Meabh Muircastle: thank you Solo ;)

This is the point that I managed to arrive. The next bit is my apologising, trying to catch up, and being rescued by Threedee who kindly sent me a notecard with the chat log so far.

Quel Karillion: Hi Storm :)
Pema Pera: Let's continue some other time, I'd love to hear your ideas
Pema Pera: Hi Storm!
Pema Pera: ANd of course I will read what you will say here on the log!
Pema Pera: bye for now!
Solobill Laville: Bye, Pema
Threedee Shepherd: bye Pema
Solobill Laville: Whoa, I see someone's been doing a bit of gardening outside :)
Storm Nordwind: Oh dear. This is the first time I've missed the start of my own guardian slot!
Quel Karillion: Oh, Meabh, these meetings ae logged. Do you mind your lines being logged with your SL name on our website?
Meabh Muircastle: no... not at all ;)
Solobill Laville: Hiya, Storm! Looks like you may have been covered though
Storm Nordwind wipes his brow!
Storm Nordwind: Who was here from the start?
Solobill Laville: not me :(
Quel Karillion raises a hand.
Storm Nordwind: Perhaps Pema was
Solobill Laville: Ah, Quel was
Storm Nordwind: Quel was here. Cool
Storm Nordwind: Were you logging Quel?
Solobill Laville: (this is a bit of admin Meabh...in terms of the chat log...)
Storm Nordwind: Sorry Meabh!
Quel Karillion thinks so.
Meabh Muircastle: that is allright ;)
Quel Karillion: oh, apparently not but I can still cut&paste.
Storm Nordwind: I was supposed to be logging things tonight but was caught out by the Daylight Savings Time out of sync
Threedee Shepherd: One sec, here is is Storm
Quel Karillion: plus it seems autologger is working today
Solobill Laville: I hear daylight savings affected Moon as well... :)
Storm Nordwind: Should have been here at 8pm my time instead of usual 9pm!
Solobill Laville: I think it will get ack to normal this Sunday
Solobill Laville: *b
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Threedee Shepherd gave you Current log.
Storm Nordwind: Thank you so much Threedee!

I was trying to catch up, but talking and reading at the same time rarely works for me!

Storm Nordwind: So have we been talking about Play as Being?
Storm Nordwind is reading the log 3D sent
Solobill Laville: I arrived just prior to you Storm
Threedee Shepherd: I was noting that the recent sessions I have attended are more "social" than Observational PaB. that is not a bad thing. Yet, I think we have done so much PaB talk over the months that we need some kind of rejuvenation or next step, and of course I don't have any great ideas ;)
Storm Nordwind: I understand that! :)
Quel Karillion: yes, it's clearly more social today than it was at the start. We no longer have that many people with questions.
Solobill Laville: I actually also commented about that today - "spirit of intentionality"...
Storm Nordwind: I found the extra practices - YSBS and ESBS - to be great rejuvenators. Though I'm not suggesting that we always need novelty! :)
Quel Karillion: Meabh, did you just pop in on your own or did someone suggest you come here?
Threedee Shepherd: I guess for me all *seeing* is a similar exercise
Quel Karillion: As in, do you know what we're about?
Quel Karillion: Hi Wol :)
Wol Euler: afternoon everyone.
Threedee Shepherd: hi wol
Solobill Laville: Hello, Ms. Euler :)
Storm Nordwind: Hi Wol
Wol Euler: Mr. Laville, a pleasure to see you again.
Solobill Laville bows
Storm Nordwind: Such a polite group of people
Solobill Laville: hehe
Solobill Laville: Must be the hat
Wol Euler: :)
Wol Euler: hello storm, threedee, quel, meabh

Solo wanted to talk about "spirit of intentionality".

Solobill Laville: To the topic, I think the discussion here are a reflection of each individual's intention
Solobill Laville: Obviously, every one has SOME reason, and they are not all the same...but if it not about this concept (in the relative use) of "Being"
Solobill Laville: then...
Solobill Laville: Is that your point, Three?
Storm Nordwind: I wonder if all people necessarily KNOW what their intention is! :)
Solobill Laville: ANd that's OK!
Storm Nordwind smiles
Solobill Laville: But there can be a direction without intention
Storm Nordwind: Yes. People can be driven and drawn.
Threedee Shepherd: Sort of. I have a bit of familiarity with groups and their evolution. I think we are at a stage where lots of discussion has led to a familiar plateau, and that *something* is needed to move us, or we could wither away.
Solobill Laville: I just don't what "we" is, Three
Threedee Shepherd: We is the community of folks in PaB
Storm Nordwind: I wonder. I have seen it myself. I am fortunate to have an implicit goal in what I do. An intention. But I know not everyone has.
Quel Karillion would like to introduce more to Meabh but can't seem to get a reaction out of her.
Wol Euler: hello sonic
Sonic Moonites: hello
Quel Karillion: Hello Sonic
Solobill Laville: Me too, Storm, but then is there an issue to being on a plateau or not being on a plateau?

Yet another new visitor arrived, and he very politely asked whether he could stay.

Sonic Moonites: do you mind my being here?
Solobill Laville: Hi, Sonic
Meabh Muircastle: I am listening ;)
Meabh Muircastle: I was reading the website was a way for a moment ;)
Storm Nordwind: You are welcome to stay Sonic. We are talking about the Play as Being practice. It is a little like some forms of meditation.
Quel Karillion: ah, did you find the introductory pages?
Meabh Muircastle: yes ;)
Threedee Shepherd: All are always welcome, we might entrap you into coming regularly ^.^
Solobill Laville: Listening is totally fine, Meabh :)
Threedee Shepherd: into
Wol Euler: :)
Meabh Muircastle: that will be fine ;)
Sonic Moonites: ok thanks
Quel Karillion: It's nice to get more people :)
Storm Nordwind: Solo, I don't have any issue with a plateau. It's just possible some might find a lack of momentum disturbing

Once more a new visitor arrived...

Wol Euler: (gen was saying just the other day that we needed new blood :)
Quel Karillion: although 3 new in one day is quite a bit...
Quel Karillion: oh, ok, just 2

...and left.

Wol Euler chuckles
Solobill Laville: (Storm, lately I think that intention is vital...not just on a personal level)
Storm Nordwind nods

I wanted to make sure that our new visitor(s) was/were made welcome and had his/their questions answered. The rest of our session was fairly typical of fielding questions from new visitors - which was, as it nearly always is, delightful. There was a slight deviation when Sonic asked about my personal history but, apart from that and the other attendees slipping away politely, one by one, the rest is fairly familiar and I add no further comment.

Storm Nordwind: So Sonic, is this the first time to this pavilion?
Sonic Moonites: yeah, im exploring at the moment looking for groups
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: What kind of groups attract you?
Sonic Moonites: it seems good here
Sonic Moonites: im pretty interested in Buddhism and that's how i found this
Storm Nordwind: Cool
Storm Nordwind: There are some Buddhists who come here
Storm Nordwind: I'm one
Storm Nordwind: But this is not a Buddhist group as such
Solobill Laville raises his hand
Storm Nordwind: Have you seen our website?
Sonic Moonites: I'm surprised to find a community like this on SL
Sonic Moonites: nope
Sonic Moonites: i will look at it
Storm Nordwind: Then that's a really good start to read
Solobill Laville quietly excuses himself, hosting a Halloween party tonight...
Storm Nordwind: Let me give you the URL
Sonic Moonites: thank you
Wol Euler: bye solo, take care
Quel Karillion: I'd call myself either independent from religions or then a mixture of Buddhist and christian.
Solobill Laville: bye, all :)
Storm Nordwind: Bye Solo
Storm Nordwind: http://playasbeing.wik.is/
Sonic Moonites: ok thank you, ill give it a look now
Storm Nordwind: Great. It's about a very short but very frequent meditation practice
Storm Nordwind: And one thing you need to know is that we meet here (or some of group do) every 6 hours!
Sonic Moonites: oh ok
Storm Nordwind: So that's 1am, 7am, 1pm, 7pm Second Life Time
Sonic Moonites: ok, thank you
Storm Nordwind: You're always welcome to come and find out more. The wiki explains a bit. Try finding the intro sections
Sonic Moonites: the group looks interesting, yeah im reading the wiki now
Storm Nordwind: Cool.
Storm Nordwind: Actually next week we will be moving to a new venue, but I'll put a landmark giver on the table here
Quel Karillion: ah, I have other meeting to attend to, please excuse me :)
Sonic Moonites: ok, well please continue
Storm Nordwind: Bye Quel
Wol Euler: bye quel
Storm Nordwind: People come here and discuss their experiences with the Play as Being practice
Storm Nordwind: We often shorten that to PaB by the way
Sonic Moonites: ok
Storm Nordwind: And sometimes we discuss social things, sometime philosophy, sometimes our meditation experiences, our dreams... it's very varied
Storm Nordwind: There's been an unbroken set of meetings since we started in April
Sonic Moonites: ok, very interesting
Storm Nordwind: But the core practice is the 9 second meditation every 15 minutes
Sonic Moonites: ok
Storm Nordwind: There are other things too - extensions - but that is the core. And many people blog their experiences. Many people find quite a change over time doing it
Sonic Moonites: how have you found all this so far?
Storm Nordwind smiles
Storm Nordwind: Well I've been doing this since we started at the beginning of April...
Storm Nordwind: The basic practice was interesting
Storm Nordwind: It gave me an very good worldview of non-attachment
Storm Nordwind: I guess that's a bit Buddhist though!
Storm Nordwind grins
Sonic Moonites: yeah certainly rings a bell or two
Storm Nordwind: From another point of view, the meditations were intensely physically relaxing
Sonic Moonites: i find the second-life, real life boundaries interesting, especially in relation to these kinds of contexts
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: yes i agree
Sonic Moonites: its difficult for me initially to get used to speaking so openly over an interface like this one
Storm Nordwind: I understand
Storm Nordwind: And trust is something that develops
Wol Euler nods. It is something that one gets used to, though. I hardly notice now.
Storm Nordwind: It can't be expected
Wol Euler: This has become "speech" and "listening" to me.
Wol Euler: give it time :)
Sonic Moonites: sure
Storm Nordwind: If this is your only avatar Sonic, then it may take a while for that boundary to be comfortable.
Storm Nordwind: But time is good. There is no boundary for me now. But I've been here more than 2 years
Storm Nordwind: By the way Sonic...
Storm Nordwind: We record these sessions...
Storm Nordwind: may I ask your permission to publish your name and even what you have said here?
Sonic Moonites: yes, I've noticed, I'm reading some of the past conversations on your wiki
Sonic Moonites: yes, of course
Storm Nordwind: You can remain anonymous if you wish
Sonic Moonites: no, its really fine
Storm Nordwind: Thank you so much! :)
Sonic Moonites: please, continue with what you were talking about, i heard something about a plateau
Storm Nordwind: Ah... esoteric stuff! :)
Storm Nordwind: I'm sure we don't mind explaining basic stuff too. I find it's a good reference point
Storm Nordwind: We often take so much for granted when we've been doing a practice for a while
Storm Nordwind speaks only for himself of course!
Sonic Moonites: yeah sure
Wol Euler smiles
Sonic Moonites: theres almost so much to say you must find it difficult where to start
Storm Nordwind: Yes indeed
Storm Nordwind: And I have found reading private blogs to be illuminating
Storm Nordwind: I kept one assiduously for a while
Storm Nordwind: Then after about 4 months I got rather more sporadic
Storm Nordwind: But I'm glad I recorded my experiences
Storm Nordwind: especially with the later exercises that followed on from the core practice
Sonic Moonites: you noticed progress?
Storm Nordwind: Very much so.
Storm Nordwind: And it's almost difficult to see where I was just 6 months ago by comparison
Storm Nordwind: But perhaps we are in a goal oriented world
Storm Nordwind: One thing we were speaking of before was "intention"
Storm Nordwind: People do these things - like meditation - for different reasons
Sonic Moonites: sure, I've always found I've got things from meditation that were not intentional
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: What sort of meditation do you (or have you) practise(d)?
Sonic Moonites: its very basic forms, breathing and some visualisation(although i find these more difficult)
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: And - might I ask - why do you do them? :)
Sonic Moonites: partly to relax, partly to clear my mind and i think partly because i feel as if I'm getting in touch with something my society has forgotten about
Storm Nordwind: Worthy reasons!
Sonic Moonites: but i don't believe the best way to meditate is necessarily to sit and "be", i find when running i slip into different consciousness
Storm Nordwind: Fine. I once described a walking meditation I used to teach people to someone here. And apparently they tried it and found it very useful!
Wol Euler excuses herself quietly. I have another appointment in a few minutes. Good night all, take care.
Sonic Moonites: sure, i also think its incredibly important to learn to exist in the moment which is something i personally have trouble with
Storm Nordwind: Goodnight Wol
Sonic Moonites: goodnight
Storm Nordwind: Yes I can sympathise with that Sonic
Storm Nordwind: On the other hand I once learnt something many years ago from a Mahatma
Storm Nordwind: He said the secret of happiness is to be able to be happy right now
Storm Nordwind: If you can be happy right now, you can always be happy
Sonic Moonites: yeah, that's good advice
Sonic Moonites: would you mind if i asked a little about your history
Storm Nordwind: Sure
Sonic Moonites: regarding this sort of thing
Storm Nordwind: What would you like to know?
Sonic Moonites: where your journey started, philosophical or spiritual?
Storm Nordwind: Hmmm.... :)
Sonic Moonites: sorry its a tough question
Storm Nordwind: Now I will take your question as I believe you meant it!
Storm Nordwind: No not tough
Storm Nordwind: But I have to be careful of not making assumptions!
Storm Nordwind: For example, if one takes a view of existing over more than one lifetime, the answer could be different! :)
Sonic Moonites: oh ok
Storm Nordwind: Would you like the answer in calendar years, age years or years ago? :)
Sonic Moonites: well...age years
Storm Nordwind: OK
Storm Nordwind: It began in my teens
Storm Nordwind: But I made my first progress towards spiritual paths at the age of 20
Storm Nordwind: I first learnt to meditate at the age of 20
Sonic Moonites: ok
Storm Nordwind: I even joined a spiritual commune at the age of 21
Storm Nordwind: I've studied many forms of spiritual thought during my 20s
Storm Nordwind: and many kinds of practice, including meditation
Storm Nordwind: I haven't really stopped, though I guess I have had slightly different religious viewpoints from time to time
Sonic Moonites: yeah
Storm Nordwind: I'm now in my mid 50s
Sonic Moonites: and how has this culminated into the virtual world?
Storm Nordwind: Culminated is possibly too final a word. But I came here originally to research educational uses for SL...
Storm Nordwind: Then I developed it for social use...
Storm Nordwind: Then I built a large garden as an offering to a much loved deity
Storm Nordwind: (Kuan Yin)
Storm Nordwind: And I met the woman who I am to marry here too
Storm Nordwind: Then I met the founder of the Play as Being project in March
Sonic Moonites: ok
Storm Nordwind: and I've been working with him ever since
Sonic Moonites: wow
Storm Nordwind: But the practice is interesting and really only part of what I do
Sonic Moonites: i see your profile your very artistic
Storm Nordwind has forgotten what his profile says, so goes and looks!
Sonic Moonites: im also a musician
Sonic Moonites: ha ha
Storm Nordwind: Yes I guess I am rather varied in what I do!
Sonic Moonites: i think being an artist of some sort always lends itself to this kind of thinking
Storm Nordwind: I think I am more right brained than left
Sonic Moonites: so your also a scientific man?
Storm Nordwind: sure
Storm Nordwind: but that is the left
Storm Nordwind: the right is the more artistic
Sonic Moonites: yeah
Storm Nordwind: Play as Being is an initiative of the Kira Institute http://kira.org
Sonic Moonites: ok ill check it out
Storm Nordwind: Some of the PaB practices have married very well with my Buddhist practice
Sonic Moonites: yeah i can see how
Sonic Moonites: im sorry i feel slightly overwhelmed, im not used to so much going on in a virtual world like this
Storm Nordwind: And here we sit quietly! :)
Storm Nordwind: But I am so pleased to be able to meet you and offer you this opportunity - to find out more
Sonic Moonites: yeah thank you
Threedee Shepherd has been quietly listening and now will be going. Bye.
Sonic Moonites: bye
Storm Nordwind: Bye Threedee
Storm Nordwind: Well perhaps the best thing to do is to read what's on the web and come again.
Sonic Moonites: yeah sure
Storm Nordwind: And have a go at the simple practice. The practice is the thing. It's very short and simple
Storm Nordwind: Later you can develop it further if you wish
Sonic Moonites: ok
Sonic Moonites: well its good to meet you
Storm Nordwind: May I enquire what your time zone is?
Sonic Moonites: Britain
Storm Nordwind: I'm in Scotland
Storm Nordwind: People come from all over
Storm Nordwind: Most in the US
Storm Nordwind: So - as from next week - 3,9,3,9 are the meeting time here
Storm Nordwind: This week the US is out of sync with us!
Sonic Moonites: ok, well ill see what i can do, especially as regarding RL
Storm Nordwind: I understand
Storm Nordwind: So good to meet you!
Sonic Moonites: yeah you too, hopefully see you again soon
Storm Nordwind: I'll look forward to it
Sonic Moonites: ok bye
Storm Nordwind: Bye for now
Storm Nordwind: Namaste