2008.11.29 13:00 - Talking to a dying man

Storm Nordwind was guardian for this session. The comments are Storm's.

When I arrived the pool was hidden and all the cushions exposed.

Riddle Sideways: are we expecting a large crowd?
Riddle Sideways: Storm, I love the hidden fountain
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Here's a notecard with inf about us...and the website.
Rochelle Perfferle: Got it.. I am reading, thank you
Corvuscorva Nightfire: We post our chat on the website..do you mind if your words go there?
Rochelle Perfferle: No I don't, its fine.
Storm Nordwind: Warning - I'm going to activate the pool
Corvuscorva Nightfire: aww
Corvuscorva Nightfire: moon!
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Riddle...you'll get wet.

I spoke the magic words and the pool re-appeared and a low fountain sputtered in the centre.

Riddle Sideways: excuse me I eat leftovers in the pool
Riddle Sideways: hehehehehhe
Corvuscorva Nightfire hugs the long absent Moon.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: and gives him a piece of chocolate.
Moon Fargis purrzzzzzzzzz
Storm Nordwind: Hi Rochelle
Rochelle Perfferle: Hi storm *smiles*
Storm Nordwind: We have someone called a guardian looking after these sessions
Storm Nordwind: We have 28 sessions a week, and it's my turn this time
Storm Nordwind: and they get to choose whether we have a pool or not!
Corvuscorva Nightfire giggles.
Storm Nordwind: So I wanted the soothing water sound after a long day

aaaaaahhhh... relaxing...

Rochelle Perfferle: there's always people in all the meetings? That's a lot of them
Riddle Sideways: Guardian or not, you will have a hard time making moon behave
Storm Nordwind: hehe!
Corvuscorva Nightfire wraps her arms around the little bear. He's a good bear.
Storm Nordwind: Well Rochelle, we often have more than 10 or so people here
Moon Fargis: *giggles*
Storm Nordwind: But sometimes it's just a few
Rochelle Perfferle nods
Moon Fargis points corvi to his eyes
Riddle Sideways: only once have I been the only one
Rochelle Perfferle: that's fairly active
Storm Nordwind: Looking at the traffic count for this plot it says "1740"
Storm Nordwind: In the last 24 hours
Storm Nordwind: Did you manage to grab yourself an information notecard?
Rochelle Perfferle: Yes I have one
Storm Nordwind: Cool
Riddle Sideways: would that be unique visitors
Storm Nordwind: No Riddle. That's avatar minutes ignoring the first X minutes (where X is unknown but may be 5)

So 1740 avatar-minutes in 24 hours ... Let's suppose that there are 4 meetings of 60 minutes a day. With 240 minutes of meetings a day that implies 7 or 8 at each meeting for the whole time.

Moon Fargis whispers: look corvi look i learned to blink with my eyes:)
Corvuscorva Nightfire grins and looks close.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: oh, Moon, how cute!
Moon Fargis: ^.^
Storm Nordwind: Would you like to know more about what we do Rochelle, or do you just want to sit and listen to the rest of us. Either way is good. :)
Storm Nordwind will take the silence as an "I'm reading the website" signal ;)
Storm Nordwind: Or a crash
Riddle Sideways: poof
Storm Nordwind: And there she was... gone
Corvuscorva Nightfire smiles.

We had temporarily lost La Rochelle. Meanwhile I wondered if anyone had anything to share. Corvi and Riddle came forward.

Storm Nordwind: So what news, what experiences anyone?
Moon Fargis: being tickled is funny:)
Riddle Sideways: expericencingThanksGiving
Moon Fargis: ahh yes thanks giving
Riddle Sideways: anda defectivespacekey
Storm Nordwind: Did you manage to incorporate the 9secs into Thanksgiving? :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire nodsnods.
Riddle Sideways: many times
Storm Nordwind: Great!

Corvi began to tell us of her experience.

Corvuscorva Nightfire: And I thanked Being for those 9 seconds all day.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: really I was thanking my very old vision of God....
Riddle Sideways: there was an entire day of prep work
Corvuscorva Nightfire: but...I was very grateful.
Riddle Sideways: another day of cleanup
Moon Fargis: ah what old vision you mean ?
Riddle Sideways: all the time being thankful
Storm Nordwind: /nods
Storm Nordwind: Please tell us more Corvi - if you want
Storm Nordwind is not ignoring Riddle :)
Riddle Sideways: pls ignore

Corvi continued...

Corvuscorva Nightfire: I went to a friend's house.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: and wound up talking to someone who is days or weeks from dying...
Corvuscorva Nightfire: someone I don't like much.
Storm Nordwind: oh wow!
Moon Fargis: ahmm i see
Riddle Sideways: how does that make you feel?
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I was listening to him..hard....with all that I could manage of myself out of the way.

There was a short break as Rochelle rejoined us.

Storm Nordwind: Welcome back Rochelle
Rochelle Perfferle: I crashed, sorry
Corvuscorva Nightfire: wb.
Moon Fargis: rehi
Storm Nordwind: We guessed. No problem
Riddle Sideways: wb

Corvi told us more.

Corvuscorva Nightfire: It was good to have the 9 seconds...to fall back into that.
Storm Nordwind: It's a powerful resource
Corvuscorva Nightfire nods.
Moon Fargis: yes..
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I wonder, though..what you did to prepare, Riddle?
Riddle Sideways: did you have to rethink the not liking that person
Corvuscorva Nightfire: No.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: He continues to blame other people for cruel things he's done.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: and it is hard to like him.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I had to put that away to listen...
Corvuscorva Nightfire: or allow it to be...and listen, anyway.
Storm Nordwind: You did a great thing Corvi, probably more than he appreciated

Moon left at this point, trying and succeeding in looking cute. Crusty joined us.

Storm Nordwind: Hi Crusty. You're welcome to join us!
Moon Fargis: ohh need to go.. meditation is starting in 10 mins... was nice to see you all see you later ^.^/
Storm Nordwind: Bye Moon
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Goodbye, Moon!.
Riddle Sideways: byemoon
Corvuscorva Nightfire hands one last bit of chocolate.
Rochelle Perfferle: see you
Storm Nordwind wonders about putting Moon on the http://www.cuteoverload.com site
Corvuscorva Nightfire laughs.
Storm Nordwind: Hi Crusty
Crusty Goldshark: hi storm
Crusty Goldshark: hi guts
Adams Rubble: Hello everyone :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire: so much of his cuteness is in behavior....
Rochelle Perfferle: Hello
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Hi, Crusty, Hi, Adams.
Crusty Goldshark: eh guys
Crusty Goldshark: hi to all guts too

Riddle commented on choices of words.

Riddle Sideways: interesting descriptions in your putting away or let be
Riddle Sideways: have been reading so much of our directional words lately
Corvuscorva Nightfire examines the two ways of saying this...
Corvuscorva Nightfire: One is stuffing, the other is allowing.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I think I wound up allowing.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: the 9 seconds helped with that.

I did a brief check as to whether our new visitor "knew the ropes".

Storm Nordwind: Crusty, have you been to these meetings before at all?
Crusty Goldshark: yes earlier today - I was assured I am now enlightened
Crusty Goldshark: hope that is good
Riddle Sideways: good
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Well!
Crusty Goldshark: oh it is good - good
Riddle Sideways: somebody needs to be enlightened around here. And we think it should be you
Storm Nordwind waves to Adams - not ignoring you!
Adams Rubble waves back (not feeling ignored)
Storm Nordwind: We can all be enlightened. Perhaps we all are already :)
Rochelle Perfferle: I don't think I understand what you guys mean when you say enlightened
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I know I don't either.
Crusty Goldshark: Perhaps - on some lvel - however it does not seem to be a level we all exist in
Storm Nordwind: I think in this case there is some jesting going on!
Rochelle Perfferle: oh right :P
Storm Nordwind: One or two of us who have a religion where it means something have particular ideas. But we wouldn't impose that on the rest!
Riddle Sideways: Many times it is very fun play to just be something that you really can't explain or understand
Crusty Goldshark: Like a lobster?

I returned to Corvi's experience.

Storm Nordwind: So Corvi. I'm interested. Did you find the 9 second meditation like a way of "coping" with the difficult situation. Or did it enable you a very different perspective?
Corvuscorva Nightfire: both, I think.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: It allowed me to cope...and see differently.
Storm Nordwind: Do you think it helped you to help the other person in any way too?
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I think it helped him..but I'm not sure. It helped someone else. I'm more sure of that.
Storm Nordwind: Oh?
Riddle Sideways: who?
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Someone he'd been cruel to.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: He was able to talk about it some.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: though he was still blaming the other person for his behavior.
Storm Nordwind: And, from what you said, that might be one of the last opportunities for that kind of help to make a difference
Corvuscorva Nightfire nods.

Our founder arrived, and it seemed the meaning of his chosen name was well known.

Adams Rubble: Hello Pema :)
Storm Nordwind: I find that quite moving
Riddle Sideways: Hi Pema
Rochelle Perfferle: hello
Pema Pera: Hi everybody!
Crusty Goldshark: Hi pema - nice to see a lotus . . .
Storm Nordwind: Hi Pema
Storm Nordwind decodes this as a reference to the name "Pema"
Crusty Goldshark: yes
Pema Pera: :)
Pema Pera: Crusty's Tibetan is impeccable :-)
Crusty Goldshark: Only when I breath properly
Corvuscorva Nightfire laughs.
Pema Pera smiles
Storm Nordwind has been chanting Tibetan mantras all afternoon - and still got them wrong, he is sure
Crusty Goldshark: wrong is like a diamond - shines because of the flaws
Crusty Goldshark: whichmantra ya bin warbling?
Storm Nordwind: Very many Crusty, very many indeed
Crusty Goldshark: I tend to use nly one

We playfully extemporised responses to some of Crusty's odd comments.

Crusty Goldshark: Is the buddha coming?
Pema Pera looking left and right for Buddhas
Storm Nordwind wonders which one
Crusty Goldshark: No One
Riddle Sideways: looking for Buddhas in all the wrong places
Corvuscorva Nightfire tries to sing that.
Storm Nordwind looks under his own pillow for a Buddha... and finds one
Crusty Goldshark: good pillow
Pema Pera wonders about "the pillow book for Buddhists"
Storm Nordwind chuckles

Pema drew our attention to a lovely quote on Corvi's blog, and a few cardinal feathers showed through the crow's.

Pema Pera: actually, what I recently was reading was Corvi's blog, and I found a wonderful paragraph there:
Pema Pera: "I am rededicating myself to letting fear and desire flow through me and beyond me while I am listening. To not work toward a goal in listening, not try for an outcome, but simply to listen and understand."
Pema Pera: Thanks for sharing that with us, Corvi!
Storm Nordwind: Was that related to our earlier discussion Corvi?
Crusty Goldshark: I almost heard that
Adams Rubble: very nice thought
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I wrote it before...*blushes* thank you Pema.
Pema Pera: http://www.crowsshinythings.blogspot.com/
Crusty Goldshark: didn't bother understanding it though
Storm Nordwind: Ah yes - I see the date. But you lived it a few days later.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: It was an opportunity to practice, yes.
Riddle Sideways: oh dear, having to practice our own words
Crusty Goldshark: round 2?
Corvuscorva Nightfire wrinkles her nose, smiles at Riddle. Yes, indeed.
Storm Nordwind: Thank you for that Corvi. I'm making a mental note to read your words more often
Pema Pera: reading is an interesting form of listening . . . .
Storm Nordwind loves the quote about mangos
Crusty Goldshark: seeing is another way of hearing . . .
Corvuscorva Nightfire giggles about the mangos.

There was a nice pause, and the sounds of the water mingled with birdsong.

Storm Nordwind is finding it very easy to be relaxed and quiet here today

Riddle fought with his sticky keyboard to tell us a little of his experiences.

Riddle Sideways isnot typing becaue needsakeyboard withaworking spacebar
Riddle Sideways: funny,how every 15 min. I can be thankful
Adams Rubble: :)
Riddle Sideways: yet had to clean , cook and
Riddle Sideways: invite
Riddle Sideways: to be thankful with others
Riddle Sideways: to givethanks sure took a lot
Storm Nordwind: You mean, some other people are just thankful once a year? ;)
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Is that what you meant by preparation?
Riddle Sideways: yes Corvi and I really hope not Storm
Storm Nordwind: Yes I hope not too!
Riddle Sideways: some people take special baths before being thankful
Riddle Sideways: others cook a turkey
Storm Nordwind: Oh?
Riddle Sideways: some can just take another breathe
Storm Nordwind: I like the latter approach :)
Riddle Sideways: is it a more full thanks
Riddle Sideways: if we put more into preparing?
Riddle Sideways: is there a difference if we go to our special place?
Adams Rubble: It is a matter of sharing :)
Storm Nordwind: If you think it's important to feel the thankfulness, and if preparation helps you feel that, then yes it is for you

Pema was being pulled by another event...

Pema Pera is about to go to a special place, the Kira Cafe, where Happy Hour will start in a few minutes (^_^)
Riddle Sideways: ooooohappy hour
Storm Nordwind: And I invite you all to travel there in the balloon
Adams Rubble: bye everyone :)
Pema Pera: bye Adams!
Storm Nordwind: Bye Adams
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Bye all!
Rochelle Perfferle: buh bye hon
Riddle Sideways: bye all
Crusty Goldshark: bye
Pema Pera: I'll take you up on the offer Storm!
Storm Nordwind: Anyone who wants to travel there in the balloon, please follow me
Pema Pera: anyone else up for a balloon ride?
Crusty Goldshark: me too
Storm Nordwind: This way