2008.12.04 13:00 - Six months on

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

I sat in the reduced square of cushions at the centre of the pavilion, just to see what it was like. A visitor arrived. As usual I quickly checked the profile and found their preferred name, which I used from now on. I assumed it was Gaelic.

Storm Nordwind: Hi Scáth
Scathach Rhiadra: Hi Storm
Storm Nordwind: Please excuse my poor memory... have you been here before?
Scathach Rhiadra: just a few times this week, we have never met:)
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: I see. That saves me having to ask permission to record your words then!
Storm Nordwind: And perhaps you need no introduction to what we're up to here either.
Scathach Rhiadra: :)

I explained the guardian system and commented on the rest of the profile.

Storm Nordwind: My stint here is on Thursday and Saturday - hence our not meeting before now
Scathach Rhiadra: ah, I see , different guardians each day?
Storm Nordwind: Yes. We have a rota system. After all, there are 28 slots a week to fill
Storm Nordwind: You have a fascinating profile - a mixture of Science and Buddhism it seems. :)
Storm Nordwind: Hello Wol
Scathach Rhiadra: yes, Pema thought that too, that is how I found out about this PaB

Wol and Adams arrived.

Wol Euler: hello storm, scathach, adams
Wol's translator: こんにちは嵐、 scathach 、アダムス
Scathach Rhiadra: Hello Wol:)
Storm Nordwind: Hi Adams
Storm Nordwind: Yes it's a good mix for here
Adams Rubble: Hello Storm, Scathbach and Wol :)
Scathach Rhiadra: Hi Adams

Adams had an occasion to commemorate.

Adams Rubble: It has been six months since you first introduced me to PaB Storm
Adams Rubble: Hello Gaya :)
Storm Nordwind: Wow! Adams
Wol Euler: hello gaya
Scathach Rhiadra: Hello Gaya
Storm Nordwind: Hi Gaya!
Gaya Ethaniel: _/!\_
Storm Nordwind: I see you're wearing a cassette tape around your neck Gaya. Is this "Fast Forward as Being"? ;)
Wol Euler: heheheheh
Gaya Ethaniel: ^___^

A newcomer arrived, greeted us, and tried unsuccessfully to edit their appearance in our midst. Wol kindly and dutifully took them aside to explain things, but they never returned so they remain anonymous here.

Adams Rubble: Howdy *****
***** ********: Om Namah Shivayah
***** ********: Om Tat Sat
***** ********: OK
Wol Euler: born today, eh? welcome to second life, *****.
Wol Euler: you can't put clothes on from the appearance editor, you need to use your inventory for that.
Wol Euler: follow me, we'll discuss this away from the group
Wol Euler: come out here please

We returned to Adams's six months.

Storm Nordwind: A lot has happened in six months Adams, do you think?
Adams Rubble: Yes :)
Adams Rubble: But I am in a bit of a still time. Everything just sort of working itself out
Storm Nordwind: That can be very good
Adams Rubble: It is a bit of necessity but yes, I think so
Storm Nordwind: Things in motion? Or letting the unconscious digest things?
Adams Rubble: I am focusing on other things so when I stop, I just stop
Adams Rubble: I am not trying to feed the motion
Adams Rubble: It's a bit new for me
Adams Rubble: I've been chasing things most of the time
Storm Nordwind nods
Adams Rubble: Maybe I'll learn I don;t have to
Storm Nordwind: Hmm...
Storm Nordwind: I understand the idea of realising the path is illusory and that we are where we need to be right now
Storm Nordwind: Though I also believe that sometimes an illusion can help us to see reality, if that is not an impossible contradiction!
Adams Rubble: I'm not committed to this; it's just necessity right now
Adams Rubble: Every so often someone says something and I feel in motion again
Adams Rubble: then I just sort of slow down again
Adams Rubble: After everything is done, then I can reevaluate
Storm Nordwind: /nods
Adams Rubble: Some days I worry a little and other days I am just enjoying it
Storm Nordwind: I will not precipitate things ahead of time then!
Adams Rubble: :)
Storm Nordwind: Enjoying is good :))
Adams Rubble: Precipitation is not a bad thing
Gaya Ethaniel looks up 'precipitate'
Adams Rubble hoping it isn't going to rain
Storm Nordwind: In Glasgow we get rather too much precipitation!
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble: You'll be lost in the west :)
Storm Nordwind: I think I will survive nicely!

I returned to our first visitor to discuss science and religion, the relationship between them and the relationships between 'things'.

Storm Nordwind: So Scáth, are you interested in Science and Buddhism separately, or do you see links between them?
Gaya Ethaniel: ^^
Scathach Rhiadra: yes, I think there are links between them
Scathach Rhiadra: I've just been reading a book about Tibetan Buddhism & modern physics
Storm Nordwind: That sounds interesting. Would you like to share anything from it?
Scathach Rhiadra: Well, I'm only about half way through, but they similarities between Quantum non-locality and Buddhist philosophy are fascinating
Adams Rubble: What is Quantum non-locality?
Storm Nordwind: perhaps you will need to elaborate on that, yes please!
Gaya Ethaniel nods. Yes what is that? ^^
Scathach Rhiadra: basically, the connections between entities are of more importance that their actual existence
Storm Nordwind: Things are defined by their relationships?
Scathach Rhiadra: yes, you have instantaneous action at a distance in QM which can only be explained by some sort on connection
Storm Nordwind nods
Storm Nordwind: The idea of entanglement, for example?
Scathach Rhiadra: yes, that is it:)
Gaya Ethaniel: How come physics sound so mysterious? ^^
Wol Euler: sorry about that, I didn't realize you could still hear me :(
Adams Rubble couldn;'t hear
Gaya Ethaniel: wb Wol ^^
Scathach Rhiadra: and in Buddhism dependent arising seems to 'mirror' that entanglement, if you like
Storm Nordwind: Hmm... yes... But could it be that the connection is that the two things are simply parts of a single object that seems to be in two places.
Scathach Rhiadra: yes, but what if they are vast distances apart?
Scathach Rhiadra: maybe light years?
Storm Nordwind: No difference in my "experience"
Adams Rubble wonders about Storm's experience
Scathach Rhiadra: so the speed of light is not a barrier?
Storm Nordwind: Well I speak only from my experiences with Being, but it would seem there is a fair amount of illusion that we carry with us on a day to day basis.
Storm Nordwind: And I speak as a scientist and a Buddhist

Adams left us and Corvi graced us with her presence.

Adams Rubble: Ah, thanks
Storm Nordwind: Hi Corvi
Gaya Ethaniel: Hey Corvi ^^
Adams Rubble: Unfortunately I must go but I will read the rest. Bye everyone :)
Wol Euler: hello corvi!
Storm Nordwind: Bye for now Adams
Wol Euler: and bye adams, take care.
Gaya Ethaniel: She was fast leaving
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Hi, Wol!

Gaya wanted to pick up on something I said.

Gaya Ethaniel listens to Storm... 'illusions'
Storm Nordwind: Well Gaya - sometimes these things are not easy to describe. I do know the experiences I have through Buddhist meditation and Play as Being meditation show me a reality that makes illusions stand out for what they are
Gaya Ethaniel nods...
Storm Nordwind: But I would not presume to know how they relate to science as yet
Gaya Ethaniel: ah ok

But that led into a fundamental point about the way we do what we do.

Storm Nordwind: That is one thing Scáth that is common in Play as Being work. We start from the experience rather than the theory - partly because we come from so many different backgrounds
Scathach Rhiadra: ah, I see:)
Storm Nordwind: So although many of us love a good discussion, we can't assume we all have common theoretical starting points
Storm Nordwind: For example, I am Buddhist, but many people in PaB are not
Storm Nordwind: Some are not really religious at all in any recognisable sense
Storm Nordwind: But when we do the 9 second practice and other PaB practices, it gives us a common starting point
Storm Nordwind: And we can then discuss it, and its effects, and so on

I moved on to the practice itself.

Storm Nordwind: Have you tried the practice yourself yet Scáth?
Scathach Rhiadra: yes, I have tried it, I found it hard to remember to do it very regularly:)
Wol Euler grins
Storm Nordwind: haha! No problem :)
Storm Nordwind: That is why people have tools to remind them
Storm Nordwind: Such as the bell above and behind you
Gaya Ethaniel nods ^^
Wol Euler: (and also,the difference between "never" and "once a day" is much greater than the difference between "once a day" and "once an hour")
Storm Nordwind: A very good point Wol

Moon's entrance often causes a hiatus! He showed off his fur, and commented on the small number of cushions. With a magical flourish (well, whispered words) I quadrupled the number of cushions, and then, with a similar flourish, I hid them again. (Actually the floor rises and falls over them.)

Wol Euler: hello moon
Storm Nordwind sees we are going to be invaded by 'cute'
Gaya Ethaniel: Hey Moon ^^
Wol Euler: as long as we aren't invaded by monstrously huge.
Scathach Rhiadra: Hello Moon
Moon Fargis: something is missing
Storm Nordwind wondered what Moon means
Moon Fargis: wasn't there also more pillows or do they disappear too now
Storm Nordwind: Watch Moon
Wol Euler: magic!
Gaya Ethaniel: ^^
Storm Nordwind: and again
Wol Euler: simple but effective, good work Storm.
Storm Nordwind: Thank you Wol
Moon Fargis: great yes:)
Gaya Ethaniel nods ^__^
Moon Fargis pokes corvi ,wol and gaya.. look.. look.. i got fur now!
Wol Euler: wow, a textured moon.
Gaya Ethaniel: ah ^^ and more accessories I see

I returned to the practice and to record keeping.

Storm Nordwind: Have you tried recording your experiences yet Scáth?
Scathach Rhiadra: oh, that is another thing I have found difficult:)
Scathach Rhiadra: I have never kept a diary or anything like that so it is a bit strange to me:)
Storm Nordwind: I sympathise Scáth! :)
Storm Nordwind: I decided to try writing mine in a blog
Storm Nordwind: And I had avoided blog deliberately for many years
Storm Nordwind: Despite being a computer techie
Gaya Ethaniel: [Corvi is afk Moon]
Moon Fargis: ahh
Storm Nordwind: But it worked for me. I am very much not a diary person because it takes me away from experiencing the Now.

Moon wanted to decorate the place according to his own local real world tradition for this time of year. I dropped a strong hint.

Moon Fargis: hmm maybe now its time for a Christmas tree around here ?:)
Storm Nordwind: Moon you're welcome to put a tree up for your own guardian sessions here.
Moon Fargis: *giggles*
Wol Euler: that was tactfully expressed, storm :)
Storm Nordwind grins

Scáth continued about logging.

Scathach Rhiadra: and it is difficult to be spontaneous about what I experience, and not analyse
Gaya Ethaniel: I use my diary to reflect later... works well for me
Storm Nordwind: I agree Scáth
Storm Nordwind: Then just let it happen. Please remember what the practice is called
Storm Nordwind: The emphasis is with the first word: Play
Scathach Rhiadra: :)
Wol Euler nods
Storm Nordwind: If it gets hard work then take a break
Storm Nordwind: Actually that sounds like Buddhism for me too!
Gaya Ethaniel muses... what did the Buddha do during his breaks?
Moon Fargis: eatinng candy
Storm Nordwind chuckles
Gaya Ethaniel: ^^ perhaps perhaps not
Storm Nordwind: Maybe that accounts for Buddha statues smiling but hiding their teeth
Gaya Ethaniel giggles
Storm Nordwind: (expect the wrathful forms of course!)
Scathach Rhiadra: :)
Moon Fargis: hehe
Moon Fargis: oh one sec brb
Gaya Ethaniel: ok

Since there were old timers here, I ventured a mini-survey. I wondered whether I should have been surprised at the results!

Storm Nordwind: So let me ask the others. Who has found recording their PaB experiences useful?
Wol Euler hasn't actually tried recording them, sad to say.
Gaya Ethaniel: I don't record all breaks
Gaya Ethaniel: And... mostly nothing to record
Gaya Ethaniel: [or difficult to record*]
Storm Nordwind: I found it very useful more at first than later. Although it was exhilarating to reread my Seeing as Being etc experiences from summer
Gaya Ethaniel smiles. Same here, more entries during the initial period at PaB...
Storm Nordwind: But perhaps persevere Scáth, at least for a while. And by all means feel free to share anything you find at these sessions. Or plague us with questions too!
Scathach Rhiadra: ok, you might regret that, I always have loads of questions:))
Storm Nordwind: Great!! I for one look forward to them :))
Gaya Ethaniel: ^^ me too always ask questions... though I'm not the one to be asked Scath
Storm Nordwind: I'll admit ahead of time that often I will contribute a "Don't know as yet"
Gaya Ethaniel: ^^

I pointed to the time and suggested we decamp.

Storm Nordwind: What we sometimes do is go to the Kira Cafe at this time, as it's the start of Happy Hour
Wol Euler cheers
Storm Nordwind: Though I dare say Pema may not be here as he may be jet-lagged in Kyoto at the moment
Storm Nordwind: Wol you are cheering. Do you suggest transferring there? :)
Wol Euler: I do :)
Wol Euler: but hten I would ...
Storm Nordwind: haha!
Wol Euler: it's 7 am in tokyo ... Pema is probably breakfasting
Storm Nordwind: true
Storm Nordwind: that doesn't always stop him though!
Wol Euler: heheh, true.
Storm Nordwind: Scáth would you like to join us, perhaps take the balloon ride there?
Scathach Rhiadra: oh, that sounds nice:)
Scathach Rhiadra: the balloon, I mean
Storm Nordwind: Then let's go!
Gaya Ethaniel: See you all later then ^^ Enjoy
Wol Euler: see you there in a bit.
Storm Nordwind: Please follow me