2008.12.18 13:00 - Snow, gifts and expectations

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

Arrivals...

Storm Nordwind: Hello Pila
Pila Mulligan: hi Storm
Pila Mulligan: how are you?
Storm Nordwind: I'm well thank you. And you?
Pila Mulligan: fine, thanks
Pila Mulligan: having a late breakfast :)
Storm Nordwind smiles
Storm Nordwind: Welcome guys
Pila Mulligan: hi Corvi and Solo
Corvuscorva Nightfire: hi all!
Solobill Laville: Heya, Storm, Pila, Corvi!
Storm Nordwind: I'm rather pleased - in a non-attached way - that I just have this guardian slot now! :)
Moon Fargis giggles
Pila Mulligan: mazel tov :)
Moon Fargis: hi susi :)
Corvuscorva Nightfire laughs.. I'm glad for you, too, Storm.
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Hi Susi!
Pila Mulligan: hi Susi
Pila Mulligan: hi Moon
Moon Fargis: hi everyone :) made it almost on time :)
Storm Nordwind: Hello!
Corvuscorva Nightfire grins.
Corvuscorva Nightfire pats her lap.
Solobill Laville: (Congrats, Storm!)
Storm Nordwind: Good evening Wol!
Moon Fargis looks to corvi and nods :)
Wol Euler: I arrived just in time!
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Hi Wol!
Solobill Laville: Hi, Moon and Susi
Storm Nordwind: Thank you Solo, Corvi
Solobill Laville: Heya, Wol
Wol Euler: hello box.
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Pila Mulligan: hi Wol
Wol Euler: hi susi, moon, corvi, pila, solo, storm
Storm Nordwind chuckles at Moon's antics

Some careful seating position ensued...

Wol Euler indulges her love of symmetry and completeness
Moon Fargis: ^^
Solobill Laville: Yay, Wol!
Storm Nordwind: That is a provocative statement Wol!
Wol Euler: heheheheh
Solobill Laville: It seems that the word "antics" should always requires an adjective...
Wol Euler: (explaining why I moved! harmless fun!!)
Wol Euler: (as Lord Nelson said to Lady Hamilton)
Solobill Laville: as in kooky...wacky, etc
Storm Nordwind: Sadly many antics quickly become antiques!
Solobill Laville: hehe
Corvuscorva Nightfire tosses the pillow at Storm.
Pila Mulligan: :)

Some playful anti-positioning ensued...

Solobill Laville wonders what Wol will think if I do...this
Wol Euler: ack! eeek!!!!!
Pila Mulligan: oh, more symmetry
Moon Fargis: just do :)
Moon Fargis: just sit ^^
Wol Euler: no that would only be symmetrical if Susi moved to the blue cushion on the second row
Corvuscorva Nightfire scritches Moon's ears.

I wondered what attracted or appalled us in patterns.

Storm Nordwind: What is it about symmetry that affects us so?
Moon Fargis purrzzzzzzzzz
Solobill Laville: (Sorry, Storm, now you'll to describe that in the chat log...)
Wol Euler: there's a theory that symmetry in facial features is a sign of good genes
Storm Nordwind: haha Solo!
Solobill Laville: ;)
Wol Euler: and therefore indicates a "beneficial" partner
Storm Nordwind: But not all successful natural lifeforms are symmetrical
Moon Fargis: well the nicest symmetry is the asymmetry
Storm Nordwind: And many have very odds patterns, though patterns nevertheless
Storm Nordwind: The 9 second practice is symmetrical when placed on a clock
Solobill Laville: HOw so, Storm?
Storm Nordwind: Well every 15 minutes makes a cross shape with the positions of the minute hand
Storm Nordwind: And from an artists point of view, I like the juxtaposition of symmetry and non-symmetry
Storm Nordwind: So this pavilion is symmetrical but set in non-symmetrical landscape
Solobill Laville nods
Wol Euler: hello Adams, long time no see
Storm Nordwind decides to give up on symmetry as a conversation starter!

OK, I gave up being serious for a while! Meanwhile Adams arrived and people mentioned the facilities north of the Kira Cafe: an ice rink where you can get free skates and a snowball thrower.

Susi Alcott: hi Adams
Adams Dubrovna: hello Wol, everyone :)
Storm Nordwind: Hi Adams
Adams Dubrovna: Susi :)
Adams Dubrovna: Storm :)
Solobill Laville: Heya, Adams
Pila Mulligan: hi Adams
Solobill Laville: Nice, skates, Storm...I tried it out earlier! Great fun!
Storm Nordwind: Ah good. Only missing sounds. But not bad for free. :)
Pila Mulligan: and the snowball thrower is fun also
Solobill Laville: :))
Storm Nordwind: Ah yes... :)
Wol Euler: mmhmm
Storm Nordwind feels safe here

That was silly of me. I could have felt safe in the Cafe, but here all guardians had the rights to throw snowballs, albeit with no snow on the ground.

Moon Fargis: snowball fight!!
Wol Euler: sadly, yes.
Wol Euler: oh hang on ...
Storm Nordwind: Oh no... it's group create!!!
Solobill Laville keeps his eyes on Wol
Wol Euler: awww, they don't burst on impact
Solobill Laville: Has to be close I think...
Adams Dubrovna: I think they are hand grenades that do that Wol

In which case I thought a change in the weather inside the pavilion was apposite. We found ourselves in the midst of a blizzard!

Pila Mulligan: shivers
Wol Euler: aaaah
Solobill Laville: Oh, the weather outside is frightful...
Solobill Laville: But the fire is so delightful...
Wol Euler is humming but can't remember the words
Pila Mulligan: let it snow
Solobill Laville: And since we've no place to go...
Pila Mulligan: let it snow x3
Wol Euler: !
Solobill Laville: Let it snow, let it snow, lit it snow
Storm Nordwind: litter snow

Moon erected a temporary tree with a music star atop.

Pila Mulligan: :)
Wol Euler raises an eyebrow at Moon.
Moon Fargis giggles
Storm Nordwind wonders whether to fuse the electrics with water
Moon Fargis: come on some Christmas feelings everyone ^^
Wol Euler: brb
Storm Nordwind: Winter solstice festivals are wonderful
Adams Dubrovna: !!?!
Storm Nordwind smiles

Actually, I do love these festivals, but prefer reconstructions of more ancient ones to the modern plastic santas. Festivals such as Yule and Mithras Eve have peppered my calendar in years passed. Solo very kindly passed out gifts.

Solobill Laville: Please help yourself to the gift, everyone...there's a couple of shirts and sutras I made...
Wol Euler: oh wow!
Pila Mulligan: thanks Solo
Solobill Laville: yw :)
Pila Mulligan: it seems stuck tot he floor :)
Moon Fargis: well the permission denies us to copy :)
Wol Euler pouts. Doesn't do anything when I click it.
Solobill Laville: hmmm...ok, try this then
Storm Nordwind: That is so you don't get attached!
Solobill Laville gave you Zen Retreat Sutra Club Holiday Gift Set.
Wol Euler: ah!
Corvuscorva Nightfire: I have to go for a bit..
Pila Mulligan: :)
Storm Nordwind: Thank you!
Wol Euler: ty solo
Adams Dubrovna: bye Cprvi
Adams Dubrovna: ty Bill
Wol Euler: bye corvi
Pila Mulligan: bye Corvi
Storm Nordwind: See you later Corvi
Storm Nordwind: Please come to Cafe talk!
Corvuscorva Nightfire: Bye all!
Solobill Laville: Bye, Corvi
Moon Fargis: thank you!
Adams Dubrovna: I must go for good. Sorry to miss your talk Storm. I'll read it. bye everyone :)
Wol Euler: bye adams, take care
Solobill Laville: Bye, Adams
Storm Nordwind: Bye Adams. It's voice.
Adams Dubrovna: ah, no reading then :(
Pila Mulligan: bye Adams
Adams Dubrovna: Hope it all goes well and you have a great crowd!
Storm Nordwind: Thank you Adams!

We had a newcomer visit us.

Wol Euler: hello six, welcome.
Solobill Laville: Hello, Six
SixIsANine Swansong: hello
SixIsANine Swansong: and thanks
Wol Euler: have you been here before?
SixIsANine Swansong: never
Wol Euler: ok, I'll give you an introduction in IM then so we don't disturb the others
SixIsANine Swansong: whats happening?
Storm Nordwind: Please read the note I gave you
Wol Euler: beat me to it, thanks storm
Storm Nordwind: The thing I need to ask you Six is "What do you think about the last paragraph to do with recording?"

Information was duly imparted and permission obtained.

Storm Nordwind: While Six is digesting that, I'll ask a standard question: Does anyone have any PaB experiences to share?
Storm Nordwind looks warily at Solo's snowball
Solobill Laville: the last couple of days it has been a lot of busy stuff...
Solobill Laville forgot he was still wearing it...but now that he realizes it...
Storm Nordwind: Yes it's been busy in RL for me too. Time of year and time of life!
Wol Euler nods
SixIsANine Swansong: I am fine with the recording and do not mind my name being mentioned
Wol Euler: ty
Storm Nordwind: Thank you for that Six. It makes my life as editor a lot easier!
SixIsANine Swansong: I understand
Pila Mulligan: I need to deal with some rl errands now -- and so will unfortunately miss your talk, Storm - best wishes
Storm Nordwind: OK Pila
Solobill Laville: bye, Pila
Pila Mulligan: aloha
Wol Euler: nye pila
SixIsANine Swansong: hasta luego pila

I briefly mentioned a personal experience I'd had today. En route, I was able to clarify some things about our group to our new visitor. Then we started to discuss things arising from that.

Storm Nordwind: I came across something in my own personal practice today. In retrospect I wonder whether it has any applicability to Play as Being
Solobill Laville listens
Moon Fargis: oh?
Wol Euler: mm?
Storm Nordwind: We have a practice of taking refuge in Buddhism. I hasten to add, for Six's benefit, that this is not a Buddhism group...
SixIsANine Swansong: can you explain then pls
Storm Nordwind: Well there are some Buddhists in this group, and many who are not.
Storm Nordwind: But sometimes we talk about things from religions
Storm Nordwind: or philosophy...
Storm Nordwind: or art, or science
SixIsANine Swansong: sounds like the place for me
Storm Nordwind smiles
Storm Nordwind: Well, I do practise Buddhism...
Storm Nordwind: And I noticed when taking refuge today that there was a subtle difference to what I did
SixIsANine Swansong: all your life?
Storm Nordwind: No Six, but I have been religiously minded for 35 years and have practised meditation for that long
SixIsANine Swansong: sori, pls continue
Storm Nordwind: No problem. Please jump in. :) But I caught myself today *wanting* something to happen when I did. I wanted a result. As though the relying was supposed to bear tangible immediate fruit
Storm Nordwind: And I realised this was not faith or conviction.
Wol Euler: :)
Storm Nordwind: And stopped doing it
Storm Nordwind: Simple little lesson
Storm Nordwind: And so I am wondering about PaB
Storm Nordwind: No one asks us to rely on PaB
Solobill Laville: For yourself or others?
Moon Fargis: thats why people do it :)
Storm Nordwind: But I wonder if we do it in anticipation of effects
SixIsANine Swansong: are you saying you were using the power of thought to gain something and then realised this was wrong?
Storm Nordwind: What I am saying is that I was presuming to know the results of refuge
Storm Nordwind: I was taking things out of context
Storm Nordwind: tunnel vision
Storm Nordwind: So maybe there is not a sufficient parallel between that practice and this one
Wol Euler gives Moon a hug
Moon Fargis purrzzzzzzzzz
Wol Euler muses. I do occasionally do a Nine with the intention of achieving an immediate aim
Storm Nordwind: Yes me too. Wol . And that's why I wonder whether I'm stretching the analogy too far
Wol Euler: calming, centring. Reducing the chaos, or increasing my ability to deal with it
SixIsANine Swansong: what is a nine?
Wol Euler: ah, the Nine Second Meditation :)
Wol Euler: our secret weapon :)
Moon Fargis: storm: you decide what parallel is for you and not

With bifurcated topics, I concentrated on ensuring our new guest had sufficient information.

SixIsANine Swansong: can you teach me?
Storm Nordwind: Yes. But we have something even better Six
Storm Nordwind: And that is: you can teach you!
Storm Nordwind: It is that simple
Storm Nordwind: And you can find out on the website
SixIsANine Swansong: ok, i will have a look later
Storm Nordwind: What we do here is discuss things arising from our experiences
SixIsANine Swansong: experiences in meditation?
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Storm Nordwind: So please give it a try and come back and chat about it next time
Storm Nordwind: Not sending you away though. Please stay a while!
Storm Nordwind: But it's essentially a very practical thing
Storm Nordwind: We do not overlay any creed
SixIsANine Swansong: ok, im interested
Storm Nordwind: There are meetings here every 6 hours
Storm Nordwind: Make sure you have a landmark and please return
SixIsANine Swansong: how do i save this place?
Storm Nordwind: Go to your World menu
Storm Nordwind: At the top of the screen
Storm Nordwind: And select "Create Landmark"
Storm Nordwind: It will be saved as Play as Being Pavilion
Storm Nordwind: The practice is known as Play as Being
SixIsANine Swansong: done
Storm Nordwind: Great!
SixIsANine Swansong: thank u
Storm Nordwind: You're very welcome
Wol Euler whistles the tune to "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas"
SixIsANine Swansong: ok, i will just sit and listen now for a short while if that's ok
Storm Nordwind: That's OK!
Wol Euler: sure
Solobill Laville smiles
Storm Nordwind: Actually we started 53 minutes ago
Solobill Laville: And Storm has a talk in 7!
Storm Nordwind: And in a few minutes I'm going on to the Kira Cafe where I'm giving a short talk
SixIsANine Swansong: ok
Wol Euler: so today's session will end untypically punctually.
SixIsANine Swansong: np
Wol Euler: the record is six hours ...
Storm Nordwind laughs
Moon Fargis: ahh ho so late again
Storm Nordwind: Sometimes Six we have deep and intense discussions
Moon Fargis: shal i leave the tree here storm ?
Storm Nordwind: And sometime switch to being very playful!
Storm Nordwind: No Moon
Moon Fargis: awwww ok

Solo wanted to carry on with the first topic!

Solobill Laville: Wish we had more time to discuss the refuge / expectations PaB "spillover" topic though...
Wol Euler: tomorrow, perhaps? in your session?
Wol Euler: (discussion, solo)
Storm Nordwind: Tricky to see around too!
Solobill Laville: Sure! Can you make it Storm?

I never got chance to reply. And I never did make it either due to lots of SL meetings piled up on top of each other.

SixIsANine Swansong: well, I have had a nice experience here already in a small space of time
Wol Euler: :)
Storm Nordwind: I'm so pleased!
SixIsANine Swansong: thank u for welcoming me
Wol Euler: our pleasure.
Storm Nordwind: Of course. Our pleasure
Solobill Laville: :)
Storm Nordwind thinks "snap"
Solobill Laville: Here's a gift, Six!
Storm Nordwind has deliberately put a start time of 2:15 on the ad for his talk :)
Solobill Laville: Egads, Wol...
Wol Euler looks closely at the box, then heaves a sigh of relief.
SixIsANine Swansong: lol
Wol Euler: for one horrible moment, I thought that was a Teletubby on the lid!
Wol Euler: sorry sorry
Wol Euler: should have known better
Wol Euler: better move it to dry land before the fountain returns, though
Storm Nordwind pretends not to know what a teletubby is
Solobill Laville: Bye, Six
SixIsANine Swansong: ok, i am going to leave now(happy). I will def be back.
Wol Euler smiles. Nice meeting you Six, take care.
Storm Nordwind: Well Six, we're off to the Kira Science Cafe
Solobill Laville: Leaving happy is nice
Storm Nordwind: Bye for now
Solobill Laville: Being happy is even nicer!
Storm Nordwind: Seeing someone else happy is rather good too!
SixIsANine Swansong: sure thing
Solobill Laville: (Storm, change your shoes before your presentation...)
Wol Euler: heheh
Storm Nordwind: Naaah!
Solobill Laville: lol
Wol Euler: ah, yes, we should go.

And I left to give a presentation at the Kira Cafe about the Cafe itself.