2009.02.20 07:00 - Colour and culture

We started with Susi, Adams, Solobill and me (Quen):

Adams Rubble: Hello Quen :)
Susi Alcott: hi quen
Susi Alcott: hi Solo
Solobill Laville: Hi, Susi, Adams :)
Adams Rubble: Good morning Bill :)
quen Oh: hey Susi, Solo and Adams!
quen Oh: how are you all?
Solobill Laville: Hi, Quen :)
Solobill Laville: Pretty darn good, thanks, and you?
quen Oh: that is nice to hear
quen Oh: is it the weather Solo?
Adams Rubble: I am fine :)
Solobill Laville: Well, it it cold, but very sunny :)
Solobill Laville: *is
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Solobill Laville: More snow on the way tomorrow I'm told here
Adams Rubble: Booo
Solobill Laville: :)...which means you
Solobill Laville: will probably see it Sunday Adams :)
Adams Rubble: eeeeeeeee
Solobill Laville: (sounds like we're both ready for spring...)
quen Oh: ? you two know each other Solo and Adams?
quen Oh: I mean RL
Adams Rubble: yes, please...aome Spring
Adams Rubble: No we haven;t met in RL
Solobill Laville: BUt a good bit of SL... ;)
Adams Rubble: :)

Susi gave us all this Snapshot:


And we come to talk about the colour of shelter.

quen Oh: ah lol
Adams Rubble: TY Susi :)
Solobill Laville: ty for the pics Susi :)
quen Oh: thank you Susi
quen Oh: will add it to the log
Susi Alcott: so good dresses ; just had to take photo also with light
Solobill Laville: Looks like Susi is adjusting some skies and clouds.. ;)
Adams Rubble: but no Susi
Susi Alcott: all so well dresses too I mean
Solobill Laville: ha! thx...you folks are a well-dressed lot!
Susi Alcott: better without me :)
Adams Rubble: never Susi :)
Susi Alcott: wanted the beautiful turquise fountain to be seen too :)
Adams Rubble: :)
Solobill Laville nods
quen Oh: only you are not on now
Susi Alcott: turquise colour is the shelter colour
quen Oh: shelter??
Solobill Laville: oh, really, like refuge?
Susi Alcott: np
Susi Alcott: hm..refuge = ?
Solobill Laville: Well, I was thinking in Buddhist terms, as in "taking refuge"
Susi Alcott: 'got it'
Susi Alcott: yes
Susi Alcott: turquise colour is such
quen Oh: refuge from what?
Solobill Laville: ah :)
Susi Alcott: in case one has the skill to vision (I dont)
Susi Alcott: one can 'dress' turguise hood and cloac and it gives the refuge
Solobill Laville: Less refuge "from" anything, moreso refuge "in" ...Buddha, Dharma, Sangha... kind of a resolution and commitent
Adams Rubble: could you expand on that?
Solobill Laville: *commitment
Adams Rubble: the turquoise that is
Adams Rubble: do you mean when you wear turquiose no one bothers you?
Susi Alcott: one can expand anything I think
Adams Rubble: :)
Susi Alcott: in a way; that is good refuge against negative energies coming from other people
Susi Alcott: it still does not work very strongly against needed good information
Susi Alcott: but sure it also does some of that too like any refuge
quen Oh is still pondering... how good is it to refuge in Buddha, or anything spiritual.. is it not better to be spiritual without needing refuge?
Susi Alcott: sometimes it's hard to walk among much people...
quen Oh nods
Susi Alcott: once I was near to pass out being on the line to cashier on the food store
Solobill Laville: Well, I think that individual level is always still there, Quen
Susi Alcott: because there was so negative person near by
Solobill Laville: This would be more of a formal engagement with the community, and an anouncement to all that you are part of it
quen Oh: still I may be sceptic, but I think to rely on taking things lightly and practice detachment, could give better results than the colour turquoise...
quen Oh: gosh Susi!
quen Oh: that is amazing
Susi Alcott: ah
quen Oh: what was that like?
Susi Alcott: that is not for me to take lightly the energies I reseive into my own existence....
Adams Rubble: Yes, we are vulnerable to negative energies from tohers
Susi Alcott: but yes; I dont know many people's existence to work out like mine

Samuel entered.

quen Oh: well I don't think taking things lightly and trying to detach is easy
Susi Alcott: but many who's existence works 'somewhat' like I do
Adams Rubble: Hello Sam
quen Oh: wish it were!
Susi Alcott: hi Sam
quen Oh: hi Sam!
Solobill Laville: Hello, Sam :)
Samuel Okelly:  
Samuel Okelly:             (  @ @ )          
Samuel Okelly:    ...o00o.(_).o00o...
Samuel Okelly:  (( HELLO  EVERY1! ! ! ! ))
Samuel Okelly:
Susi Alcott: I also know many people pondering there pains without understanding there source when that is in a qustion recieved energies from some other person
Susi Alcott: but we can let the topic to stop
Susi Alcott: just wanted to share one way to get help in case needed
quen Oh: no need to stop for me Susi, not at all
Adams Rubble thinks this is a very intersting topic
Susi Alcott: as that also kind of just rose
Adams Rubble: So often we are in a very pleasant frame of mind and are affected by someone's negativity. It has happened to me twice in the past 24 hours
quen Oh: ah that is not nice Adams
quen Oh: how did you react?
Susi Alcott: then you have not one more option in case you have the skill to visionize
Adams Rubble: Well, like Susi says, it is a mater of recognizing where this energy comes from
Adams Rubble: I often do the same to tohers. That's a really not nice thought
Susi Alcott: it helps always

Gilles joined in too.

quen Oh: hello Gilles
Susi Alcott: then it would be very nesessary for you dear Lady to remember
Adams Rubble: Hello Gilles
Gilles Kuhn: hello
Susi Alcott: that as well as we self have chooced if we receive or not
Susi Alcott: that is exactly the same with those people who recieves from us
Adams Rubble: yes Susi
Susi Alcott: hi Giles
Solobill Laville: Hi, Gilles :)
Samuel Okelly: hi gi
Gilles Kuhn: salve sam et cum spirito tuo
Susi Alcott: as well as all has the right to ask help for this kind of phenomenas
Susi Alcott: 'few' things how life is teamwork :)
Samuel Okelly: :)
Adams Rubble: Yes, that is an intersting way to put it
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Susi Alcott: in case you Gil take the seat your Avatar dont go into the ground
Gilles Kuhn: i dont mind my avie to make digging from time to time.....
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Solobill Laville: :)
quen Oh: this seems more like you are in drifting sand Gilles
quen Oh: hope you won't suddenly disappear in the earht
Gilles Kuhn: yes seems a quagmire a swanp
quen Oh: perhaps click on a safe pillow
quen Oh: better pick a blue, that is almost turquoise, that seems safe
Gilles Kuhn: sorry why turquoise i safer than another ?
quen Oh: ah it is the colour of shelter we just learned
Gilles Kuhn: some cold war code ?
Susi Alcott: no
Susi Alcott: code of very loving 'war' against negativities
Samuel Okelly: reading back over what has been said iwould add that i think it is misguided for us to associate our unhappiness to other people’s “negative energy” as this to me suggests a propensity for self-delusion
Gilles Kuhn: negativities ?
Gilles Kuhn: (gosh now the land move me)
Gilles Kuhn: and why do you mean by energy in people ?
quen Oh: it seems never a very good idea to put the cause of ones misery or unhappiness in the hands of others...
Susi Alcott: pls notice that I also brought out our own choice to be interactive with other people
quen Oh watches the wolf jump up and down... he seems to have a lot of energy
Gilles Kuhn: its not me its the pavilion who jump me !
quen Oh: lol Gilles,,, that is putting your misery on the pavillion!
quen Oh: and a virtual one even
Gilles Kuhn: misery what misery ah true i have no more champagne in my fridge
quen Oh: perhaps we could have a champagne fountain here?
quen Oh: in turquoise?
Gilles Kuhn: tsssk luxury taste......
Gilles Kuhn: so in what cultural tradition was turquoise associated with shield against evil ?
quen Oh: well Susi, but even if you choose to interact with people, do you think you can blame them for giving you negative energy?
Gilles Kuhn: problem with electrical company ?
Adams Rubble thinks the conversation is being twisted away from the point
Susi Alcott: I never have blaimed the oher people ; pls notiice that
quen Oh: ok sorry Susi
Gilles Kuhn: this pavilion is hungry.....

While rl my phone attracts my attention...

quen Oh: phone
Susi Alcott: pls dont put words to my mouth
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Gilles Kuhn: so about turquoise ?
Adams Rubble: I must return to RL. Bye everyone :)
Adams Rubble: Thanks
Solobill Laville: Bye, Adams
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Samuel Okelly: tc ada
Susi Alcott: this is what I can put into the words now;
Susi Alcott: my tellings comes as the answer to the one who does the question
Susi Alcott: I do not hold words; they rise at the moment
Gilles Kuhn: yes very poetic and nice and so what do you want to say ?
Susi Alcott: I do not quite understand the question ] Gilles Kuhn: so about turquoise ?
Susi Alcott: without that I would write few books for Gilles to read
Susi Alcott: thinking we dont have time for such
Gilles Kuhn: i asked some eons ago in which cultural tradition turquoise was about shielding from evil
Gilles Kuhn: and thanks perhaps a reference or two can be enough
Susi Alcott: well; I dont know even so clearly about what is evil
Susi Alcott: I neither have claimed that turquise would be a sheald against evil
Susi Alcott: I neither represent any culture or religion
Gilles Kuhn: right i only ask where turquoise (mean in wich culture ) has this symbolic meaning whatever it is
Gilles Kuhn: or have you described it by fiat yourself which is also ok for me but then i would ask why?
Susi Alcott: I'm sry but that's only my life
Susi Alcott: life's teached matter; worked well to many people I know
Samuel Okelly:
Samuel Okelly:                         †
Samuel Okelly: †    (( take care everyone ))  †
Samuel Okelly:                         †
Samuel Okelly:
Susi Alcott: my that knowledge rose as the answer to Solo
Solobill Laville: Bye, Sam
Susi Alcott: bye Sam
Solobill Laville: I will bid y'all adieu as well :) Thanks for the chat!
Gilles Kuhn: farewell solo
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Susi Alcott: may I make a question to you Gilles ?
Gilles Kuhn: yes sure
Susi Alcott: what is the meaning to you if you know some certian culture or religion to hold some information ?
Gilles Kuhn: the meaning to have information ?
Susi Alcott: try this way;
Susi Alcott: do you take that only such information is valued , which one can learn from some religion or culture ?
Gilles Kuhn: because the response is curiosity intellectual interest
Gilles Kuhn: beg your perdon ?
Gilles Kuhn: if you mean i value only info coming from religion and culture the response is evidently no
Susi Alcott: is inttellectual interest something such that is interested only culutral and religion knowledge ?
buddha Nirvana: HI all :))
Gilles Kuhn: definitely no culture and religion are amusing but i think oftten obscurantist
Susi Alcott: hi buddha
Susi Alcott: and obscurantist is what ?
Susi Alcott: sry my poor english
Susi Alcott: and I cannot use my worbook cuz of my nowadays pc probs
Gilles Kuhn: mayi i ask what is your first language susi ?
Susi Alcott: that's not essential; essential is that english is not my first language
Gilles Kuhn: i dont care for essence it was a pratical question
Gilles Kuhn: if by any luck i know it i can perhaps help you to understand what is obscurantism
Susi Alcott: but I dont want me RL or my person's info to be effective
Susi Alcott: usually people have been able to teach me
Gilles Kuhn: well i o presume that you are not the only person to speak your mother language.....
Susi Alcott: or have I been able to learn; that's an other option
Susi Alcott: no
Susi Alcott: but I dont speak for other people

When I got back, Buddha has joined us, Solo and Adams had to leave.
And I got a notecard with the following text:

At the foot of the Bodhi tree, beautifully seated, peaceful and smiling,
the living source of understanding and compassion, to the Buddha I go for refuge.
The path of mindful living, leading to healing, joy, and enlightenment,
the way of peace, to the Dhamma I go for refuge.
The loving and supportive community of practice, realizing harmony, awareness, and liberation,
to the Sangha I go for refuge.
I am aware that the Three Gems are within my heart, I vow to realize them.
I vow to practice mindful breathing and smiling, looking deeply into things.
I vow to understand living beings and their suffering, to cultivate compassion and loving kindness,
and to practice joy and equanimity.
I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning and to help relieve the grief of one person in the afternoon.
I vow to live simply and sanely, content with just a few possessions, and to keep my body healthy.
I vow to let go of all worry and anxiety in order to be light and free.
I am aware that I owe so much to my parents, teachers, friends and all beings.
I vow to be worthy of their trust, to practice wholeheartedly,
so that understanding and compassion will flower,
and I can help living beings be free from their suffering.
May the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha support my efforts.

Thich Nhat Hahn

... and I seem in the middle of not the easiest of conversations about what is culture or (how) does it influence you:

quen Oh: back
Susi Alcott: can ask only for myself
Gilles Kuhn: then as it is not a state secret may i ask you to say beside english what language can you understand so i can with any luck help you to understand a concept
Susi Alcott: wcb quen
quen Oh: sorry long phone call
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
quen Oh: (reading back)
Susi Alcott: I often ask because I know that there's many ways to say some word with other words in english :)
Gilles Kuhn: obscurantism is coming form the word obscure : darkening dark, obscurantism is a qualificative that people criticising the church used from the XVIII to qualify the intellectual night imposed by church intolerance
Gilles Kuhn: it is the reverse of enlightment
quen Oh: hi Buddha
quen Oh: had not seen you while I was on the phone
Solobill Laville gave you Refuge - Thich Nhat Hanh.
buddha Nirvana: Hi :)
Susi Alcott: to me enlightening is such that dont need any help from any culture or religion, but that the whole Universe helps person to reach it when one is ready for that
quen Oh: thank you Susi
Susi Alcott: oh
Susi Alcott: for what may I ask ?
Gilles Kuhn: well you pereption of the "universe" is most definitely cultural you know...
quen Oh: the notecard?
Gilles Kuhn: perception*
Susi Alcott: ok
quen Oh: ah wait, thanks Solo I should say
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
quen Oh: will publish it in the log ok?
Susi Alcott: np quen
Susi Alcott: sory I cannot 'box' my life's teached knowledge to any culuture
Susi Alcott: but np in case you know some culture that tells the same what I have learned as the healer and the spriitual guide
quen Oh: well but you can also not avoid being influenced by some culture Susi?
Gilles Kuhn: susi you lived with men no ?
Susi Alcott: cannot answer to that but repeating this; I do not represent any culture or religion
Susi Alcott: I've lived much with people
Susi Alcott: sorry I dont understand your that question clearly either
quen Oh: representing a culture is a heavy task.. but being part of one, or at least influenced or integrated in a culture is possible
Gilles Kuhn: well nobody represent a culture or religion (even if the pope try...)
Susi Alcott: but I yes have lived strongly
Susi Alcott: ah
Susi Alcott: ok
Susi Alcott: maybe this can help you to understand more of me
Gilles Kuhn: but anyone live only with cultures we are only by the fact we use a language even to think totally immersecd permanently in culture
Susi Alcott: I use to say that I've read only Donald Duck
quen Oh: that is culture
Susi Alcott: may I ask you quen to tell me more ?
Susi Alcott: what kind of culture is Donald Duck ?
Susi Alcott: as it has not teached me ..have read even that so littel
Susi Alcott: little
Gilles Kuhn: well it is not indeed homer but by definition is a cultural production
Gilles Kuhn: and what do you mean by eached you ?
Gilles Kuhn: teached*
Susi Alcott: that I have not learned any of my this kind of knowledge by reading it
quen Oh: well there is a whole world in Donald Duck... with morals, forms, way of interacting of the characters
Susi Alcott: ok
Susi Alcott: never made any opionion even based on DD readings; sorry
quen Oh: you don't have to be 'taught' by reading it or participating it influences you, you think about it etc
Gilles Kuhn: even apology of capitalism ....
quen Oh: even trying to very consciously having no opinion based on DD is having one
Gilles Kuhn: look more you read more you inform yourself more your opinion are realy free because more you can compare an criticise
Susi Alcott: so sorry; I've truely thougth very many things but not having DD in my mind :)
quen Oh: mens you value it (as not worthy to reflect upon)
quen Oh: means*
Susi Alcott: that's why I've used to read even the books by lifting them against my chest
Gilles Kuhn: yes and perhaps opening them would help too from this position....
Susi Alcott: it can be very odd to you people here, but I truely have had such 'obvious' thing 'always' that I must not read much
Gilles Kuhn: what "things"?
Susi Alcott: I neither have not felt any need to get from my position
quen Oh wonders what the litle elf is, ,that flies around
Susi Alcott: would you Gilles like to find some culture 'for me' that you could understand me ?
quen Oh: you are already formed by culture Susi, don't you think?
Gilles Kuhn: well one time someone asked to give her some culture i said begin with Homer Illiad then try Plato Socrates apology
Susi Alcott: indeed I dont think so
quen Oh: and new cultural experience will only expand it
Susi Alcott: well; I feel having Egypt as my home land, Sibiu as my home town, and the planet to be my workshop....but my body dont live in Egypt or Sibiu; that's in Romania
Gilles Kuhn: romania ?
quen Oh: and your mind Susi?
Susi Alcott: my this Avatar represents one culture I'm strongly within my heart; yet; it's only part of me
quen Oh: well this body here needs to go and cook
buddha Nirvana: Ty all _/\_
Susi Alcott: trying to find the answer to you quen
quen Oh: bye buddha
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
quen Oh: will have to leave too
Gilles Kuhn: well and personnaly i need to have some culture if you dont mind
Susi Alcott: try to find the answer to give it to you when we meet the next time :)
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
quen Oh: ok, see you later Susi, bye!
Gilles Kuhn: Hoooooowls!!
Susi Alcott: but the 'lates' moment my mind was with your mind much :)
Susi Alcott: have nice time :)
quen Oh: :-)