2009.05.09 19:00 – Quiet is Good Too

(** Geo Netizen substituted for Pema as Guardian for this meeting; Pema was busy with quantum tunneling ... or was it something about train tunneling ... anyway, the comments are by Geo.**)

(** Geo and Sky both arrived about 5 minutes early and sat quietly till Eliza joined then in sitting quietly till the quite led to thoughts of peace which led to recollections of previous sessions which led to a little discussion which provides a little bit of a log. **)

Geo Netizen: Hi Sky
Sky Szimmer: hi
Sky Szimmer: so it is usually pretty quiet during this time?
Geo Netizen: It varies quite a bit from time to time
Geo Netizen: Pema usually has this slot
Sky Szimmer: ah. i can't stay too long. just dropped in briefly
Geo Netizen: Everybody probably heard he would be absent and ... :)
Geo Netizen nods
Sky Szimmer: are you part of kira
Geo Netizen: I don't get there very often
Geo Netizen: Mainly part of P&B
Geo Netizen: but that has been tough time-wise as of lately
Geo Netizen: Hi Eliza
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Geo, Sky :)
Sky Szimmer: hi
Sky Szimmer: understand Geo. I have been away awhile due to time conflicts
Geo Netizen nods

(** Many minutes appear to pass between these lines **)

Geo Netizen: Tis good also to sit and be quite sometimes :))
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Geo Netizen: Certainly make editing the log much easier
Eliza Madrigal: You might write a few paragraphs on silence? Peace? :)
Eliza Madrigal: heh
Geo Netizen: Ah ... peace.... How does one define the term? :)
Geo Netizen is thinking of Threedee

(** Geo is obviously still pondering the epistemological implications of Threedee’s question some two week later **)

Eliza Madrigal: yes :).. was that picked up another day, btw?
Geo Netizen is still looking for the log entry
Eliza Madrigal: Ah, thanks... no worries to search. If there was a day I will find it :)
Geo Netizen: 2009.04.24 19:00 - Pax et Bonum

(**

http://playasbeing.wik.is/Chat_Logs/2009/04/2009.04.24_19:00_-_Pax_et_Bonum

**)

Eliza Madrigal: Yes, I was here for that session.. a little while. I wondered if it continued
Geo Netizen: "Threedee Shepherd: I was discussing this at dinner with my wife and really am unsure about defining happiness, peace, truth and honesty. As an extreme example, I would not want to live in a society governed by the Taliban's notions of these terms."

(** Quote from the log referenced above. **)

Geo Netizen: There was a later session that I think continued along a similar path but I was unable to attend
Sky Szimmer: sorry but i got to run.
Eliza Madrigal: Bye Sky. Nice to see you again
Geo Netizen: Bye Sky
Eliza Madrigal: I did enjoy reading those lines of St. Francis on peace. I'm more and more aware lately that significant every school of thought has overlaps where most important
Eliza Madrigal: I was a Christian at one time... but had put it away, in a sense. Not until recently have I been able to 'not compartmentalize'
Geo Netizen: I am continually impressed with the deep overlap in the great traditions
Geo Netizen nods
Eliza Madrigal nods... the area of peace and silence is certainly one place where there is little to no gap in describing that openness
Eliza Madrigal: And Compassion
Geo Netizen: One of the most exciting things is to be able to listen in on a discussion between two deeply spiritual people of different traditions, say Buddhism and Christian and listen to their points of agreement
Geo Netizen: and to listen to how they disagree
Eliza Madrigal: What is your observation about those agreements/disagreements?
Geo Netizen: I have seen them at times struggle to define differences, they keep converging :)
Eliza Madrigal: It wasn't until I began, in this last year, to dig more deeply into Buddhism and meditation, that all my 'bible verses' started floating up with new dimensionality
Geo Netizen smiles
Eliza Madrigal: The light unto ourselves that Buddha is fond of, I think Jesus insisted upon too! :)
Eliza Madrigal would love to sit in on many of those types of discussions
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Geo Netizen: Yes, if you ever have a chance to sit in on a Buddhist - Christian monk dialogue, I’d recommend it.
Geo Netizen: Heres a good intro:
Geo Netizen: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3294178/ChristianBuddhist-Dialogue-Introduction-and-Resources

(** This link is to a brief Introduction to Christian-Buddhist Dialogue with a good list of resources **)

Eliza Madrigal: Ah, thank you!
Geo Netizen: But there is nothing quite like a live discussion
Eliza Madrigal: I've watched or read intellectual discussions...politically focused mostly, but honestly that doesn't interest me so much. This site has many resources!
Geo Netizen: But when the Trappist monk dialogue with the Buddhist monks ... :)
Eliza Madrigal: go on... ?
Geo Netizen: It great fun to listen to and usually very inspiring.
Eliza Madrigal: :D
Eliza Madrigal: Normally, I'm not so quiet. :)
Geo Netizen: I'm looking at some of the dialogue on the web :)
Eliza Madrigal: We haven't spoken very often, so I feel somehow compelled to tell yu that! Hehe
Geo Netizen chuckles
Geo Netizen: Found an example of an actual dialogue:
Geo Netizen: http://monasticdialog.com/a.php?id=396

(** Geo wonders how long this link will stay valid, but then he gets a lot of stray thoughts **)

Geo Netizen: The monks can get a little technical ...
Geo Netizen: but then they do a lot of thinking on the subjects
Eliza Madrigal: Well, is interesting... am reading there where one talks about the tendency to take in only light and somehow eschew the darkness....
Geo Netizen nods
Eliza Madrigal: and that not really matching up with their impression of what jesus went through...
Eliza Madrigal: I recently attended a small retreat which led everyone in a process similar to what he describes ... not disconnecting from suffering but taking it 'on' in a sense...
Geo Netizen: Being transformed by it
Eliza Madrigal: Seems an interesting line of thought to me, because yes, it does seem that the duality of light-good/dark-bad and trying to somehow "manage" that doesn't gel :)
Eliza Madrigal: YES, being transformed
Geo Netizen: Anyway, just a brief example of what's happening in the dialogue
Eliza Madrigal: :) Nice, Thanks.
Geo Netizen: Just to share a personal note: I find more openness and respect for Christian spirituality from the Buddhist monks than I experience from many raised in the Christian cultural tradition :))
Eliza Madrigal: I feel that practicing Buddhism I am able to view Christianity as no 'affront' in any way...
Geo Netizen nods
Eliza Madrigal: but not sure from the other angle is accepted so much :)
Eliza Madrigal: yes
Eliza Madrigal: I had many experiences of trying to ask questions in churches and being treated as though I was very controversial...
Eliza Madrigal: I was sincere :)
Eliza Madrigal: After a while it was just ""sigh"". That said, now I can go to a mass and deeply enjoy it
Geo Netizen nods
Eliza Madrigal: Perhaps I am not looking for anything anymore
Eliza Madrigal: Seems to make the difference... that perspective. In both and maybe all traditions. Trust.
Geo Netizen: It is about what is truly real in this experience of appearances
Eliza Madrigal nods... in that place there is no fear
Geo Netizen: “There is no fear in love.”

(** Quote from 1 John 4.18 **)

Geo Netizen: I hope you don’t mind but I have a long day tomorrow and it is getting late for me
Geo Netizen: I have enjoyed our chat greatly
Eliza Madrigal: :) Not at all. I enjoyed sitting with you for a while
Geo Netizen: I hope you have a great weekend
Eliza Madrigal: Have a pleasant sleep and productive day :)
Eliza Madrigal: I will, thanks

(** After this session, the brothers decided that Geo talked way too much and sent him to the anchorhold to reflect on the Flower Sermon by the Buddha until the next full moon.