2009.05.12 13:00 - Sweating is good for you

WE HAVE A VISITOR

TheRawCookie Ferina: :P
Mickorod Renard: hi
TheRawCookie Ferina: nope
Mickorod Renard: have you been here before Raw?
TheRawCookie Ferina: nope ope
Fefonz Quan: (Turing test- some thought experiment that is supposed to test AI
TheRawCookie Ferina: im a noob =]
Mickorod Renard: I will give you a note card Raw
Fefonz Quan: if you can't say if you are talking to a man or to a computer - the computer passed the test)
TheRawCookie Ferina: yaay i have no idea what that is
TheRawCookie Ferina: oic
aurel Miles: oh
TheRawCookie Ferina: lol thank ya
Mickorod Renard: well, you are welcome to be with us,,in general discussion
TheRawCookie Ferina: lol k
Mickorod Renard: but must mention that the chat here is posted on the internet for the public to access
TheRawCookie Ferina: oh...like youtube er something?
Mickorod Renard: sort of..its a wiki
TheRawCookie Ferina: oh lol, is that why it says recording?
Mickorod Renard: yes, but we tell people so that they will only say what they are happy with being public knowledge
TheRawCookie Ferina: oh ok
TheRawCookie Ferina: im ok with it
TheRawCookie Ferina: even though i look like a noob xD
Mickorod Renard: so, has anyone had some interesting ,,observations lately?

AUREL TELLS US ABOUT SWEATLODGE

aurel Miles: i went to a sweatlodge on saturday
SophiaSharon Larnia: :)
TheRawCookie Ferina: omg!!
Mickorod Renard: whats that Aurel?
TheRawCookie Ferina: me too
TheRawCookie Ferina: i love sweat lodges
aurel Miles: and i am astonished at how little it takes for everything to change
TheRawCookie Ferina: lol
aurel Miles: Are you native, Raw?
Mickorod Renard: please enlighten me?
TheRawCookie Ferina: no im not
TheRawCookie Ferina: canadian
aurel Miles: a sweatlodge is a first nations religious ceremony
aurel Miles: me too
Mickorod Renard: cool
TheRawCookie Ferina: lol yay
aurel Miles: (Ottawa - what about you?)
Mickorod Renard: what happens then?
Fefonz Quan: (first nations?)
aurel Miles: i won't go into detail - it would take too long
TheRawCookie Ferina: its like a sauna
aurel Miles: but it is an ancient ceremony
aurel Miles: older than christ
Fefonz Quan: like jews ;-)
aurel Miles: it's similar to a sauna - i guess
TheRawCookie Ferina: yay its like sweating your old self away..that sounds gross
aurel Miles: yeah
TheRawCookie Ferina: lol
aurel Miles: and you build a lodge out of maple saplings
aurel Miles: and it is really intense
Mickorod Renard: wow
aurel Miles: meant to be a bit of a sacrifice
TheRawCookie Ferina: lol yaaa
aurel Miles: you suffer a little
aurel Miles: but that's good
Fefonz Quan: well they say sweat purify toxics
aurel Miles: and you offer a sacred herb
aurel Miles: tobacco
TheRawCookie Ferina: or sweet grass
aurel Miles: and sometimes you have visions
aurel Miles: in my tradition it is always tobacco
TheRawCookie Ferina: oh rly?
aurel Miles: sweetgrass is for other things - but it varies
Fefonz Quan: visiions? because of the herbs, or the hit?
aurel Miles: yes
aurel Miles: no
TheRawCookie Ferina: sorry didnt know
aurel Miles: the herbs are not ingested
aurel Miles: not ever
Wester Kiranov: The Swedish like to have beer in their saunas ;)
aurel Miles: you pray and you sing
aurel Miles: and you endure
aurel Miles: in the dark, hot space
Mickorod Renard: is this common amongst most ,,,native american groups?
aurel Miles: it's like being in the womb of the earth
aurel Miles: there's lots more to it
aurel Miles: it is widespread
aurel Miles: i am not sure i'd call it common
Fefonz Quan: sounds like an intensive experience
aurel Miles: more common in the east than the west
TheRawCookie Ferina: yeah it is
aurel Miles: virtually unheard of where i grew up
aurel Miles: but very widespread here
aurel Miles: and it's never common
aurel Miles: even when you think it is
Mickorod Renard: what would the politically correct way to refer to native american groups be Aurel?
aurel Miles: in Canada
TheRawCookie Ferina: =P
aurel Miles: we say First Nations
TheRawCookie Ferina: im eating sugaaaaar
TheRawCookie Ferina: oh i see
aurel Miles: anyway
Mickorod Renard: ok,,we can chat again
aurel Miles: i went in thinking it wouldn't change much for me
aurel Miles: but it changed everything
TheRawCookie Ferina: ok
aurel Miles: (and i should have known better than to think that way)
Mickorod Renard: can u say more? like why or how?
aurel Miles: they aere led by Elders
TheRawCookie Ferina: ^^
Fefonz Quan: can you say more aurel?
aurel Miles: well - i went in thinking about the fact that i don't have work right now
aurel Miles: and i am in Ottawa
aurel Miles: when i want to be in Austin
aurel Miles: and everything seemed stuck
aurel Miles: i am not at peace with my mother
aurel Miles: or my sister
aurel Miles: life was just really muddy
aurel Miles: Sunday afternoon a friend of mine and i were talking candidly
aurel Miles: and she asked me if i would consider coming to Boston
aurel Miles: to help her prepare her house for sale
aurel Miles: she would pay me
aurel Miles: and i said yes
aurel Miles: and last night
aurel Miles: i sorted out how to move to Austin
aurel Miles: yesterday i went to my old university
aurel Miles: and picked up my demo reel
aurel Miles: for radio
aurel Miles: i talked frankly to my mnother
aurel Miles: i just felt too tired to be stuck anymore
aurel Miles: and i thought the sweatlodge hadn't worked
aurel Miles: so i let go
aurel Miles: and letting go changed everything
Mickorod Renard: wow
Fefonz Quan: sounds wonderful aurel!
aurel Miles: my pleasure
Mickorod Renard: its funny,,because it ties in with letting go when we all talked the other week
Fefonz Quan: do you think the seating help letting go?
aurel Miles: the sweat lodge?
aurel Miles: yes
aurel Miles: definitely
Mickorod Renard: seating or setting?
Fefonz Quan: yes, sometimes shaking the boat is teh right way to go
aurel Miles: if nothing else it made me think that even the most extreme measures weren't working
aurel Miles: so it was time to give up
aurel Miles: and the minute i gave up
Mickorod Renard: grin
aurel Miles: Everything changed.
aurel Miles: Every single thing
Mickorod Renard: I dont think its giving up,,just letting go of the control that wasnt working
aurel Miles: really - it was giving up.
aurel Miles: sunday morning - i cried and cursed
Mickorod Renard: giving up the fight in the wrong direction perhaps?
aurel Miles: and just let myself be totally pissed off at everything
aurel Miles: and sunday afternoon
aurel Miles: everything started changing
aurel Miles: it's tuesday
aurel Miles: i have been trying to fix this stuff since march
aurel Miles: it took 2 days.
Mickorod Renard: wow,,thats great news Aurel
aurel Miles: it is - hard not to believe in the grace of a benevolent creator in the face of that
aurel Miles: and of course, i have to give thanks to the Elder
aurel Miles: who would not take no for an answer
Mickorod Renard: yea
aurel Miles: and kept fixing up the holes for me
aurel Miles: he got me there
aurel Miles: and kept me engaged
SophiaSharon Larnia: holes?
aurel Miles: and i tried his patience
aurel Miles: yeah - you know,
aurel Miles: i don't have a car - i can't go
aurel Miles: i might be busy
genesis Zhangsun: thanks for sharing aurel
aurel Miles: i would make a little escape hole
aurel Miles: and he would patch it up
aurel Miles: so - someone else go
aurel Miles: what happened to someone else this week?
Mickorod Renard: I think many of us discover this ,,point, ,,in life,,often when there is no other alternative,,and it seems so obvious once grasped

LET THE SUNSHINE IN

Mickorod Renard: its been pretty quiet for me, but I have loved seeing the better weather arrive,,sun but cool fresh air,,lovely
Mickorod Renard: I started the classes here and at Kira during winter,,but I think its hard to see nice things during the winter
Mickorod Renard: even though I managed,,,but spring and summer are lifting to the spirit
Fefonz Quan loves the spring too
SophiaSharon Larnia: it does seem to change things
SophiaSharon Larnia: more than vegetation etc
Fefonz Quan: (though where i am spring is a little like my regular winter :))
aurel Miles: where is that?
aurel Miles: where is your regular winter?
Fefonz Quan: east coast now
aurel Miles: and before?
Fefonz Quan: middle east :)
aurel Miles: it is cold here too
aurel Miles: wow
aurel Miles: big shift
Fefonz Quan: yyep, but temporal though
Mickorod Renard: its interesting to think of how there are many references to ,,letting the sunshine in,,or letting the light in,,when feeling low
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes
sophia Placebo: :) like regular winter

SOLITUDE VS COMMUNICATION

Fefonz Quan: i see lately the effect of solitude vs. communication regarding the practice
sophia Placebo: like regular summer more
Mickorod Renard: yes?
SophiaSharon Larnia: Oh?
Mickorod Renard: howd u mean Fef?
Fefonz Quan: i discussed it in one workshop lately. for me i see how easy it is to be in 'contemplative' mode when alone, felling peaceful and harmonious,
Fefonz Quan: and contemplating 'beign' and other favorite stuff :)
Fefonz Quan: but the when i go to a place with people and hve to talk to them and interact, it chnages a lot of things
Fefonz Quan: being* changes*
Mickorod Renard: yes, it is a deep subject I feel, I spent quite a time in solitude,,in a communitive way,,it can change you dramatically
Fefonz Quan: i didn't mean that the solitude change me, i mean that it is harder to be 'connected' when interacting
Fefonz Quan: and also, other peoples mood can also effect mine
sophia Placebo: contamplate in poeple faces
Mickorod Renard: mmmmm? not sure I am completely understanding
Scathach Rhiadra: it is hard to stay centred and aware and still engage fully with others around you
Fefonz Quan: like the interaction brings so much noise, sensual and emotional to the mind
Fefonz Quan: ye Scath
Mickorod Renard: I found I became more individual,,and as such maybe less connected
Mickorod Renard: perhaps I mean the same thing
aurel Miles: actually
Mickorod Renard: but usually that ,,noise,,carries you along like a wave,,and the solitude makes u more in the habit of being less carried along in the

momentum of it all
aurel Miles: i find i need a certain amount of solitude to be able to stay level when i communicate with others
aurel Miles: i spend a lot of time alone because i make my living as a writer
aurel Miles: and i find the office just screws me up
aurel Miles: too many layers
aurel Miles: too much stuff going on
Mickorod Renard: yes, I can relate to that Aurel
aurel Miles: i find it hard to keep communication clear if i cannot spend time alone between times with others
Fefonz Quan: I found that working from home is really not for me.
aurel Miles: who i am in relation to people at the office is not always in synch with who i am at my core and i tend to forget that when i am around them to much
aurel Miles: or i did
aurel Miles: i have left there now
Mickorod Renard: I am now saturated with communication due to my work,,at a college,,but my time in solitude has given me a side of detachment that can operate alongside the interaction
aurel Miles: that makes sense to me
Fefonz Quan: infact, concerning what i feel, comunicatin with people on 'shallow' level (work mostly) is easier
aurel Miles: hmmm
Mickorod Renard: yes,,the routine suits me better now, since the solitude period,,than it ever did before
Mickorod Renard: I over indulged in thinking too much
Mickorod Renard: balance comes to mind again
SophiaSharon Larnia: I sure know what you mean by that, I overfill myself and thats when I seek others
Mickorod Renard: yes,,i think a balance is the best way for many
aurel Miles: i agree
aurel Miles: and on that note
Fefonz Quan: though each one has a different piont of balance
aurel Miles: i need to get away from my desk
aurel Miles: thank you everyone
Mickorod Renard: grin
Mickorod Renard: yes, we are all diferent Fef, yet strangely we are all similar too
Mickorod Renard: is Maxines dream session on now?
sophia Placebo: i guess
Fefonz Quan: yes it is, i think i'll go there.
Fefonz Quan: and Hi Alone, we were just discussing you :)
Mickorod Renard: I was wondering whether to give it a go

ALONE ARRIVES AS WE ARE LEAVING

Alone Afterthought: oh?
Mickorod Renard: he he he
Fefonz Quan: (litelally saying)
Fefonz Quan: literally*
Alone Afterthought: I dont understand
Mickorod Renard: Fef is tormenting you
Scathach Rhiadra: :)
Fefonz Quan: no, not at all, just a little silly word game, nothing personal
SophiaSharon Larnia: the concept of alone vs others, Alone
Alone Afterthought: word games are fun
Scathach Rhiadra: we were talking about solitude
Fefonz Quan: no pun intended
Alone Afterthought waves