2009.07.01 19:00 - Sharing Immediacy

The Guardian for this meeting was Eliza Madrigal. The comments are by Eliza Madrigal.

During most of this session I was quite sleepy, yet with an undercurrent of thoughtfulnesss after Pema asked a question regarding our balance of Play as Being. As the session winded down, I winded up, which is why I am posting this log at 1:45AM my time. :) The title for this session comes from reading over this session and hearing what I didn't before, which is a kind of call to jump into the moments that arise together in a more immediate way.      

Pema Pera: Hi Eliza!
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Pema :)
Eliza Madrigal: Quiet evening
Pema Pera: Yes, for now at least -- who knows :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Pema Pera: How've you been?
Eliza Madrigal: Rather well...a few internet issues this week calling out my patience :)
Eliza Madrigal: You?
Pema Pera: I know the feeling, that can be aggrevating!
Pema Pera: As for me, happy to be in Kyoto, Japan, again, will stay put here for the rest of the month
Eliza Madrigal nods. I *think* it is resolved now
Eliza Madrigal: How lovely
Pema Pera: nice not to have to travel for a few weeks at least, for a change . . . .
Eliza Madrigal: Nice to not have to stay put for too long either '-)
Eliza Madrigal: Ah, is this the open session now? I'll take it tonight ...
Pema Pera: yes, both
Pema Pera: oh, thank you!
Eliza Madrigal: Normally this is the sutra tea hut night, but our schedule is changing there.
Pema Pera: In fact, I had offered to take it over from SophiaSharon, so that she could take over the session from Adelene
Pema Pera: but if you can do it today, great -- thank you!
Eliza Madrigal: Ah, yes. NP
Pema Pera: I'll do it next week, and I'll have two weekly slots then, until someone else steps in and volunteers

Pema's question

Pema Pera: May I ask, concerning PaB, what is your sense of the best way to combine practice/explorations with talking about the nature of reality -- do you feel that we have a right balance currently?
Eliza Madrigal: Hmm, this is something I think about Pema...
Eliza Madrigal: have thought that my balance might be different from others actually
Eliza Madrigal: Hmm... deleted my last thought....
Pema Pera: :-)
Eliza Madrigal: I think changing schedules change the energy and flow of things maybe. Is there a more specific sense you mean?
Pema Pera: now I'm getting really curious about your last thought, hehe
Eliza Madrigal: :) hehe...yes it was very exciting

;-) That wasn't nice of me. Actually it wasn't exciting at all. At all.

Pema Pera: oh, what I meant was that we divide our time between freely chatting about anything, in a playful and friendly way; and talking specifically about explorations -- one question is whether the balance of time between those two feels right to you. A second question is whether the time we talk about explorations/practice is itself well balanced between talking more theoretically about exploration in general and sharing specific reports about our experiences.
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Paradise :)
Pema Pera: hi Paradise!
Paradise Tennant: hi pema .. eliza :))
Pema Pera: Hi Adams!
Eliza Madrigal: I enjoy the theme sessions in particular, and I think overall the balance is wonderful except that perhaps some hesitate to speak about explorations in specific ways?
Paradise Tennant: -hi adams :)
Eliza Madrigal: Hello Adams :)
Adams Rubble: Hello Pema, Eliza and Paradise :)
Pema Pera: Yes, I had a similar feeling, Eliza, and I wondered how we can encourage more of us to talk more freely about our own experiences -- what do you think, Paradise and Adams?
Paradise Tennant: hmm well sometimes I think a theme can draw out those experiences ....
Adams Rubble: I am very happy for the most part with the way things are going. I really value the chance to do my own explorations and apply them to what we do here
Eliza Madrigal: yes certainly Paradise
Eliza Madrigal: For some it is more natural than for others, to be open... to really share
Eliza Madrigal: I know how much I hesitate personally, and I'm rather chatty in general :)
Pema Pera: :-)
Paradise Tennant: :)) what is it you would most like to see pema or rather share :))
Adams Rubble: we have such a variety of kinds of sessions
Adams Rubble: it seems there should be something for everyone
Pema Pera: well, during the first half year or so of PaB, I often asked how the 9-sec experience was felt, what happened, what questions came up, what new ideas or insights appeared -- but I'm a little hesitant to always keep doing that . . . . .
Pema Pera: however, without asking, we tend to rarely volunteer that kind of sharing of experience, so I'm wondering what the right format would be
Eliza Madrigal: ah
Adams Rubble: some of get sloppy with keeping time
Adams Rubble: of us
Paradise Tennant: hmm for me it is most often an awareness of my breath .. like a mind exhalation :)) with the 9 sec experience :)
Eliza Madrigal: Mind exhalation, Paradise?
Eliza Madrigal: it is an interesting phrasing :)
Pema Pera: yes, breath can give us a connection between mind and body
Eliza Madrigal nods

Paradise's thoughts on what one might notice within a 9 second pause ...

Paradise Tennant: well ... kind of a pause ..or another way of expressing it would to really be in the moment .. if only to notice .... what is around you .. how you are sitting ..standing ..
Eliza Madrigal: Sometimes that 9 seconds seems a long stretch and other times a blip...
Paradise Tennant: yes I find it brings me out of abstract thought i.e. work and back into my senses.. I will notice the fragrence of my lemon grass tea.. or how warm the sun feels .. coming through the window :))
Eliza Madrigal: MM Very nice :)
Pema Pera: yes, back to the magic of the moment . . . .
Eliza Madrigal: I've been relying on those pauses more lately due to a less predictable schedule.
Paradise Tennant: precisely and there is magic in every moment
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: As a practical matter also, friends of mine who might never meditate like the idea :)
Eliza Madrigal: There is a bit of relief when I describe it
Adams Rubble: :)
Pema Pera: glad to hear that, Eliza!
Pema Pera: What you describe so vividly, Paradise, reminds me of my favorite sentence: appreciate the presence of what appears -- you stressed the sense of immediacy of the here+now and the sense of appreciation of that almost-forgotten "just here"ness
Pema Pera: Again, I hesitate a bit to repeat that favorite phrase too often, but appreciation of presence is so central . . . I could reformulate my earlier question by asking: how can we find ways to talk more about that, in the group -- or do you think it happens enough by itself?
Eliza Madrigal: I think folks, including myself at times, try to get the phrase 'right' and it interrupts the process a bit
Paradise Tennant: hmmm not always .. often talking .. draws you into the abstract
Paradise Tennant: not the immediate
Pema Pera: yes, so sharing experiences, like you just did, would work better?
Paradise Tennant: yes
Paradise Tennant: I was here one night when we did a loving kindness meditation as a group which was lovely .. very in the moment ..connecting
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Pema Pera: that sounds very nice indeed, Paradise -- how did that get started?
Paradise Tennant: hmm well the discussion started with how sometimes it is hard to do that kind of practice if you have had a stressful day or when say you are upset or angry
Paradise Tennant: and then just flowed
Paradise Tennant: into .. a shared practice which always makes it so easy
Eliza Madrigal: Yes, hard to stay out of the pool once others begin to get in :)
Paradise Tennant: lol yes indeed
Pema Pera: yes, perhaps all we have to do is to share more tidbits of our own life, our concrete experiences -- yes, it may well be seductive/addictive/inviting :-)
Adams Rubble: :)
Paradise Tennant: yes .. ultimately we are all kind of one thing .. sharing is a way back to that reality in a way :))
Pema Pera: after all, most of us have *at least* one moment in a whole day that we are suddenly struck by something, suddenly pulled out of our own reveries by the immediacy of something that happens or the immediacy of a sudden insight or idea that pops up
Pema Pera: Yes, sharing is connecting
Adams Rubble: I am afraid I am off to bed. bye everyone :)
Paradise Tennant: good nite adams :)) be well
Eliza Madrigal: Night Adams :)
Pema Pera: btw, I'll have to sneak out -- time for lunch with my colleagues here in Kyoto.
Eliza Madrigal: Bye Pema :)
Paradise Tennant: yes and it is getting late on the east coast
Paradise Tennant: I will scoot too
Paradise Tennant: thank you all :))
Pema Pera: thanks for sharing and for sharing your thoughts about sharing :-)
Paradise Tennant: good nite :))
Eliza Madrigal: Oh...had hoped you'd stay a moment Paradise...just meeting you
Paradise Tennant: okies
Pema Pera: good nites, Eliza and Paradise!

Paradise Tennant: good nite pema

Here I was unusally bold. I've read Paradise on the logs a bit, but not had a chance to really speak with her. I'm happy that she paused with me.  

Eliza Madrigal: Paradise, I'm on the east coast also, and am very sleepy so I promise not to linger too long. I enjoy your descriptiveness very much.
Paradise Tennant: :))
Paradise Tennant: thank you
Paradise Tennant: you are studying buddhism :)) too I see
Eliza Madrigal: Yes, am a baby :)
Paradise Tennant: lol me too always call myself a baby buddhist lol
Eliza Madrigal: I've had to remind myself of this in recent weeks in particular... my enthusiasm sometimes tricks people :)
Paradise Tennant: yes
Eliza Madrigal: Is loving kindness meditation something you've done before that session?
Paradise Tennant: yes
Paradise Tennant: very often really
Paradise Tennant: do a fair amount of ton glen too
Eliza Madrigal: Ah, this was my next question actually...whether meta or ton glen
Paradise Tennant: meditate daily .. in bits .. whenever I can .. standing waiting for a bus .in the bath ..lol
Eliza Madrigal: I've only recently begun ton glen ... attended a bit of a workshop which had an incredible impact
Paradise Tennant: yes .. visualization is very powerful I find
Eliza Madrigal: That's marvelous. So PaB comes quite naturally for you also...makes sense
Paradise Tennant: yes
Eliza Madrigal: When I found myself here, I felt "Hm..so this is what was coming."
Paradise Tennant: because of how very hectic and busy our lives are .. really .. staying present .. takes a reminder
Paradise Tennant: i set my watch to beep ..
Paradise Tennant: low volume ..
Paradise Tennant: when it beeps >> i breathe
Paradise Tennant: lol
Eliza Madrigal: Oh fantastic. This may be a good reason for me to buy a watch :)
Eliza Madrigal: hehe
Paradise Tennant: just breathe .. can make for awkward pauses in meetings :))
Eliza Madrigal: I wonder if specific visualization/types of meditation sessions would be too buddhist for PaB?
Paradise Tennant: hmm depends on the group .. really it is a very open forum
Eliza Madrigal: just thinking along the lines of the question Pema asked...I've no clear answer really
Eliza Madrigal: yes, true. I'd love to talk more with you about that some time perhaps.
Paradise Tennant: :))
Eliza Madrigal: I feel myself becoming awake...prob. not a good idea...hehe
Eliza Madrigal: Should let us go to bed :)
Eliza Madrigal: Thanks for staying a while
Paradise Tennant: yes I should scoot .. still have to walk the dog .. may I friend you :))
Eliza Madrigal: Please :) Thanks very much
Paradise Tennant: kk
Eliza Madrigal: Good Night and Rest well
Paradise Tennant: And you .. be well :)) namaste :))