2009.07.11 13:00 - Words of Encouragement

The Guardian for this meeting was SophiaSharon Larnia. The comments are by SophiaSharon Larnia.

I sat alone next to the fountain for a peaceful 40 minutes, and then Storm arrived.

SophiaSharon Larnia: HI Storm
Storm Nordwind: Hi!
Storm Nordwind: Just dropping by
Storm Nordwind: No one else seemed to be here
SophiaSharon Larnia: nope, just me, fixing a notecard on a talk by Lodro Kamala, a tibetian monk that gave a talk here in SL
Storm Nordwind: Nice
SophiaSharon Larnia: peaceful :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: how are you?
Storm Nordwind: very hungry!
Storm Nordwind: I'm be disappearing in a moment
SophiaSharon Larnia smiles
Storm Nordwind does not mean wasting away though :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: how is the work going with the markers :)
Storm Nordwind: Oh I'm cleaning up the land a little. Shedding the last it seems. Tomorrow I will return all the difference
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes
Storm Nordwind: Wgen everyone else has had their choice, I will see what's left and perhaps fill up my own tier
SophiaSharon Larnia: so tempted to do more, but do need it :0 you know how that is
SophiaSharon Larnia: dont* rather
Storm Nordwind: Exactly
Storm Nordwind: But I can either cut down by 8k or go right up to 16
Storm Nordwind: And cutting back would chop the Terraces back too much
SophiaSharon Larnia: dont want that :)
Storm Nordwind: The Terraces are still a haven for many people
SophiaSharon Larnia smiles
SophiaSharon Larnia: If I may ask you a question, I know your time here is limited
Storm Nordwind: sure
SophiaSharon Larnia: what is your understanding of bodhicitta? It is something I have just started thinking about
Storm Nordwind: What have you found out so far?
SophiaSharon Larnia: well, it means to me the mind of compassion, seeing others as not seperate from my self
SophiaSharon Larnia: in a relative sense, to have compassion for others
Storm Nordwind: I think there is a chain of thought here...
Storm Nordwind: Seeing others as not separate gives rise to great compassion
Storm Nordwind: And from that...
Storm Nordwind: spontaneously comes the wish for enlightenment
Storm Nordwind: Because there comes the realization that only through enlightenment can your compassion have sufficient reality
SophiaSharon Larnia: I am trying to join this idea with the concept of emptiness as well
Storm Nordwind: That is important
SophiaSharon Larnia: i was thought alot about one and many, and then emptiness, or 'zero' as I told to myself, came into view
Storm Nordwind: Without seeing things as they are, then suffering continues. Ignorance breeds separation, and that brings self cherishing, anger and all the other delusions. Realizing emptiness allows you to see what is really true. That can be quite a leg-up to sharing it with others!
SophiaSharon Larnia: thinks
SophiaSharon Larnia: i was walking the other day, and i saw quickly that it is all complete here, that nothing is missing
SophiaSharon Larnia: I didnt know how to take it, i resisted it as soon as it arose
SophiaSharon Larnia: my resistance was a clue
Storm Nordwind: Step by step we can come closer. It may seem like tumbling over a cliff and we resist...
Storm Nordwind: But then we see there is no cliff. We are the cliff. We are the path to it and all others watching as we fall and fly!
SophiaSharon Larnia nods
SophiaSharon Larnia: in your opinion, do these types of discussions help or slow this process, because to me, it seems to slow it at times
SophiaSharon Larnia: not at others
Storm Nordwind: I cannot speak for others only for my self...
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes
Storm Nordwind: These lay the ground work but in my case that ground work was laid more than 30 years before a meditation brought the vision of reality
Storm Nordwind: I do not know whether I would have made those steps without the discussions
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes i see
Storm Nordwind: I do know one thing though
Storm Nordwind: I know that these discussions can be an inspiration...
Storm Nordwind: they are like messages shouted back along the way...
SophiaSharon Larnia smiles
Storm Nordwind: from others who are just a little further on...
Storm Nordwind: and they are words of encouragement!
SophiaSharon Larnia: i seem to be proceeding both too fast and too slow (as in circles)
SophiaSharon Larnia: but it is fun :) and that is what counts
Storm Nordwind chuckles
Storm Nordwind: Good!
SophiaSharon Larnia: I have to go get ready for work, thank you for stopping by here :))
Storm Nordwind: You are most welcome. And I must eat :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes!! Take care
Storm Nordwind: Namaste
SophiaSharon Larnia: namaste