2009.11.15 13:00 - Variations re Being seeing

The Guardian for this meeting was Maxine Walden. The comments are by Maxine Walden.

 I have deleted some of the initial greetings, hoping to allow for more focus on the PaB topics in discussion.  Eliza brought the You seeing Being see practice which had been a part of the 7:00 session this morning.  We practiced this during the 90 sec pause with several experiences being shared.  Overall, the session seemed informing to nearly all the participants who stayed; a few left without saying goodbye, but even that uncertainty became something to 'see' in terms of our reactions, and doubts, which could be resolved when Being sees the same issue.

Maxine Walden: Does anyone have anything to bring up re PaB practice or related topics?
Eliza Madrigal: This morning at Adam's session, we took a moment to work with You Seeing Being Seeing
Maxine Walden: ah, yes, care to summarize the experience or suggest we think more about that?
Eliza Madrigal: Well, we decided to do it right toward the end, but it seemed even in just a few minutes we were able to engage in the practice
Maxine Walden: perhaps you are suggesting we do that during the 90 sec pause just a few minutes away
Eliza Madrigal: If there are no other suggestions, I find myself very interested in the contrast... and in ways to carry that sense into daily life
Maxine Walden: yes, Eliza, would you care to mention to
Maxine Walden: to mention the 'instructions' to the practice?
Maxine Walden: As you recall it from this morning?
Eliza Madrigal: how might we see/perceive as Being?
Eliza Madrigal: In short, the exercize is to first see as we see normally... no need to close eyes... look around. Then, switch to Being Seeing..
Eliza Madrigal: (was switched around)
Eliza Madrigal: Others give more eloquent descriptions, but even with that, I feel we have something to work with?
--BELL--
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Bert :)
Bertram Jacobus: hello everybody ! ... :-)
Pila Mulligan: hi Bert
Maxine Walden: Hi, Bert, we are practicing You seeing...Being seeing
Maxine Walden: What experiences did folks have...Eliza, care to offer yours?
Bertram Jacobus: me seeing, being seen ? not sure whether i understand that ... sry
Maxine Walden: Perhaps listening can clue us all in, Bert

Eliza shares her experience

Eliza Madrigal: For me I looked around at things I had to do first... a cluttered table that I'd like to clear, for instance....
Bertram Jacobus: ok. ty.
Eliza Madrigal: and then switched to Being Seeing, and felt happy about the mess.. about the productivity going on with my kids, etc
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Maxine Walden: ah, from 'in the clutter' to appreciating the productivity of it
Eliza Madrigal: yes, was funny :)
Maxine Walden: Ah...funny?
Sunfire Langer: theres the adddage that when we appreciate something, it appreciates in value
Maxine Walden: hmmm, yes, nice
Eliza Madrigal: Yes, I didn't expect to feel that. Sometimes, and definitely in thinking about this excercize lately, we almost think we know what we'll feel/see
Eliza Madrigal: Oh, yes Sunfire
Maxine Walden: any other experiences? Pila ? Sunfire?
Pila Mulligan: hi Steve
Bertram Jacobus: hey steven ! ... :-)
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Steve :)
stevenaia Michinaga: hello

I share my initial experience

Maxine Walden: I can share my own experience:
Maxine Walden: I began by 'seeing' us all here, sitting and wondering, a bit uncertain, by trying...
Maxine Walden: and then from Being's side: feeling a kind of compassionate holding view of all of us here...rather like Eliza's experience of being in the group and then appreciating the group from a wider view
Eliza Madrigal smiles
Maxine Walden: Steve, we are trying You Seeing, Being Seeing, perhaps continuing from this mornings session
Maxine Walden: Anyone else?
stevenaia Michinaga: thank you
Bertram Jacobus: in 1973, first of my friends began to meditate and i asked one, what he would do now. and he answered : i´m seeing ... (!) ... ;-)

Stevenaia raises an interesting question

stevenaia Michinaga: wonders how everyone "sees" in images or words, seems I always do little drawings of what showa up to remember
Maxine Walden: hmmm
Eliza Madrigal: Neat question, Steve :)
stevenaia Michinaga: n princeton my little doodles were enough to capture the moment for discussion and rememebring
Sunfire Langer: its our own story, illustrated, dubbed, broadcast live, storyboarded, co-created
Maxine Walden: I recall, Steve, your Princeton doodles...yes, Sunfire, some registration of our own story in some way unique perhaps to us
Eliza Madrigal: I think I have feelers..hehe... like a glowstick that I notice...sometimes images... sometimes words
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, and this year too Maxine
Maxine Walden: ah, missed seeing you this year, Steve
Eliza Madrigal thought about steve's doodles on the plane home.... turbulence
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, being grounded in a tornado of reality
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Landing, there were 20 mph winds due to a hurricane offshore... but the pilot guided us gently
Sunfire Langer is reflecting on The Chariot Card...
Maxine Walden: Oh, Sunfire, what does that card suggest?
stevenaia Michinaga: I saw myself unaffected by the "winds of the tornado" by dropping that which creates "drag" on my self
Maxine Walden: interesting, steve
--BELL--
Sunfire Langer: the Cosmic Tribe deck's Chariot is a man sat at the centre of a swirling and turbulent journey, he is at the calm centre of the whirlwind journey his magical chariot will take him on
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Gaya :)
Sunfire Langer: Hello Gaya :)
Pila Mulligan: hi Gaya
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello everyone :) Sorry I'm late.
Maxine Walden: thanks, Sunfire, interesting
Eliza Madrigal smiles...interesting imagery Sunfire
Maxine Walden: Gaya, we are trying to practice the You Seeing...Being Seeing, which was done some in this morning's session
Gaya Ethaniel: ok :)
Maxine Walden: And Steve was remembering, Eliza too, some of the images/thoughts from the recent Princetone retreat.
Gaya Ethaniel: ah :) I read a page Eliza wrote something relating to that I think.
Eliza Madrigal: Yes it was a profound experience for me...something we mention in PaB but I'd not really focused on til now
Gaya Ethaniel: /
Gaya Ethaniel: Sorry I sometime still showing as typing.
Eliza Madrigal: The experience I conveyed was a longer stretch, but I think it is interesting that we can do this kind of exploration in just minutes, too
stevenaia Michinaga: sorry, local gymnast findraiser was at the door :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Maxine Walden: :)
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Eliza Madrigal: This morning I rezzed a singing bowl/bell in order to try to time one minute each part...
Eliza Madrigal: but I was a bit clumsy :)
Maxine Walden: might be able to imagine such perhaps ringing half way thru the next 90 sec pause; an interesting audio 'image' for me to consider

Gaya shares some of her experience which others try to clarify for themselves

Gaya Ethaniel: For me, Being Seeing moments tend to happen out of blue. I'm not good at doing the actual practices so far.
Maxine Walden: Care to describe such an experience, Gaya, of the Being Seeing out of the blue?
Gaya Ethaniel: As with 'seeing' bit ... when looking at mirror, sometimes I get a feeling that is similar to out of body experiences? Stim said it's normal.
Pila Mulligan: hi Yak
Maxine Walden: hi, Yaku
Eliza Madrigal: More you can say Gaya? That's interesting!
Gaya Ethaniel: Just different experience from seeing myself in the mirror normally ... hard to describe.
Eliza Madrigal: hm... you mean "Being Seeing" at a mirror? Or ..?
Gaya Ethaniel: I didn't feel quite contained in the body for a split second that is closest I can describe it.
Maxine Walden: seeing youself as if from beyond your body, perhaps?
Gaya Ethaniel: Kind of yet ... still there was a connection.
Maxine Walden: ah.
Eliza Madrigal: Once I had the sensation of being a bit like a Picasso painting...
Eliza Madrigal: like parts were kind of unattached... similar maybe? Hm
Gaya Ethaniel: Almost different perspectives were seen at the same time ... these things are difficult to describe >.<
Eliza Madrigal nods, definitely :)
Maxine Walden: (another 90 sec coming soon)

Pila shares an RL atmosphere which becomes an SL experience for several of us during the rest of the session

Pila Mulligan: a gentle rain shower has been falling for several days -- my Being seeing experiment with the rain: it was the same from either view
--BELL--
Pila Mulligan: this time the rain stopped :)
Maxine Walden: Care to say more, Pila?
Eliza Madrigal: Lovely, Pila :)
Pila Mulligan: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: I must get dinner started, bye all
Pila Mulligan: bye Steve
Maxine Walden: bye, Steve, thanks for coming
Eliza Madrigal: Bye Steve :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: bye steve
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Seems to be lagging a bit ... so missing chat lines.
Eliza Madrigal: I didn't quite Be See this time... but I noticed a kind of softness...considering how much 'easier' these things are with friends
Maxine Walden: how nice, Eliza.

I share another You seeing Being seen experience from the most recent 90 sec pause

Maxine Walden: I had an interesting experience:
Maxine Walden: had been feeling a bit guilty that Sunfire and Bert left without a word, as if they did not feel sufficiently included, and as goc I felt a bit guilty, as if I had let them down. Then, from Being seeing I felt a softening of that doubt, all resolving and the birdsong and beauty of this place wafted in
Pila Mulligan: :)
Eliza Madrigal smiles...comforting, Maxine
Maxine Walden: hmm, yes
Pila Mulligan: some have suggested in recent sessions that leaving thusly is more plite than interrupting with goodbye -- I'm not sure though
Eliza Madrigal: Sunfire often leaves that way, just for the record :)
Pila Mulligan: Doug too
Maxine Walden: ah, have been away so not aware of that consideration
Gaya Ethaniel nods :) Great to see someone gracefully brings back focus on present ...
Eliza Madrigal: :)

And then we speak of participants leaving without a word, how that feels...

Gaya Ethaniel: For the record, I still don't like people leaving without saying bye :P
Maxine Walden: ah, thanks for the reality check, Eliza and Pila...
Pila Mulligan: :)
Maxine Walden: I having to get used to it too, Gaya
Pila Mulligan: I did it for the first and maybe only time last nght, as I realized where the session was going (the one in Pema's email)
Eliza Madrigal: it isn't my preference...I enjoy greetings :)
Eliza Madrigal: Oh quite a session, Pila! :)
Pila Mulligan: arrived saw departed -- apologies now fo being abrupt :)
Maxine Walden: ah, yes, saw that session, Pila
Maxine Walden: well, might have seemed like an unpleasant place to remain
Pila Mulligan: I wa soin and out so quickly it seemed okay to just go
Eliza Madrigal nods
Pila Mulligan: was in and out*
Maxine Walden: just flying by...?
Pila Mulligan: :)
Gaya Ethaniel nods. I'd have said 'no swearing' please!
Eliza Madrigal: I like the way Storm handled a recent log... where he put greetings in lighter colors...
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Pila Mulligan: yes, easier to read
Eliza Madrigal: that seems a good solution when there are lots and lots of greetings
Eliza Madrigal: And you often edit down too, Maxine... makes it so clear
Maxine Walden: yes, you know sometimes I have edited out greetings...not sure if folks feel 'left out'
Eliza Madrigal: It may depend on the size of the session
Maxine Walden: yes, likely so, eliza
Eliza Madrigal: Your sessions are often full
Maxine Walden: hmm, lots going on it seems
Maxine Walden: like this session , which i think is/has been a rich one
Eliza Madrigal: yes, a very nice session, Maxine. Thank you
Maxine Walden: my pleasure as well, Eliza
Gaya Ethaniel nods :) Thank you.
Maxine Walden: Hmm, just thinking about the problem when someone leaves without a word, at least for me:
Maxine Walden: I am left with whatever doubts I may have as to their state of mind and my own; as if it does take a bit of effort to be separate and just in the moment
Maxine Walden: leting them be themselves and me myself
Pila Mulligan: yes, and being polite is subjective in the end
Gaya Ethaniel nods.
Pila Mulligan: you were, for sure :)
Maxine Walden: yes
Eliza Madrigal: Hmmm, yes
Pila Mulligan (notes the rain shower has resumed now:)
Eliza Madrigal smiles and imagines
Maxine Walden: ah, yes imagining as well, sounds warm and soothing (my imagination)
Pila Mulligan: quite accurate
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Maxine Walden: ah....
--BELL--
Maxine Walden: I've been feeling the misty rainfall, soothing and embracing...nice way for me to end this session. Thanks for the image, Pila
Pila Mulligan: :)
Maxine Walden: have to go. very nice discussion
Pila Mulligan: thank you Maxine
Gaya Ethaniel: Good day/night everyone :)
Pila Mulligan: bye for onw
Maxine Walden: bye for now everyone
Eliza Madrigal: Thanks so much Maxine, Peace :)
Eliza Madrigal: Bye everyone
Pila Mulligan: bye Gaya and ELiza
Eliza Madrigal waves warmly
Pila Mulligan: how are you Yak?
Yakuzza Lethecus: bye pila
Yakuzza Lethecus: have a great rest of the sunday :)
Pila Mulligan: thanks, bye for now :)