2009.11.26 19:00 - Giving Thanks

The Guardian for this meeting was Paradise Tennnant. The comments are by Archmage, Gaya, Steve, Eden.Dao, Paradise

Archmage Atlantis: Hello Gaya
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Arch :)
Gaya Ethaniel: How are things?
Archmage Atlantis: Good, had a nice Thanksgiving, went out to a buffet with my friend, made it just before the crowds, the food was good, conversation was goo
Archmage Atlantis: *good
Gaya Ethaniel: That's good, happy to hear it :)
Archmage Atlantis: How are things with you?
Gaya Ethaniel: Good, just woke up so decided to come here.
Archmage Atlantis: Yea, Its really bedtime here, but I slept all afternoon, and when my PaB reminder came up, seemed like a good choice of what to do *smile*
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Anything you'd like to talk about?
Archmage Atlantis: Nothing comes to mind, you have anything?
Gaya Ethaniel thinks.
Archmage Atlantis: I can hear a owl outside
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Archmage Atlantis: Do you live in an urban, suburban or rural area.......it's pretty rural here
Gaya Ethaniel: Urban though I can get to rural areas fairly easy.
Gaya Ethaniel: Yes I know you often talk about wild animals.
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Paradise :)
Archmage Atlantis: I've been lucky in that the last few years, my last place was on a canal and we had lots of differnt water birds
Archmage Atlantis: Hi Paradise
Paradise Tennant: hello gaya ..arch .. my apologies .. I had dinner guests they just left :)
Gaya Ethaniel: np :) hope you had a pleasant gathering.
Archmage Atlantis: Yes Paradise, I hope so also
Paradise Tennant: yes it was lovely ... we were celebrating a friend's birthday ... :)
Paradise Tennant: lovely night
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Archmage Atlantis: That is wonderful :)
Paradise Tennant: :)
Paradise Tennant: i hope i did not interrupt a discussion thread :)
--BELL--
Paradise Tennant: given it is thanks giving in the us ..perhaps we could reflect on what we are thank full for :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Sounds great :)
Gaya Ethaniel: I'm thankful that I could come here because I woke up unplanned :)
Paradise Tennant: hm:)
Paradise Tennant: we are thank ful you are here
Archmage Atlantis: Friends and family are the core of Thanksgiving to me, and to share the harvest table with all who will join
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Paradise Tennant: :)
Archmage Atlantis: I am thankful for that
Gaya Ethaniel: Thankful turkeys are favoured over rabbits at Thanksgiving :P
Paradise Tennant: yes friends and family are real wealth .. they are riches of life
Paradise Tennant: lol
Paradise Tennant: yes
Paradise Tennant: gaya
Archmage Atlantis: Chuckles
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Gaya Ethaniel: I think it's good to have gatherings like Thanksgiving ... sometimes we just roll along and take people for granted.
Archmage Atlantis: And rabbits too
Gaya Ethaniel nods.
Archmage Atlantis: smiles
Archmage Atlantis: Actually, I don't usually think about it, but in the Chinese zodiac, I was born in the year of the rabbit
Paradise Tennant: yes ... i find when I focus on being present .. it sometimes floods me with appreciation for even the smallest thing ..how good it is to breathe
Paradise Tennant: ahh
Gaya Ethaniel: Indeed Paradise :)
Gaya Ethaniel: You don't usually think about it, what's 'it' here Arch?
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Kali :)
Paradise Tennant: welcome kali :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Aubergine :)
Archmage Atlantis: the fact is the "it"
Aubergine Mint: hi
Gaya Ethaniel: Sorry ... slow, what is 'the fact'?
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Kali, Aubergine
Paradise Tennant: welcome aubergine :)
Aubergine Mint: what's happening?
Paradise Tennant: this is a play as being discussion session
Archmage Atlantis: I'm not really trying to be cryptic, let me see........I know I was born in the year of the rabbit, but it is not a fact I think of often.
Paradise Tennant: have you visited this sim before ?
Paradise Tennant: would you like a note card
Aubergine Mint: sorry, I didn't mean to interupt
Archmage Atlantis: Is that more clear, Gaya?
Aubergine Mint: sure
Gaya Ethaniel: ah ... yes I see now :)
Paradise Tennant: no interruption one sec
Gaya Ethaniel: Please feel free to take a seat. Right click a cushion then click sit, Aubergine.
Paradise Tennant: there is a web site you can visit that gives a lot of detail ..our discussion is recorded aubergine do you have any objection to that
Aubergine Mint: no
Archmage Atlantis: We were having a discussion on what we are thankful for, inspired by US Thanksgiving yesterday
Paradise Tennant: the chat logs are posted on playasbeing website
Paradise Tennant: yes
Archmage Atlantis: And having new entities join is never an interruption to me personally
Paradise Tennant: we stop every 15 mins for a 90 sec pause for reflection .in silence ..usually picking up on the topic that is current being discussed :)
Gaya Ethaniel: If we are present and open each moment, it's not possible to interrupt :)
Paradise Tennant: mostly it is all about learning to be fully present :)
Aubergine Mint: thanks for the note card and for welcoming me .... i'll check back again after i look at the website :)
Gaya Ethaniel: I mean ... there isn't something that can be interrupted :)
Paradise Tennant: ok :)
Aubergine Mint: have a good evening
Paradise Tennant: and you :)
Archmage Atlantis: You also :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Bye Aubergine :)
Aubergine Mint: bye all :)
Archmage Atlantis: Hiya Stevenaia
Paradise Tennant: hey steve gtsy :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello stevenaia :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Full and start detoxing now?
stevenaia Michinaga: evening, how nice to see you all
Paradise Tennant: we are discussing what we have to be thank ful for seemed appropriate :)
--BELL--
stevenaia Michinaga: everything :)
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Dao :)
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, just the ability to be here at PaB is something I am thankful for
stevenaia Michinaga: that too
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Dao *smile*
Paradise Tennant: hiya dao :)
Paradise Tennant: have you been to one of these sessions before dao :)
Gaya Ethaniel: I told Dao that we record on wiki and she's ok.
Dao Yheng: have been to WoK -- first time here!
Gaya Ethaniel: Welcome Dao :)
Dao Yheng: Thanks for letting me join you all!
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, welcome
Paradise Tennant: you are very welcome ..here is a notecard that explans what playasbeing is about
Dao Yheng: ty
stevenaia Michinaga: so appreciation or thankfulness can be an atribute of most things if you have an appropriate perspective
Paradise Tennant: this is a discussion session .. every 15 minutes there is 90 sec of silent reflection .usually on a topic that is under discussion :)
Paradise Tennant: today we were talking about being thankful :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Appreciation seems to be a part of living life in full.
stevenaia Michinaga: sometimes it jsut takes a bit of work to see it
Dao Yheng: Sounds good!
Gaya Ethaniel: Hello Eden :)
Paradise Tennant: yes steve pretty much the key point
Gaya Ethaniel: [19:37] stevenaia Michinaga: sometimes it jsut takes a bit of work to see it -- pls say more?
Eden Haiku: hello everyone!
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Eden :)
Paradise Tennant: I am sitting ..dry and comfortable ..dog curled up at my feet .. after having friends in for dinner .. just a wonderful moment really but sometimes on the bus .. on the way to work .. can be a full magical moment to .. if you really open your eyes :)
Paradise Tennant: or maybe your heart
Paradise Tennant: :)
Paradise Tennant: hiya eden gtsy
Archmage Atlantis: I sort of remember a quote or a saying, I do not know which
Eden Haiku: Happy Thanksgiving Paradise!
Gaya Ethaniel: But appreciation isn't always about seeing 'good' bits ... what do you think?
stevenaia Michinaga: an appearent bad thing will cause you to change, possibly reflect on it and move forward in a new and unexpected way, for instance, resulting in a better situation caused by the initial bad thing
Archmage Atlantis: The eyes are the windows to the soul
Paradise Tennant: :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Yes sometimes it's good not to judge 'bad' immediately.
Archmage Atlantis: I think that may even work with those who are blind, they just have different "eyes"
Paradise Tennant: well so much of how we view life ..judge our experiences if very superficial limited .. often .. think of life as a tapestry .. that grows in beauty when you really look closely
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, two people can have the same situation, one can grow, one can wither
Paradise Tennant: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: it can if you allow it to Paradise
Paradise Tennant: but even the withering is part of the process .. the buddhist call it one taste I believe ?
Gaya Ethaniel: Please say more about 'allow'?
stevenaia Michinaga: a choice
Gaya Ethaniel: True, without withering at least once, one won't know much difference :)
Eden Haiku: I like the metaphor og looking closely at the tapestry of life and seeing its beauty...
Archmage Atlantis: My morning glories this year were glorious, then mealybugs devoured them.........but they seeded, and now the new plants climb the same trellis and bloom
Paradise Tennant: smiles at arch
Gaya Ethaniel: An active choice of seeing something as an opportunity rather than a problem?
Paradise Tennant: loves morning glories :)
Gaya Ethaniel: :) symbol of Korea ...
Eden Haiku: oh!
--BELL--
Gaya Ethaniel: I think though its official symbol is rose of sharon ...
Archmage Atlantis: Now there is a new thought, "official symbol"
Gaya Ethaniel: I'm still not sure how 'allowing' is making choice?
Gaya Ethaniel: heh :)
Eden Haiku: OnThanksgiving Day/Morning glories are blooming/Blessing our meeting ;-)
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Paradise Tennant: steve ? allowing .. maybe really seeing the benefit .. in everything within the totality :)
stevenaia Michinaga: I see it similar to "allowing emptyness" so new things can fill you, you can allow choice in the same uncluttered way, by letting go of other things
Paradise Tennant: yes
Gaya Ethaniel ponders.
stevenaia Michinaga: possibly not clear as I am foggy tonight with a cold
Gaya Ethaniel: aawww ...
Paradise Tennant: hands steve ..hot tea with lemon :)?
Archmage Atlantis: It sounded quite clear to me, Stevenaia
stevenaia Michinaga: I have the tea, but the scotch may be the foggy part :)
Dao Yheng: For me, allowing starts with being willing to turn towards, rather than away or askew
Paradise Tennant: lol
Gaya Ethaniel: Just me running at a slow speed at this hour probably :)
Gaya Ethaniel: heh :)
Archmage Atlantis: As has all that has been said this turn of the earth in this place
Paradise Tennant: yes dao :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Yes Dao, it's still difficult not to turn away, needs some courage.
Gaya Ethaniel: difficult for me*
Dao Yheng: That certainly is an active choice
Dao Yheng: It always surprises me how much I miss in even the most innocuous situations (even more so in situations I don't like)
Gaya Ethaniel: Can you relate a story Dao?
stevenaia Michinaga: thankfulness is a choice
Paradise Tennant: yes dao .. I find that to so true too .. when I focus .. I see so much more :)
Gaya Ethaniel: A choice to see more ... indeed stevenaia :)
stevenaia Michinaga: I think that was my point
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
Eden Haiku: Yes, a story would help me to understand what you mean also Dao.
Dao Yheng: I think I started to tell that story about getting scared in the dark (predawn redwood trees)
Dao Yheng: I thought I knew a lot about my fear
Dao Yheng: scared of bears
Gaya Ethaniel: I saw -- http://ways-of-knowing.wik.is/3Repor...heng/Report_33 :)
Dao Yheng: eyes not adjusting to the darkness after turning on the flashlight
Dao Yheng: etc
Dao Yheng: however, the decision to allow the fear revealed quite a bit more
Eden Haiku: listens, mesmerized.
Gaya Ethaniel: There is a very narrow window when I can decide to face or turn away when I see it happening with fear.
Dao Yheng: it was possible to see even more clearly the jumble of thoughts
Dao Yheng: possible to see a way to let that go
Dao Yheng: possible to accept the help of my faulty vision rather than get freaked out by it
Gaya Ethaniel: How did you catch it?
Dao Yheng: also possible to feel an intimate relationship with the environment
Dao Yheng: intimacy which was not felt when I was turning away from the fear
Gaya Ethaniel: Catch that window of moment to make the decision I meant.
Dao Yheng: In my case, fear is easier to deal with than say depression
Paradise Tennant: because you are more fully in your senses .. in touch with the environment ?
Eden Haiku: Very interesting story. Thanks!
Dao Yheng: in a way, I was already enjoying being afraid of the dark
Paradise Tennant: smiles
--BELL--
Paradise Tennant: can i suggest we wind down with say a five minute meditation and perhaps reflect on being thankful for our fears ?
Gaya Ethaniel: ok
Paradise Tennant: everyone ok with that ?
Dao Yheng: sounds lovely
stevenaia Michinaga: k
Paradise Tennant: ok I will gong .. then :)
Eden Haiku: Yes,
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Paradise Tennant: gong*
Archmage Atlantis: before Jesus, before Buddha, before Lao Tse, before Abram, there was fear of the dark.....for we had just emerged
Archmage Atlantis: The Pharoahs were of the sun
Archmage Atlantis: Those are only stories
Archmage Atlantis: We exist on a small ball of minerals, covered by millions of years of decayed life, giving it's force to us to go on
Archmage Atlantis: There is a time to tell stories, and a time to act
Paradise Tennant: gong * :)
Gaya Ethaniel: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: time flies
Gaya Ethaniel: There was the dark ... from which we emerged yet we don't remember ... :)
Gaya Ethaniel: Thanks everyone, good night!
Paradise Tennant: thank you each very much for sharing this time .. your presence.. your selves .. always a big pleasure :)
Eden Haiku: That felt so good Paradise, thanks.
Paradise Tennant: I have excuse myself too ..I have an early morning .. big wave from toronto good nite all :)
Eden Haiku: Good nite evryone!
Paradise Tennant: smiles at eden :)
stevenaia Michinaga: night all