2009.12.26 07:00 – We Are One

Vendy Walpole: Hello Arch
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Vendy
Vendy Walpole: Merry Christmas :-)
Archmage Atlantis: Ugh, that day is passed, thank goodness.........
Vendy Walpole: You do not like it, why?
Archmage Atlantis: Tripped by my own expectations again :)
Archmage Atlantis: I like the idea
Vendy Walpole: Hm, not sure I understand you
Vendy Walpole: what were the expectations?
Archmage Atlantis: Peace on earth good will, etc
Vendy Walpole: That is wonderful, and no personal expectations at all?
Vendy Walpole: I do have them.
Archmage Atlantis: Of course, the general idea when translated into the specific is more demanding *grins*
Vendy Walpole: My expectations earlier were focused to some external goals
Vendy Walpole: You know...life, work, success...no ending story
Archmage Atlantis: Tell me of it, your sharing may help me
Archmage Atlantis: If you choose
Vendy Walpole: I will, ty
Vendy Walpole: Lately, I have focused to my inner development
Vendy Walpole: So, this is also never ending story but it is in progress, should be at least
Vendy Walpole: while external expectations never satisfy us, these do, each small step makes me closer to the peace
Vendy Walpole: I make baby steps Arch
Vendy Walpole: can't say I have reached something spectacular yet :-) but see the things that could not see earlier
Archmage Atlantis: I do understand, I believe......my giant leaps all turn into baby steps :)
Vendy Walpole: Like...I am able to see me now
Vendy Walpole: you know what I mean?
Vendy Walpole: well, baby steps are good too
Vendy Walpole: they prove we move, that we do not sleep
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, I think I do, though I have learned I never know how another entity actually sees and feels
Vendy Walpole: what you mean by another entity here?
Archmage Atlantis: Another person, another mammal, another living being on this planet
Vendy Walpole nods
Vendy Walpole: You know, lately, I have realized, through the conversations here too, that we are not different so much as I had thought before
Archmage Atlantis: I picked a good cushion today, I can see Storm's wisteria
Archmage Atlantis: To me they have feet
Vendy Walpole: yes, each cushion has another view, which is interesting analogy to seeing life from different perspectives
Archmage Atlantis: Agree

--BELL—

Vendy Walpole: The difference is at the external level, as we go deeper we are closer and closer to each other
Vendy Walpole: Have you thought that the expectations could be obstacles too?
Vendy Walpole: They take our freedom from us and narrow our views towards some goals
Vendy Walpole: So, we miss a big part of life in meantime while we are focused to some point on the horizon
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, I know that expectations are obstacles
Vendy Walpole: yet, you, I, have them :-)
Archmage Atlantis: But I fall for others who promise, then find reasons I am at fault that they do not follow through
Vendy Walpole: it happens to me too
Vendy Walpole: Someone wise said recently here in SL...”Give all and the best you can and do not expect to receive the same
Vendy Walpole: and that way you will be happier."
Archmage Atlantis: It is especially sad when I know it is happening, I tell myself this is a possibility (not always happens), but feel the feelings anyway and act out
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, when I can be more wise, the best is as you have said
Vendy Walpole: you react actually and then you regret cause that?
Archmage Atlantis: Sometimes I am not wise
Archmage Atlantis: The first question I often ask a teacher
Archmage Atlantis: Is "Does suffering have meaning?"
Vendy Walpole: Do you have the answer?
Archmage Atlantis: Yes
Vendy Walpole: Hello Yaku
Archmage Atlantis: It has meaning for those who will learn from it
Yakuzza Lethecus: hey vendy, arch
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Yakuzzza
Vendy Walpole: Happy Christmas :-)
Vendy Walpole: Agree with you Arch
Archmage Atlantis: Or Bah, Humbug as you prefer, Yak *grin*
Archmage Atlantis: Said badly
Vendy Walpole: We get over and over again the same problem until we do not learn the "lesson"
Archmage Atlantis: I do not know your preference
Vendy Walpole: We are talking about expectations Yaku
Vendy Walpole: and of suffering as a possible consequence
Archmage Atlantis: As centered around the holidays, as Christmas day has just passed
Vendy Walpole: tell me Arch, have you noticed the same problem happens to you?
Vendy Walpole: Like, you were disappointed by someone and it happens later again with another person and so on?
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, my ex-partner of many years still can push my buttons
Vendy Walpole smile
Archmage Atlantis: Before him, I had no holiday buttons *smile*

--BELL—

Vendy Walpole: To me, this happens often, to be disappointed by people so I came to conclusion the problem is in me definitely
Vendy Walpole: I realize I had a pattern in my mind - How should people behave with me and response to me-
Vendy Walpole: which I see now is totally absurd way of thinking
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, I thought I had given that pattern up with him, but he seems to bring it out anyway......you are correct Vendy I will rise and repeat until I learn
Vendy Walpole: :-)
Vendy Walpole: The universe sends the same lesson until we overcome it.
Vendy Walpole: Then, another one follows, for sure.
Archmage Atlantis: Bitchy universe, I say
Vendy Walpole: No rest in growing
Vendy Walpole: Well, I will say a strict teacher
Archmage Atlantis: My mom was a strict teacher
Vendy Walpole: was it of help for you?
Archmage Atlantis: 5th grade
Archmage Atlantis: Well, she loved me, and made sure I was cared for........the universe is not my mom
Vendy Walpole: Yes
Vendy Walpole: But, if we grow through lessons, it can be like a mum too
Vendy Walpole: Please, tell me how do you practice PaB in your life?
Vendy Walpole: And does it help you?
Archmage Atlantis: British, Vendy? mum? If I didn't edit my Southern roots, I would say Mama and Daddy *grin*
Archmage Atlantis: PaB, interesting
Vendy Walpole: Sorry, my English is bad
Vendy Walpole: I am from ex Yugoslavia
Archmage Atlantis: I practice listening to myself, to others, to the world around me
Archmage Atlantis: Taking in all and letting it be
Vendy Walpole: Interesting and do you analyze as you listen?
Archmage Atlantis: No
Archmage Atlantis: But later I do
Vendy Walpole: You are like a neutral observer while you listen?
Archmage Atlantis: I used to analyze and look at the same time
Vendy Walpole: Ha, that was me too
Archmage Atlantis: Now I just allow the data to flow in
Vendy Walpole: That way I missed a lot
Vendy Walpole: You watch yourself too?
Archmage Atlantis: Sometimes I watch myself, not every time
Vendy Walpole: I do not that regularly also Arch but should do, cause it is helpful each time
Vendy Walpole: to me, it is a way to return into the peaceful oasis
Vendy Walpole: no matter of the noise in which I am, nor the chaos
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, to watch myself........it teaches me the limits of my observation
Vendy Walpole: Do they change through the time?
Archmage Atlantis: Coming here gives me a peaceful oasis
Vendy Walpole: expand?
Vendy Walpole nods
Archmage Atlantis: They change, I do not know if they expand

--BELL—

Vendy Walpole: Lets try that now?
Archmage Atlantis: sure
Vendy Walpole: Who will be the first to share?
Archmage Atlantis: I opened the window....I hear the birds
Archmage Atlantis: Many different ones
Archmage Atlantis: The migration path flows through here
Vendy Walpole: how nice
Archmage Atlantis: Now they are quiet
Archmage Atlantis: And a Mockingbird or similar sings
Archmage Atlantis: Not just chirps
Archmage Atlantis: But a snippet of song
Archmage Atlantis: They have flown past now
Archmage Atlantis: But the singer remains
Vendy Walpole: Your attention was focused and you were aware of the sounds much more, what about yourself?
Archmage Atlantis: I am calmer
Vendy Walpole: You see, my experience is very similar to yours ;-)
Vendy Walpole: though we are thousands miles distanced
Vendy Walpole: I was aware of the sounds in first seconds, the traffic, Celine Dion’s singing in the other room / radio
Vendy Walpole: and more distanced sounds
Vendy Walpole: then felt some tension in me
Archmage Atlantis: Vendy, there was something you said earlier that sent a thought through my mind
Vendy Walpole: Yes? please tell me?
Archmage Atlantis: Let me read back a moment
Vendy Walpole: sure
Vendy Walpole: just want to add after being aware of the tension, it left.
Vendy Walpole: I am always fascinated how much we experience in such short time.
Archmage Atlantis: I cannot find the comment, but the thought is still with me.....
Vendy Walpole: what was it about? I talk a lot hahahaha
Archmage Atlantis: At the core of all being, we are all connected
Archmage Atlantis: We hear each other, and all other entities
Vendy Walpole: Ah, yes, I do believe in it very much Arch
Vendy Walpole: As time passes I believe more and more even
Vendy Walpole: All books, all teachers, classes, my personal experiences brought me to that
Vendy Walpole: and when I see people that way, I feel the connection,
Vendy Walpole: empathy, compassion are more and more present
Vendy Walpole: we are a part of the same Being
Vendy Walpole: just the" clothes" are different
Vendy Walpole: :-)
Archmage Atlantis: May I say that slightly differently?......We are Parts of a whole
Vendy Walpole: Yes, agree with that too
Vendy Walpole: or of the oneness?
Vendy Walpole: You know, I am grateful to SL cause it helps me to see that too
Archmage Atlantis: I do not choose to give up my individuality or my own journey......I do choose to recognize it is shared

--BELL—

Vendy Walpole: I see us as each has own journey
Archmage Atlantis: Agree
Vendy Walpole: and we share here the experiences
Vendy Walpole: it enriches me
Vendy Walpole: Perhaps, we shall get closer as we travel :-)
Archmage Atlantis: I must go to the one that is special to me now, thank you for your comforting Vendy
Vendy Walpole: Thank you too Arch, I enjoyed so much
Vendy Walpole: Hope talk soon again
Vendy Walpole: Would you like to share Yaku your practice too?
Vendy Walpole: Or some thoughts perhaps?
Yakuzza Lethecus: I don’t know what to say today
Yakuzza Lethecus: sorry, i just wanted to hear something different and come to different thoughts
Vendy Walpole: I do understand
Vendy Walpole: Have you heard something different?
Vendy Walpole: Or you have similar experience?
Yakuzza Lethecus: sure it´s often similar but similar in words, its kinda hard to make concrete experiences clear in simple terms
Vendy Walpole: yes, we are faced with the limitation of the words often
Yakuzza Lethecus: at which point are we truly capable to understand
Vendy Walpole: I am happy if I move even a one baby step Yaku towards the understanding
Yakuzza Lethecus: and we learn about the background of everyone here over time so we understand the same words in a different way when we know more about the individual context
Vendy Walpole: Yes, we get more puzzles 
Vendy Walpole: and the picture is clearer
Yakuzza Lethecus: i try not to expect anything here but i feel it´s right to get into mindfulness and the explorations of other ppl see their world
Yakuzza Lethecus: do you still live in yugoslavia by the way ?
Yakuzza Lethecus: bosnia,serbia,croatia ?
Vendy Walpole: Yes, I am in Macedonia
Yakuzza Lethecus: lol
Vendy Walpole: The neighbour of Greece
Yakuzza Lethecus: jep, whom belongs the name of macedonia
Vendy Walpole: I lived in Croatia too and have close relatives in Serbia
Yakuzza Lethecus: haha :)
Vendy Walpole: hahaha :-) you know the problem i see
Vendy Walpole: You know of Mother Teresa?
Yakuzza Lethecus: that she´s born in macedonia ?
Vendy Walpole: Yes, in my town
Yakuzza Lethecus: sure i know she died in 1997
Vendy Walpole: I live very close to the house where she was born
Vendy Walpole: about 5 minutes walking, distanced
Yakuzza Lethecus: yep, i looked up her wiki entry last week after i heard a lecture without some timecode but ,,recently when mother teresa died" was included
Vendy Walpole: not sure what lecture was it?
Yakuzza Lethecus: i don´t even know in which one those were general issues on philosophy
Yakuzza Lethecus: i guess on ethics and moral
Vendy Walpole: I see… and from what piece of Earth are you yaku?
Yakuzza Lethecus: germany
Yakuzza Lethecus: ah, skopje
Vendy Walpole: Ah, not sooo far then
Vendy Walpole: :-)
Yakuzza Lethecus: üsküb :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: lol
Vendy Walpole: what part of Germany is it?
Yakuzza Lethecus: NRW, Balve
Vendy Walpole: I was in Munchen only
Yakuzza Lethecus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balve
Vendy Walpole: Thank you, you know,
Vendy Walpole: I have watched on TV about Heidelberg

--BELL—

Vendy Walpole: Would love to visit that town so much
Yakuzza Lethecus: i love our countryside
Yakuzza Lethecus: but i haven’t travelled much
Vendy Walpole: What type of city is yours?
Yakuzza Lethecus: type ?
Vendy Walpole: yes, what is typical
Yakuzza Lethecus: i might should travel more in order to say whats typical for us
Vendy Walpole: :-)
Yakuzza Lethecus: thats something only somebody who know the difference might tell
Vendy Walpole: hm, ok, will try this way
Vendy Walpole: what do you like there?
Vendy Walpole: :-)
Yakuzza Lethecus: oh, our nature is pretty much it
Yakuzza Lethecus: you need a car, public transportation totally sucks
Vendy Walpole: sounds familiar...sighs
Yakuzza Lethecus: there isn’t that much to do, no university or anything close by
Vendy Walpole: is there a river, lake?
Yakuzza Lethecus: so new thoughts got high opportunity costs
Yakuzza Lethecus: 10km
Yakuzza Lethecus: The ,,Sorpe"
Vendy Walpole: a river?
Yakuzza Lethecus: It´s a lake, and sure there is the hÃnne but it´s only a small river.
Vendy Walpole: I like Berlin
Vendy Walpole: though never been there
Vendy Walpole: never
Yakuzza Lethecus: i don´t like it, i have an aunt there
Yakuzza Lethecus: i visited her a couple of times, she doesn’t live in the centre so it’s ok where she lives
Vendy Walpole: Hm, I know about the separate buildings designed by famous architects only
Vendy Walpole: Like Sony Center
Yakuzza Lethecus: i heard a couple of times that Berlin is gaining the status of a ,,new London"
Yakuzza Lethecus: for artists...
Vendy Walpole: Artists will make its soul richer
Yakuzza Lethecus: but i simply don´t share that experience so far, and i even don't know what kind of cultural London the media was talking about since I’ve never been there either :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: so since my experience isn’t universal i might be wrong but thats my exp so far
Vendy Walpole nods
Yakuzza Lethecus: are you working in the arts `
Vendy Walpole: I am an architect
Yakuzza Lethecus: ah, like wol
Vendy Walpole: Oh, isn't she a programmer?
Yakuzza Lethecus: hmm, already 4 i know here :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: no she’s an architect :)
Vendy Walpole: Interesting!
Vendy Walpole: I was wrong then
Vendy Walpole: But, we are not our professions
Yakuzza Lethecus: but that might feed our sense for stereotypes :)
Vendy Walpole: yes
Yakuzza Lethecus: now i already opened my ,,architect" box preset for you :)
Vendy Walpole: oh!!!???
Yakuzza Lethecus: and that i have no clue about architecture at all :D
Yakuzza Lethecus: it’s not very elaborated
Vendy Walpole: you are surrounded by it in your ever day life
Yakuzza Lethecus: and i don’t know much about gothic cathedrals’ so my image for architects is far different from what architects do in real life :)
Vendy Walpole: even here, in this pavilion
Vendy Walpole: I am sure you have a sense for the architecture of which you are not aware maybe
Vendy Walpole: each of us experiences our homes, surroundings, cities in some unique way
Yakuzza Lethecus: nods, but i can’t express it very well
Vendy Walpole: you feel it, right?
Yakuzza Lethecus: i believe so
Vendy Walpole: me too :-)

--BELL—

Vendy Walpole: I should go, lunch time for me Yaku
Yakuzza Lethecus: jep, dinnertime :)
Vendy Walpole: Thank you for sharing your time with me
Yakuzza Lethecus: take care!
Vendy Walpole: yes, we have late lunch today
Vendy Walpole: You too, see you soon