2010.11.07 07:00 - No Reference

The Guardian for this meeting was Adams Rubble. The comments are by Adams Rubble.

We were an easily distracted group this morning and Moon treated us to a display of changing seasons while we talked.

joshposh99 Biscuit: hi
Moon Fargis: greetings everyone :)
Adams Rubble: Hello Moon :)
joshposh99 Biscuit: hi
Adams Rubble: Hello Josh :)
joshposh99 Biscuit: hi
Adams Rubble: Have you been here before Josh?
joshposh99 Biscuit: yes
Adams Rubble: nice to meet you Josh :)
Adams Rubble: Hello Stargate, Susi :)
joshposh99 Biscuit: weres bruce
Moon Fargis: bruce ?
Adams Rubble: Bruce is online but nor here yet
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Adams Rubble: nice plant life Moon :)
Stargate Tone: Hello Adams and josh
joshposh99 Biscuit: hi
Susi Alcott: Hello Adams, josh, Moon and Star
Adams Rubble: It has been a long time since I've seen you Susi, Stargate and Moon
joshposh99 Biscuit: hi
Adams Rubble: This is a bit like a 1:00 am session :)
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
joshposh99 Biscuit: whhich country do you live in
Moon Fargis: ahyes being much busy
Moon Fargis: <- germany
Susi Alcott: btw...have U seen me in my this form ?
Adams Rubble: no Susi
joshposh99 Biscuit: which country are you from
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Adams Rubble: Hello Barcalona :)
Adams Rubble: I am in US Josh
Adams Rubble: Hello Bruce :)
joshposh99 Biscuit: in from england
joshposh99 Biscuit: east england
joshposh99 Biscuit: hello bruce
Susi Alcott: Hello Bruce and Barcalona
Bruce Mowbray: Good day, everyone.
Moon Fargis: hi bruce and barcalona
Stargate Tone: _/|\_
Stargate Tone: Bruce and Barcalona
joshposh99 Biscuit: get ride of the grass
joshposh99 Biscuit: and trees
Bruce Mowbray thinks, I must be Rip Van Winkle today -- so much has drown here while I slept.
Adams Rubble: hehe Bruce
Barcalona Rhapsody: green green grass of home
Moon Fargis: ^^
Bruce Mowbray thinks he'll try to fit in with the scenery.
joshposh99 Biscuit: whats you fav food
Moon Fargis: bruce: yoi should shave yourself :)
joshposh99 Biscuit: im bored im going because noone is talking to me
Bruce Mowbray: Hairy bark?
Bruce Mowbray: Hi, Josh.
joshposh99 Biscuit: hi
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
joshposh99 Biscuit: bye
Bruce Mowbray: My favorite food is serloin steak smothered in mushrooms and onions.
Bruce Mowbray: What's yours?
Adams Rubble: Josh left
Bruce Mowbray: sirloin*
Bruce Mowbray: Bye Josh.
Moon Fargis: :D well anyone may come up with a topic :)

Bruce begins the topic here. We zig zag in and out but keep returning to meditation

Bruce Mowbray is in a "no reference points" place this morning.
Bruce Mowbray: I've been listening to podcasts from the Shambhala tradition (Trungpa.)
Bruce Mowbray: And they emphasize a somewhat different 'take' on emptiness and non-self.
Adams Rubble listening
Bruce Mowbray: They speak of having "no reference points."
--BELL--
Bruce Mowbray: So I did their meditation this morning for an hour. . .
Bruce Mowbray: (will sit on hands...)
Susi Alcott: interesting
Moon Fargis: hmmm their meditation was to sit on hands ?
Bruce Mowbray: So, ever since that, I've been feeling somewhat without reference points -- and it is liberating.
Susi Alcott: so I understood...hope Bruce to be back to tell more
Susi Alcott: oh...sry
Adams Rubble: Hello Aphrodite :)
Bruce Mowbray: Well, it's really very simple -- without reference points, one's primary identities drop away.
Susi Alcott: Hello Aphrodite
Bruce Mowbray: Hi, Aph!
Aphrodite Macbain: Hi!
Moon Fargis: hm isnt that the basic purpose of all meditations? to drop what attaches to you ?
Bruce Mowbray: but, for me, the really cool thing is that the identities we hold for others also drop away.
Moon Fargis: hi aphrodite
Bruce Mowbray: yes, I agree -- that IS the basic purpose of all meditation , I think.
Susi Alcott: ah yes sory Bruce; my screed didn't show you
Aphrodite Macbain: very bushy here today
Moon Fargis: shall i lower the plants?:)
Susi Alcott: so; is the way to meditate to sit on one's hands ?
Bruce Mowbray: welcome, ASph. Have a seat.
Aphrodite Macbain: cant see the seat for the trees
Bruce Mowbray: difficult to see everyone with all the plants, sry.
Bruce Mowbray: Aph* I meant to type.
Stargate Tone: _/|\_
Stargate Tone: Aphrodite
Bruce Mowbray thinks, Where's the gardener?
Moon Fargis: right here:)
Bruce Mowbray thinks, Where's the snowplow?
Moon Fargis: throwen away!
Aphrodite Macbain: whew
Bruce Mowbray: welcome back, Barca.
Bruce Mowbray: Good luck finding a cushion.
Susi Alcott: wb Barcalona
Moon Fargis: lol
Adams Rubble: brrrrrr
Barcalona Rhapsody: brrrr
Aphrodite Macbain: what's happening?
Moon Fargis: geez
Susi Alcott: the world changes
Barcalona Rhapsody: climate change here
Susi Alcott: wb josh
Moon Fargis: wb josh :)
Barcalona Rhapsody: new ice age
Aphrodite Macbain: something to do with the clocks falling back?
Bruce Mowbray: Even the seasons offer no reference points.
Moon Fargis: hah
Aphrodite Macbain: don't sit on me josh
Barcalona Rhapsody: hi jish
joshposh99 Biscuit: how do you kiss people
Barcalona Rhapsody: josh
Bruce Mowbray: welcome back, Josh.
Susi Alcott: giving the offer
Barcalona Rhapsody: i like u josh
Bruce Mowbray: Do you really need to ask, Josh?
joshposh99 Biscuit: how do you kiss someone
joshposh99 Biscuit: yes
Moon Fargis: you need a kissing device in sl
joshposh99 Biscuit: what
Bruce Mowbray: You ask them for permission to animate their avatar with a kissing animation.
Aphrodite Macbain: why are you standing in the pool (or what was the pool)?
Barcalona Rhapsody: its in the standard gestures
Moon Fargis: lol
Bruce Mowbray: if I were you, though, Josh, I'd begin with a hugging animation and then work up to kissing.
Aphrodite Macbain: or maybe a bit of smiling
Aphrodite Macbain: and sitting
Bruce Mowbray: and laughing.
Aphrodite Macbain: tee hee
Bruce Mowbray: and dancing.
joshposh99 Biscuit: how do you kiss
joshposh99 Biscuit: show me
Aphrodite Macbain: You were discussing dropping identity
Bruce Mowbray: Someone will offer you a kiss - you accept that -- (they animate your avi, then.)
Moon Fargis: josh, lets to the sexual lession later on ok ?: )
joshposh99 Biscuit: how mdo you send a request
Moon Fargis: with that thingy i gave you
Moon Fargis: and then you just type in the chat
Aphrodite Macbain: can we rturn to the discussion about dropping identity?
Moon Fargis: kiss andthen the name
joshposh99 Biscuit: !list
Moon Fargis: or maybe it was /kiss
joshposh99 Biscuit: thanks i know now
Susi Alcott: *good*
Moon Fargis: ok now it gets a bit cold :)
Aphrodite Macbain: here comes a kiss for doing that
--BELL--
Aphrodite Macbain: yikes! what's with the special effects?
Moon Fargis: dropping identidy:)
Aphrodite Macbain: dropping snow
Moon Fargis: yep as soon light comes and warms it, it meltsaway
Moon Fargis: so aphrodite you want to know something about dropping identity?
Aphrodite Macbain: I thought it would be nice to return to the discussion
Adams Rubble: :)
Bruce Mowbray tries to find a reference point for returning to the "discussion."
Moon Fargis: ok lets merge them
Moon Fargis: on the moment of kissing, what role plays identity ?:)
Bruce Mowbray: I was speaking of feeling like I had no reference points this morning---
Aphrodite Macbain: It's kinda hard to have a somewhat serious discussion with all this heavy weather
Bruce Mowbray: because I'd spent an hour in a meditation practice in which one drops all reference points.
Aphrodite Macbain: yews. I felt the same way when I arrived
Moon Fargis: serious discussion ? here? where?! run! :D
Bruce Mowbray: . . . and someone then said, "Isn't that the basic purpose of all meditation?"
Bruce Mowbray: and I agreed. . .
Adams Rubble: Hello Edwinly :)
Aphrodite Macbain: yes. I becgan to get interested at that point
Moon Fargis: hi edwyn
Moon Fargis: ^^
Aphrodite Macbain: some say that meditation allows you to focus on a subject
Moon Fargis: ah RL phone
Moon Fargis: brb
Bruce Mowbray: it's wonderful, for me anyway, when I discover a new approach to an old theme.
Susi Alcott: Hi Edwnly
Aphrodite Macbain: rather than disappearing, you become more present
Stargate Tone: _/|\_
Stargate Tone: Edwnly
Aphrodite Macbain: more aware
Bruce Mowbray: Well, it's a different way of "dropping," for me.
Aphrodite Macbain: without monkey thoughts getting in the way
Aphrodite Macbain: yes
Bruce Mowbray: and it includes a feeling of "everywhereness" and "being everything."
Bruce Mowbray: so. . . no reference points that would exclude anything.
Aphrodite Macbain: yes. that's what I was trying to explain
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Bruce Mowbray: agree, Aph.
Susi Alcott: as 'somebody' would say that to be 'emptiness'
Aphrodite Macbain: the challenge for me is to not get distracted.
Susi Alcott: _/!\_
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, "emptiness" is the traditional way of saying the same thing. . . also no-self.
Bruce Mowbray: but this was a new approach for me.
Aphrodite Macbain: with stuff around me - snow etc
Aphrodite Macbain: wwere you bing lead in this meditation Bruce?
Aphrodite Macbain: being
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, I am listening to an entire series of tapes by Cynthia Kneen.
Aphrodite Macbain: oh. I don't know her
Bruce Mowbray: She is in the Shambhala tradition ( as was Trungpa, and as is Pema Chodron.)
Bruce Mowbray: The name of the series is "Shambhala Warrior Training."
Bruce Mowbray: I bought it through Amazon.
Aphrodite Macbain: Thanks
Aphrodite Macbain: Are you able to meditate every morning?
Bruce Mowbray: I especially like her delivery -- and her discussion of Basic Goodness.
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, I am able to meditate whenever I wish to.
Bruce Mowbray: How about you?
Adams Rubble: Hello Arch :)
Aphrodite Macbain: I'll google her. I find it hard to stick to a practice.
Bruce Mowbray: Good morning, Arch.
Stargate Tone: Hello my bro
Aphrodite Macbain: I used to meditate with a video
Bruce Mowbray: Well, it's always different strokes for different folks, but I really do like Cynthia Kneen's approach.
Aphrodite Macbain: Rodney Yee
Bruce Mowbray: say more, Aph, please.
Aphrodite Macbain: He is a yoga practitioner
Aphrodite Macbain: and has made a number of tapes.
Bruce Mowbray: mmmm.. I shall Google that name.
Aphrodite Macbain: He shows you how to physically prepare for sitting meditation
Bruce Mowbray: that's really important, of course.
Bruce Mowbray: I'd like to throw out a question for the group:
Bruce Mowbray: Do you think it's better to have ONE practice and stick with that, or to sample a variety of practices?
--BELL--
Bruce Mowbray: http://life.gaiam.com/category/mind-...ert-rodney-yee
Stargate Tone: how could U know if U've found the best way to yourself if tries only one ?
Bruce Mowbray: Some folks say you just need "One good well."
Adams Rubble: People serch for things until they find something that works forthem
Bruce Mowbray: But in the Zen tradition, doors to the Dharma are infinite.
Stargate Tone: such searching is to try several...
Bruce Mowbray: doesn't really matter which gate you go through.
Aphrodite Macbain: .cool site Bruce. Thanks!
Archmage Atlantis: Kinda late, but , hello sis, Moon, Bruce, Edwnly, Adams, Aph :))
Bruce Mowbray: or how many gates you go through.
Bruce Mowbray: hello again, Arch. (amazed that you're able to see everyone!)
Aphrodite Macbain: I meditate wuth Liza every Tuesday - here in Shift
Bruce Mowbray: She has a wonderful session. I've been with her Shift several times.
Aphrodite Macbain: Nice to hear a voice quietly guiding you through
Bruce Mowbray: indeed.
Aphrodite Macbain: Interesting to do it sitting on a chair too
Aphrodite Macbain: You had a question earlier Bruce
Bruce Mowbray: yes?
Moon Fargis: re
Stargate Tone: wb ***
Stargate Tone: _/|\_
Moon Fargis: ah hi arch
Stargate Tone: hearts
Aphrodite Macbain: Oh I found it - people are responding (the question egarding 1 practice rather than more)
Aphrodite Macbain: I was looking at the web site you sent
Archmage Atlantis: Yea, Aph, I think I'm caught on the topic finally *g*
Bruce Mowbray: welcome back, Josh.
Moon Fargis: jo josh
joshposh99 Biscuit: how do you snog people
Bruce Mowbray: OMG.
Moon Fargis: whats a snog?
Moon Fargis: ah isnt that the same as kiss?
Aphrodite Macbain: Look it up in Google
Bruce Mowbray: I prefer snoggin myself, thanks.
Bruce Mowbray: rather than snogging anyone else.
Aphrodite Macbain: :-)
joshposh99 Biscuit: how do i know people on second life
Moon Fargis: bot :)
Aphrodite Macbain: as well as you know them in RL
Moon Fargis: hi lugh
Lugh Fehr: heeyy ppl
Bruce Mowbray: I must be gone, folks.
Aphrodite Macbain: me too.
Adams Rubble: Hello Lugh :)
Bruce Mowbray: May all have a day full of beauty.
Moon Fargis: you too :)
Lugh Fehr: byebye
Aphrodite Macbain: Byee
Moon Fargis: i think i also should finalyl get some diner
Adams Rubble: have a good day or evenining or night everyone :)
Moon Fargis: ^^/
Lugh Fehr: gd
Lugh Fehr: so what you guys talkin about today?
Adams Rubble: I must go too. Bye ")
Lugh Fehr: bye