2011.06.09 01:00 - I am not this body

The Guardian for this meeting was Zen Arado. The comments are by Zen Arado.Present were Archmage Atlantis, dannyjk Resident and myself

Feline discussion:

Zen Arado: Hi Arch :)
Archmage Atlantis: Hello Zen *smile*
Zen Arado: so ..how are you?
Archmage Atlantis: A really big topic, but stilll..... I have a new cat, and he and the old one just realized they are both staying here today.......I think they both thought they were in transit
Zen Arado: you take them places?
Archmage Atlantis: The really old guy made his displeasure know with accidents on my bed tonight
Archmage Atlantis: Oh, the word transit
Archmage Atlantis: No, transit means.....you are going to live in a new home.....at least in this context
Zen Arado: cats don't like movingplaces in my experience
Zen Arado: they get attached to the same place
Archmage Atlantis: True, nor do I
Zen Arado: I had a big white tom cat
Zen Arado: had him 10 years
Zen Arado: but he got run over
Zen Arado: think I told you
Archmage Atlantis: You probably did......but I don't remember.... still I can see you with a big tom cat
Archmage Atlantis: Nimbus is 17 yo, he used to be big
Archmage Atlantis: Now he is shriveled up
Zen Arado: that's a good age for a cat
Zen Arado: I had two females reached 16
Archmage Atlantis: Well, Chester is 2 1/2, and he's the new guy......He's 13 lbs.........and hiding under the bed after Nim hissed at him.
Zen Arado: that's big
Archmage Atlantis: Today is the 3rd day
Archmage Atlantis: Big for a regular cat....normal size for a Bengal
Zen Arado: ah
Zen Arado: mine was a Cymrian or something
Zen Arado: can't find it on google
Zen Arado: had long fluffy fur
Archmage Atlantis: That breed name sounds familiar
Archmage Atlantis: Let me brb, and I will brb
Zen Arado: Cymric I think it is
Zen Arado: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymric_%28cat%29
Zen Arado: yeh he had a little stump tail
Zen Arado: kind of a Manx cat
Zen Arado: you know Manx?
Zen Arado: from the Isle of \man
Archmage Atlantis: U loved him?
Zen Arado: an island between Ireland and England
Zen Arado: yeh was very sad when he died
Zen Arado: he was a real character
Zen Arado: I could take him for a walk

Children and nature:

Zen Arado: I was just reading Eckhart Tolle on how having pets is beneficial for children
Zen Arado: "To have an animal at home is a great help. If children relate to the dog, it’s a non-conceptual relationship. You can touch the dog, look after the dog. Getting out into nature periodically, without the gadgets that [kids] usually have."
Archmage Atlantis: Pets allow us to think of them as pets, ...... for me they are other entities sharing this space
Zen Arado: they help put us in touch with the natural world
Zen Arado: he says kids are so into TV and games that they lose touch with nature
Archmage Atlantis: In this, I disagree with Mr. Tolle
Zen Arado: yes? why?
Archmage Atlantis: For me, that is a vision that is limited
Archmage Atlantis: For me, I do not have to give up A to be B
Archmage Atlantis: I can be A, B, or AB
Zen Arado: yeh, but he says it is good for kids to get out into nature periodically
Archmage Atlantis: I agree
Zen Arado: it's more that they never do nowadays
Archmage Atlantis: Why give up A
Archmage Atlantis: ?
Archmage Atlantis: Add on B
Zen Arado: times have changed since we were young
Archmage Atlantis: Times change, that is what time is, change
Zen Arado: when I was a kid we played all day in the fields and in the street
Zen Arado: those games we played taught social interaction
Zen Arado: today's kids seem more isolated
Archmage Atlantis: Yes
Archmage Atlantis: That is true
Archmage Atlantis: Or accurate to my way of thinking
Zen Arado: "When [kids] are learning language, encourage them not to equate concepts with reality. When you teach them what something is, encourage them to touch it, to see it, to feel it, not just to say, “this is called such-and-such”. Continue to look at it. Otherwise, you stop experiencing – and all you have is a mental label."
Zen Arado: he is more worried about the way they deal with just concepts and not reality itself
Zen Arado: like we have to remember too
Zen Arado: I spend too much time away from nature too I am thinking
Archmage Atlantis: Yes, I see that
Zen Arado: sometimes I don't leave my apartment for days
Zen Arado: but being disabled cna make you be like that
Archmage Atlantis: My Nim poops on my bed to tell me I am still in this world
Zen Arado: since I don't drive any more
Zen Arado: :)
Zen Arado: that's reality ok :)
Archmage Atlantis: I hope he will teach Chester
Zen Arado: it was the same with my dog when he got old
Zen Arado: they get incontinent
Archmage Atlantis: Nim doesn
Archmage Atlantis: t
Archmage Atlantis: poop
Archmage Atlantis: without something to tell me
Zen Arado: animals try to tell us things but we aren't listening sometimes
Archmage Atlantis: He never does it if he approves of the way things are going
Archmage Atlantis: yes
Zen Arado: my dog got me out in the mornings anyway
Zen Arado: even in the rain
Zen Arado: or freezing cold
Archmage Atlantis: Zen, in September I will be 60 yo in human years
Zen Arado: the big 6 0
Archmage Atlantis: Bringing in the young, the plants, the animal, the dream
Archmage Atlantis: This is who I am
Archmage Atlantis: I am glad i know
Archmage Atlantis: And you
Archmage Atlantis: have in this time
Archmage Atlantis: have helped me see
Archmage Atlantis: I thank you

We are NOT the body:

Zen Arado: we are not this body
Zen Arado: we are beyond it
Archmage Atlantis: We are, but we are also what animates it
Zen Arado: "It is enough if you do not imagine yourself to be the body. It is the 'I-am-the-body' idea that is so calamitous. It blinds you completely to your real nature. Even for a moment do not think that you are the body. Give yourself no name, no shape. In the darkness and the silence reality is found."
Zen Arado: Nisargadatta said that
Zen Arado: I have been thinking about that all week
Zen Arado: it really jolted me
Zen Arado: I was thinking last night...if I drive a car I don't think I am a car
Zen Arado: so why do I identify with my body?
Zen Arado: especially if it is an old disabled body ;)
Zen Arado: physical appearance is held to be so important in our society and culture
Zen Arado: and yet we know good looks are so transient
Archmage Atlantis: I wish to say something about myself in response
Zen Arado: kk
Archmage Atlantis: I have never thought of myself as attractive
Archmage Atlantis: I am creatively intelligent

Danny arrived and we lost the thread a bit:

Zen Arado: Hi Danny
dannyjk Resident: hi!
dannyjk Resident: what are u guys doin?
Zen Arado: you been here before? (sorry Arch)
Archmage Atlantis: Hi Danny
dannyjk Resident: Nope
dannyjk Resident: new to sl
dannyjk Resident: so u guys meditating?
Zen Arado: well we have discussions that are recorded and put on a Wiki so we have to ask you if you are ok with that?
dannyjk Resident: i have to speak out
dannyjk Resident: ?
dannyjk Resident: like actual speaking?
Zen Arado: no not necessarily
dannyjk Resident: Alright i am game!
Zen Arado: I have given you a notecard explains what we are about
Zen Arado: go on Arch?
dannyjk Resident: alright..
dannyjk Resident: Hi arch!
Archmage Atlantis: Well, Danny's presence changes my thoughts
Zen Arado: ok
dannyjk Resident: can i speak up?
Zen Arado: understand
Zen Arado: sure
Archmage Atlantis: Yes
dannyjk Resident: Ok arch..why does ur thoughts get strayed away when i came in?
Archmage Atlantis: There was a intimacy Zen and I were sharing (at least in my mind)
dannyjk Resident: hmmm...
Zen Arado: not your fault Danny
dannyjk Resident: yeah i totally understand
Zen Arado: it's the nature of this place that people can wander in anytime
dannyjk Resident: so arch how long have you been here?
Archmage Atlantis: about 3 years
dannyjk Resident: hmm..
dannyjk Resident: and you zen?
Zen Arado: you are fairly recent I see Danny
dannyjk Resident: yup
dannyjk Resident: new to sl
Zen Arado: yeh I have been in SL about 3 1/2 years
dannyjk Resident: had a diff account 4 yrs back
dannyjk Resident: but lost my userid
dannyjk Resident: sorry if i am interrupting you arch..go on..
Archmage Atlantis: This is my original account......the name was for me
dannyjk Resident: thatz gr8
Archmage Atlantis: It is also a weiner
Zen Arado: yeh I have an alt but don't use it much
Zen Arado: ust for experimentation
dannyjk Resident: hmm
dannyjk Resident: so where u guys from?
Zen Arado: I live in N.Ireland
dannyjk Resident: and u arch?
Archmage Atlantis: I was watching Chris Matthews today, wondering why he was so upset about using u for you.....then I remembered how I was in the 1960s
Archmage Atlantis: I live in SW FL
dannyjk Resident: gr8!
dannyjk Resident: hey anywys nice talking to you guys..but i have to go
Zen Arado: it's funny but I don't like that text speak
Archmage Atlantis: np
Zen Arado: bye Danny
Zen Arado: nice to meet you
dannyjk Resident: bye guys..oh btw i am from india!cya
Zen Arado: ok
Archmage Atlantis: Rather differse
Zen Arado: funny how someone arriving interupts things
Zen Arado: breaks a flow...
Zen Arado: changes everything...
Zen Arado: but we have to be open to whatever transpires I guess
Archmage Atlantis: Fuess?
Zen Arado: did I say fuess?
Archmage Atlantis: I did

Careers:

Zen Arado: I have learned a lot form being a guardian at these sessions
Archmage Atlantis: me 2
Zen Arado: i try to control thngs too much
Zen Arado: probably because I used to teach classes
Zen Arado: and kinda had to be in control
Archmage Atlantis: That is only seeiing structure
Archmage Atlantis: and heling
Zen Arado: yeh but I was paid to impart information in a digestible format
Zen Arado: not explore the nature of life :)
Archmage Atlantis: I was paid to figure out how to maximize monetary inflow to credit.....and then to maximize the profit......and then to teach others how to do that....
Zen Arado: you liked that jib?
Archmage Atlantis: And I accepted
Zen Arado: job
Archmage Atlantis: I hated it
Zen Arado: well...I liked it sometimes
Zen Arado: at least thought I was helping people
Archmage Atlantis: I liked the teaching.....
Zen Arado: helping them to function better
Zen Arado: it could be soul destroying trying to teach people who didn't want to know
Zen Arado: who had little interest
Zen Arado: though
Zen Arado: if they were interested it was great
Archmage Atlantis: Beelzebub knows it's role
Zen Arado: and I got to meet people from all over the world
Zen Arado: like here in SL
Archmage Atlantis: yes
Zen Arado: it's the main attraction of SL for me I guess
Zen Arado: the diverse viewpoints
Zen Arado: from interesting people
Zen Arado: anyway I better go
Zen Arado: nice talking to you Arch
Zen Arado: bye
Archmage Atlantis: Blessings and Namaster