2011.09.11 07:00 - Now for Happiness

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

Today we celebrated Stevenaia's upbeat manner with a discussion on happiness. But first Steve and I discussed the weather.

Adams Rubble: Hello Steve :)
stevenaia Michinaga: Morning Adams
stevenaia Michinaga: gtsy
Adams Rubble: Hope the flooding was not too bad in your RL
stevenaia Michinaga: no, not bad nearby, however in Central PA near Sis in law, things were bad, major roads under water
Adams Rubble: yes, and up into NY
stevenaia Michinaga: things receeding now
Adams Rubble: Thank goodness Maria seems to be staying out at sea
stevenaia Michinaga: yes not a good time for a repeat preformance
Adams Rubble: It is the most beautiful sound I ever heard and all that but we don't need another hurricane right now
stevenaia Michinaga: warm rain can be nice to be in
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble thinking so can a little sun :)
stevenaia Michinaga: when there is an end in sight
Adams Rubble: yes :)

Eliza came and had a little trouble sitting. The Zen concept of "Just Sit" does not seem to work with AOs

Adams Rubble: Hello Eliza :)
stevenaia Michinaga: Morning Eliza
Eliza Madrigal: Morning!
Eliza Madrigal: hm, was able to sit fine before... even with AO...
Adams Rubble: AOs have a mind fo their own :)
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, everyone seems to be playing with AO's lately
Eliza Madrigal: I'm learning this
Eliza Madrigal: It wasnt easy to find a simple one
Adams Rubble: I just need mine for walking so I don;t walk like a duck
Eliza Madrigal: hehe
stevenaia Michinaga: one of the reasons I change so rarelt
stevenaia Michinaga: rearely
Adams Rubble: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: rarely
stevenaia Michinaga: except my spelling
Adams Rubble: rearly is important too when you are walking
Eliza Madrigal: you can't help but be unique Stevie
stevenaia Michinaga: ponders more than one of anyone
Adams Rubble: eight or nine of me
Eliza Madrigal: have been thinking about this too actually... how many 'me's seem to be running around
Eliza Madrigal: :)Adams
Eliza Madrigal: sometimes I hear things about myself and am like 'wow she sounds interesting' or 'can't believe she said that'
stevenaia Michinaga: suddenly feels lonely, then I realize there is always the RL me to keep the SL me company
Adams Rubble: :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: lol, yes ELiza, makes me want to read of my adventures, realizing the importance of being logged

Reading logs and emails, I have been struck how often Steve sees something positive in a difficult situation.

Adams Rubble: I admire the way you are able to be so upbeat all the time Steve
Eliza Madrigal: me too
Eliza Madrigal: (both)
stevenaia Michinaga: funny, recently I was thinking about that, considering the affect of being infected with optimisum
Adams Rubble: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: sometiems it seems it needs a vacation
stevenaia Michinaga: I jsut can't find any shelf to put it on (Maybe they are to small)
Adams Rubble: I think it is something you shouldn't worry about :)
Eliza Madrigal: well the idea of opimism may... perhaps there can be a wide range of emotion/outlooks within a basically positive one :)
--BELL--
stevenaia Michinaga: I sometimes stand at the edge of optimisum, seeling it's time to set it aside to corralate to the moment where I sence it is not time to be optimistic... but it is to rooted in now and never gets off balance, never falls off
Eliza Madrigal: yes!
Eliza Madrigal: It is like regarding and respecting someone, yet disagreeing on a point
Eliza Madrigal: without losing the care
stevenaia Michinaga: some things are dificult to "break"... smiles and happiness seem to be one of those things
Adams Rubble: The "now" is a good place to be
Eliza Madrigal: stability?
Adams Rubble: Some of us have to work hard on that
Adams Rubble: the smiling
stevenaia Michinaga: stability as in not falling of the edge
Eliza Madrigal nods re work
stevenaia Michinaga: some people can drop things, I find I cannot drop happiness
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Adams Rubble: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: even when all around seems to be falling apart
Adams Rubble: Happiness is healthy
Eliza Madrigal: so not externally based happiness

Daisy joins us and we introduce her to PaB; Xirana also arrives, followed by Susan

Adams Rubble: Hello daisy :)
stevenaia Michinaga: it is an outlook after all
stevenaia Michinaga: not what you see, what you are
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Daisy :) wonderful name
Eliza Madrigal: it can sound like never losing one's composure I think ... seems important to be able to let go into something, forget what one is 'doing'?
Eliza Madrigal: or I guess you are saying you can't lose it :)
Adams Rubble: please join us Daisy
Adams Rubble: Have you been here before?
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Daisy
Daisy Parkes: no, never.
Adams Rubble: This is Play as Being
Daisy Parkes: What goeso here?
Eliza Madrigal: Welcome
Adams Rubble: we try to meditate evry fifteen minites for 9 seconds
Adams Rubble: we meet here four times a day to discuss our experiences
Adams Rubble: I will give you a notecard
Daisy Parkes: How d'you do that?
Adams Rubble: we record our conversations
Adams Rubble: do you have objection to that?
Daisy Parkes: no
Adams Rubble: thank you :)
Adams Rubble: Hello Xirana :)
Adams Rubble: do you mean how do we mediatte for 9 seconds?
Daisy Parkes: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Xirana
Adams Rubble: we just stop what we are doing and try to see what it is that we are doing :)
Adams Rubble: Hello Susan :)
Xirana Oximoxi: hello steve , Eliza, Daisy:)
Daisy Parkes: hmm
Daisy Parkes: i'll try.
iwandertoo Resident: waves
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Xirana, Susan :)
Xirana Oximoxi: hello Susan:)
Adams Rubble: we all are not sitting around meditating all the time though. Many of us forget. hehe
Daisy Parkes: hi xirana
Adams Rubble: and our discussions lead us in many directions
Eliza Madrigal: we discuss all sorts of topics around 'the nature of reality' and such like, but the heart is indeed the pauses

Back to happiness... and living in the now (present)

Adams Rubble: this morning we are talking about happiness
stevenaia Michinaga: the nature of reality know few bounds
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Adams Rubble: Yes Steve :) To continue a summation, for some of us happiness is based in the "now"
Adams Rubble: a good place to be
stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps a persepective of the dificulties of holding on to happyness would be helpful
Eliza Madrigal: is it a place?
Adams Rubble: wellllllllll
stevenaia Michinaga: passes the conversation to another
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: where does it "go"
stevenaia Michinaga: when it departs
--BELL--
Adams Rubble: worrying about the future
Adams Rubble: lamenting how we acted in the past
stevenaia Michinaga: that's where you go, where does happyness go
Adams Rubble is a first class worrier
Adams Rubble: :)
Xirana Oximoxi: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: seems to be (somewhere) when you need it, no?
Adams Rubble: the now?
Xirana Oximoxi: the hapyness?
Eliza Madrigal: 'what' is it that seems to be leaking out?
stevenaia Michinaga: nods
stevenaia Michinaga: where does it go?
Adams Rubble: the now is always here but we often forget to see we are there
Adams Rubble: or here
Adams Rubble: let me try that agin
Adams Rubble: we are always in the now but we sometimes forget to notice
Eliza Madrigal: mmm

Mila arrives and Susan gives us a link to a youtube clip

Adams Rubble: Hello Mila :)
milakel Resident: hi :)
Eliza Madrigal: so pauses help us notice the now :)
Adams Rubble: yes!
milakel Resident: xira cruz :)
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Mila
Xirana Oximoxi: hello Mila Cruz:)
milakel Resident: aww, daisy! what a wonderful name :)
Daisy Parkes [your character name] laughs
iwandertoo Resident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvOYMgk2_HE
stevenaia Michinaga: my hero
Adams Rubble: :)
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Xirana Oximoxi: :) now will never come again:)..thank you Susan:)
iwandertoo Resident: yw
milakel Resident: eh, so true
Xirana Oximoxi: carpe diem :) (Horace)
Adams Rubble: Each day is a new gift to us
Xirana Oximoxi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpe_diem
stevenaia Michinaga: and what gift does not bring a smile to your face?
Adams Rubble: :) Steve

Mila shares a quote

milakel Resident: i'd like to share a quote too...
Eliza Madrigal listens
milakel Resident: "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it. This you have the power to revoke." -Marcus Aurelius
Xirana Oximoxi: nice MIla..mme listens too:)
milakel Resident: maybe it will help someone a bit :)
Eliza Madrigal: really nice... power to revoke
--BELL--
Adams Rubble: Stopping and looking can help us see the pain for what it is :)
Xirana Oximoxi: it's a useful advice to remember when something bad obsses us... to try and change the point of view for one more positive...
Eliza Madrigal: that's seems 'reversing the light'... rather than seeing 'outward', an acceptance or knowing that 'now' is in your heart to notice, lovely
Adams Rubble: lots of toughts during the break :)
Eliza Madrigal: heheh
Adams Rubble: thoughts

and Susan a book...

iwandertoo Resident: Meditations by Aurelius is a wonderful book for those who have not read it. (1945 Walter J Black publishers translation is easy to understand)
milakel Resident: adams, heh yes - pouring in :)
Adams Rubble: thank you Susan
Xirana Oximoxi: ty Susan:)
iwandertoo Resident: yw
milakel Resident: hmm, thinks about "the bag session"
Adams Rubble: ?
Eliza Madrigal: bag session?
milakel Resident: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: :)

Mila introduces us to the "bag session"

milakel Resident: abstracted emotions :)
milakel Resident: note how it changes your mood seeing the frowny face
Eliza Madrigal: it is too cute to change my mood :)
milakel Resident: hehe
Adams Rubble: hehe. I was thinking the same thing
Adams Rubble: you are just too cute Mila
Eliza Madrigal: heheh
milakel Resident: well, the frowny face alerts me... feel sadness and compassion
milakel Resident: adams :)
Eliza Madrigal: 'for'?
milakel Resident: thank you
milakel Resident: eliza, um...
milakel Resident: for the bag owner, i guess :)
milakel Resident: stev! :)
milakel Resident: we're both in a "hmm" mood :)
Eliza Madrigal: mila and stevie are mirror neurons
milakel Resident: heh
Eliza Madrigal: ty Stevie, for reading my mind

milakel Resident: the "hmm" face is deciding either to frown or smile :)
Xirana Oximoxi: we are also mirror neurones now:)
Eliza Madrigal: isn't there an angry face?
milakel Resident: ha! the bag seesion has come to life :)
milakel Resident: nope
Eliza Madrigal: :) curled eyebrows and 'i mean business'?
milakel Resident: 4 faces total
Eliza Madrigal: hmmm
Xirana Oximoxi: mine is smiling, I like it:)
milakel Resident: heh, blank one has the eyes only :)
milakel Resident: xira :)
Eliza Madrigal: imagine if in RL we had to take a moment to 'choose' the expression
milakel Resident: heh, so funny seeing the paper bag faces :)
Adams Rubble looks for a bag in RL
milakel Resident: eliza :)
milakel Resident: hmm, now i'm thinking of various face combinations and how they would influence us as a group
milakel Resident: e.g. each face is sad except one that is smiling
Eliza Madrigal: yes especially if we were having an important discussion where voting or debate happened!
milakel Resident: oh! eliza, could be useful for the guardian/wg meetings :)
Eliza Madrigal: maybe safer when avs are always pleasantly gazing ahead
Eliza Madrigal: hehe
Eliza Madrigal: yes, interesting idea
stevenaia Michinaga: bye eliza
--BELL--
Xirana Oximoxi: I suppose that beeing surrounded by sad expressions may influence the one smiling....
Eliza Madrigal: See you soon everyone, bye for now and Nice to meet you Daisy :)
Adams Rubble: Bye to those leaving. I will be leaving for RL after the session. have a good day :)
stevenaia Michinaga: the same is true with happy expressions
milakel Resident: xira, yes... make it uncomfortable?
Xirana Oximoxi: bye bye Eliza
Xirana Oximoxi: welll.... maube one s,ile can also change the other faces.... but in minority quite difficult, but not impossible...
milakel Resident: heh :)
Adams Rubble: smiles are contagious :)
Xirana Oximoxi: :)
iwandertoo Resident: waves
Adams Rubble: bye
Xirana Oximoxi: yes:)
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Zon
znk Resident: heya
Adams Rubble: Daisy I neglected to tell you we meet at 7 am, 1 pm, 7 pm and 1 am SL time every day
Adams Rubble: I hope you are bale to come again
Xirana Oximoxi: hi Zon and bye... I go, have a nice day Adams, Daisy and everyone:)
Daisy Parkes: sure thanks.
Adams Rubble: bye Xirana :)
milakel Resident: daisies are the smilest flowers ever :)
Adams Rubble: :)
Daisy Parkes [your character name] laughs
milakel Resident: :)
milakel Resident: luci! :)
milakel Resident: oh, guardian meeting
Adams Rubble: Thank you all for another nice session :)
milakel Resident: i should go
Adams Rubble: I need to leave too
stevenaia Michinaga: bye adams
Lucinda Lavender: Hello!
Adams Rubble: have a great day or evening :)
Adams Rubble: Hello and bye Luc\y
milakel Resident: bye cute paper bags :)
Adams Rubble waves
milakel Resident: thank you for indulging me :)
Daisy Parkes: Hi Lucinda
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Lucinda
Lucinda Lavender: HI Daisy:, Adams...
Lucinda Lavender: STevenaia
stevenaia Michinaga: everyone just left
stevenaia Michinaga: cept us :)
Lucinda Lavender: ok...I like the bags.:)
Lucinda Lavender: smiles
stevenaia Michinaga: have one
Lucinda Lavender: thank you!...I now feel ready for the day:)
Lucinda Lavender: must go for now:) but thank you!
stevenaia Michinaga: Daisy, can I ask how you found this palce?
Daisy Parkes: I gotta go too
stevenaia Michinaga: place
Daisy Parkes: Thank you all.
stevenaia Michinaga: oh ok, thanks for joinig us
stevenaia Michinaga: feel free to come back soon (ever 6 hours ) :)
Daisy Parkes: Sure. Thanks
--BELL--
stevenaia Michinaga: hi san
Santoshima Resident: greetings stevenaia