2012.01.14 13:00 - You Can't Fall Out

The Guardian for this meeting was Bruce Mowbray. The comments are by Bruce Mowbray.

Bruce Mowbray: Hello, Zinnia!
Zinnia Gossamer: hello
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Mick!
Mickorod Renard: hiya
Ewan Bonham: Hello folks
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Ewan!
Mickorod Renard: Hi Zinnia
Mickorod Renard: Ewan
Bruce Mowbray: Zinnia, I don't think you and I have met yet.
Bruce Mowbray: Have you been to the PaB fountain before?
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Arch!
Zinnia Gossamer: I do not think I have met any of you
Bruce Mowbray: Well, we are all quite friendly folks.
Zinnia Gossamer: nice to meet all of you
Archmage Atlantis: Wow, a wild and crazy ride
Mickorod Renard: I was thinking the same about you Zinnia
Bruce Mowbray: I do need to ask your permission to post anything you say in the chat
Bruce Mowbray: into our on-line wiki-
Bruce Mowbray: which is publicly available.
Zinnia Gossamer: (mine?)
Zinnia Gossamer: ok if me you talking to
Mickorod Renard: Hi Arch
Bruce Mowbray: Is that all right? --Yes, it is SL policy.
Bruce Mowbray: Yeppers.
Zinnia Gossamer: All right
Bruce Mowbray: Thanks, Zinnia.
Mickorod Renard: Hi Stevie
Archmage Atlantis: Zinnia, this a place of speaking in public
Ewan Bonham: hi Arch and Steve..
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Stevenia!
Zinnia Gossamer: you mean we are going to voice chat? or we are going to just talk
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Ewan
Archmage Atlantis: To speak in public is not safe for some
Bruce Mowbray: no, just chatting in the box -- no voice.
Zinnia Gossamer: ok
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, indeed, Arch.
Archmage Atlantis: So the guidelines request that we ask
Bruce Mowbray: I guess that's why we need to tell people that the chat will be published later.
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Zinnia. . .
Zinnia Gossamer: yes?
Bruce Mowbray: I will now slide you some info about Play as Being and about our sessions here....
Mickorod Renard: the chat can be edited before its posted on the wiki,,so if you feel anything would need removing, just say
Zinnia Gossamer: ok my screen is freezing so I may be having problems here....
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, Mick -- thanks for adding that.
Archmage Atlantis: ty for that comment Mick
Mickorod Renard: :)
Bruce Mowbray: Just tell me what you want edited, and I will happily do so before I post it in the wiki.
Bruce Mowbray: So, what's on the minds today?
Mickorod Renard: we should say removed,,then I say knickers
Bruce Mowbray: Anyone up for a good topic?
Bruce Mowbray: Please tell us if there is something you'd like to talk about.
Archmage Atlantis: For me, the future of God, the Universe, and Everything
Bruce Mowbray: ha!
Bruce Mowbray: "42"?
Zinnia Gossamer: I would like to talk about possible reasons it is not safe for some people to talk in public?
Archmage Atlantis: but my brain needs to dumb it down
Ewan Bonham: That can be covered easily in an hour...smile
Archmage Atlantis: Ypper,,,43
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, Zinnia, I would like that too.
Mickorod Renard: well, one could reveal something personal
stevenaia Michinaga: not safe due to other's judgements?
Mickorod Renard: that a not nice person may see and use against you
Bruce Mowbray: "Not safe" because of misinterpretations?
Zinnia Gossamer: oh
Archmage Atlantis: We can be quiet and let you speak, Z
stevenaia Michinaga: ...listens
Zinnia Gossamer: I do not really have anything to say. but I do not understand.
Bruce Mowbray: (We tend to be pretty open-minded about almost any questions, Zinnia, and to explore things broadly....

Bruce Mowbray: Here in SL we have almost no body language. . .
Zinnia Gossamer: if you cannot talk about it in public, why would you talk about it here and then publish it on the internet?
Bruce Mowbray: and that can be problematic in getting our real "message" across sometimes.
Mickorod Renard: I have revealed almost all my madness, its quite comforting to have somewhere to speak so freely as here
Bruce Mowbray: We share our ideas and feelings honestly (I hope). . .
Mickorod Renard: then you discover most others are about the same
Bruce Mowbray: but others might want to use what we say in bad ways...
Archmage Atlantis: Right, Bruce.....like I have never seen you in that avatar....*chuckles(
Bruce Mowbray: so we ask everyone to be careful.
Bruce Mowbray: And I can always edit out whatever you wish me to (that you yourself have said).
Bruce Mowbray: You have never seen me in my present avi, Arch???
Archmage Atlantis: really, we are many]
Archmage Atlantis: even in our own selves
Bruce Mowbray: (especially in our own selves we are many!!)
Ewan Bonham: I like that Bruce..
Bruce Mowbray: Zinnia, I should also tell you that every fifteen minutes we "drop" (stay silent) for 90 seconds.
Ewan Bonham: And from our many is the One
Bruce Mowbray: a 'drop' is coming in 2 minutes.
Archmage Atlantis: A time to be silent
Zinnia Gossamer: yes I have been here once before I understand
Bruce Mowbray: Ewan, are you saying that the One (whatever that is) requires the many -- in order to be itself (the One)?
Bruce Mowbray: multiplicity and diversity?

--BELL--

Ewan Bonham: Something like that...oops
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Bruce Mowbray: Hmmmm. Does the One, as you conceive of that, leave anything at all out?
Mickorod Renard: that was quite nice,,I hadn't realized how busy my mind was
Bruce Mowbray: Is there an Outer Darkness?
Bruce Mowbray: me too, Mick!  (obviously).
Mickorod Renard: :)
Bruce Mowbray: The reason I ask that. . .
Mickorod Renard: mmm?
Bruce Mowbray: Ewan, and everyone else, is that it came almost as an epiphany to me once...
Mickorod Renard: could be fractal,,boxes within boxes
Bruce Mowbray: that it was not possible to "fall out of" the cosmos.
Bruce Mowbray: and this was deeply comforting to me, emotionally.
Ewan Bonham: Nodding..
Mickorod Renard: yes, that is a comforting thought
Bruce Mowbray: You've felt that too, Ewan and Mick?
Mickorod Renard: me too, like all matter is constant
stevenaia Michinaga: even if you could, could you ever be concerned about getting to the edge?
Ewan Bonham: Yes, I have...because the opposite is something that for a variety of reasons has haunted me thru my life..
Bruce Mowbray: For better or worse, everything is embraced by the universe
Bruce Mowbray: absolutely everything -- and all possible things. embraced alike.
Ewan Bonham: And I have noticed that the fear of being 'alone' has guided many of my decisions..
Mickorod Renard: unless we get sucked down a black hole into some other one?
Bruce Mowbray listens carefully (being a hermit by choice).
stevenaia Michinaga: smiles, yin and yang
Ewan Bonham: But when recognizing the Truth..that all is connected..
Mickorod Renard: yea,,are we in a white hole?
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Ewan Bonham: Then being' alone' ironically is a wait for the next obvious connection to happen...:)
Mickorod Renard: starting to imagine Alice in wonderland
Bruce Mowbray: brb -- gotta let the RL dog outside....
Archmage Atlantis: bye Brucie
Archmage Atlantis: We have a new dog
Mickorod Renard: I am wondering what may constitute a connection?
Archmage Atlantis: Her name is Kaya
Bruce Mowbray: [back]
Mickorod Renard: hi Kaya
Archmage Atlantis: She has blue Eyes
Mickorod Renard: wow
Bruce Mowbray: A NEW DOG!!!! Congrts, Arch!
Mickorod Renard: part husky?
Bruce Mowbray: malamute?
Archmage Atlantis: A huskie, pure bred, here in SW FL
Bruce Mowbray: oh my, that is wonderful.
Archmage Atlantis: She just appeared one day
stevenaia Michinaga: sounds lovely
Ewan Bonham: Oh, my...how does she remain cool?
Bruce Mowbray: I am happy for you -- but wondering about the cat.
Mickorod Renard: Ewan, I am still serious about what you may think is a connection
Mickorod Renard: there is a reason for asking
Bruce Mowbray: yes, me too, Mick.
Archmage Atlantis: The cats and she have figured it out
Mickorod Renard: quite innocently
Archmage Atlantis: better than we people have
Bruce Mowbray: [13:21] Ewan (ewan.bonham): Then being' alone' ironically is a wait for the next obvious connection to happen...:)
Ewan Bonham: Hmmm...awareness of the connectedness that is really always there...comes when I am in meditation or when I am in a conversation..
Ewan Bonham: It feels to me like the absence of fear..
Mickorod Renard: ok cool
Ewan Bonham: Perhaps a pervading love...
Bruce Mowbray ponders links between fear and separation.
Ewan Bonham: And it does require for me to be aware and also to reach out to others..
Mickorod Renard: but the connection is to something that you are comfortable with?
Archmage Atlantis: fear anxiety anger......those feelings are
Ewan Bonham: Yes, conscious connection is comfortable to me.'
Ewan Bonham: The myth that I am alone feels frightening when I allow it to creep up..
Mickorod Renard: and when there is no connection there is a feeling of chaos?
stevenaia Michinaga: Bruce, what does a hermit find here?
Bruce Mowbray: This might sound strange, but I usually feel more "connected" when I am alone. . .
Ewan Bonham: For me, it feels anxious and fearful
Archmage Atlantis: As a child, i thought as a child.....then I became a man
Bruce Mowbray: (probably why I am a hermit).
Ewan Bonham: When I mistakenly feel no connection..
Bruce Mowbray: I have preferred solitude my entire life....
Archmage Atlantis: To overcome fear, is to be an adult
Bruce Mowbray: but I do really feel connected. . .
Mickorod Renard: well, I guess you are connected Bruce,,but to something else that you feel comfortable with?
Bruce Mowbray: something else?
Mickorod Renard: perhaps nature
Mickorod Renard: or even your own beliefs
Bruce Mowbray: I connect with everyone (right now) who is dealing with serious illness. . .
Bruce Mowbray: using Tonglen as a method.
Bruce Mowbray: and this is a very comforting meditation for me.
Bruce Mowbray: (That's an example of what I mean by "connected.")
Bruce Mowbray: because I am also dealing with serious illness myself.
Bruce Mowbray: so, this is quite comforting.
Ewan Bonham: Yes I do think it takes an active awareness for me..
Bruce Mowbray listens.
Mickorod Renard: yes, that is another way of connectedness
Mickorod Renard: I was thinking about these things
Bruce Mowbray: Personality dramas tend to separate me from people.
Mickorod Renard: like for eg,,attachment,,versus connectedness
Bruce Mowbray: but I can connect with them in other ways than through personality. . .

--BELL--

Bruce Mowbray ponders the old phrase "Communion of saints." - - I don't see why it has to be 'saints,' though. I commune just as well with miserable sinners like myself.
Bruce Mowbray: probably better, actually.
Mickorod Renard: please excuse me for a few minutes....
Ewan Bonham: Or anyone...regardless of their status..lol
Bruce Mowbray: ok, Mick. c u later, then.
Bruce Mowbray: Yes, absolutely so, Ewan.
Bruce Mowbray: You know that dude in Oklahoma who shot Gabby Giffords?
Bruce Mowbray: and killed nine people?
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
Bruce Mowbray: about one year ago.
Bruce Mowbray: I had several intense Tonglen sessions with him.
Bruce Mowbray: Felt there was something deeply lonely -- but also quite "similar" -- about the two of us....
Bruce Mowbray: Used Tonglen to exchange [something] with him.
Archmage Atlantis: silly boy you are Bruce.....all sinners are saints.....everything i goes thru the looking glass, just as Alice
Bruce Mowbray: I could hardly see his picture on the TV after that without almost crying.
Archmage Atlantis: :)
Bruce Mowbray: Silly?
Bruce Mowbray: I felt connected to him.
Bruce Mowbray: Oh -- I agree with you entirely on that, Arch.
Bruce Mowbray: In fact, I would add that EVERY psychological affirmation has an equally affirmable and valid opposite.
Archmage Atlantis: Bruce, you are my friend
Bruce Mowbray: and you are mine, good person (or evil person - it doesn't matter to me).
Archmage Atlantis: In spite of odd things that have happened
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Bruce Mowbray: odd. Well, just about everything I do has been considered "odd."
Ewan Bonham: :)
Bruce Mowbray: even my dog considers me odd.
Bruce Mowbray: especially him, perhaps.
Archmage Atlantis: He did not die on your command...correct?
Bruce Mowbray: To be alive (in my book) is to be a bit odd (or should I say, 'queer' - which also works for me.)
Bruce Mowbray: You are so right about that. Arch -- I couldn't euthanize him even for his own good.
Bruce Mowbray: and that was almost a year ago!
Bruce Mowbray: and now he is healthier than I am!!
Archmage Atlantis: I see his soul in my third eye
Bruce Mowbray: Oh, thank you. That is wonderful, Arch.
Archmage Atlantis: namaste
Bruce Mowbray: To me, 'Namaste' means, "May the light within me greet the light within you. . . " (or something similar to that.)
Bruce Mowbray: It is not just a casual greeting, to be sure.
Bruce Mowbray: it is a seeing of souls by each other.
Ewan Bonham: And it is seeing the perfection in the other's soul..
Archmage Atlantis: agree
Bruce Mowbray: agree to both Arch and Ewan.
Ewan Bonham: When able to see it in others, I can see it better within me..:)
Bruce Mowbray: "perfection" is a LARGE thing -- not a narrow one, though -- in my thinking, anyway.
Bruce Mowbray: The cosmos, by my reckoning, is perfect, so.
Bruce Mowbray: complete -- whole.
Bruce Mowbray: The wholeness of myself greets the wholeness of yourself.
Bruce Mowbray: (Namaste).
Bruce Mowbray: Hope I didn't drive Zinnia away with my madness.
Bruce Mowbray: Gosh. Have I given anyone else [besides myself] a chance to speak?
Ewan Bonham: I have felt quite able to speak today..
stevenaia Michinaga: petting cat in my arms and listening
Bruce Mowbray: ahhh!

--BELL--

stevenaia Michinaga: my cat too was given a short life from a doctor, so we did we did what we could and let him become an outdoors cat, to give him a happy remaining time, that was almost 2 years... nothing written is final
Ewan Bonham: And..Steve maybe that was the very thing the cat was yearning for...
stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps it was our cat's way of manipulating the doctor to tell us to make his life comfy... etc etc, cat always wins
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Archmage Atlantis: Oy vey
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Bruce Mowbray: (no wonder the ancient Egyptians thought cats were deities.)
Archmage Atlantis: just got dinged
Archmage Atlantis: Kaya needs to walk
Bruce Mowbray: Good girl, Kaya!
Archmage Atlantis: and my ex partner needed my power chair
stevenaia Michinaga: bye Arch and friend
Archmage Atlantis: so like a huskie pulling a disabled power chair
Archmage Atlantis: weird go figure
Bruce Mowbray: ;-)
Bruce Mowbray: Hope Kaya doesn't chase cars, then.
Bruce Mowbray loves to ponder connections with animals... and plants, too.
Bruce Mowbray: actually, I love to ponder communion with animals. . and plants.
Bruce Mowbray: not merely connection.
Archmage Atlantis: hello Zen
stevenaia Michinaga: all made from the same stuff
Bruce Mowbray: Hey, Zen.
Ewan Bonham: hi Zen..
Bruce Mowbray: Oh yeah, cosmic stuff.
stevenaia Michinaga: hi Zen
Zen Arado: Hi all
Ewan Bonham: Your voice is on..
Archmage Atlantis: is power chair the magic summons?
stevenaia Michinaga: yeah that goop
Bruce Mowbray: Zen is all suited up --
Bruce Mowbray: Getting married, Zen?
Zen Arado: was at a dance
Bruce Mowbray: ahhh!
Bruce Mowbray: a great universe, this SL place.
Bruce Mowbray: Mick and I are going to have to leave in a couple of minutes.
Archmage Atlantis: yes ms. brucie...it is
stevenaia Michinaga: nods, as do I :)
Bruce Mowbray: But first, I'd like to thank all of you for contributing today.
Archmage Atlantis: snark
Ewan Bonham: Yes, I will as well..
Bruce Mowbray: We got into some pretty heavy stuff a couple of times..
Bruce Mowbray: and I felt very comfortable with all of you here.
Bruce Mowbray: Thank you for sharing - and for listening.
Ewan Bonham: nodding..
Bruce Mowbray: I am going to move on to Pila's I Ching group now.
Mickorod Renard: hello
Bruce Mowbray: Thanks, again.
Bruce Mowbray: May all be well, happy, and safe.
Mickorod Renard: thank you Bruce
Archmage Atlantis: All of creation, I see it here, all of being, I feel it here
stevenaia Michinaga: bye all
Zen Arado: bye
Mickorod Renard: I must go now,,thankyou all
Zen Arado: can I come?

Note:  Bruce had already left the Pavilion when Zen asked this question.  The answer is Yes!  Check out the I Ching Workshop's webpage --  http://www.iching.ws/index.php?page=Intro1  The group meets once a month, 2nd Saturday, 2 p.m. slt.

Archmage Atlantis: namaste and the great light to all
Mickorod Renard: be well,,Hi zen
Ewan Bonham: Bye and thank you for the chat and sharing..:)
Mickorod Renard: be well and prosper