2012.03.21 01:00 - Bursting Out of the Familiar Picture

No session was recorded at this time, so I'd like to share a bit more of an interesting session I've been reading, from the early PaB days...

Pema Pera: yeah, I enjoyed the chat log very much
Pema Pera: Adams, it is posted on — let me see
Caledonia Heron: a strange day yesterday
Adams Rubble: I saw it
Caledonia Heron: not really struggling, but something. …integrating more
Pema Pera: http://playasbeing.wik.is/Chat_Logs/2008/07/2008.07.25_19%3a00_-_In_Fresh_Snow

This was the earlier session that I had refered to above.

Adams Rubble: Yes, thanks, I read it this morning :)
Caledonia Heron: integrating experience into self
Caledonia Heron: there is a potential for a schism in the group perhaps
Pema Pera: in what way?
Caledonia Heron: your comments about evaluation, critical response, there is a potential stratification of experiences, how people perceive what is happening to them in comparison to others
Pema Pera: yes, I see the danger there
Caledonia Heron: perhaps a time to tread lightly while making progress
Pema Pera: but I also see a danger in not talking about that
Pema Pera: yes, I agree
Caledonia Heron: yes, continued dialog is very important imo
Adams Rubble: I was already comparing myself privately which is one reason I took a little time off from the sessions
Caledonia Heron: sometimes if something is powerful happening a good thing is to discuss it
Caledonia Heron: there are so many places people are coming from - I don’t really know anyone…*really* in the group, just know where I’m coming from, have a hint or better where you guys are coming from
Pema Pera: the dilemma for me was this: when I talked with Maxine and Doug about Being, and when they kept suggesting that the solution toward agreement would be to come up with better and better words and metaphors, I just could not help but be honest and point out that we have to talk about the same experience — if not, there is no point . . . .
Pema Pera: and the experience is not specific at all
Pema Pera: not tied to any religion
Caledonia Heron: we will not all have the same experience in my estimation
Pema Pera: or religions in general
Pema Pera: yes, Cal, I agree
Caledonia Heron: correct - this is not about religion
Adams Rubble: I have found that I need to use my religious metaphors to understand the process
Caledonia Heron: understood
Pema Pera: but if we want to talk about Being — using that word — then we should try to get some sense of what kind of glimpses you can get of that . . . . there is a huge variety of glimpses — the one thing that would be misleading though is to tie it back into a psychological structure, that would cut it down to size until it is just a warm fuzzy cozy experience . . . .
Pema Pera: oh yes, for sure, Adams!
Caledonia Heron: the metaphors are there as a tool
Pema Pera: yes!
Caledonia Heron: a tool people use to make sense of things
Adams Rubble: So it might sound like I am talking about religion
Caledonia Heron: yes, so how to quantify these glimpses which are so varied and that some people have and others don’t
Pema Pera: yes, but a tool is something you have to work with, take in your hands — not endlessly just talk about
Adams Rubble: hmmmm
Caledonia Heron: how to make a shared vocabulary
Adams Rubble: lag
Pema Pera: we cannot quantify the glimpses, since we don’t have access to the experiences of others — and we can’t see the RL people, which would give us at least a good clue . . . . but what we CAN do is
Caledonia Heron: yes….?
Pema Pera: to compare the *description* of the glimpses
Pema Pera: and there, there are two categories

Leave it to Cal, to lighten up any conversation! :-)

Caledonia Heron: [getting Lindens to buy a clue]
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: one category stays safely within our familiar world
Caledonia Heron: the descriptions of my experience sound so blah blah
Pema Pera: feeling, sensing, appreciating it all in nice poetic ways
Pema Pera: and that is of course very good in itself
Pema Pera: and very positive
Pema Pera: but it remains within the familiar realm
Pema Pera: and then you die
Pema Pera: The other one — which includes Cal’s way to talking! — is to burst out of the familiar picture
Caledonia Heron: so late night college existentialism
Pema Pera: it is that “bursting out” that I am after
Pema Pera: how and in what way and how deep, that is all not important
Pema Pera: I don’t want to judge that
Pema Pera: but I want to make sure we are talking about dropping the familiar straightjacket of the ordinary world view
Caledonia Heron: consider me busted out - like a huge water balloon, what a mess
Pema Pera: and I think we can, over time, agree at least on the *description* of that
Adams Rubble: :)

From:

http://wiki.playasbeing.org/Chat_Logs/2008/07/2008.07.26_07:00_-_Journey_to_Ithaca