2012.10.04 07:00 - One-legged stool

The Guardian for this meeting was Storm Nordwind. The comments are by Storm Nordwind.
 

A return visitor.

Storm Nordwind: Welcome cybersufi
cybersufi Resident: good afternoon Storm
Storm Nordwind: It is some considerable time since you were last here I think
cybersufi Resident: indeed took me a while to get back in to I lost my security details
Storm Nordwind: What prompted the desire to return?
cybersufi Resident: I was helping with an online discussion group discussing hui-neng and suggested it was a better environment than text based chats
Storm Nordwind nods
cybersufi Resident: I feel there is a lot of potential in SL, as it provideds a more natural interaction and immediate
Storm Nordwind: Yes. Many find that. Though I sometimes wonder if there is also missed potential. Perhaps time will tell :)
cybersufi Resident: I was at a hippy commune yesterday and had a guided tour
Storm Nordwind: They still exist? Wow.
--BELL--
cybersufi Resident: has the group here expanded and still meeting regularly
Storm Nordwind: Good morning Eliza :)
Eliza Madrigal: Morning Storm, Hi cybersufi, ltns
cybersufi Resident: hi Eliza
Storm Nordwind: Yes we still meet regularly. In fact there is a board behind you and to your left illustrating that.

Top hat day.

Storm Nordwind looks at the others and wonders if it's top-hat day and no one has told him
Eliza Madrigal grins
cybersufi Resident: good I was hoping it was, I will try to be a regular
cybersufi Resident: yes where is your hat lol
Eliza Madrigal: internal memo
Eliza Madrigal: aha :)
Storm Nordwind: Hmmm - too big
Storm Nordwind: Hence the tag in my inventory that says "doesn't fit"
Eliza Madrigal: haha
Eliza Madrigal: so there waiting for a day in which you wear non-fitting attire?
cybersufi Resident: oh go on keep it on just to see what happens when someone else appears
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: experiment
Storm Nordwind: No. they are conspiring to clutter my inventory so that I can't find anything at all. They're alive you know.
Eliza Madrigal: clutter bugs

Never been bored.

Storm Nordwind: So... I notice that the "topic of the week" has been assigned as "Boredom"...
Storm Nordwind: I wonder what valuable insights have emerged on the subject :)
Eliza Madrigal: it has been surprisingly fruitful
Eliza Madrigal: (oops brb phone)
Eliza Madrigal: (school)
cybersufi Resident: cool hat I believe from the medevil sufis
Storm Nordwind: Thank you. I made it myself. I just call it a clown hat.
cybersufi Resident: Jesters where often the confidants of Kings and the role allowed them to stay clear of all the political intrege of the court because no-one thought they where important
Storm Nordwind: Indeed. As they say, many a truth is spoken in jest. :)
cybersufi Resident: nice one
Eliza Madrigal: (here - apologies)
Storm Nordwind: I guess I do the same. I stay clear of political intrigue. My lightheartedness is a pleasant mask. It disarms and relaxes, and it sets an open field for deeper discussions
Storm Nordwind: Welcome back Eliza :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)Ty
--BELL--
cybersufi Resident: ;-)
Storm Nordwind: Eliza mentioned the discussion had been "surprisingly fruitful' on the subject of boredom this week
Eliza Madrigal: okay, so... there are two main views of boredom that have emerged so far, that of fruitful ground (potential) and that of a kind of numbed mindlessness. Also, there have emerged distinctions between restlessness of too many choices and an overwhelm in that, vs boredom of finding 'nothing to do'. :)
Storm Nordwind: Wow. That's quite extensive
Eliza Madrigal: it is over quite a few sessions... most people seem really to dislike boredom but there was some discussion too of Trungpa's 'cool boredom'
Storm Nordwind: I don't remember if I've EVER been bored, so this is all new to me
Eliza Madrigal: :) I think Bleu felt the same

No mind.

cybersufi Resident: I suppose that the numbed mindlessness is in fact the quality of thoughts rather than there absence which would allow creative response
Eliza Madrigal: what an interesting insight Cyber, please say more?
cybersufi Resident: well the aim of all mystic insight is to reach a state of no-mind or you could say a lack of incesent chatter in your head
Eliza Madrigal: Hi San
Santoshima Resident: hi
Santoshima Resident: :)
cybersufi Resident: hello san
Storm Nordwind: Hi San :)
cybersufi Resident: most people consider the thoughts to be what makes them who they are and if these are stopped they would not exist, but in fact most of what they do is prevent your from acting intuitively
Santoshima Resident: and have you found that true for yourself?
Eliza Madrigal: ah, perhaps your 'open field' Storm
Eliza Madrigal listens
cybersufi Resident: good to see you have a hat san lol
Eliza Madrigal grins
Storm Nordwind: I don't bother with no-mind. Just detaching from identification with mind is enough for me. It can chatter to itself if it likes; I needn't listen to it or even hear it!
cybersufi Resident: that correct because attempting to remove it just maintains the process
Storm Nordwind nods
cybersufi Resident: you just added another voice

Sufism.

Eliza Madrigal: Are you particularly interested in Sufism Cyber?
cybersufi Resident: I was trained in taoism, Chan Zen and sufism
cybersufi Resident: all fingers of the same hand
Eliza Madrigal: of the three I'm least familiar with Sufism, outside of poetry, and perhaps the inspiration Gerdjeiff (sp?) drew from dance
Eliza Madrigal: would love to hear more
cybersufi Resident: not a problem, I have an extensive library of MP3's from various people like Idries shah, and Allan watts
--BELL--
Santoshima Resident: { please excuse me, Art calls ~ peaceful day, everyone
Eliza Madrigal waves
cybersufi Resident: bye
Eliza Madrigal: interesting, always think of Alan Watts with Zen. Would like to hear your own inspirations sometime though
cybersufi Resident: I take alot of inspiration from Babylon 5 and Dune
Eliza Madrigal: :)
cybersufi Resident: thats the forth stream I forgot to mention Hermetic tradition (dune)
Eliza Madrigal: certainly appreciate the diversity of your view

One-legged stool.

cybersufi Resident: Allan Watts was mostly known for Taoist and Zen, indeed have you ever tried to sit on a one legged stool
Eliza Madrigal: I have ridden a unicycle but perhaps not the same :)
Storm Nordwind: Like this one? ;) [Storm rezzes a one-legged stool with a base]
Eliza Madrigal: lol
Eliza Madrigal: tricksters abound
cybersufi Resident: without the bottom
cybersufi Resident: lol [Storm removes the base]
Storm Nordwind: Ve hav vays [cybersufi sits on the stool, which Storm now causes to rotate gently]
Eliza Madrigal: 'attaining balance'
cybersufi Resident: ok so I have practiced lol
cybersufi Resident: but I wouldn't try it in FL
Eliza Madrigal: maybe it like one of those ships on the horizon no one recognizes because they've never seen a ship
Eliza Madrigal: thanks for the session Storm and cyber, welcome back
Storm Nordwind: Always good to see you Eliza.
cybersufi Resident: bye for now
Eliza Madrigal: thanks so much, you too!, bye for now
Storm Nordwind: I'm afraid I must disappear too.
cybersufi Resident: ok catch you soon
Storm Nordwind: Good to see you again. Take care and be well :)