2012.10.08 19:00 - Dropping to See

The Guardian for this meeting was Eliza Madrigal. The comments are by Eliza, who at first sat considering lostness, and a poem by William Carlos Williams - Descent.

Soon she was happily joined by a colorful and compassionate Bleu, for a talk of blank spaces, canvas washes, and conditioning . :)

The descent beckons
              as the ascent beckoned.
                               Memory is a kind
of accomplishment,
              a sort of renewal
                               even
an initiation, since the spaces it opens are new places
              inhabited by hordes
                               heretofore unrealized,
of new kinds—
              since their movements
                               are toward new objectives
(even though formerly they were abandoned).

No defeat is made up entirely of defeat—since
the world it opens is always a place
              formerly
                               unsuspected. A
world lost,
              a world unsuspected,
                               beckons to new places
and no whiteness (lost) is so white as the memory
of whiteness     .

With evening, love wakens
              though its shadows
                               which are alive by reason
of the sun shining—
              grow sleepy now and drop away
                               from desire     .

Love without shadows stirs now
              beginning to awaken
                               as night
advances.

The descent
              made up of despairs
                               and without accomplishment
realizes a new awakening:
                               which is a reversal
of despair.
              For what we cannot accomplish, what
is denied to love,
              what we have lost in the anticipation—
                               a descent follows,
endless and indestructible

--BELL--


Bleu Oleander: hi Eliza :)
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Bleu :)
Eliza Madrigal zooms
Bleu Oleander: how's your evening?
Eliza Madrigal: fantastic pattern..... what was the inspiration?
Bleu Oleander: frank lloyd wright
Eliza Madrigal zooms again...
Bleu Oleander: mixed in with some of my own :)
Bleu Oleander: I love his stained glass windows
Eliza Madrigal: ah yes...am smiling
Eliza Madrigal: and the bow tie... darling
Bleu Oleander: that was mine haha
Eliza Madrigal: :)



Eliza Madrigal: As for the evening just fine.... was pondering lostness
Eliza Madrigal: remembering poems that conjure the sensibility...
Bleu Oleander: hmmm
Bleu Oleander: lostness can be scary, but also can be opportunities to find new
Eliza Madrigal: I was thinking about your mentioning the artist... and her crossroads....
Bleu Oleander: yes
Bleu Oleander: i've been artistically lost many times :)
Eliza Madrigal: it isn't exactly lostness, that feeling, but in a way the feeling, inward, is similar... crossroad brings one inward

Bleu Oleander: I find switching directions to be helpful under those conditions
Eliza Madrigal: in what way?
Bleu Oleander: taking my mind completely off the problem
Bleu Oleander: new focus
Bleu Oleander: then go back with fresh eyes

Bleu Oleander: with painting
Bleu Oleander: i often stop for years
Bleu Oleander: and start up again
Bleu Oleander: always surprised by what comes out
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: when I painted it was a lot just to begin something
Bleu Oleander: yes!


Bleu Oleander: I always find it helpful to paint over the whole canvas first
Bleu Oleander: so no blank spots
Bleu Oleander: somehow relaxes me
Eliza Madrigal: nice.... conditioning
Bleu Oleander: yes
Bleu Oleander: also adds depth to the painting ... win win :)
Eliza Madrigal: a 'wash'
Bleu Oleander: yes


Bleu Oleander: btw I listened to Richard Davidson tonight
Bleu Oleander: interesting series
Eliza Madrigal: oh, excellent... am planning to listen to that one but became wrapped up in a film earlier
Eliza Madrigal: any ideas to share?

Bleu Oleander: the main one I got was that even a short compassion meditation can change your brain
Bleu Oleander: brains are not fixed
Bleu Oleander: neuroplasticity
Eliza Madrigal: wash for the brain...hah....
Bleu Oleander: haha yes!

Bleu Oleander: he used the term "obscurations"
Bleu Oleander: things that hide our compassionate leanings

Bleu Oleander: I thought of PaB
Bleu Oleander: and dropping to see our compassionate qualities

--BELL--

Bleu Oleander: he spoke about on-the-fly practice
Bleu Oleander: even making a difference

Eliza Madrigal: PaB is a light handed approach... lots of trust in not trying to convince ... just taste
Bleu Oleander: yes
Bleu Oleander: focus on others is more effective than focus on self

Bleu Oleander: next week is Dan Siegel
Eliza Madrigal: I remember the first time I heard the term 'flash bodhicitta' which is a term for raising the 'mind of compassion' - that meditation starts there rather than getting there... starting at the end
Eliza Madrigal: it sounded so obscure... speaking of obscurations....
Bleu Oleander: yes
Eliza Madrigal: but just stopping once in a while... like a dolphin diving down... so easy
Bleu Oleander: yes

Eliza Madrigal: Dan Siegel will speak on emotion?
Bleu Oleander: I don't remember what his focus will be
Bleu Oleander: but I think still on compassion
Eliza Madrigal: :) whatever the question is, it is a good answer

Eliza Madrigal: there is so much focus in the society we grew up in, on talking things out and problem solving through advice... but I love the idea that even without
Eliza Madrigal: doing that....
Eliza Madrigal: there is a resonance and capacity beings have with one another
Bleu Oleander: yes
Eliza Madrigal: so each deepening their own capacity to just be with another person.... seems worthy work... not to mention probably enhances listening/appreciation... being able to withstand a long winding book full of ideas :D
Bleu Oleander: :)

We sit quietly for a while...

Bleu Oleander: well, I think I'll take the pups for a walk
Eliza Madrigal: the image of museums comes to mind just now... the palate cleansing between exhibitions
Bleu Oleander: yes, when I worked in an art gallery
Bleu Oleander: definitely had a palate cleansing between shows
Bleu Oleander: somehow needed the blank walls for a few days
Eliza Madrigal smiles

Eliza Madrigal: thanks for stopping with me for a moment Bleu, hugs to pups :)
Bleu Oleander: ok have a great evening :)
Eliza Madrigal: you too :) Night
Bleu Oleander: take care