Bleuji's new beautiful tea house design for Liz's Monday 1pm retreat sessions

szavanna Resident: wow!
Eliza Madrigal: Hi!
szavanna Resident: this is soooo beautiful
szavanna Resident: ❤
szavanna Resident: yay I am amazed
Eliza Madrigal: This is the latest design... really impressed
Eliza Madrigal: I hadn't seen it before just now
szavanna Resident: ;))
szavanna Resident: who made it?
Eliza Madrigal: Bleu used an image she took from the "Dream Window" videos I shared with her
szavanna Resident: ah yes
szavanna Resident: can you post it here again ?
Eliza Madrigal: sure, one moment....
szavanna Resident: ty :)
Eliza Madrigal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgPJ2Uk6_nI
Eliza Madrigal: (part 1)
szavanna Resident: ty °͜°
Eliza Madrigal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB494dBTS54

Fun weekend events in SL - Mental Health Symposium at VAI and the Brain Health Fair

szavanna Resident: oh and ty so much for posting the log last week!
Eliza Madrigal: (part 2)
szavanna Resident: ty let me save it
Eliza Madrigal: Oh, did that show up? I didn't finish it... wanted to ask you before
Eliza Madrigal: but I know you have been so busy, in part with things with me ^^
szavanna Resident: I never was able to get to it
szavanna Resident: yes I got distracted from posting on Monday
szavanna Resident: and then had sooo many things on my list
szavanna Resident: what a fun week
Eliza Madrigal: :))
Eliza Madrigal: How were events yesterday - I wanted to get back online to play after Juni's event but it was impossible
szavanna Resident: oh it was very nice - actually surprisingly nice vibe
szavanna Resident: all sorts of things to play with
szavanna Resident: everyone really enjoyed
Eliza Madrigal: the dance was fun
szavanna Resident: looking great ;)) very official looking :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: °͜° it was a great weekend
szavanna Resident: and I hear someone already posted a comment on the VAI blog
szavanna Resident: about the poetry
szavanna Resident: :)
Eliza Madrigal: yes :) they noted the sadness of the poems but also that they were brought to think
szavanna Resident: yes it did get very deep and heavy sometimes
Eliza Madrigal: so many people, maybe most people in our time (?) have some issue with melancholy - at least sometimes
szavanna Resident: hmm it was great to attend the symposium - it reminded me of some things - one tends to ignore
szavanna Resident: like it was not there
szavanna Resident: ponders
Eliza Madrigal nods... afterward I felt positive about it, though the poems were sad
szavanna Resident: break time - deep breath
Eliza Madrigal: :)

--BELL--

szavanna Resident: can you hear the chant?
Zen Arado: 's current display-name is "Zen".
Eliza Madrigal: I can't... am fidgeting with sound settings...
Eliza Madrigal: Hi Zen :)
szavanna Resident: ah
szavanna Resident: hi Zenji :)
szavanna Resident: how are you?
Zen Arado: Hi Sunji, Lizji :)
szavanna Resident: :)
Eliza Madrigal: just turned up my sounds, but still no...
szavanna Resident: zoom on the ball
Zen Arado: fine thanks
szavanna Resident: anything interesting happened so far this Monday Zenji?
Eliza Madrigal: now I hear :)
szavanna Resident: yay
Zen Arado: this is more like a meditation place
szavanna Resident: isn't ut
szavanna Resident: it
szavanna Resident: Bleu made it

Zenji on writing

Zen Arado: just amking suggestions on a student's piece of writing
szavanna Resident: who?
szavanna Resident: you have students?
Zen Arado: another student on course I am doing
Zen Arado: writing
szavanna Resident: ahh °͜°
Zen Arado: no but we comment on each other's draft work
szavanna Resident: ah nice
szavanna Resident: and did he do well? or she
Zen Arado: a beautiful story about a woman in hospital losing mental faculties
szavanna Resident: oh ok °͜°
szavanna Resident: not easy topic
Zen Arado: I just suggested she watch her tenses
Zen Arado: she switched from pat to present in same paragraph
Zen Arado: past
Eliza Madrigal nods... easy to do
szavanna Resident: hmm yes I could do with some lessons too
Zen Arado: I think it is ok to write a paragraph in present then one in past?
Zen Arado: present tense can have more impact
Eliza Madrigal: the way of transition is the main thing, whether one loses the reader in jumping around in time
szavanna Resident: I found it a bit hard to read the poems this weekend - needed to really focus on each word
Eliza Madrigal: you did wonderfully Sun, so whatever the strategy - it worked :)
szavanna Resident: thank god we stopped before I had to read a poem ..I wasn't really sure of
szavanna Resident: I am really happy it went ok - a new challenge for me
szavanna Resident: I never read poems for people °͜°
Zen Arado: takes a lot of concentration
Eliza Madrigal: I always seem to get the ee cummings poems in the regular sessions... hah.. really hard to read aloud - thankfully none of those this time ;-)
szavanna Resident: yes it does
Zen Arado: I missed one and had to go back ;)
szavanna Resident: hehe I got the easy ones °͜°
Eliza Madrigal: cept mitochondria...
szavanna Resident: actually it all reminded me of English department at uni
szavanna Resident: lol
szavanna Resident: I forgot all about that already
Eliza Madrigal giggles
szavanna Resident: °͜°
Zen Arado: poetry is difficult if not in your native language
szavanna Resident: its different when its in song form
Eliza Madrigal: I suppose it is the same... hearing the music
Zen Arado: some of the words are archaic
szavanna Resident: yes
Zen Arado: 'throstle'
Eliza Madrigal: :)

Ponderings about depression and its causes

Zen Arado: I read Jhn Clare poems years ago
Zen Arado: didn't know he had mental illness
Zen Arado: I have book of his poems
Zen Arado: are all about the countryside
szavanna Resident: hmm I wonder what mental illness is ...
szavanna Resident: what counts as illness
Zen Arado: depression is
Eliza Madrigal: varies from time to time - these days we are quick to diagnose in order to medicate
szavanna Resident: but how do you know you have depression .... or just feeling down
Zen Arado: yes
szavanna Resident: sometimes its not so lcear
szavanna Resident: clear
Zen Arado: I refused Prozac one time
Eliza Madrigal nods....agree Sun
Zen Arado: I had a period of depression
Eliza Madrigal: have been through as well... still have bouts I suppose
Zen Arado: it was just a relationship thing
Zen Arado: you don't need Prozac for that
Zen Arado: just time
szavanna Resident: when I lost my mom - I had very hard times ... but didn't know I should see a doc
Eliza Madrigal: it is rational to feel sad and overwhelmed in difficult times
Zen Arado: yes is natural to grieve

--BELL--

Zen Arado: not something to be medicated away
Eliza Madrigal: am a bit surprised that no one made sure you got to see someone, Sun
szavanna Resident: I was alone
Eliza Madrigal: how confusing :(
szavanna Resident: since my dad was not there - they divorced when I was 3
szavanna Resident: and my bro just left also
szavanna Resident: so I carried on as if nothing happened
szavanna Resident: sort of
Zen Arado: not good
szavanna Resident: no I don't think so
szavanna Resident: but it was not considered an illness ...or anything I would need to see the doc for
Eliza Madrigal: there can be generalized mental health issues in families, cultures
Eliza Madrigal: places that have gone through trauma
szavanna Resident: in general - it is embarassing to see a doc for this
Eliza Madrigal: sometimes a collective ignoring or "stiff upper lip"
Eliza Madrigal: Oh, I see
Zen Arado: yeh ..more of that in UK
szavanna Resident: for depression
szavanna Resident: yes
szavanna Resident: even though my mom was a psychologist
szavanna Resident: and her friends also
szavanna Resident: but noone approached me
szavanna Resident: hmm
szavanna Resident: I was 21
Zen Arado: how old were you?
Eliza Madrigal: wow
Eliza Madrigal: so hard to imagine
szavanna Resident: it was sort of ignored
Eliza Madrigal: all that knowledge, yet in the moment not able to connect
szavanna Resident: I also tried to ignore it
Zen Arado: academic knowledge
Eliza Madrigal: I have to admit that when younger I was a bit hardened against thinking about depression, because it felt like a lot of people in my young life were sort of destructive and used depression as an excuse
szavanna Resident: yes
Eliza Madrigal: that was my young view
szavanna Resident: excuse for what Liz?
Eliza Madrigal: for not thinking about others (me) basically :)
Zen Arado: to get sympathy or not have to do things?
szavanna Resident: ah that sounds familiar
szavanna Resident: in hungary it was "fashionable" to be depressed
Eliza Madrigal: if someone goes from one crisis to another personally, they really don't have to listen to anyone else
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: but in the same time it was not accepted to go to see a doc
Eliza Madrigal: sad.... but I guess genius/madness have been entangled until recently, too
szavanna Resident: I guess this is why I feel very open now to talk about it
szavanna Resident: because I do feel its important to share these things
Eliza Madrigal: agreed
Eliza Madrigal: if one is able, sincerely, to do so
Zen Arado: so many things were hidden in the past
Eliza Madrigal: not pushing
szavanna Resident: and it happened long ago ...so not so hard now
Zen Arado: even physical disability
szavanna Resident: what do you mean Zenji
Eliza Madrigal: equanimity has to mean seeing both sides to things, not just the bright side, the 'on' or perky side
szavanna Resident: not easy to talk about?
Eliza Madrigal listens
szavanna Resident: yes Liz
szavanna Resident: I think it should be totally normal
Zen Arado: it was somehow shameful to have weakness of any kind
szavanna Resident: sigh
Zen Arado: something 'wrong' with you
szavanna Resident: and how is it now Zenji?
Zen Arado: not as bad anyway
Eliza Madrigal: in part due to more open channels of communication?
Zen Arado: don't know
szavanna Resident: but better it seems
Zen Arado: climate of opinion has changed
szavanna Resident: VAI does a great job
Eliza Madrigal: it does
szavanna Resident: so many things are not talked about .... that should be out in the open more

"as we see more of the world, we see that there is no "normal"" or tackling taboos

Eliza Madrigal: was telling Bleu that I think generally as we see more of the world, we see that there is no "normal"
szavanna Resident: yes exactly
Zen Arado: we are all weird
Eliza Madrigal: everyone has their complexities and differences, which look like weakness from one angle and strength from another
Zen Arado: :)
Eliza Madrigal: :)) Zen
szavanna Resident: totally man!
szavanna Resident: ;P
szavanna Resident: I often don't understand why some thing is taboo
szavanna Resident: because for me its totally normal
szavanna Resident: actually I love to "tackle taboos"
Eliza Madrigal: :) like....?
Zen Arado: we don't ven see them in ourselves
szavanna Resident: hmm one is - talking about my mom
szavanna Resident: most people would not share that their parents committed suicide
szavanna Resident: yes Zenji
Eliza Madrigal: Pema Chodron wrote a book "The Places that Scare You" ... suppose a follow up could be "The Places that Scare Those Around You"
szavanna Resident: hmm yes
Zen Arado: we can only work on our own places I guess
Eliza Madrigal: It is very brave of you Sun... sometimes I wish I could talk about things in childhood
szavanna Resident: hmm it doesn't bother me at all
szavanna Resident: I think my experience can help me and others
szavanna Resident: when I share it
Eliza Madrigal: but I haven't figured out how to do so when the whole family isn't open about things

"some on this course refuse to write memoirs or about themselves in any way"

Zen Arado: it amazed me that some on this course refuse to write memoirs or about themselves in any way
Zen Arado: they prefer to do biography

--BELL--

szavanna Resident: why do you think that is Zenji
Eliza Madrigal: writing autobiography/memoir is like undertaking therapy
Zen Arado: no idea
Eliza Madrigal: huge commitment to see oneself
szavanna Resident: I love to look back and ponder
Eliza Madrigal: and others
Zen Arado: me too
szavanna Resident: loved that pic you posted on FB :)
Zen Arado: I love writing about myself
Eliza Madrigal: :))
szavanna Resident: :))
Zen Arado: my favourite subject ;)
Eliza Madrigal: lol
szavanna Resident: must have been such an experience
szavanna Resident: the guys in a far away land
szavanna Resident: °͜°
Zen Arado: and 50 years ago exactly
Eliza Madrigal: those pictures are treasure
szavanna Resident: yes
szavanna Resident: ;))
Zen Arado: and still speak to wo of them
szavanna Resident: would be nice to have story telling evenings
Zen Arado: two
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: ah great °͜°
Eliza Madrigal: Would love for you to write your story Sun
szavanna Resident: hmm and you Liz :)
Zen Arado: I am writing 1,000 words every morning
szavanna Resident: wow
Zen Arado: using voice typing
szavanna Resident: how much is a 1000 words
szavanna Resident: in pages
szavanna Resident: I never count my words hehe
Eliza Madrigal: one thing they say differenciates a person with a mental illness from one without is not being able tell reality/fantasy... and something strange happens when I write memoir.... which is that people from the past start showing up
Eliza Madrigal: and loose ends start tying themselves
Eliza Madrigal: but it gets to be too much so I stop
szavanna Resident: mm interesting
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Zen Arado: but wiht me is just seems like reorganising memories
Eliza Madrigal: that must be a matter of how one writes
Eliza Madrigal: whether in inquiry or as nailing down facts?
Arisia Vita: 's current display-name is "Ari".
Zen Arado: Freud noticed that when people talked about the past it gets arranged into neat stories
szavanna Resident: hi Ari welcome °͜°
Zen Arado: we are story telling creatures

Eliza Madrigal: Hi Ari :)
Arisia Vita: greetings all
Zen Arado: Hi Ari
Eliza Madrigal: well how else can I give you something that isn't here anymore?
szavanna Resident: reminds me of the griots of Zenegal
szavanna Resident: Senegal
szavanna Resident: they told the stories of the tribe
Arisia Vita: love the pictures...
Eliza Madrigal: "thoughts as things" <--- this week's theme
szavanna Resident: isn't it beautiful Ari :)
Arisia Vita: very
szavanna Resident: Bleu's creation :)
Arisia Vita: I find it very calming
szavanna Resident: oh forgot all about it :)
szavanna Resident: can you all hear the chanting?
Eliza Madrigal: quite a collaboration really... Hana taught about Muso Soseki, whose video I shared, then Bleu made this scene ^.^

Eliza Madrigal: only if I zoom, Sun
Zen Arado: I can do that ;)
szavanna Resident: kk
Arisia Vita: I hear it fine
Eliza Madrigal: hm
Arisia Vita: it should be soft and in the background...as it is to me
Zen Arado: oh I see
Zen Arado: I hear I mean
szavanna Resident: if you zoom out it is very quiet
Zen Arado: it's very quiet
szavanna Resident: °͜°

Liz's Monday 1pmslt retreats

szavanna Resident: since we have the retreat today at 1pm right?
szavanna Resident: was looking for chants :)
Eliza Madrigal: yes :)) first day
szavanna Resident: yay
szavanna Resident: :)
Eliza Madrigal: will be simple and slow
szavanna Resident: do you need any help?
Eliza Madrigal: not really planning much.... just hoping to find a nice balance that will help add longer pausing to routine

Eliza Madrigal: there are times in life when it seems important to do that

"Is it easier for you to talk about the past and difficult things, than to write them?

szavanna Resident: kk :)
Eliza Madrigal: Sun I think to ask you....
szavanna Resident: listens
Eliza Madrigal: is it easier for you to talk about the past and difficult things, than to write them?
szavanna Resident: oh good question
szavanna Resident: I never really sit down to write
Zen Arado: Voice typing does both
szavanna Resident: I used to have a little book
szavanna Resident: when I was in Tunis
szavanna Resident: and then I wrote regularly
szavanna Resident: I love to talk about the past
szavanna Resident: it comes more naturally
Zen Arado: It is quite therapeutic to write in a journal each morning
szavanna Resident: or present hehe
Eliza Madrigal: :))
szavanna Resident: actually you are right Zenji
Zen Arado: It is quite creative too – a good source of creative ideas
Eliza Madrigal: it is interesting... context matters a lot, conditions, environment
szavanna Resident: so how do you do it ?
szavanna Resident: you use software that types everything you say?
Zen Arado: You just write and write and don't let the pen stop moving
Zen Arado: Or in my case I just keep talking
szavanna Resident: hmm I see
szavanna Resident: blablablaaaaaa
szavanna Resident: ;p
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Zen Arado: It is a way of getting past being critical
szavanna Resident: for how long?
Eliza Madrigal: I know several people who use voice recorders too, then transcribe
Zen Arado: I write for about half an hour
szavanna Resident: I just need Liz and then I can talk for hours ;p
Eliza Madrigal giggles
Zen Arado: We were recommended to do that at the start of this writing course
szavanna Resident: ;o)
szavanna Resident: ah I think its so theraputic

Kids and bath tubs :)

Eliza Madrigal: have I told you about the bath tub and my kids?
Zen Arado: I like to think about some period in the past and then just write and write about that until I have enough text. Then I edit it and make it more presentable
szavanna Resident: nooo
--BELL--
Zen Arado: if I need it for a story that is
szavanna Resident: ah that sounds great Zenji
Zen Arado: otherwise I never look at it again
Zen Arado: I'm writing about my first sesshin at the moment
szavanna Resident: so tell me about the bath °͜°
szavanna Resident: wow really Zenji
Eliza Madrigal: :) when the kids were very little we were so in tune, but when going to school it began to be choppy - I wanted to know all about their days but it was so contrived "how was your day?" etc...
szavanna Resident: nods I remember yes Liz
Eliza Madrigal: it is like that very question shuts things down rather than opening up...
szavanna Resident: hmm yes
Eliza Madrigal: but then I realized that when they'd get into the bath tub with the warm water and bubbles and toys...
Eliza Madrigal: they would chatter and chatter away
szavanna Resident: ;))
Eliza Madrigal: I didn't need to ask anything
Eliza Madrigal: just play together :)
szavanna Resident: hehe I had lots fun with them also
Eliza Madrigal: or listen to them as they went on wild adventures out loud
szavanna Resident: they were almost like twins so they were bathing together many times
Eliza Madrigal: :)) love that
szavanna Resident: hehe yes
Eliza Madrigal: wish I'd recorded some ^^
szavanna Resident: they travelled around the whole universe during a bath °͜°
Eliza Madrigal: but I have some fun videos - but those are hard to watch because I see myself too, lol
szavanna Resident: ;o)
Zen Arado: :-)
szavanna Resident: ok so we can conclude that baths are good when one needs to talk a long time ;D
Eliza Madrigal: :) well everyone has conditions
Eliza Madrigal: in which they blossom
Eliza Madrigal: perhaps
Zen Arado: I suppose growing up means kids get more and more distant from you as they become more independent
szavanna Resident: °͜°
Eliza Madrigal nods...
szavanna Resident: yes Zenji
szavanna Resident: which is natural
szavanna Resident: but not so easy for the moms
szavanna Resident: or dads
Eliza Madrigal nods
Eliza Madrigal: think not so easy for the kids either but they feel a pull
szavanna Resident: hmm yes may be
Eliza Madrigal: to define their boundaries and independence
Arisia Vita: sharing a warm bath removes inhibitions and releases the love and friendship which is usually a prisoner of society's customs...
Zen Arado: but they have to assert their independence
Eliza Madrigal: nice phrasing, Ari
szavanna Resident: hmm baths are great
szavanna Resident: °͜°
szavanna Resident: I couldn't wait to fly out of the nest
Eliza Madrigal thinks of various cultures where sharing a tub or sauna is part of daily ritual or gatherings
szavanna Resident: ah yes
szavanna Resident: reminds me of that Japanese film
szavanna Resident: what was the title hmm
Eliza Madrigal: :)
Eliza Madrigal: Spirited Away?
szavanna Resident: hmm no
Eliza Madrigal: Departures?
szavanna Resident: yes
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: remember there was a bath house he went to
Eliza Madrigal nods...
Eliza Madrigal: was thinking about the rocks, too
Eliza Madrigal: gestures/gifts/thoughts-as-things :))

"Zen are you going to share your writings with us at some point?"

Eliza Madrigal: Zen are you going to share your writings with us at some point?
Eliza Madrigal: perhaps short story collection?
Zen Arado: may be
szavanna Resident: Departures : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw0CLB49tZI
Zen Arado: after this course is over I need to rewrite some of them
szavanna Resident: :)
Zen Arado: I will miss having a tutor to comment on my writing
Zen Arado: there is an Honours level course but you have to do screenwriting and I don't think I would be good at that part
Eliza Madrigal: oooo
szavanna Resident: oh really
szavanna Resident: isn't it amazing how much learning Zenji does
Zen Arado: that's one thing we never do is write dialogue
szavanna Resident: °͜°
Eliza Madrigal: I find that really hard
Zen Arado is aiming at total brain health :-)
szavanna Resident: ah sounds like an interesting project
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: yes you should be the total brain health guru
szavanna Resident: ;o)
Zen Arado: I can't do much about the physical aspect though
Eliza Madrigal: such a film (finishes watching trailer)
Zen Arado: it's amazing how we allow ourselves to get into ruts though
Zen Arado: especially as we get older
szavanna Resident: true Zenji
szavanna Resident: amazing film Liz tyty

Toward total brain health - and ways to move that body

Eliza Madrigal: indeed.... yesterday I went to see a friend, and her mom was over, and in Spanish she starts saying to her husband how much better I look now that I'm plump :P
Eliza Madrigal snorts
szavanna Resident: plump?
szavanna Resident: whats that
szavanna Resident: ;P
Eliza Madrigal: :) have gained a bit of weight
Eliza Madrigal: too much Sl and too little walking :)
Zen Arado: it's hard to keep the weight off when you get into your forties
szavanna Resident: ah lol
szavanna Resident: uh yes
szavanna Resident: and there is all the work and stuff
szavanna Resident: making money
Eliza Madrigal: yup... its the 40s... and work n stuff...
szavanna Resident: hehe
Zen Arado: unless you are a thoroughbred like Ari and me :-)
szavanna Resident: ok so now everyone - go and exercise ...
Eliza Madrigal: grins :)
szavanna Resident: whatever you choose
--BELL--
szavanna Resident: hehehe Zenji
Zen Arado: brb
szavanna Resident: hb
Eliza Madrigal: actually I will....and will drink my "green drink"
szavanna Resident: Liz what exercise will you do ?
szavanna Resident: Ari?
Eliza Madrigal: I am "supposed" to be at yoga now... ahem.... but instead I will go on the treadmill
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: sleeping is exercise?
Arisia Vita: I will soon be jumping, as I do every day
Arisia Vita: on my trampoline
szavanna Resident: jumping?
szavanna Resident: ahh really
Eliza Madrigal: surely necessary - deep sleep - and it does help keep healthy matabolism
Arisia Vita: yes, the same trampoline I have had since I was a boy
szavanna Resident: but not exercise ;(
Eliza Madrigal: :)) Ari
Zen Arado: weird phone call
szavanna Resident: ah nice Ari
Eliza Madrigal: that's awesome Ari
szavanna Resident: who called?
Eliza Madrigal: bouncing into graceland
Zen Arado: some Indian guy talking about internet security
szavanna Resident: lol
Eliza Madrigal: :)
szavanna Resident: and what did you say
Arisia Vita: jumping is the best exercise :)
Zen Arado: nothing
szavanna Resident: ;o)
Zen Arado: not sure what he said
Eliza Madrigal forewarns that she is taking away the scenery.... 3, 2, 1...
szavanna Resident: you could have asked him about india
Zen Arado: he hung up anyway
szavanna Resident: oh nooooooooooooo
Zen Arado: awww
szavanna Resident: sigh ;p
szavanna Resident: I love it
Eliza Madrigal: :) nice to share a tea house bath tub with you all
szavanna Resident: hehe °͜°
Eliza Madrigal: ty Sunshine (((( ))))))
szavanna Resident: thats the title
Eliza Madrigal: thanks Zen :)
Arisia Vita: yes, ty
szavanna Resident: tea house bath tub
Eliza Madrigal: Thanks Ari :)
Eliza Madrigal: lol
Zen Arado: makes do with pool and fountain
szavanna Resident: have a great day/evening and jumping and exercising
Zen Arado: dinnertime
Eliza Madrigal: bye bye for now <3 - you too!
Zen Arado: byee all
szavanna Resident: bon appetit ;))
szavanna Resident: ♥ ♥ ♥
Arisia Vita: I will think of you all as I float and spin