19-21 - Beginning of a new and hopeful era

Maxine's musings

We often see the world through the lens of our current (pre-)occupations or thoughts; what occupies my mind influences the lenses of

my perception.Admittedly for me the centerpiece for this period Jan 19, 20, 21 has been the inauguration of the new American President; for me and I think for others this event may mark a new Epoch: the resurgence of Hope and Agency. My scribe-notes orient around these themes:

Regarding Love

Antonia Braveheart: in philosophy many philosophers call the love for God "supreme love"

Adams Dubrovna: Buddhism seems to combine loves into compassion
Adams Dubrovna: agape is love of God
Adams Dubrovna: and God's love too I think

Gaya Ethaniel: May I quote a verse from Dhammapada on love?
Gaya Ethaniel: Never by hatred is hatred conquered,
but by readiness to love alone.Adams Dubrovna: Gaya, I was noting that it in the quote it is not the love itself but the willingness to love in the face of hatred

 

And this hour demonstrated another type of love, of dialogue and sharing in that the log mentions running far beyond the usual hour’s time, as Gaya, Hana and Antonia continued to converse.

And then the interplay between Freedom and Responsibility 

genesis Zhangsun: you need the freedom to be your own best teacher

Becka Finesmith: Interestingly, there is no pressure from others but you make these pressures yourself

Susi Alcott: and that is the fear 'called' responsibility

Susi Alcott: ...de ja vu ...

genesis Zhangsun: yes that could be the most interesting aspect of your situation
Becka
Becka Finesmith: indeed

genesis Zhangsun: realizing another layer of the self

Becka Finesmith: I always do these things to myself
Becka Finesmith: or My Self

genesis Zhangsun: we ALL do!

genesis Zhangsun: just when you think you have found something to free yourself you find you must free yourself from the tool that freed you

And Hope

Riddle Sideways offers the following opening comments:

“Welcome to the beginning of the new reign of a new US president. What he does (and gets us to do ) will affect the world and our attitude toward it.There is so much that Riddle would like to comment here.There is so much HOPE for the days to come.

And others share the mood:

Riddle Sideways: oooooo I is sooooo happy to be getting a new president in my country
Susi Alcott: I gladly share the happyness for USA
Susi Alcott: hope is very strong source to have power for changes
Riddle Sideways: have not felt hope at this level in USA for along time
Susi Alcott: neither have I, neithre I've had any reasons for that for long time
Riddle Sideways: yes, seems like sooo long

And some comparisons of the new president with Kennedy and Lincoln

Susi Alcott: do you know about reincarnation ?
Riddle Sideways: think that is very possibly what has happened here
Susi Alcott: that Barach would be Kennedy ?
Riddle Sideways: the wheel turns and we get the next chance
Riddle Sideways: are they both Lincoln?

And then some playing with images of presidential figures:

Riddle Sideways: welcome to new presidents day
Adams Dubrovna: Thank you :)
Susi Alcott: hoping you dont mind my saying that you look much like Abraham Lincoln
Susi Alcott: we had some chat about him too with Riddle
Adams Dubrovna: haha
Adams Dubrovna: I'll have to get a stove-pipe hat
Riddle Sideways: hmmmm yes Adams does not look like pres Adams
Susi Alcott: that sure may be also my mind's creation in a way, for certain reasons
Susi Alcott: but you Riddle ---being kind of outsider---can conferm me , what comes to Adams' looks :)
Adams Dubrovna: The Lincoln references haven't been subtle the last few days
Susi Alcott: but the reasons nobody can turn me dow of
Riddle Sideways: yes, Adams looks the young Lincoln today.

And the ‘miracle’ of moving:

Riddle Sideways: the moving guys throw out the bush bags
Adams Dubrovna: That part is amazing
Riddle Sideways: was listening to that description
Riddle Sideways: they have 6 hours to transform the white house
Adams Dubrovna: yes amazing
Riddle Sideways: out with the bushes
Riddle Sideways: in with the Obamas
Adams Dubrovna: Like a giant tetris game played real quickly
Riddle Sideways: all the cigar ash trays go out
Riddle Sideways: the good old boy equiptment so to speak

Riddle continues with his passionate thoughts about the new sweeping away the corrupt old and how noteworthy this is for the future:

That image had not really presented itself before.  I am hoping the moving people remove all the cigar ashtrays.Those are symbols of fat cats, good ol' boys, the oil barons who sit around smoking cigars deciding the fate of US little peeps.

Riddle Sideways: this is so exciting
Riddle Sideways: and my son is missing it
Riddle Sideways: he is deep in the grand canyon today
Adams Dubrovna: wow
Riddle Sideways: he worked about 3 months for Obama
Adams Dubrovna: I have a son down there somewhere (DC that is)
Riddle Sideways: ah, to be in DC today
Riddle Sideways: like a football stadium
Riddle Sideways: the game is better watched on TV
Adams Dubrovna: yes it is
Riddle Sideways: but, you can tell everybody that you were there

And the enthuasim and sense of amazement continues in the next session:

Pema Pera: Yes, it has been an amazing change in the US, and it will be fascinating to see the consequences . . . .
Pema Pera: I arrived in the US by the time Reagan was elected . . .
Pema Pera: And this is now a time of more hope and expectation than I can remember during those almost 30 years . . . .
Wol Euler nods.
Myoko Fhang: The whole world is waiting in anticipation!
Wol Euler: So happy.
Scathach Rhiadra: :)
Wol Euler: I watched it from the office, online. Very moving. A wonderful speech and the benediction was also great

Even to include Pema’s happy announcement which expresses a great deal of hope:

Pema Pera: Today, I'll have to leave early, at 1:30 pm, for an interesting reason: I have to make my first phone call with the lawyer with whom I'll discuss how to apply for US citizenship -- seemed like a good day to start the process, today
Scathach Rhiadra: very auspicious day:)

And other expressions: 

genesis Zhangsun: this morning I completely forgot about the inauguration and went to yoga but my yoga teacher had us listen to the speech while doing yoga
genesis Zhangsun: it was pretty cool very Berkeley
Fefonz Quan: yeah, sounds great
Wol Euler: :)
genesis Zhangsun: something about the energy rubs off on you
Fefonz Quan: change-- (downward dog)--- etc.
genesis Zhangsun: :)
genesis Zhangsun: hopefully upward facing dog
Wol Euler: it feels that way Gen.
genesis Zhangsun: yeah here in Berkeley people are going nuts, dancing on the street etc
genesis Zhangsun: you kind of can't ignore it
Scathach Rhiadra: a real party atmosphere:)
genesis Zhangsun: I am eager to see how this all pans out in reality
Fefonz Quan: here in the more snowy east coast they are much more restrained
Fefonz Quan: me too, Gen
genesis Zhangsun: I am really excited but of course what is happening is very much on the symbolic level
Fefonz Quan: though the energy of people itself can change thing
genesis Zhangsun: and a symbolic shift I believe can create a reality shift too
genesis Zhangsun: yes

Pema as goc observes: New words are being coined.

Fefonz Quan tries ooptimism
Wol Euler: oh yes, definitely.
Fefonz Quan: (ooptimism - thing going by chance the right way :))
genesis Zhangsun: hehe :)
genesis Zhangsun: love that kind
Wol Euler: heheheh
genesis Zhangsun: man though Mr. Obama has some tough issues ahead of him
Wol Euler nods soberly.
genesis Zhangsun: what a way to start
Scathach Rhiadra: but he has a lot of good will from everyone around the world
genesis Zhangsun: yes I think that is the most important shift for American foreign politics
Wol Euler: but he started very well, I thought, by calling a spade a spade. You can't solve a problem whose existence you won't admit.

Of course many other themes meandered throughout and admittedly I am viewing the sequence through a specific lens. Still, during this period there seemed to be considerations of Love, Passion, Responsibility, Honesty, and other emotions that underpin a buoying sense of Hope. An auspicious aura for emergent life in our community and perhaps our wider Community.

 And then there seemed to be a lull over a few sessions, a couple having only the goc, and a few not posted in time for this scribe-note. But in the midst of that lull a lovely metaphor , as in the session titled ‘Glowing’ Susi offers an SL ‘aura’ to Tarmel who mentions that it ‘took at least most of the session …to figure out how to control it’