2009.12.20 19:00 - Breath

 

The Guardian for this meeting was stevenaia Michinaga. The comments are by stevenaia Michinaga.

stevenaia Michinaga: hello Edan

Eden Haiku: Hi Steve!

stevenaia Michinaga: how are things in Montreal, we have our Montreal friend with us this weekend

stevenaia Michinaga: he just enjoyed the 6" snowfall we had

Eden Haiku: The eather is milder today.

Eden Haiku: *weather

Eden Haiku: Nice snowfall!

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, light and fluffy, roads are clear and day was sunny today

Eden Haiku: Do you practice winter sports where you live Steve?

stevenaia Michinaga: no, I had my moments when I lived in Northern michigan and chicago (more snow there) Now I just walk around and enjoy the cold and snow when I have the chance

stevenaia Michinaga: do you enjoy the cold and snow?

Eden Haiku: Me too ;-) I stopped skating when I hurt a knee but I have been enjoying it here in the PaB village, at the nice skating ring we have.

--BELL--

stevenaia Michinaga: I have skates (on) but missed the PaB skating Rink, where is it?

Eden Haiku: It is to my left over there, you can see it from here. There is a Christmas tree and even hot chocolate and you get skates!

Eden Haiku: An SL friend of mine was telling me that I am the only person he knows in SL who enjoys her neighbourhood. I do!

stevenaia Michinaga: you mean your neighborhood?

Eden Haiku: bor or bour?

stevenaia Michinaga: either

stevenaia Michinaga: do you mean your neighborhood here in PaB

stevenaia Michinaga: you said her neighborhood

stevenaia Michinaga: hello Maggie

Eden Haiku: Yes, in PaB. I was showing him the skate ring, the museum and so on...

stevenaia Michinaga: welcome to confused stevenaia

Magdalena Colclough: hello

stevenaia Michinaga: awww I see, thanks Eden

Eden Haiku: ;-)

Eden Haiku: Hi Magdalena!

Magdalena Colclough: :)

stevenaia Michinaga: I come to my little plot every now and then but there usually isn;t anyone about, although I have been spending a bit of time in Adam's Museum

stevenaia Michinaga: have you seen it Maggie?

Eden Haiku: Yes, the Museum is nice isn't?

Magdalena Colclough: I saw something maybe 6 months ago

Magdalena Colclough: was that it?

stevenaia Michinaga: it;s a museum adams did of comparative religious architecture in RL and SL, this is a recreation and expansion of it as some of the SL structures no longer exist

stevenaia Michinaga: (yes)

stevenaia Michinaga: it is quite an extensive display

Eden Haiku: You are breathing cold air Steve? Did you script that yourself?;-)

Magdalena Colclough: no, my alt gave it to him

Magdalena Colclough: if you take it off for a second you should be able to give Eden a copy

Eden Haiku: /I wanna breath cold air too!

Magdalena Colclough: then you can put it on again

Magdalena Colclough: this alt doesn't have it, I'm afraid

stevenaia Michinaga: :)

stevenaia Michinaga: seems I have an extra copy to give

Magdalena Colclough grins

Magdalena Colclough: thanks

Eden Haiku: All breathing together now!

stevenaia Michinaga: thank your alt, Maggie, next time you see her :)

Magdalena Colclough giggles

--BELL--

Magdalena Colclough: will do, Eden

Magdalena Colclough: :)

stevenaia Michinaga: has anyone been using the 9 second meditation keep centered during these apparently stressful holiday times?

Eden Haiku: I had a spontaneous 9 secs while coming back from Christmas shopping this afternoon.

stevenaia Michinaga: :)

Magdalena Colclough: are people really still trying the 9 sec thing? I thought maybe Pema had changed it to 90 seconds, since that's what the bell is saying now

Eden Haiku: The top of the trees were all pink-colored in the declining sun and the beauty of the light stopped me.

stevenaia Michinaga: sounds like the light caught you nicely in the moment

Eden Haiku: And it shook me from my absent-mindedness and I became aware for a few minutes.

stevenaia Michinaga: rather than the moment catching the light

Magdalena Colclough smiles

Eden Haiku: Hi cold-air breathing Storm ;-)

stevenaia Michinaga: I find this season like one long 9 second moment , walking around, seeing everyone shopping, being worn down by the holidays and I stand like an observer, like PaB

Storm Nordwind: Hi warm-in-the-chill Eden! :)

Eden Haiku: ;-)

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, seems the cold breath is catching on

stevenaia Michinaga: brought on be the recent snow here

Storm Nordwind: Most of ours has long melted

Eden Haiku: Do you mean you can always remember who you are through all the whirlwind Steve?

stevenaia Michinaga: in this case it is not my whirlwind

stevenaia Michinaga: (not celebrating christmas)

Eden Haiku: Oh I see, it makes things easier I guess ;-)

stevenaia Michinaga: certainly interesting

Storm Nordwind: I like the Yule lights. They can be fun. Either they are inspiring and tasteful... or I really can poke fun at them. Either way, I like them.

Eden Haiku: Still, it is an accomplishment to keep centered in the midst of it all.

Eden Haiku: Yule lights?

Storm Nordwind: You know... those things people decorate their houses and windows with at this time of year

stevenaia Michinaga: no inflatable Santas helps

Eden Haiku: Oh, I never heard that word before, thanks.

Storm Nordwind: Which one Eden? Yule?

Eden Haiku: I hate inflatable Santas...

--BELL--

stevenaia Michinaga: http://yulelights.com/

stevenaia Michinaga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_log

Eden Haiku: Yes, Yule. Thanks for the link Steve.

Storm Nordwind: I remember learning a meditation technique, perhaps 35 years ago, which it was possible to do all the time. And it certainly kept you centered in the midst of it all.

Storm Nordwind: As for Yule. It's a germanic/norse word of uncertain origin. They still wish each other God Jul in Sweden at this time of year

Eden Haiku: listening

stevenaia Michinaga: which specific meditation technique, storm

Magdalena Colclough: please excuse me

Eden Haiku: Yes, just read on Wikipedia, thanks. So now I know saelig and yule, my nordic vocabulary is improving :-)

Storm Nordwind: haha Eden!

Eden Haiku: Bye Magdalena.

Storm Nordwind waves

Eden Haiku: Yes, what about this meditation technique?

Storm Nordwind: The meditation was ostensibly on the breath, but the idea was to meditate on the energy driving the breath, which hopefully is there all the time. I guess it was a kind of pranayama.

Storm Nordwind: I found that I could focus on this constant wave of energy flowing through me constantly. Never forgot how to do it! :)

Eden Haiku: Sounds great.

stevenaia Michinaga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranayama

Eden Haiku: I practiced pranayama a lot in India. I find it difficult, frightening sometimes.

Storm Nordwind: In what way?

stevenaia Michinaga: Is that the technique used in Cundilini(sp) yoga (my friend does this)

Eden Haiku: It was with a group and it was pretty intense, and for a long time. Too long for me.

Storm Nordwind: It wasn't Kundalini yoga, no Steve

Storm Nordwind: I wasn't into those intense practices Eden

stevenaia Michinaga: thx

Eden Haiku: Yes, It was a group practicing Kundalini yoga Steve.

Storm Nordwind: I can imagine they could be upsetting

Eden Haiku: Yes, it was. I stopped.

Eden Haiku: It felt too forceful. I prefer gentler, more natural ways.

Storm Nordwind: This was far more gentle. No holding the breath or breathing through one nostril etc. And yet the effect built up until it was like being washed all over in a warm shower :)

Eden Haiku: That sounds much nicer yes.

stevenaia Michinaga: sounds lovely

Eden Haiku: Fire breathing at work might get you into trouble yes...;-)

stevenaia Michinaga: indeed

Eden Haiku: As we talk about breathing, I notice my breathing pattern.

stevenaia Michinaga: http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~keutze...ni-faq.html#1b

--BELL--

Eden Haiku: Wow! Words are powerful Storm: I felt what you described. The breaking of the wave.

Eden Haiku: And I smelled tobacco. Are you smoking Steve ;-)?

stevenaia Michinaga: no

stevenaia Michinaga: must be something closer

stevenaia Michinaga: your mind

stevenaia Michinaga: there are some fireplaces in homes nearby me

stevenaia Michinaga: I must be off, thank you for joining me