D. Stevenaia

Stevenaia Michinaga and I met at his lovely Second Life house. Steve noted that his first PaB session was Saturday, April 26, 2008.

stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps it began when I first met Pema, this story is on the Wiki somewhere as well
Adams Rubble: That I don't  know about...would you tell it?
stevenaia Michinaga: I met Pema at a longtime friends house at her invitation
stevenaia Michinaga: Dharma Voyager
stevenaia Michinaga: Pema was searching for Second Life for a series for criteria, the Board Game, GO, Buddhism and A third criteria that escapes me at the moment, perhaps a search on her name will brings one of a few times the story was recollected at a PaB meeting

I found the Pema's delightful story about meeting Dharma on the May 5 19:00 log. This is a brief excerpt:

Pema Pera: one question was: how to get myself look decent as an avatar
Pema Pera: the looking-in-the-mirror question
Pema Pera: the second question was: how to explore SL for hobbies, like playing go, one of my hobbies
Pema Pera: the having-fun question
Pema Pera: the third question was: how to find out what people are doing here in terms of contemplation
Pema Pera: the having-it-all question

stevenaia Michinaga: we were introduced, chatted and he stuck me as an interesting fellow coming from an interesting RL place, as I had peripheral knowledge of the IAS.... and wondered what is this sort of person doing here?
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: So over time I IM'd him and he invited me to a PaB session and the rest is, as they say, is history
stevenaia Michinaga: I knew little of meditation in the formal sense or Buddhism, or much of what he spoke of , but they seemed to be where my interests were going.. somewhere out there
stevenaia Michinaga: seems that is still on track... moving in the direction of this and new interests as only SL can facilitate
Adams Rubble: yes
Adams Rubble: Can you remember what it felt  like coming into PaB in the first few weeks?
stevenaia Michinaga: I listened, I know Pema asked of my initial impressions, much of what was discussed was difficult to wrap my mind around, but eventually things became clearer and my participation grew
stevenaia Michinaga: and as time passes, things still get clearer on one hand and Pema's concepts become more and more complex
stevenaia Michinaga: given my RL background, visualization was very interesting to me
stevenaia Michinaga: especially visualizing concepts and perspectives on what is seen
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: although I do the nine second meditations now and then, I have also found that my RL ways includes similar pausing moments and I take that as similar ways of meditation for me... work as meditation, for instance
Adams Rubble: yes, I remember you mentioning that
stevenaia Michinaga: I was also going to yoga for a year and 1/2 at the time and that also helped to clue me in as to the moments of opening my mind to experience the moments between reality, when you pause
Adams Rubble: Besides, your own adjustment to PaB, how have you perceived the changes in PaB?
stevenaia Michinaga: changes?... the groups has certainly gotten larger and more diverse, of course
Adams Rubble: Do you think it has affected the group's focus?
stevenaia Michinaga: there has been more Play, more distractions, more focused discussions as well
Adams Rubble: so by diversity you mean in the sessions too?
stevenaia Michinaga: some meanderings, some empty quiet meeting.
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, in the sessions and the topics
stevenaia Michinaga: but if the group continues, I believe much of what Pema originally thought will be realized, a focused group being able to communicate much easier about many topics of common interest
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: many friendships have also arisen
stevenaia Michinaga: and I have learned much about listening
Adams Rubble: wonderful!
Adams Rubble: One of my favorite memories of you when I started (a little more than a month after you) was when we were discussing Being and you told about a dream (I think) about coming out of the water and seeing clearly...do you remember that?
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, I remember and re-read it yesterday, a very clear moment

<><><><>

stevenaia Michinaga: in this moment I was underwater which represented Self to me
stevenaia Michinaga: the I emerged above the surface , springing out of the water straight upÉ which represented Being
stevenaia Michinaga: not flying, just head above water
stevenaia Michinaga: an interested contrast
Pia Iger: then how do you feel, in each case, under and above the water?
stevenaia Michinaga: fresh air, clear sight of distance
Adams Rubble: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: under water was self reflective and somewhat contained..
defining self as somewhat introspective and contained
stevenaia Michinaga: but head above water was externally focused
stevenaia Michinaga: refreshing
Adams Rubble: that sounds great Steve
stevenaia Michinaga: worth the wait of not doing 9 second moments for that one

<><><><>

Adams Rubble: I was moved by that and it helped me
stevenaia Michinaga: I think Pia was there too
stevenaia Michinaga: that's one of the unexpected things I have found, not so much what I have received from so many,but unexpected comments such as as yours
Adams Rubble: and when you saw clearly, you said that is Being
stevenaia Michinaga: for me it's a moment of clarity, yet I had no idea what it could show others
Adams Rubble: It showed a way for some if us :)
stevenaia Michinaga: nods
Adams Rubble: I think we touch each others in ways unexpected
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, and that is the exciting part of meeting strangers who's paths cross and are focused in a common directions, even if we don't quite know what that direction is
Adams Rubble: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: so.. we talk.. and learn
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: and in my case, almost always have a great time with it
Adams Rubble: :)

As I have been reading logs for this Chronicles project I have been struck by the uniqueness of each of us and I felt I want to capture it some in these interviews. Funny, my question fell flat because it was unfairly comparative but ironically, Steve did confirm the uniqueness

Adams Rubble: Now my next question is one I just came up with today and I hope to ask of everyone from now on :)
Adams Rubble: Do you think that you have a perspective that may be different from other guardians?
stevenaia Michinaga: perspective on what?
Adams Rubble: hehe. touche
Adams Rubble: ah
stevenaia Michinaga: given the diversity of the group, I certainly hope so
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble: Do you have a unique view of the PaB practice that differs from others?
stevenaia Michinaga: the question presumes I know other people's perspective as clearly as I know my own.  I don't think PaB is about that, it's about your own perspective... to me it is
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: my own perspective, rather
Adams Rubble: and mine :)
stevenaia Michinaga: over time they may very well be close, but as with the definition of a color.. red for instance, will anyone ever see the same red and know it?
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: even if we all stare at the same patch of printed red, we may all feel and see it differently
Adams Rubble: yes, my question needs more thought :)
stevenaia Michinaga: ...grins
Adams Rubble: Do you have anything you would like to add?
stevenaia Michinaga: not to that question
Adams Rubble: haha
Adams Rubble: No I meant at all :)
Adams Rubble: I gathered the first part :
stevenaia Michinaga: other than the two times we (the group) met so far and how it changed my perceptions
of the people in terms of imagery
Adams Rubble: Oh, yes I forgot. oh my
Adams Rubble: yes please, let's talk about the Fest
stevenaia Michinaga: nudges adams
Adams Rubble: hehe
stevenaia Michinaga: even the first dinner in august
Adams Rubble: yes, that too :)
stevenaia Michinaga: we were lucky to be local enough
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: I found it interesting the RL issues that give rise that do not matter in SL, similar to the summer fest and concerns about the location
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: I had an exchange regarding the locations of dinner and the food based on the reviews I had read, things like that didn't matter in SL
stevenaia Michinaga: (with Pema)
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble: But we knew each other almost at once
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: almost
Adams Rubble: even though some of us look quite different :)
stevenaia Michinaga: but alas, Pema will never have long red hair for me
Adams Rubble: I feel a warmth in RL
stevenaia Michinaga: RL images of the people override SL avatars for me
Adams Rubble: Hmmmm
Adams Rubble: Both are there for me I think
stevenaia Michinaga: nods
Adams Rubble: almost like a child being an image of both parents
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, I know there was an exhibition of "morphed" images of SL and RL faces into each other by Rowan at a university
Adams Rubble smiles

Steve sent me a link to the photo below:
[insert photo here]

Adams Rubble: The discussion after the fest was very focused on the difference between avatars and RL typists. The content of the Fest seemed to get lost in that
Adams Rubble: But we did spend much time at the Fest doing social small talk
stevenaia Michinaga: I enjoyed reading Genesis's recap
stevenaia Michinaga: it touched on much

Steve reminded me of the url at http://playasbeing.wik.is/PaB_Events/PaB_Fest_2008.10.18_@_IAS_by_Genesis_Zhangsun

stevenaia Michinaga: one more thing... about "small talk'
Adams Rubble listens
stevenaia Michinaga: I feel it IS essential as once what you need to know about a person is known, usually the little things, you can then go more directly to the topic at hand
Adams Rubble: Oh yes, I agree. It was a bit of a surprise to me because we have much less need for it in SL. Yet meeting in RL, we went right to it
Adams Rubble: the small talk, that is
stevenaia Michinaga: there is plenty of small talk at the PaB sessions
stevenaia Michinaga: :)
Adams Rubble: often there is...that is the diversity :)
stevenaia Michinaga: part of play
Adams Rubble: yes
stevenaia Michinaga: word play
stevenaia Michinaga: knowing about each other
stevenaia Michinaga: bonding
Adams Rubble nods
stevenaia Michinaga: it makes us all approachable
stevenaia Michinaga: or more so
Adams Rubble: yes, it smoothes over disagreements too
stevenaia Michinaga: the few that there are
stevenaia Michinaga: surprisingly few
Adams Rubble: yes, surprisingly few
Adams Rubble: yet it is when someone makes a really beautiful statement like your about Being that I really feel I know the person
stevenaia Michinaga: ...smiles, thanks you, perhaps even more so for you than me
stevenaia Michinaga: I suppose like a painting, which is an expression of an idea who's impact is seen differently by those who see it.... like the color red, different for each of us
Adams Rubble: yes
Adams Rubble: But along the way we seem to be agreeing on some common vocabulary that will help us as we continue
stevenaia Michinaga: yes
Adams Rubble: Thank you so much for sharing :)