2009.05.17 19:00 - PaB RL: "Play Center"

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

Pila Mulligan and SophiaSharon Larnia join me

stevenaia Michinaga: hi PIla

Pila Mulligan: hi Steve

Pila Mulligan: how are you?

stevenaia Michinaga: had a nice weekend, son is at his second prom tonight, had dinner with his date's mother, who is a long time friend from high school

Pila Mulligan: cool

Pila Mulligan: a friend here just got back from his 40th high school reunion

Pila Mulligan: 45th, sorry

stevenaia Michinaga: many people show up?

Pila Mulligan: yes, he said it was quite fun and lots of familiar (now old) faces

stevenaia Michinaga: I am finding facebook has a way of gathering old friends

Pila Mulligan: sounds like you are still in your original neighborhood, or close

Pila Mulligan: hi SophiaSharon

stevenaia Michinaga: I returned, yes

Pila Mulligan: :)

stevenaia Michinaga: hi Sophia

SophiaSharon Larnia: hi :))

stevenaia Michinaga: did anyone here attend Adam's talk today?

Pila Mulligan: not I

SophiaSharon Larnia: me either, tho i wish i could have

stevenaia Michinaga: nods

Pila Mulligan: did you Steve?

stevenaia Michinaga: no, was at dinner :)

stevenaia Michinaga: was hoping for a recap :)

Pila Mulligan: :)

Pila Mulligan: I had an idea that began as a thought unrelated to a real life retreat center but then led to it indirectly

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, the topic was missed last wednesday

Pila Mulligan: I have an excerpt of a conversation with Tarmel ... notecard:

Taking Play as Being sessions into real life situations 

Pila Mulligan: well, some thoughts have been floating around my head recently -- maybe the PaB method would work in local real life situations

Tarmel Udimo: nods

Pila Mulligan: this first occurred to me with regard to a fire in Eos's neighborhood, but in fact PaB has some unique aspects that would make it work in many situations

Tarmel Udimo: fire?

Pila Mulligan: yes, there was a bad fire in Eos's neighborhood, it destroyed and damaged many homes, so now the community is in recovery mode, and I was thinking PaB sessions could help there, in real life – not so much the mental efforts, but the regular meeting opportunities, that is a unique part of PaB

Tarmel Udimo: nods

Pila Mulligan: available several times a day, with a designated host – the 9 second practice is a simple thing that is certainly helpful for many people, so combining it with regularly available sessions makes sense for real life

Pila Mulligan: maybe there could be some experiments with PaB as a real life activity in various places and situations

Tarmel Udimo: that's brilliant Pila and sounds good – I guess too the August retreat will indicate if it works in RL too 

Tarmel Udimo: also perhaps the 9-secs doesn't need to be complex, getting into the meaning of Being and the like, but just around stopping and appreciating

Pila Mulligan: yes, there I think what works in SL would be more difficult in RL, the deep philosophical mental effort would turn away some folks

Tarmel Udimo: and then if some people want to take it further then they can

Pila Mulligan: yes, exactly

Pila Mulligan: it could be done anywhere, without the trauma situation Eos's neighbors have – it may be easy to do at a university, for example, all you need is a place and a few people

Pila Mulligan: the first inspiration was Eo's traumatic situation, then it became obvious it could be done anywhere, then it connected with the idea of a real life retreat center

Tarmel Udimo: nods

Pila Mulligan: it should not be seen in reverse, however, if you ask me – the purpose should be compassionate, not toward the idea of making retreat centers :)

Pila Mulligan: and it is probably best to work out a real life PaB method in a safe place like a university or community center before trying to take it into a trauma situation

Tarmel Udimo: nods you are right

Pila Mulligan: so as not to be clumsy with a catastrophe

SophiaSharon Larnia: in a catastrophe, the need is for safety, water, food, and shelter

SophiaSharon Larnia: spiritual pursuits will be a hard sell

Pila Mulligan: yes, first response

SophiaSharon Larnia: sorry

Pila Mulligan: I was thinking later on, during the recovery phase

SophiaSharon Larnia: oh yes

stevenaia Michinaga: nit re-building is also a spiritual exercise for a community

SophiaSharon Larnia: yes it is very mush a spiritually rebuilding exercise

SophiaSharon Larnia: much*

Pila Mulligan: I'm curious if it could help

stevenaia Michinaga: was the conversation from a PaB session, Pila, do you mind if I include it in the log?

SophiaSharon Larnia: i think it may, in a rebuilding phase, not directly after that aftermath of triage

Pila Mulligan: no, Tarmel and I were just chatting

stevenaia Michinaga: may I include it?

Pila Mulligan: you can include it in the log if you like

stevenaia Michinaga: thank you

Pila Mulligan: thank you

SophiaSharon Larnia: it could bring more meaning to the already intense rebuilding experience

Pila Mulligan: yes, Sophia, it would not help to get in the way of the emergency response

SophiaSharon Larnia: i meant the aftermath

Pila Mulligan: yep

stevenaia Michinaga: yes

Pila Mulligan: usually there is some mental dislocation then

SophiaSharon Larnia: i have been to new orleans 3 times to rebuild and wonder how it would have worked there

stevenaia Michinaga: and.. a needed moment of reflection on appreciation

Pila Mulligan: I'm curious about your experiences in New Orleans, Sophia -- would you please say more?

SophiaSharon Larnia: i went to gut one time and as a nurse 2 times

Pila Mulligan: gut as in clean up?

SophiaSharon Larnia: with a uu church effort

SophiaSharon Larnia: tear down is more like it

Pila Mulligan: yep

Pila Mulligan: how soon after Katrina was it the first time?

SophiaSharon Larnia: not very, about 3 months, which i regret

Pila Mulligan: regret because it was not soon enough?

SophiaSharon Larnia: yes

Pila Mulligan: yes things were very slow it seems

Pila Mulligan: can you tell some more about your experience?

SophiaSharon Larnia: well, many people had very little left and there was a culture of desperation

SophiaSharon Larnia: not a good environment for introducing spiritual concepts

SophiaSharon Larnia: although it may have helped

Pila Mulligan: were things much better by the second and third times?

SophiaSharon Larnia: oh yes quite remarkably so

Pila Mulligan: how much later were they?

Pila Mulligan: they*

SophiaSharon Larnia: the second 9 mo after the first, the third about a year after that

SophiaSharon Larnia: give or take a few months

Pila Mulligan: that extreme devastation is hopefully an extraordinary case

SophiaSharon Larnia: the last time i spent 3 weeks there

Pila Mulligan: were people back in their homes by then?

SophiaSharon Larnia: the first or last times?

Pila Mulligan: last time

SophiaSharon Larnia: yes

SophiaSharon Larnia: the ones who had them

SophiaSharon Larnia: not all

Pila Mulligan: did they have those FEMA trailers

SophiaSharon Larnia: alot were still being rebuilt

SophiaSharon Larnia: yes

Pila Mulligan: I read a lot about it

Pila Mulligan: I can imagine to some degree what it was like

Pila Mulligan: but to hear it first hand is more interesting

SophiaSharon Larnia: it was so odd, i wanted to be a travel nurse there, a girl from work and i were talking about it, i submitted my paperwork to an agency

SophiaSharon Larnia: at the last minute she backed out and so did i

SophiaSharon Larnia: then 2 months later, katrina hit

Pila Mulligan: yes, curious

SophiaSharon Larnia: i wanted to go so bad and didn't know why

SophiaSharon Larnia: i feel guilty that i am glad i was not there

Pila Mulligan: I do a web site for a World War II veterans' organization that had their annual reunion there the week before Katrina

Pila Mulligan: no guilt required :)

SophiaSharon Larnia: there was no room for a good decision

stevenaia Michinaga: you do what you can, when you can, regrets don't accomplish much

SophiaSharon Larnia: no

stevenaia Michinaga: *regrets

SophiaSharon Larnia: because i would have stayed, not to *help* but because i would have wanted to see, with my own eyes, a Cat % storm

SophiaSharon Larnia: 5*

Pila Mulligan: would you have been able to stay?

SophiaSharon Larnia: i have learned a lot from this realization

SophiaSharon Larnia: yes

SophiaSharon Larnia: i would have found a way if i had been there

Pila Mulligan: how close were you to NOLA at the time of the storm?

SophiaSharon Larnia: in pa

Pila Mulligan: ahh

Pila Mulligan: I've been near two hurricanes and in one very bad tornado

stevenaia Michinaga: are you from PA?

SophiaSharon Larnia: now i would still stay, but for a completely different reason

SophiaSharon Larnia: knowing what i may be getting into

Pila Mulligan: to help

SophiaSharon Larnia: yes i am in PA

Pila Mulligan: so is Steve :)

stevenaia Michinaga: yes

SophiaSharon Larnia smiles

SophiaSharon Larnia: there is a rawness to the environment in that situation that will make PaB concepts hard to understand

SophiaSharon Larnia: even in a smaller scale

Pila Mulligan: well, I was thinking more of the process than the substance

Pila Mulligan: process*

stevenaia Michinaga: but the thought of simple "appreciation", even to just be alive may be a starting point

Pila Mulligan: not the heavy mental stuff, but just getting together to chat

Pila Mulligan: having a place open to people at regular times with a host

Pila Mulligan: in case any one just wants to talk

SophiaSharon Larnia: :)

SophiaSharon Larnia: bring supplies

Pila Mulligan: and then maybe helping coordinate volunteers and donated supplies

SophiaSharon Larnia: :)

Pila Mulligan: yes

Pila Mulligan: one unique part of PaB is how volunteers make it available at regular times

Pila Mulligan: and people drop in as they can

SophiaSharon Larnia: i volunteer with red cross and they do a similar thing

Pila Mulligan: and the 9 second pause may help some, but I would not go much further beyond that with the theoretical part

Pila Mulligan: yes, a place to unwind

Pila Mulligan: and get organized

stevenaia Michinaga: was thinking a place that takes 9 seconds to pass though :)

SophiaSharon Larnia: people seeking food water and shelter will appear to listen to anyone who has these things

Pila Mulligan: :)

SophiaSharon Larnia: the benefit to the individual may not be apparent until later on down the road

Pila Mulligan: yep, that would be too soon, probably

SophiaSharon Larnia: individual*

Pila Mulligan: after the first response and probably after some resettling

Pila Mulligan: when the mind-trauma is a burden but the other part is being helped

SophiaSharon Larnia nods

Pila Mulligan: and as the notecard says, it would be prudent to work out the methods first in an ordinary situation, without a trauma cloud over it

Pila Mulligan: just to get it smoothly working in practice

Pila Mulligan: and then transfer it when needed if it looked like ti would help

SophiaSharon Larnia: it is a great idea

Pila Mulligan: maybe you guys should try it in PA :)

stevenaia Michinaga: :)

SophiaSharon Larnia: i am looking for my purpose perhaps this is part of it *grins*

Pila Mulligan: the Keystone Chapter of PaB

stevenaia Michinaga: perhaps PaB storefront meditation centers should appear in cities

SophiaSharon Larnia: lol

Pila Mulligan: I think a label other than meditation may be easier Steve

Pila Mulligan: something similar, but less specific

stevenaia Michinaga: a Play center?

Pila Mulligan: yes

Pila Mulligan: excellent

SophiaSharon Larnia: :))

Pila Mulligan: Eos suggested coffee shops

Pila Mulligan: also

Pila Mulligan: in his area there seem to be many

stevenaia Michinaga: not sure if coffee would be the appropriate prelude

Pila Mulligan: :)

Pila Mulligan: true

Pila Mulligan: tea shops

Pila Mulligan: brb

stevenaia Michinaga: ok

SophiaSharon Larnia: i have to go, so nice speaking with you all :))

stevenaia Michinaga: bye Sophia

stevenaia Michinaga: thank you

Pila Mulligan: got some tea and crackers -- belated bye Sophia

stevenaia Michinaga: so a tea and cracker storefront?

Pila Mulligan: :)

Pila Mulligan: it would be interesting to see how well and in what form PaB can best transfer as an idea into real life

stevenaia Michinaga: I once asked Pema about applications... at the time he was viewing it as strictly research, the fruits of which to be seen later, much later

stevenaia Michinaga: eventually I would have gotten there

Pila Mulligan: a local group of five hosts could organize a place that was available several times a week

Pila Mulligan: then figure it out from there

Pila Mulligan: to me it is the regular availability, the host and the open door that make it work

stevenaia Michinaga: and the location

Pila Mulligan: yes

stevenaia Michinaga: which get to the core of the RL issue... what "form" should this environment take

Pila Mulligan: :)

stevenaia Michinaga: the PaB logo could offer some clues

Pila Mulligan: well, at first, the location concern would be the available audience

Pila Mulligan: but eventually the location probably would be a storefront, as you said earlier

Pila Mulligan: and then a facility could follow if it grew that much

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, and evolve

Pila Mulligan: and this is how thins grow, from the ground up

Pila Mulligan: things*

Pila Mulligan: I think having a compassionate purpose associated with the play is important

Pila Mulligan: so it is not just another New Age franchise

stevenaia Michinaga: Pema is fertile soil

Pila Mulligan: yes

stevenaia Michinaga: Not sure if the time is right just yet, perhaps after August or two

Pila Mulligan: yep. hurrying it would hurt it

Pila Mulligan: Tarmel also mentioned the retreat as a place to discuss the idea

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, let's toss this on the idea pile

Pila Mulligan: :)

Pila Mulligan: and see what grows

stevenaia Michinaga: indeed

Pila Mulligan: tai chi doing well?

stevenaia Michinaga: just started a new 6 weeks lessons, it;s coming easier and more to practice with time also helps

Pila Mulligan: :)

stevenaia Michinaga: and now that there is a grassy backyard to practice on it;s nicer

Pila Mulligan: really

Paradise Tennant arrives

Pila Mulligan: hi Paradise

stevenaia Michinaga: Hi Paradise

Paradise Tennant: hiya steve .. pila

stevenaia Michinaga: welcome as a guardian

Paradise Tennant: :)

Pila Mulligan: yes, mazel tov

Paradise Tennant: oh lol

Paradise Tennant: :)

Paradise Tennant: that would infer ..timeliness . :)

Paradise Tennant: how are you two :)

Pila Mulligan: fine thanks, and you?

Paradise Tennant: very well thanks

stevenaia Michinaga: we are good, a nice evening conversation

Pila Mulligan: Steve and were just taking about tai chi -- in my meditation recently I have been contemplating the interrelatedness of movement and stillness

Pila Mulligan: tai chi is movement within stillness

Pila Mulligan: or vice versa :)

Pila Mulligan: and meditation is the complement

Paradise Tennant: yes

Paradise Tennant: very well put

Pila Mulligan: external stillness, internal movement (of energy)

Paradise Tennant: been working alot with stillness

Pila Mulligan: stillness and quiet are important, aren't they

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, enjoying the pace of the forms.. getting slower and more fluid

Paradise Tennant: read the latest tolle book .. in January .. they are a connection to presence a path away from mental abstraction

Paradise Tennant: and distraction :)

Pila Mulligan: tolle book?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiddu_Krishnamurti

Paradise Tennant: yes I have only had a few classes in tai chi .. enjoyed them though

Paradise Tennant: eckart tolle's book the new earth

Pila Mulligan: thanks

Paradise Tennant: big best seller but notwithstanding that ..has some interesting ideas presented in a very lucid .. easy to under stand format

Paradise Tennant: presents many zen and buddhist precepts but in a way .. westerners get it

Paradise Tennant: liked it

Pila Mulligan: was reading wikipedia about it

Paradise Tennant: how long have you been studying tai chi

stevenaia Michinaga: a bit of a preview on google books

stevenaia Michinaga: http://books.google.com/books?id=E8l...w5CfAQ#PPP1,M1

Paradise Tennant: yes he has given lots of lectures .. been on tv .. rather well known now ..but very unassuming .. likable really

Pila Mulligan: he and his spiritual teacher both seem to be influenced by Krishnamurti

stevenaia Michinaga: who?

Pila Mulligan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Krishnamurti

Paradise Tennant: eckhart tolle wrote the power of now .. the new earth .. the art of stillness ??

Pila Mulligan: I started doing tai chi in the mid-70's Paradise

Paradise Tennant: nice

Pila Mulligan: it keeps my old body moving :)

stevenaia Michinaga: I just started in January

Pila Mulligan: yes, both movement and stillness are beyond mental abstraction

Pila Mulligan: they are conditions

Paradise Tennant: there is flow there .. puts you in touch with your breath .. beautifully doesn't it .. when I run in the monring ..sometimes there is lovely lady who practices it by the water ..she looks so graceful at ease

Pila Mulligan: hopefully her breathing in that practice will be as strong as your breathing in running :)

Paradise Tennant: lol

Pila Mulligan: the secret is in the breathing

Paradise Tennant: nods .. yes .. been focusing on distance ...not speed these days so lots of easy breaths

stevenaia Michinaga: yes, as Iw as learning doing yoga, Tai Chi and playing my Didgeridoo

Paradise Tennant: hmm what exactly is a diggridoo :)

Pila Mulligan: breath is common to them all

Paradise Tennant: yes

Pila Mulligan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC9w4KWEgJE

Pila Mulligan: "a wind instrument of the Aborigines of northern Australia"

stevenaia Michinaga: just a hollowed out tree limb

Pila Mulligan: ... and it has an enchanting sound

Paradise Tennant: wow

Paradise Tennant: it does :))

Pila Mulligan: :)

Paradise Tennant: thanks pila .. that was very cool

Paradise Tennant: must be very moving to play

Paradise Tennant: and wow would it take breathe

Pila Mulligan: :)

Pila Mulligan: they use a circular breathing method, Steve is better qualified to explain

Paradise Tennant: hmm how long have you been playing it steve

stevenaia Michinaga: a number of years

stevenaia Michinaga: on and off, practice seems to annoy my family and cat

Paradise Tennant: lol

Paradise Tennant: poor kitty

stevenaia Michinaga: but the breathing is intense

Paradise Tennant: i bet

stevenaia Michinaga: tai chi also seems to require my cat to interact with my feet

Paradise Tennant: lol toes are often the tastiest when they are in the flow of the spirit I would guess :))

stevenaia Michinaga: circular breathing is like making your body like a bagpipe of sorts, you breathe in through your nose while blowing out your mouth

stevenaia Michinaga: so you can make a continuous sound...indefinitely

Pila Mulligan: sounds impossible

Paradise Tennant: nods .. reverberating to a tone .. of the breath .. almost like a wind chime

stevenaia Michinaga: well you see saw it on youtube

Pila Mulligan: :)

Paradise Tennant: yes very cool

Paradise Tennant: what made you want to study it ?

stevenaia Michinaga: I used to play the trumpet and saw one at a craft show that had a learning cassette tape and thought it would be interesting to learn

Paradise Tennant: :))) and it was calling you :)

stevenaia Michinaga: seems so :)

stevenaia Michinaga: there was a youtube vid about playing it also keeps you from snoring...

stevenaia Michinaga: I'll keep you posted on that one, encouraging my wife to let me play more

Paradise Tennant: lol perfect

Paradise Tennant: yes that would be a winning tactic ;))

Paradise Tennant: nice thing about stillness is that it can be everywhere .really a state of mind even in the most chaotic of circumstances :))

Paradise Tennant: it is a great thing to focus on .. everything else sort of falls away ..

Pila Mulligan: and movement characterized by stillness within is less clumsy

Paradise Tennant: yes

stevenaia Michinaga: well I must go...

Paradise Tennant: there is ease and grace there .

Pila Mulligan: bye Steve, nice to visit with you, as always

stevenaia Michinaga: thank you for joining us Paradise

Paradise Tennant: kk steve ..hope you have a nice evening .. I should scoot too.. holiday here tomorrow ..but I have things I should do

stevenaia Michinaga: yes Pila

Paradise Tennant: always my pleasure ..

Paradise Tennant: :)))

I depart

Pila Mulligan: what is the holiday, Paradise?

Paradise Tennant: it is victoria day here

Pila Mulligan: ah, cool

Paradise Tennant: love waving

Quade XXXX: who wantsta do it

Pila Mulligan: have a nice one

Paradise Tennant: one of my favorite things to to do

Pila Mulligan: :)

Pila Mulligan: bye bye Quade

Pila Mulligan: fun ejecting rude people

Paradise Tennant: lol

Pila Mulligan: a perk of Guardianship

Paradise Tennant: yes it is isn't it

Pila Mulligan: your turn :)

Quade XXXX: mmm look at that

Pila Mulligan: right click, the more then eject

Pila Mulligan: bye bye Quade

Pila Mulligan: rudeness doesn't play here

Paradise Tennant: sorry not activated

Paradise Tennant: :))

Paradise Tennant: no worries often find it does not mean much

Paradise Tennant: mostly kids

Pila Mulligan: true

Quade XXXX: boring

Pila Mulligan: very

Paradise Tennant: well going to scoot and get take the dog .. he is giving me pointed looks

Paradise Tennant: be well pila ..see you soon :))

Pila Mulligan: have a nice holiday

Pila Mulligan: bye bye

Paradise Tennant: yes such a luxury .. to have an extra day to get caught up on thing s. going to really enjoy it ..

Pila Mulligan: :)

Paradise Tennant: waves at you in rl too :))

Paradise Tennant: and goes pouf

Pila Mulligan waves back