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