C. Paradise Tennant

In January 2011 Paradise and others were asked what Play as Being means to them:

Paradise Tennant: smiles >>> PAB is a like a well .. you are going to a source .. of friendship .. perspective .. knowledge..creativity .. even poetic license ..

Paradise Tennant: it is about being with people.. getting to know them ..sharing their ups and downs and traveling down a path together with folks from all around the world
Paradise Tennant: that are sensitive ..to life's richest possibilities :)) to opening a door and living " in the fullness of life"

(http://wiki.playasbeing.org/Chat_Logs/2011/01/2011.01.11_19%3a00_-_Timing_Waking)

Although I met Paradise in a session on May 16, 2009, and we met at the Princeton retreat later in 2009, we have rarely been in the same sessions. It is an interesting phenomena in PaB that while we share so much, sometimes guardians do not meet each other for a long time, or in some cases, never. Still we can feel presence by reading logs. Doing so, I have come across and enjoyed many one or two line gems from Paradise that often get right to the point. A number of the sayings of Paradise have appeared in the Chronicles and in Scribe entries.

Paradise invited me to her house in the garden for the interview. One of the dogs welcomed me at the door and other did tricks while Paradise and I talked. After greeting each other, I started right in with a question.

Adams Rubble: The first question is one I usually ask everyone; it is in two parts.
Adams Rubble: a) Your profile indicates you have been in Second Life for a long time (note: your profile brought back memories of some wonderful places now sadly gone like the Land of Bodhi, the Dresden Museum and the Virtual starry Night). What brought you into SL?

While typing the question one of Paradise's two dogs came near to where we were sitting

Adams Rubble: The dog is cute :)
Paradise Tennant: hmm easy one  there was an article in the globe and mail   .. I was reading .. it was  rainy afternoon  so  I logged in and loved it
Paradise Tennant: loved the flying
Paradise Tennant: my first place I visited in sl  that was not help island was a beautiful elven sim- which  I still miss .
Paradise Tennant: I found the creativity  incredibly refreshing  .. and quickly discovered the music scene
Paradise Tennant: so at first I would work in the evening on other applications and just listen to the live music
Adams Rubble: :)

Finding Play as Being

Adams Rubble: b) How did you find your way to Play as Being in May 2009?
Paradise Tennant: quite by accident
Paradise Tennant: I think I was either searching for a sari or doing a general buddhist related search not sure how I ended up at the tp  spot
Paradise Tennant: Pila and Stev were sitting though so I sat down
Paradise Tennant: they were having a very engaging conversation  so I just listened :)
Adams Rubble: :)

Buddhism

Adams Rubble: You have often mentioned being in a Buddhist study group. Has PaB complemented your Buddhist practice or vice versa, and if so, how?
Paradise Tennant: smiles
Paradise Tennant: that is an interesting question
Paradise Tennant: I think PAB complements your understanding of life :)  as does Buddhism  .. so they run a bit parallel in a sense .. there is real depth to the community at PAB and an enormous reservoir of learning perception and understanding that is just  a big help  :)

Practice and APAPB

Adams Rubble: What has been your own experience with the 9 second pause and/or the phrase Appreciate the Presentation of the Appearance of the Presence of Being (APAPB)?
Paradise Tennant: it has melded into my daily meditation practise ..
Paradise Tennant: but I find  I  meditate  in all sorts of odd places and situations .. standing in line .. on the bus.. mostly in the morning  .. while watching the city wake up .. I
Adams Rubble: :)
Paradise Tennant: I  often on my morning walk will do a 360  spin and say  good morning dream of my mind .. but like most people  I find it difficult to consistently fully appreciate what arises in appearance  as appearance only
Paradise Tennant: it is such a fetching dream
 Adams Rubble: Are you referring just to APAPB or the 9 seconds as well that has melded into your daily practice
Paradise Tennant: well both really
Paradise Tennant: I don't strictly practise 9 sec pauses during the work day
Paradise Tennant: it is too hard  ..I am with people non stop .. but in my spare moments .. I try to centre  breathe  drop .. see
Paradise Tennant: really see
Adams Rubble nods
Adams Rubble: It is inspiring that it is part of your daily practice

Changes

Adams Rubble: Moving on...
Adams Rubble: Have you noticed changes in PaB and/or yourself during the last two and half years or so of being a guardian?
Paradise Tennant: hmm
Paradise Tennant: have I changed oh please I really hope so
Adams Rubble: :)
Paradise Tennant: sometimes  it seems we make tiny  steps in our progress  to a deeper understanding
Paradise Tennant: like baby  steps
Paradise Tennant: and the tangible  results of that change are elusive except  I find  ..
Paradise Tennant: now  ..I can go to a  core  calm that always seems to be there
Adams Rubble: sounds like a big baby step :)
Paradise Tennant: hmm not sure
Paradise Tennant: so big
Paradise Tennant: but very handy !
Adams Rubble: yes!

I then asked Paradise whether she cared to make an observation about how PaB has changed

Adams Rubble is (not sure how I would answer my own question. hehe)
Paradise Tennant: well it has grown so much bigger hasn't it  so many more people
Adams Rubble: coming and going
Paradise Tennant: yes and it is such a fluid  kind of endeavor  really we are trying for  ..
Adams Rubble nods
Paradise Tennant: I find the art exhibits wonderful .. the company and the conversation .. are something I look forward to as a sort of a little end of day ritual

Paradise Tennant: there are riveting sessions and others are just day to day  chatting but .. it is all good
Paradise Tennant: what do you think ?

I seem to have forgotten my role as interviewer and we begin chatting about Play as Being and Second Life in General

Adams Rubble: It has been a long time since I have been at a 19:00 session but I enjoyed reading them for this interview :)
Adams Rubble: When I was attending two or three sessions a day my first summer, I sensed that each of the four time periods of every day seemed to take on its own personality
Adams Rubble: I did enjoy the later session when I was able to attend
Paradise Tennant: really seems to spring from the chemistry of who arrives :)
Adams Rubble: Yes, exactly, but there is something about the time that affects either the group attending  or their state of mind it seems
Adams Rubble: Maybe it is a bit subtle

Adams Rubble: It  also seems there are a few different approaches.
Adams Rubble: Some people become totally immersed in PaB and burn very bright and many of them burn out
Adams Rubble: I was in that “immersed” category my first summer
Adams Rubble: You seem to have been more consistent
Paradise Tennant: hmm  a good word for me :)
Adams Rubble: I have had trouble finding comfort in a less immersive approach
Paradise Tennant: I find it is the end of  the day for me  so often don't feel as sharp  as I would be earlier on .. sometimes too sleepy  to really  put in the energy I would like to
Adams Rubble remembers feeling that :)
Paradise Tennant: hmm the immersive  question is one that really rings true for all of sl
Adams Rubble: ah yes :)
Adams Rubble: we can be immersive in SL without being immersive in PaB though
Paradise Tennant: yes ..

Real Life Meetings

Paradise Tennant: what I have liked best about PAB have been the real life meetings
Paradise Tennant: that is fresh
Adams Rubble nods
Paradise Tennant: going to Princeton  Malta  ..Berlin  ...  meeting with like minded souls you would never encounter in your normal  day to day  world  is kind of a liberation through connection :)
Adams Rubble: RL encounters add a dimension to our SL relationships too
Paradise Tennant: yes most of the people on my friends list I have met
Adams Rubble: wow
Paradise Tennant: not such a wow  don't have that big a friends  list
Adams Rubble: hehe
Paradise Tennant: I find it  remarkable at how much they are the person I know from sl
Adams Rubble nods
Paradise Tennant: maybe slightly different packaging but ultimately  the same  .. we are who we are :) Adams Rubble: :)

Last Question

Adams Rubble: Last question: What question have I neglected to ask that you would have asked yourself?
Paradise Tennant: Perhaps  .. the greatest gift  is  being in the company of others who draw from you thoughts ideas .. and wonderment  that you  may not have  come to with out them :)
Adams Rubble: nice thought :)
Paradise Tennant: * ideas .. understanding .. perception .. wonderment :)
Paradise Tennant: sorry  going to try again * thoughts  .. ideas.. understanding ..perception.. wonderment  :))))
Adams Rubble: :)