04-06 Explorations of an Edited Kind

I have found reading the chat logs for these days very stimulating and rewarding. There is so much of interest in our regular sessions that I always feel sad to edit them to cut them back to an acceptable degree for the scribe. I have tried my best to keep what I think is in keeping with what we explore in 'Play as Being' even though the general chat that I have ommitted has been great fun to read . My focus has been laid mainly on what we may find useful for further explorations with links retained on certain subjects for future reference. I hope you enjoy my choice of the cuttings which I have tried to illuminate a little with some additions of external quotes and pictures

Zen Arado: always wonder how much effort we need
Storm Nordwind: meditation can be a tool and there are very many different forms. But if the object of our meditation is chaos then we will be centred on chaos. If meditation does not also point you to what is real, then I wonder if I'd bother to do it!
SophiaSharon Larnia: i havent thought of that, Storm!! interesting..... puts things in a different perspective for me, thanks
Storm Nordwind: That's why Play as Being practice is so good. You only have to last 9 seconds!
SophiaSharon Larnia: however, i see it as letting being see...even the chaos, and appreciating the reflection of the presence of being.... a window
Eliza Madrigal: beautiful SSharon
Solobill Laville: Appreciation is key, agree SS :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: well, im too busy at work to have thought of anything else laughs
Eliza Madrigal: I like that image... a face looking out and everything smiling back
Zen Arado: 'letting being see' nice Sophia
Storm Nordwind recalls his first exercises in seeing as being seeing were at work. That was a key exploration for me in PaB last year
Eden Haiku: Shiva on top of Mount Kailash overlooking the world...

Storm Nordwind: Actually Eden... when I managed to do it properly, that image was not unlike the reality
Eliza Madrigal would love to hear more about that Storm whenever you might share
Fefonz Quan: In hebrew, Shiva is one of the ancient verbs for 'see'
Eliza Madrigal: :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes, can you say more?
Storm Nordwind did not know that Fefonz. Beautiful!
Fefonz Quan: i just got it now...
Solobill Laville: I recall reading that, Storm
Storm Nordwind: Last year we did a brief set of exercises in Play as Being. One of them was called You seeing, Being Seeing.
Wol Euler smiles and nods
Fefonz Quan: (and everybody sings - - YSBS......)
Storm Nordwind: The idea was to be fully present in yourself and see all you can see - like a cone of perception from your eyes, your skin feeling everythinh etc
Storm Nordwind: And then you had to make the switch to being aware of seeing as Being instead. Letting Being see.
Storm Nordwind: It took me a day or two, but I remember the awe when I eventually connected to it
Storm Nordwind: It was, for me, like reading the Bhagavad Gita and being Krishna in his all powerful form.
Zen Arado: like getting your 'self' out of the way?
Eliza Madrigal: a real shift then...
Storm Nordwind: But I have to say, it was hard to be conscious of that and also to operate in this small world at the same time
SophiaSharon Larnia: im glad this came up today, i wasnt sure if i was 'stuck'.
SophiaSharon Larnia: (but also realize now, that doesnt really matter all that much)
Fefonz Quan: maybe that's what holds me back, even when i practice 'being see', i let it see from my ponit of view...

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stevenaia Michinaga: some evenings here get quite interesting
Pila Mulligan: you could handle a roller derby
Pila Mulligan: as referee
Fox Monacular: yeah, I saw some of it briefly...:)
stevenaia Michinaga: even from here watching the blood pressure rising gets interesting
Pila Mulligan: this is what seems to me to be an instance of applying PAB/Kira ideas to real life - not as to individuals, but as to contentious situations
stevenaia Michinaga: I simply don't understand why people put so much into positioning and posturing
Pila Mulligan: that type of situation is inevitable
Pila Mulligan: sometimes
Fox Monacular: yes, I agree with Pila, I think you handled in really well!
Fox Monacular: me neither, I don't quite understand...
Pila Mulligan: SophiaSharon has in several recent logs stated her own perceptionof how ego separates people physically -- it has been quite profounly stated too, and a valuabel insisght
stevenaia Michinaga: and avoiding their true 'selves" instead of celibrating what one is
stevenaia Michinaga: thank you
Fox Monacular: interesting... it seems that to be able to celebrate the true 'self' one has to apply a lot of effort:) to get rid of that huge ego that always gets in the way
stevenaia Michinaga: it will be interesting to meet her
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, the importance of dropping that which you grasp so strongly
Pila Mulligan: one thing is obvious, the usual PaB sessions are veritable meccas of polite and freindly gatherings
Pila Mulligan: we get spoiled by them to a degree
Pila Mulligan: inuslated form the more contentious gatherings life has to offer
Fox Monacular: so I guess first one should decide to start doing it, to see some value in it... otherwise these things don't necessarily arise spontaneously
stevenaia Michinaga: not spoiled, I think it;s applicable everywhere
Fox Monacular: it is true, Pila! in a way we are spoiled, because when these situations arise, it is like we are forced to re-discover some things about people...:)
Pila Mulligan: we are compelled to rememeber that all is nort always polite and freindly
Fox Monacular: but it should be applicable everywhere, for sure!
Pila Mulligan: yes, it should
Pila Mulligan: ideally
Pila Mulligan: but ...
Pila Mulligan: contentious, offensive and disruptive moments seem to inexorably follow the idea of the ego-compelled sense of physical separation
Pila Mulligan: not contiunaly, but predcitably
Pila Mulligan: occasionally )
stevenaia Michinaga: I see it much in what I do... work with contractors, there are some that yell and scream to get things done, there are others that jsut do what needs to be done, no blame, jsut forward motion, then there are others that just drink
Pila Mulligan: the electron gremlin
Pila Mulligan: :)
stevenaia Michinaga: hello Eden
Pila Mulligan: yes, Steve, the construction industry certainly has a edgy element to it
Eden Haiku: This way Aztlan.
Pila Mulligan: part of the game it seems
Pila Mulligan: edgy energy, like the constant banter between carpenters
Fox Monacular: :)
Fox Monacular: fantastique
Pila Mulligan: bon soir
stevenaia Michinaga: we record our conversations here and post them to our Wiki, is it ok to inlcuse you?
Eden Haiku: HI Benedizione. What a blessed name!
stevenaia Michinaga: include
Eden Haiku: Pila, nice to see you again;-)
Pila Mulligan: hi Eden, yes same here
Eden Haiku: Stvenaia. I had not seen you yet, sorry ;-)
stevenaia Michinaga: Aztlan?
Pila Mulligan: ah, symmetry :)
Fox Monacular: :)
Benedizione Vita: thank you eden, though of course you were speaking factually ;)
Benedizione Vita: oh my, I love montreal
Eden Haiku: Symmetry would be a nice discussion subject.;-)
Aztlan Foss: yes you can use my text
Aztlan Foss: I was just reading the notecard
stevenaia Michinaga: yes, my spouse went to college there and travel there yearly for the Jazz Fest

stevenaia Michinaga: thank you
Pila Mulligan: Wol (one of the regulars here) loves to try to make the seating pattern symmetrical (an architects joy, I suppose)
Fox Monacular: nice, we should all get together for another mini retreat here
Aztlan Foss: was I supposed to do micromeditations during my day?
Fox Monacular: in Montreal, I mean

Benedizione changes seating position

 Benedizione Vita: spontaneous symmetry breaking ;)
stevenaia Michinaga: entropy
Pila Mulligan: an architect's 'nemisis perhaps :)
Benedizione Vita: why am I levitating?
Eden Haiku: Soory, this Matjieu was from MacIntoshers users chat I think ;-) I am confusing messages...
Benedizione Vita: or an arch-architect ;)
Fox Monacular: you're levitating because you upset the god of symmetry
Pila Mulligan: Wol is giving you anit-gavity energy
Benedizione Vita: hahaha
Eden Haiku: Yes, you are. ! Whant an evoloved being!
Eden Haiku: Just like «Foudre Bénie» in Tintin.
Benedizione Vita: eve-loved--that is quite a slip :)
Fox Monacular: hehe:)
Benedizione Vita: welcome to the dark side pila :)
Pila Mulligan: this could easily becoema game -- symmetry vs anti-symmetry
Fox Monacular: no, actually Pila just made it symmetrical again
Aztlan Foss: there's sides?

People moving positions everywhere

Pila Mulligan: :)
Pila Mulligan: oops
Fox Monacular: oh no
Fox Monacular: chaos
Pila Mulligan: :)
Benedizione Vita: I would move, but I am afraid I will stop levitating hahahaha
Aztlan Foss: does symetry mean you have two of something?
Pila Mulligan: more fun to float
stevenaia Michinaga: breaks out spontainiously
Pila Mulligan: just a seating pattern with a formula
Pila Mulligan: 3-2-3-2 or such
Benedizione Vita: symmetry means something looks the same after some kind of change is applied to it
Fox Monacular: what does it mean for you to sit on the outside (hehe)
Benedizione Vita: so you can have rotational, reflection, etc.
Eden Haiku: Two parts or sides, I suppose. Or more. Two at least...
stevenaia Michinaga: giggles
Pila Mulligan: Steve is posing a probem fot he symmetrists
Benedizione Vita: not necessarily--a sphere has infinitely many symmetries
Benedizione Vita: (well, depending on how you define a unique symmetry)
Eden Haiku: Aztlan, in a few minutes a bell will ring. Then we stop chatting for 90 seconds. Just observing.
Pila Mulligan: a silence to balance the playing
Eden Haiku: Beautiful!
Eden Haiku: I can't find my glasses...
Pila Mulligan: but not yet :)
Aztlan Foss: oh ok I get it, observing or meditating?
Pila Mulligan: kind of yes
Eden Haiku: Kind of both...
Aztlan Foss: I need to get a meditation book, I've never had much luck just trying the basics and no guidance
Eden Haiku: Here is a good place to learn Aztlan.

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“Creating a work of art is not a harmless thing.  It always is a powerful medium.  Art is extraordinarily

powerful and important.  It challenges people’s lives. ”

Chögyam Trungpa

Eos Amaterasu: the Shambhala tradition that I've studied (with Chögyam Trungpa) uses language

like "great eastern sun"

In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala (also spelled Shambala or Shamballa; Tibetan: bde 'byung,

pron. De-jung) is a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Inner Asia. It is mentioned in various

ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra [2] and the ancient texts of the Zhang Zhung culture

which predated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet. The Bön [3] scriptures speak of a closely related

land calledOlmolungring

...:http://wapedia.mobi/en/Shambhala#The...hogyam_Trungpa

Eos Amaterasu: that freshness that is always dawning
Eos Amaterasu: that comes out of the 9, 90 secs
Yakuzza Lethecus: wow, chogyam trungpa was the one who´s wife just relased a book right ?
Eos Amaterasu: Yes, kind of a bio of her and her husband
Eden Haiku: is it good? I love his books.
Yakuzza Lethecus: i think pema and gen talked about his book in a session a couple of weeks ago
Eos Amaterasu: I think it's worth reading, especialy if you're into his teachings and life
Yakuzza Lethecus: ähm his wife´s book
Yakuzza Lethecus: since he drink himself to death :P
Eden Haiku: *Pratcie of the Tibetan Way was my favorite of Trungpas's book.
Eden Haiku: * practice--- I should practice my typing.
Eos Amaterasu: Eden, I don't recall that title - was that in translation?
Eden Haiku: Yes, I read in French. In the «Points» collection, at the Seuil. I don't have the book anymore so I can't check the English title...
Pratique de la voie Tibétaine  (French translation of Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism)
Eden Haiku: I moved and gave away many books.
Eden Haiku: Which is a good way for new books!
Eos Amaterasu: What struck you in/through that book, Eden?
Eden Haiku: It was so powerful for me reading that. Yet I remember only the Lord of Delusions. The fact that we are behind a wall of Delusions.
Eden Haiku: Lord of Form he said maybe.
Eos Amaterasu: Three lords of materialism?
Eden Haiku: He said elsewhere that drinking was a way of being grounded in the body.
Fael Illyar: someone mentioned a book yesterday it appears is completely available from the internet.
Fael Illyar: it looks intersting.
Fael Illyar: Seth Speaks (http://sethspeaks.org)
Gaya Ethaniel: It's an easy way to get in touch with 'ground' ... drink and drug, but not sustainable. Costs are too great imo.
Eden Haiku: Yes, I agree with you....
Gaya Ethaniel: And ... you have to drink a lot hey? :P
Eos Amaterasu: being grounded a la not trying to escape into wishes of something better, away from the messy stuff that's happening.....
Gaya Ethaniel: What I mean I guess is it's easy to shed 'self' as Buddhist puts it when intoxicated.
Eos Amaterasu: or you can fixate on more stuff, on "spiritual states"
Gaya Ethaniel nods.
Eden Haiku: No, Trungpa made me realize why I was drinking too much and I stopped.

Fael Illyar: yes, the least important parts of the brain are said to shut down first due to alcohol.
Fael Illyar: says something about the importance of self that it goes more easily intoxicated :)
Eden Haiku: Alcohol is one of my favorite subjects but I have to go now. Bye, have a nice day all! ;-)
Fael Illyar: see you later Eos :)
Fael Illyar: but this book, Seth Speaks, is amazingly coherent and sensible in what it says. A lot of what is in it I can tell is true from personal experience.
Eos Amaterasu: I'll take a look at it
Eos Amaterasu: Is Seth a person or a channelled entity?
Eos Amaterasu: or both?
Fael Illyar: both
Eos Amaterasu: CAn you say more about your personal experience that relates to Seth?
Fael Illyar: it's not any single experience.
Fael Illyar: and I haven't memorized any specific experiences that match so I could speak about them, unfortunately.
Fael Illyar: I'd have to read the book and pick something while I do so.
Fael Illyar: but the primary thing that catches my attention is that I don't see much that conflicts with my own view of how things are.
Fael Illyar: the topic of the book is the nature of our existence.
Eos Amaterasu: Does he speak to the 9 secs sort of attention?
Fael Illyar: not so far, no.
Fael Illyar: I haven't finished the book yet
Eos Amaterasu: we are walking question marks
Fael Illyar: exactly :)
Eos Amaterasu: like that Gauguin painting
Eos Amaterasu: Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?
Fael Illyar: when you find answers to those questions, what then?
Eos Amaterasu: 42
Fael Illyar smiles.
Eos Amaterasu: I think the questions just deepen
Eos Amaterasu: Maybe we don't ask quite the right questions to start with
Fael Illyar: many questions come with assumptions that are already false.
Fael Illyar: like those you listed :)
Eos Amaterasu: I suppose 9 secs, PaB, meditation type practice can help expose such assumptions
Fael Illyar: yes
Eos Amaterasu: which is actually difficult to do
Eos Amaterasu: how does a fish notice water?
Fael Illyar: very difficult...
Fael Illyar: the things most close to our noses are the most difficult to see :)
Fael Illyar: especially if they're there always, without exception
Eos Amaterasu: our own awareness, for example
Fael Illyar: yes, like that.
Eos Amaterasu: Pema says that "suspension" is also actually part of scientific method as well
Eos Amaterasu: you expose something previously held, and propose something but with feeling of oepnness, question about it
Fael Illyar: yes
Fael Illyar: I've had experiences this summer after which I've felt I understand what happened during that one meditation.
Fael Illyar: I somehow removed all barriers in myself that kept my fears in check during that meditation.
Fael Illyar: I sat for 20 minutes meditating with the fears roaming free.
Fael Illyar: then came out of it.
Fael Illyar: the next couple of days I'm not going to forget easily.

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Bertram has a friend visiting from india who lives in an Ashram with Amma as 'guru'

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

While continuing to hug, she explains through a translator that "everything in this world has a vibration".

"Every emotion that you can think of has a vibration," she says. "Love is a very special, very uplifting vibration.

"That's what I'm trying to give people. It's like visiting a perfume factory. Consciously or unconsciously you will carry that fragrance around with you."
BBC News

Lia Rikugun: where we are currently reading the Time Space and Knowledge book
Eden Haiku: Wjat is this Book of Time Sapce and Knowledge Lia?
Bertram Jacobus: the guru there is "amma" ...
Lia Rikugun: i have not heard of amma
Eden Haiku: Amma the one who takes people in her arms?
Bertram Jacobus: in google you can find a lot of her i guess
Bertram Jacobus: exactly eden ! :-)
Lia Rikugun: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Space-Kno.../dp/0913546089
Lia Rikugun: i have to google amma

Eden met Amma in Paris and hugged her :)

Eden Haiku: I found myself in her arms near Paris a few years ago. A great experience.
Lia Rikugun: wow
Bertram Jacobus: wow ? :-)
Lia Rikugun: (just reading a little bit about her)
Bertram Jacobus: nice ... :-)
Eden Haiku: As she repeated the syllabe «ma, ma, ma, ma», I was sent into the cosmos, in the Virgin Mary's embrace and I almost cried for my own Mom, who was still alive then.
Lia Rikugun: this sounds amazing and certainly moving
Eden Haiku: It lasted only seconds, then seh gave me some wrap candy as a sign it was time to leave for yhe next person. But wow!
Bertram Jacobus: you are always so kind , most people here ... so kind ... :-)
Eden Haiku: Yes, this circle here is such a nice place.
Lia Rikugun: :)
Eden Haiku: Pila. How are you today;-)?
Pila Mulligan: hi Eden, Bertram and Lia
Lia Rikugun: hello pila
Bertram Jacobus: hio pila ... :-)
Pila Mulligan: I fine thanks
Lia Rikugun: we were talking about amma
Lia Rikugun: and eden told us that she had the chance to meet her
Pila Mulligan: yes, I've heard of her
Lia Rikugun: a friend of bertram is living in an ashram
Lia Rikugun: (as a short summary of our discussion ;)
Lia Rikugun: so bertram what are you rfriends experiences? I am curious, I dont know anyone who lives in an ashram?

Eden Haiku: I suppose is friend is talking to Bertram right now...
Amma has supposedly hugged 50,000 people in a day!!!
Pila Mulligan: 'she has been known to individually hug over 50,000 people in a day" -- wiki :)
Eden Haiku: We have a dierct access to one of Amma's disciple;-)
Pila Mulligan: that's alot of hugs
Bertram Jacobus: The most important thing is: find it out by yourself. I can only say, it#s very inspiring but sometimes it#s also ver tough. So you are invited to visit the Ashram if you like.
Bertram Jacobus: (my friend wrote that!) :-)
Lia Rikugun: ah
Eden Haiku: Yeah. When I got mine, we were hundreds of people in a very hot high school in France. But as i got closer to her, it felt so cool.
Eden Haiku: There were fans on the stage ;-)
Lia Rikugun: :)
Bertram Jacobus: The address is: Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Distr. Kollam, Kerala. Or you go to amritapuri.org
Bertram Jacobus: (he seems VERY inspired of it) ... ;-)
Eden Haiku: Say hello to him from me here!

Bertrams friend has stayed in the ashram for 3 and a half years and can stay there for a lifetime

Bertram Jacobus: and he paid a certain amount that he can stay there now for livetime (!) ...
Eden Haiku: Her embrace ws very very tender. It removed a certain fear I had in getting physically close.
Bertram Jacobus: that should be three and a half years back, in paris he says ... :-)
Bertram Jacobus: sorry. misunderstanding here - he lives since three and a half years in the ashram
Eden Haiku: That was back in 1994. I lived in Paris then, for a while. It was in a place called Colombe I think.
Eden Haiku: Oh sorry. That is a very long time in an ashram. He must be very happy.
Bertram Jacobus: he laughs and says both happens, happyness and sorrow ... ;-)
Eden Haiku: ;-)
Bertram Jacobus: and he adds its a long way to the great goal ... ;-)
Bertram Jacobus: But anyway, for most of the visitors it#s very inspiring there.
Bertram Jacobus: the word "enlightenment" is not yet clearly defined...
Eden Haiku: ;-) quite right Bertram...
Bertram Jacobus: in earlier years there were rumours that also Walt Disney was enlightened...
Pila Mulligan: your freind is in Amritapuri, Bert?
Bertram Jacobus: yes
Eden Haiku: Disney, for sure, is cryogenesed. He has a chance of becoming enlightened in the years to come...

Pila Mulligan: the website says "the ashram started in a cowshed next to Amma's family's house" :) great things from humble origins
Bertram Jacobus: The temple was originally a cowshed, Pila
Bertram Jacobus: She gave darshan in this little cowshed until the early nineties
Wol Euler: hello invisibles, sorry I'm late

playing onigokko....................

Yakuzza Lethecus: why does onigokko sometimes make a little rat tail and sometimes not ?
Pila Mulligan: people jumping around making and breaking symmetry in seating
Wol Euler: ah, ther are two different kinds :)
Wol Euler: there's an invisible kind that attaches to your eyeball
Lia Rikugun: i have the rat tail ;)
Eden Haiku: onigokko, i was looking for the name. That was so much fun Pila!
Pila Mulligan: :)
Yakuzza Lethecus: onigokko
Wol Euler: heheheheh
Lia Rikugun: hahahaha
Yakuzza Lethecus: stop
Wol Euler: stop
Wol Euler: onigokko
Yakuzza Lethecus: just type stop when you want to stop it
Wol Euler giggles
Eden Haiku: I could get addicted to that!

stevenaia arrives while we are dancing around! his feet are on fire and he is standing in the pond..

Pila Mulligan: flame guy
Eden Haiku: Hello Steve. Right timing;-)
Lia Rikugun: on fire!
stevenaia Michinaga: I think I jsut elct this meeting
Yakuzza Lethecus: hi steve :)
stevenaia Michinaga: left
Yakuzza Lethecus: onigokko
Pila Mulligan: Burings Steve in the pond no less
Pila Mulligan: stop
Lia Rikugun: hello steve
Pila Mulligan: for Steve onigokko
Wol Euler: stop
Wol Euler: oh dear.
Bertram Jacobus: lol
Pila Mulligan: onigokko
Yakuzza Lethecus: i am still running :)
Wol Euler: burning man.
Pila Mulligan: running meditation
Eden Haiku: stop
stevenaia Michinaga: a little excercise?
Wol Euler: would anyone else like hte invisible one?
Lia Rikugun: thank you wol, I like the rat tail one very much ;)
Wol Euler: ok :)
stevenaia Michinaga: wonders what the topic could have been?
Pila Mulligan: hugging gurus
Lia Rikugun: oh sorry
Bertram Jacobus: hi steve ... sry - bit late ... ;-)
Lia Rikugun: yes we were talking abou tamma
stevenaia Michinaga: smiles
Lia Rikugun: amma
Pila Mulligan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mata_Amritanandamayi
Lia Rikugun: a friend of bertram stayes in an ashram where she is the 'guru'
Pila Mulligan: "she has been known to individually hug over 50,000 people in a day"
Wol Euler: what?
Lia Rikugun: !!!! :)
Eden Haiku: Running like mad mice/On onigokko fast track/We empty our minds
Pila Mulligan: :)
Lia Rikugun: (reminds me of people giving free hugs at union square:)
Wol Euler: sorry, pila, I don't believe that.
Pila Mulligan: yes, Lia
Pila Mulligan: but wiki says so Wol :)
Eden Haiku: Phone;-)

Wol calculates how many people Amma must have hugged in one minute to hug 50,000 a day: 34Wol Euler: that's 2083 people an hour, for 24 hours straight; 34 a minute.
Wol Euler: nice one, Eden :)
Pila Mulligan: here's another one -- the wiki footnnote -- "Three years ago, on her birthday in India, "she hugged 75,000 people in 23 hours, 20 minutes," says Padmini Pooleri of Germantown, Md.,"
Pila Mulligan: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-18-amma-humanitarian_x.htm
Wol Euler: sorry, I've just come from the office, I am still in pedantic-and-snotty mode.
Pila Mulligan: you need a hug
Wol Euler: I do.
Pila Mulligan: we need a group hug script
Wol Euler: we do.
Pila Mulligan: well, virtual hugs for all fornow
Wol Euler smiles
Lia Rikugun: ***HUG***
Wol Euler stretches really far and hugs everyone all at once
Eden Haiku: Hug Wol ;-)
Bertram Jacobus: Maybe 50000 is a little bit exaggerated, but 20000 is normal, at lest in India. in the west she takes a liitle bit more of time for each individual - butthe quality of the time is essential, not the quantity...
Bertram Jacobus: (nata wrote that) ... :-)
Wol Euler: "What is beyond the universe?" asks 9-year-old Sierra Bradshaw-Kreimer of Hillsborough,

N.C. "Love," Amma tells her.

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Eden handed out a note card with some Haiku poems inspired by a previous PaB session

Pila Mulligan: :)
Bertrum Quan: Am interested in writing: 5-7-5 is all we need for our haikus
Eden Haiku: Yes, 5-7-5.
Bertrum Quan: Thanks, Eden
Pila Mulligan: thanks Eden
Eden Haiku: It is a lot of fun writing these.

Pixels sitting still
Our names bright over our heads
We share our visions

Running like mad mice
On onigokko fast track
We empty our minds

Scintillating flash
It would be cool if Aztlan
Did launch something here

It would be cool if
We would create a thousand
'It would be cool if'

Our thoughts in verses
Five seven five syllabes
Forming haikus

stevenaia Michinaga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku
Pila Mulligan: fun

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RE: Princeton miniretreat friday afternoon

Pema Pera: Greetings from Princeton, yes!
Pila Mulligan: greetings to Princeton :)
Pila Mulligan: how are the Princeton retreat sessions going?
Eos Amaterasu: Pema, Maxine and I are connecting from the INstitute
Wol Euler cheers
Scathach Rhiadra: :)
Maxine Walden: Trying to think how to answer Pila's question...
Maxine Walden: we are seated in a very spacious board rrom with a beautiful view to the crisp autumn outside...helping us to feel in a very spaceious setting
Eos Amaterasu: /|\
Wol Euler: nice
Eos Amaterasu: Para says hi to PIla
Pila Mulligan: is it on campus?
Eos Amaterasu: @ IAS campus
Pema Pera: There are seven guardians here in Princeton, only some of them with internet connection: Adams, Eliza, Eos, Maxine, Paradise, Pema, SophiaSharon
Eos Amaterasu: SophiaSharon is late 'cause she's getting dressed
Maxine Walden: yes, Pila, just a couple of buildings away from Piet's office at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton
Pema Pera: yes, remarkably similar in quality as in the California retreat, even though in a very different setting
Eliza Madrigal: awe-inspiring setting in its own way
Eos Amaterasu: more colors in the trees, with the afternoon light going through them
Fox Monacular: nice:)
Pema Pera: I met three of us here for the first time, having seen them only in SL so far, and as before, we all hit it off right away -- so interesting how SL conversations smoothly continue in RL
Pema Pera: As for future retreats, we were also discussing Japan as a possibility, for some time in 2011
Wol Euler: Sophia, I do intend to get something booked fairly soon, still in 2009 if possible; but I need to do a lot of research before then
SophiaSharon Larnia: :))
Wol Euler: the places I know personally are too hard to get to for travellers w/out their own ccars
Pema Pera: if there would be enough interest, we could organize something in Kyoto in the spring or fall
Wol Euler: that would be wonderful!
Vendy Walpole: when you are at retreat, what is the programme there ?
Pema Pera: it is pretty open
Pema Pera: we do some practices, rather short, ten minutes or so
Vendy Walpole: wished to know how it looks like,what you do?
Pema Pera: and then we discuss and share our experiences
Bolonath Crystal: sorry, gtg
Wol Euler: bye bolo, take care.
Bolonath Crystal: bye @ all
Pema Pera: but the practices are whatever comes up
Bertram Jacobus: bye bolonath ... :-)
Scathach Rhiadra: Namaste Bolo
Solobill Laville waves
Pema Pera: nothing fixed beforehand
Qt Core: bye bolo
SophiaSharon Larnia: bye Bolonath
Eos Amaterasu: In Santa Cruz the middle day (of 3 full days) was silent
Pema Pera: like today we did this "drop what you have to see what you are" exploration for ten minutes
Pema Pera: and then we shared our experiences
Pema Pera: does that give you an idea, Vendy?
Pema Pera: yes, it was nice to have a silent day!
Vendy Walpole: yes, Its clearer ...ty
Vendy Walpole: you are focused to practice and sharing it in the group most of the time
Vendy Walpole imaginig Einstein walking through the park...
SophiaSharon Larnia: true
Maxine Walden: many spirits here
Solobill Laville: Well, all the best to the retreaters! :)
Solobill Laville: (oops)
Pema Pera: ( ;-) )
Pema Pera: Bye everybody, we're returning to RL
Solobill Laville: Bye, all
Fox Monacular: thank you for sharing
Maxine Walden: Yes, need to leave. Take care all
Scathach Rhiadra: good night all:)
Wol Euler: bye retreaters, enjoy the day

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“No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.” 
  Einstein

    Mickorod Renard: I was drawn to a recent chat log where the 9 second thing was linked to the change of dirsection of waves in the sea
    Mickorod Renard: direction
    Wol Euler: nice idea
    Bertram Jacobus: drawn ... drawn together ... :-)
    Mickorod Renard: as in,,change of what you were doing,,and the transision to the 9 secs
    SophiaSharon Larnia: its amazing how my view on the 9 sec has changed over the last few days, i

think before i was trying to direct my thoughts, and didn't realize it...where as now am seeing that thought arises on its own, and to look at that
    SophiaSharon Larnia: feel like im late to the party or something, but there it is
        Bertram Jacobus: it´s never too late ... ;-9
    Mickorod Renard: yes, I too have been frustrated at trying to create the 9 seconds event rather than seeing it naturally in my normal day
        Mickorod Renard: maybe I can develope what I already have
    Mickorod Renard: rather than re invent the wheel
    SophiaSharon Larnia: its a subtle shift, and also have lost that sense of time pressing in on me from all sides
    Eden Haiku: How was you retreat Sophia? Did you share about it already?
    Mickorod Renard: I was feeling that my break from busy thought should focus on our developement here,,yet really it can just be more natural
    SophiaSharon Larnia: no didnt know if thered be a theme session, i think i said things in other logs :)
    SophiaSharon Larnia: but what im saying now is an extention of that
    Wol Euler: there was some talk about it on ... thursday? when you were all still in Princeton?
       SophiaSharon Larnia: oh that was so much fun :))
        SophiaSharon Larnia: surreal!
        Mickorod Renard: are they not formal at all Sophia?
    SophiaSharon Larnia: across from us during that session was a big glass window with our rl reflection in it while we sat at our computers, i was seeing the shadows as our avatars
    SophiaSharon Larnia: yes in places Mick
    SophiaSharon Larnia: during exercises and sharing that
     Mickorod Renard: was it daunting for you at all,,or just relaxing and fun?
    SophiaSharon Larnia: very daunting at first ;) but at ease very quickly
       Mickorod Renard: lovely
    Mickorod Renard: I would still like to make the Malta retreat,,but I cannot commit at this stage
    Mickorod Renard: but even if I could I would feel some apprehension from my lack of confidence
    Wol Euler: ahhhh, mick, you would be among friends.
    Mickorod Renard: grin,,thankyou
    Wol Euler: we already all know each other well and for a long time
    Wol Euler: just not the bodies.
    SophiaSharon Larnia: i suspect you wouldnt for long, and i mean that, i am suspect we have that in common, and Wol is right
        Mickorod Renard: so many here seem to be quite knowledgable in meditational methods,,and in certain teachings
    Wol Euler nods.
        Bertram Jacobus: yes. may be a majority ... :-)
        Bolonath Crystal: the many different teachings give us the opportunity to learn a lot from each others :)
        Wol Euler: hello arch
      Archmage Atlantis: Greetings all
        Wol Euler: I'm curious, Mick: when you say that so many seem proficient in different practices, is that a reason to go to Malta, or to avoid it?
    Wol Euler: 'cause it could be taken either way
    Mickorod Renard: perhaps,,for me,,to avoid it
    Zon Quar: what happens i n Malta ?
    Mickorod Renard: I would feel out of my depth
    Wol Euler: there's a RL retreat coming up at the end of January, Zon
    Bertram Jacobus: next retreat in january zon. pab retreat
    Wol Euler: Ah, Mick, that's exactly why you should go :)
    arabella Ella: for guardians
    Wol Euler: look on it as a chance to explore the deep end :)
    Wol Euler: with companions and guides, in a safe place
     Mickorod Renard: I am a bit of a fly by the seat of my pants,,person
        Wol Euler: if it's any encouragement, I am totally unqualified and very lousy practitioner, and will be totally out of my depth
    Wol Euler: and that is why I'm going
    Mickorod Renard: it may be all too ,,erm,,formal for me
    Mickorod Renard: well,,the biggest lure would be to meet everyone
    Mickorod Renard: that I would like
    arabella Ella: surely you dont mean 'too academic' Mick? cos that it wont be
    Mickorod Renard: grin,,thats what I usually say,,but not what was thinking
    Mickorod Renard: so does everyone here feel comfortable with the 9 second thing?
    Wol Euler: as a topic? sure
    Mickorod Renard: I love the topic,,but have struggled with the practice
    Bolonath Crystal: the 9 sec seem too short, somehow
    Archmage Atlantis: As one of many methods that can be used to streach the mind and spirit, certainly
    Mickorod Renard: finding a way to slot it into life is my issue
    Wol Euler nods
    Wol Euler: I had a lot of trouble until Pema suggested giving up the idea that it had to happen every 15 minutes
    Wol Euler: that made it much easier
    SophiaSharon Larnia: i find it compelling when a day set aside just for continuous practice
    Mickorod Renard: how do you structure a whole day for it?
    SophiaSharon Larnia: when im not at work, with a mindfulness bell
    Bolonath Crystal: getting up early, practising pranayama and some yoga asanas in the fresh air, meditating for a while and then having a good breakfast with a lot of vitamines would be a good start
    Mickorod Renard: I find it strange how many here have names for all the diferent practices
    Archmage Atlantis: Even forgetting to think about the next task on my list counts for me
    Wol Euler: the professionals :)
       Wol Euler: I agree, Arch, especially if you gave yourself permission to forget it :)
    Mickorod Renard: how do u mean Arch,,like time out,,or in an anoying forgetful way?
    Archmage Atlantis: Time out is closer
    Mickorod Renard: nice
    Bolonath Crystal: maybe forgetting about the task list could be a nice practise, too :)
    Archmage Atlantis: As Wol said, giving myself permission
    Wol Euler nods
    Mickorod Renard: I seem depended upon,,when I try and forget something I get hell to live with
    Wol Euler grins
    Archmage Atlantis: I lived a life like that, I am glad I no longer do
    Bertram Jacobus: which kind of life was that arch ?
    Archmage Atlantis: It is only my hell if I accept it
    Archmage Atlantis: As a business executive
    Mickorod Renard: so how important is regulating the 9 second thing?
    Mickorod Renard: like frequency
     Wol Euler: for me personally, not at all important. It's a tool that I use when I need it.
    Mickorod Renard: is it imposing control on ourselves,,or wrestling control back?
    Wol Euler: the latter!
    Wol Euler: definitely
    Archmage Atlantis: Actually, I would differ, it is letting go of control
    Wol Euler: I cn see that too :)
    SophiaSharon Larnia: i found i was trying to 'control' this, and now see the practice for me as relaxing this control and letting thought arise on its own
    Wol Euler: I meant the sense that Mick was tallking about a moment ago, that othters control his life
    Wol Euler: I use the nines to remind myself that it is *my* life nd I can choose to step out of others' control
    Mickorod Renard: yes,,I understand Wol,,and see all the points,,nice reminder
    Archmage Atlantis: We are our own refuge, who else can be our refuge
    Archmage Atlantis: It was said by Siddhartha
    Bolonath Crystal: siddharta gautama or the one in hermann hesse's book, arch?
    Mickorod Renard: can you read up on Siddhartha?
    arabella Ella: it is a lovely quote Arch
    Wol Euler: I was just wondering that too :)
    Archmage Atlantis: The Buddha
    Wol Euler: it's a wonderful book.
    Bolonath Crystal: one of my favs, wol :)
    Archmage Atlantis: It is the witching hour for me....this has been a great conversation.....thank you all
    Wol Euler: goodnight, arch, take care.
    Mickorod Renard: thankyou Arch
        Wol Euler:

http://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/1440471045/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books

&qid=1257890748&sr=8-1
    Wol Euler: it has a wikipedia pge, too :)
    Wol Euler: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)
    Wol Euler: it is a very good book, short and easy to read, but also very dense. It can be chewed over for years, or read in a day, as you wish :)
    Mickorod Renard: a little book?,,but big in thought?
    Wol Euler: exactly. But itÄs also readable as a simple short story of a life.
   
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