Starrose's blog

Blessings Everyone,
This part is a two requests, first, feel free to post your own comments on what and how exploring your own spiritual experience has been for you, online and in Second Life.
How has it changed your perceptions, your life, your awareness?
Has it helped you in connection to others of like minds and souls?
How you do you feel, see, Second Life may figure in our evolution of awareness?

Secondly, I will post again here, Solargaianlight Raymaker's emagazine request for the submission of your thoughts and articles to the magazine he edits, to wit:

Virtual Spirituality discussion moderated by StarRose Merlin, SolarGaianlight
Raymaker (Prabhath P)and Happiness Merryman at the Mystic Academy of the 3D
virtual world Second Life on 24 Saturday, 2008. Location: Virtual Reality Sky
Box, Mystic Academy. The Sky Box had the setting of a nature scene full of
greenery.

SolarGaianlight Raymker: Virtual Spirituality includes the advancement of
spiritual consciousness evolution using various levels of internet technology
like, email, chat, web sites, social networking and 3D virtual worlds. The
discussion will focus on Virtual Spirituality in 3D virtual worlds like Second
Life.
We can explore how the virtual experience can facilitate access to advanced
levels of consciousness and creativity not easily accessible in real life and
how these abilities can be integrated with real life. The discussion will also
be a curtain raiser for the Virtual Spirituality issue to be published by the
international emag Your Spiritual Revolution (www.yourspiritualrevolution.org).
Happiness Merryman: Would it be interesting to let each one here say something
about what VS means for them?
Pamala Clift: In the past, philosophers have used metaphors such as cows and
sheep and olive trees to try to understand reality. This is the first time we
have had a virtual world with which to metaphor existence.
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: I mean how the virtual experience helps us access
states of consciousness that may not be easily accessible in real life.
StarRose Merlin: nice point Pam :)
Melvyn Meredith: We are in the beginning phases of using VS in our Sunday
Healing Circles here at MA
Caryl Meredith: I am new to this environment, but I see so many possibilities
TR Amat: I could argue that VR started with the first cave painting, or the
first story told. :)
Happiness Merryman: This setting is perhaps a good example of beautiful virtual
surroundings enhancing a sense of community and good feelings....
Caryl Meredith: true
Elborath Gelfand: mmm - the act of communication that could be read by someone
at a different time
Happiness Merryman: TR, so glad you mention the cave paintings! Yes!
Deborah Goldblatt: I guess that virtual reality is a fact to make one feel
trusting the people over there
Elborath Gelfand: like the cave paintings
Justinius Reinard: VR in its current state serves as a connection for people
with like interests. Once you removed geography and the presence of *cough*
skeptics, a lot can be accomplished. In my opinion, that is 90% of the value to
be found in VS.
TR Amat: Books are a virtual environment needing this technology called
“reading” to interpret. :)
Deborah Goldblatt: and to know to arrive at a place where you can talk about all
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: I feel the 3D virtual experience is like lucid
dreaming, in which you can teleport or fly and assume different forms (avatars)
like in SL. Meeting as avatars in real time despite vast geographic and time
zone differences can make us aware that we are all part of one Earth, Gaia.
Deborah Goldblatt: what is probably not seen as normal in your usual
environment.
Deborah Goldblatt: and social surrounding
Happiness Merryman: Agree totally.
Raheli Reinard: SL is an avenue to spirituality that is often unattainable in
RL. With a demanding work schedule, it is often impossible to make it to
scheduled spirituality discussions. SL facilitates spirituality in a manner that
is free of time constraints.
Elborath Gelfand: I think that is what makes this experience so ground breaking
is the fact that “you” or your representative moves within the world
Melvyn Meredith: Yes
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: yes free of time and space constraints
Elborath Gelfand: which takes it beyond ‘reading’ or watching a film
Raheli Reinard: Indeed.
Archangel Longstaff: interesting observation i had..the virtual environment aka
servers and computers seem to enhance maybe even amplify the energy and
connection we have to each other.
StarRose Merlin: I have felt that too Arch :)
Elborath Gelfand: yes that is an interesting thing Archangel
Justinius Reinard: That is a focal point, Elborath. An avatar is, to borrow
mystical language, a conduit to the soul that is absent in chat or forum
discussions.
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: and the interactive element is more intense than an
instant chat in a messenger
Elborath Gelfand: nods
[10:50] Happiness Merryman: Also, in a virtual world we are free to be
“essence” and not bound by body, race, space or time...just pure spirits, which
can be extremely liberating...
Elborath Gelfand: in any form
Pamala Clift: I have studied the elusive “connections” that are felt with SL
relationships.. what is real..
Justinius Reinard: Any form at all! :)
Elborath Gelfand: sounds interesting Pam
Melvyn Meredith: Here is an example how it is helping us...for years we have
held Healing Circles on our website, and those who participated had to visualize
sitting within a Crystal Pyramid on the Power Circle for the meditation...now
they can see it...makes it more real
Zena Zemlja: I heard already so many people say here in SL that they are more
the real self here than in first life
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: yes, an avatar is the virtual form of one’s
alternative selves
Archangel Longstaff: with your avatar you are showing a part of yourself or
spirit maybe even a hidden part
Elborath Gelfand: or the part that you have had to deny in RL
Raheli Reinard: agreed. Interacting in a virtual world frees us from the
constraints of age, appearance, profession, etc, allowing us to explore pure
spirituality in a manner free from societal constraints and expectations.
Archangel Longstaff: yes
Elborath Gelfand: I’d like to go back to Arch’'s point
Happiness Merryman: Zena, I agree. I think it is because we are so free here,
and that has always been one of the goals, for me, of spirituality...to
experience the greatest freedom possible in this life...
Elborath Gelfand: about the amplification of our spirit
[10:52] Justinius Reinard: To build on that Zena, how many times have your
meditation or spiritual discussions in real life been hampered because they take
place in bare sheetrock rooms with metal folding chairs? We can eliminate that
here, and replace it with so much better.
Elborath Gelfand: thru the communication network
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: in a sense, what we can do in SL is a pointer to the
abilities the human body itself might evolve in the future thru human potential
evolution
Elborath Gelfand: we are fairly buzzing with energy each and every one of us
Elborath Gelfand: spirit is energy
Elborath Gelfand: it is as if this environment
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: In SL, it is easier to help people to stimulate
creativity, intuition, imagination and the sense of spiritual unity in
diversity. Virtual worlds give people glimpses of Divine potential that can
manifest through integral evolution.
Pamala Clift: I am afraid I disagree. I simply refer to the real world as our
biological avatars.. we are more than what we inhabit
Elborath Gelfand: channels and focusses that energy
Zena Zemlja: I also feel we connect here on another level, another dimension,
one that is a bridge between the earthly dimension and the one of the spirits,
which lots of people experience. Also they can connect to even much more easily
than on earth.
Elborath Gelfand: in a way nothing else does
Archangel Longstaff: as we blow out light bulbs as we effect cell phones etc lol
so energy is amplified and to be on the net we have to learn to ground or tune
or be in harmony energy wise
TR Amat: I think we need to try and remain aware of all the levels of ourselves,
so they don’t get “out of step.”
Elborath Gelfand: quite apart from the fact that SL has brought me into contact
with people who feel and think the same
Elborath Gelfand: before I felt I was a lone voice
Happiness Merryman: In virtual reality, we can do “work’ on the big questions
such as “What is important?” “Why am I here?” “What is my purpose?” In a way
that lets us actually enter into, or create opportunities for exploring these
questions with more “flow” than in RL.
Zena Zemlja: that’s the law of attraction El :)
Elborath Gelfand: indeed Zena
Archangel Longstaff: I’ve met a lot of people like that in SL Elborath
Raheli Reinard: But Arch, I would argue that such connection, and perhaps even
better amplification, can be found in a RL environment. That said, there is a
different kind of value found in a virtual environment, with different goals and
aspirations and interactions. It is a place for the RL interactions we are not
able to have, with time, location, and other such constraints.
TR Amat: A grounding in RL is very useful to apply perspectives gained in SL.
Justinius Reinard: I agree Zena, but it is the symbolism of our surroundings
that can affect how much value we place in an experience. If it is cheaply
slapped together, as transient and impermanent as a film noir setting -- it
takes some importance away.
SolarGaianlight: Actually I feel more connected to Earth itself when I am in SL
because the virtual dimension can be the emergence of another dimension of Gaia
consciousness itself which is connected to the cosmic consciousness and the
infinite dimensions of reality
Elborath Gelfand: I don’t think it is a question of RL or SL being the best
environment
Elborath Gelfand: they are different
Raheli Reinard: Yes, not best -- just different, with different strengths and
weaknesses.
Justinius Reinard: Yes.
Elborath Gelfand: yes
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: both RL and SL are different but interconnected
Archangel Longstaff: with RL environment, what we can do empathic-wise, people
fear. But in virtual they have a sense of security so they are more open to
broader ideas Raheli
Elborath Gelfand: but the loss of the constraints of the body that we have in RL
Zena Zemlja: talking to people here, it seems for some of them the earthly
dimension is not enough ground anymore for them to learn all the things they
long for on their spiritual journey, SL provides us with a wonderful new
dimension of spiritual sharing and learning :)
Raheli Reinard: The same people exist in RL as in SL, our form of interaction is
simply different.
TR Amat: SL lets you be elsewhere, and interact with that, in a much less
symbolic way than previous mediums.
Elborath Gelfand: makes the spirituality more intense in SL
Justinius Reinard: different...as well as possible. :)
Kleos Gomes: not more
Kleos Gomes: yes different
Raheli Reinard: lol, yes, Justin.
Elborath Gelfand: we are operating on pure mind/spirit/energy in SL
Melvyn Meredith: One thing SL does is challenge the participants to redefine
their concept of reality...what is “Real” and what is “Imaginary”... even in RL,
the blend is impossible to determine
Elborath Gelfand: without the constraints of the body
Deborah Goldblatt: I do feel that I am much more connected to people’s mind
Deborah Goldblatt: yes, thank you that is what I do feel
Deborah Goldblatt: it is a challenge and also a challenge for all of us
Elborath Gelfand: quite Melvyn - to define reality in RL is a monster question
Zena Zemlja: yes, it seems as if all experiences here go very deep for lots of
people, some say even deeper than in their first life, which is quite something
Pamala Clift: in real life, people believer perception IS reality.. in here.. it
is easy to see that it is NOT
Raheli Reinard: You raise a good point, Melvyn.
Deborah Goldblatt: meeting people we would barely meet in this life
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: well there are infinite dimensions, but rather than
leaving earthly dimension, it is possible to experience the integration of all
dimensions including earthly and others
Happiness Merryman: There is a lot of joy and play here, and my sense of the
Spirit is that joy is one of the most important aspects...
Elborath Gelfand: wherever you are your map of reality is the one in your mind
Elborath Gelfand: whether RL or SL
Justinius Reinard: I’m not so certain about dimensions, but to me it is
invaluable to see other people’s visions. The ability of individuals to shape
this world in spectacular and beautiful ways lets them paint pictures of
themselves and their dreams that we can all share.
Solargaianlight Raymaker: all dimensions are important and integrating them is
the key, virtual spirituality can serve as the bridge between these dimensions
Elborath Gelfand: what you make with your mind is your reality
TR Amat: I’ve never really believed that we have to stick to just one map of
reality. :)
Elborath Gelfand: the reality we have in our minds of SL is its own reality
Pamala Clift: I agree Elborath
Justinius Reinard: Then other people’s realities, Elborath. :)
Elborath Gelfand:
Melvyn Meredith: I was doing a bit of spiritual counselling yesterday here, you
may have seen my call for a Spanish translator, this woman said to me “Sometimes
I confuse what is real with my imagination.” I asked her how she can tell one
from the other.
Elborath Gelfand: absolutely Justinius
Pamala Clift: creating my home and showing the concept of my thinking.. is
thrilling to share
Zena Zemlja: we all read in spiritual books how we create our own lives, but in
first life most of us live as if we do not, in second life, we become much more
aware of the fact that we DO create our own experiences, big time.
Raheli Reinard: We have the freedom to share our spirituality with one another.
We have the freedom to explore avenues of spirituality and interconnectedness
that we would likely not be able to find in our RL existence. I like that.
TR Amat: We dream things into existence from our imaginations.
Melvyn Meredith: True
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: well, we are not separate entities though we are all
unique, we are an interconnected collective consciousness also
Elborath Gelfand: that is a very good point Zena
Happiness Merryman: I like to think of “imagination” as “image-in-action” and we
have so much of that here in SL
Elborath Gelfand: the constraints other people put on us and the necessities of
living
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: yes
Pamala Clift: Yes Zena.. we are the product of our thoughts
TR Amat: We make ourselves as much as anything else.
Deborah Goldblatt: we constantly do by thoughts create our reality
Caryl Meredith: I think it is attractive to many who remember Home --the
astral-- for SL simulates much of what we experience between lives
Pamala Clift: reality is for those that lack imagination..lol
Zena Zemlja: I have a workshop on the subject in about 2 hours, lol, it is
called Positive Thinking! smiles
StarRose Merlin: I like that Happi :)
Melvyn Meredith: Regardless of how you define it, the situation is, many still
come here seeking answers, seeking help....it is our job as teachers to find a
way to help them
Elborath Gelfand: absolutely - so SL is as real as RL
Raheli Reinard: We are also the products of our actions. And I would claim that
actions can occur in SL, just as they do in RL.
Archangel Longstaff: I reject your reality and substitute it with my own lol
Elborath Gelfand: couldn’t agree more Melvyn
Archangel Longstaff: sorry luv that saying
Justinius Reinard: We can create and make ourselves through thoughts, but
feelings and sensation play a very important part in defining them. That is
another advantage SL has over other virtual media.
TR Amat: I subsume your reality into mine. :)
Deborah Goldblatt: for me SL is a prolongation of RL
Deborah Goldblatt: I do talk from me
Raheli Reinard: prolongation?
Deborah Goldblatt: and I am authentic when being here
Deborah Goldblatt: a prolongation of my world
Deborah Goldblatt: an enlargement
Elborath Gelfand: for me SL is the place where I am all I want to be
Melvyn Meredith: In other words “We create our own reality” :-)
Deborah Goldblatt: that is what I said
Elborath Gelfand: smiles
Melvyn Meredith: :)
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: yes, SL is as real as RL for me!
Pamala Clift: I believe we create a good portion of our RL as well
Deborah Goldblatt: we are creating instantly by our thoughts our reality
Deborah Goldblatt: so it is to me
Melvyn Meredith: This is RL for me
Zena Zemlja: I think authentic is the word right on the spot here, that is right
what we are when we are here in SL, not being bound by all our first life
commitments, we are true to who we are here, authentic yes!
Elborath Gelfand: remember we base our map of reality in RL on what we take in
through our senses
Raheli Reinard: I wonder -- is it truly possible to be all we want to be? Some
things are never attainable -- there is too much in our world and our frames of
existence to be able to explore it all to the degree we wish.
TR Amat: In creating our own reality, we generally try and not diverge too far
from others, otherwise we risk ceasing to be able to communicate. :)
Elborath Gelfand: here we take in so much thru visual
Deborah Goldblatt: the problem of the map is that the map is not the territory
Elborath Gelfand: and interact with it
Archangel Longstaff: as in RL people bring either negative or positive by there
own freewill choice and create the reality they live in
Deborah Goldblatt: and the map, the inner one we created is not always the same
Elborath Gelfand: NLP rules then Deb :)
SolarGaianlight Raymaker: SL can remind us how we can create reality freely in
RL too
Deborah Goldblatt: yes
Elborath Gelfand: but we can help people thru SL to step outside their map thru
trying other characters, avatars, situations and give them choices
Melvyn Meredith: Expand your definition to expand beyond this world and this
universe...even this dimension
Deborah Goldblatt: but NLP rules are not just NLP rules
Deborah Goldblatt: NLP rules were discovered by what we are and instrumentalised
Deborah Goldblatt: yes
Kleos Gomes: I am loving this scenery in the woods
Elborath Gelfand: it is a wonderful medium for work like that
Elborath Gelfand: in some ways because you can actually model another map
Zena Zemlja smiles and agrees with Kleos
Elborath Gelfand: it has advantages over RL
Elborath Gelfand: with NLP
Deborah Goldblatt: yes, here you do model a new map or enlarge your own inner
map
Pamala Clift: I have used SL to take a RL bad guy and show him that accepting
society and a love and a family life could be equally thrilling as what he was
doing.
Deborah Goldblatt: and as you do your insights
Melvyn Meredith: Yeah I love the fact that this forest is 438 meters off the
ground :-)
Archangel Longstaff: looks like my field n pond are in RL Kleos
TR Amat: No reason to just have one map. Have several so you can see which one
works in a given situation best. :)
Melvyn Meredith: Which isn’t ground
Deborah Goldblatt: smiles
Elborath Gelfand: well said TC
Deborah Goldblatt: oh yours too
StarRose Merlin: so you carry the healing to this man back to RL Pam?
Deborah Goldblatt: yes
Elborath Gelfand: wonderful work Pam
Pamala Clift: Yes.. infact I am here to do so
StarRose Merlin: aye :)
Happiness Merryman: I have been thinking about how the great cathedrals, with
their stained glass, incense and music created a kind of “virtual” reality to
enhance spiritual experience...
Deborah Goldblatt: I remember a healing circle on a sunday
Deborah Goldblatt: and I was asking for someone
Archangel Longstaff: I met man in SL. He was sexist, racist etc. .After a few
months of knowing me and his experiences in SL, he has definitely changed, more
open minded and better
StarRose Merlin: good point Happi
Deborah Goldblatt: and I had such an enormous energy flow
Justinius Reinard: Atmosphere plays a huge part to a lot of people...
Pamala Clift: I have found that a psychopathic killer.. who would not and could
not take input from anyone in real.. would take the input of Pam to heart
Deborah Goldblatt: in my RL behind my laptop
Deborah Goldblatt: incredible
StarRose Merlin: wow
StarRose Merlin: that is significant
Deborah Goldblatt: yes, and so I felt what that healing circle can do also for
the world
Archangel Longstaff: but still was his free will choice to change
Pamala Clift: Yes and I wish to explore this suspension of disbelief that this
world can offer to those thought unreachable
Elborath Gelfand: I believe that if we send energy into the fabric of the
universe. it changes things
Kleos Gomes: good for you Archangel :)
Deborah Goldblatt: and against conflicts in the world and bring up the actually
8 hertz to what we do try
Elborath Gelfand: here we do just that
Deborah Goldblatt: raising the energy level
Elborath Gelfand: we send our energy and we combine it with all of your energies
into the universe
Kleos Gomes: we can’t change some one’s world but we can help
Deborah Goldblatt: yes
Elborath Gelfand: and by doing that we can heal
Deborah Goldblatt: and it is incredible
Deborah Goldblatt: imagine more and more people will do it and do it everywhere
on world
Pamala Clift: he does.. we all do.. but why would this world and input get
programmed straight to his brain.. because the threat is gone from real
Happiness Merryman: Elborath, excellent point! I remember Alan Ginsberg once
saying that every breath and word we send out into the universe in our poems and
our prayers goes on forever and ever...
Elborath Gelfand: had forgotten that quote ;)
StarRose Merlin: have felt, more then once, SL or the Virtual, can be somehow
“outside” of time
Deborah Goldblatt: ohhh yes StarRose
Happiness Merryman: Solar...Are we missing any main themes that you would like
to see explored?
Deborah Goldblatt: you lose time because you live in mind and map
Elborath Gelfand: wish it was Star - then we wouldn’t have this damn time zone
problem!!

Blessings Everyone !!
This week I am posting the results of the Tarot Explorations class/discussion.

The cards this week drawn randomly were as follows :
The Lovers VI & Judgment XX.
The Lovers outwardly can represent choice, and of course Judgment decision.
So what profound decisions will you come to this week, or be reminded about?
These could include relationship ones, first of all but even more, what two or more things,people or events have been pulling for your attention? Now is a nice time to examine and decide, making sure you have all your information and feelings in order.

Blessings Everyone,
At first I wasn't sure I was going to blog this class for this week, for various extenuating circumstances, but then a realization kept coming back to me, so I'll share that this time ;)

A subject came up concerning contrasts, in us, in our lives and in our world in general. Also the purpose these provide.
We all know oppositions can make us or break us, but the idea is to choose growth and having the strength to do so.

Blessings All :)
This week in Tarot Explorations we had The Magician and The Nine of Pentacles drawn.
We discussed in some depth, the creative realities these cards represented together and here is a short synopsis for the rest of you.

The Magician is card number 1 in the major Arcana.
It traditionally represents creative process, with the tools and talents, abilities you have already, the ability to manifest events and ideas into the worldly plane.
So you really do have that "magic" touch this week, go ahead and utilize your talents !!!

Hi everyone,
StarRose here to let you know I intend to post weekly summary's of my classes at the Mystic Academy,to wit: Tarot Explorations, Dream Explorations and perhaps some coverage of A Spirit Circle if appropiate.

I shall try to keep them as a general synopsis, with subjects of special interest expanded upon, either at my discretion or at a request from a member/reader of this blog.

Other subjects I may wish to write about will have another title, seperate from StarRose's Weekly Blog.