April, 2024 Bardo Buzz (06-04)

Liquid Light - AI Creation - Barbara Haynes

THE POWER OF ADORATION

Barbara Haynes

The other day as I prepared E.J.'s daily snack, I was practicing the adoration of the machine exercise by watching my hands. Suddenly there was a shift in perception and I was seeing my hands as if viewing them from a camera point of view. I know you've seen movies that are filmed all or in part from the camera's point of view. If not, check it out, it's an interesting perspective. However, this was real life and the experience of the camera's view was cause for a pause. So, I took a breath and focussed my attention strongly on my hands. At one and the same time, it was like operating a Waldo and having no involvement with the actions at all. As I watched my hands do the snack dance, my attention began to spread to my entire body ending at my feet which could be felt firmly planted on the floor. The organism felt alive and vibrant. I became aware of an energy in my body which I would describe as liquid light. It filled the body from head to toe. In that moment, I was flooded with a deep sense of gratitude for my machine and how it functions - for its willingness to be used for my possible evolution. I continued to make the snack and slowly the camera view perception returned to “normal”, whatever that means. Some people might call the experience “out of body” but, me, I call it an “in body experience”.

For more on the Adoration of the Machine, you can explore these resources.

• Archive Talk cdt135 Accessing the Waking State
• Archive Talk cdt138 Out of Body Workshop
• Human Biological Machine as a Transformational Apparatus – the chapter titled “Bringing The Woman to Life.”

THE JOURNEY OF SELF-AWARENESS

Jewel McInroy

I had just finished doing an ABD reading. It was a short reading of the 48th chamber, and being near the end of the book, I decided to read the Afterword where I found the following quote

"But real wakening is simply waking up from the dream and letting the dream go on with or without you. When you no longer want to manipulate the dream and make it better, you'll be willing to wake up"

Two areas caught my attention -- "letting the dream go on with or without you" (hitherto, maybe heard of in my world, but certainly not practiced). Is it possible to let my life carry on on its own? And yes, I do try to make it better. Doesn't everyone? All of my conditioning points to doing just the opposite of this statement-- keeping busy, jump in and help whenever possible.

On one occasion, stepping back from this familiar practice, I remember feeling particularly alone, separate and removed from my surroundings. At that moment, I heard my inner voice, "This is what it means to 'Be in the world, but not of it'".. This is having one's own agenda which runs parallel to the dream, but is not "automatically" entwined. In it..

As a result of striving to maintain this focus, the wish to Work has become more cemented. Also, awareness has become more heightened. For example, in the past, when doing the Doorway Exercise, it was not uncommon to remember the exercise well beyond the doorway, coupled with some regret and a touch of gratitude at having remembered it at all. Of late, there is an awareness of the doorway -- entering and passing though it - and , with no small amount of joy, remembering to invoke my presence.

The journey of self-awareness and awakening often involves stepping back from the constant urge to manipulate and control our lives, and instead, allowing the natural flow of existence to unfold. The quote, "letting the dream go on with or without you," serves as a powerful reminder that awakening comes from relinquishing the need to constantly shape our reality to fit our desires.

Through practices like the Doorway Exercise, we cultivate mindfulness and presence, allowing us to engage with life more fully and joyfully. By withdrawing from the dream and allowing life to unfold with its own natural rhythm, it becomes possible to focus on developing and nurturing our truly joyous Essential natures.

The Doorway Exercise can be found in Practical Work on Self.

INVOCATION FOR BLESSINGS

Michele Marie & Lexi Anna

Oh Great Compassionate Ones,
In the silence of mindful breath, I seek your guidance,
To navigate the path of life with a heart wide open to the blessings that abound.
Grant me the wisdom to recognize the divine spark in every moment,
To see the teachings in every joy and every challenge.

Bless me with the courage to face my shadows with compassion,
To transform suffering into the soil from which wisdom and compassion grow.
Surround me with the strength of sangha, as we journey together
Toward enlightenment, hand in hand, heart in heart.

May my actions reflect the Dharma, in kindness and in truth,
Let me be a vessel for your love, a beacon of light in the darkness.
Inspire me to give generously, without expectation of return,
To receive with humility, and to live with gratitude.

In the interconnected web of existence, let my life contribute
To the awakening of all beings from the sleep of ignorance.
Through the merit of this prayer, may we all find liberation,
And may the blessings of wisdom, compassion, and peace flourish in every corner of the universe.

With a heart full of hope and a mind turned towards liberation,
May this prayer be dedicated to the benefit of all beings,
That together we may discover the boundless joy of our true nature.
May the light of the Dharma guide us home.

So be it.
Give Blessings & Get Blessed

Musings of a Labyrinth Reader

INTRODUCING SCI-FI RADIO THEATER

by Marvette Kort

Part I -- The Voice of the Director -- "Why Listen to Sci-Fi Radio Theater Performances on Zoom?"

The title director of Sci-Fi Radio Theater is associated with me. In 2013, at the beginning of the Prosperity Path Virtual Ashram in Second Life, the idea came to me to host a sci-fi reading group, and Sci-Fi Radio Theater was born.

Currently as director, I select the story for the group to present from E.J. Gold's Sci-Fi Reading List -- https://www.idhhb.com/resources/booklist.html -- or from the many sci-fi stories/novels that E.J. remembers from his youth growing up as the son of H.L. Gold, original editor of the renowned Galaxy Magazine. E.J. has specifically recommended folks read certain sci-fi stories because these stories hold impressions useful for the furthering of one's work in the bigger picture.

In my experience, E.J.'s choices expose one to characters and scenarios that give clues about navigating the Bardos. Or these stories trigger one to consider questions like "What am I doing here in life?" or "Am I recognizing an aspect of the Work?" Furthermore, the word "expose" is used because in my opinion, the essential perception from these sci-fi stories is not solely in the concepts and ideas, but rather due to engaging experientially the playing out of the stories.

Thus, Sci-Fi Radio Theater is offering the opportunity to actively listen to stories and receive these impressions that may inspire realizations in the mind. In addition to actually serving to activate something not articulated by the mind, these stories may set in motion something within oneself related to the Work. Sci-Fi Radio Theater offers these stories in bite-size episodes. They are entertaining as well as persist in one's attention accompanying the mood created in the space.

In terms of working with the group, I am a "soft" director. I don't usually give actors exact defined coaching during our rehearsals. I listen and sense the delivery of their communication and comment from that perspective -- a labyrinth reader's orientation.

Sometimes I have a specific picture of certain characters in the story. So I paint pictures in words of the characters' mindset and ambience for actors to target in order to portray these characters effectively in the story. And rather than tell the actors how to get there, I encourage them to put their attention on pulling the character out while reading their dialogue.

Bringing the characters and the story to life comes out of the group working together with their attention active in the space while we read the story. A character is revealed sometimes by an actor's inspiration of how to read the dialogue and sometimes in response to people's comments on their delivery or from the dynamic between characters as they interact in a scene.

Working together collectively, each character that we see, even the single appearance roles, adds to revealing the story and bringing it to life. My role as director is to maintain the creative space for all the typicalities present and encourage the mood for a reflexive blossoming to unfold within cast members.

Sci-Fi Radio Theater performs episodes of a story on Zoom on Sunday evenings every other week. We do have a YouTube channel; however the more recent stories recorded in Zoom are not yet available. Therefore, I advise interested people to attend our live Zoom performances.

Responses From Cast Feedback

The cast of Sci-Fi Radio Theater is responding below to the request to please write something about Sci-Fi Radio Theater. I suggested considering the following questions to facilitate inspiration and focus if needed.

How does participating in Sci-Fi Radio Theater ...

• ... spark your creativity?
• ... deepen your connection to working with the teaching or with work ideas?
• ... bring happiness in your life?
• ... give you a sense of working in a group?
• ... improve your skills?
• ... _____________________ (fill in the blank)?

"I like participating in Sci-Fi Radio Theater because it offers an opportunity to explore interesting stories and bring them to life by cooperating with friendly, like-minded folks. Also, beginners like myself are welcome and encouraged in a safe space to experiment with various roles and story lines." -- Scott N.

"Participating in Sci-fi Radio Theater sparks creativity for me by giving me the opportunity to imagine/find/compose scene change music, and character voices." -- Tom D.

"A combination of intuitively knowing and experiencing - reflective and informed by others - self- observations through presenting "what will they think of last" literary works which showingly seed alternate scenarios - other worlds to a very public audience while mirroring and multi-level informing me of strengths and weaknesses, and, of course, having fun with friends." -- Bill A.

"Participating in Sci-Fi Radio Theater has been an opportunity to play along with other bardo buddies. It is fun and challenging getting into different skins, so to speak.

"This way of working with stories, really makes a lasting impression, it is moving from the intellectual to experiential.

"It is a very safe environment to take risks, not taking myself too seriously, and at the same time giving my best to serve the group's purpose of bringing a story to life.

"I admire each of my colleagues as they all dedicate themselves to this endeavor with full heart. Throughout the years, there has been so much growth within the group, it has become my favorite Work group, we respect and support each other. I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of it." -- Paula G.

"Prompt: "I have an assignment and I'm too lazy to do it myself. Please write two sentences from the perspective of someone who is participating in a theater group that does Science Fiction radio plays. This person is expressing why they enjoy performing these plays. Please make it sound impressive. Use lots of scientific terms. Thanks." -- Dave F.

"Delving into the quantum realms of audial dramaturgy, I find myself ensconced in the enthralling act of sonic transmutation, where my vocal cords serve as conduits for the oscillating wavelengths of interstellar narratives. This endeavor not only satiates my voracious appetite for the exploration of theoretical cosmogonies but also allows me to traverse the nebulous confines of temporality and space, sans the encumbrance of corporeal limitation." -- ChatGPT4

"I am inhabiting a character. You really get that when you do SF Radio Theater, in part because you have to become someone else entirely a few times a week. Sometimes something else! And when you take your characters seriously, you can recognize that all those things you thought were you are just more character stuff. That's just one of many reasons why SFRT is great." -- Dave F.

"On Being Many-Me -- Being a member of this ever-evolving troupe has challenged me to embrace different facets of self, to hear different voices within and allow them to speak, and to immerse myself in and merge myself with the delightfully varied other voices and selves making the group into a unified One." -- Gailyn P.

"When I was first asked to join the group, my inner prosecutor voice came up and questioned my abilities. However, despite the doubts, I went ahead with it to allow myself to grow to another level of myself. Participating in Sci-Fi Radio Theater sparks my creativity by allowing me to explore new ideas and concepts. As challenging as it is at times, it deepens my connection to working with the teaching or work ideas by helping me understand them in a different context. Sometimes it all sounds like trying to learn a different language. It also helps me to get a sense of working in a group by collaborating with others and contributing to a shared goal. It improves my skills by challenging me to communicate effectively through audio storytelling. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be of service for a higher purpose." -- Nazila Z.

"When I heard about Sci-Fi Radio Theatre, I said, that's for me! Lots of good stuff here. Working in this ensemble is good work. Sweet. We show up! We listen to one another. The critiques are useful. We cheer for each other. Humor abounds.

"The different characters that I discovered that I give voice to. And with practice, I immerse myself in the character. I become the character! Tweaking our roles at rehearsals, then the Sci-Fi story becomes wonderfully meaningful.

"With each new story, I get to shapeshift into a different body, colors, and sounds. A new beginning with Bernie's lovely soulful songs." -- Beverly K.

"Being a part of the Sci-Fi troupe has given me access to a voice and a freedom that I did not know existed!" -- Sandy L.

"Being a part of Sci-Fi Radio Theater and focusing on stories with friends who I see are developing into actors has broadened my understanding of: "What can Be behind the Screen of Human Existence?", "The many Possibilities of Real Worlds and feeling their presence!" "And sometimes being allowed a glimpse of Alternative Realities and potential life streams." -- Kay W.

"Just having a consistent daily or weekly practice for years, you can enjoy, is super valuable. It provides a valuable structure and foundation for everything else you do. And what could be better than a practice that invokes this work. Working in a group is such a delight. We're very lucky. We can contribute to others' growth while hopefully gaining some personal growth of our own. In hindsight, yes, I've had some growth." -- Ray A.

"Participating in Sci-Fi Radio Theater has been an exercise in cooperation on the group level, and on a personal level, an exercise in purposeful generation of mental attitude and use of voice.

"In trying to make the characters come alive, I find that to be effective, I have to temporarily adopt the mood of the character in question, see what is moving that person in the scene, and try to express it as genuinely as possible.

"This means, among other things, deliberately shifting out of my own mood-of-the-moment and letting go of whatever my circumstances might be inducing me to feel.

"Feedback and help from the group has been vital to making improvements in this skill -- a skill which at first, I didn't even know I had. I think others would agree with this too." -- Dan R.

Sci-Fi Radio Theater invites you to meet with us every two weeks to experience our performance.