A few years ago, the Institute for the Development of the Harmonious Human Being (IDHHB) started an exploration into using Second Life (SL) as a work tool, a tool for transformation and service as well as a tool to stimulate past life memories and broaden one’s consciousness footprint. It was an ever changing environment then, with lots of activities and changing sceneries and lots to learn. This blog post is more focused on my own journey than all that was happening back then in the Ashram (that would be filling a book).
Even though I felt a little bit like I felt when the call went out to join safaris in D2 a decade earlier, meaning some trepidation and a hint of disdain, if I were honest, I didn’t really know anything about Second Life or the people that go there.
I decided to participate and of course, as with the exploration of any new area, there were growing pains. At that time, child avatars were still permitted, and I found myself drawn to those more than the adults or non-human characters. I had a few adult ones, but on a subtle level, noticed a resistance to using them. So unless it was required to show up as an adult, I started out exploring as a child. This was at a time I had not actually put a name to the nature nor the extent of the trauma that I have had to deal with all my life, as trauma is in the nervous system but I didn’t remember anything commonly recognized as trauma, so I was never aware that that was what I was dealing with. However, I had developed a trust in my inner guidance, had the willingness to go all in with the project and the courage to act on it best I could.
Soon enough I wanted to have my own place and terraform, which is shaping the landscape, but I was not one of the people with building privileges anywhere. That being moderately distressing, I rented a space of my own, a place to create according to how I wanted it., to create a safe place for the little girl to be.
There were building classes in the Prosperity Path Ashram and soon enough, I had built myself a wooden cabin with a fireplace, a loft and meditation area, a small deck, solar on the roof, a greenhouse by the side, and of course, a Brane-Power work bench, SuperBeacon included.
There was a spring on my land, and a food garden, apple tree and other trees, and a small secluded area, a beach where I could go into the water and swim with the fish, a narrow trail to a lookout where a yoga mat was located, a small natural pool, a primitive hut with a pottery wheel and a cot, birds, a meditation circle, chickens, a reading altar and a meditation circle. Of course I also was able to rez the animals I had, pretty much dogs, birds and a couple of cats.
I got into it, it was fun, creative and deeply satisfying, and taking the time and space to create that world for that girl was a healing event for me. I am not sure if I would have enjoyed my own parcel as much if there had been no connection to a larger body of people. But I needed the experience of my own space and the freedom to be. Of course I had to put the safeguards in place that were available in SL. I would have been perfectly fine doing the same thing on the Ashram grounds, but that was not happening for a while. I was just listening to a deep voice inside and I did what I had to do. For some reason, it just worked.
I was going between the Ashram and my little wonderful corner of the world. In the Ashram, there were things like flying, sailing and surfing and exploring many different historical areas, like Egyptian palaces. In the “off” time, meaning non-official Ashram events, I was just a little girl with my animals having fun and exploring the world.
There were challenges to do as well as a number of different events to attend. Of course there was just learning to fly and moving on the various levels of the Ashram, knowing where what was located. Looking at the snapshots I did, it could be an entire book. I had a little shop for a while in the Ashram, when that was a thing. Later, I got a place to build on in the Ashram and made a home on a fraction of a parcel. That was cool too. I even made a hermit cave and a meditation circle.
And even later, for a short time, I had a big house as part of an Ashram wide building project. It was only during that time that I said goodbye to my sanctuary, and later, when it was time to give it all up, said goodbye to the animals too.
All this took many months, going into years. I did experiment with a variety of avatars, mostly female, and outfits during that time. I eventually had an Egyptian avatar, a woman from the Altai Mountains, a Japanese, a healer, an elf, an alien, an amazon type herbal healer and more. I even created the persona I encountered during my first SuperBeacon experience. During one phase, I had now graduated to a teenager and young woman, I was traveling and hiking with 3 German shepherds, all usable as attachments, since I was not able to rez outside my small parcel. I mostly took only one of them to the meditation area however. Animals were not so well received there, but at that time for me it was either that, or not attending :). I think (for real) they functioned as an emotional support animal and the fulfillment of a childhood dream at the same time.
There was a visitor greeting center for a while. There were, and still are, rain dances, poets meetings and drumming circles. At that time many people had their own parcels and it was so interesting seeing the creativity of other people. Of course there were meditation and other such activities in the ashram from the getgo.
As time went by, there was less focus on the Ashram explorations and fun but a phase of service. It eventually settled into several main opportunities that people from all over the world participate in: Meditation in the Chen-rig temple, the Reading Circle where people pray for those who passed on,
and the healing circle. People request readings and healings on the Prosperity path Forum on facebook as well as on the LRS page.
There is the Sci-fi radio show, and recently a course has started using the book: “Practical Work on Self”. Various people offer different activities to participate in, like busking and chanting. There is also currently still a Labyrinth Reader’s Course happening. Some events are now happening in Spanish.
What happened for me in the work with Second Life is that somehow a developmental need got fulfilled. The need to have my own space and be allowed to grow up, feeling safe, (and this is crucial) be creative and explore the world, move, have adventures all the while being part of a spiritual community. Kinda like being fortunate to grow up having been born into the teaching. I have since then settled on a character that I mostly use now, primarily because I am too busy with other projects in my life to keep switching around.
Was this, the Ashram experience, the only thing that happened in my life during those years that lead to a certain type of growth? No, but I do know it played a role, a not insignificant role, and I used the tool to the max.
While I never got all the technicalities of microphone and such all worked out as perfectly as some other, the place was important then, and is important now. The intention to connect with the self that is able to sit in meditation is there, and it is actually a new frontier for me. Formal meditation was never my thing or something I was able to do in physical reality.
One of the premises in working with your avatar is that what the avatar does and experiences in Second Life relates to your 3-d persona in THIS world, and I found that this is true.
There is a profound connection with you and your avatar. Similar to the one of our persona in a parallel world.
It really is only my internet connection that prevents me from sitting in the temple all day, unless there are other functions to fulfill, like the Healing Circle or Clear Light Readings. Nowadays, I feel at home in the ashram without need for my own space (which I no longer have).
It sure was and is an interesting journey and the way I worked Second Life was powerful and ultimately a healing, integrative tool for me. Now it is a place to be for meditation and service.
If you want to explore this for yourself and are spiritually and growth oriented, check out the Prosperity Path Ashram. I suggest asking on the facebook Prosperity Path Forum and/or the daily event schedule with links to the relevant locations that is posted there daily.
Prosperity Path cover photo – Prosperity Path Forum, Facebook.
There are always those who object to “healing”, as if we were not whole already. To those I have to say: healing trauma and freeing energy blocks makes energy available flow and available to do what you came here to do, or, simply enables you do your life at all.