The Buddha Garden

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

August is often considered the vacation month in real-life and Second Life. I seems to be quieter than most of the other months in general. After being so busy in July, not only in real-life but also SL with the SL21B events and then the Burn2 summer Whimsy I needed some quiet time. Time to regroup and contemplate. The Buddha Garden seemed just the ticket.  It is a beautiful region filled with sites to relax, consider the flora and fauna. Around each corner there is something that urges one to stop and think.

As soon as I landed at the entrance I found a lovely little building with a Buddha sitting and he offered these words “Buddha Garden: Your daily pearl of wisdom, take it and make it yours: 'Letting go is always the lesson. Have you ever noticed how much of our agony is all tied up with craving and loss?'” My first contemplation looking out the door at the vast ocean beyond.

I began walking along the beach to see if it went all the way around the island. I came upon a statue of the Buddha rising out of the water. Water signifies calmness, clarity and purity so it made sense. Off in the distance I saw two houses so I went to visit. Each contained a relaxing place .

When I looked up I saw that there were numerous Buddha’s protecting the island. Off in the distance was another island with volcanoes rising, one active and one dormant and I think the Buddha’s were watching these also. I passed waterfalls and beautiful pools with Buddhas and seating for meditation at each. Out on a tiny island I found a buddha that gave me more advice . “Buddha words. RARE: As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse.”

Well, I am not sure about that.

I found a house serving food and sat to eat . Even at such a place there is the water everywhere around that is soothing. I had to giggle at what looked like an old television that had been changed into a planter. Many books sat nearby. I learned that each Buddha statue has its own meaning and I will have to take time to learn about each with some research. I find Buddhism so interesting in its words that apply to life no matter what your other philosophies or beliefs.

Several of the beautiful temples high up on the mountain have extraordinary statues and vistas.At one I stopped to do tai chi . There are so many places more to explore here and I will return to look for more. Take time for a trip there. You will not be disappointed. Also look for another little island with a small gallery, Khin Tower Art Gallery. Visitors are invited to contact Gian if they are interested in exhibiting there, at no cost.  

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ahimsa/57/85/24

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Cape Florida

By Gemma Cleanslate

After all my winter visits to snowy cold places, I needed a short vacation in Second Life in a warm site. I was lucky enough to find a perfect region. This sim is the replica of a place I would enjoy seeing in real life right about now, Cape Florida State Park. In real life it offers all the enjoyment of beach and tropical foliage with boardwalks and trails to traverse.

 As soon as I landed at the SL Cape Florida I felt the lushness of the region. The beautiful vibrant flowers and palms everywhere relaxed me immediately. Right at the entrance, there is a teleport column giving you venues to visit. Since the famed Lighthouse was right there I climbed the spiral stairs to the top to get a view of the whole region.

Then I decided to visit the nearby beach where there are mats and towels . There were several people enjoying the sand and water. I found a nice shower to get off all the salt before I went to explore more. I stopped at an ice cream truck for a sweet treat. As I walked back into the palms along the boardwalk I saw several gazebos, pergolas , picnic areas with food on the table and dance balls for  couples  to visit , dance and talk.

I arrived at the impressive Club House. The ground floor has a welcome desk with a group inviter, a small lounge area and a shop, Apotheosis. I sat on a couch which was over a glass aquarium with numerous species of fish to observe.  Then I climbed the stairs where I found several areas: a bar , a lounge with an enormous TV and a great pool table ,and, in the final room a lavish buffet . I definitely stopped there to check out the food. In spite of the ice cream I was hungry after the time at the beach. Huge choice!

The next floor had another bar and a club atmosphere where events are often held according to the board. This floor has a large glassed floor with another aquarium below.The shows here include live singers, djs, tribute acts and more to come. I know they are looking for more acts and hosts. You can contact Chloe (ChloeElizabethGrace Resident), or Jackstir Resident, co-managers of the Club.

I asked the owner Teren Silverheart (Terenglen Resident), who is a Floridian, how long he had this region. “ this sim has been here since around September of last year. Previously I had a full sim I leased but  found it too restrictive and it did not allow me to have the landscaping I wanted. We allow people to rez here within reason if they are a group member and we hold concerts on the beach. The whole point of this is to have created a place that others can enjoy . “  Set aside a day to take a trip to this enjoyable site.

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cape%20Florida/215/71/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Aloha Beach

By Wesley Regenbogen

 Every once in a while we all have the need to go to a place to relax in Second Life. Although there are many places to relax around Second Life, some of those get crowded to often, because many avatars find their way to that place. The only solution : finding another place. That’s not too difficult, but if you want to relax and like a beach, check out Aloha Beach.

Aloha Beach is a tropical beach where you can relax and sit down and just enjoy the view of the beach and the waves coming towards you. There is also a place where you can play basketball, although that didn’t seem to work for me, and you can also dance to the music. There are many chairs that you can sit on, so choose one and right-click it and choose “Sit here” and there will be a pop-up message that asks you which sitting pose you want to take on the chair.

 You can even take an ice cream at the ice cream stand. You then get an object named “ 1 scoop” v1 or v2 or v3, depending on which one you choose. You then need to go to your inventory and look into the “Objects” folder and search for the name of the object mentioned above. You can then choose to “wear” it and then you will see that you are holding an ice cream in your hand. So, then you can relax sitting on a chair with an ice cream. Virtual life can be simple and easy, don’t you agree?

The place is owned by Ikapono Catnap. It was claimed by him on the 23rd of June,2013. But since he only understands Japanese, I wasn’t able to ask him any questions about the place. I don’t speak Japanese.

The music in the background really makes you want to relax and enjoy it and the environment itself. There are a few shops around, but I didn’t buy anything. There’s a bird sitting on a stick and when you right-click it and choose “Touch” the bird takes off and flies around for a round and then it returns to his stick. The waves in the water are really amazing to watch, they are so beautiful you can watch it for hours. Even the water itself is amazingly beautiful too.

So, if you like beaches in Second Life, this is the place to be.

Relax and enjoy the environment and the music, and maybe one day we can meet up there.

You can find this place at :

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Veil%20ofthe%20Moon/20/150/21

Wesley Regenbogen