Luna Bliss

Zoom has exploded of late with all sorts of support groups! I even do my meditation there @ the Yogananda Zoom meetings.

Here's a calendar with lots of classes, fun events, and support groups listed. Be sure and click the tabs at the top as there are 5 organizations. https://www.virtualwholebrainhealth.org/calwbh/

/me wonders what kind of internet surfing Persephone does during the day....LOL ;0

I think we need to get away from this support group part of what LL promoted, as there's so much more to self-care. I attended one of my fav groups today where this woman in New Mexico with a radio station brings in world music I've never heard. We dance, sometimes in sync with a dancer she has. Ghaelen is her name, and she's one of the groups promoted at Whole Brain Health. This was her last song of the set today:

Thank you dear friends on our flight to the astral level, you mean more to me than you know:

Most people in the Death Cafe group I'm in are not lying or roleplaying. Your accusation is insulting. We've talked for months now and know each other fairly well, with some even connecting in 1st life. I think, most likely, you simply don't hang out in the same places I do. There are more trustworthy places than clubs tend to provide, where people are more involved with 1st life stuff (growth, learning, art). It's totally fine if you don't trust and don't want to be a part of these groups, but I wish you'd stop speaking as if you have the truth for all people, because you don't. It's wise to be cautious though, and check support groups out thoroughly (in both 1st and 2nd life), and make sure they're helping you. Same with personal relationships. Risk is always there, so be alert and choose carefully.

I agree that support groups are important. Would I ever entertain the idea of going to any kind of support group or therapy in Second Life? HELL NO. Why would I put out RL feelings and information to a group platform where most people either are lying or roleplaying. How would you ever be able to tell the difference? You can't count on privacy. Are you aware of how much rumors and gossip happen here? NO, Second Life is NOT a safe place for these kinds of activities and I wish people would stop promoting it. Yet a few weeks ago you expressed on the forum how you wanted to have a romantic relationship in 2nd life where you could be assured of the person's gender and trust that they were being real with their feelings and description of their life, both 1st and 2nd life. So how is this different from doing the same thing in a group?

It's no substitute for professional, licensed therapy. I agree that 'self care' (including support groups) would not be a substitute for professional, licensed therapy for a person who has a mental illness....but did somebody say it would be? Most people just have difficulty in traversing the passages of life -- some are quite difficult. They don't need psychotherapy for some sort of major mental illness. But they do need to take care of themselves in the best way possible, and wherever they can find any needed support.

Nando...I tried everything...tried to grab a seat from the outside. Wondering if TP'ing in on somebody's head would work, but no. I'm sure there are tricks.

Support groups are an important tool for self-care. One of many.

An important point -- Support groups are not the same as group therapy, and LL is advocating support groups and is not mentioning anything about group therapy here. https://renapollak.com/differences-support-group-and-group-therapy/ For example, I attend a support group named Death Cafe (when I tell a friend trying to rope me someplace and I say where I'm at they face-palm me...lol). Like, DEATH CAFE WHAT??? Anyway, at Death Cafe we talk about those we knew, both in 1st & 2nd lives, who died, and also about death in general as it's almost a taboo to talk about death in the Western world. These Death Cafe's exist in 1st life too. Death is difficult to deal with, but people don't necessarily need psychotherapy used to overcome deeper psychological issues stemming from childhood abuse or mental illness -- they simply benefit from sharing their experience with others and hearing what others are going through. Insight is gained, and people don't feel so alone with their problem. https://www.talkdeath.com/what-is-death-cafe-my-experience-studying-participating-hosting-death-cafes/ For me, personally, there is no Death Cafe in my podunk area of the country, so I was pleased to find we have an actual 1st life Death Doula (like a midwife, but helping people deal with deaths of loved ones) who holds meetings here in 2nd life. Cattie Rosca is her name in 2nd life, and if you search a bit you can find her 1st life website.

I saw you hovering outside the sim unable to get in too! Pffffft @Scylla Rhiadra........get a bigger place next time please....one of those places where 4-sims meet * I knew I should have gone early, but I was at a meeting...:(

I'm very impressed with how SL is promoting the following. Have you participated in supportive groups or activities within SL that helped you, or would you ever consider doing so? Self-Care September September celebrates Self-Care Awareness Month. Take a moment to find your oasis. Dive into serene Second Life destinations, offering meditation spaces, reflection corners, support groups, and more.

Tweaking the Whole Brain Health Underwater concert area on the sim of Inspiration Bay:

I just got ready....me on the beach in my new outfit from Fafa!

sure!

omg Scylla you are looking sooo good, and so ready for my Yoga dance tomorrow!

Lovely! It's a little slice of heaven...

I've been so sad. The two primary founders of my Women's Studies department died recently, within a month of each other. They were like my mothers really. They received great accolades for their department. I used to go into the Women's Studies office and sit on the sofa, surrounded by photos on the wall of women who had accomplished amazing things in life. And we studied what all these women had accomplished. Previously, my History books didn't mention women much...they were mostly about war and what men did. So there, on the wall, I saw my self represented, finally. I existed. Herstory

That's insightful, the original intention was likely that LL was a computer lab but it seems like it became a social lab. It's obvious in the diversity of Derekmate's music topic, and maybe moreso in the forums than in SL itself, there are people from different backgrounds who get to know each other and manage to get along or help each other in some way, at least it seems that way to me. I *think* Rowan is trying to say that it should be Linden Lab and not Linden LabS.......this has gotten people quite disturbed over the years...adding that 's'....so I laughed about seeing this issue yet again...

Do the women then discuss their own responsibility in not in raising their sons in an appropriate way? I think in many cases woman see men who are too emotional as being creepy so though they might like to see other men as having those qualities, they aren't willing to bring up their own children in that way. Of course we discuss how any behavior came to be in both women and men, and this would include the way we raise children (this is the primary way socialization occurs before interaction with the outer world @ later stages). Women are part of this particular problem when they don't affirm the expression of feelings in their sons. Stereotypes are thoroughly examined.

I will agree that this reads badly, at least as written. It's a common complaint that you might get a commission on women's health issues staffed by all male politicians or doctors. Or a study on issues in some minority community staffed by all members of that society's controlling majority population. It's just as flawed when flipped. If one community is telling people all about the problems of another community without that discussion being spearheaded from members of the community under discussion - there's a biased perspective issue. Apples to oranges. We're talking about an academic environment where people take many classes not pertaining to their particular demographic and need to have wide-based knowledge on many subjects. And it would be literally insane to study one facet of society (women) without including the other facets that affect it. These can't be separated, even though the Women's Studies classes I took had as its primary focus on women. *other colleges may structure this somewhat differently

A primary area we studied is how men are socialized to not express pain or weakness, or even admit to it in some cases, and how that stunts a person as you can't process difficult experiences without knowing how you feel and dealing appropriately with those feelings.

I formed a group named Moonlight Movies, but we haven't met in awhile. I bought a lot of movies. Will have to set up a time soon and advertise. Last one we watched was Fly Away Home, and before that Fried Green Tomatoes....