The Erratic Oneironaut - Issue #63
Newsletter of the Mortal Mist Community
April 15, 2011
Reaching For The Next LevelThe quality of the individuals within a society defines the quality of that society's institutions.
--Dr. Thomas Campbell, "My Big TOE"
Take a look around you. Unless you are hiding out somewhere in complete isolation, you are swimming (or floating or maybe drowning) in a sea of consciousness. Your household, workplace, neighborhood, community, town or city, region and nation are each, in turn, an organized subset of the next, and all exist entirely because people - individuals - are conscious of them and participating. All are constructs of consciousness which would cease to exist if nobody acknowledged them.
Mortal Mist is one such collection of consciousness, and a rather unique one. Consider, by Campbell's standard, what the quality of this institution says about those choosing to gather here! People who find this a worthwhile place to invest their consciousness share the values and ideals of those already here, while others tend to get bored and go away without the need for banning, moderation or other police action. We are loosely defined by our focus on Lucid Dreaming and related exploration of consciousness, but much better defined by our quality. Our organizational structure would be probably be called an "anarchy", though one consisting of individuals who truly respect each other and the community. Because of the quality of all involved, ours is an anarchy that actually works.
What is the next level for Mortal Mist, and how do we get there? I don't yet know the answer to the first question. The answer to the second is this: we get there by working on the only thing any of us have absolute influence over - the quality of our own consciousness. If we want to be a better dreaming community, I need to become a better dreamer and more encouraging of other dreamers. If we want to be friendlier, I need to be more friendly and inviting. If we want to be more fun, I must find ways to have and share fun here. If we want more sense of community, I need to be more involved. If we want to be more research oriented, I need to become a researcher. There is no other way; the only thing I can change is myself.
It is the same with all organizations and institutions. Homes, businesses and governments are all constructs of consciousness, accurately reflecting the quality of the individuals involved. Sadly, many institutions speak very poorly for the average quality of those involved, but complaining is futile. The average can only be changed by involved individuals first choosing to change the quality of themselves.
MMineCraftThanks to
Luminous' original suggestion and
Mario92's initiative, Mortal Mist is now hosting a MineCraft server.
If you aren't already aware of the phenomenon of MineCraft, (often referred to as "MineCrack" with good reason,) here is a perspective from somebody, (me,) who was just introduced to it with the implementation of our own server:
MineCraft is a virtual three-dimensional world completely open to being altered, modified, built on and interacted with. Yes - it is very much like Lucid Dreaming, except what you do is persistent! You mine for materials and build whatever you wish. You can farm crops or animals, build majestic castles in the sky or humble dirt or wood cabins in the wilderness. You can be a hermit or sail around the world or explore vast networks of caves and dungeons looking for precious gems and ores.
Your first impression will probably remind you of a world made of Lego blocks, but you will quickly adapt to this quirky existence and begin seeing the beauty, adventure and creative possibilities. We are, after all, creative creatures; the world of MineCraft caters exquisitely to that drive.
Our server is only available to IPs in our logs, so you must be a member of Mortal Mist and have logged in from the IP address you wish to use before you can get in. (The access list is updated every ten minutes, so if you can't get in immediately just wait a little while after logging into the forum.) Use Multiplayer mode and enter 168.92.148:9028 to find us. It is a peaceful world without monsters, where players seek out materials, build their dream homes and just have creative fun.
Mario92 is the administrator of the server, so if you need anything special just PM him.
While the server is free for us to host and operate, you do need to own a copy of the MineCraft client to access it. You can get a feel for how the Creative individual version of the game works without any purchase here:
http://www.minecraft.net/play.jspBe forewarned about a couple things:
* Both the server and the game client are still in beta, and there are bugs - though the game is very playable and enjoyable.
* Learning the more involved version of the game we are running takes some time, and there is no formal documentation yet. There is an excellent Wiki that answers pretty much any question you are likely to come up with :
http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Minecraft_Wiki* Finally, be warned that this game is highly addictive and potentially a huge time waster!
There is already an array of buildings there, ranging from humble and cozy to fantastic. To visit my little piece of this world, find the long bridge heading east over the sea near the spawn point and just follow the road. It's a bit of a hike, but visitors are most welcome! I've also proposed the joint construction of a Mortal Mist Town Hall. Join the conversation in this thread:
http://mortalmist.com/forum/the-den/minecraft-addicts-unite!/http://www.minecraft.net/
Monthly Events:Basic Lucid Challenge: Go on an Easter egg hunt.
Intermediate Lucid Challenge: Explore the origins of the Easter Island statues.
Advanced Lucid Challenge: Freeze time. Bonus points if you do this during a rain storm.
April Monthly Meeting Place - Detroit Institute Of Art In The Rivera Court Of MuralsMaking it to the Detroit Institute Of Art In The Rivera Court Of Murals while lucid and talking to another person or communication with a mural there will earn a Gold Award. Making it to the Detroit Institute Of Art In The Rivera Court Of Murals while lucid but not talking to another person or communication with a mural there will earn a Silver Award. Making it to the Detroit Institute Of Art In The Rivera Court Of Murals in a non-lucid dream will earn a bronze award:
http://mortalmist.com/forum/featured-monthly-challenges-and-meeting-place/april-2011-mmp-detroit-institute-of-art-in-the-rivera-court-of-muralsPlease remember to submit your suggestions for this month's Featured Lucid Dream when the thread is posted here:
http://mortalmist.com/forum/community-and-general-dreaming-projects/
Community and System Notes- Moonlit Meadows Game #6 continues. Follow the action here:
http://mortalmist.com/forum/moonlit-meadows/game-6-(pregame)-moonlit-metropolis-cheats-liars/ - The system kernel was successfully updated on April 12 - noteworthy because I'm not here apologizing for resulting extended downtime or one of our subsystems being broken.
- mu has fixed the lag problem inherent in Ajax Chat! If you've been frustrated by this problem, particularly when larger groups are gathered, thank mu for some welcome relief. (He likes mermaids and beer.)
Final ThoughtsWhat we are and what we become is up to you. Are YOU ready to reach for the next level?
Thank you for granting your consciousness to our existence. Thank you for being a unique and important facet of the magical personality of this place. Thank you for demonstrating that such an institution can exist without a physical profit motive. Thank you for helping prove we humans really can get along in a society without elaborate rules and heavy-handed enforcement. Thank you for owning this place, and for being a truly great owner.
Until next time,
pj. . .
CARPE NOCTEM
