The first tool I wanted to discuss is what’s rapidly becoming the common tool of choice for long-distance communication at the cost of just pennies a day: Skype.
I acknowledge that this discussion grows out of one had on the 2012 Scenario Staff discussion group.
If anyone here is not on Skype yet, they may wish to consider it because it’s fast becoming indispensable among lightworkers. Not only Skype as a cheap phone substitute but also Skype as an instant messaging system. And not only Skype per se, but the latest version of Skype whatever that is – because Skype is constantly adding new features – like video-conferencing for instance.
It’s OK not to keep up with the Skype baseline if it’s a financial issue, but, if it’s not, it’s quite wonderful to talk to people around the world and see who you’re talking to.
Rough rule of thumb: People in Australia are getting up when we in North America are going to bed and vice versa. We are Ladyhawkes with each other. (1) And people in Europe are two parts of the day ahead of us – around 8 hours – just a little bit less pronounced, but not by much). Don’t know what India would be. (We lightworkers here are English speakers.)
People with Skype can phone people with landlines without the latter incurring costs. But people with landlines cannot phone people with Skype. Skype can be located to your iPhone. Not sure about the other types of cellphones. (I’ll leave comments open here for you to communicate your favorite or common Skype tips and tricks.)
Yesterday I had three Skype telconferences. One call was with another “network” of lightworkers. People on that call really got how much lightworker circles are coming together and working commonly. A coalition of interlocking groups was represented by who was on that call.
And there was no one trying to grab the spotlight or monopolize the air time, which can really affect things. There was no one thumping their chest or making outrageous claims for themselves. It was incredible to watch and heartwarming to be a part of. It showed what we were capable of. It indicated where we all are going. And it showed the effects of the rising energies on us all.
And it couldn’t have happened without Skype.
So anyone who isn’t on Skype should probably consider it, in the months before the galactics give us totally new communications technology.
The next thing I wanted to say about it is that, once on Skype, perhaps start to learn how it works, under what conditions it works and doesn’t work, on and on. Know where the instant messaging window is, how you change your status, how to prevent echo, when you need a headset and when not, how your mike works, how and when to mute it, where the Skype system preferences are, how to turn on the video, on and on so people can work together on the call to ensure that things proceed.
Now to Skype etiquette – or netiquette. It’s considered bad form to tape someone on Skype using, say, Call Recorder without asking their permission. In some countries, it’s even illegal, I believe.
Everyone on a call like the three I was on the other day is often very, very busy. Granted the energies are giving us increasingly more patience and good humor, still it wouldn’t be good to use Skype to engage socially with people unless you have their agreement and that level of relationship beforehand.
If you don’t know someone, it probably works best not to engage them in an instant-messaging volley that goes on and on like a tennis game. State your business; get your answer; and leave them free to carry on.
If you send volley after volley and they’re working in another software program (WordPress, email, word-processing), they have to leave that program with each volley and return to Skype. It can be tedious and break concentration. You may be losing brownie points if you go on a long time – and be viewed as unskilful.
Second, it may not be regarded as good netiquette to Skype someone before asking them via instant messaging if they’re willing and able to receive the call. “Are you free?” is OK. But what is even better is to say “I need to talk to you about X. What might be a good time?” That lets the person know what you need to talk about, which helps them make their decision, and allows them to finish what they’re doing.
Many lightworkers are social beings, but many are not. Many are hard workers and like to keep the social contact to a minimum. All are probably from a higher dimension than the Fifth (else, how could they assist with Ascension?) and have less need for social contact than 3D people. So it works best not to presume that people like a high degree of social contact. We’ve mostly come here for a purpose and that’s to serve Ascension.
It’s a human and an ego tendency to think that people might be bothered if Sally or Ray overuses Skype with them but not if we overuse Skype with them. (By nature, the ego is self-serving.) No, no, they can feel bothered if we use Skype with them too.
Everyone operates on the common premise that “present company is excepted” from gripes and complaints. But, even though we speak as if present company is, when we get off the line, all too often we gripe and moan about “present company” too. It’s a fig leaf that we use to cover our practices but it works better to get that it’s a disingenuous one and to start being courteous instead of thinking that we ourselves are always forgiven our sins, while others are not. We probably are not.
It seems to be an emerging convention that, when you’re finished with your exchange in Skype instant messaging, you insert a smiley or emoticon that represents how you feel or who you think you are. Once you see the emoticon, it’s often a low-risk way of the person saying “I need to go” or “I’m complete.”
At some point I’ll want to discuss side-barring (2) or gossiping, which can destroy trust and break up groups. I also want to discuss the aspect of learning to take feedback about ourselves because, when we let go of side-barring or gossiping, it’s indispensable and follows naturally that we may need to hear people’s complaints directly and, if so, we need to learn and know how to do and receive that. (Not like I’m an “expert.”)
Let me make a note of that here and then turn to the subject in a future article. I’m discussing these things because we as lightworkers are beginning to come together on our projects and the timing is probably right.
Footnotes
(1) Ladyhawke was a 1985 movie: “Captain Etienne Navarre is a man on whose shoulders lie a cruel curse. Punished for loving each other, Navarre must become a wolf by night whilst his lover, Lady Isabeau, takes the form of a hawk by day.” Thus Navarre and Isabeau are condemned never to be in human form during the same part of the day. Aussies and Kiwis and Yanks and Canucks can be sleeping when the other is working. We each have a short window morning and evening when we can Skype. Thus we are ladyhawkes to each other.
(2) Sidebarring is a common but insidious social practice in which Person 1 takes their complaints about Person 2 to Person 3 instead of Person 2. It results in Person 2 not knowing what our complaints are and watching coalitions rise against them without them ever knowing why. It leaves Person 2 in the dark and is detectable by a logical backtracking of the complaints. “Let’s see. Person 5 said X to me and I only told that to Person 7. Therefore Person 7 must be sidebarring with Person 5 about me.”
So we fool no one even if we leave some in the dark. It has to go as a practice if we are to successfully work together as lightworkers and it’s a stubborn practice, hard to let go of. But to have it go, we need to learn how to communicate, and give and hear negative feedback.