HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY CHI!!!

submitted by Sally LaSalle

Chi is 4.


4 Second Life (SL) years equates to about 100 human ones.  At least that's how long ago it feels to me, that Chi was born.  But born from what?  Born from the creative passion of two people that were driven to make a place that was to be a celebration of the elements that combine to form life, love and creative energy.  Born to be a place of peaceful meditation and quiet reflection, where life's constant ebb and flow can be watched and reflected on.

People have asked, mainly in the surfing community, why has Chi lasted so long, while other surf sims have gone to pixel dust?  The answer really lies in who it is that is asking the question. You see, Chi wasn't created to be a surfing sim. Surfing came later! So from its very beginning, Chi was an unusual place on SL. It was a place that was not carved up into neatly lettable parcels for rent. It was a place that embraced "bumpiness", terraformed to provide a real life feel, and to soothe the eyes with smooth curves, 4 separate rounded bays each with a different atmosphere, a mountain range a volcano, with terrain rising from a uniquely created custom sand texture through verdant greens to craggy rocky heights.

Something else you may or may not have ever noticed, but if you look down on Chi from above, the island is bisected by a deep ravine into two halves, its Yin and its Yang. Much thought and care went into the concept, as did the covenant which provides for a consistent Asian inspired build and the exclusion of smoke belching machines. Chi has also always been an open build sim, a place where people could come and try things out or just rez their shopping and try things on.  It has welcomed and embraced diversity in all its forms, with residents and technology from the broad spectrum of human imagination.

And in embracing that diversity perhaps lies the secret of its longevity.  Chi has never been dependent on surfing or surf related forms of income for its survival.  Economically, it has a very diverse source of income from all forms of SL business and donations. Chi is a very welcoming place, but in a very subtle way, we are not "in your face" with over the top salutations.  We never ask for contributions or donations.  On the other hand, we are very much into providing them, on the basis that karma will prevail and kind deeds, tho reward enough in their own right, will eventually be rewarded in other ways.

Chi has no expectations or aspirations.  Come as you are, enjoy, go as freely as waves on life's energy flow. Stay or not, like it or not, it's your choice and it's a place of non judgment. The only rule is to do no harm and consider your actions or motivations in the broad context of ever-changing life.

Will Chi always be there? I very much doubt it. The only constant in life is change.  It's the essence of the universe we all occupy, so one day Chi will have changed to some other form. That is OK, it's not to be feared or something to be sad about, it's just another phase. For now, as always, from a place of pure belief in my heart, I welcome you all to come visit, maybe stay, but enjoy Chi and Tai as they are in the present moment enjoy the surf, and see you in another year !! :)

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