Silicon Graphics, Inc. memories

Today I found the embroidered badge from Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI), never sewn on. It brought back memories of my last and best technical writing job from 1993-1996. The clever cube image logo was originally a 3-D graphic drawn by SGI software. In the early 1990s, SGI was the leader in high-end computer graphic computers.

When DreamWorks was launched in May, 1995, they held a company-wide event when Steven Spielberg and a big screen outdoors announced a deal with SGI as their development platform of choice. The back of the T-shirt says "The Digital Studio of the 21st Century no limits" under a figure flying up into the sky. Later, SGI bought Cray, which had been the high-end leader of computing. Later still, smaller platforms outpaced them both.

I wonder if Ed McCracken has had a detailed biography. Can you imagine the CEO of a Silicon Valley, CA hi-tech company who liked purple computers and led meditation events for employees? The word "IRIS" is the name of a computer model. I'm not sure what INSIGHT referred to in the business. Perhaps a code name for an R&D project. Red lettering at the bottom of the badge says "GROK-IT Science", a play on the cliche "rocket science", which engineering at SGI definitely was. The online Urban dictionary defines grok as meaning "understanding" and used by computer programmers and other geeks. The image of a jet-propelled light bulb as the nucleus of an atom, must be promoting the quality of SGI ideas. Not sure of the significance of the seven stars except to indicate outer space.

I wrote some notes after attending a meditation event sponsored by McCracken in July 1995.

"Whew I'm back from a day of Siddha meditation. Feeling very very good. I mostly felt ecstatic, except for the last meditation where knees gave way and I slipped into an unbalanced position. However, slipped into even deeper meditation at the end and didn't want it to be over. I gave the picture of Wholeo and card to Ed who seemed to like it and said he'd look at my home page. Boy, conservatively dressed in white and beige clothes, both he and his teacher helper Janet.

"Gee I hate to get back to life. That was so nice. And very tempting to become involved.
I feel very good about the day's meditation. My favorite thing to do. Still glowing, still reveling in the luxury of it.
SYDA Foundation 1197 Stanford Ave. Oakland, CA 94608. Oakland Ashram (510) 655-8677. Intensive in Sept. or Oct. Was Muktananda's group.
Is seva service? om namah shivaya chant.

"Lovely setting with flowers and buddha and podium.
Witness--imagination
man tra is think tool, or mind tool
posture, breath, mantra, inner self
spirtus numa
Om (I salute) nama (to honor) shivaya (highest self within)

Actually I did a new healing to the power and intensity I felt there. The whirling fast flight. Power, intensity, and speed. I have to acknowledge that.

For me it was a reinteration of the "bliss threshold" idea. How good do you allow yourself to feel? This was the intensity threshold. How intense do you allow yourself to feel? This upped mine for sure. Like intensity that has no release. Usually we feel intense towards a certain purpose. But this is holding it, allowing it, being it. Just cued into the intensive in Oakland. That word, is the thing to go with?

Thinking this woman leader is Yogamaya? {Another link: Yogamaya's birthday March 1980.} No, somehow seems like a stepping stone to Yogamaya. Swami Chidvilasananda {name of Ed's guru}. In Intensive, she bestows the gift of Shaktipat. Ed told the story of getting his from her. He giggled, she giggled, he giggled, and then he experienced a love as of mother for child, but much greater. And it has remained. Shaktipat is permanent enlightening."

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