Beautiful writing Joan. You consistently show that you are, as Robert Saltzman would phrase it, "awake". Of course, there are as many nuances to expressing our explanations as there are voices, and I struggle with "love" as anything more than a description of a human emotion, or an assumed interpretation of behaviour in other animals...but your writing has for some time now been an important resource for me. I thank you deeply.
To me, unconditional love is synonymous with awareness. It allows everything to be as it is, it accepts everything, it clings to nothing, it is inseparable from everything it beholds. Beholding is such a beautiful word, as it contains both being and holding. Unconditional love evokes the love of a mother for her child. It is how everything is seen from wholeness, rather than from separation and particularity.
Yes, emotional love can be mixed with desire, greed, insecurity, clinging, possessiveness, lust, and other messy things, but at its core, love is a sense of feeling at one with something, seeing the beauty in it, being filled with that presence, which is our own presence, the presence that has no center and no owner. Love evokes the mystery of "not one, not two," the dance of lover and beloved, form and emptiness. Love is a word that speaks to the heart, the warmth of this presence, the fullness of this emptiness.
But, as always, if a word doesn't resonate for someone, I say, let it go. Use the words that do.
Oh Joan, what a marvel, your offering today leaves me filled with awe and appreciation...for everything! I especially want to thank you for the last paragraph: "Take what resonates from everyone you read or hear, and leave behind what doesn't. Don't waste time comparing one to another and trying to figure out who has it right. No one has it right because no words are it, and everyone has it right because everything is it. Enjoy!" Those words have brought such peace and freedom to my heart/mind. Yes, yes...Enjoy! don't waste time trying to figure out the Mystery and put it into a box - it can't be done - just Enjoy!!! Heartfelt Hugs to you Joan
I greatly appreciate you investing the time in crafting this lovely response, Joan, and in light of it, I see why "love" works for you when writing of presence....
By discussing such things, allowing and contemplating, the ability to fully experience and be content with what is, is, I find, enhanced. Best wishes.
All the grace of each and every moment. I find your writing is such a love-ly expression. “This presence could also be called unconditional love.” Thank you Dear one. 🫶🙏🏻
Before I’d heard the word spirituality, I saw the story by EM Forster, Thr Eternal Moment, recognized the truth of it, and maybe could have stopped right there and rested in it, but didn’t.
Thank you Joan. Your post today resonated deeply with me. I have already ordered Darryl Bailey’s book. You introduced me to him via your booklist and have been a fan of his since. The same is true of Salvadore Poe. Thanks again dear Joan. Much love to all.
Again you've said it beautifully Joan; "There’s so much here that isn’t a thought or a creation of thought". Although sometimes necessary, the thinking-mind ruins everything.
"NOW is not the fleeting present moment, but the timeless presence, the one bottomless moment that has no before or after."
Oh, I had no idea how much I was grasping until I read this line. Freeing, Joan. It was never mine to hold, I know, but I could still feel a grabbiness. Wow.
A beautifully written piece.
Felt your writing today Joan a sublime beautiful connection of knowing.
Gently 🙏 ♥️
In just a few words, you have said everything that needs to be said, that can be said, and even what can’t be said is said in these few words.
Beautiful!
Your writing is the best medicine ☺️ thank you🙏🏻
Always a big Yes when contemplating your writings!🙂❣️🙏
Wonderful thank you. My dog has found the patch of sunlight on the sofa and is resting there. Beautiful.
Beautiful writing Joan. You consistently show that you are, as Robert Saltzman would phrase it, "awake". Of course, there are as many nuances to expressing our explanations as there are voices, and I struggle with "love" as anything more than a description of a human emotion, or an assumed interpretation of behaviour in other animals...but your writing has for some time now been an important resource for me. I thank you deeply.
To me, unconditional love is synonymous with awareness. It allows everything to be as it is, it accepts everything, it clings to nothing, it is inseparable from everything it beholds. Beholding is such a beautiful word, as it contains both being and holding. Unconditional love evokes the love of a mother for her child. It is how everything is seen from wholeness, rather than from separation and particularity.
Yes, emotional love can be mixed with desire, greed, insecurity, clinging, possessiveness, lust, and other messy things, but at its core, love is a sense of feeling at one with something, seeing the beauty in it, being filled with that presence, which is our own presence, the presence that has no center and no owner. Love evokes the mystery of "not one, not two," the dance of lover and beloved, form and emptiness. Love is a word that speaks to the heart, the warmth of this presence, the fullness of this emptiness.
But, as always, if a word doesn't resonate for someone, I say, let it go. Use the words that do.
Oh Joan, what a marvel, your offering today leaves me filled with awe and appreciation...for everything! I especially want to thank you for the last paragraph: "Take what resonates from everyone you read or hear, and leave behind what doesn't. Don't waste time comparing one to another and trying to figure out who has it right. No one has it right because no words are it, and everyone has it right because everything is it. Enjoy!" Those words have brought such peace and freedom to my heart/mind. Yes, yes...Enjoy! don't waste time trying to figure out the Mystery and put it into a box - it can't be done - just Enjoy!!! Heartfelt Hugs to you Joan
I greatly appreciate you investing the time in crafting this lovely response, Joan, and in light of it, I see why "love" works for you when writing of presence....
By discussing such things, allowing and contemplating, the ability to fully experience and be content with what is, is, I find, enhanced. Best wishes.
All the grace of each and every moment. I find your writing is such a love-ly expression. “This presence could also be called unconditional love.” Thank you Dear one. 🫶🙏🏻
Before I’d heard the word spirituality, I saw the story by EM Forster, Thr Eternal Moment, recognized the truth of it, and maybe could have stopped right there and rested in it, but didn’t.
Thank you Joan. Your post today resonated deeply with me. I have already ordered Darryl Bailey’s book. You introduced me to him via your booklist and have been a fan of his since. The same is true of Salvadore Poe. Thanks again dear Joan. Much love to all.
Again you've said it beautifully Joan; "There’s so much here that isn’t a thought or a creation of thought". Although sometimes necessary, the thinking-mind ruins everything.
It feels good to not need to know what the thing in itself is.
"NOW is not the fleeting present moment, but the timeless presence, the one bottomless moment that has no before or after."
Oh, I had no idea how much I was grasping until I read this line. Freeing, Joan. It was never mine to hold, I know, but I could still feel a grabbiness. Wow.