In a sense of feeling obligated, in terms of practices, to do anything for any other reason than I am simply helpless to do otherwise, child-like... I'll get curious about the mental overlay to perhaps see that all attempts to describe can only be...as if...
As you say, "a map but not the 'territory'
And no persisting some one to stand on any persisting some thing
"One spiritual authority tells us that awareness is the fundamental ground of being, another tells us we need to cultivate it, and yet another tells us it doesn’t exist. One authority encourages us to “be here now” and another tells us there is no self, no choice and no way not to be here now. Which one should we believe? Who has it right? I would say, don’t believe anything. These are all different maps, all of them potentially useful and true in different ways. Take what resonates in the moment and leave the rest behind for now."
Thank you Joan for another amazingly clear and helpful article! Somehow your words always hit home - right to the Heart of the matter. Please put these articles into another book....what a gift you share!
I am doing a Zoom Course on Mindfulness Meditation. My "meditation coach" as he calls himself (he is a doctor) laughed a lot when I told him the rest of the title of the book on Death«: the end of self-improvement!
😁 I always imagine you on the roof of the convent in a lawn chair drinking beer on orders from your superior. Memory being notoriously unreliable, I may have unintentionally embellished or changed the story, but it's a vision that always makes me smile deeply. The end of self-improvement. ❤️
Well, it was an order I received when I told my Mother Mistress that I felt awful and that I was so looking forward to the Community Spiritual Exercices (of St. Ignatius of Loyola) because I thought I did not have enough "spiritual" in me and I needed to work on that. Mind you, these Exercices went on for 15 days and that was the main thing that the community did in that period apart from the basic things to do. She answered promptly - this most intelligent woman- "No! You have an excess of "spirituality", so you won't do the Exercices! Instead, you are going to go to the roof (where there were lawn chairs) and be in the sun, in the air and look at the mountains (actually it was a gorgeous view). Furthermore,, she continued, people in Yucatàn -( my home state)-love their beer so just before lunch, everyday, you are going to stop by the infirmary and you are going to have a small glass of beer waiting for you. This most beautiful and gorgeous Convent (architecturally) is situated quite fare from Yucatan in another Mexican state. I always thought that if I were a director and did a movie on nuns I would choose that Convent because it was so beautiful. It was done by a great architect. So, just to correct slightly your memory, I had the beer at the infirmary every day, not on the roof top! My Mother Mistress was an amazing woman, wise, intelligent and funny. She always said: "the problem with the novices is that they all want to be saints but don't want to be simple nuns! How right she was, at least with me! Hugs!
Your wisdom and writing skill are joined in a uniquely loving and compassionate way. And I find my ego-self laughing out loud here and there when there's sharp recognition of some needless misunderstanding I have identified with. Thank you thank you.
These are words that call me from the stories into presence and release gratitude.
THIS....beginninglessness...endless...awaring Presence..just Life as It is constantly shining forth🙏💖
All passing through ...beautiful!
Thanks Joan ❤
....and the rug gets pulled out again....just wow
As if....
In a sense of feeling obligated, in terms of practices, to do anything for any other reason than I am simply helpless to do otherwise, child-like... I'll get curious about the mental overlay to perhaps see that all attempts to describe can only be...as if...
As you say, "a map but not the 'territory'
And no persisting some one to stand on any persisting some thing
.
Thank you, Joan
dear joan,
thank you as always for all of the this-ness.
i particularly appreciate this chunk:
"One spiritual authority tells us that awareness is the fundamental ground of being, another tells us we need to cultivate it, and yet another tells us it doesn’t exist. One authority encourages us to “be here now” and another tells us there is no self, no choice and no way not to be here now. Which one should we believe? Who has it right? I would say, don’t believe anything. These are all different maps, all of them potentially useful and true in different ways. Take what resonates in the moment and leave the rest behind for now."
thank you and much love,
myq
Thank you Joan for another amazingly clear and helpful article! Somehow your words always hit home - right to the Heart of the matter. Please put these articles into another book....what a gift you share!
Love back to you. I love your book on Death. Take care.
So happy to hear. ❤️
I am doing a Zoom Course on Mindfulness Meditation. My "meditation coach" as he calls himself (he is a doctor) laughed a lot when I told him the rest of the title of the book on Death«: the end of self-improvement!
😁 I always imagine you on the roof of the convent in a lawn chair drinking beer on orders from your superior. Memory being notoriously unreliable, I may have unintentionally embellished or changed the story, but it's a vision that always makes me smile deeply. The end of self-improvement. ❤️
Well, it was an order I received when I told my Mother Mistress that I felt awful and that I was so looking forward to the Community Spiritual Exercices (of St. Ignatius of Loyola) because I thought I did not have enough "spiritual" in me and I needed to work on that. Mind you, these Exercices went on for 15 days and that was the main thing that the community did in that period apart from the basic things to do. She answered promptly - this most intelligent woman- "No! You have an excess of "spirituality", so you won't do the Exercices! Instead, you are going to go to the roof (where there were lawn chairs) and be in the sun, in the air and look at the mountains (actually it was a gorgeous view). Furthermore,, she continued, people in Yucatàn -( my home state)-love their beer so just before lunch, everyday, you are going to stop by the infirmary and you are going to have a small glass of beer waiting for you. This most beautiful and gorgeous Convent (architecturally) is situated quite fare from Yucatan in another Mexican state. I always thought that if I were a director and did a movie on nuns I would choose that Convent because it was so beautiful. It was done by a great architect. So, just to correct slightly your memory, I had the beer at the infirmary every day, not on the roof top! My Mother Mistress was an amazing woman, wise, intelligent and funny. She always said: "the problem with the novices is that they all want to be saints but don't want to be simple nuns! How right she was, at least with me! Hugs!
Wow. Can you please make that movie??
Hi, hi, that's funny, thank you!
Nothing to say but Thanks. “The map is not the territory” could well be the ultimate mantra. Always good to remember that.
Much Love to all
Your wisdom and writing skill are joined in a uniquely loving and compassionate way. And I find my ego-self laughing out loud here and there when there's sharp recognition of some needless misunderstanding I have identified with. Thank you thank you.
Some wonderful nuance in here. I appreciate the "how concepts get misused" angle and I find it really helpful to attenuate my own ideas.
So clear, Joan. Thank you!!