Love your posts....we are roughly the same age which means dealing with all this ageing and dying stuff.....I am still trying to find a way to "use" these challenges as way to disidentify with the body and thereby find a kind of liberation.....dying before dying as they say.......so am I correct in thinking that you don't particularly go in for Rupert Spira ? (identifying with the screen of awareness, etc).....
I love and resonate with Rupert in many ways. To his credit, he does bring it around full circle from the path of detachment to the path of inclusion or love. I do love his contemplative experiential approach. I don't always share his absolute certainty about the nature of reality and how it all works.
As for "trying to dis-identify with the body," I'm not into that. It's more that there's no operator inside the body calling the shots. And "the body" is not the solid, separate "thing" we think it is.
Thank a million for the excellent overview of Radical Non-duality. I especially resonated with: treating ordinary things as extraordinary, and "acknowledgment of the moment" as an alternate to more formal meditation practices (which have always felt to me too much like having to go to the gym, or dieting).
Here's a routine my little "me" sometimes runs when I get "called upon in school:"
Ultimate Reality is infinite and eternal. In this context, any transient event is utterly absolved of any notion of goodness or badness.
Thus, peace and contentment are attainable by transcending the little "me" to stand as the infinite and eternal wherein, as Queen sang, "nothing really matters."
Little "me" then thinks, "oh, how clever, I've transformed a bleak lyric into bliss, demonstrating how badness ultimately dissolves into good and vice versa" 🤣
Glad you liked it. I will say that, unlike most of the radical nondualists I named (the exception being Barry Magid), I do see and have experienced a place for structure, discipline and form. I found Zen ritual helpful in many ways, although I left it behind, but what it evoked in me carried over into everyday life. And I definitely benefited hugely from the years I spent doing long silent meditation retreats and the years spent practicing martial arts, all of which involved structure and discipline. And today, in order to keep my body as mobile as possible and in the least amount of pain possible, I need to be very disciplined about going to the fitness center, stretching every day, working out, walking, etc. And I've experienced how the absence of structure and discipline can bring forth suffering. But I also experienced the relief of radical nonduality and being more relaxed about it all. I don't really land on either side.
I always have to rely on google translate to understand your words, so I'm never sure I really do, but I think you're saying that one should focus on oneself and not on others, as I've done here by writing about or mentioning or quoting other people, as I often do, and that you don't resonate with what you call neo-Advaita (I'm never sure exactly what that term means or what it includes, but perhaps for you it means what I call radical nonduality), that everyone is unique and relationship is vital, or something like that. I agree it might be better if I focused my attention solely on my own direct experience and forgot all about other voices and what anyone else says, but unfortunately, it seems to be my nature to do otherwise, and I seem to function (in part) as a kind of hub or resource on what's available. I had mixed feelings about writing this article, but in the end, it wrote itself, as they all do, and "I" pushed the "send to everyone now" button and off it went into that web of infinite interdependent relationships to do whatever it does.
Hi Joan, long time since we last spoke! Thanks for your Substack article. I'll chime in a bit yet first include a link to a YouTube with Richard Rudd. Here it is: https://youtu.be/XkomZsNhzHU. He seems to tie it all together...
Okay, my take...Isn't it all a story, a subjective narrative that helplessly reifies "Mua"? I don't mean to be down putting using "Mua", yet an investigation that is trailing what "was" alive, sensitively so, simply misses the mark and gets relegated to thoughts / impressions with the whole kit and caboodle being in "arrears". A good reference here is Ricard Perez (Batgap) talks about latency in his book with Rick Archer.
738. Ricard Perez – From Silence to Ecstasy: The Art of Awakening - Buddha at the Gas Pump
Anyway, thank you for all of your inspiring articles over the years! Long copy as yours tend to impede me sometimes and I speed read through some of your latter content...sorry!
Hi David...It's always good to hear from you, old friend, but honestly, I'm not sure what you're saying. I can't make heads or tails of this comment. I don't know what "Mua" is. I haven't heard of Richard Rudd and Ricard Perez and don't really feel like tracking them down to find out what you might be meaning. And it sounds like you speed read the post anyway. So, I'm mystified. But maybe someday we'll have that Zoom visit we keep talking about. I think I'm probably the one who keeps dropping the ball on that, for which I apologize. So many things slip away from me it seems. Good wishes and love to you!
I sometimes skim just the last third of your post in that your posts in general are often pretty long and understand the essence of what you are saying in the first half earlier (the latter sometimes being examples and references).
It would be wonderful to zoom sometime! I'll switch to your email address and we'll go from there. I can send you a zoom link if you'd like to connect this way.
I’d just been thinking about asking if you could recommend any of the “newer” non-dualists out there (who might be doing in person gatherings). Alexis is on the other side of the pond, but her content seems refreshing. I’m sorry for your loss and hope you make friends with your new stoma over time. Always appreciate your writing.
Reading that, I found myself thinking of an old line:
“There must be a pony in here somewhere.”
For a long time, that’s how this felt—like there was something hidden to find. Something more real, more profound, more “it.”
But lately it’s almost the opposite.
The “pony” isn’t hidden at all.
It’s just ordinary life. This as it is.
Last night I had a dream. I was there, family was there, things were happening. There was distance, movement, a whole world unfolding. And then I woke up… right where I started. Head on the pillow. Nothing had actually moved.
It makes you wonder.
Not that life is unreal or meaningless…
but that it has that same appearing, shifting quality.
It feels real while it’s happening—just like the dream.
And yet nothing can be held.
What’s been more striking isn’t finding something special…
but seeing that there’s nothing to grasp.
Sometimes this feels quietly profound.
Sometimes it feels completely flat.
But both are this.
There’s even an urge at times to say, “this is amazing.”
And that too is part of it.
But maybe what’s most freeing is simpler than that.
The sense that there must be something more—some better place, clearer state, deeper realization—starts to loosen.
And with that… there’s a kind of ease.
Not because everything feels amazing,
but because nothing needs to be different.
Life keeps moving. Things get done. Conversations happen.
But maybe there isn’t a separate “me” at the center managing it all.
Just this… appearing as everything.
The pony isn’t something hidden—it’s what’s left when nothing is missing.
It…life as a human be-ing really is ungraspable and a mystery. We can use words to try and describe what all this is but it doesn’t seem to pin it down. Thanks for all the perspectives Dear Joan.
gratitude Joan; thank you for your time and effort. A few months ago I was introduced to Rupert S. via one of your posts and dug into his teachings. Todays blog is helpful and enlightening in defining ¨radical non duality¨in a way that I can better grasp. am enjoying the journey and appreciate your constancy. wishing you days of easeful living as you continue your recovery.
“There is no person that becomes enlightened. No one awakens. Awakening is the absence of the illusion of individuality. Already there is only awakeness, oneness, timeless being, radical aliveness. When the dream seeker is no more, it is seen (by no one) that there is nothing to seek and no one to become liberated."
"There is absolutely nothing to attain except the realisation that there is absolutely nothing to attain."
Thank you Joan. I have many dharma friends who, like you, enjoy drinking from many springs. I'm cut from the other cloth, following a few teachers but ultimately relying on my intuitions. That said, I was happy to see you mention Alan Watts - he is a lodestar for me. His son Marc is doing a wonderful job making his lectures available through the podcast and website. I always have a coming home feeling when I listen.
Love your posts....we are roughly the same age which means dealing with all this ageing and dying stuff.....I am still trying to find a way to "use" these challenges as way to disidentify with the body and thereby find a kind of liberation.....dying before dying as they say.......so am I correct in thinking that you don't particularly go in for Rupert Spira ? (identifying with the screen of awareness, etc).....
I love and resonate with Rupert in many ways. To his credit, he does bring it around full circle from the path of detachment to the path of inclusion or love. I do love his contemplative experiential approach. I don't always share his absolute certainty about the nature of reality and how it all works.
As for "trying to dis-identify with the body," I'm not into that. It's more that there's no operator inside the body calling the shots. And "the body" is not the solid, separate "thing" we think it is.
Thank a million for the excellent overview of Radical Non-duality. I especially resonated with: treating ordinary things as extraordinary, and "acknowledgment of the moment" as an alternate to more formal meditation practices (which have always felt to me too much like having to go to the gym, or dieting).
Here's a routine my little "me" sometimes runs when I get "called upon in school:"
Ultimate Reality is infinite and eternal. In this context, any transient event is utterly absolved of any notion of goodness or badness.
Thus, peace and contentment are attainable by transcending the little "me" to stand as the infinite and eternal wherein, as Queen sang, "nothing really matters."
Little "me" then thinks, "oh, how clever, I've transformed a bleak lyric into bliss, demonstrating how badness ultimately dissolves into good and vice versa" 🤣
But more holistically:
“Wisdom is knowing I am nothing,
Love is knowing I am everything,
and between the two my life moves.”
-Nisargadatta Maharaj
With love...
Glad you liked it. I will say that, unlike most of the radical nondualists I named (the exception being Barry Magid), I do see and have experienced a place for structure, discipline and form. I found Zen ritual helpful in many ways, although I left it behind, but what it evoked in me carried over into everyday life. And I definitely benefited hugely from the years I spent doing long silent meditation retreats and the years spent practicing martial arts, all of which involved structure and discipline. And today, in order to keep my body as mobile as possible and in the least amount of pain possible, I need to be very disciplined about going to the fitness center, stretching every day, working out, walking, etc. And I've experienced how the absence of structure and discipline can bring forth suffering. But I also experienced the relief of radical nonduality and being more relaxed about it all. I don't really land on either side.
"I don't really land on either side." I'm right there with you...basking in the ineffability. That's what I love about your writing/posts. 🙏
Hola ¡ m'agradaria que siguessis sent tu ,no et perverteixis, els Toni i demés son altres sintonies
sí senyalen però tothom té que escoltar i fer cas de la seva propia sintonia
Radical absolut total ,, cuidado, som conciencia en diversitat canvi i amb distinció
No veig en bons ulls el neo-advaita, el Això és Això total sense poder modificar in-assumible
Aquí tot es relació cada cosa i persona distinta única irrepetible, sense ser dos, de la conciencia no sabuda no nascuda.
El joc la relació sempre es pot perfeccionar quan hi ha més consciencia social que ve donada per la de cadascú
Tota acció encara la més lliure ve motivada per tota aquesta relació de tot amb tot al instant espontània
I always have to rely on google translate to understand your words, so I'm never sure I really do, but I think you're saying that one should focus on oneself and not on others, as I've done here by writing about or mentioning or quoting other people, as I often do, and that you don't resonate with what you call neo-Advaita (I'm never sure exactly what that term means or what it includes, but perhaps for you it means what I call radical nonduality), that everyone is unique and relationship is vital, or something like that. I agree it might be better if I focused my attention solely on my own direct experience and forgot all about other voices and what anyone else says, but unfortunately, it seems to be my nature to do otherwise, and I seem to function (in part) as a kind of hub or resource on what's available. I had mixed feelings about writing this article, but in the end, it wrote itself, as they all do, and "I" pushed the "send to everyone now" button and off it went into that web of infinite interdependent relationships to do whatever it does.
Bé he respost pel correu, potser ho hagués de fer per aquí i engego una altra resposta
Visca el traductor automàtic ¡
Sí aprendre de tot de tothom l'influencia té que arribar al nostre ser i manera de ser i aquest ho tradueix des de la nostra manera
Neo-advaita ho entenc com no-dualitat radical però inflexible estar massa segur
Sé que que ets inflexible en no deixar-te posseir pels demés i a sobre llibertaria
Com no estimar una persona així..
Just - thank you 🙏. And love
Hi Joan, long time since we last spoke! Thanks for your Substack article. I'll chime in a bit yet first include a link to a YouTube with Richard Rudd. Here it is: https://youtu.be/XkomZsNhzHU. He seems to tie it all together...
Okay, my take...Isn't it all a story, a subjective narrative that helplessly reifies "Mua"? I don't mean to be down putting using "Mua", yet an investigation that is trailing what "was" alive, sensitively so, simply misses the mark and gets relegated to thoughts / impressions with the whole kit and caboodle being in "arrears". A good reference here is Ricard Perez (Batgap) talks about latency in his book with Rick Archer.
738. Ricard Perez – From Silence to Ecstasy: The Art of Awakening - Buddha at the Gas Pump
Anyway, thank you for all of your inspiring articles over the years! Long copy as yours tend to impede me sometimes and I speed read through some of your latter content...sorry!
Sending love.
Hi David...It's always good to hear from you, old friend, but honestly, I'm not sure what you're saying. I can't make heads or tails of this comment. I don't know what "Mua" is. I haven't heard of Richard Rudd and Ricard Perez and don't really feel like tracking them down to find out what you might be meaning. And it sounds like you speed read the post anyway. So, I'm mystified. But maybe someday we'll have that Zoom visit we keep talking about. I think I'm probably the one who keeps dropping the ball on that, for which I apologize. So many things slip away from me it seems. Good wishes and love to you!
Hi Joan,
Mua means me.
I sometimes skim just the last third of your post in that your posts in general are often pretty long and understand the essence of what you are saying in the first half earlier (the latter sometimes being examples and references).
It would be wonderful to zoom sometime! I'll switch to your email address and we'll go from there. I can send you a zoom link if you'd like to connect this way.
I’d just been thinking about asking if you could recommend any of the “newer” non-dualists out there (who might be doing in person gatherings). Alexis is on the other side of the pond, but her content seems refreshing. I’m sorry for your loss and hope you make friends with your new stoma over time. Always appreciate your writing.
Simplicity Itself — Just this as it is
Reading that, I found myself thinking of an old line:
“There must be a pony in here somewhere.”
For a long time, that’s how this felt—like there was something hidden to find. Something more real, more profound, more “it.”
But lately it’s almost the opposite.
The “pony” isn’t hidden at all.
It’s just ordinary life. This as it is.
Last night I had a dream. I was there, family was there, things were happening. There was distance, movement, a whole world unfolding. And then I woke up… right where I started. Head on the pillow. Nothing had actually moved.
It makes you wonder.
Not that life is unreal or meaningless…
but that it has that same appearing, shifting quality.
It feels real while it’s happening—just like the dream.
And yet nothing can be held.
What’s been more striking isn’t finding something special…
but seeing that there’s nothing to grasp.
Sometimes this feels quietly profound.
Sometimes it feels completely flat.
But both are this.
There’s even an urge at times to say, “this is amazing.”
And that too is part of it.
But maybe what’s most freeing is simpler than that.
The sense that there must be something more—some better place, clearer state, deeper realization—starts to loosen.
And with that… there’s a kind of ease.
Not because everything feels amazing,
but because nothing needs to be different.
Life keeps moving. Things get done. Conversations happen.
But maybe there isn’t a separate “me” at the center managing it all.
Just this… appearing as everything.
The pony isn’t something hidden—it’s what’s left when nothing is missing.
I attach because it's absurd.
I'm probably dense, but I don't understand your comment or to what it refers.
Even more absurd is attaching to unattachment. Neti, neti
❤️
Thank you Joan 🙏 There is something. Unknowable to the body/mind thoughts. It is so quiet, fragile, ungraspable…because of course it is not a thing.
It…life as a human be-ing really is ungraspable and a mystery. We can use words to try and describe what all this is but it doesn’t seem to pin it down. Thanks for all the perspectives Dear Joan.
gratitude Joan; thank you for your time and effort. A few months ago I was introduced to Rupert S. via one of your posts and dug into his teachings. Todays blog is helpful and enlightening in defining ¨radical non duality¨in a way that I can better grasp. am enjoying the journey and appreciate your constancy. wishing you days of easeful living as you continue your recovery.
Really appreciate the overview. Interesting and helpful. Thank you Joan!
Dear Joan,
Thank you for these Tony Parsons words:
“There is no person that becomes enlightened. No one awakens. Awakening is the absence of the illusion of individuality. Already there is only awakeness, oneness, timeless being, radical aliveness. When the dream seeker is no more, it is seen (by no one) that there is nothing to seek and no one to become liberated."
"There is absolutely nothing to attain except the realisation that there is absolutely nothing to attain."
And for all of YOUR words!
Love
Myq
Wonderful description. Thank you.
Thank you Joan. I have many dharma friends who, like you, enjoy drinking from many springs. I'm cut from the other cloth, following a few teachers but ultimately relying on my intuitions. That said, I was happy to see you mention Alan Watts - he is a lodestar for me. His son Marc is doing a wonderful job making his lectures available through the podcast and website. I always have a coming home feeling when I listen.
Best wishes to you.
Watts is an old, longtime favorite of mine since college days back in the 60s.