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Apr 16, 2023Liked by Joan Tollifson

Beautifully expressed. I think perhaps, that one of the paradoxes of practicing meditation, is that when we become less absorbed by our own individual suffering, we become more acutely, and even painfully aware of the ubiquity of it, and that is when we realize that there is no escape. When I really want to make it all go away, I know that it is time to start in with tonglen. Breathing it in with acceptance, even when I can exhale relief, helps me manage. Thank you so much for your work.

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Apr 16, 2023Liked by Joan Tollifson

A deeply moving post. It brought to mind a question I often ponder...can compassion can exist without suffering?

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Hmmmmm. Eight pm. Cold feet. Sound of traffic. Lights snuggled into the blanket lands beyond window

This is an answer of sorts. It pepper and salts down into aching bits. There are answers that aren’t answers. They companion you

This piece has companioned me. It is me because it’s pointing out the truth. It’s taking on the garb of recognition and it’s God underneath.

The duality of drunk and sober is a horrible crucible. It is applied to so many things once introduced in AA. The suffering is the No. to what is here.

I can’t stop the fighter rising to break a table cleanly in two with some kind of saunter. The feeling that climbs inside with the rebel. This has come in handy a lot of times. And cut me under others

At the moment I cannot know why I’m drawn to political resistance networking. It’s fucking exhausting. I have a novel that requires some final editing and tending it is like watching light play off water. Heart streaming into the page.

And yet I’m addictively internetting. Is it because I have far end M.E and am preparing to die. And like Steven Levine transcribes in ‘A year to Live’

There will be resistance

In appreciation of Leonard Cohens awesomeness

I love a smoking guru

Saltzmans frank honesty and eyeballing. Bit nervous with him but he writes orchestral seascapes.

And a seventh year in lockdown with chronic illness.

Love you Joan. You nail it

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Apr 18, 2023Liked by Joan Tollifson

Thank you Joan for all of this deep thinking and writing. I’m having surgery next week and I’m really scared. That’s how it is now. It’s not easy just letting it be. No escape. Reading your words helps accept the resistance.

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