Hi Joan. I like and appreciate your take on 'present moment' or 'just this'.
I'm reading Swampland Flowers, the letters and lectures of Ta Hui, translated by J. C. Cleary. One of Ta Hui's lectures says: - "Do you want to know what truth is? It's True Thusness, Buddha-nature, Enlightenment, Nirvana. Do you want to know what the disease is? It's arbitrary conception, inverted thoughts and perceptions, greed, hatred, erroneous views. Even so, apart from the inversion of arbitrary conceptions there is no Truly So Buddha-nature; apart from greed, hatred and erroneous views, there is no Enlightenment or Nirvana.
There's a Zen koan: "Medicine and sickness cure each other. The whole earth is medicine. What is the self?" But, it's very easy to wander off into philosophy and metaphysics, whereas koans are meant to take us beyond the thinking mind. As were my words. 🙏
So beautifully stated and such a wealth of wisdom you shared in this piece. Thanks so much. I really needed to get in touch with this experience of PRESENT.
Thank you, Joan. I am indeed experiencing stressful times.
I love the shorter pieces...
Human beings are meaning-making machines...we make meaning, tell stories, as a defense against the fear/recognition of the fragility of life...we desperately need/want this to mean something; to be going somewhere; building to a cohesive story...when truly appreciating, sitting with, the fragility of life lived moment to moment...is the true joy of being...
Thanks as always for guiding us to other sources like Simon Brown.
When we're really here, fully present, the whole question of meaning evaporates.
Yes, so many of our stories are forms of suffering or ways of avoiding the "the only real cure." But of course, some stories are wonderful and even enlightening. I love good movies, plays, novels, and many of those old Zen stories. Nothing wrong with entertainment or even distraction at times—e.g., when I was going through physically painful cancer treatment, I watched movies at times to distract myself from the pain, and it worked. It gave me a few hours of relief as well as a good story. So, it's a matter of discernment as to when a story is addictive or needless suffering and when it's helpful or enjoyable or liberating. ❤️🙏
Beautful description, Joan, thank you for sharing this.
While listening to Simon Brown's video i remembered a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in Bhagavadgita and it seems that in that case which reminds a lot our actual times (withdrawal from Dharma path) Krishna has a very strong position and encourages Arjuna to go to war and exterminate the enemies because according to Him they are already dead anyways and it's important to restore Dharma. This position seems very different from the one that Simon is talking about. It would be very interesting to hear your opinion about this subject?
My article and Simon's video, as I hear it, are both pointing beyond getting caught up in political or philosophical debates--focusing instead on a deeper reality. Both are directed at people who are drawn to that kind of exploration, which I assume my Substack readers generally are. I can't speak for Simon, but as I see it, this doesn't mean one should never think, read or talk about politics or philosophy, but rather, be aware of when it's truly useful and when it's a kind of distraction or a way of confirming our identity and our ideas. The same goes for political activism. I have deep respect for someone like Martin Luther King, Jr, for whom social justice work was an integral part of his spiritual path. So, for some people, this is part of their path. I personally take an interest in politics and world events and do not ignore them.
In this story of Krishna and Arjuna, the Gita is, I think, offering a more absolute perspective, much like what Darryl Bailey is always offering. This is the recognition that everyone and everything is a perfect expression of the universe, and that nothing could be other than exactly how it is, including all the things we don't like. This is a beautiful understanding if it is truly grokked.
HI Indrika, Just thought id pop in and thank you for your brilliant comment. I am not an Advaita practitioner so wouldn’t comment too much on the deeper meaning of the Bhagavad Gita. However, Joan expressed it beautifully, in that the teaching I was referring to by the founder of Nyingma Dzogchen Dharma, Garab Dorje aims to free us from the bondage of a mind that is fixated on form, and attached to views. Views arise naturally dependent on conditions, but when we take them to be fixed, substantial and Personal we often suffer and perpetuate suffering in the name of those views. If we are able to notice the arising and ceasing of views, opinions & beliefs and recognise that these are not truly what we are and our safety is not dependent on them, then it opens us up to a deeper freedom beyond the conditional coming and going of phenomena. I hope this helps and thanks so much for your engagement.
I am not currently a vegan, although at times in my life, I have been. I was a macrobiotic for a number of years, and a vegetarian for many other years, but currently I do eat fish, poultry, a bit of red meat, and dairy. When buying meat, I only buy organic, humanely raised (or wild caught fish). But I live now in a retirement community where my fees include dinner here a few nights a week. The dining room does not adhere to those standards, and I eat what is served.
I have no moral objection to eating meat, since humans are omnivores by nature and life feeds on life. My objection is to the horribly inhumane practices of factory farming, including things such as how they create veal or foie gras. And then, since most of us in the developed world get our meat pre-packaged in supermarkets, we are removed from the actual process of killing the animals. Most people are unaware of the horrible conditions in factory farms. And even if the meat is humanely raised, it's not the same as actually hunting and fishing for your own food and being directly engaged in the process. It's much more removed, so that we cannot easily see the packaged meat as the flesh of a once living animal, often a highly intelligent one such as a pig.
My friend John Butler, a contemporary Christian mystic in the UK, was one of the first organic farmers, and he raised animals for meat. He had beautiful connections with them and would even accompany them to the slaughterhouse. You can hear him talk about this in his two interviews on Conscious TV and in his autobiographical book Wonders of Spiritual Unfoldment, both of which I highly recommend. It reminds me of how the Native Americans and other indigenous people apparently approach hunting, with great reverence and respect for the animals.
Finally, in regards to all the things in life that I find objectionable, factory farming included, I also have the nondual perspective that both Simon Brown and I express in different ways in response to Indrika's question in an earlier comment.
Joan this perspective on hunting is very helpful for me. I used to be an upland bird hunter (partridge and quail). I got into it because I love working in tandem with bird dogs. The teamwork and bonding is incredible. As a meat eater, it also felt far more ethical than buying packaged meat in a store, especially since it was extremely hard work, up and down hills all day for a few partridge.
The killing was very challenging emotionally. It's hard to explain what a visceral experience it is, holding the still warm bird in hand. There was very much a spiritual connection with the animal. In short, nothing in my experience has compared in terms of feeling fully alive, in the moment (completely concentrated), and connected to the earth and what felt like my primordial being.
As I got more into Buddhist teaching and the precepts, and karmic considerations, and my last dog died, I decided I had to relinquish it. Lately I'm feeling a very strong pull to return to it. Your perspective in this regard is helpful, thank you.
I ordered Buddhessence based on your recommendation and it arrived today. Wow, it is just what I needed. Such a gem! Also arriving today was "Death: The End of Self-improvement." It looks inspiring and helpful. You are such a talented writer/author. I have been following and admiring your work for decades. May you be well and happy!
Simple and precise 🫶 Thank you for sharing!
Beautifully written and well pointed. Thank you Joan!
Absolutely sublime ❤️
Hi Joan. I like and appreciate your take on 'present moment' or 'just this'.
I'm reading Swampland Flowers, the letters and lectures of Ta Hui, translated by J. C. Cleary. One of Ta Hui's lectures says: - "Do you want to know what truth is? It's True Thusness, Buddha-nature, Enlightenment, Nirvana. Do you want to know what the disease is? It's arbitrary conception, inverted thoughts and perceptions, greed, hatred, erroneous views. Even so, apart from the inversion of arbitrary conceptions there is no Truly So Buddha-nature; apart from greed, hatred and erroneous views, there is no Enlightenment or Nirvana.
Ron Elloway.
There's a Zen koan: "Medicine and sickness cure each other. The whole earth is medicine. What is the self?" But, it's very easy to wander off into philosophy and metaphysics, whereas koans are meant to take us beyond the thinking mind. As were my words. 🙏
So beautifully stated and such a wealth of wisdom you shared in this piece. Thanks so much. I really needed to get in touch with this experience of PRESENT.
Thanks AGAIN Joan. Your writing never fails to bring me home.
Thank you, I need a daily reminder about reality being non dual, specially now!
Thank you, Joan. I am indeed experiencing stressful times.
I love the shorter pieces...
Human beings are meaning-making machines...we make meaning, tell stories, as a defense against the fear/recognition of the fragility of life...we desperately need/want this to mean something; to be going somewhere; building to a cohesive story...when truly appreciating, sitting with, the fragility of life lived moment to moment...is the true joy of being...
Thanks as always for guiding us to other sources like Simon Brown.
Love, Tom
Thanks, Tom.
When we're really here, fully present, the whole question of meaning evaporates.
Yes, so many of our stories are forms of suffering or ways of avoiding the "the only real cure." But of course, some stories are wonderful and even enlightening. I love good movies, plays, novels, and many of those old Zen stories. Nothing wrong with entertainment or even distraction at times—e.g., when I was going through physically painful cancer treatment, I watched movies at times to distract myself from the pain, and it worked. It gave me a few hours of relief as well as a good story. So, it's a matter of discernment as to when a story is addictive or needless suffering and when it's helpful or enjoyable or liberating. ❤️🙏
Reading your article Joan, soothes the nerves and brings my heart such warmth. Thank you Dearest
Beautful description, Joan, thank you for sharing this.
While listening to Simon Brown's video i remembered a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in Bhagavadgita and it seems that in that case which reminds a lot our actual times (withdrawal from Dharma path) Krishna has a very strong position and encourages Arjuna to go to war and exterminate the enemies because according to Him they are already dead anyways and it's important to restore Dharma. This position seems very different from the one that Simon is talking about. It would be very interesting to hear your opinion about this subject?
My article and Simon's video, as I hear it, are both pointing beyond getting caught up in political or philosophical debates--focusing instead on a deeper reality. Both are directed at people who are drawn to that kind of exploration, which I assume my Substack readers generally are. I can't speak for Simon, but as I see it, this doesn't mean one should never think, read or talk about politics or philosophy, but rather, be aware of when it's truly useful and when it's a kind of distraction or a way of confirming our identity and our ideas. The same goes for political activism. I have deep respect for someone like Martin Luther King, Jr, for whom social justice work was an integral part of his spiritual path. So, for some people, this is part of their path. I personally take an interest in politics and world events and do not ignore them.
In this story of Krishna and Arjuna, the Gita is, I think, offering a more absolute perspective, much like what Darryl Bailey is always offering. This is the recognition that everyone and everything is a perfect expression of the universe, and that nothing could be other than exactly how it is, including all the things we don't like. This is a beautiful understanding if it is truly grokked.
thank you Joan for your insight on that, it's really meaningful!
HI Indrika, Just thought id pop in and thank you for your brilliant comment. I am not an Advaita practitioner so wouldn’t comment too much on the deeper meaning of the Bhagavad Gita. However, Joan expressed it beautifully, in that the teaching I was referring to by the founder of Nyingma Dzogchen Dharma, Garab Dorje aims to free us from the bondage of a mind that is fixated on form, and attached to views. Views arise naturally dependent on conditions, but when we take them to be fixed, substantial and Personal we often suffer and perpetuate suffering in the name of those views. If we are able to notice the arising and ceasing of views, opinions & beliefs and recognise that these are not truly what we are and our safety is not dependent on them, then it opens us up to a deeper freedom beyond the conditional coming and going of phenomena. I hope this helps and thanks so much for your engagement.
yes, Simon, thank you very much for your answer and explanation, it really helps to see it from another perspective.
Lovely! Could you please share if you may whether you are a vegan? What are your thoughts on meat consumption?
I am not currently a vegan, although at times in my life, I have been. I was a macrobiotic for a number of years, and a vegetarian for many other years, but currently I do eat fish, poultry, a bit of red meat, and dairy. When buying meat, I only buy organic, humanely raised (or wild caught fish). But I live now in a retirement community where my fees include dinner here a few nights a week. The dining room does not adhere to those standards, and I eat what is served.
I have no moral objection to eating meat, since humans are omnivores by nature and life feeds on life. My objection is to the horribly inhumane practices of factory farming, including things such as how they create veal or foie gras. And then, since most of us in the developed world get our meat pre-packaged in supermarkets, we are removed from the actual process of killing the animals. Most people are unaware of the horrible conditions in factory farms. And even if the meat is humanely raised, it's not the same as actually hunting and fishing for your own food and being directly engaged in the process. It's much more removed, so that we cannot easily see the packaged meat as the flesh of a once living animal, often a highly intelligent one such as a pig.
My friend John Butler, a contemporary Christian mystic in the UK, was one of the first organic farmers, and he raised animals for meat. He had beautiful connections with them and would even accompany them to the slaughterhouse. You can hear him talk about this in his two interviews on Conscious TV and in his autobiographical book Wonders of Spiritual Unfoldment, both of which I highly recommend. It reminds me of how the Native Americans and other indigenous people apparently approach hunting, with great reverence and respect for the animals.
Finally, in regards to all the things in life that I find objectionable, factory farming included, I also have the nondual perspective that both Simon Brown and I express in different ways in response to Indrika's question in an earlier comment.
Joan this perspective on hunting is very helpful for me. I used to be an upland bird hunter (partridge and quail). I got into it because I love working in tandem with bird dogs. The teamwork and bonding is incredible. As a meat eater, it also felt far more ethical than buying packaged meat in a store, especially since it was extremely hard work, up and down hills all day for a few partridge.
The killing was very challenging emotionally. It's hard to explain what a visceral experience it is, holding the still warm bird in hand. There was very much a spiritual connection with the animal. In short, nothing in my experience has compared in terms of feeling fully alive, in the moment (completely concentrated), and connected to the earth and what felt like my primordial being.
As I got more into Buddhist teaching and the precepts, and karmic considerations, and my last dog died, I decided I had to relinquish it. Lately I'm feeling a very strong pull to return to it. Your perspective in this regard is helpful, thank you.
Beautiful!
I ordered Buddhessence based on your recommendation and it arrived today. Wow, it is just what I needed. Such a gem! Also arriving today was "Death: The End of Self-improvement." It looks inspiring and helpful. You are such a talented writer/author. I have been following and admiring your work for decades. May you be well and happy!
This is so good Joan, thank you so very much. Have a lovely day!