Thank you. So exhilarating to read and feel it soak in. Why I found myself sobbing I have no idea! Felt really good! Thank you for the section “The single practice I find most helpful… “ as I can hold that simplicity close - and maybe actually remember to do it. :)
Beautifully expressed as always. For me, the spiritual search was about trying to be one of those special people who are able to transcend difficult emotion. I really wanted a way to not be vulnerable and avoid feeling the way I was was feeling. It was when my mom died that I couldn’t avoid the grief and could only allow it to be. I don’t concern myself with whether I’m awake or not.
Yes, many people embark on spirituality to avoid suffering with the idea of transcending painful emotions and in an attempt to heal the sense of lack and deficiency by becoming someone special. These are common tendencies. Luckily for you, you woke up from this! The concern with whether or not "I" am awake is of course a giant ego trip, one from which it is possible to awaken. 😊
I laughed out loud when I read, “waking up from what? Being liberated from what?” And there it is, when the funny bone is tickled one needs to pay attention in order to achieve foolrealization! Then there was that closing poem, “ if useless things do not clutter your mind, you will have the best days of your life”. Thank you for the laugh, and the reminder to go out and get lost in the day. Much love to you, Christopher.
As I read your writing, I wonder who I imagine it is that would onboard this information and for what reason? And to that point, who is doing the imagining? These thoughts make me giggle.
"Life cannot be mapped. Not really. Not ever. It cannot be figured out. And yet, here it is—absolutely unavoidably and vividly present. That’s the beauty and the freedom and the joy and the wonder that is right here, right now!" This realization also occurred to me when recently reading "Appreciation" in Peter Brown's This That Is. Much of seekers' suffering arises from trying to understand instead of simply appreciating (nonconceptually) This!. Thank you, Joan, for pointing the way.
Thank you.
Beautifully put, Joan. Thank you. 😊
"The one who seems to be on the path is a movement of the whole" - this is going up on the fridge today, thank you Joan!
I'd like to comment but any comment seems to fall short. Thank you.Thank you.Thank you.
Thank you. So exhilarating to read and feel it soak in. Why I found myself sobbing I have no idea! Felt really good! Thank you for the section “The single practice I find most helpful… “ as I can hold that simplicity close - and maybe actually remember to do it. :)
I love joan !
💝What a gift!!💖🙏
Joan thank you for sharing your spiritual synthesis! Love this article…☺️👍👨🎨🎨
Thank you, Joan, for continuing to give, and then to give some more.
I love your simplicity. Thank you very much
Beautifully expressed as always. For me, the spiritual search was about trying to be one of those special people who are able to transcend difficult emotion. I really wanted a way to not be vulnerable and avoid feeling the way I was was feeling. It was when my mom died that I couldn’t avoid the grief and could only allow it to be. I don’t concern myself with whether I’m awake or not.
Yes, many people embark on spirituality to avoid suffering with the idea of transcending painful emotions and in an attempt to heal the sense of lack and deficiency by becoming someone special. These are common tendencies. Luckily for you, you woke up from this! The concern with whether or not "I" am awake is of course a giant ego trip, one from which it is possible to awaken. 😊
Much ado about nothing???
Yes, always! 😊
You have a gift for this is all I can say. Thank you for always bringing us back to just this, just now.
I laughed out loud when I read, “waking up from what? Being liberated from what?” And there it is, when the funny bone is tickled one needs to pay attention in order to achieve foolrealization! Then there was that closing poem, “ if useless things do not clutter your mind, you will have the best days of your life”. Thank you for the laugh, and the reminder to go out and get lost in the day. Much love to you, Christopher.
As I read your writing, I wonder who I imagine it is that would onboard this information and for what reason? And to that point, who is doing the imagining? These thoughts make me giggle.
"Life cannot be mapped. Not really. Not ever. It cannot be figured out. And yet, here it is—absolutely unavoidably and vividly present. That’s the beauty and the freedom and the joy and the wonder that is right here, right now!" This realization also occurred to me when recently reading "Appreciation" in Peter Brown's This That Is. Much of seekers' suffering arises from trying to understand instead of simply appreciating (nonconceptually) This!. Thank you, Joan, for pointing the way.