The Freedom of Nothing to Grasp, Joan Tollifson

Is it possible to simply be awake right now to whatever shows up, just as it is, without needing something different or better, without needing any final answers or any neat-and- tidy conclusions? Organic life is inherently vulnerable and uncertain, fraught with difficulties and dangers. Everything dies – the human race, planet earth, our sun, the entire universe. Impermanence is a fundamental reality. We long for a permanence and security that is untouched by birth and death. Seeking this in all the wrong places, we slide easily into belief systems and ideologies, cynicism or idealism, dogmatism and fundamentalism. We keep trying to get hold of some final answer, some enduring experience, some permanent ground to stand on. And yet, whatever we grasp turns out to be doubtful, uncertain and unsatisfying. What if there is literally nothing to grasp? What happens if we are simply open, awake to what is? Life does not always feel good. But right at the heart of what seems most disturbing and unsettling, in the very place where we would least expect it, we may discover uncaused joy. In the midst of limitation, we may find true freedom. In thorough-going impermanence, we may discover the deathless unborn. And Here/Now, as messy and unresolved and imper- fect as today's weather may seem, we may discover the Holy Reality and the gateless gate to being liberated on the spot.

[darrenfromla]

I had been on the non dual treadmill for a couple years and it was this woman's book "Nothing To Grasp" that finally ended my search. Whew! As much as I respect teachers like Rupert Spira and others their teaching always left me with the desire to keep going because they posit that human experience can reveal to us the "reality" of things and I wanted to really "get that." But now I know there is nothing to get and that human experience is not some great revealer of truths. The only thing you can get are various people's models of "consciousness" and "reality" but they are just models. My understanding now is that "I" am simply one of countless expressions of this mysterious universe and I don't have to do anything to be that. The idea of myself as an individual "doer" is fine but that is also just another expression that this reality is doing. A flower is another expression, and a bike chain and anything else you can imagine. Your imagination itself is another expression of the universe just doing its thing. So, uh, yeah, just to be here now is enough. And that includes all the evil and all the goodness. To "my mind" it's just that simple. Thanks for reading to the end!

[BreadMPH]

A truly amazing teacher. I discovered her through the Waking Up app in conversation with Sam Harris.

[venom]

Her sweetness made this entire talk a beautiful listen. Thank you <3

[alanfisher]

One of the best Teacher on Non Duality! simply 😮 wow

[jamesthomas]

First time I have heard Joan. Love her down-to-earth simplicity.
Thank you.

[meghan]

I love this woman and I love her teacher, Toni Packer. And Toni Packer's teacher was Krishnamurti and Zen. But Joan Tillofson brings the message forward. Worth a listen.

[coenterhaar]

Thank you Joan! 😊 Your talks are so clear, especially after realising that it's always here and now, and how to continue living with that realization in this unawakened world! Thank you! 😊

[versha]

Loved it!! So clear! So wonderful! Thank you, Joan

[Novacynthia]

Joan as ever brings joy, clarity and wisdom. The Map is not the territory ~ Marshall McCluan I live this🦋

[EightBallAnswers]

I like concept of weather. I pay a lot of attention to weather so it resonated with me. Also I just returned from traveling by myself- I had met a group we were in the wilderness for a week working and when I emerged from the wilderness and began driving towards an airport far away I almost had like a breakdown of emotion and started crying and I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Over the last four or five days this feeling has reemerged several times. And I've been in tears. There are multiple reasons I think behind it now that I have a little bit of perspective. But it comes down to "weather" And some specific feelings / sentimental thoughts and fear and abandonment may be in there. But anyways. Weather. I know it will pass I seem to have a bit of a pattern with this surrounding travel I get uprooted and while I like adventures I'm not sure I like all of them equally and perhaps in the future the uprooting will not be worth it and I will stay in my happy contentment, thus avoiding the bad weather upon returning… Or maybe the bad weather won't always come I am taking another trip in another month this time I will be traveling with someone a new friend and I will have to see how I feel after that trip.

[Admojazz]

Thank you for sharing such enriching content.

[tbrngow]

Beautiful Joan, thankyou. A joy 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[himanshubhatt]

There is a book nothing to grasp by Joan Tollifson.. She has a great understanding. .. I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in seeing the reality as it is..

[Daniel-pruk]

The whole sorrow of humanity is distilled into the question that the gentleman asks at 21:38 !! Basically saying - 'Not this. I don't want this. I want that'

[milkboy]

I just read a quote from Joan a while ago on my fb timeline, and it was the first time I've heard of her. But the quote really spoke to me, and now I am here listening to her wise words. So glad I discovered her!

[claudelebel]

I like her informal approach to practices. A teacher I know tells students not to do yoga to get somewhere but for the love of it.

[eclecticwhyzass]

It made me laugh when you said "It's just weather". I've been describing myself to others as like the weather for quite some time when asked, "How are you?" Never static, though at times seemingly so. No snapshot is the movie. Rock On Joan!

[sita]

Nice! Just in the moment! Thatś all..No regrets no shortcommings.. Just Be! Itś a relieve if one just can BE. In the moment.

[laisa.]

"Just this now" and "everchanging" seems contradictory. I know they are pointers, however to me it's more like when there's everything there's nothing. It's like everyobe having 1 million dollars. Then noone is either rich or poor. They are both rich and poor, but also none.

[sanekabc]

They actually said, Be here now, not Being here now. Just sayin.