There are privileges in life that one would not choose, given the choice. The notion of choice, itself, reveals the misidentification with oneself as a “chooser” who gets to decide the outcome of life’s unfolding.
Nevertheless, thus far, the greatest privilege of this lifetime was caring for Joan during her body’s long period of transition. In the last months and weeks of her embodied existence, she spoke often on the topic of love, both of her deepening understanding of personal love — “horizontal” in nature — and of pure transcendent Love, that she sometimes described as “Capital L” love.
Below you will find some of her words. Future newsletters will offer Joan’s wisdom on various topics. But we commence with love.
Love, Kathleen
I’ve prepared my whole life for this, standing naked in the good, in the bad — or in the so called “good” and so called “bad”. But in the centre of the crystal there is only Pure Love, with no qualities. It’s that simple.
– regarding her approaching reabsorption
This is an extraordinary exposition of True Nature as it manifests through the heart, through “hrdyam”, through Love. One of the beautiful things that we experience as part of our evolutionary path is this blowout Love. It doesn’t happen all the time — it may happen to us maybe only when we fall in love — those first few days of falling in love where there is no other and there is no “I”. There is only Love.
– commenting on 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13 as it relates to
verse 8 of the Pratyabhijñahrdayam
(Joan’s translation and commentary on the text will be published this summer.)
We are invited to recognize how deeply we are loved. We are Love… We are made of Love. The whole universe is hung together on the gravitational pull of Love. This isn’t horizontal love. This is swimming in an ocean of pure “capital L” Love. And so when we give ourselves to that Love, we are ready to die.
– interview with Grace Bubeck
1 Corinthians 13: 1-13, King James Version
Read at Joan’s memorial service, by her request.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.