living without certainty — the freedom of unknowing
diary of a universe intimately cuddling itself
i am here
and i really like being me
i sincerely delight in being jb
and in being inseparable from this whole happening of nowness / universe / godness / nature
thankfully i don’t need to know a single thing in order to function skillfully and harmoniously in this world
whatever is happening is whatever is happening
there is a great simplicity & freedom in resting as immediacy
it feels cozy and intimate
i can honestly report that i feel at home in this universe
i seem to ‘fit’ here like a pit fits in a plum
and from here it really seems that we all fit precisely into this world
from here it seems we all go together and nothing is truly blocking anything else
as the one dance dances on
i find that no metaphysical or scientific theory can capture what is here
poetry seems to come closest
again i am grateful that i don’t need to know anything for certain
spontaneously intelligent functioning does not require any ‘objective understanding’ of what this is
this is very good news
the simplicity & freedom reside in nowness being fully free to be as it is
and jb being fully free to be as he is now
i love and enjoy life
i am still passionately curious about life and i watch it closely
in one sense i am always learning & knowing life with ever greater intimacy
and in another sense it seems to be impossible to arrive at any fixed or final conclusion as to what this happening is
i enjoy fluidly drifting through the numberless modes & angles & vignettes of flavorfulness that present ongoingly
i am them and they are me — and simultaneously i am simply myself
in this moment i feel like the whole universe intimately cuddling itself
i feel like suprapersonal grace savoring personhood —
in all its muddy, murky, heartful, blossoming glory
i am grateful and i trust life
near as i can tell, nature holds a vast inherent intelligence that bends toward love
the inherent wholeness & interbeing of nature & of all beings seem to emanate an ambient all-permeating compassion
in my heart of hearts i love everyone and everything and wish for all beings to feel at home and enjoy being themselves
thanks for reading
life is a wild adventure
i’m glad we have each other to share it with
may God be with you and bless you in 2025 and beyond
i love you
peace be with you
we are alive
hallelujah
🙏🏼❤️🔥
heart love & bear hugs,
jordan
🍃 if these words resonated, consider joining us for simple freedom
as i shared recently on my other newsletter, i am gifting the world a free 3-week digital retreat called simple freedom starting january 22nd
this retreat focuses on an ever-available freedom to be as you are now
it focuses on undercutting all ‘carrots on sticks’ and fantasies of a future spiritual destination — giving full permission to relax as already-wholeness now and settle into the joy of unending unfurlment
you can learn more about the retreat here, or you can already go ahead and join us in the simple freedom telegram community, where all official communications for the retreat will take place:
🍃 jordan bates is a dad, husband, friend, author of 5 books, rapper, space-holder, world traveler, and passionate explorer of what is. you can read kind words people have shared about his work here
this recent video expands on some of the themes from this post:
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