Along with a couple of my friends, I belong to a joy club. It’s a club that exists in Shambhalic form (we may not always be able to see it, but it’s there). It also acts as a beacon of steadiness. What I mean by that is whenever I am making a decision on whether to take on a new project, my friends (and I) will ask the question of, ‘is this part of the joy club?’ or ‘how does this contribute to the joy club?’ Saying that, these questions are relevant beyond projects and can be applied to how we live our life.
The French author and Nobel prize winner, Andre Gide, once said that joy is our moral obligation. There is so much suffering in the world, yes. We can’t avoid it. But if this is all that we have in humanity, it would be hopeless. In this way, joy is an ethical option. We all struggle from time to time. And when we are going through a particular period of enduring distress, we can become quite loyal to our suffering. But what if we become loyal to joy?
The joy club helps me stay loyal. Just like our breath is a consistent support in our meditation practice, touching in with the joy club helps to keep me on track. For instance, sometimes I have to do things that might not feel so joyful. Let’s take the easy example of going to the dentist. If I ask the question, ‘how does this contribute to my joy?’ , it helps me find the joy that might be a bit elusive- like that lost or hidden kingdom of Shambhala. The answer could be that going to the dentist ensures that I can eat without pain, while taking care of my overall health. This is joyful.
Joy doesn’t eliminate difficulty, but it can increase our capacity to move through hardship without becoming consumed by it. This is supported by the Psychologist and Professor, Barbara Fredrickson, who developed the ‘Broaden and Build’ theory. She explains that by cultivating certain positive emotions like joy, gratitude, love and curiosity, we can expand our attention and thinking. Which over time, we can become more creative, flexible and socially connected. In this way, joy becomes a practice. And for me, this feels like an honourable practice that I can get behind.
I do all sorts of things to bring more joy into my life. I try to savour small bits of delight when they show themselves to me, like a gorgeous post-storm rainbow. I also purposely protect my energy (not just my time). I try to avoid comparison (not always easy), and instead increase creativity. However, it is my mindfulness practice that truly facilitates joy. Through being present, I can open up to and notice what feels good while allowing delight to be small: cups of tea, the sound of rain on the roof, while I am tucked in bed, happy dogs greeting me, etc…
So if you would like to cultivate some joy through the practice of mindfulness, why not join me at the Sanctuary’s online Tuesday morning community meditation? Certainly, it is worth a try.
-Jane
For those of you who have completed the Level 1 Being Present course, check out the upcoming Level 2 Responding with Compassion and the Introduction to Teaching Skills on the homepage: here
My Silent Place 
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