David Cumes Surgeon/Sangoma (Zulu for Shaman)

ONE CANNOT TALK ABOUT JOY WITHOUT DISCUSSING GRATITUDE SO BEFORE LEAVING THE TOPIC OF KARMA -
A LITTLE ON GRATITUDE

Experts in positive psychology and in the mechanisms of well being such as Seligman and Ryff tell us that the following factors are essential for well being,
happiness, joy, equanimity or serenity.

Meaning or purpose in life

Self-acceptance

Autonomy

Personal growth

Positive relationships, friendships

A connection to the environment and nature

Pleasure

Accomplishment.

Joy can take on many forms.

The Ancestors urge us to

find gratitude in hidden recesses

and this too can lead to joy since ...

Robert Evans in his research on Gratitude found interesting changes in student volunteers that were given a gratitude journal to keep along with gratitude exercises. He noted many positive benefits in the students somewhat similar to those found from meditation, yoga or other forms of spiritual practice.

When we have gratitude we also open ourselves up to more trust and surrender. The Ancestors teach that surrender is not as is commonly believed,

a giving up - but a giving in

to something much bigger than ourselves. Surrender also implies being in the flow of the Life Force or Chi, connecting to the Tao, or the Cosmic Spirit Field and the Great Spirit and relating to the Higher Self rather than the small self.

Seligman

When we are in joy and have gratitude it often means we are becoming congruent with our true selves and are gaining self acceptance. Congruence occurs when our emotions and their expression match and behavior arises from the root of our being. Folks that are congruent sing their own song and march to the sound or their own inner drum. They do not do things for the approval of others. Soul, heart and intellect are congruent.

Lao Tsu said;

Care about what others think of you and you will be their prisoner.

When we have meaning in our lives, are congruent with ourselves and manage to find gratitude in hidden recesses everything changes.

David Whyte speaks to the power of using one's core strengths and being around others who value and enhance them.