JOY #3  MORE TO HELP US WITH
 SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

and surrender is a byproduct of spiritual practice. 

There are many words for joy and for some it is rarely ecstatic or exuberant but rather a state of tranquility, balance, centeredness, 

and finding a deep sense of meaning. We could also use these words ... 

Just because one is not extroverted in one's expression does not mean we do not have our own way of being in quiet joy.

As a way of exploring what Joy can be for each of us I thought you might enJOY some wisdom of the ages and sayings of the sages to supplement what we have already said about spiritual practice as the antidote to grief, sorrow and helplessness. Maybe we can find in these teachings, a way to more joy in our lives.

We will visit some of these principles also when we later go over the congruence of being in the flow of our signature strengths (Seligman,) the healing of meaning and the Hero/ine's journey.

When we find who we truly are

we become alive with joy or its equivalents.

When you find yourself, where you are, practice begins.

Dogon

Anybody or anyone who does not make you more of you make you less of you. 

The Ancestors.

You must learn one thing.

The world was made to be free in

Give up all the other worlds

except the one to which you belong.

Sometimes it takes darkness 

and the sweet confinement of your aloneness 

to learn anything or anyone that does not bring you alive

 is too small for you. 

 “Sweet Darkness” by David Whyte

and 

Release yourself from what you are not accountable 

 The Ancestors

This too will pass 

No matter how long the night the dawn is sure to come

African Proverb

If you don't want to see the shadow, turn your face to the sun

Aboriginal saying

The Ancestors teach the value of impermanence and to have joy in every moment - to seize the day! 

Nothing will last and the only thing we take with us are our experiences and our Karma. That's where the focus should be, to enjoy life responsibly with consequences in mind. We need to savor life while we have it. On the other side of the veil where we have no sentient body, all we can do is imagine sensation.

 The pessimist is defined by Seligman as someone who usually regards adversity as personally pertaining to them alone through 

The Three P's.

That life's problems facing them are;

Permanent, Pervasive and Personal

and that they are because of their own issues rather than arbitrary outside events. 

These are challenges rather than problems and are there to overcome. Without the perplexities in life there can be no growth.

  

The Ancestors

Sometimes we tend to catastrophize especially those of us who have a certain amount of "Learned Helplessness."

We should have compassion for those who want to push ahead and tread on anything or anybody on their path and in their striving for  a bigger persona. Karma dictates we don't get away with anything even though modern attitudes suggest that there is no accountability and we only come here this one time.

and finally from the Ancestors;

God does not measure you by results, only your intentions and the fervor of your efforts.

Take pause with these wisdoms.

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