Joy as Meditation

/in /by

Joy is:

  • Emotion
  • Experience
  • Life choice
  • Commitment
  • State of being
  • Wealth of living
  • Just plain fun

The History of Joy and Happiness – AS MEDICINE:

  • In ancient Greece, hospital and comedy clubs (amphitheatres) were built next to each other so patients could heal via laughter.
  • Norman Cousins healed himself of cancer in 1964 by laughing and laughing and laughing, living a full life and dying in 1990 at age 75.

Modern Joy and Happiness: seem to be measured by:

  • Objects: (new toys, cars, boats, devices, clothes, etc)
  • Romantic Relationships: (according to Hollywood’s movie model)
  • Food and Beverage: (over eating, drinking, coffee, gaming, drugs, mind altering moments)
  • Instant Gratification:
    • instant food – drive-through & deli & delivery
      (What if we had to grow all that food, harvest it, preserve it, cook it, etc.?)
    • instant communication – text, FB, WhatsApp
      (Remember paper, pen, sending letters?)
    • instant locations – relocate to anywhere on the planet in a week
      (Some cultures stay in their same village for dozens of generations.)
    • instant love – find a mate online
      (internet dating, tinder, etc.)

The How To when ‘STUFF’ comes up:

  • Grab it in your heart and mind and breathe it into your imagination.
  • Remember something wonderful: person, pet, place, memory of a warm fuzzy.
  • Toggle between the ‘stuff’ and the image.
  • Pull up a feeling of ‘gratefulness’ for the moment and embrace the opportunity to dance with life’s stuff