(This blog on happiness and joy was originally posted on The Huffington Post. Click here to read it over there with all the shiny lights!)
Do you ever catch yourself wondering about the purpose of life, or if there even is a purpose? Not just your life, but life in general? Moving beyond the obvious objective of procreating to ensure the existence of our species, what are we supposed to be doing here?
It is my belief that life is meant for experiencing love, joy, and happiness. You can disagree, and that’s okay, but just imagine for a moment a life where we were less caught up in the human struggles of needing to be right, wanting to acquire more material goods, our outward appearance, and wanting to feel love and acceptance. Imagine if our goal each day was to experience happiness and joy. I realize the human struggles are real and some are necessary, but we can get pre-occupied by these struggles and lose sight of what is really important. Oddly, I currently find myself struggling to make sure I am experiencing happiness and joy!
At the end of the day, don’t we all want happiness?
Happiness and joy serve as a foundation for love, peace, contentment, and gratitude to build upon. The foundation of happiness and joy help you ground your energy and enable to you to live out your specific purpose and/or goals. By living with happiness and joy as integral components of your life, your struggles and stressors are reduced. You are better equipped to ride the waves of life. Happiness and joy beget more happiness and joy!
According to my Spring Forest Qigong Master Chunyi Lin, the emotion of happiness is tied to an external object or event that made you feel good. Happiness occurs from a material connection to something. When you notice this feeling of happiness (by being present with the feeling) and allow yourself to really feel it deep within you, it will grow and expand into joy. Joy is not tied to an external object or event; joy is when you feel happy for no apparent reason.
The energy of joy can take you to a higher level of peace and healing. How? The energy of joy has a high vibration. If your current situation consists of low vibrational feelings such as lack, anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety, or fear, try to find the joy that is deep within you. To find it, you may have to start with the happy moments; focus on them; allow them to expand within. By doing so, you can get out of your head and avoid getting caught or stuck in negative emotions. Everyone at one time or another experiences happiness. Through visualization (or imagination) you can send the feeling of happiness to all the cells in your body. Hold this image for a few minutes. By letting the light of happiness shine throughout your cells the light of your soul becomes illuminated. In this light you can feel the joy and allow it to come unleashed; to spread, vibrate, and resonate within your very being; healing yourself in this light of joy.
In this feeling of joy, the energetic frequency in your cells is vibrating at an even higher level than that of happiness. Illness and disease cannot survive in this frequency. This higher frequency leads to additional positive emotions such as peace, contentment, and gratitude. While you are experiencing these positive emotions, you are less likely to get caught up in stories and conflicts. They may happen but they won’t affect you the same way anymore. You will see them for what they are, simply a story. With this renewed perspective, you can stay balanced and focused on this higher energy of oneness with yourself, and within the universe. Knowing that your thoughts are things, you can send joy to wherever it’s needed. It is completely within all your capabilities to do this. Send it in the form of a smile, light, or energy from your heart. Allow it to travel directly to where it is needed. It will be welcomed with open arms. Be it the pain in your spine, your friend’s grief, your mother’s tumour, your child’s fear, or your country’s anger. You are a healer! You can heal yourself and others. You have the power over your emotions; they do not control you.
But lately, even though I have all the tools to help myself feel good, I haven’t found it so easy.
It is difficult to be a teacher of this wisdom and knowledge all-the-while experiencing suffering you know is within your control. I am not immune to the trappings of the human struggle. Even though I know what to do, I still get stuck. Recent personal events have created some uncertainty in my life. I am bringing out the power tools to help. Time to practice what I preach! I’ll let you know how it turns out soon!
Love and light,
Want to join me in finding gratitude everyday of December? Join the Gifts of Gratitude Challenge here and share three things you are grateful for everyday until December 31. Practice on your own or in our group.
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