Is it Possible to Find Joy in Troubling Times?
WRITTEN BY BENDY GIRL
READ TIME: 3 min. 59 sec.
A few short months ago, not one of us would have predicted where we stand today. Isolation, scarcity, loss of normalcy and disconnection from our social circles has become the mainstay of each and every day. For many of us this has left the footing of life feeling very unstable, ushering in a cascade of emotional concerns surrounding daily living. We find ourselves asking - is it possible to find joy in troubling times?
How Do We Stay Connected to Joy in Troubling Times?
Tantra offers us a happy, healthy and holy life through the injection of intentional joy. When we are in joy we have access to our happiest, healthiest and holiest selves. Joy offers a transmutation of suffering, even if just momentarily. Joy puts a twist on happiness and takes us on a “deep” dive inside. Joy and happiness come from different vantage points. Happiness brings up recall, laughter, and memories of times when life was good. Whereas joy slams us into the here and now in an unexpected moment that tickles our hearts. Joy explodes out of each of us in unique and personal ways. A giggle, a complete LOL, and for many joy comes as a full body expression that shows up as if we have been inhabited by a cartoon character! Joy is fun, immersive and always a welcomed expression of who we are. Joy emerges when we connect or experience with someone or something exquisitely, meaningful and spectacular beyond measure. Joy catches us off guard and offers us a sense of awe. Engaging in nature blends the human experience with a world we still do not understand, to culminate in some of the most joyful experience we can become a part of. Read more about the effects of joy on your body in Healthline.
Today self-care, self-reliance, and home health practices reign supreme. I see a whole new group of previously “unbelievers” turning to traditional medicines, folk ways and cultural practices. Holistic medicine, plant-based cures, intentional breathing, sunning and other self-care techniques put our health back in our own hands. Perhaps that is where health always belonged, and we are just finding our way back home?
Once upon a time, daily living was the only cultural focus. Bathhouses were the pharmacies of the day. Fresh water was delivered via water features in the middle of town. The concept of getting eaten by a wild animal was REAL. Yet these ancient cultures still strived for a healthy, happy, and holy life where joy was the central component. How do we follow the lead of those who came before us?
In the current cultural climate each day comes with disconcerting news both fake and real, political turmoil, financial crisis and the lack of any amount of stability. Finding joy in our day to day living is more important now than ever before. Can we intentionally inject our lives with moments that activate joy whether in nature or through humanity? Joy gives us an opportunity to both find ourselves and lose ourselves all in the same moment.
Joy and orgasm come from the same place. When we inject another into our joyful moments it becomes a sharing of our deepest self and exposes what tickles us. Joy binds us together more than any other emotion, including grief.
Only through turmoil can we come to fully appreciate joy. During such trauma filled times it becomes important to learn how to be with ourselves during times of upheaval. Times like this solidify our own story of trauma and how we fit into the bigger picture. As a result, empathy oozes out of our being and we feel further connected to others.
How do we keep the despair at bay, keep our light strong in the darkness and move forward on our own life path during such troubling times? Below are 5 simple ways to stay connected, grounded and ripe for joy.
Schedule time with yourself
If you do not plan it, it won’t happen. Leave the devices behind. Plan your time. Read a book, take a walk, enjoy a bath, sit and breathe or just stroll through nature and engage in your surroundings, birdwatch, feel the wind, enjoy the sun and get your feet in the dirt.
Find the mirrors
Who in your life really sees you? These special people drop in and out of your life as teachers, acquaintances and many we never take the time to get to know. These mirrors become small reminders of who we are to the world.
Get creative
Get out of your box. Make space to awaken your spirit and dive into the present moment. Just show up and do something new.
Get wild
Find wild places that draw you in. Stop longer than a moment. Experience a uniquely beautiful piece of nature that awakens the wild part of you. That in itself is pure JOY.
Karmic Yoga
Be of service. Humble yourself and focus on giving. Humility is the pure pathway to joy. Emanate joy upon others like water on sunlight. Connect to hope and something larger than yourself that makes you feel as if you are making a difference.
Tantra is clear in its concepts of joy. Simple mindful living complete with an empathic heart will always pave the way to a joyful life. How we live is a choice and I believe we can all usher in as much joy as we choose. Living a joyful life during troubling times is our best bet to protect the essence of our being.
I wish you all joy and peace as we collectively find a way to move forward without taking too many steps backward.
XO,
BendyGirl
Loveologist
