The seed of joy

There is a kernel of joy at the center of your being. It was with you when you were born, and it will be with you throughout your life and beyond. It is your essence, your soul spark, your true nature, and the seat of God within you. We each have this seed of joy, no matter who we are or how we seem to others.

And yet, sometimes it can be hard to connect to that joy. Between kids, jobs, bills, and the news (and anything else you may have on your plate), that joy can so easily get buried beneath all the needs of the day. I have definitely been aware of how much I’ve let the worries of life take over and cloud out my joy these past few weeks. After realizing how worried I was getting, I have started actively practicing connecting to joy.

How can we connect to joy? First, it’s a good idea to accept that you deserve to feel joy. Along the way many of us (including me) were told that we were undeserving of good things, but joy is your birthright as a human being. Think of a child and their easy smiles and laughter, before the world was imposed upon them. That same joy is within you still, just waiting for you to connect to it. No matter who you are, what you’ve done in the past, and where you’re going, joy is a part of who you are, and connecting to it can make your life more easeful, fulfilling, and joyful!

Once you accept that you deserve to feel joy (because joy is part of who you are), spend some time writing or mindfully pondering what helps you connect to that joy. Ask your soul what lights you up. It could be being in nature, spending time with friends, helping others, eating good food, exercising, or anything else that you enjoy. Move towards those things, and stop choosing the things that make you suffer or feel less than your worth.

Finally, you might find that you can connect to joy just by sitting in meditation, connecting to your soul’s essence, and tuning into the joy that always resides in you. While you can (& should!) come up with your own way of finding joy, it helps me to say something along the lines of “Joy is my true self” or “I am Joy” and a quiet prayer of gratitude for helping me feel joy. Then I sit silently and let joy flow in my spirit.

Try it for just five minutes. Then try it for a few more. Keep that feeling of joy alive as you go throughout your day.