One explanation could be a feeling of pleasure or great happiness coming from the fulfilment of a desire, success or achievement, fame, name, wealth, health even…
Who could possibly obtain it, explain it, or share it with another? Can anyone live continuously in a joyful state? In this life we all experience ups and downs and we all suffer. We all know pain, hurt, despair, betrayal and fear. We know them all too well. But do any of us really know Joy?
For something to be True, it must always be so. True in the beginning, true in the middle, and true in the end. Yet we know that every moment everything changes. So Truth cannot be found in the material world as nothing stays the same, all is in constant flux, all passes.
Seeking pleasure only leads to the disappointment and disillusionment of the pain that inevitably follows. We learn that one cannot exist without the other. Such is the nature of duality. Good and bad, black and white, hot and cold, light and dark, right and wrong, joy and sorrow. All coexist, in fact they cannot exist without the other. We are jumping for joy when we get our way, the next minute drowning in despair and fuming with anger when things don’t go our way. What kind of existence is this!
The wise taught us the path to finding real Joy and ultimate Truth. It lay not in the duality of Nature but in the recognition of the Self. The Indians call this Atman. That which is unborn, undying, untouched, unchanging. That which exists in us all. Call it whatever you want as a name will not change it.
Achieving that knowledge of the self brings ultimate Joy as then we are able to watch things rise and fall, and appreciate the ebb and flow of nature. We are detached yet aware. We see the same Self in every person no matter how different they are to ourselves. We do our work with full attention and care but without attachment to the results. We learn that attachment to desires will ultimately lead to frustration and anger – we lose self control and judgement. Our life purpose is unrealised and wasted.
The ancients taught that happiness and joy are our birthright but a correct understanding and appreciation is needed. Understanding our unique body and mind, how it works, recognising our strengths and weaknesses, keeping as stable as possible, and accepting things the way they are rather than how we might want them to be.
There is no need to seek or look for Joy – it is in fact our natural and true state and has never left us. We just have to find out why we aren’t experiencing it. For example, if we stand before a mirror that is covered in steam and cannot see our face, we take a cloth and wipe away the steam and then we can see. Our face was there all along but we just needed to remove the screen that prevented us seeing clearly.
All comes through practice, our own effort and personal experience. This is where the practices of Ayurveda and Yoga were introduced. As teachers our work is to help you understand how you are unique and what is needed to gain the stability and strength to ultimately experience limitless Joy.
Like to learn more?
- We will offer a 2 Day Ayurvedic Lifestyle Workshop in April 2017 here in Blenheim (including your own assessment of your unique body and mind which will also reveal the root cause of any disturbances you may be experiencing)
- Attend a Yoga class series or a Breathing Workshop to learn techniques to focus, concentrate and relax your body and mind – check our new Marlborough website
- Visit our website, read our articles – www.ancientsbest.co.nz
- We are always happy to offer short talks about Ayurveda here at our clinic or to a group, just ask
Some quick tips to help bring more joyfulness to your life:
- Don’t expect permanence in an impermanent world
- Take responsibility for your Life
- Live in the Now, the past is dead and gone and the future may never come
- All things pass – don’t try to hold on to anything or anyone
- Give freely and without expectation of return
- Develop your self-awareness and understanding of your unique body and mind
- Accept that others see the world differently, don’t blame or judge or ‘follow the crowd’
- Remember that Joy lies within
