The quest for Joy has been a central theme and inspiration for me over the past several months.
As part of a personal healing journey from an ankle injury (now fully healed!), I’ve been inspired to learn how to connect more fully to my Spirit’s natural capacity for joy, which leads to my ability to help my body heal.
I’m eager now to share with you some of what I’ve learned on my personal quest, and how the amazing friendship between courage and joy can help us all show up for new creations and adventures in our lives.
The Healing Power of Joy
The Joy I’m speaking of is not an emotion, but rather a pure expression of Source Light. This is the Joy that flows from our Spirits in our hearts, rather than the emotion of joy we feel in response to our circumstances.
Joy holds pure possibility, sovereignty, and wholeness.
Joy transfigures us. This is why Joy is also the frequency at which we heal. In Joy there is no good or bad, there is simply IS the pure inspiration and creative power of Source. The more we are able to hold the coherence of Joy, from our hearts, the more we heal.
Our Spirits naturally live in Joy. The more we can allow Joy to flow, the more we’ll experience our power to create new solutions to every challenge that we face.
The Courage to Be Here Now
n my personal quest for healing, I realized that I was having trouble fully connecting to Joy. This is where courage comes into play.
By courage I mean my ability to show up. I had to let go of expectations (including frustration) and return, over and over, to my heart so I could connect to my Spirit and pay attention without attachment to whatever was happening in the moment.
Courage requires patience and trust. To show up in our hearts we must get out of our heads. We must take our attention away from all types of fear, frustration, worry, and doubt. Our Spirits never have those emotions. We must simply return within.
The Courage card (VIII) from the Osho Zen tarot illustrates this principle beautifully. It’s become an encouraging touchstone for me.
The image shows a wildflower taking root and blooming despite harsh circumstances. This perfectly expresses the way that courage leads to Joy.
The wildflower seed could have stayed a seed, full of potential but dormant in the face of a challenging situation. Instead it chose to germinate, leaving the safety of the seed wall in order to experience, expand and grow.
The rich green leaves show how the growing plant is thriving (showing up) despite the challenges. In the same way, our Spirits and Source will always help us find a way to thrive. In every moment we can find a new opportunity, a new choice point and a new solution to explore.
The blooming flower on the plant expresses the loving power of Joy that transcends all limitation and brings beauty to our world.
The Friendship of Courage and Joy
Like the blooming wildflower, we can each learn to bring the healing power of Joy to all of the challenges we face.Let me be clear: Nourishing our capacity for Joy doesn’t mean ignoring our emotions or bypassing our trauma.
Quite the opposite! Our emotional wounds are real. So are the physical challenges and obstacles that we face. These circumstances are the rocky soil in which we must show up in order to thrive.
I am learning more every day about the connection between healing and Joy, and what it means to show up and be present. In every moment I have a new choice to return to my heart, breathe, observe, hold curiosity, and then respond to create something new.
What I am experiencing through my own journey is how much my Spirit loves the adventure of life, and how much she loves helping me create solutions. All I need do is return to my heart where she lives, and ask for her help.
What will you do today to connect with your Spirit and nourish your Joy? Will you sing? Laugh? Dance? Walk in the Sun? Call a dear friend and share your inspirations? Or simply sit in the sweet territory of silence?
I send intentions from my heart to yours, for a coming season of joyful adventure and new creation. Remember, in every moment, the healing power of Joy is only a breath away.
Much Love,
Beth
Beth
