Seeking Joy (part 3)

In my last two posts I have discussed does my religion give me joy and the difference between joy and happiness. I am hoping that as you have read and pondered these posts you have started to discern the differences in your life and perhaps have found some things in your life that give you the deep joy I described. Whether or not you did, there may remain the question of how to find and cultivate joy.

Of course, like a lot of things in life we can just wait around and hope that it happens. But I think we all know that eating chips and watching a football game does not make us athletes. We have to get off the couch and do something if we want to get healthy or develop a deep sense of joy.

The first thing one has to do is to get away from media. Facebook, television, radio, computer games are all distractions. Amazon may have everything from A to Z but I do not think they sell joy. Technology has its uses but to cultivating inner peace we need to leave the tech behind and go within ourselves.

Having turned off the electronics it is time to get used to being quiet. This may be hard because we are so used to background music, talk shows, news, etc. Sit down in a comfortable chair, both feet firmly on the floor, hands on your legs or gently folded in your lap, and just breath. You may notice ambient sounds such as traffic noises or air conditioning. Take note of them and then let them fade away. As the noise becomes less urgent begin to notice your breath and the gentle in and out of it. Notice how it feels coming in your nose and then going out. Notice how your lungs and chest expand as your breath in more deeply. Be attentive to these simple physical actions. If you find yourself feeling drowsy it is OK. It may be that the most important thing you need at this moment is rest. Allow that to be. You may also find that your mind wandering. That is also OK. Rather than fighting it or chiding yourself acknowledge the thought and gently return to your breath. These are all part of the practice.

Once you have acknowledged your breath you can move away from it to acknowledge God, the divine, the universe, the cloud of witnesses, or whatever you wish to call that which creates and sustains us. At this point it is helpful to have a prayer word or mantra. In the Christian tradition there is no set prayer word. Many find the Holy Name of Jesus is sufficient. There is also the Jesus Prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Some shorten this to make it easier to remember. You can also find a prayer word during spiritual reading. If you have time to read a passage of scripture prior to sitting in stillness. Read one of the pslams, a random passage, or one of the readings appointed for the day (Forward Day by Day is handy for this). As you read see if a word or phrase stands out to you. Take that as your prayer word for the day.

Using your word or phrase pray gently saying it aloud, under your breath, or as you breathe. Let the words wash over you and clear your head. Let them draw you more deeply into your spiritual self. Over time you might find that you simply stop saying the words because you do not need them. Again, if you mind wanders or you get sleepy be gentle with yourself. The world is harsh and unforgiving, God is not.

Start this practice planning to do three to five minutes. Do not start off trying to do twenty or thirty minutes. The athlete does not run a marathon the first time out, she builds herself up. So must we. What I anticipate will happen is that you will find five minutes feels very long at first. Later it will feel very short and that is when you can add time to your meditation.

At the end of your time, take that last thirty seconds or minute to thank God. Gratitude is so crucial for others and ourselves. As Meister Eckhart wrote. “If thank you is the only prayer we ever say, that is enough.” Thank God for the time. Thank your body for the breath.

Practice this exercise for a week. Keep a note or two on how it feels each day. Perhaps you will feel a change in yourself and perhaps not. It is important for the practice to be intentional and for you to remain aware of what is happening in your spirit and body. Importantly be patient and gentle.

Next week we will consider how we might go more deeply either by extending this time of silence or taking into other venues or practices.