These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. - Jesus - John 15:11
What Jesus knew and taught, is that it is entirely possible to experience well-being regardless of life's circumstances. For most of us, who tend to equate happiness with outer conditions, such a state seems untenable. Because it's our natural tendency to look out at life situations before deciding how we feel inside, the notion that we could feel good despite the presence of unwanted stuff seems out of reach.
However, the good news is that the capacity for well-being is not out of reach; only beneath the radar of our ordinary awareness. Like many spiritual potentials, unconditional joy lies deep but is nonetheless accessible if we intentionally cultivate it. It does take intention. As much as we might want it to arise in us as readily as do our fears and doubts, which need no coaxing, our capacity to muster equanimity is not so instinctual.
There are sound evolutionary reasons that explain the latency of the peaceful response, versus the hair-trigger readiness of fear, worry and "Oh my!" Too much to cover in this article but suffice to say we've developed the capacity to protect ourselves from harm much better than we have developed our capacity to know the peaceful depths of our being. Though I feel the weight of this imbalance, I realize it is not a limitation to despair because my wholeness and well being are worth cultivating, at whatever cost. As noted by the French author and philosopher, André Gide, "Know that joy is rarer, more difficult, and more beautiful than sadness. Once you make this all-important discovery, you must embrace joy as a moral obligation."
This "moral obligation" is no external mandate, no "should" from outside of us. Rather it is a responsibility to traverse the divide between your current state of awareness and the realm of the possible. This is the inward call to discover, uncover and reveal the depths of our true nature so that we might discover the eye in the storm, and reside there as often as possible.
We often treat our lives like an unripe piece of fruit, waiting for some future maturation date in order to savor its flavor and sweetness. Good idea for enjoying a peach, but not for enjoying a life. The Kingdom of Happiness has been prepared for you. It's here and it's now. Lean into it and savor the sweetness of your own being.
To your happiness,
Larry
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