The Power of Joy

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Tips on Meditation and the Spiritual path - idea #159
from your Buddhism expert






I’m not teaching you how to contrive joy, when you
don’t feel it. That’s a bit too much like mental
masturbation.

Yes, there are times you could feel like “crap on
toast,” but that isn’t all the time, now is it? We
are all capable of experiencing the full range of
human emotions, and that means there are times that
we will experience spontaneous, uncontrived joy.


Could you remember one the times in your life you
could have felt great joy? Could you imagine what it
could be like if, out of the blue, you felt great
joy? What could it be like if all of a sudden, you
found yourself energetically, jumping up and down
and rejoicing with wild abandon? Could you see how
spontaneous joy could definitely be an energy source?


What are some of the things that could cause us to
rejoice? Could it be reconciliation with an
estranged friend or relative? Could it be a raise,
a promotion or both? Could it be the acquisition of
a new sweetheart? Could it be word of a loved one’s
successful surgery? Could it simply be earning a
high score on a difficult and important test?


But what do we typically do, when all of a sudden,
we are overcome by dynamically, energetic joy? What
are some of the ways we could enthusiastically
dissipate that fun energy, just as quick as we can?
Could we jump up and down, doing a “happy dance?”
Could we shout “Woo Hoo” like Homer Simpson? Could
we call and write each of our friends and
acquaintances?


Yes these are all excellent ways of “blowing off
‘happy’ steam.” But remember the Buddha’s highest
teachings are all about harnessing the power of
whatever spontaneously arises. Normally we strive
to harness spontaneous:
• sorrow,
• fear,
• anger
• or turmoil
and that is good. But did you know that we could
also harness spontaneous joy?


But how? How can we harness the intoxicating energy
of joy? Yes, today is the last day of February, and
in many places there is snow on the ground. But
think, for a moment, of the summers you spent as a
child. Could you remember playing with the garden
hose, in the back yard? Could you remember the fun
of turning the water on, full blast, and watching the
hose just whip and dance around? Could you recall
the challenge of trying to capture that wild thing?


Our spontaneously rejoicing energy can be very much
like that, can’t it? So we need a tool or a set of
tools that are easy and effective. But we also need
to be well acquainted with those tools. That is why
“Essential Devotion” and “Essential Meditation”
are found on page 3 of the daily devotional text,
“Quick Path to Happy Peace.” If you haven’t down
loaded this FREE text you can make arrangements to
do so by going to http://www.lamajigme.com


Remember one of the constants of Buddhist meditation
is the act of flipping and flopping between
awareness of that which spontaneously arises, and
simply letting go.


What is a good way to skillfully ride the bucking
bronco of spontaneous joy? Use the silent
contemplation of “Essential Devotion.” What is an
excellent way to let go of this dynamic energy?
Simply use the exercise “Essential Meditation”.
Perhaps you could perform three rounds or
repetitions of the first, and then three repetitions
of the second and then three repetitions of the first
and then three repetitions of the second over and
over again.


Why? Why do such a thing? Is joy bad? Are we trying
to push it away? Nope, not at all! Joy is fun and
it is a dynamic energy source. And when it
spontaneously manifests in our life we have one of
two choices:
• do we harness this energy and use it to
further our progress upon Buddha’s paths of
spontaneous awareness and the wisdom of letting go?

• or do we choose {often by default} to just
squander it’s energy and opportunity and wait until
later on to meditate?


Well, which should we choose? I’ll give you a hint.
The first is the key to full enlightenment is THIS
lifetime, and the second makes about as much sense
as masturbating before sex!


Is there anything wrong with performing Snoopy’s
“Happy Dance,” or shouting Homer Simpson’s “Woo
Hoos?” Nope, not at all. But it is even better to
harness the power of the present moment, the dynamo
available here and now, to progress even further upon
Buddha’s path of spontaneous awareness and the
wisdom of letting go!


Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso
Tibetan-Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika

P.S. In the mean time, use the precise Words,
Gestures and Invocations in “Harnessing the Power
of the Bowing Prayer” and you’ll increase your
experience of physical calmness, energetic
centeredness and mental resourcefulness –
http://www.lamajigme.com/Change-90.html

But remember THIS is the Last day of February’s
special offer.






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