Existential Joy

We need not have a reason for joy. In fact it is better if we practice joy for no reason. Like unconditional love, unconditional joy is the best kind of joy. If our happiness is dependent on someone or something else, then we may be subject to disappointment when things change. But if we can embody joy for no real reason then we come to a basic, bare-bones elation, a joie de vivre, that relies on nothing.

Can we find delight in the simple act of living? In yoga this is known as sat-chit-ananda and refers to taking delight in a raw, naked, non-homogenized awareness. It suggests gratitude for the privilege to be. The yogic teachings remind us that it is auspicious to have this "precious human existence." Sometimes we get so overwhelmed by the comings and goings of our daily lives, we get so busy -- consumed by plans, agendas, and people and their needs -- that we lose all sense for the joy in being. This is why you need to take some time each day, whether sitting, walking, or drinking tea, to feel into a simple, existential joy.

If we get quiet and still enough, joy will surface naturally and spontaneously, like cream rising to the top of a milk jug. You need not engineer or try to make it happen. You need only be patient, receptive, faithful. Like the life blood streaming through your veins, you will realize that an essential brightness, an essential goodness always and already moves in you.

~ Tias Little

To learn more about Tias Little and his vast wisdom, visit his website.