Empathetic Joy
This week we open ourselves to the inexhaustible bounty of joy that is available to us in each and every moment. In the practice of Empathetic Joy, we take delight in the good fortune of others and, as our practice deepens, we drop the mental habit of envy, and the guilt that often tags along with it.
As we bring to mind loved ones, strangers, and even those who challenge us on some level, and share in the joy of their good fortunes large and small, over time we become aware that:
1. Our interconnectedness means that there is an infinite supply of joy available to us in every moment; others’ joy can be our joy if we let it.
2. Each of us at any given time has causes of both joy and suffering in our lives; it’s part of the human condition. We have the capacity to hold both.
3. It takes practice to see the joy; the more we see joy and acknowledge it, the more joy becomes “see-able” by us.
For more on the topic of joy, we highly recommend “The Book of Joy”, the chronicling of conversations about joy between two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Arhbishop Desmond Tutu.
Lastly, we leave you with a 2 minute video recommendation. Can you taste the goodness of cuccumber even after knowing your neighbor has grapes? Can you delight in the good fortune of your neighbor, as well as your own good fortune?