Over the next few days I am enjoying some 'unscheduled' time .. so as I relish a little more 'non-doing' I shall share a sample of my Monday Meditation Musing (which went out last night to my lovely subscribers .. if you would like to try simply click the subscription link to right) .."Joy is the feeling of grinning inside" (Melba Colgrove)
This Christmas I had the chance to re-experience some of the special magic and joy of the festive season through the eyes of my two-year-old niece. Children have such a bountiful and natural sense of play and joyfulness when engaging with the 'world' .. something that unfortunately we seem to lose as we grow up.
And there really is so much magic in the story of Christmas .. the original Christian story, the carol's sung, Santa secretly arriving while the world sleeps, across the night sky a jolly band of reindeers having journeyed from a far off silvery land of snow and fairy lights .. and the ritual of giving gifts with amazing colourful wrapping .. and the pure delight of gifts unknown and the surprise presented on opening.
I so loved watching the overwhelming joy my niece found in receiving each and every gift and the bubbling sense of excitement as she first thanked the giver, then sought somewhere to sit so that she could open each gift and share the experience with everyone watching on. Then the slow teasing away of the beautiful colourful paper, before giving in to an eagerness just to have it open! Oh what joy in watching happiness spread across her face as each gift was revealed .. pure joy, regardless of what was inside the package. There were many gifts, some large, some extravagant, some simple and sweet .. by far the winner of the day was a small green ball, half the size of a golf ball, that she played with all day and then fell asleep with later that night, clutched in her tiny hand!
This pure and natural joy comes to us when we are truly open to the experience at hand, and we take notice .. it is mindfulness in action, allowing ourselves to be completely present in the moment with non-judgemental awareness. A two years old has no expectations of what could/should/might be inside the wrapping .. instead each moment holds the potential for simple joyfulness!
Adults sometimes believe joyfulness to be a 'folly' .. something that is just for children, or something that must be found or purchased. But joy is actually an innate quality that we all have within us from birth .. always bubbling just below the surface of adult life. If we are quiet enough we can hear or maybe feel it's presence; and the more we practice invoking this state of joy the more available it will be to us. Inviting joy into our life gives us access to a more joyful life.
This week let's all be more aware of those moments that bring us sweet joy. Maybe it is the simple joy of waking to a quiet house, a moment of quiet reflection, seeing the blue summer sky outside, the joy of fresh mango, a smile, a surprise gift, or the joy that comes from giving to others.
This week I am going to practice 'joyful spaciousness', spending a few days resisting the urge to schedule catchup's, arrange activities or plan for future dates. At this time of the year, after a particularly busy year, I find utter joy in having no plans and thereby truly experiencing a sense of 'letting go'. I shall just allow each day to unfold, free of constraints, responsibilities or expectations, and in consciously choosing to be 'unscheduled' and encumbered I can experience whatever opens up. I wish to embrace each moment just as it is .. and I shall keep my eyes open to those moments of joy that come to pass, as life just happens in this spaciousness.
"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy" (Thich Nhat Hanh)
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