That would be, to me, contradictory to their very nature.But the beauty of joy is that I can conjure it up. Also, enjoying the art of others.- Connecting to people, building a network, a safe bubble even, and concocting ideas how to make this world a better place.- Gratefulness for those who wander with me on this path, be it family or friends or old teachers from centuries ago. These days, finding joy is becoming a real challenge, since in each and every election the fascists become more and more powerful in Germany. And i think gratitude is a large part of joy; being able to be grateful to the painter whose painting you enjoy, or to the musician who composed a wonderful piece of music you enjoy. Being the stubborn person I am and from past experience, it’s likely to be when I reach the end of my rope. Family relationships feel strained in every direction and I need to undergo treatments for a very treatable, but not curable variety of leukemia that is a pain in the ass. They may, for a time, but as Fox says, these things are just channels for happiness, and all such channels dry up eventually. The problem is we don’t trust God; often we only trust the objects of our addiction, and believe that they are making us happy. The joy cannot be shared via social media, it doesn't store well on the shelf and no matter how hard I try to create it with flowers I find the transference of seeds to be a more likely gift of a truly joyful experience to someone. Yesterday, it was the question 'what makes you feel a worthy (or on the other hand unworthy?) person? And to use these little moments for giving thanks for being alive! Some women's voices sung in the right songs, leave me joyful. Hospice quilts warm the dying, Project Linus quilts comfort traumatized children, handmade potholders greet the elderly on Christmas morning.This Warrior, holding a brush or needles and thread, wins battles by bringing joy to those who need it. I defeat the darkness with the joy of creating. I agree with you wholeheartedly that finding joy is a choice we have to make. May it live forever.I do think part of the package of joy is some self-confidence, or pride in the fact we can still feel joy. Like so many rituals, habits, routines, we develop as individuals, navigating life, intention takes practice- creating muscle memory each time we get ourselves through hardship, sadness, the chaos of stressful moments. The fragility of all life and love and the brevity of our lives is exactly what creates the fodder for this joy. In J. Sanbonmatsu (Ed.), Critical theory and animal liberation (pp. 99–135).This campaign lasted into 1994 and became a model for other anti-road campaigns that followed throughout England, even though the Twyford Down campaign itself ultimately failed in its immediate objective.I'm too anxious for that and seeking joy would only make me disappointed and sad.Within six weeks of 9/11 the term “domestic terrorism” came into law in the USA PATRIOT Act, with similar legislation passed in a number of countries across the globe.It’s a brief breaking of darkness that allows all of life’s complexities and absurdities to become apparent, and some kind of realisation of the beauty of existence explodes within us.I find my joy in helping those I love the most..I find joy (& sanity) in exploring something new whether it be a 2 to 3 hr nature walk a day or exploring a different part of a city.“It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you.” – Zig ZiglarThe infographic you just saw is more than a visual, it’s a blueprint for becoming the student you know you can be. Inspirational Quotes on Change Joy is there, you need only make yourself available to it. And it gives me such joy and strength, both my environment and my friends For me, it's taking that moment to appreciate what you have, or more importantly who you have. I find joy in the forest, and joy finds me paddling on Great Lake Huron. I find joy in small, beautiful details in an old building, or woven into someone’s handy work. How did he know to put those words next to each other like that, to encapsulate the most fundamental nuances of the human experience in all those perfectly chosen words?? Whenever I have time, I find joy in writing poems. So I guess we are sharing the same experience.So to ride my bike over that bridge morning by morning gives me joy. Sometimes it's the clear and cold air that's so enjoyable, another time the warm summer breeze. And to be astounded at how kind people are. As such losses do, it gave me the brutal, wonderful, and inescapable task of confronting fears, looking hard at what matters, learning to see sky through pain, and accept love, support, and wisdom from where it is offered. I've wanted to thank you, which isn't a question, and really couldn't be phrased as one. These letters and your answers have brought me back in the direction of joy in the past year. I’ve been listening to it at every opportunity - working, walking the dog, cooking, stacking the dishwasher - whenever I get the chance - and I believe I now know the difference between happiness and joy. I'm writing to you now as I bask in that very joy, with them both snoring beside me. It's not something I used to experience often. I agree, you need to look for joy but it is also a privilege not everyone has so I really treasure it. Mostly, it is quiet and comforting and can be distilled out of life’s most mundane moments. I find joy in waking up and not feeling pain, having good eye sight, to be able to breathe, smell and taste, able to move freely on my own without restrictions, going to my wonderful job in the arts and not have to worry about a roof over my head, clean water and food. Isn’t it mind boggling to realize that we are all walking this earth, looking at the cosmos through human eyes with no proof that we weren’t the blade of grass we just walked past in another time-space continuum? I'll remember that I have spent several years dedicating myself to a craft, that I've met challenges with grace, tenacity and generosity, that I'm loved by wonderful people, and that I've often stood up for the things I believe in. Sometimes it is walking into the house and seeing my 4 year old daughter's smile. Joy, with childlike innocence, was creeping up on me, waiting for the moment that I let go and was just able to just be in its presence. And yet, I am always startled that joy was not in the bush, not the wind. I put on my joy hunting clothes with reverence, I approach it slowly so that it won't be startled by my presence, my scent. I love my 2 coffees in the morning and a cherry scone. We don’t find it; rather it finds us. It is my wildest suspicion that joy is neither the function of a quest, nor the function of knowledge and enlightenment. If joy is a gift or some kind of reward, am I bound (and up) to a higher task? A monumental, if not impossible task.I am perpetually puzzled by our relationship to joy as the ultimate object of our desires. Inspirational quotes for work about change To release yourself of any guilt or shame that prevents you from receiving joy, to allow yourself to live with loss and also receive joy. I do not feel like you that joy in itself is a decision or an action. This existence is such a beautiful mystery that we'll never truly be able to unravel.Even in hard times (of which I have had, and will continue to have, plenty) this present moment is beautiful.That's where I find my joy. I'm genuinely the most entertaining person I know and I can eek out joy in the most mundane of circumstances by just secretly giggling to my inner monologue... Most of mine for me is in nature hiking. Her death made me realise what joy really means. It's scary because we're animals and I know that by age 12, her innocence, lust for life and easy laughs will be attacked--- by hormones. When I see someone I haven't seen for a long time, a student I taught, an acquaintance at uni, a work colleague, a neighbour, I have bubbly joy at remembering their face and the shared memories we have. I feel the most joy with connections near and far. Rogue Trader is the ultimate movie that shows the devastating effect of bad business decisions on both the company and the person itself. Everything in life is negotiation, one way or the other, and this movie does an impeccable job of showing that on-screen. Despite being a crime movie, The Godfather trilogy is the perfect example of versatile human behavior and the consequences of it on business. FIrst a question - have you seen the article by Helen Garner in the Guardian about 'random stabs of extreme interestingness' (link below) ? Oeiras, Portugal, somewhere in 2011, I watch my 4 years old son playing on a park, sunny Sunday morning. My mood changed immediatly and I felt joy. It gives me joy to welcome a new wounded soul to the farm every time. I find my joy in my animals, who I rescue. In his message he told me that he had had a nice time on holiday in Spain, and picking up our local vernacular, asked me “what’s the craic? Findings and Discussion: Claims of Responsibility Social ecology contends that environmental destruction is epiphenomenal of hierarchical human societies, which also generate all manner of social oppression. Therefore, a deep ecological society would take into consideration the effects of a political decision not only upon humans but also on the entire ecosystem. One means of bridging the gap is “living as though nature mattered” (Devall & Sessions, 1985). Consequently, for deep ecology it is only with the return to the natural that humankind and the natural world can be saved. I went to pick up a pizza Friday night and the guy who made it was in the throes of a rough night— they were slammed in there with orders and probably understaffed. But the joy is still to come.In the last 12 months, I've chosen to watch my favourite band on three continents. I was lucky that we caught the bastard early both times. What did I enjoy doing in my misspent youth? All of a sudden, I have more time. My joy is exploring new cities and countries. I find joy in the quiet and solitude of a forest, deep among the trees. So, when I am not joyful, or even happy, I have learnt to first look inward rather than point fingers at the world and those around me. She became an X-ray technician and still made/found/stole the time to cook, clean, garden, and raise three boys and a girl. After losing my adult son, grief annihilated any possibility of joy. But as it may serve as ritual, so may the mystery be informed, and joy be thereby realized. The joy of the Lord…in His presence we find complete joy. His has given you 3 parts, 3 weapons to ponder in this life and Joy is one. I find it interesting and prophetic in my heart because it’s your 300th piece. I think its easiest for me to say that I find joy in the things I love, the people I love, but more commonly when I'm not looking for it. I get joy when I have time to hear the birds and appreciate a great sunny day. No I don't make music but the music I love to listen to (Particularly from Birthday Party days to Bad Seeds and Go-Betweens from seeing them playing in King George Square in 1978 when I was 16). Learn as if you were to live forever” – Mahatma Gandhi. The time will pass anyway” – Earl Nightingale. “A perfect method for adding drama to life is to wait until the deadline looms large” – Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby. “Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose” – G.K. “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you’ll be doomed if you don’t try” – Beverly Sills. I finished treatment two weeks ago, and even though it will take some time to recover, I can at least say that I am cured and free from cancer. A year ago her father and I finally decided to break up (it had been on its way for a long time). And that gave me a deep sense of joy and peace.This last year has not been easy for us. (Turn your phone off, leave it at home, throw it in the sea.)Conversely, my communal joy comes from singing with others. To put it another way, not everybody is free to be a full-time Wizard; however, I do think everyone can become more Wizardly by way of paying attention. Once when my heart was broken I experienced a period of temporary enlightenment. On these walks and on all the others, across every season , with my loyal companion-there I find my joy. To witness pure beauty, to marvel at it and to understand its sacredness, gives me joy.If you are not determined to make yourself beautiful, nothing can make you beautiful!I forgot how my laughter sounds until that day.Feeling like a child, laughing like a child… Experiencing like a child.Is it so simple?I agree that joy must be actively sought after or, at least, recognised as something that can exist for it to occur.As we walk, I feel a wonderful sense of joy and contentment.What I wonder about is how brief the joy is, it bursts in and then goes again, usually under a cloud of thoughts. Encouraging Weight Loss Quotes – February Every moment I was faced with death. I struggled for most of my life from experiencing trauma in various forms. There are so many people who struggle, and for you to acknowledge that you are fortunate is important. For me, joy is there for the taking and I opt to take it. For me, joy exists sitting quietly with my mother and watching the way my husband looks at me. She lived every day as her best day laying on her back with her feet up the wall, rolling and grunting or running at lightning speed to catch the delivery drivers on the other side of the fence barking her admonishments. 20 years ago my children brought me great joy every day. They may bring me frustration, hopelessness, feelings of isolation, or might go completely unappreciated. I can list dozens of small things that bring me joy every day. I know it will be a real joy for you. I replied, saying that I'm always a bit unsure about concerts in large arenas, but could it be that she was sending the Word of the Lord which I needed to hear today? I may see joy as more about grace than as something "earned" (although I think I can see what you mean), but, yes, "a practised method of being" plays its part too. Our discovery of these joys can also be uncomfortable, or even painful, as disriptove as a stranger sticking his fingers into your ears. Engaging with learners who are open, despite traumatic experiences they have been subjected to, creates joy, as they push through to redefine themselves and their place in the world.By not explicitly stating ideological precepts, the manual lends itself to use by anyone, regardless of the person’s ideological orientation.Since the sudden death of my 21 year old son from sepsis last year I have found it bloody hard to find joy in anything, yes I am a fellow griever.I find joy in the eyes of the innocent - animals and children.The daily murder and destruction caused by this political organization is very real, and so the campaign by the people to stop it must be equally as potent.We don’t always get it right but we also never get it wrong.During her school years, Bishop Williamston learned that high school is not for everyone, and that some young people are not given the opportunity to question in an institutionally structured school system.The secret to life isn’t a secret it’s an action, good action and service towards others.This experience of unconditional love has introduced me to the God I used to think I knew so much about growing up. Further Readings There are many milestones in life, but none quite as monumental as a graduation. Learn how to conduct research, choose the right companies for you, and determine the best time to buy. There are no real barriers to building the life you want if you're willing to work hard and learn. I think of the moment in which I live, in which the world exists. I’ve lived the life of an expatriate. I long ago made a decision to live a solitary life. It led to the question – how important is our sense of identity? Removing ego from all my interactions made me realise how much ego is involved in all human interactions. Which led to - how would knowing help me in this life? Getting back to basics, releasing reliance on mass production and altered food is joyous. I’ve always searched, yearned for aloneness and nature, not really understanding what that was about. Some of those targeted, such as Dr King, are seen today as pioneers of justice—including by many who supported their prosecution. The arbitrary ability to convict based on little or no reputable evidence was considered too limiting for Hoover and led to the establishment of the FBI’s covert and at times illegal counterintelligence program known as COINTELPRO. The striking parallels between the Red Scare and the mass hysteria surrounding the 1692–1693 Salem witch trials were most notably exposed by Arthur Miller, himself a target of Senator McCarthy’s campaign, in his 1953 play The Crucible. In essence, the status quo and the interests served were rendered unquestioned, with the actions of individuals, as unpatriotic, becoming the focus of public debate. Repression of the ELF and Its Supporters I think they are always there in the ether of our lives, like fireflies. Frogs uplifts me too, brings joy, in a way I can't explain. I've found a great deal of solace and comfort in your words here on The Red Hand Files and in your music, not least the songs on Skeleton Tree, Ghosteen and Carnage. Watching bands play live I've felt this, especially so since Isaac's death. I feel with her that contentment that brings me a lot of peace and fills me with joy."Thank you so much Nick for the nice songs and writings. I am an atheist but love almost every song and the kind answers for the red hand files. “My answer to how I find my joy is in the small details of everyday life; what gives me the most gratitude is watching my dog swim in search of her ball. Helping others, putting smiles on the faces of those who somehow, even just for a moment or maybe a life time, lost their grace. For a couple of years I was friends with someone who sought and discovered joy in everything - other people, new experiences, heart-shaped stones, the moon etc. My answer to your question Nick is friendship.A further explanation is not necessarily needed, but to qualify this answer I'll mention two things. Finding new brilliant musical groups and revisiting my favorite muscians and their work... Listening to music at top volume... When truly present and paying attention to place, people and projects, the joy in being alive comes forward and creates a spark. Going outside, taking a walk, sometimes very early in the morning before sunrise, the world is so peaceful and still; I love it, no matter what season or temperature, to notice that the birds and other animals have woken up even earlier. But my favorite and most surefire joy is to make love with my most beloved, when i have one, in nature, especially in the river, or the orchard. Getting absorbed into nature is alwaysa great way to find joy, i live on a river and do cold plunges, and am surrounded by forest. Mostly joy is to be by forgetting myself, being unselfconscious, getting past ego and time. Sometimes it does help to have an accountability partner to help us stay on track when it comes to our health goals. For most people, sticking to a weight loss regimen daily can be challenging. “You don’t win friends with creamy salad.” “A beautiful person inside and out, for more people to see.” Even though I can't honestly claim to really know where, when or how I find joy, I do know something that helps set the stage to enable the possibility for joy to dance its way into my soul. It is a life balancing on a wire. I can feel alone and without nurture in that place of service. I find the most joy in getting up early (eventhough that’s hard for me, evening person) and make a tour on my bike in the countryside around Amsterdam before work. At just one and three, they’re still untouched by the bitterness and cynicism that come with age, and their innocent joy is contagious. When my toddler makes my baby laugh, or the other way around, I find a joy that’s pure and undeniable. Hope is often the vehicle that can carry you to joy. They accumulate, and before you know it -- joy. I have found that rather than seek joy, I concentrate more on finding several instances of delight. I lured them to Cornwall over the school holidays and took them out to sea on a catamaran where my nephews lay on the net staring into the ocean their faces wet with seaspray. How can we freely experience joy when our body holds onto a pattern set down by a flight/fight event? This is a hard decision to make and one that breeds feelings of nervousness and sadness within me; not knowing how I will "cope" without my usual performance schedules (and applause). For many different reasons, more recently I am moving towards music management and away from full-time performing. I am a full-time professional musician. And that is ok too.Joy can be a bubble that has it's feelings trapped in it. Later she and her daughter-in-law got out of Kharkiv and now live in a retreat centre in Western Ukraine. Yesterday I read an interview with an ordinary woman like me in Ukraine whose grandson and son were killed by Russian missiles. The heat, the cold, the perfect in-between temperatures, I enjoy them all.Joy finds me when my husband and I are reading our separate books and newspapers, occasionally saying "hey, listen to this". When someone gives a new set of sheets or towels so lightly used that they are practically new or heavy pots that will stand up to a lot of cooking, I feel satisfaction and relief.Joy finds me on my walks in my neighbourhood. Also when I receive a phone call from my daughter, that fills me with joy. He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not. The shop owner countered, ‘You really don’t want to buy this little dog. Spending time with a friend.Or maybe you at times have so much activities and work, which imperceptibly exhaust you. For the brief moment of this existence, part of something more. Seeing as we see.And maybe that’s where joy comes into the equation for me. How else can the universe perceive itself? When I started back toward land, he tagged along, wafting back and forth in front of me, in danger of being blown into the lake at every moment. Why do I feel sad for no reason sometimes? I've pondered that question for a long time. Stop, everything, just for a moment and, if you're lucky enough to be able to, look into the eyes of someone who loves you. But there are also places and things that increase the possibility to experience joy. Sometimes I like to think that joy stays patiently with us until we manage to turn to it, to face it. Last sunday there was a flea market party in my street. I love not fitting in with the crowd and adding weight to the creative community’s presence and voice in my own way. I like yourself hail from Wangaratta, Australia which is a town of comfort and ease but full of conservative types…as you well know. Having spent way too much time seeking. There are a lot of things to find joy in. We find joy when we listen to the track "Joy" and your new album, which it seems you had joy recording it.See? We find joy whenever we're transformed by your songs. “Today, you’ve got a decision to make. “You’re the only one that can put pressure on yourself… No one else can put pressure on you. “Remember, once you set a goal, it’s all about how hard you’re willing to work, how much you’re willing to sacrifice and how badly you truly want it.“J.J. But in all of my pondering, there was one consistent bit of joy that shone brighter than the others, which is Sunday mornings in my home.I find joy in the empathy that arises to strangers when I have no charge on my bus card and/or when I try again for the perseverance to write poetry and something happens fleetingly forever.She holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities from Wofford College.The canvas of life, it turns out, is so much more textured, so much more alive when you let yourself feel it all.You hit rock bottom, and instead of breaking, your heart stretches to hold more.It could be a moment to marvel at an insect or a block of time considering one’s life.When I felt like the first person that ever felt love or pain or God or joy.They make me feel guilty that I do not satisfy those who want to see me fall apart.I don’t seek joy anymore but peace.August 21“To be beautiful means to be yourself.But, since Plato, Western metaphysics has been marked by an increasing tendency to neglect the question of Being. August 22“To create more positive results in your life, replace ‘if only’ with ‘next time’.”– Celestine Chua You need to accept yourself.” – Thich Nhat Hanh August 20“You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” – Brené Brown You are a work in progress; which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.” – Unknown Nick, I don't think you've lost your joy. If joy is something to be found, then naturally it is also something that can be lost. I am acutely aware this is not a profound or particularly creative statement - but I don't think you "find joy". Forgive me for my bluntness Nick, but I think you might have the question wrong. Always just more and more, just to make my life more interesting. “A lot of things come with fame, whether it’s losing friends or losing family.” – Young JeezyAnd I have miraculously had a few moments of fun, thank goodness.That everything in the world will have its replacement.And of course, I find joy in the sounds of the wings of migratory birds, in their eternal movement and restlessness, so different from many ossified human hearts.I think staring the big questions straight in the eye and trying to embrace them -- not finding answers, exactly, but still stumbling upon insights -- provides an existential "joy" that quiets the terror.Beautiful and seductive woodland spirits and nymphs, elves had magical powers and caused illness to livestock and person alike—if displeased.There is also joy in the art of mindful living, pausing to appreciate the present moment, embracing its beauty and complexity.From the FBI’s point of view, the overall success of confidential informants in terrorism investigations is demonstrated in the high conviction rate of cases that rely on confidential informants as the primary source of information. Inspirational Quotes on Love and Purpose Any joy her memory brings is tinged with sorrow. I had a little dog who brought me great joy. I cannot even conjure up joy in the memories. My daughter loves rowing and the joy I see in her face brings me absolute joy.But the sky itself exceeds determination; it is the space within which each entity follows its limits.Last but not least, my boyfriend/life partner.Mostly, I find it in the nature of sharing this crazy, precarious experience of living, even when the life in question is, for all intents and purposes, full and privileged and unendangered.You will sometimes forget which one you are.My simple answer to find my joy is to ask myself often every day and especially when confronted with a challenge'What would love do here?They find immense joy in the simplest, silliest, wildest activities and often it makes no sense but it's hilarious and it's contagious and free....and freeing.If only we take a moment to notice, and cherish, them.The thirty liberated puppies were among “hundreds of beagle puppies waiting to be shipped to vivisection labs.” Within the essence of technologically ordered cybernetic systems, these animals literally do not appear as animals at all or even as distinct objects. Ours is to come to terms with joy as the partner to sadness and loss. It finds us, and has from the dawn of life. We don't find our joy any more than we find our souls. It elaborates on a topic like no movie before – what would happen if corporations were people, do they know how to make the difference between the good and the bad? Also, if you’re a tech geek, you’ll love this movie. Also, keeping your employees satisfied by doing whatever makes them happy is another lesson you can take from this movie - but set some boundaries, otherwise, you may dig yourself a hole. What’s a better way to learn about business mistakes to avoid than watching the catastrophic mistakes Jordan Belfort did? Not thinking about the future, the past or other things, but experiencing the moment with my senses.“You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.” – Zig ZiglarAll the traffic lights turning green on my dismal commute (enjoyed all the more if the car starts first time).For example, being out in nature or making art.I have a folder in my phone full of joy so when I need to access some joy I know exactly where to look.I especially like to find joy in the present.Taking a moment to stop the buzz and churn of the human mind and look out.It's a pure state we're left in when everything seemingly abandons us _ life changing_life opening moments lets us take IN the joy that was always calling for our attention _ welcome it says _and the relationship to everyday joy begins. This is an elusive state for me as the self loathing is never far away. They are a reminder that life goes on. I also find joy by hearing the various birds in our neighborhood. I find joy in my morning cup of coffee. The best you can do is make your life as hospitable for it to waylay you as is possible. The incredible new songs, the beloved old songs. I used to find joy in professional success. Just envisioning myself traversing the line lifts me, emboldens me, makes me gold and impervious. But it’s not a room we’d normally recognise. I'm haemophiliac, which frequently means I have to retreat from life like a sickly Victorian child and unable to walk. About 10 minutes in, I thought about recording the moment, but then decided to sit in it and let it past. I took the day off work and went to the park with my 3 year old. After my mum died suddenly almost three years ago and I was in the depths of my PhD (on autonomous vehicles in Australia), I made a fully conscious effort to focus on joy.The most joy I have gained over the past three years is mostly related to nature and animals.Simply put, I find joy in living and life.I must have been radiating with joy, and somehow that always so concentrated and serious look on your face thawed and turned into a great spontaneous smile - my wondrous gift.I can’t tell you how much joy I have had watching them grow and learning to fly.One day, the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting the exact amount that he asked for.Distraction is the ultimate assassin of joy.So, finally, here is my answer to your question. Stephanie has found much to be learned, experienced, and understood when it comes to the lives of whom we deem pests. His research interests include radical environmentalism, anarcho-primitivism, earth and animal liberation, and critical interpretation of technology. In 2010 Bolivia passed The Law of the Rights of the Mother Earth, the world’s first laws granting equal rights of all nature to humans (Vidal, 2011). Opening and closing doors, stepping into sloth, absorbing love, turning my back to hate (but only after a small nibble). In summer they bring me joy swirling in and perching at the very end of the tall grass, so that the stem bends and they boldly tilt towards the ground. I was going to say that where I find my joy has changed since her death, but now I'm considering whether what I had was merely satisfaction, contentment, peace and ego masquerading as joy? The purest joy fills me as I watch a mother grey fantail sit on 3 tiny eggs in a nest resembling an icecream cone and perfectly shaped for her little body. I believe joy exists within us, just as love does; it’s not dependent on anything.It’s the kingdom of heaven, so to speak, but our mind has its foot on its neck, only allowing it to surface momentarily. It’s not easy, but if you can train yourself to accentuate the positive, your happy moments can be even more joyful. It may not be true for everyone, but opening myself up to the potential for joy removed the pressure to find it; it just appeared, often in the moments when I least expected it, yet most needed it. On the one hand, joy is the apotheosis of delight, the most meaningful satisfaction a person can experience; on the other, joy is sustained by suffering and limned by an anxious terror.For example, the joy of love and human connection requires passion (another polysemous word). I have many other positive feelings, happiness pride and love But Joy true joy evades me. ‘My religiousness is softly spoken, both sorrowful and joyful, broadening and deepening, imagined and true.’I feel this too but would add there aren’t any words when I experience the Divine inside. I love them quietly right now because it’s a work day, a day to do taxes and write dissertation. When I am in a state of flow and life just feels joyous irrespective of what cards I have been dealt. Sure, the big things feel great, and they are - but the ones that really stick with you, to me, are the tiny moments. As a Mayan elder put it “you see the seed that cannot survive without its people, and we cannot survive without our corn” (Organic Consumers, n.d.). The hybrid (pun-intended) “modern/postmodern” nature of the seed saving juxtaposed high-tech conditions in which the seed is protected (carefully regulated temperature in which the seed is frozen) with a ceremony accompanying the seed-saving project. Even before the uprising, the Tzotzil Mayan people of Chiapas took steps to protect their centuries-old heirloom corn from Monsanto’s Frankencorn by creating a seed “safe house” where heirloom variety seeds could be preserved. That bio-confinement of the bio-engineered corn flooding Mexico after NAFTA does not work is evident in the very place where corn first emerged as one of the most vital of human food sources. As for many meso-Americans, the Mayans hold that corn—red, black, yellow, and white—is the original ancestor of all humans. Now, I find joy in a walk in nature and a warm cup of coffee.There has been one consistent guide rope during my life that brings me close to joy - my art. And it can be hard to sustain this appreciation for more than moments, but the more I stretch that muscle in my mind the more open I continue to be to inviting a sense of joy into the most mundane things. Also I found joy when I listened Kokorito’s (my deceased cat) purring close by my side and feeling the warm, wild and furry presence in my bed. So by that definition, I felt ‘joy’ as I drove away from the hospital in a crappy rental car, knowing that it would be the last time I saw my mother alive. Those moments when you fall a little bit in love with someone. And them my heart smiles and the world becomes colorful , and life is worth living to the last minute. Now question is, how do i find inspiration? I think it’s a bit like a muscle we can strengthen. It's contagious.And I find it in community, when I help others to achieve something they need, want or enjoy.Over the last few years, I’ve been emerging from a difficult period. These kids are so beautiful and kind and patient with me, as I struggle with losing my looks and my ‘teacher's voice’.Yesterday we were learning about Baptism and Grace and becoming a child of God. Coming back to school this term I find that what is giving me joy and a sense of purpose is teaching teenagers and talking about the things of God. I have been reflecting on what gives me joy because I had an enforced break from work for six months this year following surgery and radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. Your work has always resonated with me on a level that I've sometimes struggled to express to others. I feel blessed to know my where and how. Even though in these last few months I have become intimately aware of how little I truly know, I know my own capacity for joy now, just as I know the house martins will come back next year. If we were put on this earth to do anything then it must have been to watch the universe breathe like this.I turned twenty five this week. Rather, the actions are lumped together within the larger “War on Terror.” As Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez states, “Today’s indictment proves that we will not tolerate any group that terrorizes the American people, no matter its intentions or objectives” (FBI, 2006). The program targets environmental and animal rights activists participating in sabotage of industries harmful to the environment and animal welfare. Prosecutors acknowledged that the fire was not set in an attempt to damage human life, yet Mason received the longest sentence ever for an act of environmental activism. Joy is actually freely bestowed on me nowadays by my firstborn grandson Abbe. It’s a journey, but to me it’s worth it every step of the way. I hope by now you’re looking at a big smiling you that radiates pure joy.However. You have so much reasons to be proud of yourself. I often take pictures of these lakeside moments so when I’m inevitably back to reality, my phone will have them to pop up as “on this day” memories — little digital reminders of joy. I love the feeling that comes as I set off on holiday. You can have nothing in your life, or everything but the feeling of joy transcends it all. I was just feeling free and inspired and couldn't help myself, a goofy grin just came out of me. It is in the act of reaching out to someone I know who needs love that I feel the greatest joy. Great gifts and opportunities have been given to me over my 32 years, and yet I often feel overwhelmed with a deep sadness that can make joy an almost impossible feeling. The greatest joys in my life come from the effort of reaching to people who are in need. This is especially true of nature or animals or people, though art, ideas, various inanimate objects can be equally powerful vectors. And a lot of joy.That joy can be the act of putting on a record, sitting down and actively and mindfully listen to it. In music I can also find strength, hope, confidence. So joy is the gasoline that keeps me going on, and makes the world wonderful. These moments of pure unadulterated joy in the midst of chaos are my life raft. Your question about the origin of that most elusive of feelings – joy – is, I think profoundly common in its perplexity; at least it is one I wrestle with and find is often agonizingly elusive. I find joy in nature, Art and people who are open to life.As I teacher, I have the pleasure of working with wonderful young people whom mainstream education has let down. I initially thought music but after much thought, that feeling is happiness, joy is something completely different, joy is all encompassing not just a feeling but an intense emotion. But it is still wonderful and surprising every time and like a great high I just want this elusive impossible to recreate drug again, which makes it all the more alluring for me. I feel for people that aren't able to feel this joy or maybe are unwilling to allow it to happen. Your music created a deep connection for me and profoundly impacted my life. I was so exhilarated by the experience that I couldn't sleep that night, overwhelmed by pure joy and happiness. I know it might sound cliché, but I truly find immense joy in your music and your shows. Fuck it I think I'm just happy to be alive.Take your joy where and when you can. It seems to take lots of practice and a fair amount of experience to cultivate a state of joy. In a sense, I see it as more long term or even partly unnoticed by our daily thought process of conflicting feelings and ideas. I find joy in children, both my own and others; I find joy in running and dancing; I find joy in creating music with my hands. Joy, for me, is experiencing immersion in nature. I do this in as many ways as I can,for instance by sitting still each day and focusing on my breath, so I can use my undistracted mind to move towards that which matters. It’s a rewarding path to follow- even if you feel like you have no purpose- be kind to others- and your purpose will find you. Somehow joy is so full of all the things that we hold in our hearts, the people we miss, the smell of our favourite meal, a laugh with a dear friend when life feels like everything is going to shit that day and but least you're in it together. And it’s true, I must admit, that even in the moments when I’m weighed down by sorrow, joy’s soft kiss is felt from the gratitude I feel for experiencing such deep emotions. When joy is the excitement, the ride on the rollercoaster, the birthday party, the birth of a child, or the moment when the drug kicks in, happiness is the calm, the underlying life force of the millions and millions mechanisms that keep us alive every day. I became comfortable with the stoicism needed for emergency work while also recognizing the humanity of people who were probably having the worst day or their lives.Where I find my joy is to return to gratitude. I am currently living with a clarity and self awareness where I am happy to feel joy, but also feel sadness - I know what it’s like to exist without feeling, so I’m going to enjoy it and make the most of it. I have had the struggle and the joy of relying on small venues all over the world to allow me space to share my art and attempt to connect to a few unsuspecting guests in attendance.See colours rather than merely registering (you'll find this makes them suddenly 'pop'. Try one colour at a time.) Look at the strange lines and curves and fractals that make up the world.Creating worlds on the page or simply finding joy in the pleasures of spreading, squishing, smooshing colours around.Being swept away by the power of great writing.I remind myself of how far I've come and the things that I've seen, which gives me great pleasure and I get a rush of what can only be described as joy when I hear the radio message 'we are green for doors' on an event I'm working at......I bet you will get this response a lot but hear me out.There are so many wonderful characteristics of our human nature.And so everything is holy, everything is beautiful and everything is a source of joy.Enjoyments are the tributaries of joy.Weirdly, when things are going well, joy is more elusive.April 25“Character is doing what you don’t want to do but know you should do.” – Joyce Meyer Each day, the account starts fresh. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever time you have failed to use wisely. Draw out every dollar each day! Mundane things I would otherwise walk past while planning my day, thinking of chores yet to be done, boxes to tick. I learned this early in my life and it has been a gift. That the world is fragile and things you love can slip away without warning. I choose to look for joy to act as a salve on my thoughts. Indeed, joy can be a decision, yet sometimes it is also the decision not to search for it. I think this is the true way of achieving joy, however I think that it might only be able to be properly gauged towards the end of one's life. However this is only fleeting - for even if they do obtain that unwanted honour, within days they'll be on Mad Monday, playing up like second hand lawnmowers and they'll be back the following season - joy is not fleeting, and cannot be derived from the misery of others. I’m invisible to the outside gaze and I’m solely focused on my plants while being a guest in another world which is all around me for too short a time, which I love. They both bring me such joy and I think about them all the time and can’t wait to see if they’ll turn up for a visit when I get home. It lives in the fur on a cat's chest, in a chilly Fall breeze, in remembering the existence of a song I love but forgot about for 20 years, in a first bite of cake, in an afternoon of cross stitching, in finally nailing a piece of music that has been practiced for weeks. But, as you, I think it's a decision to be aware of joy at particular moments. So when I notice I need joy, I bring myself to the present moment somehow and let joy find me, or tell me where it is so I can go seek it. But as I sit here starting a new story, feeling the magic of the beginning, the possibility, I know, this is how I want to spend the fleeting time I have on this planet. “The leader is truly and ultimately responsible for everything.” – Jocko Willink “If you allow the status quo to persist, you can’t expect to improve performance, and you can’t expect to win.” – Jocko Willink You have to lead them.” – Jocko Willink But they did have to understand why they were doing it so that they could believe in the mission.” – Jocko Willink “They didn’t have to jump for joy at the though of fighting alongside Iraqi soldiers on a dangerous battlefield. I hope you have seen the joy on our faces when you've shared your music with us, and I hope that for you is a realization of your sought joy. In Middle English, the old form of joy was used in this form, such that "to joy with" meant to "make love with" and to "joy with one's hands" meant to clap.But, still, I think it is always there for us to find and see with the right mind- and heart-set. And to witness or partake in all forms of love, necessarily involving others, I find great joy.Interestingly, and to your point, joy has often been thought of in part as an action. In the experience of joy in others. People got in touch from all over the place.I’ve never been more grateful to be alive in my life. There is no one else to blame.” – Jocko Willink “Leadership requires belief in the mission and unyielding perseverance to achieve victory.” – Jocko Willink If anyone was to be blamed and fired for what happened, let it be me.” – Jocko Willink “Ego clouds and disrupts everything.” – Jocko Willink “There can be no leadership when there is no team.” – Jocko Willink Joy is really all the little things - including a taste sensation - for me a ball of gooey fresh buffalo mozzarella - that sparks a climatic joy in my mouth! Joy is the feels of spontaneous laughing when you had forgotten what a sudden belly laugh feels like with others. The smell of sea fog on a rare balmy morning here in Dunedin, New Zealand or the smell of satisfaction of my freshly mown lawns, that is a pure unadulterated smug smell of joy. Therein lies the joy you’ve been missing! Joy arises in the experience of love like bubbles in a glass of champagne. Over the years I have begun the journey of contemplative prayer (and some of the other ancient spiritual disciplines) where my relationship with God, myself and other people, has deepened wonderfully. But, also, paradoxically, ( the christian journey/story is so full of paradox, which I kind of love, as so is life...) I've felt the deepest pain when there too. I think the first time I realized it was Joy walking with me was when I had the sense that everything was going to be okay. At first I could only describe it as a glimmering light or a deep breath, but over time I've come to understand that it is Joy. Grief tends to show up quite often, though not as regularly as those early days. Our last walk was two days before he passed away.I haven't stopped walking. Being able to get someone / anyone to undersand why you belive it to be so...or they get you to understand their beauty. Sometimes joy is the first strum of an electric guitar when it is louder than you expected and you can feel the pressure push your face back. I answer your question from a hospital bed, recovering from surgery.And so it provides me a viewpoint to describe joy as I experience it now, having been told the operation was a successful one. In fact, I’m almost certain that joy resembles the feeling that miraculously appears when we finally allow ourselves to receive that costly gift of acceptance form another. I woke up feeling rather anxious this morning; it happens a lot with me these days. I find joy by disconnecting from the world & society itself.By embracing music & nature That’s my joy and sometimes a cure for feeling a bit mwah-mwah. Finding joy in life for me has to do with nature or with people. It’s a feeling, it’s a smile, it’s an experience, it’s warmth, it’s uplifting. That it will make her be full in her inner self. I enjoy my job, my food, my beer. I don’t care about having a big house or a luxury car. Surprisingly, I felt really good about what I had done.I am still fighting my demons, but the hole I live in is not so deep and I find it easier to get out of. My joy is also found when I am in the company of others collaborating on art, music, jobs, a joke. OMG I didn't know music could be so incredible and joy giving until I played in a band. But when I am in the 'joy' zone I find it's often brought on by music - listening, working with musicians, and now playing. J.O.Y.Just Own Yourself...and everything will followI believe this may be the key to experiencing the full scope of joy though I have to confess I don't always get it right...in fact it's bloody hard to own or know your true self. I feel like I was saved by her on that day. Humans are selfish creatures and im no different but when i make a conscious effort to appreciate someone else, I feel useful. And in knowing good people like yourself and the Bad Seeds are in this world celebrating despite everything.