Islands of Joy: November 16 - 22

I took this aerial photo of an archipelago when flying over the Bahamas. I love the play of water, light and sand.

Lately it feels like I've been caught in an unending storm. Dark days continue to appear on the horizon. It leaves me wondering if we'll ever regain what we've lost. It is easy to give way to despair and pessimism. None of us can survive day in and day out, if all we see is doom. I've been feeling it. How about you?

I believe the antidote is joy. We each need to create islands of joy where we can take refuge from the storm. This past Thursday, my weekly men's meditation group gathered for a Friendsgiving meal and a shared reflection. It did my soul good to sit in community. Today I went to a daylong retreat with compassionate and wise people. We listened with open hearts. It lifted me up. Later this week, I'm spending time with my mom and youngest sister in Black Mountain, NC. Each year we pick a new place to explore together and to simply be in each other's company. These are my islands of joy where I can breathe and dream and play. Surrounded by people I love, in little but important ways, I'm building the type of world I long to see. I hope you're creating islands as well.

Practice

Usually when I teach mindfulness, I start off by encouraging people to use the breath as an anchor or a place to rest one's awareness. I suggest following the breath as a doorway into the present moment. Today I offer a variation of this basic practice.

Call to mind a moment of joy. Maybe there is a person in your life who holds you in their heart. Picture their face and experience the feelings their image brings up. Or remember a favorite place from your childhood or an amazing vacation. Relive the special moments. See the sights and hear the sounds. Pay attention to how you feel in your body right now as you replay the memories. Can you sense the smile from within? Scan your past for a cherished period in your life. Use all of these avenues to cultivate a deep sense of joy. Rest in this place for as long as you like. Identify where joy lives in you. Does it have a particular color? What is the texture of joy? What does it sound like? Soak in all of its nuances. Become intimately familiar with its presence.

Remember its resonance and its shape. Create a treasure map and trace the path to this island of joy. Practice again and again until following joy becomes as easy as following your breath. Pull out the map the next time you feel lost.