From Melt to Freeze ... Spring Inches Closer
However, the joy of consciousness is not a sense of euphoric feelings of laughter about things that are occurring. It is the joy of knowing that you exist and that you are in harmony enjoying yourself. It is a sense of knowing above and beyond what the body may be involved in doing. Gregge Tiffen (Echoing: Expectations – September, 2016)
A couple weeks back I shared Gregge Tiffen’s list of the nine characteristics of the Universe (http://cindyreinhardt.com/blog/an-atmosphere-of-well-being). They are abundance, harmony, beauty, joy, love, light (intelligence), life, peace, and power. I explored beauty in that post, discovering (as Gregge shared) that where beauty was present, so too were the other characteristics. My discovery was reinforced this week as I explored the characteristic of joy.
We tend to think of joy as something we experience infrequently. You know, when you experience something terrific, you ‘jump for joy’. And, that joy passes. It’s joy triggered by something in the world. It’s an experience of the body and our emotions.
Those experiences are a part of life. While they bring a time of pleasantness and fun, this joy doesn’t represent the journey of the soul. It’s not consciousness.
In exploring joy this week, I discovered that difference. I found joy not it observing events of the world (although there are some amazing people, doing amazing things these days!), but rather in going back to basics: self-observation, quiet reflection, awareness, then, action.
I’d been stuck in a recurring physical health experience that I couldn’t get beyond. It’s lingered for months in varying degrees and discomforts, and my efforts to address it mostly with outside support weren’t having the lasting impact I desired. And so, finally, I got quiet. I asked for guidance. And, I listened. I heard “You’ve been here before. You know what to do. That’s all.” Say what? I wanted explicit directions.
And, then I remembered. I’d experienced very similar symptoms, recurring over several months, 15 or more years ago. Instantly, I knew what to do (and I still had the book from that earlier experience to guide me). I went into action with clarity and sense of confidence. I knew.
Today, I feel a sense of joy far beyond the elation of disappearing symptoms. I see clearly that where the pure joy of being exists, so to do abundance, beauty, harmony, love, light, life, peace and power. In particular I see that each is a doorway to the others and that joy was the door to unlock my personal power. I love the unity of these qualities and that we only need engage one to experience the others! How cool is that?
I’m grateful and deeply aware that we are each imbued with power that no one, no system, no thing can take away. But that’s a story for another day. Meanwhile, I invite to go back to basics with something that’s dogging you and won’t let go. Observe, reflect, listen, then, act. Notice the joy and power in that!
Heart on Ice!