“Pleasure heals the places where our hearts and spirit get wounded. Pleasure reminds us that even in the dark, we are alive. Pleasure is a medicine for the suffering that is absolutely promised in life… Pleasure is the point. Feeling good is not frivolous, it is freedom.’ -adrienne maree brown
What do you find pleasurable? How can you find pleasure today?
Loving relationships, of all sorts, should be a source of joy. Healthy loving relationships are respectful, non-coercive, based in honesty and trust, and equal in power.
How have you found joy in loving relationships with others?
Joy is an anthem, a song–and a wish for others “Joy Joy Joy! Then may your heart be filled with joy!” and “Joy to the World.”
What is the music of your joy (actual or metaphorical)?
When I was going through a severe bout of depression, I couldn’t feel any joy in my life. I had a wonderful life – a husband and two kids who loved me, a safe place to shelter, food to eat, a supportive and loving UU community. Intellectually, I knew all that, but knowing I should feel joy and actually feeling it were two different things. I knew I was better when I began to actually feel joy again.
Have you experienced such a depression? How did you find your way out?
If you are experiencing such a depression now, reach out for help. In the US, call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Have you ever felt utter contentment one moment, delighting in the joy that fills you, only to be filled with dread in the very next moment? It’s as though our busy, analytical perfectionistic brains are unable to relax into the full joyousness of a moment without thoughts intruding: “of course, this is too good to be true” or “this cannot be replicated.” But we can resist this inclination to, as Brene Brown says, forebode joy.
How have you been able to relax in the vulnerability required to catch and hold on to the elusiveness of joy?
