Daffodils greet visitors at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Quote of the day:
Tripping over Joy
What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?
The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God
And that the Beloved
Has just made such a Fantastic Move
that the saint is now continually
Tripping over Joy
And bursting out in Laughter
And saying, “I Surrender!”
Whereas, my dear,
I’m afraid you still think
You have a thousand serious moves.
Hafiz
Bluebird
Researchers tell us that we humans aren’t very good at predicting what makes us happy. We think that more money, a new lover, a trip, a new job, a promotion—you name it—will make us happy. But studies show that while all of these things can cause an initial upward blip in happiness, overall they have little or no effect. We quickly return to our original level of happiness.
Our culture is built on selling the idea of constantly seeking something outside ourselves to make us happy. I get caught up in it, even when I’m trying to live intentionally. I bet you do too.
So how much is enough? How do we satisfy that inner hunger for more? We don’t do it by accumulating more or doing more or going somewhere new.
We dig deep and listen to our hearts and learn to believe that we are enough just as we are. We practice gratitude and kindness. We do something nice for someone else. We practice presence.
Try this exercise with me now. Take 3 deep breathes, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Now ask yourself these questions.
Right now, this minute am I hungry? Am I in pain? Do I need to find a place to sleep tonight? Do I not have clothes to wear? If your answers to all of these questions were “No,” then take 3 more breathes and sit with the notion of having enough and being enough, right now, this minute. If you can, look out the window or look around the room you are in, if there are no windows. Find something beautiful right now, this minute, to feel gratitude for.
Unlike the pursuit of things, which is a finite game, tripping over joy, is an infinite game.
Daffodils in bloom
Spectacular Orchid at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Orchid Show
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