On joy

As I mentioned in the last post, I'm a big fan of the book "The Chemistry of Joy," By Henry Emmons, M.D. I liked this bit in particular:

"Joy isn't an object or an achievement. It's more like a gentle breeze that simply comes, on its own, when it's allowed to do so. But if joy is really natural, why doesn't it come to us more often and more easily?

Usually, joy is not present because we haven't allowed it to be. We block it chemically, with unbalanced biochemicals in our brain, with poor nutrition that depletes our bodies, or sleep patterns that disrupt our relationship to nature and our own cycles. We block it with our thoughts, when we strive to control the uncontrollable, to to grasp after happiness, to push away love and connection, to blind ourselves to internal and external reality. We block it with our hearts, too, when we close down in fear or resentment or confusion. You cannot receive an object when your hand is clenched. You cannot receive food when your jaw is clenched. You cannot receive joy when your mind is clenched. And you cannot receive love when your heart is clenched."