{"id":3089,"date":"2024-05-18T21:20:45","date_gmt":"2024-05-19T01:20:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chistell.com\/africanamericanfiction\/?p=3089"},"modified":"2024-08-02T15:25:42","modified_gmt":"2024-08-02T19:25:42","slug":"what-if-youre-supposed-to-be-enlightened-with-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chistell.com\/africanamericanfiction\/what-if-youre-supposed-to-be-enlightened-with-joy\/","title":{"rendered":"What If You\u2019re Supposed to be Enlightened with JOY?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Self-Help Books Author Denise Turney (www.chistell.co<\/a>m<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Picture by Bekka Mongeau (Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How would you change your life if you believed that you\u2019re supposed to be enlightened with joy? Would you continue to look outside yourself for direction, turning to other people\u2019s experiences and mounds of information when you wanted to know what to do now and next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Information the Link to Joy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today information is everywhere, filling our minds with images, sayings, opinions, warnings, advertisements, advice, and teachings. There are messages that espouse the importance of sacrifice, as if to gift the world with meaning you must give something up. Right now, technology via electronics is pushing out information at an alarming rate. It\u2019s hard not to turn to data or other people for guidance, as if that\u2019s where you should go to fully know what you should do to experience joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, there\u2019s artificial intelligence, a growing form of technology and data that is taking humanity into new territory. It\u2019s definitely not a boring time, but could our main purpose be the oldest aim, perhaps forever unchanged. What if, through the information age and beyond, the main aim is joy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, what if you\u2019re supposed to be enlightened with joy? After all, throughout time, a myriad of situations, and lifestyles, there are but a few things that have remained unaltered: peace, love, and joy. If joy was, indeed, the aim of your being, how would you allow your physical experiences to unfold?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Would You Do If Your Goal Was Joy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you work where you now work, focusing on projects that you now focus on? And would the physical structure that you call home be as it currently is? If not, where would you work or live and who would occupy your space?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, if we\u2019re supposed to be enlightened with joy, it could be why I received inner guidance to \u201cnot seek after comfort\u201d when I was a kid, about 12-years old. Of course, I\u2019ve spent much of this journey seeking comfort. Fortunately, I\u2019ve been curious enough about life and our Creator to follow higher guidance which, so often, takes one away from comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it. Is it not clear that you could go one way or another, but not two ways at the same time? You can seek comfort or truth. Also, you could seek illusions or truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing to be Enlightened with Joy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose to be enlightened with joy and you\u2019ll have to break away from worldly traditions. 2 Corinthians 6:17 shares that you\u2019d have to \u201ccome out from among them.\u201d (KJV) Furthermore, Romans 12:2 shares, \u201cDo not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.\u201d (NIV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Admittedly, this is no easy task. At the start, it may feel as if you\u2019re giving up everything that you want, all that you value \u2013 happiness itself. As you keep going, changing your mind and choosing anew, you may enter a state of peace and joy that you maintain regardless of outer circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine experiencing joy, love, and peace regardless of what you hear, see, perceive, or feel? Talk about graduating. It may very well be impossible to experience suffering, anger, jealousy, or hate once you reach that level of enlightenment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could it happen quickly, or would it take years, decades? What do you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progressing Toward Joy Enlightenment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on your childhood programming and training, you might have to become intensely curious about life to start to distinguish between profitable and unprofitable childhood and adult lessons. For instance, it might take curiosity, courage, and determination to stop follow<\/a>ing old, worn life paths<\/a>: going to school to obtain degrees and certificates as proof that you can complete a task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or you might face financial rewards differently, choosing not to allow the opportunity to receive more money to guide your path. Overall, you might have to discontinue the tradition of allowing what your body\u2019s eyes see to guide you, to tell you which way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk about breaking away. Traditions that you heard while growing up might follow you for years, shadowing you, even as you commit to following a specific path that shortens your enlightenment with joy. Back and forth, returning to old worldly traditions to break free again, you might go for quite a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, if your aim to be enlightened with joy is maintained, progress you shall. But first you must begin. To do that, you may consider following your Higher Self. Those early followings might come through journal writings, recording your dreams, and interpreting those dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journey Toward Joy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More ways to begin the journey toward enlightenment through joy include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n