Moments of Pleasure and a Life Filled with Joy

Are you a pleasure seeker or a joy seeker?

Both Eckhart Tolle and Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras tell us that the difference between pleasure and joy lies in whether we focus on the outer world of our senses (pleasure) or our inner world of being (joy).

Many people are pleasure seekers while others are seekers of joy.  Adolescence is the time to explore pleasure and our senses … but most of us learn as we become adults, that although it makes us euphoric, it doesn’t last. Later we might also come to see that it is a way to avoid facing challenges and takes us away from being in the present to the natural highs and lows of life.

Where pleasure is fleeting, joy is always within us to connect to. It is at the heart of our being. An appreciation for life itself and a recognition that we are connected to a divine Source or Presence.

We don’t need the beach vacation, the fancy car, the roller coaster thrill or being the hostess with the mostest to be happy… When we pause, breathe and tune into this inner world, we find our Middle Ground.

This is where we nurture our joy and contentment with life.

Where we appreciate being rather than doing.

Where we let go rather than acquire.

Where we create space rather than fill it with stuff.

The key to creating a fulfilling life is building our foundation on joy and decorating it occasionally with pleasure. We can appreciate it for what it is – a temporary moment to appreciate fully and not become attached to.

Namaste