Living Joyously

My personal "secret" of living joyously is through realising that all is empty of any lasting nature. This is all a dream that everyone lives in, because everything seems so real; and yet nothing is real in the sense we see it to be. Is this not a "real dream" then? All is a constant flux of change, big and small.

Live lightly and gently. I'm not asking you to not live life dead seriously. This is seriously a dream as long as we are seriously deluded. Have a great wish to wake up. Don't take life seriously as in attaching to this and that, as if all were real for you to have and hold. Remember that your perception of reality is not really reality. Nothing is what it seems. In that sense, take your likes and dislikes, tastes and biasnesses lightly.

Nothing is this world came with labels and we do not have to label everything. Be glad to receive whatever you do, realising that it is a gift conditioned by your own karma. And when you have to, be glad to let go. Don't take anything too seriously - not even yourself (but be serious about practising the Dharma). Strong craving and hatred are signs of taking too many things too seriously.

The unmindful crave and hate ceaselessly while the Enlightened are ever steady, smiling graciously. Be gracious because graciousness is happiness. Who is more gracious than the Enlightened? Learn graciousness from them.

Enlightenment is total joy unbound, but living lightly is a joy already. And it is the path of joyous living that leads to the greatest joy of all, the cool, cool bliss of Enlightenment.

(The Daily Enlightenment)