Welcome,
I'm Norbert,
And today I'd like to explore with you how to spark joy in your life.
And before we start,
I'd like to share two thoughts with you.
We all have so many possibilities in our lives,
So many obligations,
So much to do.
So it's sometimes overwhelming and just too much.
And the question remains how to sort and what is the guideline.
And last year when I was watching on Netflix a documentary about Marie Kondo,
How she's cleaning up houses full of pile,
And she asked this question for every piece that you have in your hand.
Does it spark joy?
So when I heard this question,
It deeply resonated with me.
Not only for things,
But I find this question very helpful when you look at your possibilities.
And when you ask yourself this question,
You probably also can hear all the inner voices that say,
Yeah,
But we can't have too much joy.
Not everything can be joy.
Life is also work and so on and so on.
So maybe it's interesting to ask yourself this question from time to time.
And it really helps myself when I'm a little bit off track to bring myself back to the track of joy.
Because my inner emotional reaction when I have to decide which path to pursue is quite clear.
When I ask myself,
Does it spark joy?
So maybe you want to experiment with this.
And the second thing I want to share with you when talking about joy is a really beautiful documentary where the Dalai Lama and the late Desmond Tutu meet each other six days in 2016.
And the documentary is called Mission Joy.
When we talk about joy in our lives,
This is one side of our life.
And when you look at this mission joy,
Those two spiritual leaders really spark a lot of it and playfulness.
And at the same time,
They had really dark times.
So joy and dark times don't necessarily exclude each other.
But maybe it's a good picture to think of a sparkling flame that also can bring light in the darkness.
So we're here today on the mission to spark joy and explore it in your life.
And please take on a sitting position so that you can sit upright and stable and that your breath can flow freely.
And do whatever helps you to arrive in this moment.
Without judging,
Just noticing how you feel,
How your breath is flowing in and out,
The thoughts that are coming and going.
And I invite you to keep your focus for some time on your breath,
Noticing your breath flowing in and out,
Not changing anything.
And yet stay curious what other perceptions and sensations are coming and going,
What thoughts are appearing and disappearing.
And maybe for these minutes,
You can take on an attitude of everything that's coming up is okay.
There's no right or wrong,
Nothing to achieve.
Everything is okay in this moment as it is.
And I know that this might be quite a challenge if there is some discomfort or pain.
But if these things arise,
You also can notice them with an acknowledging attitude that's the way it is now and come back to your breath.
And maybe you could shift your attention to the question whether I experienced joy in my life in these days and weeks.
And keep your focus on this question without forcing any answers.
And if something is coming up,
Notice it.
And if at this time nothing's coming up,
That's okay too.
Where do I experience joy in my life these days and weeks?
Maybe if something is coming up,
You could also add a little thank you.
Thank you for sparking joy in my life.
And maybe you could expand the question when thinking back to the last years.
Maybe there could be one,
Two,
Three events that come to your mind that really sparked joy.
And not sticking too long with one event,
You could ask yourself the question,
What else?
And then I invite you to take a closer look.
Please pick one moment that really sparks joy when you think of it.
And then ask yourself the question,
What makes this moment so joyful?
And stay curious from moment to moment what different answers might come up.
So where's the center of joy or where's your inner resonance the strongest?
Where in your body can you feel it?
Maybe you can stay there a little bit longer at the essence of joy in this moment.
Maybe there's something,
A symbol or a little movement that you could do to remind yourself of this sparkling moment in the future.
And to close this,
Ask yourself the question,
How could I bring a little bit of the sparkling joy to my life today and maybe also tomorrow?
Thank you for exploring your ways of sparkling joy.
Have a wonderful day and many moments of joy for yourself and those around you.
