Dear Friends,
The practice of muditā is an empathetic joy that celebrates the good fortune, happiness, and joy of others.
Oren Jay Sofer describes it this way:
This is mudita: feeling the happiness of another. The capacity for empathic resonance is innate. When empathy meets the happiness and the success of another, when there’s no craving or constriction, the natural response is to rejoice.
The Dalai Lama once said that when you count other people’s happiness as your own, your chances for happiness increase by 6 billion to 1. The cultivation of this quality starts to dissolve the boundaries between self and other. We touch a space that’s more expansive and connected.
https://www.orenjaysofer.com/blog/resilience-joy
There are many ways to cultivate muditā. One is the use of phrases. I love the Sinhalese text that Christina Feldman shares:
How wonderful you are in your being
page 106
I delight you are here
I take joy in your good fortune
May your happiness continue.
As we do this practice, we might notice times where our joy isn’t so boundless – where envy, resentment, or other difficult states arise. Winnie Nazarko describes several things that can get in the way in this article:
https://imhouston.wordpress.com/dharma-talks/ginger-clarkson/brahma-vahara-practices/mudita-guided-practice/
If we notice aversion or other difficult states, we can turn to self-compassion. This too is part of the practice.
Oren Jay Sofer led a meditation on joy and gratitude that works through the other phases. You can listen to it here:
https://www.orenjaysofer.com/meditation-joy
For a radiating version, Ven Dhammadipa led a practice of “Breathing in Joy, Breathing out Joy”
https://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/54033/
(note, no ending bell)
I like Dhammadipa’s reflection that we can take in the muditā that’s being offered by others. Even though we’re not in the same room as the folks at that particular retreat, we can rest assured there are practitioners all around the world cultivating joy right now.
There was a retreat I attended last fall where we were doing a radiating joy practice, but some difficult emotions arose for me. It was so supportive in that moment to rest back into knowing that I was sitting in this field of joy – it was like wearing a snuggly sweater on a cold day, or getting a hug from a dear friend.
I hope this exploration of joy has been enjoyable! May your happiness continue.
Warm wishes,
Andrea