Joy - What is it and how do I get some?

A couple nights ago, I went to a gathering which is a monthly discussion group around a specific topic. The topic for this salon was “joy.”
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Everyone was asked to think about something that brings them joy — be it a physical person or animal, an object or an action or experience.

I shared that singing brings me the most joy in life. Because it is full, unadulterated expression, because it connects me to something else and to others. And it just feels right!
As we got further into the discussion, some theories started to emerge. Here are few concepts that came up in that gathering:

• Joy is always accessible. It is a stream that flows among us. It connects us. It is shared. It is infinite, not a finite resource. It can be accessed. We can plug into it. We can connect to it. I like the idea of this blue or green sparkling spring that flows through and around us. Maybe we are all just swimming in it at all times and what stops us from experiencing it is all the man-made stories and things we’ve created that separate us from it.
• Joy is connection to something. A person, an experience, an emotion, a moment, something greater, something magical, a younger or more innocent self, a collective or shared humanity, something beautiful. When you connect with any of those things — joy is there.
• Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is fleeting and flippant. Happiness is to be attained, pursued, sought after. Joy is more accessible and more reliable.
• Joy could be similar or equal to the idea of nirvana.
• Joy is a recognition that there is more to life than the things we sometimes focus on or obsess over or toil over.
• There can be joy in suffering. There can be joy in spite of or even because of suffering. Sometimes suffering increases our capacity to experience joy.
• A sure-fire way to bring some joy into your life is to practice gratitude. When we can feel grateful, joy often comes. They are possibly two sides of the same coin?

Gratitude is one of the thing I’ve been practicing more lately and it’s helped me in immense ways. I have certainly seen gratitude as a gateway to being able to access joy more often in my life.

I’ve tried the gratitude jar. I LOVE the idea of it but I’m not disciplined enough to do it everyday. So for me, when I am in bed at night, I think of a few things I’m grateful for during the day — I list and name them and express gratitude for them.
I also find that I feel immense gratitude (and joy) when I spend time in nature. That is resetting for me.

What brings you joy? How do you access it? How do you practice gratitude?

May we all find some joy and gratitude this day!