What Might A Joyful Mind Be?

The Naked Now, Richard Rohr, 2009. Appendix 8: Walking Meditation. A Joyful Mind

What might a joyful mind be?

• When your mind does not need to be right.
• When you no longer need to compare yourself with others.
• When you no longer need to compete -- not even in your own head.
• When your mind can be creative, but without needing anyone to know.
• When you can live in contentment with whatever the moment offers. [Snow piled on the roads after a snowstorm resulting in horrible traffic on Feb 3, 2015, such that I could not get to my home for an hour!]
• When you do not need to analyze or judge things in or out, positive or negative.
• When your mind does not need to be in charge, but can serve the moment with gracious and affirming information.
• When your mind follows the intelligent lead of your heart.
• When your mind is curious and interested, not suspicious and interrogating.
• When your mind does not "brood over injuries."
• When you do not need to humiliate, critique, or defeat those who have hurt you -- not even in your mind.
• When your mind does not need to create self-justifying story lines.
• When your mind does not need the future to be better than today.
• When your mind can let go of obsessive or negative thoughts.
• When your mind can think well of itself, but without needing to.
• When your mind can accept yourself as you are, warts and all.
• When your mind can surrender to what is.
• When your mind does not divide and always condemn one side or group.
• When your mind can find truth on both sides.
• When your mind fills in the gaps with "the benefit of the doubt" for both friend and enemy.
• When your mind can critique and also detach from the critique.
• When your mind can wait, listen, and learn.
• When your mind can live satisfied without resolution or closure.
• When your mind can forgive and actually "forget."
• When your mind can admit it was wrong and change.
• When your mind can stop judging and critiquing itself.
• When you don't need to complain or worry or get motivated.
• When you can observe your mind contracting into self-preservation or self-validation, and then laugh or weep over it.
• When you can actually love with your mind.
• When your mind can find God in all things.