We all need innocence and joy

It’s about maintaining the lifeboat…

The state of the world is so serious that these qualities may sound irresponsible. However, people in arduous conditions have traditionally had time out, such as respite care breaks, or shore leave. Frankly, normal life these days is tough, and we all need to balance that out.

Innocence may seem an odd quality to invoke, when we’re deluged with bad news, and already know too much. The Latin roots of this word mean ‘without harm’: I’m suggesting that we need periods of innocence, when we can put aside the worries which can preoccupy us.

Probably you have ways to mitigate stress, such as mindfulness or time in Nature. I suggest you augment this with something deeper, more systemic: a belief that you have a right to some periods of innocence. They have a crucial role in sustaining your capacity to be of service.

It may be true that we can’t unknow the distressing things in our minds about the state of the world, but we can use intention and even artifice to put them to one side for a while, with methods like these:

Music and dance can be strong enough to hold us in a joyful place.
Know your comfort zones, and submerge in them regularly: for example, mine include soccer, steam railways, and woods.
Try the ‘set-aside chest’, an idea I got from a therapist friend. Use an actual wooden chest, or imagine one: visualise putting your worries in the chest, and give yourself a break.
Believe there’s a magical child within you, who wants to play. Ask them what they want. Read a children’s book to yourself, play a game, ideally with real children!

Opening to joy

I find that qualities like innocence and safety are necessary to allow me to feel joy. If you need to deepen your sense of safety, I highly recommend William Bloom’s book, Feeling Safe, see blog here.

Joy is a quality of delight, of being fully present to the blessings of this moment, so much that you stop thinking about the future or the past. I see it as different than pleasure, which is seeking an outcome. Joy is a state of being, where you get beyond your grasping ego.

Our joy can be helped by beautiful scenery, music poetry, or the warmth of a loving friendship. But it can also be helped from within, by gratitude, self-love, meditation, and fond memories.

The methods listed above will hopefully help you find your joy as well as your innocence. Aim to let yourself relax into joy, and if worries come up, gently ask them to leave. Remember that you need this, and deserve it.

If you’d like more help with your exploration, try The Book of Joy, or quotes on joy. Or wise words from Ram Dass: When the faith is strong enough, it is sufficient just to be. It’s a journey towards simplicity, towards quietness, towards a kind of joy that is not in time.