James Baraz on Finding Joy in Difficult Times
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, James Baraz, joins Health Gig to discuss his book and course “Awakening Joy.” We speak on the importance of mindfulness, strengthening our healthy states, and learning how to seek out the good while really letting joy set in. James also offers Health Gig listeners an opportunity to join his Awakening Joy course with a $100 off discount code. See below!
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Quotes:
When we are at ease, the natural state is connection, love, and joy, but it gets obscured by our thoughts, worries, and stress. James Baraz
If you're looking for how things are going to go wrong, you're going to actually miss out on all the times they go right. James Baraz
Mindfulness has the unique property of weakening all the unhealthy states and strengthening all the healthy states. James Baraz
Show Notes:
James Baraz: I had a lot of questions about myself and about life and about inner peace.
James Baraz: I was not particularly happy with myself, had a lot of insecurities and self-judgments and things like that. Was very shy. And then I found meditation.
James Baraz: I helped start a meditation center out in California called Spirit Rock Meditation Center, which is a very well-respected center in the Buddhist world.
James Baraz: I lost my joy. And then I wanted to take a deeper look and see what are these teachings really about as far as happiness.
James Baraz: The purpose of life is to be happy. And that's how I got into writing the book and doing the course that I love to share with people.
James Baraz: I call it awakening joy, not finding joy someplace.
James Baraz: It gets obscured by our thoughts and by our worries and by stress. But that's who we are when we are at ease. The natural state is connection and love and joy.
James Baraz: He says the brain is like Teflon for positive experiences and Velcro for negative experiences.
James Baraz: With training, we can turn that around so that you're on the lookout for the good and not only on the lookout for it, but to really let it sink in and register.
James Baraz: If you look for how amazing it is to be alive or that there's goodness inside of people and you look for it, your brain will pick that out and will actually help draw it out of others as well.
James Baraz: Somebody else can hold your pain and help you look at your thoughts and help you see things maybe a bit more clearly.
James Baraz: The main practice is looking for the good inside and around you.
James Baraz: It's probably it's impossible to be depressed if you're going to have a big smile. And even just the slightest half-smile is sending a message to your brain and your heart.
James Baraz: I first want to clarify about the word joy, because for some people, it can be just such an inspiring word. And for others it can seem daunting, remote, not realistic.
James Baraz: Everything that you do is probably motivated because you think it'll make you feel a little bit better or a little less bad. So this is really deep, innate within you, this movement towards well-being. And then the trick is to just see where well-being really lies.
James Baraz: If our well-being is at the expense of somebody else's suffering, this is not a sustainable well-being.
James Baraz: You keep on looking for their goodness. The more you not only see it in yourself but let them know that you appreciate it. That deepens the feedback loop.
James Baraz: My practice has been looking for the good for many, many years. And it's a whole lot better way to go through life than looking for the bad.
James Baraz: I tell people to sing every day as a way to feel alive. And if singing isn't your thing, some creative expression. For some people, it's drawing or dancing or some creativity where life is moving through you.
James Baraz: Dealing with our struggles and the pain in our heart is a key piece of, say, Buddhist teachings.
James Baraz: All the millions and millions of people. You're not alone. And maybe have some compassion for all of them for a moment. And then send that compassion to yourself.
James Baraz: Generosity is a key source of joy.
James Baraz: They're going to learn their own lessons. I don't want to close my heart to them. But I also want to have healthy boundaries.
Keywords:
TriciaReillyKoch, DoroBushKoch, HealthGig, Longevity, Wellness, PhysicalHealth, MentalHealth, Health, HealthCare, JamesBaraz, AwakeningJoy, Mindfulness, Joy, Happiness, Meditation