Now, the alert among you will notice that I’ve written about joy not once, but twice before. And yeah, there is still lots to write about here. And you know – ideally, you’ll pop straight over to the Collective info page and sign up after this, but also, realistically, I know a lot of people can’t afford that. But I don’t think you can afford to skip the joy step on Brigid’s Path either. Joy is too important on Brigid’s path.
So, let’s talk about why!
Joy on Brigid’s Path isn’t always easy to find. I am always ready to point out that this path isn’t easy. I mean, you’re investigating the depths of yourself, your soul, your beliefs, your life…
Ease isn’t what I promise at all. Transformation is. And honestly, anyone claiming transformation is easy is lying to you. The journey on Brigid’s path calls you to discover joy.
Joy is simple…
Or it can be. Even on Brigid’s Path, joy can be found relatively easily at times. And I highly recommend making finding joy a habit. It’s so easy to parade through life and not pay attention to the smaller things that bring joy. A new crop of daffodils in the spring. A cup of coffee that, miracle of miracles, is just exactly right. The sight of a child exploring the world head first.
Joy can be found in so many places. And we overlook it as a means to improve our lives, including when following Brigid’s path. Think about it.
Think about a recent really shit day you had. I can tell you mine – exhausting day at work, loads of pointless meetings, loads of just small fires that only I could put out (not true but other people thought so), plenty of aggro and hassle. I came home exhausted to an emotional 18 yr old and an exhausted husband.
Now, there’s nothing particularly bad on this day. It was just… one of those days. But I had a choice. I could write the day off and just say “fuck it, I’m done.” (Ahem – which I did for an hour or so) Brigid’s Path demands joy, but also allows for the days when “fuck it” really is the only possible answer you can give!
I had to do something different though. So I got a bar of chocolate. And I really fucking enjoyed the hell out of it. I mean, I took my time. I tasted. Sensed. Smelled it. (It was a bar of Cadbury’s, so y’know, nothing special, but I needed the joy.)
It worked. I felt better. And it worked better and felt better because I deliberately took the decision to feel joy. This I have learned: I have to take the time to feel the joy that aligns with Brigid’s path.
Brigid’s Path and Joy
But I could talk about Brigid’s Path and feeling joy and never the twain shall meet. So why make such a fuss about it?
Well, there’s health benefits to regularly feeling joy. Seriously – go ahead and look it up. And while Brigid might not always be the best at looking after her tools, she expects us to look after ourselves. As adults tend to do, y’know?
And Brigid demands pretty well-rounded individuals. Now, I’m not claiming there’s one path for all of us. I won’t do that, because I know it’s not true. But Brigid herself is an all-rounder. And she understands the benefits of a well-rounded human experience.
And let’s face it – there are loads of spiritual paths out there that focus on misery. I mean, the Catholic Church is a wonderful example of this. “Suffer in this life so you don’t in the next.” Except it doesn’t usually to the church leaders, does it?
And ok, even the Catholic Church has veered away from that particular rhetoric in recent years. It still pops up from time to time.
The fact of the matter is that miserable people are easier to control than joyful people. Miserable people are beaten down, controlled, easy to manipulate. They don’t have the energy or wherewithal to better themselves and they have a tendency to lash out at others.
The power in Brigid’s Path extolling joy as a necessity is that it gives you the leeway to change. Change yourself, change the world, it doesn’t matter.
But it starts with joy…
Don’t forget to check out the Collective here and go and find some joy for yourself today!
