The Tao of Joy and Sorrow
The Tao of Joy and Sorrow is an exploration of how two companions—Joy and Sorrow—intertwine in our lives. This journey is both a personal tool and a quiet invitation: a way to Train for Joy, and to find the courage to Navigate through Sorrow.
The Sufi poet Kahlil Gibran wrote an essay titled Of Joy and Sorrow that has long been a touchstone for me. In it, he reminds us that our capacity for joy is carved by our experience of sorrow. His words invite reflection—and balance. My quest is to better understand this interplay. Perhaps yours is, too.
Episodes
11 episodes
Ancient Beginnings
While in this podcast we may return to the idea of Beginnings, for me this final summation from Ancient Wisdom may hold enough for some of us to take that first step forward, toward what is unknown. To step into BEGINNING.
Training for Joy
Joy is not a trivial pursuit. It is training, it is choice, and it is one of the deepest acts of resilience we can make.
The Stillpoint
I return to the idea of my still point often when my life feels chaotic — rushing, striving, resisting, distracting. It is there, waiting for me to find my way back to what is so very familiar, to my inner home, my center. As much as I need to ...
Balance
In Taoist thought, balance is never static. It is not a destination but a rhythm, an ongoing dance of yin and yang. Beginnings disrupt our rhythm, and so each start requires a recalibration. A return to center as we ride the interplay of yin an...
The Body’s Wisdom
The body remembers what the mind forgets. It holds our ancient wounds, and childhood laughter. Within, we find our deepest truths, and our hardest sadness. Our body carries our Joy and cradles our Sorrow.And always, always—it is our body...
Settling in with Discomfort
Suffering, I have come to learn, is often pain multiplied by resistance. Pain is unavoidable—it’s part of being human. But resistance? That’s where we make things harder. When we resist, we layer on fear, denial, avoidance. It’s like trying to ...
Shadow Reflections
Over time, I’ve come to think of Shadow as a character on my inner stage, standing alongside Joy and Sorrow. Shadow isn’t invited, but always arrives with a gift—the gift of discomfort, truth, an opportunity to observe…me. An invitation to reco...
Ho’oponopono
Many of us have broken bonds—fractured love connections with family, friends, or partners. The silence can be deafening, and resolution may be far beyond our control. Still, this practice has become a bridge for me. A path toward healing; a way...
Riding Transitions
The Tao reminds us: life is like a river. You cannot step into the same river twice — both you and the river have changed.Transitions are the riverbank moments. One step on solid ground, the next into moving current.The river do...
Trust the Magic of New Beginnings
Perhaps the deepest truth is this: beginnings are not one-time events. They happen daily, in small choices — to listen, to forgive, to create, to walk, to love. To trust the magic of beginnings is to live awake to the possibility that each mome...
