Joyfulness

2026, February, Issue 190

From that tiny Spark,

that light beyond belief,

Source,

this blazing brilliance of all,

all that appears in this grand illusion,

brightness beyond all reason,

shining brightly here

within our heart center,

growing brighter with this

Aspiration to Awaken,

increasing our true potentiality

within this limited appearance of darkness,

this human life manifesting

discovering

joyfulness unending,

laughter of this awakened potentiality

opening our heart and mind to

Ultimate Wisdom,

Ultimate Knowledge,

Ultimate Truth;

This joyfulness manifests

in our every action,

our mindful sense of being,

each step that we take;

This light, this Timeless Luminosity,

manifests in our mind

through mindful awareness

of this great love and compassion

this obvious condition

that is pervasive throughout

our every thought,

our every joyful realization,

our presence within this awareness,

as we see ourselves becoming

so much more, though we haven’t moved,

so much more than this limited sentient being,

so much more than the expectations,

these distractions of a world in turmoil;

We find ourselves awakening

through joyfulness,

As It Is.

A poem by Robert Aho © 2026

Central to the teachings of Buddhism are the Four Immeasurables, which are equanimity, love, compassion, and, of course, joy. In meditation retreats, no matter what the subject may be, this teaching comes up repeatedly. Why is that?

When we understand that Buddhism is really nothing other than a methodology for awakening, it becomes rather obvious that certain truths must be acknowledged. Awakening is, after all, simply discovering Ultimate Truth, which means going beyond all obstacles. This means that, right from our first step on the Path, when we make this Aspiration to Awaken, we are engaged with Enlightenment Mind. This means that we are tapping into Ultimate Truth, even though we don’t yet know what that is.

It is no coincidence that discussions about love and compassion come up frequently. Equanimity, in this sense, means that we are truly all in an equal condition within this field of awareness, even though we don’t see it at first. We must find balance in that; and, when that happens, joyfulness naturally springs from this balance in our awareness, even if it is just a tiny spark at first.

So, if done properly, the teachings of the Four Immeasurables should be taught more as a guiding principle, something that you can reference as you discover more and more, as you become more advanced in your Spiritual Practice, as you investigate mind. It should not be taken as something to believe in; rather, it is meant to guide our progress. There’s something very scientific about this process, about investigating mind, about carefully examining what appears to mind without any sort of predetermined paradigm or outcome that can be reified in any way. Awakening occurs because we tap into Enlightenment Mind with our own Aspiration to Awaken.

Awakening means that we no longer continue fooling ourselves into thinking that this or that is real. We stop making assumptions about reality in general. We see the uselessness of belief, especially without some examination of our beliefs.

At some point we discover how belief is completely worthless, and that should make us laugh. Joyfulness springs from the discovery of Ultimate Reality. We see the futility we’ve been going through in lifetime after lifetime, by simply not knowing who we really are. This will make you laugh. If you have sufficient realization of our real condition, it is like igniting a very bright fire, a brilliant joyfulness within. We become aware in every moment throughout our day and night, remaining present in what cannot be fathomed by the intellect or the conceptual mind. It feels rather joyful when we make even small discoveries. As our heart and mind open, joyfulness naturally manifests.

Our own joyfulness is a manifestation of Ultimate Reality in each moment. We no longer navigate with our ego or assumed beliefs or concepts. Belief becomes worthless, simply because we have begun to live with a deep understanding of Enlightenment Mind. We see that this fretting about life, existence and what is to come has been a waste of time. We finally see the foolishness we’ve been experiencing by not awakening to what is, as it is.

At some point we discover that we’ve never had anything to worry about. With that realization, we discover unlimited freedom and potentiality. We discover that we’ve had this power all along, and we simply haven’t tapped into that.

Why anyone would choose perpetual turmoil and distraction over awakening, thus avoiding reality, is not really something I can understand. Why resist our natural condition in light? Why suffer for all eternity? I don’t understand why I’ve put up resistance to awakening, nor do I see why this cycle of eternal suffering and distraction has us hooked or fearful in any way.

If we wish to be rid of this great cycle of birth, death and rebirth, we need to tap into our natural condition of joyfulness. When we laugh, it dispels demons. When demons are dispelled, our heart and mind opens just a little bit more. This joyfulness clears away what is preventing us from awakening. If we become more joyful, darkness does not have a chance.

Let us all bring more laughter and joy into our lives as we awaken.

Blessings of Source,

Rigdzin Robert Aho