The Alchemical Emotion of Joy

Kevin Ryerson

Our emotions are the fibers that lead us to the direct experience of the soul. They are part of our human expression. We cannot be completely devoid of our emotions. They are not a source of defeat. They should not be repressed or denied. We can learn to trust our feelings and emotions when we understand them from a spiritual perspective.

Society has given us useless descriptions of emotions such as fear, anger and jealousy. We don't need to change our emotions, we need better descriptions of them. Useless descriptions cause us to react to our emotions rather than truly feel into them. By putting them in perspective, we are better able to meet our own needs and in turn meet the needs of others. The strategy for putting our emotions in perspective is what I refer to as the alchemical emotion of joy.

Joy is the alchemical emotion. Spirit has said one drop of joy transforms oceans of anger, fear and jealousy. Joy is the ability to feel the essence of your own divinity. When you are in your joy, that is who you truly are. You are experiencing the divine. That is enlightenment. Joy transforms the lower expressions of anger, fear and jealousy into their higher expressions of concern, courage and obsession. I use obsession in the positive sense of the word. It refers to the ability to be focused on your goal.

One drop of joy plus fear becomes your ability to feel concern. Concern is your ability to identify those things with which you can cope. If you ask the question What am I afraid of? you'll find more things of which you're afraid. If you ask What are my concerns? you will find issues you can cope with and therefore take effective action upon. It is not an issue of overcoming your fears - it's acknowledging what your concerns are.

The next emotion is anger. Anger is your ability to sense that something has gone wrong in the process of life. The process of life is supposed to be wave after wave of events that strengthen and nurture. One drop of joy plus anger is courage. Courage is your ability to take effective action in the world. It is the ability to confront conflicts. Conflict exists to add to your consciousness. The key here is to choose your conflicts well.

There are two kinds of conflicts: conflicts that drain and conflicts that invigorate. Conflicts that drain are those which are not yours. When you continually choose conflicts that drain, you will lack vitality, resolution and joy in your life. Conflicts that invigorate belong to you. When you are in the midst of these conflicts you feel vitalized. As you bring these conflicts to resolution they invigorate, strengthen and nurture you. Consciously choose your conflicts. Choose conflicts that invigorate.

One drop of joy plus jealousy becomes the quality called obsession. Obsession is used here in the positive sense of the word. Obsession is the ability to focus your will to obtain your goals. It is a self-sustaining and self-invigorating energy. In other words, it is the ability to choose your conflicts well. If the conflict is draining, the lower aspects of jealousy and obsession are activated. You can find yourself being petty and ineffective in the world. If the conflict is invigorating, your concerns are clear and you are able to take action.

When joy is added to anger, fear or jealousy they are transformed into their higher expressions of concern, courage and obsession. Joy is based in the heart center. Concern, courage and obsession are all matters of the heart. They are a combination of your emotions and insight. By raising the emotions of anger, fear and jealousy to their higher expression, they provide you with insight into your own process. You learn what your concerns are, what you want to take action on and how to obtain your goals.

Locate your joy and bring it to all aspects of your life. When you are in the midst of a joyous act, such as a walk in nature, the company of your friends or a beautiful meal, fully experience the joy. Allow yourself to be filled by your joy. Once your mind, body and spirit are filled with this joyous act, let the event fall away. All you are left with is the joy.

Take that joy to every aspect of your life. In a moment of fear, draw upon your joy and allow your concerns to be expressed. In a moment of anger, draw on your joy and become filled with your courage to take effective action. Choose conflicts that invigorate and are self-sustaining. In a moment of jealousy, draw on your joy and become filled with your courage to take effective action. Let your emotions heal you.

Kevin Ryerson, an expert intuitive in the tradition of Edgar Cayce, is the co-author of The Future Healer: Spirit Communication on Healing. He's appeared on Oprah Winfrey, Good Morning America and CNN's Crossfire. Visit www.kevinryerson.com.