Joy ... Is your birthright

As a yoga teacher, I believe that joy is not only a fleeting emotion but rather a state of being that is our birthright. Joy is something that is not found outside of us but rather within us, and we just need to connect with it. However, with the fast-paced and stressful lives that we lead, we often forget this simple truth and get caught up in our daily struggles. In this blog post, I discuss how we can connect with our innate joy and live a more fulfilling life.
The first step towards experiencing joy as our birthright is to understand that we are not our thoughts, emotions, or external circumstances. We are much more than that. We are spiritual beings having a human experience, and our true essence is love, light, and joy. When we realize this truth, we can detach ourselves from the temporary ups and downs of life and connect with our deeper selves.
The practice of yoga provides us with a powerful tool to connect with our inner joy. Yoga helps us to quiet our minds, tune into our bodies, and tap into our inner wisdom. Through asana, pranayama, and meditation practices, we can release stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, and create space for joy to arise. In yoga philosophy, joy is considered one of the highest states of consciousness, and it is said that when we connect with our inner joy, we experience a sense of oneness with all of creation.
Another important aspect of experiencing joy as our birthright is to cultivate gratitude in our lives. When we focus on what we have rather than what we lack, we shift our perspective and open ourselves up to joy. Gratitude helps us to appreciate the small things in life and recognize the abundance that surrounds us. We can practice gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal, saying thank you more often, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the beauty around us.
Finally, it is essential to surround ourselves with positive people and environments that uplift us. When we spend time with people who radiate joy and positivity, we are more likely to feel the same way. Similarly, when we spend time in nature or engage in activities that bring us joy, we are more likely to connect with our inner joy.
I believe joy is not something that we need to seek outside of ourselves. It is already within us, waiting to be discovered. As a yoga teacher, I encourage my students to connect with their inner joy by practicing yoga, cultivating gratitude, and surrounding themselves with positive people and environments. When we live from a place of joy, we not only experience more happiness but also spread positivity and love to those around us through something as simple as a smile.