Joy and Truth

A student asked the Teacher, "How is it possible for one to feel happiness when other souls are suffering?"

The Teacher replied, "Compassion does not require that you take another's suffering unto yourself, for doing so does not relieve the other's pain, and simply increases the amount of pain in the Universe. Compassion consists entirely of recognizing and strengthening the connection between souls, and between each individual soul and Spirit. Those connections spontaneously create joy, or rather allow the joy that is always present in Spirit to suffuse throughout the network of souls."

"Therefore, in meditation, do not seek to take over another's pain, but to convey your joy to that other. Recall that pain is not real, but only the result of separation. This is why spiritual connection seems to create joy and remove pain."

"It is not possible for one person to create joy in isolation; for all joy derives ultimately from connection to Spirit, either in its universal undifferentiated form, or in its manifestation in Nature and in other beings. On the other hand, pain, being created by separation, cannot be shared. A person can make pain for himself, but any other person who accepts that pain as his own does so voluntarily and as a further act of separation."

"So-called selfish pleasures do not add joy, because they create or do not diminish separation. It is possible to experience transitory pleasure at the cost of another's pain, but ultimately the pain returns to its creator and negates the illusion of pleasure. Therefore, seek those pleasures that create joy and do not create pain."

"The love of partnered souls is such a pleasure. So are the joy that comes from acts of charity, and the ecstasy of uniting with Spirit in meditation. All these add to the shared joy of Universal Spirit."

The student then asked, "What if my pleasure makes my neighbor jealous, or angry? Is my pleasure still adding to the amount of joy in the Universe?"

The Teacher answered, "Those whose consciousness is overcome by separation -- by pain -- may indeed create more pain for themselves by failing to acknowledge or partake of their share of the joy that is there for them to experience, including the joy you offer them through your own pleasure. Rather than allowing your happiness to warm their souls, they may seek to freeze it out by deepening the separation between you. This is pain acting to protect itself. But you did not create that pain; on the contrary, you offered your neighbor the gift of your joy."

"If he is so distracted by pain as to refuse the gift, do not respond with resentment and create pain for yourself. Allow the warmth of your soul's joy to continue to shine upon him, and wait patiently for the icy shell to melt. Love the Spirit within, and ignore the illusion that has temporarily encased it. In this way the pain he creates will not pollute the joy that you contribute to the Universe, and will eventually lose the ability to perpetuate itself."

"The source of joy in Spirit is infinite. Joy must ultimately overcome pain, because joy is the truth, while pain is falsehood. Even the soul that is dominated by pain throughout a mortal lifetime must return to the unfettered joy of Spirit when that lifetime ends. Knowing that joy, love and truth are one will allow you to maintain an attitude of compassionate openness towards all other souls, particularly toward those whose sense of separation and need for compassionate connection is greatest."