joy

Heard something interesting today. Someone said that in his experience, there's no real joy to be found in the world apart from the joy of God. It surprised me and made me wonder, is it true in my experience?

Joy...what is it after all? What causes it to arise? Thinking of the times I've felt joyful, it seems to involve a degree of surrender. Of letting go into the experience. What does that mean exactly? Letting go of what? Of worries, hesitations, fears - thoughts, essentially. Limiting and suppressing thoughts. And in that space, joy can come. In that space, something is able to freely emerge and play.

Is that the joy of God? I guess it might as well be, if God is seen as that which underlies and permeates everything. But I think he was also referring to the simple joy of being while knowing intrinsic oneness. The inherent joy of resting in that place of transcendent contentment, safety and warmth rather than the endless divisions, distractions and fears of the discursive mind.