DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - The Stillness of being, -and a question about 'emptiness'

**Soresbox** · 10-07-2010, 10:59 PM

I wanted to talk about Joy and meditation, since I've brought it up already.

On May 25, 2008 at 5:02pm a tornado struck my neighborhood, completely destroyed our house, and killed one child, the other child permanently disabled, and a few people had heart attacks. Minnesota is not a big tornado state, so this is relatively rare.

You all are talking about not grasping at a "mind state", but this joy was really different, and I wonder who I am and what I am when I think about it.

What I would have predicted, if you would have asked me what I would experience after a tornado, I would tell you that I was already having anxiety problems and that this tornado would drive me to the mental house. My friends all thought this as well. Everyone and his brother called me to make sure I was all right. I did spend the first two days in the hospital. I wanted them to treat my asthma after screaming for so long, and instead they gave me tranquilizers.

What happened, instead, is, after screaming for about 6 minutes, looking for my cats, securing the dogs, and calling 911, I started to feel joy. I felt the joy of being alive. Not only did I feel joy, but I felt joy for about 7 months.

I wonder if this is a trick of the mind, or, if I really do have joy somewhere in here, waiting for the next tornado?

My husband, who was not home, his experience was not joy, but observing that everything was gone, and almost weeping.

I was so in joy, that I was dancing in the street when the golf ball sized hail was hitting my head, I was "Yeah! Hail is hitting my head, I'm so happy!". Then my husband dragged me under what was left of our garage door.

I don't mean this to be a story about a tornado just a reflection I have, before I meditate.

It's really a story of the potential of our minds. It just has always made me curious about who I really am, and I wonder if my concepts about myself, are limiting me in some way, that the tornado liberated.

Joy? I'm just trying to deal with depression. How could I feel joy, upon the destruction of our home? It seems quite impossible.

I have given up trying to relive the joy I felt back then, but it certainly stands as a curiosity to me, and I often think about it when I meditate.

Also, people ask me, if I thought differently or did something differently that allowed me to feel joy, and that's not the case. It just happened, and came gushing out of nowhere.

Best,
True

P.S. The story ended happily with our insurance paying out, all our pets saved, a lot of art, clothes, etc. was salvaged. We live in a much nicer place now. 8)

10-07-2010, 10:59 PM	#28
Soresbox Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 356 Senior Member	I wanted to talk about Joy and meditation, since I've brought it up already. On May 25, 2008 at 5:02pm a tornado struck my neighborhood, completely destroyed our house, and killed one child, the other child permanently disabled, and a few people had heart attacks. Minnesota is not a big tornado state, so this is relatively rare. You all are talking about not grasping at a "mind state", but this joy was really different, and I wonder who I am and what I am when I think about it. What I would have predicted, if you would have asked me what I would experience after a tornado, I would tell you that I was already having anxiety problems and that this tornado would drive me to the mental house. My friends all thought this as well. Everyone and his brother called me to make sure I was all right. I did spend the first two days in the hospital. I wanted them to treat my asthma after screaming for so long, and instead they gave me tranquilizers. What happened, instead, is, after screaming for about 6 minutes, looking for my cats, securing the dogs, and calling 911, I started to feel joy. I felt the joy of being alive. Not only did I feel joy, but I felt joy for about 7 months. I wonder if this is a trick of the mind, or, if I really do have joy somewhere in here, waiting for the next tornado? My husband, who was not home, his experience was not joy, but observing that everything was gone, and almost weeping. I was so in joy, that I was dancing in the street when the golf ball sized hail was hitting my head, I was "Yeah! Hail is hitting my head, I'm so happy!". Then my husband dragged me under what was left of our garage door. I don't mean this to be a story about a tornado just a reflection I have, before I meditate. It's really a story of the potential of our minds. It just has always made me curious about who I really am, and I wonder if my concepts about myself, are limiting me in some way, that the tornado liberated. Joy? I'm just trying to deal with depression. How could I feel joy, upon the destruction of our home? It seems quite impossible. I have given up trying to relive the joy I felt back then, but it certainly stands as a curiosity to me, and I often think about it when I meditate. Also, people ask me, if I thought differently or did something differently that allowed me to feel joy, and that's not the case. It just happened, and came gushing out of nowhere. Best, True P.S. The story ended happily with our insurance paying out, all our pets saved, a lot of art, clothes, etc. was salvaged. We live in a much nicer place now. 8)
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