“True happiness isn’t about acquiring things, it’s about opening yourself up to the natural joy and aliveness that exists inside you!” – Michelle Date
Today, as we are bombarded with messages that heighten our fear and sadness about the world, it’s vital to understand the importance of joy. Our own cultivation of wellbeing and joy can become our gift to a troubled world.
Awakening Joy was developed by James Baraz in the US. The course teaches basic principles and supportive practices for you to develop your natural capacity for wellbeing and happiness.
Awakening Joy sessions focus on understanding and learning techniques to practise the following:
- Intention: Make a heartfelt decision to move towards joy.
- Mindfulness: Enjoy pleasant experiences without grasping, and live through unpleasant experiences without fear.
- Gratitude: Say yes to life!
- Finding joy in difficult times: Learn to accept and be present during difficult times.
- Integrity: Listen mindfully and clearly to your internal moral compass.
- The joy of letting go: Learn how to wisely “let go” in various areas of your life, and enjoy the wellbeing that accompanies this.
- Learning to love ourselves: Understand and let go of stories of who you think you are, and learn to see that you are loveable and worthy of love.
- The joy of loving others: Understand how connection to others leads directly to the feeling of aliveness, which is a basic ingredient of joy.
- Compassion and the joy of being: Learn to bring mindful attention to compassion to deepen wellbeing.
The next Awakening Joy course will start in May 2023. The course will include 10 group sessions held every fortnight in Brunswick East. Further details will be provided here as soon as possible.
“Learning from Michelle and the Awakening Joy resources has been a wonderful journey for me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each theme, and each session had a great balance of discussion and practice. I look forward to implementing my new practices into everyday life.”
Jess, 2020 Awakening Joy course participant
“The Awakening Joy course has taught me many ways to see the joy in my life that was always there. I have become more aware of my surroundings and tuning into the simple pleasures, such as nature on my daily walks.”
Louise, 2021 Awakening Joy course participant