Building Joy

Global pandemic, impending recession, protests in the street, violence, hate, and anger everywhere - in a world gone mad, is happiness even possible?   When increasing levels of stress, anxiety, and depression are the natural consequence of uncertainty, unrest, and disquiet, is happiness possible?  When so many people are suffering on so many levels, it almost feels wrong to feel happy, if happiness is even possible.

Joy may be a better option.  It has been suggested that happiness occurs at the macro level - "I am happy in my work, relationships, home, with the state of the world " - and therefore is harder to achieve and sustain.  Joy, however, is found in the little moments.   Joy is more sensory in nature.  Smelling flowers, petting kittens, listening to birdsong or hearing a child's laughter - the little delights that occur everyday.  This "bottom up" approach to building joy - noticing, appreciating, reveling in, and recalling these little moments - can, in fact, lead to happiness.  A happiness rooted in the here and now, choosing to be satisfied with what you have rather than yearning for more, becoming more accepting of life's trials, and approaching conflict from a calm and more reasoned perspective.

Joy, it has been argued, is better than happiness.  And, in a world gone mad, our well-being depends on the belief that little moments of joy are still possible.

****

Listen to Ingrid Fetell Lee's TED talk on "How To Notice and Build Joy Into Your Life."

Harmony Moon Manifesto: We Believe in Love. Always.

My heart is hurting, as I know yours is too, for the unrest we see in the streets, and for the systemic injustices and hatefulness that has led up to this time of civil protest.  Harmony Moon was founded, 24 years ago, on the principles of inclusivity, fair wages, respect for our differences, and speaking up for those who have no voice. We stand against racism, bigotry, discrimination, and social injustice in all its many forms.  Enough is enough.  We must work together to create the kind of world that we want our children to inherit.  

#WeStandForEquality
#WeStandForJustice
#WeStandTogether 

Harmony Moon's World Peace Wish Tree

 You may have noticed the World Peace Wish Tree in our front window at Harmony Moon, the one with all the colorful tags tied to its branches.  We started this tradition at Harmony Moon many years ago and it has been our most popular holiday activity ever since. 

 Our Wish Tree is based on an ancient Japanese tradition.  During the annual Tanabata Festival in Japan, bamboo stalks are placed at strategic locations in a public square or park.  People write their wishes on slips of paper and tie them to the bamboo trees.  At the end of the festival, the bamboo stalks,  with all of their wishes, are burned.  The fire takes the wishes of the people up to the heavens to be heard by the gods.

The Imagine Peace Tower of Light in Iceland

Our Wish Tree is inspired by Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace project.  Yoko’s Wish Tree art installations were started as a way to memorialize her husband, John Lennon, after his death.  Wish Trees have been installed all over the globe and more than one million visitors have tied their wishes for world peace to the trees.  The wishes then are gathered together and buried under the Imagine Peace Tower in  Reykjavík, Iceland. 

The Pathway of Peace in Washington, D

When Harmony Moon (then known as Mindful Hands) was in Alexandria, VA, we would gather our Wish Tree wishes in a basket every year and walk them down the Pathway of Peace in front of the White House and then burn them in the National Yule Log. 

This year, we will gather all of your wishes and send them off to the Imagine Peace Tower where they will be combined with thousands of other wishes from people all over the world.

In this way our wishes will become part of the Tower of Light, a grand visual reminder to the world that “peace & love is what connects all lives on Earth.”