Joy is Not Somewhere Else
Summary
Shinmon Michael Newton explores the relationship between busyness and the loss of joy, drawing on insights from Kierkegaard, Mary Oliver, and Hermann Hesse. He distinguishes fleeting happiness from a deeper, steadier joy rooted in presence and purpose. The talk examines Zen teachings from Dogen and Shunryu Suzuki, emphasizing that joy arises naturally through mindful engagement with ordinary tasks and zazen. Newton encourages practitioners to interrupt habitual absence by returning to the present moment, finding joy in the simple act of sitting and caring for daily life.
Topics discussed
Welcome and introduction to Mountain Rain Zen
Greeting the audience and recent trip to Whistler
Experiencing quiet joy and the question of busyness
Kierkegaard on busyness as avoidance of self
Mary Oliver's poem on the world's busyness
Critiquing technology and the modern to-do list
Hermann Hesse on efficiency as the enemy of joy
Distinguishing between happiness and joy
Joy as a spiritual quality in Buddhist tradition
Mindfulness and the nature of steady, present joy
Dogen's teaching on joy and the three minds
Finding joy in mundane chores and daily work
Zazen as the dharma gate of repose and bliss
Shunryu Suzuki on beginner's mind and naturalness
Personal reflections on finding joy in difficult moments
Practical ways to cultivate joy in ordinary life
Closing poem by Ross Gay and donation appeal
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