Your Joy is Precious – Protect It
“With all the darkness that’s going on in the world, you can look at the darkness. Don’t stare. It will make you crazy. It will make you cross-eyed. It’ll make you what it is. The solution is to create magic, dance, sing, love, create environments where you can find joy.” ―
First of all, I love this sentiment.
But I also stare at darkness, and I’ll never stop. Let me explain.
When I was a kid, my grandparents owned a funeral home. My dad was an embalmer there, and he took me and my brother with him to work sort of a lot. Even as very young children, we would run around in the back while my dad was at work, playing hide and go seek among the (sometimes occupied) caskets. We weren’t allowed in the embalming room, but we could peer in.
So, yeah, not staring at darkness? Uhhhhhh, not really an option.
Perhaps that’s why, even today, when something scares me, instead of hiding from it, I like to learn everything I can about it. I check out all the books and watch all the documentaries. I let the fear take a back seat to my curiosity. I look at the scary thing from all the angles until I feel a measure of peace around it.
It’s like, I might not be able to control it, but understanding it is the next best thing. And who knows! The stuff I learn from staring at it might come in handy one day.
Now, at the same time, I 100% dig where RuPaul is coming from.
If we assume we can’t feel excitement, pleasure, or everyday inspiration because of the state of the world and the news cycle, that means Darth Vader, Voldemort, and motherf*cking Joffrey Baratheon have won.
So, we’ve absolutely got to personally fight this fight every day. We’ve got to, like RuPaul said, “create magic, dance, sing, love, create environments where [we] can find joy.” (Like, not today, Joffrey!)
Here are some ways to do that.
Spells for Protecting Your Joy
Candle and Oil Spell
In the morning, light a candle. Sit comfortably and take three deep breaths. Relax and breathe consciously until you feel settled and calm.
Put a little olive oil in a small dish. Pray over it. Ask the Goddess to fill it with protective light and the energy of joy.
Now, anoint your forehead, heart, and belly with just a little of the oil.
As you anoint your forehead, say, “Joy is in my mind.” As you anoint your heart, say, “Joy is in my heart.” As you anoint your belly, say, “Joy is in my belly.”
Breathe and imagine your whole body and aura filled with joyful light.
Say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Blessed be. And so it is.”
Repeat daily or as desired.
Coffee (or Tea) Spell
After you make your morning brew, sit comfortably and hold your beverage in both hands. Close your eyes, relax, and take a few deep breaths.
Ask the Divine to fill your mug with the bright light of joy. Imagine the infinite joy of the heavens pouring down into your cup as light. Sense and feel the drink pulsating with positive energy.
Say, “I am filled with joy, and my joy is infinite, and my joy constantly refreshes itself.”
Then, simply enjoy your drink.
Again, repeat daily or as desired.
Here are some more fun coffee spells.
Charms for Protecting Your Joy
Mullein Sachet
Mullein is protective and positive.
Put a bit of dried mullein in a small bowl and hold it in bright sunlight for a minute or two. Ask the Divine to consecrate the herb and to fill it with even more protective energy and positive vibes.
Put it into a little bag and tie it with a string. (Or just use a simple muslin drawstring bag.)
Carry it in your pocket to protect your joy throughout the day.
Orchid
Orchids are inspiring and empowering.
Get yourself an orchid of any color and variety, as long as it’s a flower you’re drawn to.
Place the orchid somewhere where its leaves can gaze at the sky throughout the day.
Write your full name and place it under the pot.
Care for your orchid lovingly and wisely. (No ice cubes! Here’s the best method for watering.)
Apatite
Apatite is both calming and energizing.
Run an apatite stone or a piece of apatite jewelry under cold water for a minute or two, or dunk it in a clean, natural body of water for a bit.
Then hold it in both hands and ask the Divine to consecrate it. Charge it with your intention to protect your joy.
Then wear it (if it’s jewelry) or carry it.
Practical Tips for Protecting Your Joy
Dance
If you really want to turn your mood around and set yourself up for a joyful day, try dancing to one happy song every morning. As you dance, imagine you are celebrating a really big win. Don’t force a sense of celebration, but make like an actor and behave as if. Let yourself be silly and goofy and free.
(This is my favorite song for this purpose.)
Clear Clutter
I know clutter clearing might not sound like the most joyful pursuit, but for me, it absolutely is. It always, always gives my mood a boost.
Here are some places to start.
Get off Social Media
I deleted the social media apps from my phone a few weeks ago, and I can’t tell you how much better I feel.
In addition to just feeling less stressed, I also feel better about not giving the big tech companies my precious attention, which they of course use to sell ads and control my – and everyone else’s – opinions and behaviors. Which is creepy and gross.
Even creepier and grosser? Now, because of harvesting our attention for profit, big tech companies have more money than anyone has ever had in the history of humanity. More than oil companies. More than pharmaceutical companies. Way, way more.
So yeah, I am just, like, not going to keep being a willing participant in this. (Not sure if I’ll delete my accounts altogether, or keep them to post stuff for work every now and again. This is a developing story.)
Get Your News from AllSides.com
Like I said, I stare at darkness.
Part of that is wanting to be somewhat informed about the news.
But, I hate clickbait and I hate it when I can tell a site is more interested in keeping my eyeballs glued to it than they are in telling me what happened today.
Which is why I like to go to AllSides.com. They round up the headlines from left, right, and center, and they summarize the news stories, including not just what happened, but how different news sources covered it.
Rest and Play
When you think of healthy habits, you probably think about exercising and meditating. I actually love both those things.
But you know what else is *vital*? Resting. Taking a load off. Maybe staying in your pajamas all day some days. Maybe curling up with a blanket, a magazine, and some tea.
Another super healthy and important habit? Doing stuff that is fun, but not productive in any useful way. Puzzles. Video games. Goofy podcasts. Fantasy novels. Drinking a beer on the porch.
And not just when you’ve finished everything on your to do list. This is essential.
So. Important. Please. I beg you. Take a load off. Play.
Create
I don’t care what you create – cook, knit, paint, sculpt, make a collage, sew a quilt, practice your standup, sing a song at an open mike. Find something that sounds even a little bit interesting, and immerse yourself in it. Do a craft project with friends or family if you want. Or just put on some music and get into a zone.
It’s like that saying “Hard times call for furious dancing.” Same with making stuff. Hard times call for furious crafting, let’s say.
Go Outside
I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it a million more. Going outside – even for a second! – is so, so good for your mood and wellbeing. But, of course, you can also go for a walk or a hike, camp, garden, or just sit in a park or your yard. Seriously – try to get a little sun on your face and fresh air in your lungs every day.
Take Positive Action
Did you hear about this economic blackout on February 28th? To protest the unjust and illegal behavior of the new administration in the US, including the rolling back of DEI initiatives, many folks are going to abstain from making purchases that day – from Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy in particular.
I’m going to do it. I’m not sure what will happen, but as finance expert Kevin Thompson says in this article, “The goal is to demonstrate how even a single day of consumer restraint can affect corporate bottom lines, ultimately pushing for change. This initiative aims to reclaim economic power for the people by showing that collective financial action can drive corporate and societal shifts.”
Plus, honestly? Resistance feels good. For example, I can’t tell you how much joy it brought me just to stand in solidarity with an anti-ICE, anti-Trump demonstration I stumbled upon a couple of weeks ago.
…Because you can stare at the darkness and be joyful at the same time. You just gotta be proactive about it.
P.S. Thanks to my friend Ashlee for telling me about the RuPaul quote AND the economic blackout.
What do you think? How will you be protecting your joy?
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