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Joy

Joy might be the most important concept in Thelemic Spiritism, as the point of the whole system is to enrich our lives. The relevant section of the Newcomer infosheet is reprinted below in full:

"‘Joy’, with a capital ‘J’, is a concept worth special note. It is capitalised to separate it from joy, meaning simply happiness - that sort of joyousness is temporary and (strange to first consider) necessarily so; without emotional dynamism, life becomes delirious and unpleasant regardless of the specific state. Joy, here, is not an affect but a stance - not optimistic, not pessimistic, nor cynical, nor ‘realist’ (which tends to be a euphemism for one of the two previously mentioned), but an acceptance which does not exclude action. Narrative Distance is a good point of comparison; stepping back to appreciate happenings as in a story. This is not to be disengaged nor disinterested - quite the opposite, in fact. We deify (ie relate as a devotee to a deity) existence itself, on an ontological level, and find Sacredness in the Moment (ie that which is actively experienced, as opposed to the past or future). Not to reject the painful moments, but embrace them on their own terms. To be Joyful is to be Adventurous, to Return to the Immediate and see life as worth being lived. Again, this is not to dismiss suffering, but to avoid being too overwhelmed by its reality to do something about it. We can make ourselves miserable worrying about every ill of the world, or we can look for what is within our power (including organising with others for the big thing we cannot do on our own) to make it a nicer place to be. In every moment we have an opportunity to try and be closer to who we want to be.

"It is in this way we not only explore, but appreciate, what it is to be human. With enthusiasm and curiosity, we cultivate a sense of childlike wonder in our lives."

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