Joy? We all need more of this emotion these days for sure!!!
This feeling we were innately born with that gets lost somewhere along our way…
Where has our joyous nature gone?
Many cultures are lacking joy, which of course is very sad! Literally sad, lack of joy brings just the opposite, sadness & despair, even depression to be extreme about it. Mainstream, narrow-minded ways of healing have obviously failed us time & time again with the purpose to bring in more joy, only to be also very profit driven and only to help a handful(% wise) of folks that are in need of finding their light again.
Medications being prescribed without even thinking for decades now. Generations of the future addicted to not feeling sad by way of unconscious adaptation of underlying side effects lurking in the background of time. Society being dealt propaganda lending auspicious outcomes by heavily influential dieties named “MD.” If only every humanoid knew the truth…?
Some do and some doctor’s of a more open-mind-set study further, knowing there is more to know than what they were narrowly taught. I absolutely love this type of being, highly respect them for studying further on. These types may charge more or not for their knowledge. They are the ones that hold the keys to true healing wisdom, supporting the patient with their innate healing powers!
So, why are we such a depressive nation? Loneliness? Lack of nutrients that support our nervous system-brain? Trauma of past & present? Worrying about the future? All of these factors can definitely feed sadness, contributing to less joy in our lives.
When we experience JOY, our feel-good neurotransmitters are released from the gut & brain. Like, dopamine that helps us to feel pleasure as well as motivation. Feelings of joy floods your system with this natural chemical substance, making you feel energized, connected & more openness. Also, serotonin helps regulate mood and promotes a sense of well-being & safety.
JOY is enhanced by these neurotransmitters within, especially through gratitude & connection.
Endorphins are also released, which are our natural painkillers and mood elevators. They create a light, pleasurable state and reduce discomfort.
Oxytocin aka the “love hormone” surges in states of Joy!
Especially in joyful connection or touch, like hugging, breastfeeding, eye contact, and heartfelt conversations 😚
Parasympathetic Nervous System gets activated w/Joy bringing a sense of safety and expansion. Heart rate can stabilize, digestion improves, muscles soften…
We become in what’s called a “rest & receive” state of being~
Remember our GI tracts OR our guts aka our “second brain” contains the enteric nervous system with over 500 million neurons! This large part of our PNS is the activity behind all gut health functions.
Your gut microbiome plays a major role in:
Producing serotonin
Influencing dopamine levels
Modulating GABA (a calming neurotransmitter)
That’s why gut health is so linked to emotional wellbeing. 🌱
→What happens when there is a drop in Dopamine & Serotonin?
These mood-related neurotransmitters are decreased during sadness, resulting in depression if prolonged. Keeping a healthy balance circulating daily if possible will help one to feel more Blissful Joy & less Sadness.
Lemon Balm or Melissa Officinalis is an absolute amazing herb. It embodies a lovely lemony scent within the textured heart-shaped leaves. Various medicinal uses include treating mild-headaches, heart palpitations, sadness, anti-viral (especially good for herpes & shingles virus), relaxant, calms stomach & balances the mood.
This is my favorite herbal remedy for virus+mood support. It’s a bit pricey, but easy to grow. So, why not grow a pot of lemon balm or put into your garden for an abundant harvest. Easy to grow and harvest. Seeds can be saved from the beautiful stacked white flowers that bloom in mid-summer here in Northern California. I’ve heard there are other varieties that have blue or yellow flowers.
According to Nicholas Culpepper (a botanist, avid astrologer, physician, herbalist, and author of the Complete Herbal, written in 1653), dried lemon balm may be made into a fine 'electuary' with honey. He wrote that it was ruled by the planet Jupiter and associated with the zodiac sign of Cancer, therefore having an association with the water element and thus an effect on emotions.
Lemon balm was traditionally used to uplift the spirits. As Culpepper mentioned, some of its properties were spiritual in nature. This herb was used in spells to heal broken hearts and also to attract romantic love!
Drink by tea, make a tincture(add to drinks, broth, or a bath). I have made a few bottles recently if you’d like to try, give me a jingle💓.
Also, I make a wonderful calming Relax Tea that blends Lemon Balm with
other calming herbs like Passion Flower, California Poppy, Tulsi, Lavender &
Milky Oat🌿😌
→Sadness and joy both invite in PRESENCE.
~Sadness brings»Pause~Grieve~Reflect
~Joy creates»Celebration~Connection~Feeling filled Up!
Both feelings are natural & part of being human. Finding the balance within our emotions can be one of life’s biggest challenges. There are so many ways to break the cycle of what feels negative, being sad, running on fear, the shame to blame game, it’s all really underlying fear, so I hear. Bringing in more joy can be easy as we have been given many tools and many are Free.
Here are some free keys to feeling more Joy in these times:
~Walking in Nature
~Meditation
~Prayer
~Music
~Dancing
~Building Conscious Community
~Laughing
~Touch (self or another living being)
~Breathing deep (inhale for 6s~hold 2s~exhale 8s). Repeat 3-4 x’s whenever you need to Calm the F*ck Down…
»Want to elaborate more on this with me??
What are your thoughts or feelings(: on what is happening right now?
As a mother, I personally have concerns for the future generations, but I am also very excited of the current activity of massive numbers of people coming together to create the change we want to see in our World…