Episode 114 – The Odd Couple: Joy and Doubt

Buddhism’s emphasis on facing the reality of suffering could lead to the perception that the Buddhist path is only focused on what’s wrong; but the Buddha also taught how to free ourselves from suffering • facing the reality of suffering straightforwardly can actually be a tremendous relief • when I first encountered Buddhist teachings, I never went to a talk where people didn’t just burst into laughter from time to time • there was a sense that you could laugh and find humor and lightness, even when discussing the heaviest of topics • joy is an essential part of Buddhism; it is a hidden gift within the sometimes difficult discipline of meditation practice • but joy’s twin is doubt—the doubt that we can do it • joy and doubt arise together and counterbalance each other • if we get carried away by the joy of discovery, we can lose our ground; but if we’re just wallowing in doubt and distress all the time, we can begin to feel like giving up • so doubt arises as a kind of playful interruption; as we gradually begin to trust ourselves more, we become more grounded in a kind of quiet joy.