Joy and Health
“The human person is soul and body, spiritual and physical, and the scientist of the soul must navigate the complex interrelationship of thoughts, memories, experiences, traumas, joys, and sorrows to ably reach out to God and neighbor in a loving and healthy way.” (Metropolitan Joseph)
“Thinking about the good and beautiful things we have and what surrounds us, we give place to joy and drive away the dark thoughts. And if we reinforce joy with prayer, then we’re truly happy. Joy is the health of the soul. This is the meaning of the exhortation repeated by the Savior: Rejoice! and also: Peace be unto you. Joy brings peace. Peace and enjoyment are the most important things for our life both here and there, for our salvation.” (Protosinghel Clement Păunescu)
“St. Paul wrote that “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” That is true not only in terms of almsgiving, but also in terms of how deeply we invest ourselves in what is necessary for the healing of our souls…Through our humble repentance, may we open ourselves to receive the joy that overcomes both the dark night of our spiritual blindness and even of the grave.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“Christian spirituality appeals to the human heart, so that it can become like the heart of Christ our Lord, Who became a man. But why exactly to the heart, and not to the mind, which is so exalted by the modern world? Because the heart is the center of the human being, and it is in it that we find existential unity with all Creation. All of people’s physical and mental powers are concentrated in the human heart. That is why our spiritual life should embrace the heart. Then we will feel joy and unity with everyone and everything. The most significant sign of such an inner spiritual state is the feeling of love and compassion for fellow human beings, for animals and for all living things…” (Metropolitan Seraphim Joanta)
“The lack of gratitude is a downward spiral that actually deters the blessings from which gratitude may be derived. Gratitude is a rare upward spiral. When we are grateful for what we have, it brings new things to be grateful for. Studies show gratitude increases levels of well-being, happiness, energy, health, and empathy. Grateful people sleep better, cope better, and have better relationships, less depression, and less stress. Gratitude has even been medically proven to reduce headaches, stomach pain, coughing, and sore throats. Simply put, grateful people have better lives than those who aren’t grateful. If you’re not feeling gratitude on a daily basis, you are depriving yourself of its power in your life.” (Richard Paul Evans)
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