Moments of Joy Ripple Forever

In March of 2023, a group of over 80 leaders set out to “ignite” the Holomovement in Sedona, Arizona. For four days, we engaged in dialogue about our collaborative vision and talked about what brought us all together in this movement.  The Holomovement logo, with its overlapping circles of cooperation, was drawn on a large mural, and we agreed that the center represented the exponential impact of our collaboration. 

Following our days of heartfelt conversations, I was keenly interested in what would come out at the center of the logo representing the core of our intentions for the movement. What would the group determine to be at the center of this co-creative action? In my own mind, I assumed the consensus would be ‘impact,’ ‘energy’ or ‘vision.’ 

But what came forth was instead, ‘Joy.’

I thought, “Really? ‘Joy?’” You know, I confess, I was born in a very small town, in a very rural community, back in the 1950s, where the Protestant ethic sort of prevailed. My parents were struggling, trying to survive and I don't think they ever told me they loved me when I was a little kid. I don't remember getting kisses. I don't remember joy being a part of life. 

And now, here I am at this advanced age, at this critical time, and joy is the emergent center? Is that okay? With all that is going on in the world, the horrors and suffering, can we be joyful?

We can, and probably should.  

It could be said that the original vibration of the Implicate Order was founded in love, which was intended to be the force behind the ultimate goal of the Explicate Order.  And, when we feel genuine, unconditional love, the outcome that arises is joy. It could therefore be said that the purpose of the universe is for us to be here now and celebrate together and feel joy. But not the joy of taking a selfie down on the beach or the purchase of a new gadget. It is the joy we experience from giving to others, from being of service to the whole world, and connecting with and helping others. It is the joy that comes when we realize and experience that we are, because everyone else is, that we're all in this together. This joy is there so we can embody life’s purpose and meaning to pursue that vision with courage and compassion. 

Amplifying a Joyful & Transformative Wave

Over a year on from that first ignition in Sedona, and following a highly successful 4-days in Ibiza, Spain for our Holomovement Wave convergence, this spirit of joy and celebration continues to ripple outward. Perhaps it was the divine feminine energy of the island, or the creative coherence among the international group of some 200 participants, but what emerged during our time together was an elevated frequency of joy and compassion. 

The synchronicities and healing miracles that occurred during, and in the days after the Wave, inspire awe. This transformative energy is building, amplified by spontaneous gatherings with Ibiza locals who were deeply moved by the Wave experience, invitations to tea ceremonies and thought-provoking dinner conversations. In all these joyful experiences, a thread of trust and co-creation weaves us within the fabric of the Holomovement. They are both simple and profound moments in time. 

Purpose of Joy in our Interconnectedness‍

One such experience came after an impromptu invitation to a Kirtan concert, hosted by Adam Bauer, an attendee of the Wave. Adam is a world-renowned singer and sacred chant artist, who travels the world “sharing the heart-expanding beauty of kirtan.” Arriving at a simple farmhouse in the Ibiza countryside, Laura and I enjoyed lively conversation about the Holomovement and the Wave experience that now connected many of us as new friends. Soon it was time to begin, and we took our places in the last remaining chairs.

It is hard to articulate, but in that beautiful rural setting, gathered together outside the farmhouse, I felt a deep sense of joy ripple outward as Adam began to sing and play his harmonium. When the first chant came to an end, a rooster crowed a soft response, a flock of doves cooed and birds began chirping. 

At first, I thought to myself that it must be a coincidence that our feathered friends would respond with such perfect timing. However, it continued in this way throughout the late afternoon: chanting, silence, rooster crow, doves cooing and birds chirping. Even one of the friendly dogs walked onto the stage during the concert to bark once at the sky in approval.

There was a contagious joyful energy among us and the animals, within all of us, that touched me deeply. From my seat, I had a view of the garden in its late-afternoon splendor. The chanting had induced a hyper-attentive state of noticing and gratitude. 

I felt as if I was in the middle of a cinematic scene with the inclusion of butterflies, murmuring chickens and sweet babies, singing together amidst the pine-covered hills vibrating with the echo of the kirtan. When the rooster crowed one last time, I wished I could have captured it all in a movie. It might have seemed too good to be true, but sometimes the sharing of group joy is better than any movie could imagine. It is the greatest story ever told. 

All the trauma and suffering in the world notwithstanding, maybe it really is the time to recognize that millions of years of human evolution culminating in this brief moment of joy is what the original Implicate source hoped to achieve. In this experience of interconnectedness, we gather the strength, courage and joy to continue putting love into action. Suddenly, in that context, it seemed not only acceptable to be joyful, but to embrace it as the divine purpose of our lives. 

There we were, with our animal kin in the dappled sunlight of the late afternoon, high on chanting, engrossed in a moment of gentle yet ecstatic joy that words cannot do justice. But we can rest assured that the vibrational waves of that joy will travel onward and reach others who can transmit it on to others. This sense of purposeful joy can enlarge the emerging field of unity. 

Perhaps this is what modern-day joy is about, the giving and receiving of loving gifts while serving the greater good. Will it be this ripple-effect of joyful consciousness-in-action that will finally awaken us to our interconnectedness and then endure forever?