The Benefits of Learning to Consciously Feel Joyous

Joy is the path to manifestation and connectin to God.

Everyone knows it’s better to be happy than sad. No one wants to feel negative emotions, like depression or anger. But studies have shown that happy people are healthier and more productive. Mystics say being happy also helps you deliberately create what you want and connect with God. With all these benefits, who wouldn’t strive [...]

When and How do You Experience Joy?

When recently have you experienced pure joy?  I had to ask myself this very question as I watched a recent episode of Oprah Winfrey’s new Lifeclass. Leave it to Oprah to get me thinking. In this Lifeclass she showed several episodes of the Oprah Show when people experienced “joy rising,” including one I wrote about [...]

Lessons Learned from Olympic Skaters and Snowboarders

Torah Bright competing at the Winter Games in Vancouver.

Like many people around the world, I’ve been watching the Winter Olympics. I’ve been struck by the skaters in particular, who have had a number of falls. It’s easy to sit back in my living room chair and criticize them for making mistakes and “blowing their big opportunity,” but I know how hard it is [...]

Why Anyone Can and Should Participate in Sukkot's Rituals

In my last post I talked about the Sukkot rituals of both building a sukkah and shaking the lulav, and then I promised I’d explain how and why anyone-Jew and non-Jew alike-might want to consider taking on these Sukkot rituals. Today, I’d like to make good on that promise. You don’t have to be Jewish [...]

In the Downward Flow of Depression

I often teach the wisdom of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. And I always say I teach what I need most to learn — as I think he might have said when it came to the subject of being happy. Many experts on Rebbe Nachman claim he lived most of his life in a struggle with [...]

Season of Our Fear

Not everyone knows that Sukkot is known as the “Season of our Joy.” This year, given the unstable economic situation in the United States, as well as around the world, however, I think many people are experiencing it as the season of our fear. However, the fact that this Jewish holiday is characterized by joyous [...]