Joy: The Third Light

“Joy is the reward, really, of seeking to give joy to others.”

– Dalai Lama, The Book of Joy (1)

“It does help quite a lot to see yourself as part of a greater whole. Once again, the path of joy was connection and the path of sorrow was separation.” 

– Desmond Tutu, The Book of Joy (1)

True or False: Joy is the same as happiness.

True or False: Joy can exist even in moments of grief or loss.

True or False: Joy is the feeling we get when things go well for us.

True or False: Joy is something that happens to us, not something we cultivate.

Joy is present wherever you find the good in life. It shows up when we share laughter with others, when a song we love comes on, in the peace we find during prayer, during low points and peak experiences, and in our personal reflections about all the beauty life has to offer. 

True joy lifts us beyond ourselves. Research in psychology now echoes what spiritual teachers have long known: joy is a way of being that helps us recognize goodness, connect with others and the sacred, and live from a deeper place of hope and purpose. (2) (3) (4) It’s the feeling of being part of something greater. It’s the light in our eyes when we experience self-transcendence.

Yes, joy is an emotion that is commonly experienced when life feels aligned with what we value most, such as when we encounter beauty, love, achievement, or deep connections with others. This feeling is often described as warmth, lightness, fullness, or even happiness itself. (3) (5) However, joy is more than the momentary pleasure it brings; it is also a deeper spiritual harmony between knowing, feeling, and doing what we believe is good, right, and meaningful. (2) (4) (5)

Being Joyful is a Spiritual Virtue

Joy is at the heart of spiritual life. (1) (2) (4)

While we can think of joy as an emotion, it is also so much more. Joy can also be thought of as a virtue, meaning it’s not just a feeling but a habit of choosing to see, feel, and do what is morally good. (2) As a virtue, this habit is often tied to a bigger story or purpose beyond ourselves that helps us understand why doing good matters, psychologists call this a transcendent narrative identity. (2) We tie these stories of goodness with other stories from our faiths, and this allows us to make sense of our lives and the world in deeper ways that guide us towards moral living.

Joy grows when we live in ways that bring goodness to others and make the world better. Acting day by day towards higher goals or spiritual purposes can intentionally create more joy in our lives. (1) (2) Over time, these small choices to pursue goodness shape our moral character and help us become people who naturally choose what’s right and meaningful. What’s right and meaningful to you, may be different than what’s right and meaningful to me–and that’s alright! But still, faith, religion, and spirituality provide us with north stars for how to live righteous and meaningful lives–and that grants us a common ground to pursue hope, peace, joy, and love.

Joy flows from closeness to God. Among many religious traditions, especially Christianity, joy is a gift that is received through God’s goodness, and should be shared to others through love and faithfulness. Joy is commanded as a spiritual rhythm of life: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18. May you find joy in your practices, and may it uplift you towards spiritual health.

During Advent, we are invited to intentionally cultivate joy. The third week of Advent is often marked by the lighting of the Shepherd’s Candle, which symbolizes joy, considered the response of the soul to God’s goodness. In this practice, joy comes after we cultivate hope and peace, and is followed by the supreme gift of love. As we draw closer to Christmas, this candle reminds us that joy is both a gift and a practice: a way of recognizing the light already breaking into the world. Advent joy does not ignore the suffering of others; it grows in the midst of it, paralleled by stories of the shepherds rejoicing in the fields upon hearing the good news of Christ’s birth during dark times. As Scripture reminds us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Joy, like other spiritual strengths, grows as we stay open to God’s presence and work in our lives.

In addition to strengthening our spiritual health, joy also brings other gifts to our lives. Research shows that joy builds emotional resilience and mental well-being, allowing people to recover more quickly from stress and maintain a sense of balance. (6) (7) Even short moments of joy can broaden our thinking, deepen our relationships, and strengthen both psychological and physical health over time. (3) (7) Studies also link joy to greater vitality, meaning, and hope, showing that joyful people live with a clearer sense of purpose and stronger connection to others. (2) (5) (6)

Clearly, joy is something we need to practice in order to thrive–let’s try it out!

Practicing Joy

Practicing joy can take many forms. It often includes deriving pleasure from gratitude, awe, and a sense of moral or spiritual goodness. (6) (8) In this sense, cultivating joy is often accompanied by spiritual meaning making, going back to self-transcendent narratives, the meaning we derive from connecting our actions and the gifts we receive to a sense of sacredness beyond ourselves (2) As is stated with the opening quote, when we shift our attention from personal gain to shared goodness, how we can bring joy to others, joy grows stronger and lasts longer. (3) (5)

Across the growing science of joy, several spiritual and secular practices stand out as both practical and transformative. (1) (2) (5) (6) (7) (8) First, savoring and gratitude deepen our experiences of joy. Pausing to recognize blessings shifts our attention towards more pleasant events that bring delight. Joy grows through mindful awareness, so learn to be present to awe and meaning each moment. Secondly, joy expands through positive relations with others–we share in others’ joy and feel more joy when we feel that we belong. Try asking others what brings joy to their lives and notice the light in their eyes. Similarly, community and celebration practices, such as worship, ritual, and shared prayer anchor us in love and connection–seek these during Advent! Lastly, it takes root through narrative reflections. You can deepen joy and stabilize it as a virtue you practice by interpreting your stories through lenses of joy, gratitude, grace, and growth. 

Another helpful guide for living with joy comes from The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who describe eight “pillars of joy.” (1) These qualities align closely with living joyfully in harmony with moral goodness and faith. They include four qualities of the mind: perspective, seeing life from a broader, calmer view; humility, recognizing our gifts and celebrating the gifts of others; humor, finding freedom in laughter, even at ourselves; and acceptance, meeting life as it is with grace. They are paired with four qualities of the heart: forgiveness, which frees us from resentment; gratitude, which turns awareness into appreciation; compassion, which moves empathy into action; and generosity, which reminds us that giving multiplies joy. Each of these spiritual pillars embed themselves in faithful practices, and as the authors write, are lessons learned through overcoming hardship.

Together, these pillars and practices offer several paths for cultivating joy. Each path can call us to live with open minds, kind and joy-filled hearts, and a faith rooted in love and service. It brings me joy to write to you, and I hope these words inspire you to live with joy and purpose.

Additional Resources

• The Book of Joy
• Hope: The First Light
• Where to Look for Joy – Podcast
• Who Finds Joy in Other People’s Joy?

References

1. Lama, H. H. D., Tutu, A. D., Abrams, D. C., Chau, F., & James, P. F. (2022). The book of joy: Lasting happiness in a changing world. Random House UK. 
2. King, P. E. (2020). Joy distinguished: Teleological perspectives on joy as a virtue. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1685578
3. Arnett, J. J. (2023). Joy: An integrative theory. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2053878
4. Emmons, R. A. (2020). Joy: An introduction to this special issue. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1685580
5. Roberts, M., & Appiah, R. (2025). The complexities of joy: A qualitative study of joy cultivation, loss of joy, and happiness in British adults. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2508946
6. Johnson, M. K. (2020). Joy: A review of the literature and suggestions for Future Directions. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1685581
7. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology: The Broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218
8. King, P. E., Baer, R. A., Noe, S. A., Trudeau, S., Mangan, S. A., & Constable, S. R. (2022). Shades of gratitude: Exploring varieties of transcendent beliefs and experience. Religions, 13(11), 1091. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13111091