The understanding that bliss and sorrow are not opposites but intertwined, and that creative work can contain both simultaneously.
Ananda is bliss or divine joy—a state that in non-dual philosophy pervades reality even in the midst of apparent suffering. Mirabai's poetry vibrates with both anguish and ecstasy; her longing for Krishna is simultaneously her deepest pain and her greatest joy. This paradox is not poetic license but spiritual truth. For grievers, ananda suggests that loss and love, sorrow and beauty, are woven together. A sunset viewed after loss is both more heartbreaking and more beautiful. The bereaved who create often report this paradox: the work is difficult and joyful, painful and fulfilling. Ananda invites the griever to stop expecting emotions to be pure or simple. The creative act itself can be ananda: the joy of expression, the bliss of being fully alive in the work, even as the content grieves. This concept liberates grievers from the demand that they be either sad or happy, allowing them instead to be fully human—containing multitudes.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.