Ecstasy: Understanding the Psychology of Joy

We hear the word in Christmas carols—“Joy to the World!” We read it in books—The Joy of Cooking, The Joy of Sex. But what does it really mean?

to bed, but we are loathe to be touched emotionally.

Because you can swing from branch to branch as easily as that monkey. You can jump from tree to tree and branch to branch. You can climb as quickly as you can to the top, and scamper down again without falling. You cannot get hurt. Just enjoy yourself. Be filled with joy; there is no room for fear. You can do anything, but you must first believe th

We often bemoan the “loss of intimacy” in our society. We are quick to take a stranger

We want more things—more cars, more money, more clothes, more drugs, more fun—but we’re frightened of touch, of making real contact with another person.

If you invest the gift with your love, then in giving this symbol you will have ritually expressed your love. You would be surprised at how much lighter you can feel after even such a small ceremony!

Don’t do anything that would hurt others, literally or on the unconscious level. When you perform rituals you unleash powerful psychological energy, and it is most rewarding to aim this energy

We can touch Dionysus and learn to express that archetypal joy through three psychological disciplines: active imagination, dreamwork, and ritual.

All the responsibility and power we burden ourselves with! We can’t bear it for very long without breaking down in some way.