Is Joy One of Your Freedom Tools?

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Today, Sunday, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day! A day when we focus upon exploring new tools to improve upon mental health worldwide. In light of that, I want to talk about an aspect of mental health that I feel is often left-out .... joy!

In case you missed my last article Seek Out Joy, you can read it here.

In it, I write about my friend, Daniel Alexander Jones, and how our friendship is a huge source of joy in my life.

I'm blessed to have several amazing friends (and family!) with whom I cultivate joy. People with whom I can talk about everything and nothing. People with whom I can rage and cry, but also laugh for no good reason.

In the midst of all that life is throwing at us these days, seeking out joy has been tantamount to reaching out to a life-preserver in the middle of a raging sea.

53rd State Press has just published not one, but TWO books by my friend Daniel (Love Like Light and Particle & Wave) and last Saturday was the (virtual) book release party (click to watch the video) where a couple excerpts from his plays were read.

Back in 2005, I originated the role of "Eleanor" in his play, Pheonix Fabrik. (Here is a picture of me as "Eleanor" and the incomparable Vinie Burrows portraying "Mother Dixon".)

During the Release Party, three actors and I read excerpts from Daniel's plays. It was an honor to be a part of the readings, but it was the panel discussion afterward that blew my mind.

In addition to Daniel, the panel included:

Dr. Omi Osun Joni L. Jones -- Professor Marita from the African and African Diaspora Studies department at UT Austin,

Jonathan McCrory — Artistic Director at The National Black Theater, and

Valerie Curtis-Newton — Head of Directing at the University of Washington School of Drama.

The brilliant writer, director, actor & teacher, Sharon Bridgforth gave the Invocation.

Though they were talking specifically about abstract and avant-guard writing in Black Theater, I was moved by how applicable their insights were to the journey that we all find ourselves on right now.

Especially when the panel talked about joy!

They started off by talking about the trans-Atlantic slave trade. They mentioned the "ring shouts" and other music, dances, and rituals of joy that the captured Africans brought with them, through the Middle Passage, to what could only be described as hell on earth in the western world.

And how embodying that joy reminded their enslaved bodies that their spirits were still free!

Whoa! This was huge for me!

Joy reminds our bodies that our spirits are still free!

My world is not nearly as dark, painful, or violent as the one inhabited by my ancestors and yet, I can easily find myself bogged down by anxiety - worried about how I'm going to protect and care for myself and my family during such trying times.

There is always so much to prepare for - always so much to do. I can easily feel encaged and even enraged. It's easy to forget that I have such a powerful tool at my disposal -- Joy!

When feeling afraid and unfree, seeking joy is not a luxury, it's a necessity!

Studies reveal that (among many other mental health benefits), joy helps us become more resilient.

Joy helps us to not be knocked down as easily by the waves of life and when we are knocked down, joy helps us get back up again.

If you are a frequent reader of this column, you know that I am all about the ability to "get back up again" (Click there for a Bulletin article I wrote about it!)

Having been violently and unconscionably ripped away from everything and everyone they knew and brought to a world of enslavement and indescribable physical and emotional agony, enslaved Africans seemed to know instinctively that seeking joy was not just a temporary respite from pain, but the way to attain an inner Freedom that nothing -- not even global chattel slavery -- could take away.

The conversation last Saturday was a perfect example of how the personal (no matter how specific) can be a portal to the universal. And how the historical can be helpful right today.

And I loved every minute of it.

It brought me joy.

So, today (Global Mental Health Day) and every day, seek out joy, family -- in all spaces and in all ways. With family, with friends, within yourself. No matter how stressed and anxious you feel -- no matter how backed up against the wall you may be. Do your best to seek out joy.

It is a freedom tool that is always within your power.

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Until then...

May THE FORCE WITHIN be with you!

Rhonda Ross is a singer-songwriter, an Emmy-nominated actress, and a Personal Power Practitioner. For musical, speaking or workshop bookings: email info@TheRhondaRoss.com