Joy Conditioning

Joy Conditioning
         after Wendy Suzuki
The next time you lie in bed thinking of
the one thing you said wrong, remember
also everything else you said right.
Remember the burst of a fresh strawberry
at the edge of summer's beginning. Feel
the red juice coat your mouth. You might
even remember last week's call with your
mother when she said I'm so proud of you,
or the one friend who said I love your poem.
We are malleable, impacted, trained by the
terrible recurring thought just as we are by
the repetition of kindness. So do this in
your next joyful moment—  	  take pause
pay attention to the constellation of light
shining singularly into your life. Let this
memory embed itself into your body as a
fiber of truth you return to when all alone
and full of self-doubt, even if the voices
won’t quiet entirely, even if all you have
to hold on to is this one twitch of joy
announcing itself as a reminder of your
inherent goodness.
- Moudi Sbeity

Wendy Suzuki a neuroscientist who created the practice of joy conditioning, which is a way to counter the brain’s negativity bias by intentionally remembering positive experiences. This can be hard to do when you are in the thick of a difficult moment, or, if like me and many others, you replay scenarios in your head that stoke the flame of shame. But we know, as mindfulness practitioners, that thoughts pass as quickly as they arrive. So why not steer your mind toward something that helps soothe your nerves? I must add, this is not to deny beneficial, though challenging, experiences like grief, rage, and sadness. All of these are within the scope of being human, and we’d do ourselves a disservice to avoid them. This is just to recognize that there are appropriate moments for every feeling, and given the heavy handedness of discontent in our world today, some joy conditioning helps rebalance our perspective. May you savor whatever you can of this beautiful mad world we are so blessed to share.

Happening tomorrow: Saturday, August 22, 10-12 MDT - Book Tour Workshop / Fundraiser. I’ll be reading from both books, offering prompts, and then opening up space to share. Event will be recorded and shared.

Online Events

🌱 Tuesday, Sept 8, 4pm ET
Writing workshop and & book conversation with ZenJen Brown at 4pm ET.

🌸 Tuesday, Sept 29, 4pm ET
Join me for Living Your Poetry - Presence. Poetry. Practice. A Community Conversation with poet Lisa Breger, hosted by ZenJen Brown.

💜 Save the date. Monday, October 5
The Raft will host the official online book launch for my debut memoir, Habibi Means Beloved. Watch for event details soon.

💜 Save the date. Friday, September 18
Official online book launch for Alhamdulillah Anyway with Laurie Wagner. Details coming soon.

In-Person Events

Saturday Oct 17
Salt Lake City Book Launch and conversation with The King’s English Bookshop at Salt Lake Book Fest.

Thursday October 22, 6 - 8pm in SLC, UT
Queer as Beloved - Workshop and discussion at Under the Umbrella bookshop exploring the intersection of queer identity and spiritual practice.

Friday October 23, 6 - 8pm in SLC, UT
Intimate book celebration with family and friends. An opportunity to see all the folks I hope to see, share some good food from my former restaurant, Laziz Kitchen, listen to my beloved Taylor play the piano, and some room at the end for an open mic.

Wednesday, October 28, 6 - 8pm in Boulder, CO
Boulder book launch at Trident Cafe. Details coming soon.