Maximizing Joy

"Joy, and such associated feelings as bliss and happiness, are often in short supply in this troubled world. In this remarkable course, Saniel Bonder and Linda Groves-Bonder and their guest speakers teach their virtual students how to find and maximize joy, not only in such obvious settings as family, faith, music, Nature, work settings, and loving relationships (with pets as well as other humans) but also in adversity, contemplation, and solitude. Their discussion of the neurophysiology of joy presents its underlying mechanisms. Too often joy is taken for granted, but this course provides ways to find it, maximize it, and make it a part of everyday life."

—Stanley Krippner, PhD, author, A Chaotic Life: The Memoirs of Stanley Krippner, Pioneering Humanistic Psychologist

MAXIMIZING JOY: In Your Life, Work, Relationships — and World

For a more complete description of the course go to maxjoyinfo.com.

We also offer a sample session mini-course, Laying a Foundation for Maximizing Your Joy, at this link. It consists of Session 1 of the full course, where it’s titled, “Why Non-Joy Seems to Win So Much of the Time, and What We Can Do About It.” See the description below.

Here’s information on the full “Maximizing Joy” course:

An 8-session recorded course with Saniel Bonder and Linda Groves-Bonder, featuring bonus interviews with thought leaders and spiritual luminaries Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Mirabai Starr, Ken Wilber, Stephen Dinan and Devaa Haley-Mitchell, Miranda Macpherson, Anodea Judith, Ejna Fleury, and Terry Patten. 

In these often extremely challenging times, with so many unprecedented threats to our personal and collective well-being, it’s often extremely difficult to access joy, peace, and fundamental wellness.

This course explores how we can maximize both the transient joys and pleasures of being alive and that deeper, unshakable kind of joy that we can access in our most essential feeling of being.

Each session includes three parts:

• A presentation on that session’s topic by Saniel and Linda

• A bonus interview one or both of them conducted with a featured guest speaker

• The recording of a conversation on the themes of that session with participants who took the course live

Here are the 8 session titles and featured guest interviewees:

Session 1: Why Non-Joy Seems to Win So Much of the Time, and What We Can Do About It
▶ Bonus Interview with Rick Hanson, Ph.D., renowned neuroscientist and author of Buddha's Brain, Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, and Neurodharma

▷ This first session includes two experiential practices led by Linda, “Gazing Meditation” and “Six-Step Recognition Yoga"

▷ Session 1 also serves as a Sample Session Mini-Course, titled, Laying a Foundation for Maximizing Your Joy

▷ As a courtesy, for Session 1 only, you also get lightly edited transcripts of all five of these recordings except the Q&A/Conversation — our presentation, the bonus interview with Rick Hanson, and both experiential practices. These transcripts are offered as supplemental adjuncts to those primary course communications

Session 2: Serving and Being Served — Secrets of Unstinting Generosity and Delighted Receptivity
▶ Bonus Interview with Mirabai Starr, spiritual teacher and author of Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics and other titles

Session 3: The Endless Dance of Being True to Yourself While Helping Others Do the Same
▶ Bonus Interview with Ken Wilber, philosopher, founder of the international Integral movement, author of The Religion of Tomorrow and other seminal works

Session 4: Acting Local, Being Global, and the Grace of Contribution
▶ Bonus Interview with Stephen Dinan and Devaa Haley-Mitchell, Co-founders of The Shift Network; Stephen is also author of Sacred America, Sacred World

Session 5: Drinking From the Fountain of Blissful Nectar in Your Own Heart
▶ Bonus Interview with Miranda Macpherson, spiritual teacher and author of The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation

Session 6: Why Trust Is the Ground of Joy — and How to Strengthen It
▶ Bonus Interview with Anodea Judith, founding director of Sacred Centers, therapist and global teacher, author of Wheels of Life, Eastern Body — Western Mind, The Global Heart  Awakens, and more

Session 7: The Serene Joy of "Foundation Friendship," the Radical Unity That Liberates Us into Our Uniqueness
▶ Bonus Interview with Ejna (formerly Jean) Fleury, Lakota Grandmother, Visionary, and Peace Ambassador for the Crow Creek Sioux tribe

Session 8: What the One Great Heart We All Share Won't Settle for Less Than
▶ Bonus Interview with the late Terry Patten, Integral leader, (r)evolutionary, and author of The New Republic of the Heart and founder of the international New Republic of the Heart community

This timeless, truly “evergreen” recorded course can help you access and optimize in your daily living both the “unshakable,” existential joy of Being and the temporary, experiential joys that are so important to an inspired and balanced life. We welcome you to make full advantage of it, for yourself and all those whose lives you influence or touch!

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