Connection to Joy
Connection to others has the potential to bring interest, support, and growth into your life. A real connection can also bring joy. How do we make our personal relationships strong and fulfilling? What is the secret to deep and loving connection?
I’m happy to have a great variety of people whom I’m connected to. They’re different cultures, ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. I find their differences to be interesting and stimulating. I wouldn’t want to be spending all my time with people just like meI know I would be bored! There’s a good reason to have a variety of people in our lives. They are here to teach us, and we are here to teach them.
A course I instructed on developing loving attitudes really influenced my life. This course was based on loving others, loving self, and loving Spirit. The course used concepts from an ancient language, the Aramaic. This language has roots in every major religion, and was spoken by the most powerful spiritual leaders of all time, yet it is still alive and spoken in the world today.
The Aramaic language is the most interesting language I’ve ever studied. I love words, and this language richly illustrates concepts of psychology and spirituality. Aramaic is difficult to translate into less complex languages. The interpretation of the Aramaic word, PAGRA, illustrates a concept that can help us lead more fulfilling lives. Pagra means new life, and the concept shows us how to create and maintain joyful connections with others.
Pagra is the creation of a third life, or a new energy. A pagra holds what two or more people share. Every two people, or every group, shares some values, some attitudes, some goals in common. A pagra exists between any two or more people in a family, a group, a couple, or a company. A pagra is shared beliefs, ideas, attitudes, and goals. Whatever is shared goes into the pagra.
A pagra is living energy. It becomes more powerful when more values, attitudes, and beliefs are shared by two or more people. It becomes smaller and less powerful when we share less with another person, or group..
We know that what we give our attention and focus to grows in strength. When we choose to concentrate on the pagra that we share with others, rather than on our interactions, and the outward appearances of our relationships, we strengthen our connection with the person or the group. Pagra is real and lasting connection.
Choose to strengthen the pagras with those people you value in your life. Your life will be enriched, and your joy increased.