Where from comes Joy?

I had a question about joy in meditation today. Is it something that we have to create or is it something that is naturally omnipresent and we just don’t let it in? Nor put in enough effort to bring it about?

I’m currently watching a video of a rainy room on YouTube. The room is very cozy and comfortable, with soft lighting, rain sounds, and a warm temperature. I can imagine myself luxuriating in that room, my attention wandering from the fireplace to the stone mantle to the rain-streaked windows. I might also notice the pile of firewood, the candle or flowers in the corner, or the soft throw draped over the couch. All of these things might bring me joy.

Earlier today, I was walking during meditation and stopped when the sun hit my face. It felt good, and I thought about how I could use that feeling to spark joy. But is it just a physical sensation that I’m enjoying? Where does enjoyment end and craving begin? The warm ray of sun doesn’t seem like a reliable source of joy.

I believe that joy, love, and kindness are all inherently occurring states. The joy I felt from the sun on my face felt more like a projection than a real feeling. But the compassion I feel when I see someone who is unaware of their own unskillful patterns feels more spontaneous. It arises from my awareness of their situation, and it wouldn’t exist without both of us.

I recently heard about a study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where a monk named Mingyur Rinpoche was asked to place himself in a state of wide-open compassion without an object. If compassion can arise spontaneously without an object, then so could joy.

I’m still not sure where joy comes from, but I’m glad to have had this opportunity to explore the question.