Earlier this year, at The Reiki Association’s Annual Gathering, Marta Getty, a very experienced Reiki Master, reminded us to reconcile with Joy. It is easy to find joy in positive situations, much harder to feel it in challenging, uncomfortable situations. To me, the word reconcile is an invitation to look deeply into a situation to be able to find Joy – to be with the discomfort, not try to fix it, not wish it away, but stay present in that moment, as best as is possible. When I struggled to feel joy in challenging situations, I felt that perhaps Gratitude is the backdoor route to Joy, gratitude for being alive in this realm of body, mind and time, causing feelings of separation and limitation– the source of most suffering. Being alive, being in the body enables me to feel what I need to heal. If I can remember to feel gratitude for being alive and for feeling what needs healing, it helps me to not go down too far the path of suffering and it seems easier to reconcile with Joy in that moment.