India Ink on Canson Aquarelle 300gsm CP

Six-colour rainbow artwork of the word དགའ་བ་ {ga-wa in Tibetan}, which means joy, delight/ful, glad. Scribed in a contemporary 'Ume' script style called Tsugtung. This edition was released during Pride Month 2024 with the quote: "Queer Joy is an Act of Resistance!"

'The word "joy" can be used in many contexts, but if we recall the Four Immeasurables, one of the four is Immeasurable Joy or Immeasurable Rejoicing. In that context, it means giving rise to the wish that living beings may remain happy and their happiness may increase further.

To apply it as a practice, whenever you see someone who is wealthy and powerful, attractive in whatever way and so on, someone who appears to be enjoying all the pleasures of the higher realms, or whenever you see someone who possesses the qualities of scriptural learning and realization, do not feel resentful or envious of them..instead, feel joyful and make the wish that their riches and power increase even further. And pray or wish that all sentient beings may experience the same kind of good fortune. Train your mind in this way, again and again.

These are part of the essential Lojong (mind trainings) and Ngondro (preliminary) teachings. When genuinely engaged, these practices start to diminish our clinging and clear obscurations that blind us to our true nature...all of which allow us to be of greater benefit to more beings in return.'

*Commentary on Joy provided by Yeshe Drolma