Joy is an important aspect of the Buddha’s path to freedom, appearing as both an awakening factor and one of the four heart qualities known as the brahmavihāra. However, for many people it can feel elusive - or even irrelevant – in the midst of so much global, societal and individual suffering. For this reason, the word Joy in the title of this talk is accompanied by question marks, as an invitation for us to explore together some common questions and/or doubts that often come up in relation to joy in the context of insight practice. Together we’ll discover some of the ways that cultivating joy can help nourish the heart and deepen wisdom, even amid the challenging everyday realities that most of us face.

In February 2026 London Insight Meditation hosted Jill Shepherd for an online evening on the theme of "Joy".