Abstract

Intuitive Inquiry, an emerging research method, is used in a quest for true joy. True joy is defined as a permanent level of consciousness that transcends suffering in which one experiences wholeness, fulfillment, sweetness, purity, and love. Allowing that the world's great mystics have found true joy in union with the Absolute or God, this study focuses on 8 joyful Christian mystics: Francis of Assisi, Clare of Assisi, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Brother Lawrence, John Ruusbroec, Julian of Norwich, Elizabeth of the Trinity, and Faustina Kowalska. Thoughts on joy from 5 great spiritual and wisdom traditions and 15 psychological thinkers are briefly explored. Highlights of researcher's quest for true joy and meeting with emptiness are shared. As an application of Intuitive Inquiry the research design includes three levels of research: cycle 1 identifies primary research themes through reflection, meditation, and journaling, cycle 2 examines works of four Christian mystics to find research lenses, cycle 3 tests original conception of true joy through writings of 4 more Christian mystics. Sympathetic resonance, a deep inner recognition of authenticity, is used as a validation procedure for interpretation of data. Embodied writing expresses the richness and depth of experience in the findings and evokes sympathetic resonance in the reader. As a result of the study, the researcher changed her definition of true joy to be the transforming and healing power behind suffering. When our human perceptions are aligned with God, we experience true joy as the fundamental healing energy of the universe. Life necessarily includes joy in union with God and suffering in estrangement from God, however, true joy is found in a mystical perception of the universe beyond the ordinary experience of joy and suffering. True joy is found by forsaking the hollow pleasures of the world and turning to God