Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out

Hear, O children of endurance and longing, the voice of Joseph Campbell, the great storyteller of myths and truths, who declared: “Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” In this utterance, the sage reveals a secret hidden deep in the chambers of the soul: that within every human heart lies a fountain of joy that cannot be extinguished by sorrow. To touch this wellspring is to find strength greater than suffering, light brighter than darkness, and peace deeper than pain.

The meaning of this teaching is that suffering is not the final word, for pain—though powerful—is not absolute. The body may ache, the mind may despair, the world may wound us, but the inner flame of joy is stronger if we seek it out. Pain consumes when left unchecked, but joy, when kindled, burns hotter, brighter, and longer. Campbell reminds us that happiness is not only found in the outer world but is cultivated within. It is not the absence of pain that sustains us, but the presence of joy strong enough to overshadow it.

The origin of these words lies in Campbell’s lifelong exploration of myths, legends, and the heroic journeys of humankind. He studied tales where heroes endured exile, betrayal, and suffering, yet always found strength in an inner source—faith, love, purpose, or vision—that carried them forward. His teaching echoes this archetypal truth: every person carries within them a sacred ember of joy, and by tending it, they can endure trials that would otherwise destroy them.

Consider the life of Nelson Mandela, who spent twenty-seven years in prison. Day after day, surrounded by stone and chains, he might have surrendered to bitterness. Yet Mandela chose to find joy within—in simple acts, in hope for freedom, in dreams of justice for his people. That inner flame sustained him, and when at last he emerged, it was not as a broken man, but as one prepared to lead with forgiveness and vision. His joy did not erase his pain, but it burned brighter until the pain no longer ruled him.

Think also of Viktor Frankl, who endured the horrors of a concentration camp. Surrounded by despair and death, he wrote that man’s last freedom is the ability to choose his attitude in any given circumstance. He found joy in meaning, even in suffering, and that meaning carried him beyond despair. His story proves Campbell’s wisdom: joy need not be loud or grand; even a spark of purpose in the darkest place can consume the fires of agony.

O seekers of strength, know this: the world will bring pain, for no life is free of it. But pain need not master you. You carry within your soul a well of joy, waiting to be uncovered. It may be the joy of love, the joy of purpose, the joy of gratitude, or the joy of beauty glimpsed in the simplest things. If you turn toward this inner flame, you will discover that it does not merely coexist with pain—it overcomes it, burns through it, and transforms it into fuel for resilience.

Practical wisdom calls you: when pain arises, seek not only relief but joy. Remember what you love, recall what you have endured and conquered, and focus on what still gives your life meaning. Meditate, pray, sing, or sit quietly with gratitude—these are ways of fanning the flame. Write down the blessings that remain, however small, and let them remind you of the joy inside. Do this not once, but daily, for the ember must be tended if it is to burn bright.

Therefore, remember the counsel of Joseph Campbell: “Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” Let this truth be your shield in suffering and your guide in despair. For pain may scar the body and shadow the mind, but joy—when kindled—burns eternal, and it will carry you through every trial, transforming wounds into wisdom and sorrow into strength.

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