Why Laugh?
Why not laugh? Laughter is one of the most natural things that humans do. In times of stress and in times of joy, we can find ourselves laughing. Also it has a sort of contagious aspect to it, where we laugh if we hear others laughing – we are triggered into the same ‘letting go’ and ‘being’ in laughter with them.
Perhaps that is the function of laughter – to help us to rebalance, to let go and to reconnect with our sense of community. Children laugh at a very early age, something like 3 to 5 months of age. Zen monks will laugh just to clear their minds of the excess chatter going on there. People often laugh when they need a good cry and the laughter clears the way so that the tears can flow. Why then don’t we laugh more often? It is such a healthy thing to do for our equilibrium – why not ‘choose’ to laugh and get the health benefits more regularly.
In the stress of today’s modern world, a good time to laugh is whenever you can. In the business of our complex lives, we maintain equilibrium by connecting to the peaceful, quiet place within us - where our wholeness and our true self resides.
Being able to laugh is one way to let go of the excess stress. Letting go of the excess helps us to find that space where we can ‘be’ again. Try a smile and see how you feel. A smile has similar effect on our brains and emotions as a laugh only more subtle and sometimes profoundly so.
So to laugh and to smile and to go within - experiencing the wonder that is within. And when the noise of the thoughts and worries and fears and cares subsides – there is peace.
© Greg Govinda 2007 |
