The spiritual healing power of laughter

BY : STARZSPEAK

Introduction:

Modern experts compare regular laughter to mild workout for all the muscles of the human body. Regular laughter offers three distinct levels of healing powers. These include Physical, Mental and Spiritual. Physical - After regular laughter, the heart pumps more oxygen and supplies the same to the brain. Also, laughter enhances respiration, circulation, immune system of the human body. Regular laughter releases endorphin or “feeling good chemicals” relieving body stress and strain. Mental - Regular laughter lowers depression and improves positive emotions controlling the good mood of mental health. Spiritual - Of late, spiritual healing power of laughter has been the talk of all religions.

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Here are some suggestions on how to use laughter to cleanse your soul.

•    Use laughter to move towards a positive and healthy outlook in life:  

Laughter has proved to be excellent and beneficial to your emotional health. Laughter releases endorphins that make you feel good about yourself, mind and body. You should learn to relax and laugh with others. Also, if you like, you can indulge yourself and watch comedian shows and movies. Thereby, you can reduce and remove the stress caused due to negative thinking. Always aim for a positive outlook in life and be spiritually happy.

•    You can make new positive relationships through laughter:

Life on Earth is very short. Everyone including your strangers wishes to be surrounded by people who laugh. You can make several friends – intimate, personal, professional – when you share laughter with all others. Laughter helps in bonding people making them feel wanted and loved. There are spiritual groups like “Art of Living” that uses sessions of laughter to influence members.

•    Laughter is communicable:

Experimentally it has been proved that on seeing a person laughing everyone joins in. They are not even aware of the fact what made the person start laughing. Laughing together in a group is contagious and healthy because it improves your and others’ health too. People like to discover comedians who use their unique skills to make others laugh.

•    Live your life as it comes:

Let us face it - the journey of life began the moment you were born. Your life would end the very moment of your demise. You lead your life just the way you choose to do so. Everyone faces obstacles in life caused by our petty mistakes. However, it is never the end of the world. Laughter helps you to forget your sorrows and go for the most positive alternative. People who can laugh at themselves manage to forgive and forget others who caused them pain. Thereby, they are spiritually more blessed and find themselves in better situations in life. You need to remain happy and jolly with yourself. Only then, you can reach out to make others surrounding you feel more positive in life.

•    Recall pleasant and funny moments:

In your past years, you have been through a happy childhood, school or college life. Remind yourself of some of the pleasant memories. You would discover your facial muscles relaxing while your lips are forming a wide smile. Your mind would be filled with happy moments of the memory. You can use this method before sitting down to meditate for spiritual gain.  

• Spiritual level

According to Thomas Mann (German literary legend and Nobel Prize winner), “Laughter is the sunbeam of the soul”. According to Karl Barth (Protestant Theologian of the 20th century) “Laughter is the closest thing to the Grace of God”. Theologians comment that laughter is the music of the soul because it provides instant meditation. Laughter offers spiritual experience and inner harmony. Osho (Indian Spiritual Leader) has emphasized that “laughter brings the inner energy to the front. When one laughs for a few moments, the individual is in a deep meditative state because thinking stops. While laughing, suddenly the mind disappears. Then, the complete Zen methodology goes into no mind”.

•               Laughter Yoga:

Combined exercises and voluntary laughter is practiced in what is known as “laughter yoga”. These have scientifically proved to provide physiological and psychological benefits similar to natural and spontaneous laughter. Laughter yoga is carried out in groups in open parks and grounds. Warming up and free-hand exercises (stretching, clapping, slow body movements, breathing, chanting and more) are carried out. Since laughter has several physical, mental and spiritual healing powers, there are laughter therapy centers. These are common in India and abroad, especially in European countries. Madan Kataria, an Indian doctor, has established several laughter clubs in India and abroad.   

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