Laughter

Laughter

Laughter brings some energy from your inner source to your surface. Energy start flowing follows laughter like a shadow. Have you watched it? When you really laugh, for those moments you are in a deep meditative state. Thinking stops. It is impossible to laugh and think at the same time.

The laughing Buddha

There is a story, in Japan, of the laughing Buddha, Hotei. His whole teaching was just laughter. He would move from one place to another, from one marketplace to another marketplace. He would stand in the middle of the market and start laughing — that was his sermon.

His laughter was catching, infectious; a real laughter, his whole belly pulsating with the laughter, shaking with laughter. He would roll on the ground with laughter. People who would collect together, they would start laughing. And then the laughter would spread, and tidal waves of laughter. And the whole village would be overwhelmed with laughter.

People used to wait for Hotei to come to their village because he brought such joy, such blessings. He never uttered a single word, never. You asked about Buddha and he would laugh; you asked about enlightenment and he would laugh; you asked about truth and he would laugh. Laughter was his only message.

Instruction for laughing Meditation

Every morning upon waking, before opening your eyes, stretch like a cat. Stretch every fiber of your body. After three or four minutes, with eyes still closed, begin to laugh. For five minutes just laugh. At first you will be doing it, but soon the sound of your attempt will cause genuine laughter. Lose yourself in laughter. It may take several days before it really happens, for we are so unaccustomed to the phenomenon.  But before long it will be spontaneous and will change the whole nature of your day.