Laugh Humor Life

Humor, Laughter, Awakening to the Possibility of Joy in Each Moment

We’ve all experienced it, a time when a friend’s quietly funny gesture or look swept us up in unruly giggles, even in the midst of the most somber proceedings in church, or at temple, or in class.  Part of what made our laughter so infectious and unwieldy was that our own giggles revealed that people and things that insist on all-the-time seriousness  aren’t up to the task.  Life lets us smile. One can always laugh.

Laughter, Our Own Sanity and Well Being

Right there, let go of all-the-time seriousness. For our own sanity and well being, we can lighten up and see that, no matter what, even in the most serious circumstances, we can use a light touch; we can be gentle and not let this life with its worries and woes and manufactured pomposities fool us.  Stop thinking that everything is so heavy and grim.  We can always afford to take a deep breath and smile.

The great Tibetan teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, never seemed to tire of reminding us that having a sense of humor and a sense of lightness is essential to developing a well grounded meditation and mindfulness practice.  After all, joy is a factor of Awakening!

Here’s a link to a wonderful article summarizing Trungpa’s approach to humor followed by a quote from Carolyn Rose Gimian, one of his most devoted students, lionsroar.com/lighten-up-humor-real-peaceseptember-2012/

We are so lucky that this uncompromising yet kind world gives us opportunities for a fresh glimpse. With all the stress, speed, and anxiety of modern life, we’re so lucky that some things never change. Moon and stars, rain and snow, a gap between every thought. Phew—it’s possible to relax, to smile in the space between things, to see the simple humor of it, at least for one breath, just as it is.

Very best wishes,

Mark