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Articles
I'll Have the Tofu Burger, Miso Soup, and a Side of Laughter Please!
By Rusty Stewart, Ph.D.
Now let's see, how can I talk about humor without being sooooo serious? Maybe the best way is to clarify what humor is and what it isn't. Humor is not projecting our anger passively onto another at their expense. That is sarcasm. Humor is also not laughing at someone. That is inconsiderate. Humor and laughter can also be used as defenses when we feel uncomfortable, nervous, insecure, or lack self-esteem. Now that all the seriousness is out of the way let's talk about the healing properties of healthy laughter and humor.
Our playfulness and sense of humor are housed in our 3rd chakra. So it's no surprise that when we have a balanced third chakra we can relax more, have fun, and laugh. Fun, humor, and laughter helps to move any stagnant energy stuck in the body and chakras. Laughter can augment the healing process in many of our ailments. Patch Adams has brought this fact into the medical community, although not without resistance. Who has not felt better after a good laugh, a deep belly laugh? Laughter and humor helps to put things in perspective and not to take life too seriously. Laughter is a way of letting go and allowing a spontaneous reaction in our mind and body to occur. Uninhibited fun and play also can facilitate humor and laughter. Children are naturals with spontaneity, fun, humor, and laughter.
Laughing at our self is a symptom of a healthy sense of self. When we are able to take ourselves not too seriously life is much more enjoyable with less stress. Just like laughing with others is healthy. It frees up the energy to see events in our lives as lessons and not as faults or mistakes. Some of our lessons can indeed be humorous; others may not be so humorous. Many times it takes just a change in our perspective.
Once again balance is the key. Having serious moments as well as humorous and fun moments leads to a balanced life. Taoists are very much into balance. I find humor in the Tao Te Ching. The humor is when I realize how much of life is a paradox. Then I understand why so many of the masters can laugh regardless of the situation. It's the cosmic joke we're all participating in. If it's all just an illusion, then we might as well have fun, enjoy ourselves, and see the humor in the human condition. Balance is allowing our self to be without attachment one way or the other.
So let go. Have a side of laughter and humor with your health food. Have fun with life. Lighten up with yourself and your circumstances. Allow the healing energy of that deep belly laugh to radiate throughout your body. If this indeed is one big cosmic joke we might as well have fun, play, and laugh while we're loving, compassionate, and forgiving. Now that's a balance I can get used to, along with my tofu burger and miso soup!
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