Laughter, a seemingly simple and joyful act, possesses a profound ability to tap into the hidden reservoirs of energy within us. It acts as a conduit, bringing forth the energy from our inner source to the surface, creating a flow that follows laughter like a faithful shadow. Take a moment to reflect—have you ever observed this phenomenon in action?
When genuine laugh erupts, it becomes a gateway to a deep meditative state. In those fleeting moments of laughter, thinking grinds to a halt. It’s an impossibility to engage in both laugh and thinking simultaneously. They stand as diametrically opposite experiences; laughter and thought cannot coexist. A true, hearty laugh suspends the ceaseless chatter of the mind. If the mind persists in its musings, laugh becomes a mere echo—a crippled expression.
Authentic laughter has the power to momentarily dissolve the presence of the mind. As far as I understand, laughter and dancing are two of the finest, most natural, and easily accessible doors to a meditative state. Engage in genuine laughter, and you will witness the disappearance of the mind. It is an instantaneous vanishing act.
Dancing and laughter share a commonality in their transformative effects. When you truly dance, the ceaseless stream of thoughts comes to a standstill. In the dance, you become a whirlpool, losing all sense of boundaries and divisions. Your body and existence meld into one another, creating a seamless overlap where distinctions vanish.
Similarly, laugh, when allowed to be an organic expression, serves as an introduction to a non-thinking state. To experience this, one must be fully possessed by laughter—allowing it to take over, allowing it to become the driving force. In the possession of laugh, thinking surrenders. Laughter becomes a beautiful doorway to a state where the mind is stilled, and the individual finds themselves immersed in the pure essence of the present moment.
In the simplicity of laughter and the uninhibited abandon of dance, we discover profound gateways to the meditative realms within ourselves. These experiences remind us that, at times, the most direct paths to stillness involve embracing the natural expressions of joy that reside within us all.
Instructions 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 laughing. 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.
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Exam Questions and Answers
- What transformative effects do both dancing and laughing share?
a. Increased stress levels
b. Heightened sense of self-awareness
c. Accelerated thought processes
d. Indifference to the present moment
Correct answer: b. Heightened sense of self-awareness - According to the passage, what happens to thinking when genuine laugh occurs?
a. It intensifies
b. It becomes suspended
c. It becomes irrelevant
d. It merges with dance
Correct answer: b. It becomes suspended - How does laughing serve as a gateway to a meditative state?
a. By promoting intense thinking
b. By surrendering to dance
c. By creating a seamless overlap of boundaries
d. By suspending the chatter of the mind
Correct answer: d. By suspending the chatter of the mind - What does the passage suggest about the relationship between laughing and thinking?
a. They complement each other
b. They are mutually exclusive
c. Laughing enhances thinking
d. Laughing is a form of thinking
Correct answer: b. They are mutually exclusive - What does the author claim to be a natural and easily accessible door to a meditative state?
a. Excessive thinking
b. Genuine laughing
c. Controlled breathing
d. Repetitive chanting
Correct answer: b. Genuine laughing - According to the instructions for Laughing Meditation, when should you stretch like a cat?
a. After opening your eyes
b. Before going to bed
c. Upon waking, before opening your eyes
d. During the middle of the day
Correct answer: c. Upon waking, before opening your eyes - How is laughing recommended to be practiced in the Laughing Meditation instructions?
a. Once a week
b. Throughout the day
c. For five minutes every morning
d. Only during stressful situations
Correct answer: c. For five minutes every morning