“Laugh when you can, it’s a cheap medicine.”{Anon}
I facilitate a Law of Attraction meeting twice a month and it is one of the most enjoyable things that I do. Our group is close knit with room for newcomers, ideas, experiences and we seem to laugh a lot. So much so that one of the members of the group calls us her laughing group. I got to wondering just what happens when we laugh? And why is it so good for us? And as is my nature I went searching out the physical side of it to go along with the mental and spiritual side of things. Here is what I found out.
In laughing long and well, we breathe deeply. When we breathe deeply, we expand the cells of our lungs which prevents them from sticking together.(I was completely unaware that this could occur.) Because of this expansion, a predisposition to fight infection is created. We know that oxygenation of the blood is a good thing and the other side of that is riding our bodies of carbon dioxide which is great for our overall health, laughing does all of this for us. Researchers have found that laughing long, hard and often releases endorphins. These hormones being released in our brains does amazing things; they make us feel happy with a sense of overall well being, they also help lower pain levels.
This information was the brain child of a man named Norman Cousins. Mr Cousins was the editor of The Saturday Review and one day he found out that he had a life threatening illness. He was not ready to give the illness an upper hand so he chose to be proactive. During his research he read a theory that said having lower vibrational feelings ( such as worry, fear, anticipation of the worst case scenario) about ones life and situations may have detrimental effects on ones biology; so,conversely, higher vibrational feelings must make one feel better and be healthier. (such as feeling happy, anticipation of the best outcome, joy) He decided that the easiest way to accomplish this goal of better health was to laugh. He decided to watch movies of the “Three Stooges” for eight hours a day for many weeks and he read a lot of funny books. By listening to his body, he just knew that this was what he needed to create wellness within himself.
OK so how did this work? Those endorphins come into play again, they are aided by dopamine and oxytocin. All of these natural hormonal chemicals work together to keep you up, happy and functioning at your best. Mr cousins found that he was incapable of feeling depressed because it is a physical impossibility to be both depressed and laugh at the same time. He also found that the laughing helped him sleep better. He lengthened his life span by fifteen years. He also wrote a book about his experience. (“The Anatomy of An Illness”) Now the wonderful thing here is that the AMA paid attention and published an article about laughter and it's healing properties in the 1989 Journal of the American Medical Association that stated that “laughter would relieve symptoms and improve patients overall quality of life.”
Laughter does several other things that are beneficial to our biology;
It helps flush out many of the toxins that are released when your heart and lungs begin moving your highly oxygenated blood pumping throughout your body. You could see it as; laughter+a higher energy vibration= movement and change.
Laughter renews hope;
It can ease all types of pain from arthritis to that of a heart break, it relieves tension (it is why we sometimes laugh in what we feel is an inappropriate situation) Laughter causes us to change the way we are looking at a situation.
As you laugh and relax;
You begin to feel good all over, it raises your mood, gives you an adrenalin rush which invigorates both your mind and body.
Laughter spreads through a group;
Have you ever experienced this? A group of friends is laughing and you get caught up in it without any idea what is so funny? Try watching a baby laughing and not laugh yourself...it is almost impossible! (LOL, just writing about it made me laugh)
Being in a state of good humor, amusement and joy will help you feel where you are stuck and allow you to move the blockage. When you are in joy you are lighter; vibrating higher and this will overflow onto those around you because you are uplifting and positive. You are more at peace and this will radiate from you.
If you should find yourself in a circumstance that makes it difficult to find the lighter side, try taking a break to watch a funny movie (one that is funny to YOU, not everyone is amused by the same things) read a humorous book, watch funny videos or some standup. Just like you would look for gratitude in any situation, look for humor within this situation.
We were born to laugh, it is part of us as natural as breathing or crying, it is an innate gift of humanity. If you smile, no matter how you think you feel, soon you will feel true bliss and joy. It is OK to feel good, no matter how those around you feel, it is OK to smile no matter whether others are smiling or not. It is OK to be happy, to laugh to be in a joyful state. The longer you live in happiness, the more you will like it.
Speaking of liking something, the Law of Attraction tells us that like attracts like and you know this is true. If something or someone does not vibrate with you, you find somewhere else to be, right? If you are not vibrating at a high frequency, you attract lower frequency people and places to you. When you raise your frequency, so does your environment. You laugh, you smile, you are happy!
Laughter lifts us over high ridges and lights up dark valleys
in a way that makes life so much easier. It is a priceless gem,
a gift of release and healing direct from Heaven.{Alan Cohen}
Did you know that children laugh, up to 400 times a day? Adults laugh only about 17 times a day. That to me is a sad statistic. I know that since I have started laughing more often, my life is better on all levels. Being serious is now a sometimes thing for me and I like that. Laughter can turn your perceptions and mind-stream around in an instant, it can change your view point, help you heal yourself and handle most anything when you are light-hearted.
“A day without laughter, is a day wasted”{Charlie Chaplin}
Here are some tips to help you get started;
A good exercise for your brain and your lungs is to laugh and smile, it is that oxygenation thing again. You will find that you think clearer and feel more energized.
The other brain benefit is that nerves within the brain are used that you don't usually use, this falls under the “use it or lose it” rule. Your facial muscles get a good work out too and that is good for keeping that young look. Research shows that by laughing for only five minutes is more beneficial than working out for five hours.
As you focus on laughing and smiling you will find that you will be joyous within your being; your heart chakra will take up the habit and soon you will begin radiating joy and love from deep within you. Truthfully it has always been there, you just need to remember it, find it and use it again.
Laughter is one of you most powerful tools that you have at your disposal to make improvements in your life. The Law of Laughter says if you laugh with all your heart, your health improves and your life changes. Laughter will bring you closer to your goal of wholeness and happiness.
I send you all Light, Love, Laughter and Bright Blessings, Chessie
© 2012 Chessie Roberts, All rights reserved
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