You are not in Othello: The Power of laughter

By Sam Glory

The power of laughter has been documented for its healing powers over and over through the ages of time (thank you, Patch Adams), and for good reasons. There is tangible evidence to highlight the benefits of a good belly laugh, and that the more we do it, the lighter we feel and the easier we’re able to move forward and out of strenuous situations. We recognize the importance to seek the chance to laugh more in our lives, to invite the opportunity with open arms and to identify the funny moments despite all the drama that our ego often leaves us stranded in.

When it comes to a lot of the spiritual content out there, the concept of humor seems to be pulling a Houdini from under our eyes. There is a sanctimonious air to the whole quest of knowing oneself that seems to make the spiritual path heavy with misplaced seriousness. Our essence is jovial spirited; it wants to play, experience and create. Seeing the bigger picture, it views life for the theatre play that it is and does not dwell on the small stuff too much. After all, this moment of your life is but a tiny slice of meringue cake that will be gone in a fragment. And although being human entails a slightly different point of view, we would do well in endeavoring not to be weighed down by what our serious minds try to sell us, especially if fear is still the king ruler of our game. We are not talking about denial here, but the realization that no matter how awful a situation may be, you will be able to pull through it—laughter will help you on your way.

When taken too seriously, many situations seem unconquerable and frankly too overwhelming to tackle; but if you are able to laugh at these scary moments before actually dealing with them, the laughter itself will make them seem easier to overcome and less daunting. Laughter and stress are not able to exist in the body simultaneously, so in a way you can say that not only is laughter healthy, it quite literally defeats stress. It is lethal. Don’t underestimate Mr. Laughter anymore; under his red nose and multicolored wig, there is a skilled Jason Bourne in action. Next time you find yourself in a pickle, remember to enlist his help, because the best thing that you can do in the lingering difficult times is to acknowledge where you are, however stagnant you may feel in the moment, and find a way to laugh: laugh at the small stuff while engaging in exceptionally trying situations, laugh in the face of fear, laugh at how comical it was to get your skirt stuck up in your underwear at that job interview and trust that everything happens for a reason. Bring back the humor into your lives—laughing is infectious, it’s oxygen, it’s medicine.

Tip: When we take ourselves too seriously we are often unable to see the bigger picture. Next time you are faced with a challenging scenario, endeavor to take a bird’s eye view of your situation and dismiss the ego’s need for drama. In the moment, there is often a chance to crack a smile or for even a small chuckle; allow yourself to give into the lightness of your heart.

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Sam Glory offers a fresh new voice in the generation of books about spiritual self-development. A writer, spiritual teacher and author of the spiritual manual I’ll Meet you at the Lost and Found, Sam is passionate about presenting accessible spirituality and personal freedom through profound insights from the Inner Self, to help the reader of today live a fulfilled life from the context of a higher self-awareness. Sam’s work is based in London, UK.

I’ll Meet you at the Lost and Foundis being published by O Books. ISBN: 978-1-78904-030-2 (Paperback) £10.99 $16.95