Want to live longer? Laugh longer


Life has become a very serious matter for many people. Working long stressful hours, managing households and finances all combine in shaping the way we react to life.

When you are lonely, unhappy, and feeling self-pity, your thoughts take you deeper into despair and desperation. The more you feel these emotions and reinforce your negative thoughts, the more the universe provides experiences to support your consciousness. Nothing goes right. You expect everyone to bail you out of your situation. You are stuck.

As I am writing this, a wonderful experience comes to mind that took place when my dad was in his end stages. The gas had built up inside so much, he was writhing in pain. The medications that he took to alleviate the gas and pain were not working. He had been a tall, strong man. To see him lying in bed with this huge distended abdomen was sheer torture and I felt so helpless. He kept asking me to help him. I looked at him with hopelessness and sadness.

Just at that moment, a thought came to mind as if a light bulb was lit and I found myself saying to him, perhaps I can sit on your abdomen and bounce up and down on it like I did when I was a little girl. It was a ridiculous thought, but within seconds, my dad started to laugh so hard, that I started laughing. We couldn't stop for several minutes. Tears rolled down his face. All of a sudden we heard a loud noise and a release that made us laugh even more. He had relief. From then on, we laughed a lot more!

Many people struggle to stay centered and balanced through meditation and yoga. As a result, many have become even more serious through this practice. However, the balance is also aimed at bringing about joy, laughter and healing.

A hearty belly laugh releases endorphins into the bloodstream. Serotonin is released into the body building up your psycho-neuro-immunological system.

The vibrations from the laughter actually shake up and release the stress in all our organs that have been rigidly holding all of our pent up emotions. So, you see, laughter is essential for your biological health no matter what your current situation is.

Try it right now! Think of something so funny that you almost roll on the floor laughing. If you can't reflect on something so funny in this very moment, try smiling to your organs with gratitude that they are their functioning as they need to. Or picture sun light or a strong white laser beam of light penetrating through with a healing warmth to these areas. No matter what your circumstances, you need to seriously bring more laughter into your life, especially if you are having difficulty with the exercise.

As a caregiver, generally you are consumed by guilt, doom, fear, hopelessness and even helplessness, but don't forget; so are the loved ones who you care for.

Take a deep breath. With each breath, breathe in loving, positive thoughts. On each exhale, expel the negative thoughts and beliefs that come to your mind. As you breathe out visualize them dissipating as a vapor in mid air where the universe will transform them into perfect order and harmony. Keep breathing in and out for several minutes, until your body feels more relaxed and then see if you can bring up a good chuckle from deep within your belly.

Practice helping others to lighten up also through telling them a good joke, sharing about your own difficulty in getting that chuckle going and see if you both can support each other. Hopefully, a new way of being will begin to unfold for you.