The oldest way of Yoga … Laughter (part 1)

Although our humour might be a different one ;-), I am sharing here the story how my Yoga Master had told it many times and he laughed so much telling it that his laughter was contagious.

Here it is:

“There are people who laugh all their lives.
They know how to laugh and how to make others laugh.
Other people spend their entire lives whining.
Say what kind of person do you belong to?

Laughter is an art.
Sometimes you laugh spontaneously,
but that's something completely different -
shortly after laughing, you might cry.
But if you make others laugh,
then you will never cry again.

When you see such a person laughing
you can't help but laugh along.
Through this art you are in harmony
with yourself and with them.

But how do you learn this art,
this highest form of yoga?
If your desire for it is really serious,
then you have to see your life as a joke,
because life begins in a second
and it ends in a second.

Even if you cry
then consider your crying
as the greatest joke.
It's a temporary condition,
because it won't be long
before you get tired of crying.

But you can laugh all the time, day and night,
because you can laugh in different ways.
You can laugh out loud and laugh softly.
But you never get tired of laughing.
You will be surprised how good it is for you.

And now I want to reveal a secret to you;
If you don't want to cry and moan
Then learn to laugh.
How? You will surely find a way.”

SWAMIJI

Of course your mind now wants to know “how can I learn that”, “why didn’t he give us a hint or an exercise to do to learn it if it is the highest way of yoga.” I usually start with smiling at the respinse of my mind - because, really, it is ridiculous how it reacts. I start smiling then softly laughing at me acting so serious to things that can be laughed at… basically I then laugh at myself and then find other things to laugh about. It is really a very freeing way of being once you can laugh a few times a day or just be silly. Gradually or suddenly you will experience the depth of the practice of laughter.