  Spiritual
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Hi, I'm Sophy ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter. This week we'll talk about the spirituality of laughter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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The Spirituality of Laughter
Yiddish Proverb: Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul.
"Laughter is God's hand on a troubled world." Minnie Pearl
A Priest, a Rabbi and a Minister walk into a bar. The Bartender looks up and says ...
"What is this, some kind of a joke?"
One of my favorite creation stories comes from a Native American tradition in northern California, and tells the tale of how Great Spirit created humanity. Everything else is already in place - the trees and mountains, stars and oceans. Even the animals are already there. And so, with the help of Coyote, Great Spirit finally gets around to making the humans. He gathers multi-colored bark from many trees, some seeds, flowers and grasses, and mixes them all together with some red mud to make a man and a woman. Coyote and Great Spirit then hide behind a tree so the people can't see them when they wake up, and they wait. After a little while, the woman wakes up - she sits up and looks around, rubs the sleep out of her eyes and admires the beauty of the forest that surrounds her. Then she notices the man next to her, still sleeping. She sees an eagle feather lying nearby, which she picks up and uses to tickle the man under his chin. And the man wakes up, laughing.
Native people have long valued the importance of laughter within their community life and spiritual practice, which are essentially one in the same for them. For instance, the strong emphasis and value Navajos place on humor is evidenced in the "First Laugh" rite, a long-held tradition in the Navajo tribes. The first time a Navajo baby laughs out loud becomes a time for honor and celebration within the community, as the child officially becomes one of them by laughing. So instead of a christening or other religious rite, the first laughter becomes the occasion for celebration. Wikipedia reports that many native traditions viewed clowns and tricksters as essential to contact with the Sacred. In addition, people could not pray until they had laughed, because laughter opens and frees us from rigid preconceptions. Native peoples also included tricksters within the most sacred of ceremonies so that they would be reminded that the Sacred comes to us through upset, reversal, surprise. In fact, in most native traditions the trickster is viewed as essential to creation and birth. Thus the presence of Coyote, also known as the trickster, in the creation story I just shared.
Frederick and Mary Ann Brussat of "Spirituality and Health" magazine write that, "All of the world's religions acknowledge the importance of a playful spirit. The Jews have a holiday for humor called Purim. In the Islamic tradition, the fool Nasrudin regales people with his silly approaches to things. St. Francis in the Christian tradition called his order 'Jesters of the Lord.' Native Americans have rituals to celebrate 'sacred clowns' and tricksters who break all the rules. Many Zen masters use humor as good medicine -- Paichang said 'Shut your mouth, close your lips and say something.' And for Hindus, the world is a playground where God is active everywhere." In addition, the practice of laughter yoga is growing all over the world. So, in spite of the dour, humorless impression given by many religious institutions and people the past few centuries, laughter has, in fact, been an integral part of civilization, and thus religion and spirituality, since the beginning of time - evidenced by its importance and value in the earliest of civilizations and religions that predate Christianity, in addition to its importance and value in the early Christian church itself.
Speaking of Christianity, some assert that once it was westernized, the religious practice of Christianity became much more serious than it was originally observed, as the focus shifted from the enjoyment and delight of the Spirit to the judgment and condemnation of God. But that's not how it always was. In fact, the Bible itself is rich in humor. Take the founding of the nation of Israel, where God's chosen people were birthed in laughter. According to the story in Genesis 18, Abraham and Sarah were visited by three of God's messengers, to whom they offered food, rest, and hospitality. The messengers told Abraham that they would return in less than a year, and when they did, Sarah would have borne a son. Sarah overheard this and laughed, because she was 90 years old, and Abraham was 100 - in other words, their fertile days had long passed them by.
God had promised them children long before this visitation - they were told, in fact, that they would parent the future nation of God's chosen people. But Sarah remained barren, and finally insisted that Abraham father a child with Hagar, her maid, so that the prophecy would be fulfilled. So of course Sarah laughed - God was now going to honor that promise to a 90-year-old woman and her 100-year-old husband? Don't be ridiculous, she must have thought. I imagine she laughed so hard that she cried. Finally God asked why Sarah was laughing, to which she replied, "Who, me? I didn't laugh. Nope, not me," she said, as she wiped away the tears. God said, "Uh huh, you did too! You laughed, I heard you!" And then God got the last laugh as sure enough, nine months later, she gave birth to her son, Isaac, whose name means "laughter." Isaac - one of the great three forefathers of the faith - was the result of God's rather humorous promise fulfilled, in spite of the advanced age of his parents. And thus, laughter became a key ingredient in the family tree of even the Christian faith.
Jesus was quite a comedian himself. There is a little known story in Matthew's gospel where Jesus arrived in Capernaum and was hassled to pay the temple tax. Rather than getting uptight or judgmental about the less than warm reception he received, he sent Peter off to the lake to catch a fish, and told him to open the fish's mouth, where he would find a coin in it to pay the tax. Anglican Priest Howard Langmead says, "I mean that's like street performing, that's comedy in the street, and I think you're meant to laugh at that sort of thing."
Christian theologian Karl Barth reminded us that, "Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God." Laughter is as sacred as music, stained glass windows, or silence; say Frederick and Mary Ann Brussat. "Like prayer, it binds people together and tears down the walls that separate us from each other. Laughter, when it is not coming out of the ego's need for power, judgment, or pride, can be a healing balm, like the mercy of God." And Conrad Hyers, author and emeritus professor of religion, Gustavus Adolphus College, says that, "The first and last word belong to God and therefore not to death but life, not to sorrow but joy, not to weeping but laughter. For surely it is God who has the last laugh."
Where does laughter fit in to your spirituality? I'd love to hear about it. Or do you take life too seriously and rarely even crack a smile? If so, then get out there and do some laughing -- it's good for your heart AND soul! 
Sophy
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Below you'll find some offerings from other WDC members that involve a spiritual perspective on laughter. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
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Now for a couple of comments about lessons I learned from the river on a recent rafting trip.
From Pen Name 
Better you than me, girl. I am glad you went on that arduous trip and shared your insights. I got all the benefit without all the work!
Glad you enjoyed it!
     
From faithjourney
Kudos to you for facing your fears! I'm mulling the idea of a story about bringing fear under submission right now. It's a much bigger issue in our lives than I realize. I'll post it in my port if/when I get it done, and send it to you as a highlighted item as well. Thanks for the great newsletter!
I look forward to reading it -- a very timely subject for many I suspect. I look forward to reading it!
From Diane
Wonderful newsletter, Sophy! I haven't been on a river in a while (at least in the literal sense) and this reminded me of what an impact nature has on my spiritual well-being. It's amazing, but I feel more connected with others when I am out in the wilderness and much more alone than I ever do when hooked up to the Internet, cell service, and surrounded by people. I need to get back to nature and reconnect!
Thanks for your kind comments, Diane -- glad you enjoyed the newseltter. And yes, I agree, I also feel more connected to others when I disconnect from modern conveniences.
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming, they are greatly appreciated! And on behalf of myself and the other wonderful Spiritual Newsletter Editors, Puditat larryp kittiara -- thanks for reading this newsletter!
Until next time! Sophy
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Spiritual: July 02, 2008 Issue [#2477]
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