Laughter
Of the sage
March 25th 2014
There are differences between cheerfulness and joy. Cheerfulness can be read immediately on a smiling face – there is a lightness about it. Joy comes from deeper realms. You can suffer and at the same time feel joy, because you sense that through your suffering you are understanding something important. Obviously this deep joy can also be expressed as cheerfulness. This is why you will notice that many wise people are cheerful. Their understanding lightens life’s burdens. Contrary to what many imagine, sages are neither sad nor pessimistic. They are cheerful, and even in the midst of suffering and hardships they are able to laugh.
Have laughter’s benefits been fully studied? It helps maintain an inner flexibility. It makes us lighter and encourages us to progress. It also makes us more loving. Those who know how to laugh are able to love more than others. And they learn better and quicker than others.