Over this past month, I've made the dramatic move from my adopted state of Massachusetts back to my home state of Rhode Island. I’ve had to deal with a new level of stress and anxiety that I hadn’t experience in years. My usual practices of meditation, pranayama (breathwork), and yoga helped but I received an unexpected boost from a new, simple practice. This activity, which I actively cultivated daily for the last 60 days, assisted me with managing all the elements of coordinating this major life event with more grace and equanimity than I originally thought was possible.
The inspiration for my practice came from studying archetypes in ancient mythology, specifically the Greek goddess of Mirth, Baubo. She is a delightful character who plays role in the story of Demeter and Persephone. After Persephone is stolen away from her mother, Demeter, by the god of the underworld, Demeter wanders the earth, desolate, searching for her daughter. Demeter is met by Baubo who provides her with food and drink. Unable to console Demeter, Baubo resorts to telling bawdy jokes and lifting her skirt revealing her private parts as well as her belly upon which she has painted a face. This outrageous act jolts Demeter out of her paralyzing grief and the process of renewal becomes possible. (For a funny image, try googling “Baubo”.)
Although bawdy humor isn’t my thing (kudos to you if it’s yours), the thought of using laughter as a way to navigate through the challenges of my move to RI was intriguing to me. I developed my plan to find at least one reason to have a deep belly laugh a day - whether I had to fake it or not.
There were some days when my new practice didn’t come naturally to me. I had to deliberately smile and laugh; however, even if the laughter was artificial at first, I just kept going. As I let myself surrender to the experience, real laughter eventually took over. By shaking up my emotional body (literally) with laughter, I found another tool to help me cope with a time of high anxiety and stress.
The unexpected gifts of laughter:
Immediate effects:
Reduces tension and stress alleviating both the physical and mental symptoms of stress.
Activates the parasympathetic nervous system promoting the body’s natural state of rest and relaxation.
Stimulates the heart, lungs, and muscles for a healthier body.
Long-term benefits
Improves the functioning of your immune system.
Increases overall happiness and satisfaction.
May relieve physical pain by releasing endorphins.
As the author of one of my favorite childhood books, Madeline L’Engle said, “A good laugh heals a lot of hurts.”
Explore the belly laugh and your body, mind, and soul will thank you.
Feel free to reach out if there is anything I can do to help support you on your journey,
Much love,
Dawn