How do you guys access laughter?

[Gerhard]

I have recently been feeling the desire to be able to laugh, really deeply and naturally, at will. Or at least access that vibration of laughter.

I do laugh when I find something genuinely funny of course, but it would be great to be able to just burst out laughing for instance when someone cuts you off in traffic amd you're tempted to get angry. Just laugh it away

Or in social situations, I very often can 'see' the funny, but my body just isn't feeling it. I don't drink booze at all anymore, so having this ability to access my quirky, uncaring, laughing-at-nonsense self would open up a lot of internal opportunities

For instance -love- I can close my eyes and feel for it, and prettt much access it to some degree whenever I want. For instance, when someone is rude towards me, my first instinct is bitterness towards them, but I can still activate the love towards them.

Laughter, not at all though. It seems to arise 100% spontaneously at its own will. 

I know some people who are just always laughing! Any of you here?

Or anyone, have you guys and girls had some insights into the nature of laughter, and how to access it?

Happy last day of 2018 everyone!

[Rilles]

1 Hour of SDS and I will be very giggly from the relief when its over.

[Gerhard]

Haha I haven't done strong determination sittings in a while. Zen monks are quite famous for accessing really loud loud seemingly uncontrollable laughter actually

Your answer made my laugh internally btw, good job!

[Joseph Maynor]

I laugh at my own attempts at humor but I’m not really keen on being a funny dude because I think it’s a bit phony and manipulative.  The more relaxed I am with you, the more I’ll show my natural humor.  I’ve never really had the kind of up front humor that readily attracts women or anything like that.  I’ve always seen that kind of patronizing personality as distasteful.  Women don’t really see it as patronizing because they don’t understand what men are doing with humor — they don’t see the underlying motive.  I realize a lot of men evolved and learned humor as a tool to attract women and to manipulate situations.  I never even bothered to play that game.  Laughing to me is great, but I’ve always preferred other things a bit more than laughing.  Laughing too much to me seems like kind of a vice.  Being too silly is annoying.  I’ve been around too many funny dudes who neurotically feel the need to try to be funny all the time and it just gets to be too much.  I see the manipulation side of humor more so than most people do I think.

Edited December 31, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Charlotte]

@Gerhard Yoga? I giggle for ages all the time. You know the type of laughter you used to do is school when you shouldn't be laughing. That type. 

Also realising the truth of stuff makes me laugh. 

In order to laugh at someone cutting you up off for example you'd have to change your perspective. 

[bejapuskas]

We once played Chinese whispers with friends and someone told me something absolutely hilarious and I couldn't stop laughing for like 5 minutes straight, maybe more. (this isn't even an exaggeration!) 

@Charlotte I have the same type of laugh almost always, especially at tests, when I don't know anything, I burst out  

@Gerhard I also laugh like a madman when my mind is clear! So at least I know, that it isn't just me now  

I also laugh at my own jokes with friends, but they actually enjoy it, some could say that it is weird, but they like the way Iaugh, they say that it looks very joyful  

[Preetom]

@Gerhard

This is how I access laughter  

Another thing I tried which is Osho's 21 days mystic rose meditation retreat(personally at home).

The rule is you got 3 hours straight routine everyday for 21 days.

The first 7 days are 3 hours of continuous laughter (its possible and it feels natural as well! to my surprise)

The next 7 days are 3 hours of continuous crying without any judgment

The last 7 days are 3 hours of pure witnessing meditation where you witness all the contents in a detached, nonjudmental manner.

This retreat will open up many constricted channel within you.

[Charlotte]

43 minutes ago, bejapuskas said:

I have the same type of laugh almost always, especially at tests, when I don't know anything, I burst out

Same!! Brilliant isn't it. 

This thread had got me thinking of laughter and left me giggling ?

@Gerhard forgot to mention as well. Dancing around the house HOWEVER you damn feel is also brilliant for laughter. You get that silly it's funny. 

[Hellspeed]

You don't need a reason to laugh.

You need a reason to be serious or sad.

But apparently in today's society is the other way around, and is so stupid.

[ivankiss]

Naturally 

[aurum]

@Gerhard

Bioenergetics helped me a lot. Often times joy or laughter can be physically repressed in our system. Bioenergetics is one way of breaking that up.

Also, just start doing the physical act of laughing even if you don’t feel like it. What you’ll find is that what felt “fake” at first quickly becomes real laughter.

[kieranperez]

And of course...

 

[Igor82]

7 minutes ago, kieranperez said:

 

 

Ahahaha, oh my lord, im laughing my as off!! "Feel free to slap your hand"  Thanks man for the share!

[Igor82]

@Gerhard This, if you wont laugh when watching this, please meditate some more to become aware of the hilariousness.

 

[Gabriel Antonio]

I personally wouldn't do those "Laughing meditations". I think laughter should come out naturally. Maybe that could happen in one of those sessions. But it's not something I'm drawn to. 

I have tried in the to force my smile, because they say endorphin is released, even if you fake it. But I don't do it anymore. It's inauthentic and my smiling muscles get tired after a while. 

What has really helped me is to have a friend who I can be myself as authentically as possible. This requires intimacy, cultivation, and trust. I have had many experiences where I was feeling very negative, and I allowed myself to feel that way with a close-friend, and suddenly I felt good after a while. 

Of course, sometimes I still fake smiles/put on a mask, especially when I am around people I don't really know. But it's not something I do to "get in the mood". It's just a social strategy. In fact, if I have to do it too much, I will get drained. 

So, basically I would say the best way is to hang out with someone who you naturally have affinity with. 

19 hours ago, Gerhard said:

it would be great to be able to just burst out laughing for instance when someone cuts you off in traffic amd you're tempted to get angry. Just laugh it away

I don't think that would be healthy. Negative emotions are there for a reason! You can't only have positive ones. 

Here's some food for thought:

Happy 2019!  

Edited January 1, 2019 by Gabriel Antonio