Laughter

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What do you think laughter is/means/comes from... How would you explain laughter?

Isnt it trippy how our whole body and mind is effected/affected by a good belly laugh? How it instantly can make us happy and change our perspective? How it makes us feel good and peaceful? How it makes us feel closer and connected to those that we are laughing with? How its so contagious? How its so involuntary? How it cant be repressed when its its in motion? How laughing makes us cry and makes it hard for us to breathe? How it gives us stitches and we can laugh so much it actually hurts. How it makes us want to pee! And how laughing can genuinely make you feel like you've just been for a jog or something because your whole body feels puffed out and totally buzzed simultaneously? What is this bizzare weird and wonderful thing that we call laughter?

Apperantly the science of laughing is called gelotology and those that study it called gelatologists-lol

Here are some laughter quotes that i like-

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."
--Victor Borge

"Laughter connects you with people. It's almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you're just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy."
--John Cleese

"Laugh because that is the purest sound.”
--Hafiz

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
--e.e. cummings

"The whole play of existence is so beautiful that laughter can be the only response to it. Only laughter can be the real prayer, gratitude."
--Osho

"But it certainly is a wonderful thing to wake up suddenly in the solitude of the woods and look up at the sky and see the utter nonsense of everything including all the solemn stuff given out by professional asses about the spiritual life; and simply to burst out laughing, and laugh and laugh, with the sky and the trees because God is not in words, and not in systems, and not in liturgical movements, and not in "contemplation" with a big "C," or in asceticism or in anything like that, not even in the apostolate."
--Thomas Merton, Trappist monk

"Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods."
--Japanese proverb

“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."
-- Buddha

"I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, 'Ain't that the truth'."
--Quincy Jones
 
I've always thought that laughter must be our reward for being transparent with the people around us. Usually when you say something that everyone is thinking but is afraid to say, people start laughing.
 
Good points all. The same is true of smiling to some extent. As an example, smile as you read this. It doesnt have to be heart felt ect although I question why it wouldnt be if you are reading these words. The act of smiling alone, heartfelt or not, changes your perspective. Maintain the smile as long as you can and see what happens.
 
charlene said:
What do you think laughter is/means/comes from... How would you explain laughter?

Isnt it trippy how our whole body and mind is effected/affected by a good belly laugh? How it instantly can make us happy and change our perspective? How it makes us feel good and peaceful? How it makes us feel closer and connected to those that we are laughing with? How its so contagious? How its so involuntary? How it cant be repressed when its its in motion? How laughing makes us cry and makes it hard for us to breathe? How it gives us stitches and we can laugh so much it actually hurts. How it makes us want to pee! And how laughing can genuinely make you feel like you've just been for a jog or something because your whole body feels puffed out and totally buzzed simultaneously? What is this bizzare weird and wonderful thing that we call laughter?

Apperantly the science of laughing is called gelotology and those that study it called gelatologists-lol

Here are some laughter quotes that i like-

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."
--Victor Borge

"Laughter connects you with people. It's almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you're just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy."
--John Cleese

"Laugh because that is the purest sound.”
--Hafiz

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
--e.e. cummings

"The whole play of existence is so beautiful that laughter can be the only response to it. Only laughter can be the real prayer, gratitude."
--Osho

"But it certainly is a wonderful thing to wake up suddenly in the solitude of the woods and look up at the sky and see the utter nonsense of everything including all the solemn stuff given out by professional asses about the spiritual life; and simply to burst out laughing, and laugh and laugh, with the sky and the trees because God is not in words, and not in systems, and not in liturgical movements, and not in "contemplation" with a big "C," or in asceticism or in anything like that, not even in the apostolate."
--Thomas Merton, Trappist monk

"Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods."
--Japanese proverb

“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."
-- Buddha

"I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, 'Ain't that the truth'."
--Quincy Jones
Click to expand...

The ee Cummings is one of my favorites.
 
charlene said:
What do you think laughter is/means/comes from... How would you explain laughter?

Isnt it trippy how our whole body and mind is effected/affected by a good belly laugh? How it instantly can make us happy and change our perspective? How it makes us feel good and peaceful? How it makes us feel closer and connected to those that we are laughing with? How its so contagious? How its so involuntary? How it cant be repressed when its its in motion? How laughing makes us cry and makes it hard for us to breathe? How it gives us stitches and we can laugh so much it actually hurts. How it makes us want to pee! And how laughing can genuinely make you feel like you've just been for a jog or something because your whole body feels puffed out and totally buzzed simultaneously? What is this bizzare weird and wonderful thing that we call laughter?

.....

“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."
-- Buddha

"I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, 'Ain't that the truth'."
--Quincy Jones
Click to expand...

I think laughter is the life force - the chi - the energy of Love - Source - God - moving through us totally unobstructed by mental thought.
Like Chango says - we are vulnerable and our heart is bared.

When we do the belly laugh we are massaging the solar plexus which pumps life force in all directions of our body. We are delighted and in Joy at being alive. We are connected to the energy of Love right at our source being.

All of the people in my real life will tell you I have one of the most contagious deep belly laughs they have ever heard. One of my cousins plays a recording of me periodically just to hear me laugh....you know....because it makes her laugh. I think she intuitively knows I am deeply connected with all that is....and she wants a part of that.

I have used the Buddha quote from time to time whenever I find myself at odds with the world. Like Eventhorizon says - just the physical act without necessarily feeling it - will eventually bring about true laughter.
 
i laugh a lot. if i didn't my face would crack and fall off. true story.
 
I am laughing over here right now over that "waffly thing" comment and even harder that you called the Semicircular canals that :laugh:
 
Eirene said:
I am laughing over here right now over that "waffly thing" comment and even harder that you called the Semicircular canals that :laugh:
Click to expand...
they do look more like pretzels than waffles but hey i was doing a timed quiz lol
 
What's really great is when you start flopping around like a fish and it causes everyone else to do it too and NOBODY can breathe or speak!

Or when you think it's over and everyone is trying to put on a straight face but somebody snickers which immediately triggers the next round of paralyzing laughter.
 
I agree most with John Cleese (Cheese) in his assessment of laughter - it connects people and is an instant form of democracy. Just like the president of whateveristan stands naked, he sometimes laughs too. It's a humbling experience to laugh, and being humble is very, very, very good for all of us. Besides that, I believe it to be a way for our bodies to release tension around other people, or to simply express contentment in the moment. Burt Bacharach had it right, this world can't get too much love, but it can't get too much laughter either ;)
 
[video=youtube;ddV6jyDeCKA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddV6jyDeCKA[/video]

PS: VSAUCE IS AWESOME
 
I think laughter is the way the mind shares it's happiness with the body.

The physical energy of the muscles of the stomach sends echos throughout our bodies and thus strengthening our good feeling. Sort of like a massage.
 
laughter is a moment of honesty.
 
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