A sense of humor.
- clearstreamzendo
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
This week’s topic for reflection is a sense of humor. At last week’s no kings rally I was reminded of the importance of having a sense of humor in difficult times. Some of us find ourselves in situations that cause us great difficulty. I don’t intend to down play the seriousness or importance of these situations however finding a way to laugh or just smile can relieve a lot of stress.
So take a minute to reflect on your life and where you might be able to lighten up or relax a bit. Return to your breath if you are able to relax there. Be around little children when they are playing and having fun. Spend time with a friendly dog. Let go of the stress by doing something joyful. Put on a chicken costume and dance with a hot dog for heavens sake. Intensionally do something that gives you and others joy and laughter. Creating joy and laughter does not necessarily mean making light of the situation. It does show you are not intimidated by its seriousness. It seems to open things up and make them more flexible.
Hogen Roshi said he had a student sit an entire seven day retreat with a big smile on his face. That’s it. Just keep a big smile on his face. Roshi said it was a very valuable and worthwhile practice and not at all a waste of time. Just a simple smile changed everything. I’m not saying we need to go to this extreme. Just remember how important it is to have a sense of humor for our own and others well being.
Please join us for morning Zoom zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, and Sunday morning Zoom zazen and discussion of the topic for reflection blog from 8:00 to 9:00 Pacific Time. Here’s the Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357
Passcode: 278259
Gassho,
Futai
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