The Laughing Buddha, also known as "Hotei", has a special place in my heart. As the Hotei traveled the lands, he spread happiness and peace. When he entered a town, he would head straight to the market, the busiest place around. Once there, he dropped his sack at his feet, raised his hands above his head and began laughing. His infectious mirth and happy countenance would draw a crowd, who began laughing right along with him.
Today we know that laughter releases endorphins, those feel good chemicals in our brain that create a sense of peace and well-being. What the Buddha knew was that laughter meditation brought both a feeling of happiness and tranquility, and it was his life's work to spread that message to all the people in the land.
When I was first told the story of the Hotei, I immediately felt a kinship to this chubby, happy guy. Maybe it's because I'm quite chubby myself ;o) Or more likely, it was because I my own philosophy is to find joy in everything I do - whether it be parenting, work or pleasure. Sometimes life is tough - like when your five-year-old dumps an entire gallon of sticky apple juice on the kitchen floor (it's happened!). But, I really believe there is joy in absolutely every situation, even the most dire and depressing. So, when the apple juice went everywhere - I chose to laugh at the look on my little guy's face rather than rage at the work ahead of me. See, peace and tranquility CAN reign if you just remember to look for it!
So, in the spirit of spreading a little happiness today, I'm offering a freebie to kick off my blogging adventure. The following word art from the Buddha is a gift to you. And remember, laugh a little today!
Download the freebie here.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
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