 As many of you already know, I am a lover of the Laughing Buddha. The more sombre representations of the Buddha don't touch me in the same way that the Laughing Buddha does. As it is, we all take life much too seriously! Because of my love of the Laughing Buddha, I have placed a number of them around the house as a reminder to lighten up and enjoy it all.
I have a wooden Laughing Buddha on my night table next to a picture of my laughing husband (who is also a Laughing Buddha), a gorgeous pink quartz Laughing Buddha on my desk, a magnificent amber Laughing Buddha on my husband's desk, and a very large stone Laughing Buddha sitting in the courtyard outside my kitchen window. The one thing they all have in common is that they have learned how to ‘enjoy the feast’ and they have no worry about the future!
‘It’s all happening perfectly’
My outdoor Laughing Buddha is the one that never ceases to amaze me. He is laughing when the rain pours down on him. He is laughing when the sun bakes down. He is laughing when we put a Santa hat on him at Christmas-time. There is nothing that takes away his laughter. I know he would be laughing even if a tree fell on him and crushed him into a million pieces. I would be crying, but he would be laughing! Obviously, the Laughing Buddha has learned that ‘it's all happening perfectly'! The spirit that emanates from his smile is one of trust, appreciation and inner joy.
I believe the Laughing Buddha represents the inner intelligence that lives within us all. He represents the part of us that is in tune with the Grand Design. He doesn't try to control the chaos. Instead, he listens and moves comfortably within the chaos as the world unfolds around him. He stays open to a constant flow of ‘joyous survival’ versus ‘turbulent survival’. He makes us realize that we can't get rid of the chaos, but we can get very creative with the turmoil. We are all the creators of how we want to see this world.
As still another reminder, I suggest you purchase a Laughing Buddha. They come in all sizes. A little one to put on your desk or next to your bed would suffice. Understand that the laughing Buddha is not a religious symbol, as Buddhism is not considered a religion by many people who enjoy and benefit from its teachings. It can be seen as a philosophy or a way of seeing the world. For many, Buddhism is one way of becoming more enlightened about life. There are Jews, Catholics, Protestants and others who embrace the teachings of Buddhism.
Once you acquire your Laughing Buddha, make sure you pick it up every time something is troubling you and ask yourself what the Laughing Buddha would tell you. I know you will find an answer that will lift you out of your upset and elevate you to a more cosmic space. That's what the Laughing Buddha does for me.
Pretend
To take it one step further, you can pretend you are the Laughing Buddha. My husband Mark was having difficulty with a few people in one of his projects and he decided that instead of letting it get him down, he would go to work as the Laughing Buddha. To him, that meant radiating a happy, loving energy no matter what was happening at the office. He created a list of his favourite ‘happy' affirmations and every day he would repeat them over and over again. He would also e-mail me a message from himself as the Laughing Buddha.
This little game he was playing became our private joke, but the effect on his experience was very healing. He was actually able to deflect the negativity of the people in his project and embrace the happy nature of the Laughing Buddha. This enabled him to interact with everyone in a much more positive way. His demeanour changed so much that his assistant jokingly asked him what drugs he was taking! Mark just smiled.
We can all play the Laughing Buddha game in any area of our lives. Each time we play it, it shows us how to stay in the Highest part of who we are for longer and longer periods of time. Powerful stuff, so rewarding, and a lot of fun.
It is clear that appreciation of today is one of the most powerful tools for helping us embrace tomorrow. So take it all in. And once you do, you will be astounded by what you have been missing in this life, right here, right now. I keep going back to the telling words of Emily Dickinson...
As if I asked a common alms
And in my wandering hand...
A stranger pressed a kingdom
And I bewildered stand.
These beautiful words tell us that when we finally open our eyes, we stand bewildered by the riches in front of us. Life is beautiful... open your eyes to it all.
From Embracing Uncertainty, copyright 2002 by Susan Jeffers, published in the UK by Hodder Mobius.
|
Inspirational features 
