Lots of people take spiritual life very seriously.
Some of us understand spiritual life as being all about theology or philosophy. Some of us believe spiritual life is about what we think or believe deeply. For some of us, spiritual life is built on rules and regulations, creeds and covenants. For some, spiritual life is suffering through a series of tests or sacrifices. Some people act as though spiritual life depends on our ability to remember the right answers.
Spiritual life, for me, is different. It is not music or disciplines, sacred places or experiences that draw me into deeper spiritual life.
Spiritual life is filled with humor and laughter.
It is difficult for me to feel closer to sacred truth than when I am laughing. There is laughter that comes from unexpected recognition and discovery. There is the powerful laughter of remembering shared experiences with people I know. There is the laughter that is the result of realizing we may never really know the answer. There is laughter that seems to break out of me for no apparent reason.
It feels good to laugh. Laughing helps us breathe deeply, and know ourselves better. Laughter can help us see things in new ways, accepting what we may not understand.
Spiritual life, for me, is filled with ironic truths. As we recognize and grow to appreciate them, we laugh.
Our spiritual journey has many challenges and profound lessons. We come to see, when we are still enough to pay attention and listen, how much we have learned. As we learn to leave behind what we do not need, we recognize how free we can be. We laugh out loud.
When is the last time spiritual life filled you with laughter?
How will you learn to laugh well today?
[Image by apdk]
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