Personal-Development

According to the Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the conscious, better known as Ego, is the superior mental substrate that is that what let us have awareness of ourselves and of our relationship with the surrounding environment.
To understand better what is said we must relate the conscious to the unconscious, that is its more hidden counterpart, which is located in the enteric brain or the below brain, in the intestines; everything we know and remember with consciousness is domain of the conscience, while any removed experiences are relegated to the unconscious, where they still remain active.
The theme was deepened by Kant with his concept “I think” and by Schopenhauer, to which Freud relates very.
  
Many believe that they are well separated two shares of the brain, instead NO: the conscious is the one that works more when we are awake, that rational, what decides, the unconscious works also and above all when sleeping.

We can define the conscious as that part of ourselves that is aware of itself and the world (the conscious mind).
The consciousness has the function to monitor the voluntary motor activity.
The unconscious is all that of which we are not aware rationally in a given time (breath, heartbeat, hormones, glands, attitudes, emotions, etc.) and that inevitably leads us to make certain experiences that are helpful of any kind.
The conscious mind continually provides opinions on what is possible to think-do and about what is not, rather than simply to try some behavior that makes it possible to discover whether it is or is not possible. The conscious mind, with its limited system of belief, is much less willing to try than it is the unconscious.
Most of our psychic-physical functioning, is determined from the unconscious, that means, occurs at a level of a natural chain of events that works very well without the intervention of our conscious part.

We live more ‘guided from the unconscious then the conscious therefore ids it the belly that guides us!

Bandler and Grinder affirm: “The conscious mind gives continually reviews on what is possible and what is not, rather than simply try to search for some behavior that makes it possible to find out whether it is or is not possible. The conscious mind, with its limited system of belief, is much less willing to try than it is the unconscious. Typically, the unconscious has no such restrictions. The unconscious mind, provided they are organized and educated in an appropriate manner, is willing to try anything. If you are in your study and a person says, <<I cannot do this and I want to do it>> a useful hypothesis is that this person has already done everything he is able to try to make that change with his resources he disposes consciously and has completely failed.
One way to avoid to combat with someone or to obtain a resistance is simply to eliminate the conscious mind. ” Milton Erickson said in Sydney Rosen: “What we will not make Sid account, is that most of your life is determined from the unconscious.”

(Read more…)

Belief isn’t an idea the mind possesses…
It’s an idea that possesses the mind.

What and who is DEVIL or SATAN?
The word “devil” derives from the Latin word “diabolus” which means “the calumniator” and from the Greek etymon “dia-bolein” which means, “to launch through to separate”, that is acting to divide without having first known and penetrated the other concept.
From Sanskrit, the ancient Phoenician and antic Hebraic, we have another word “shatan” which means “the adversary or enemy.” Since ever the latter word “shatan”, was from the “religious” united solely for the concept that it could be the name of that entity that absolutely embodies the “evil”.

From ancient Phoenician, can we see how this word derives from the root STN: Schin + Tet +Nun, analyzing: Schin has the function of Transferring from an idea to another, the passing from one unit to a side of the “opposite” of this unit, the two letters Schin and Tet indicate that what tends to obscurity, to depth, to not to see, not to understand, going towards involution, to no knowledge (ignorance), closing up on one selves for not being penetrated by Knowledge, to hide from the truth; to divide what is united and make it appear as “divided”; to remove from the own unitary essence.

The letters Tet and Nun indicate that Men gets transformed by what generates ideas of opposition, of division, from that what contrasts, which generates resistance, to the truth and reject the truth, a being weak and powerless that let’s go himself, who abandons, who hides in front of the truth so as not to see, not to understand, this is the definition of the half men.

As we have seen the word “Satan” or “devil”, are existential conditions, ways of thinking, seeing, to live from ONLY ONE SIDE the TRUTH = living by dividing that what in reality is united, be possessed by the demon is to have mentally schemes that prevent to see and understand that what we must strive to unite the apparently contrary for the search of the truth, because the subject removes from himself the true conscience; others call such mental schemes “engram”; other “mental blocks”; in reality are these parts of the Ego/Self that “reunites” in the Mind (remember that this word comes from the root of the word “Lie” (in Italian “Mente=mind/Mentire=lie”), namely the Mind easily lies) to perform a filter pattern (vicious circle) to all situations experienced, everything is passed by this filter that if satanic or diabolic, distorts the vision of reality. 

You cannot reach God if not through the conscience, therefore we support that God is an existential condition, a way of Being, to live the Unity of the Finalities, if we see God in others and in ourselves, we will live this Divinity.

So anyway, one cannot “reach Satan” if not through the conscience, so we support that the “devil” is an existential condition, a way of being (one who does not know and who does not want to know, probably because he “thinks” that he already have all the Knowledge = Egocentricity); if we DO NOT see the Divinity in us or in the others and not tend to live it in us and the others, then we are ourselves “Satan”.

God is the Infinite that manifests in the infinite Universe that materializes into throughout the Matter, informing itself increasingly that is the evolution towards and in CONSCIENCENOUSS; Satan is NOT to won’t go to the Conscience, to stop by for fear of Knowing or for presumption.

The identification and correlation of darkness, tenebrous  = evil, is known to all; Men tends easily to connect for ignorance, evil, to what he does not know or for which he “feels” emotionally that it generates discomfort; the Unknown, the darkness, the “different” event, until things are seen or experienced as a demon to fight (e.g. racism), will he always produce fear and aggression, in fact many times men demonize and discharged it for example on his fellow or the demoniac, the possessed, believing that the “strange”, the otherwise, is to be destroyed, not to understand or to give explanation with reason and the intuit. If instead evil and good are seen or experienced as a moment of Conscience, to penetrate to understand, to listen to the emotional feelings that they exercise onto the Ego/Self, ranging however to be analyzed by reason and logic, then here is that suddenly the demon becomes a “Angel of Light”, in Information, in Knowledge and Joy.

The fears are always the daughter of ignorance, the non-conscience, it’s diabolical, in fact evil is ignorance, the non-knowledge. Therefore, devil or Satan is to be in a position to not Know.

It’s all evidence that the one who says to his neighbor: “You are possessed by Satan or the devil,” did not understand these concepts, he is one that is divided, not united and divided the other from  his Self.
We could continue with these correlations and redefinition of these terms of language, but we want only to provide to the readers, the ways to recover the definitions.

These analyses could also be made for all the “sacred” writings of all ancient religions of the world, but the result would however always be identical to these summaries expressed previously.

We can define the word “devil” even so: “That “something” or that “idea” that has perception only of parts of himself and which is divided non-harmonized, not in resonance, not in participation with other Points or Entities of his Self, namely of the Universe and the Infinity.”

When an individual is not in tune with the Laws of Manifestation, he “embodies” Satan, he expresses himself as the enemy, the one that divides, the one who destroys, at the instant of the “transgression” his mind/organ, which is activator and emanatory of the field of Psycho Informed Energy (CEI) see: Psychic Electronic Men), generates immediately a program of death, self destruction, slow but continuous and depending on the type of transgression the speed of this “procedure” of mental program varies.

The variation of the bodily CEI, is the mismanagement of the “sockets” of the Psycho Electro Magnetic Informed Field of the UniVerse (CEIU), therefore is there no more Vitale energy that fuels the body CEI and therefore it must live from its own energy that little by little, depending on the type of transgression, loses strength and is therefore destined to destroy the created hologram (the Mental and physical body), in order to create a new one that understand better the order of the universe pursued from the Ego/I am.
Remember that the Spirit/Mind/Body is a system Psycho Informatics /Energetically Unit.

The “abnormal” Frequencies that set up in the CEI and then in the mind/organ, namely the programs of self-destruction, the transformation of the hologram (the body) are the so-called “demonic possessions.” They tend to parasitize the CEI, as the bacteria in certain situations Thermal / Nutritional disequilibrium tend to colonize the physical body or part of it, making it sick or even killing it.

They, these “spurious frequencies”, may also move quite easily from one field to another, if the individual “modulating/receiving” leaves them enter, but however  they are always present in the Manifestation and serve to it in its continuous activities of transformation.

With kindly permission www.mednat.org

Please leave a comment, your thoughts, your critics would be very appreciated
and you get a backlink.

 

We all know him, we all talk about him, some believe in him, some are atheists and neglect him, but for all of us is he the expression of several fundamental facts about our own existence and life generally. Above that gives he to us a treasure of instructions regarding our self-actualization and personal development from a psychologically point of view wherein his human embodying is nothing else then the key of lecture to our very own existence.

WHO ‘and WHAT’ is the CHRIST?
We want analyze the “Sacred” names; classically it’s the meaning of the most important name of Christianity: 
Jesus - Christ, Christos (from Greek: the anointed, the gleaming, the sacred), in reality this name derives from the Greek and the union of 2 concepts: the first is CHRYSOS = this word comes from transmutation in the various languages:
1) Orus son of Osiris (Egyptian name of a “god, concept, force”), Chrosus and Chrysos what even in Greek means Gold which generated the words Crux (Latin), Cruz (Spanish), Cross (English), Croix (French), Kreuz (German), Croce  (Italian) and Greek Cross (symbol of light)

2) to this word, Chrys-Os, was introduced the Cross or TAU (the letter T) Egyptian, Phoenician and Hebrew sign of death, resurrection and of the solar luminous cross and of the musical scale (sol +la + re); in the same name there is also an abbreviation for sun (SOle, eliOS, (Helios) or “divinity, always the idea” of light, fire and it is also the prefix of Osiris. 

The ChristOs in the Mythology (MitoLogia) etymology (eTimoLogia) of Christians is in fact nailed to the Cross of Wood and all the pictographically representations confirm him in the two states, suffering and dying on the cross and rose into the Light.
Indeed, the ChristOs is the Cross or Solar Light of the pagans, says in fact also the gospel that transfigured on the mountain with Moses and Elijah, he is also called Lamb, a word which derives from Indian “Agni” the god/ man bearer of the “Fire”, messenger of the divinity, destined to die and also called “lord of the dead.”
(Read more…)

How to Apply Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to Your Life

He studied self-accepting, self-aware, spontaneous people (like Abe Lincoln) who knew how to be happy. Here’s how to apply Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to everyday life.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is also known as Maslow’s motivation theory. His hierarchy of needs is about how to be happy and self-actualized. Once you move past the basic needs, you need to find your calling (Maslow’s self-actualization). Self-actualization involves self-acceptance, self-awareness, unconditional positive regard, and a host of other wonderful positive qualities!

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs includes everything from chocolate to fear of intimacy.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s hierarchy looks like the Food Pyramid for Healthy Eating, but it’s based on survival and growth, not food and nutrition (though the concepts are very similar). In this description below, #1 (Physiological needs) is the broad base of the pyramid. Self actualization (#5) is the pinnacle.

Physiological needs: air, water, food, sleep, sex, excretion.
Safety needs: secure country, community, job, family, health, resources.
Love/belonging needs: family, friendship, sexual intimacy
Esteem needs: confidence, achievement, respect of others, respect by others.
Self-actualization: creativity, spontaneity, problem-solving, acceptance of reality, lack of prejudice.

Self-actualization
Maslow studied successful, productive, and wealthy people – who had found their callings – to determine how people fulfill their potential. Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Albert Einstein were some of his “lab rats”.

Self-actualized people share certain characteristics:
Spontaneous in taking action and making decisions
Interested in solving problems
Creative in work, family, social, and recreational pursuits
Close with other people – strong support network (but not a vast one)
Strong morality system
Objective perspective, without prejudice
Focused energy on one particular task: their calling or mission in life
Figuring out who you are are is closely tied to self-actualization and growth.

To become self-actualized
Carl Rogers agreed with Maslow. His beliefs that people are basically good and able to self-actualize led him to postulate that there are three conditions that promote growth.

Genuineness.

You’ve achieved self-actualization if you can be open with your thoughts and feelings – if your external behavior matches your internal thoughts – if you can drop the façade and be transparent, then you’re on the road to actualization and growth. Being honest and real encourages others to be genuine as well.

Acceptance.

Unconditional positive regard has been described as an “attitude of grace”. When you offer it, you love someone without judging their actions, thoughts, or feelings. You’re self-actualized when you value people even as you know their failings and dark sides. Nurturing acceptance and unconditional positive regard toward your own self is key to a happy, peaceful and fulfilled life.

Empathy.

You recognize and can relate to another’s emotions and experiences. You reflect their feelings and meanings nonjudgmentally; you can put yourself in another’s shoes and feel what they’re feeling. Self-actualization involves being empathetic.

According to Rogers, these three conditions are ideal for self-actualization. Nurturing genuineness, acceptance, and empathy can help you – and the people around you – find your true calling and fulfill your potential in life.

© Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen TheAdventurousWriter.com

Should you be interested in Books from Abraham Maslow see Toward a Psychology of Being from Amazon.

Here’s a real grotesque paradox of the way through our real life: the more we get aware by what limits us, the more limitless gets our reality!
Therefore, take time to translate the undermentioned special examples; it throws much required
illumination upon a certain darkness that stands between us, and the more high-level freedom for which we yearn.

The sole aim of pessimistic feelings is to keep your thoughts on what you can’t arrange. And with
your sentence immobile in its manner — about what appears impracticable — there’s no way for disclosing what is accomplishable — and for what you are able to do.

Differently set, the only matter pessimistic states do is to maintain you engaged doing nothing excepted the experience of unhappiness or discomfort about yourself…that establishes a perfect guarantee for that your position will persist hopelessly unvaried.

You don’t have to bear one more demoralizing minutes with that let go a life sentence confined by its darkness.

There’s a different attitude you are able to attain instead of falling under those well-known feelings of embodying a “failure.”

The next few brainstorms will empower you to begin thinking of old discouragements in afresh way.

 Whenever you affirm over what you aren’t capable to get along, create, or run through, where is your attention in these moments?
It’s centered on your own thought-produced reality that’s narrating you’re stuck!
Perhaps you will be able to acknowledge some of these heavy-hearted inner articulations that go with being victimized by such depressing thoughts.

In one way or another, they say…

“I’ll never come out of this mess.”

“It’s too late!”

“I’m too set in my ways to change.”

“This is hopeless.”

Now on the surface of such personal matters, these all-too-familiar whispers of frustration — that talk to you with your personal voice — appear authentically concerned about your undesired condition.
Nevertheless, a more in depth look states a much more counterpointing story.
These harassed cerebrations are part of an unseeable “conspiracy of limitation” taking place in your own consciousness!

Watch over the next four considerations to their astonishing conclusion.
They demonstrate that self-illumination and self-liberation are one and the same power.

1. The more these gloomy voices babble to us, the more irresolute we feel.

 2. The more discouraged we feel, the more certain we are there’s no other alternative but to feel that way.

 3. The more convinced we are that we have no alternative, the less choice we have.

 4. The behave of identifying with this darkish inner dialogue actually develops the dead-end we fear!

 And so it goes: at once we’re convinced of our own incarceration!
There’s no way to elapse the restrictions we perceive as being real.
The key idea here dwells in the word perceive because it rhymes with deceive.
That’s just what these perceptions are: a secret deception.

Here’s the emancipating proof.

There are no deadlocks in real life.

Of course, you must demonstrate this promising reality to yourself, and here’s a good point to start: in any given moment there’s always something more to do with your life than sit there and suffer over what you believe you can’t have, do, or be.
Why wallow this way when a small amount of interior work will forever change how you see reality?
For instance, realize that the “size” of your dismay is directly in proportion to how strongly you assert life conform to your demands.
Asserting this self-imposed restriction empowers you, straightaway, to let it go and start all over.

Here’s a different example: possibly, you have felt pessimistic because you needed to study something new — a higher accomplishment or a hard lesson — but felt for sure that certain limitations of yours ranked this possibility beyond your abilities.
Now you can do something much more advanced than just resign yourself to feeling discouraged.

Instead of falling into those long-familiar impressions of futility over yourself, deliberately drop those
discourage-filled cerebrations stating you the limit of your present view is the demarcation line of your possibilities.
Who you have embodied matters only to those depressing states that wish you to persist that way so that they can preserve to govern the day.
Declining to dwell in the cosmos of discouraged sentiments and opinions is the same as opening up the
doorway to a new universe without limits. Just start working with who you are at present!

In other words, manage what’s in your power and decline to be pessimistic about anything else. Keep taking over this new behavior one step at one time until you’ve walked off from the livelong false thought that there’s no further you can go!

Here are three special cardinal morals to help you fortify and then realize your wish to experience a world without limits:

Any conversation you allow yourself to sustain with discouraging and demoralizing thoughts assures you’ll end up with a good reason for feeling pessimistic.

When you acknowledge that what you’re seeking is what you already are — and not what you might become — you stand on the threshold of the unlimited life.

The universe itself is in reality set up for you to succeed with actualizing the illimitable life, which implies you are made for whatever takes place to you!

If you start to look inside yourself you’ll discover all the above by meditating

How to Let Self Discovery and Authenticity Overcome Your Fears

Here’s how to find your identity. Self discovery and authentic living will help you achieve your goals in life and be true to yourself.
Finding your identity, self discovery, and figuring out who you are all ways to say “authentic living.” Finding your identity is a task most adults face because our true selves were squeezed out of us as kids. We had to conform or face the consequences…….so we conformed, and we lost our selves in the process.

Authentic living is expressing your true thoughts, feelings, and opinions without condemning or judging - and it’s one of the most difficult things you’ll ever do. Self discovery comes first, and being true to yourself comes right after.

The journy to self identity is full of failures and successes. Finding your identity is a process with no real end point. You’ll never finish the journey to self discovery because you’re always growing and changing.

Why is finding your identity or living authentically difficult?
Finding your identity is difficult because you got hurt. You’ve been betrayed, terrified, and even abused. Assaults on your self are difficult to survive when they’re committed by strangers. When people who “love” you hurt you, it’s even harder to bounce back. Finding your identity involves squaring with your past and forgiving others.

Finding your identity is difficult because you hurt others. Let’s face it: you’ve betrayed friends, partners, family; maybe you’ve even terrified and abused them. We all have. These cycles of pain and destruction make it difficult to open up and trust again – you know how falliable humans are. Finding your identity and the journey to self discovery is about facing your mistakes.

Finding your identity is difficult because you watch the media and see images of perfection, which doesn’t encourage you to be your unique imperfect self. The gorgeous models, rock singers and movie stars look flawless. Finding your identity means knowing these images of perfection are impossible to live up to. Finding your identity means letting the quest for perfection go. Authentic living is never perfect. If you’re striving for perfection, you may never achieve your goals in life.

Finding your identity is difficult because you haven’t let go of expectations of your parents, family, supervisors, professors, mentors, etc.. You’re encouraged to color between the lines, fit in, and be “big a girl/boy” - but you’re not always encouraged to find your identity. Then, when you’re an adult you’re expected to be politically correct, mature, and responsible. Finding your identity means letting go of others’ expectations. Authentic living is letting go of expectations.

Finding your identity is a lifelong journey of self discovery.

Questions to ponder when you’re finding your identity:

• What makes your heart leap or your soul resonate?
• When do you feel most happy and relaxed? Finding your identity is knowing what makes you “you.”
• What’s the first thought or feeling that pops into your head when you encounter a song, person, memory, or experience? Finding your identity involves being self-aware.
• What’s the THIRD thought or feeling when you encounter a song, person, memory, or situation? (some say that’s your true self – it may depend on how buried your true self is).

Finding your identity involves negative feelings:

• When – and with whom – do you feel depressed, sad, or drained? Finding your identity involves avoiding those situations.
• When do you feel physically ill or unhealthy? Authentic living means figuring that out, and avoiding those situations.
• What meetings, visits, or events do you find yourself dragging yourself to? Finding your identity is about limiting or eliminating those circumstances.

By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen TheAdventurousWriter.com

What is this illusive thing that people go looking for called Spirituality? Spirit is 1/3 of the individualized entity; the body or ego that we know ourselves as being alive. By our very nature we are already spiritual and everything that we do is spiritual; we do not have to go looking for it.

Many people spend a lifetime looking for spirituality and they never find it; you cannot find what is not lost or already is. What they are really looking for is spiritual awareness, an awareness of that which gives us life and mobility; an awareness of self.

Many people confuse religion for spirituality, but religion is man’s attempt to explain spirituality and is a part of being spiritual as all things are. You will hear people say, “This or that person is very spiritual” but that is not really accurate. There are people who are more spiritually aware than others. But you are also spiritual, so there is no need to feel left out or less spiritual. Your spirituality can be developed consciously as awareness, but your spirit is already complete as is.

You will not find your spirituality in Tibet or high on the mountain or in the hut of some spiritual guru. There is no place to look for it, because you are already there. The awareness of spirituality comes with the desire to be spiritually aware. Once you have decided that it is what you want, the opportunities will come to you automatically. The people who will best serve you will be drawn to you, and you will begin to notice them. You will begin to notice subtle changes in your environment and your life’s circumstances.

You more than likely will begin to move away from your current friends and even relationships as they no longer serve your purpose. As cold as that may seem, it is because you have begun to learn a new language and they can no longer understand or relate to you. Many will try and discourage you because they don’t want to be left behind. As you begin to develop this other part of self, you will start to notice things around you that eluded you before. Your senses will become more acute, you will begin to care more about your body and your health. You will understand and have great empathy for how your ego struggles to survive in what sometimes seems to be a harsh world. You will also draw like minded people to you, to replace the ones left behind who are there to support you in your creations.

Your newly developed spirituality will open doors you never knew existed. It will be as though you have discovered a whole new set of tools you never knew you had. Your life will have new meaning and you will no longer feel like a victim, but as a creator of your own circumstances and destiny. You will begin to see your intimate connection to all others and all things. Your newly found awareness does not excuse you from your physical journey but it does give it new meaning. You will never be the same, nor will you want to go back.

You will not only use your five senses more completely but you will begin to discover or maybe even develop your other psychic senses. Can you image adding on five or more senses to the ones you are already aware of and using? The possibilities for new experiences are infinite as you now begin to see yourself differently. You will also develop the ability to remove yourself from your body and view yourself from a distance as the silent observer of your own life; silent, patient and empathetic - your very own spiritual guide. You will begin to truly understand, appreciate and embrace the term “outside the box” because that is where your attention and experience will be.

I can’t image a greater sense of security in knowing that you can never be judged spiritually, never be punished and that you have absolute unconditional freedom to do anything you can imagine and that it is you only purpose. Judgment and punishment are physical attributes of this life that you will not experience in the afterlife. Unconditional love and freedom is what you are spiritually and it has no limitations. The essence of who you are individually will always be, and cannot be destroyed. It is also the nature of all things to move to a higher state of being; to improve one’s experience.

Your new spiritual awareness begins when you decide it does, and because you are reading this now; it has already started. Remember also that spiritual awareness is not an end unto itself; it is the trip that brings the greatest rewards and pleasures.

All thoughts are valid in the spiritual world, read as much as you can from many different writers and authors. Never allow yourself to be boxed in by someone else’s thoughts or even your own. As you reach out you will begin to formulate a thought process that is uniquely yours and changes.

Author: Roy Klienwachter http://www.klienwachter.com

5 Ways to Tickle Your Funny Bone Group Giggling 
 
Making time to laugh and play can boost your health. Experts say that laughter increases endorphins, strengthens your immune system, and sends extra oxygen coursing through your veins. Find out why some researchers believe laughing is as good as a mild workout.
 Burns Calories
Laughing for 10 to 15 minutes raises energy expenditure, increases heart rate, and can burn up to 40 calories. However, it’s not a weight-loss method. “People can’t eat at McDonald’s and then expect to laugh away their lunch,” says Dr. Maciej Buchowski, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University. Even so, a few calories every day translates to a few pounds a year—so keep those laughs coming!

Causes “Runner’s High”
Laughing increases positive endorphins, reduces stress and strengthens the immune system. Even just anticipating something funny increases anti-viral, anti-tumour defences, reports Dr. Lee Berk of the School of Medicine at Loma Linda University. The benefits of humour can last up to 24 hours—this may be why we say “laughter is the best medicine.”

Increases Job Satisfaction
Humour improves communication, creativity and overall performance in the workplace, says Dr. Chris Robert. He’s a psychology professor and researcher at the University of Missouri-Columbia who studied how laughter affects employees. He says, “The ability to appreciate humour, the ability to laugh and make other people laugh, actually has physiological effects on the body that cause people to become more bonded.”

Increases Hope and Self-Worth
 
Watching just 15 minutes of a comedy show can alleviate worries about health or career. Texas A&M psychiatrist David H. Rosen found that a chuckle can replace negative thoughts with positive ones and help formulate a “plan of attack” for problems. This in turn increases feelings of self-worth, which makes overcoming obstacles even easier.

Protects Against Heart Disease
“Research suggests that a good sense of humour wards off heart attacks,” says psychologist Steve Wilson. “Laughter dilates blood vessels so blood flows more freely. Humour was a significant positive addition to standard cardiac rehabilitation.” Dr. Michael Miller, director of the Centre for Preventative Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Centre reports that laughing reduces the fat and cholesterol build-up in the coronary arteries. He says, “The old saying that ‘laughter is the best medicine’ definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart.”

Eliminates “Us Versus Them” Thinking
Comedy makes us more inclusive of others and helps us see the big picture. Happiness and humour reduces narrow-minded perspectives, says University of Michigan psychology researcher Kareem Johnson. Laughing can slash bias and bring people together, which strengthens our work, home, and school relationships.

Improves Counseling Sessions
Therapists who laugh with their clients increase feelings of connection and bonding, reports Dr. Carl Marci, the director of Social Neuroscience at Massachusetts General Hospital. Psychologist Steve Wilson adds, “Laughter is thought to be one of the earliest ways that humans signalled support and ‘it is safe to relax here.’ Good-natured shared laughter between counsellor and client can foster trust, rapport and reduced defensiveness.” 

Helps Kids Tolerate Pain
Cartoons can help children cope with painful procedures, such as needles or visits to the dentist. In October 2007, Dr. Margaret Stuber from the University of California’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre found humour helped kids tolerate pain longer. In her study, the young patients who watched funny movies still felt the pain of a standardized pain test (in this case, dipping their hands into icy cold water), but they could endure it better because they were distracted.

Improves Classroom Interactions
Research shows that humour facilitates student discussions and increases course enjoyment. Mark Shatz, a psychology professor at Ohio University, found that top ten lists, jokes, and cartoons—all related to the course material—increased academic performance and students’ level of participation. “They expect us [teachers] to be boring and dull. We don’t have to be funny, but the attempt tells students that we’re trying to make the course more interesting.”

Strengthens the Immune System
“Stress hormones are reduced during laughter, allowing the immune cells to function better,” says psychologist Steve Wilson. “Laughing also promotes an oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange and clears airways. Muscles and joints are flexed and stretched, promoting muscle tone.” He says that by some estimates, laughter is a human ability that is about four million years old. “We need to be using it, not stifling it.”
By Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen TheAdventurousWriter.com