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Thread: Smiling Practice

  1. 03-20-2013, 06:23 PM #1
    Yugen
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    Smiling Practice

    Dear all,

    I am starting anew thread to follow up on the smiling practice that Enkyo and I have been sharing. This discussion started in our Global Day of Service thread and I think it is worth its own "topic." I hope we can encourage others to join us in an exploration of smiling and laughing - particularly when we don't feel like it. I'd also like to share a link from the Atlantic magazine regarding laughing practice in Syrian refugee camps.

    http://www.theatlantic.com/health/ar...ors_picks=true

    Deep bows,
    Yugen
    Please take all my comments with a grain of salt - I am a novice priest and anything I say is to be taken with a good dose of skepticism - Shodo Yugen
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  2. 03-20-2013, 06:40 PM #2
    Seizan
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    Yugen,

    Thank you so much! I will check out the conversation in the thread. I also have a smiling practice- I call it "Smile In Your Liver." I admit I first read about it in Eat, Pray, Love. But it struck me as one of the most profound lessons on her journey- this Balinese teacher told her that her lessons learned in India were good, and her meditations good, but for now to JUST SIT and SMILE. Smile everywhere, even in your liver

    Thank you for sharing that amazing article as well. As a mental health worker, I feel the mental aspects of crises are way overlooked. I think, often, problems in the world blow up to such large proportions that even the people working on the problems forget the largest factor- that we are all HUMAN! And that the problems have real effects on individuals. The Center For Mind Body Medicine is doing amazing work, truly!

    Deep Gassho,
    Seizan
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  3. 03-20-2013, 06:46 PM #3
    Dosho
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    I think this will be a wonderful, challenging, and rewarding practice!

    I'm in.

    Gassho,
    Dosho
    Shudo Dosho - Ordained Priest-in-Training
    With your help and guidance from Jundo & Taigu
    I am learning, but please take what I say with a
    grain of salt, especially in matters of the Dharma.
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  4. 03-20-2013, 06:52 PM #4
    hbhippo
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    Sounds interesting and challenging. I'm in, too :-)

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  5. 03-20-2013, 07:01 PM #5
    Kyonin
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    Such a great topic!

    I will take the challenge full on. I'll smile and laugh more and try to record my findings.

    This is a very nice thread. Thank you, Yugen!

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Please remember I am only a priest in training. I could be wrong in everything I say. Slap me if needed.

    The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. Mr. Spock
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  6. 03-20-2013, 07:38 PM #6
    Yugen
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    This is great! I am so grateful to have your support and company in this practice! Please feel free to share ideas, experiences as you go along. I will do so as well.

    Seizan, isn't that article amazing? It encourages me to find a way to smile and laugh, when I'd rather wallow in whatever is bothering me. And my worries are nothing compared to what these refugees are experiencing.

    Let's get something started!!!

    Deep bows
    Yugen
    Last edited by Yugen; 03-20-2013 at 07:40 PM.
    Please take all my comments with a grain of salt - I am a novice priest and anything I say is to be taken with a good dose of skepticism - Shodo Yugen
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  7. 03-21-2013, 12:31 AM #7
    Shingen
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    I too am down with this practice. I have had some great experiences with just a smile.

    Gassho
    Shingen
    真
    眼

    If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?
    ~ Dogen Zenji
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  8. 03-21-2013, 11:19 AM #8
    catfish
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    This is a good idea. I too shall partake in some of the smiling practice. Now let us go forth and smile!
    念
    魚 Nengyo (or Charles)

    I have no clue what zen is, what it does, or how to attain it. However, I do have a very fancy cushion and a love of tiny Buddha statues, so I guess I will stick with it.
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  9. 03-22-2013, 03:53 PM #9
    Yugen
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    "Now let us go forth and smile! "

    What a great benediction! Just thought I would report back..... every morning I stop in at my local coffee shop for my three shots of espresso.... there is a group of eight or so retirees who sit at a long table every Wednesday and Friday morning.... I stop by every time I see them to say hello and chat with them. They are really very nice people. This morning we were talking about the latest snowfall and how tired everyone was of winter.... I smiled and said it's all good - the snow melt will alleviate any groundwater shortages we have and the sunsets right now are beautiful with the snow against the ocean and blue sky. They all nodded their heads.... and then one of them turned to me and said "we all wonder what it is you do... are you a therapist or something?" We laughed.... I just replied that I was a neighbor who came in to share coffee, just like them. I do notice that they read daily inspiration quotes (Christian themed), so I haven't raised my own discipline yet. Just smile....!

    Deep bows
    Yugen
    Please take all my comments with a grain of salt - I am a novice priest and anything I say is to be taken with a good dose of skepticism - Shodo Yugen
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  10. 03-23-2013, 01:47 AM #10
    ZenHarmony
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    > Yugen!

    Gassho,

    Lisa
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  11. 03-23-2013, 01:52 AM #11
    Amelia
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    I think that smiling practice is implied in Buddhist practice. When sitting or working, I check in with my smile. Is it natural? Is it truly a smile? Is it too much of a smile? It is part of my practice because I think it is a useful habit to appear friendly and approachable, and smiling generally calms the nerves.
    迎 Geika
    花
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  12. 03-26-2013, 10:14 PM #12
    Kiki
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    This is great! Thanks for sharing Yugen! I really enjoyed the article and your perspective on the snow too. We just had a snow storm here and all I could think about was how tired I am of the snow and cold!

    Gassho
    Kia
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