Discover Your Authentic Self and Live in Courage, Purpose and Joy
Pragito's
new book
Laughter,Tears,Silence
Expressive Meditations to Calm Your Mind and
Open Your Heart
Pragito
Dove's accessible, innovative methods allow users to reap the benefits
of meditation wherever and whenever, in thirty seconds, four minutes,
or twenty-four hours. Emphasizing expression, rather than repression,
of emotion, these dynamic practices can begin with a variety of movements
and sounds, or with silence. Meeting the practitioners where they are
-in sadness,fear,stress,anger or joy - the techniques can be done in the
midst of work, play, or home life, and either alone or with others. Drawing
on traditions and teachers including the twentieth-century mystics Osho
and Gurdjieff, Sufism and Buddhism, Dove's synthesis meets the needs of
contemporary life with attention to the full range of human experience
and reverence for the peace and joy possible in every moment.
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PRAISE FOR LAUGHTER, TEARS, SILENCE
"Pragito skillfully proves that there is no time
when meditation is not possible and enlightenment is not imminent."
--Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of
Spiritual Liberation
"Pragito demystifies meditation for
beginners and
inspires experienced practitioners."
-- John Gray, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Men
Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
"Provocative,
engaging and, above all, very real. Full of rich lessons in the nature
of living a great life."
--T.Harv Eker, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller
Secrets
of the Millionaire Mind
"In this useful and comprehensive book, Pragito Dove
offers over one hundred techniques, including a series of expressive techniques
to release physical, mental and emotional stress. Once the lid is taken
off the proverbial pressure cooker, we can more easily experience inner
silence and stillness."
-- Deva Premal and Miten, bestselling musicians and recording
artists
"No matter what you think
about meditation, read this book. It offers a revolutionary look at a
perennial topic and insight and suggestions that can stimulate anyone
toward a deeper experience if inner peace, love and joy."
-- Marcia Wieder, CEO and founder of Dream University
"Pragito Dove makes meditation
fun for anyone. Her experience spans decades and she can help you discover
your passion, live with courage, see your confidence explode and your
creativity awaken."
-- David Wood, senior vice president and chief training officer,
Isagenix International
"The strength and simplicity
of Pragito's insights and encouragement, her brilliant tapestry of techniques
and extraordinary understanding allow her to work at great depth yet with
lightness.Powerful, life-changing meditations are made accessible through
Pragito's calm grace, compassion, generosity and clarity. Working with
the meditations in this practical, engaging book feels like walking an
important path with a kind, loving, gentle, very wise guide at my side."
--Steve Wilson, founder of World Laughter Tour, Inc.
"For over twenty years,
I have been involved in the therapeutic humor arena.I have also worked
with people who were dying and I practice Vipassana meditation. I have
never thought of connecting these seemingly diverse elements. Yet, in
a very masterful way, Pragito Dove has not only connected them but she
also provides many easy-to-use meditative techniques that help you see
the value in laughter, tears, and silence, and also help you find joy
and peace in your life."
-- Allen Klein, author of The Healing Power of Humor
and The Courage to Laugh
"Pragito Dove's meditations are an invitation to come home to that
'quiet place' that offers rest and restoration far from the rapid pace
of modern life. Her book is truly transformational, jam-packed with insights
and wisdom...useful and empowering."
-- Ann. J. Mincey, vice president of global communications(retired)
of Redken 5th Avenue NYC and author of Get Glowing
"Laughter, Tears, Silence breaks the stereotype by introducing
alternate techniques that promote active expression as well as silence.
By unlocking your own laughter, tears, and inner peace you are catapulted
into long-lasting joy and can experience the full spectrum of a vibrant
life."
-- Saranne Rothberg, CEO of the ComedyCures Foundation and stage
IV cancer survivor
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EXCERPT FROM PART 1: LAUGHTER
LAUGHTER, TEARS, SILENCE
I start this book with the topic of laughter and with laughter meditations,
because this is how I discovered that meditation can be fun. In my experience
the laughter practice is one of the easiest ways to get into meditation.
Even if this is the only technique you
do, it will transform your life and your world; in fact, this technique
can transform the whole world. You can start with a smile or a chuckle,
and even if you just do one minute each day, you experience profound benefits.
You attract good things, improve your health, lower your stress level,
open your heart to more love, and unleash your creative juices. We’ve
all felt it, haven’t we—that overwhelming sensation of laughter
when each fiber of our being pulsates with joy, bringing on a deep feeling
of relaxation? Out of this easiness everything is possible, because instead
of a lack of
energy, you experience the fullness of energy without tension. The more
relaxed you become, the fresher you feel, full of potential for creativity.
Laughter is an immensely valuable activity; it is life, love, and light.
When real belly laughter happens it comes from your very core. Have you
experienced this? From your very center ripples start spreading outward.
It is almost like an earthquake! Laughter brings energy fromyour inner
source to your surface. It is a mystery, and it’s better to experience
it than to hear someone talk about it, isn’t it?
Most of us hope for thesemoments of happy abandon, and we may tell ourselves
that they don’t happen often enough. The truth is, we don’t
have to wait to be happy. The concepts and practices I’ve included
here are designed to help us relax, loosen up, and enjoy life. They provide
an opportunity for playfulness and a reminder that life does not have
to be a constant struggle. Even when we are not feeling happy, these techniques
can help energize us and move us forward in difficult times. They help
coax to the surface our inner happiness, serving as a vehicle to awaken
us to our innate joy.
Happiness is our essential nature. Rather than waiting for events
outside us to determine our happiness, we can find deep inside the happiness
that is our essential nature. Perhaps we think that we have to be relaxed
and calmand that all sorts of conditions need to be there for us to be
happy. This is not the case. Happiness can be
there for no reason. Themore wemake a practice of smiling, laughing,
and enjoying ourselves for no reason, the more we discover we already
have what we are seeking.
Meditation isn’t something you have to work at with a straight
face. Be sincere about meditation, yes, but not serious, because then
you will be forcing yourself to achieve. This only creates more tension.
The more fun you have with the various techniques
— the more playful you are as you approach them — the more
relaxed you are and the more you will want to keep meditating. In his
book Laugh after Laugh: The Healing Power of Humor,
Dr. Raymond Moody explains: “Laughter is a good natural tranquilizer.
It can stimulate the brain to produce hormones called catecholamines
which may then trigger the release of endorphins. Endorphins have been
described as a natural valium and foster a sense of relaxation and well
being. Catecholamines also enhance blood flow and thus may speed healing,
reduce inflammation and
stimulate alertness.”
Laughter’s Benefits
Laughter is good for us in every way: physically, emotionally, spiritually.
It offers many benefits:
• Laughter stimulates physical healing. If you can laugh
when you are sick, you heal faster. If you cannot laugh, sooner or later
you will become ill. Laughter brings energy from your inner source to
your surface.
• Laughter enhances our creativity. I have noticed, after
numerous episodes of laughter, that I become flooded with creative energy.
As old conditioning is released, the unconscious opens and insights come.
The relaxation of body and mind provides a gateway for inner wisdom to
be expressed.
• Laughter is rejuvenating and regenerating.When we laugh
and smile we loosen up and generally feel better. The face collects stress,
and when we laugh we release a tremendous amount of tension, giving us
a more youthful appearance. Laughing reminds us to have fun. Today, do
something just for the sheer fun of it.
• Laughter is sexy. Laughter helps attract people who are
good for us and is very beneficial for anyone who is sexually blocked.
It releases inhibitions and opens us up, bringing us directly in touch
with our life force energy. Many people have reported improved sexual
responsiveness after doing the laughter meditations.
• Laughter is good for relationships. Humor draws people
together. Many couples who do the Laughter and theOsho Mystic Rose meditations
tell me that they find a tremendous improvement in their relating. They
discover another side of each other, the playful, humorous side, which
brings relief to the more serious parts of life concerned with work, money,
housework, the kids, and so on. Remember the old adage “All work
and no play makes Jack a dull boy”? Well, it doesn’t do much
for Jill
either!
• Laughter opens the heart. Laughter creates an opening
to the love, compassion, courage, trust, and intuitive wisdom that vibrate
within you.
• Laughter activates the Law of Attraction. Laughter fills
us with warm, positive vibrations that activate the feeling state we need
to attract good things to us.
• Laughter gives us a glimpse of freedom from the mind.
For those moments when you are totally laughing, you are free of the mind.
You are brought from worry to humor, from tension to relaxation, from
fear to trust, from timidity to courage. In other words, you move from
the mind to the heart. You cannot think and laugh at the same time. In
those seconds when you are out of the mind, you are in meditation. In
those seconds the mind is not and you are.
You can even laugh your way to enlightenment. Laughter serves as a bridge
to our inner silence. It is an ordinary experience that can give you an
extraordinary experience, a glimpse of no mind. It can be used as a preparation
for meditation.
There is hope. There are solutions to depression, fear, and pain.We can
experience our emotions in a safe,meditative context, so that we can be
refreshed and renewed.
In this part I’ve included many techniques that helped me transform
my anger, pain, and fear into love, creativity, and joy. The same can
happen for you. You can do these meditations alone or with friends. Just
do them. One minute a day is a good start.
Be kind and gentle with yourself. If you don’t feel like laughing,
practice smiling more often, read some joke books, or watch some comedies.
As you do, what is naturally inside will begin to surface more and more
easily. And remember, if you are going
through a difficult time, you can also give an equal amount of time to
allowing your sadness to be there. It is the balanced awareness and
expression of both these energies that will bring you to a deeper harmony
and peace within yourself.
Copyright Pragito Dove 2010.
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