Sunshine Smile

Publishes in Al Mar’a Magazine
Sultanate of Oman

I can not recall where this story begins…But I somehow have heard it long long time…Comes to me as a tale which have rooted itself deep inside my soul….In the land of Japan and once upon time there was this lady, who made sure to wake up early every morning to great her town people with a smile. She also did the same when everyone returns from long day of harvesting and work. Again welcoming her people with a smile. A daily ritual that begins presenting nothing else but a smile to the people of her town and continued to do so for many years.

Then that face was no longer standing smiling with the first ray of sunlight. In fact her gentle smile was the ray of sunlight that energized each of who got a glimpse of her. It felt more than that, like her smile transmitted Love-energy which had a harmonizing effect.

The days started to crawl in silence and emptiness, naturally the town people noticed that she is no longer gifting the town with her smile. On asking about her, they got to know that she has been taken ill. To those who have visited her were able to witness the remarkable altitude of her persona. On her tiny bed she lied their with her pale face, a feather with her tiny fragile body. Though she was ill she took on her to smile and strangely enough, she had one thing which she held tight to her a little note-book from time to time she will open and then will carry on smiling. No one knew what was written in her book till she died, that is when they gathered the courage to look. The book had just empty pages and on the first page there was only a line of three words “Remember to smile”

The moral of the sorty have so ever lingered in me, one of the simpliest fact that smiling takes only about 16 muscles. Some scientists believe that laughter can help immensely in reducing anger and other stress elements. In addition some scientists believe that the action of smiling releases chemicals in our body that not only make us feel good, they help us stay healthy too. Some even takes us to the length that those who are smiling usually have better smooth skin than those who don't, because such people use 40 facial muscles every time they frown.

So the Arbic saying “laugh and life will laugh back at you” with the phenomenon of "laughing clubs" which are spreading around the world had started from India which as one of therapies to remain healthier and happier. How does laughter starts? it all begins with a smile.

More dose of smiling with more facts:
Research by the French Physiologist Dr Israel Waynbaum whose research indicated that facial muscles used for smiling, showing anger, disgust etc, all trigger different chemicals in the brain. Smiling, he believed affects these hormones positively whereas all the other expressions have a negative effect. Recent research has confirmed Waynbaum's original research. How often do you smile? Research has found that four-year-old children smile and laugh about 400 times a day while for adults smiles and laughter decrease to only 14 times a day. Four-year-olds are often joyous, and adults are not. Adults loose the sense of humor and laughter in the process of being serious. The benefits of smiling and laughing have been summarized to the following:

1. Lowering levels of the stress hormone, cortisol
2.Reducing blood pressure
3. Boosting the immune system
4. Improving respiration and circulation
5. Reducing pain
6. Reducing depression and improving mood
So when ever life or people put you down, rush out towards your smiling kit to splash yourself with this self therapy and try out the following smiling exercise, a remedy from www.care2.com

The Inward Smile

Sit comfortably with the back erect and the feet firmly in contact with the floor. Close your eyes to screen out any external distractions. Relax the mouth and allow it to form into a smile. Now you are going to turn that smile inward, and into yourself—into your Hidden Self.

Direct that smile into your eyes. It is not a matter of attempting to create a visual image of the eyes in your mind, but rather of moving your awareness into your eyes. So put your attention into your eyes, and imagine that smile shining out to absorb everything in its harmonizing energy. Then switch your attention to your face and jaws. Imagine the warm glow of your smile smoothing out any wrinkles in your face and releasing the tension in your jaws. Then move your awareness to the throat and neck, and concentrate your smile on that part of your body.

Next, turn your attention to your chest and lungs and smile on them, too. Then let your heart bask in your smile, and with every heart-beat feel it pumping Love-energy to every cell in your being.

Move your attention then to the abdomen. Smile on your liver and smile on your kidneys. Now to the base of the spine; move your attention slowly up the spine and into the head, smiling as you go.

Finally, move down to the navel, where a central control centre is located just beneath the surface. It is the point from which you were first knitted together as a human being. It is the point at which you are connected with the Cosmic Web, and with everything else in existence. So smile into your navel.
Your whole being should now feel aglow. You have a pleasant sensation of well-being –not only of being healthy, but that all is well with the world. That is the transforming power of the inward smile!
Open your eyes, but retain that smile.

Practice this inward smile

first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Perform it several times during the day. It can be done almost anywhere—on a bus or train, in the car on the way to and from work, and during meal breaks and quiet times. Best of all, perform it before facing any problematical, difficult or traumatic situation. Your Hidden Self will respond positively.

The smiling therapy had tremendously energized me and had taken me through hard times and by sharing it here with hope that it will provide a dose of immunity against the turmoil of life. Begin your day with the smiling sunshine, you will find out that it empowers you.