Humor for Taking Back Your Personal Power

By Heather Callaghan

In this write-up about the path of the Peaceful Warrior, the topic of humor was briefly touched upon. It was one of three keys to life spoken in the movie, Peaceful Warrior:

2. Humor – Keep a sense of humor, especially about yourself, it is a strength beyond all measure…

Humor breeds life, acceptance and personal power. It is freeing and absent of fear. You won’t find much of it in strict, punitive, controlling regimes often found in the following institutions:

• School
• Law enforcement & judicial system
• Bureaucracy
• Healthcare
• Toxic upbringing environment
• Heavy handed religious sects
• Toxic, abusive relationships including at work

Why do you think that is?

Humor cannot coexist with the force of control.

Because it aids in acceptance or integration, you will see a weaker version of it in the entertainment industry. Weak because the purpose is to accept something unpalatable. That can be anything between full-blown propaganda to embarrassingly bad commercial advertisements.

The late Dr. David Hawkins’ work Power vs Force is about the science and application of Kinesiology (muscle testing), truth and consciousness. He writes about the ripple effect of every thought and action and the effect on the body which always knows the truth. Power is greater than Force and thoughts, beliefs and actions resonate in either one. Every use of force draws a counter-force which is why thoughts of spite and malice would have a negative physiological effect on the body.

After talking about that, he writes:

On the other hand, like love, laughter heals because it arises through viewing a small context from a larger and more inclusive one, which removes the observer from the victim posture. Every joke reminds us that our reality is transcendent, beyond the specifics of events. Gallows humor, for instance, is based on the juxtaposition of the opposites of a paradox; the relief of basic anxiety then results in a laugh. One of the frequent accompaniments of sudden enlightening realizations is laughter. The cosmic joke is the side-by-side comparison of illusion with reality. 

Humorlessness, in contrast, is inimical to health and happiness. Totalitarian systems are notably devoid of humor at any level. Laughter, which brings acceptance and freedom, is a threat to their rule through force and intimidation; it is hard to oppress people who have a good sense of humor. Beware the humorless, whether in a person, institution or belief system; it is always accompanied by an impulse to control and dominate, even if its proclaimed objective is to create prosperity or peace.

Having a sense of humor with oneself can bring acceptance of all forms; and, as Hawkins says, removes one from the victim stance. There are plenty of studies done about humor and health. One anecdote comes from the movie The Secret, where a woman healed herself completely of breast cancer after shutting out external influence and stress – and watching comedy with her husband. She didn’t use any chemo, cutting or radiation. Just humor.

If you want to infuse more humor into your activism, writing, conversation or hobbies – consider a book called Comedy Writing Secrets.

Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com and ActivistPost.com. Like at Facebook.