Bodhisattva in the Metro: The Healing Power of Laughter
Bodhisattva in the Metro was a video I shared here years ago, and it lifted the spirits of everyone who watched it. It is a beautiful reminder that joy is contagious, and that one person’s laughter can change the energy of everyone around them.
The original video is no longer online, and its message still comes back to me whenever I need a lift.
What is a bodhisattva?
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a being who is dedicated to awakening and who chooses to help others awaken too. It’s a lovely way to think about someone who brightens a room. The title invites us to see that a simple, ordinary moment can carry that energy.
Why laughter is contagious
Have you ever started laughing just because someone else was laughing? You didn’t even know what was funny. You simply caught it.
Laughter connects us. It cuts through the masks we wear in public, the roles I write about in The Secrets We Keep, and reminds us we are all part of one human family. In a single moment, strangers can become companions.
What laughter does for you
Laughter can:
- Release tension held in your body.
- Lift your mood almost instantly.
- Shift your perspective, so problems feel lighter.
- Connect you with the people around you.
- Bring you into the present moment, where joy lives.
Be the bodhisattva in your own day
You don’t need a special setting to spread joy. You can bring it to your commute, your workplace, your kitchen. A genuine smile, a kind word, or a burst of laughter can ripple out in ways you’ll never fully see.
Ask yourself today: “How can I lift the energy of the people around me?”
Your energy affects everyone
Every one of us carries energy into every room. When you are tense, others feel it. When you are joyful, others feel that too. This is one of the most empowering truths I know. You can change the atmosphere around you simply by changing your own state. I share how in How to Own Your Own Energy.
Ways to invite more laughter
- Watch something funny each day.
- Spend time with people who make you laugh.
- Laugh at yourself. Take your mistakes a little less seriously.
- Play. Games, silly dances, singing in the car.
- Try laughing on purpose. Even forced laughter often turns real.
When life feels heavy
Laughter leaves room for pain, and you can feel both. Even in hard seasons, a moment of laughter can give you a breath of relief and remind you that lightness is still possible. Let yourself receive it. If you need a place to set down the heavy feelings first, the Vent Journal can help.
Share the joy
If this post made you smile, share it with someone who could use a lift today. You might be the bodhisattva in their day.
A practice for today
Before you leave home, take a moment to recall something that made you laugh out loud. Let the feeling fill your body. Carry it with you, and notice how people respond to you.
Joy is a spiritual practice
We often think of spiritual practice as serious: meditation, prayer, study. Joy belongs on that list too. When you laugh freely, you open your heart, release resistance, and let life flow through you. Choosing joy, again and again, is one of the most powerful ways to raise your energy and the energy of the world.
Laughter as medicine for the heart
When we laugh, we soften. The walls we build to protect ourselves come down for a moment, and we let others in. That’s why a shared laugh can feel so intimate, even between strangers. It tells us we are safe, we belong, and we are allowed to feel good.
I believe joy is one of the purest expressions of who we really are. Children laugh easily and often. As adults, many of us forget how. We get busy, serious, and careful. Moments like the one in that video remind us of something our hearts already know: lightness is natural to us.
Start a ripple
Think about the last time someone’s joy changed your day. Maybe a barista who laughed with you, a friend who sent a silly message, or a child who giggled at nothing at all. Those small moments stay with us.
You have that same power. Today, look for one chance to bring a little lightness to someone else. Hold a door with a smile. Share a funny memory. Laugh freely when something delights you. You never know whose day you might turn around, and the joy you give always finds its way back to you.
Joy and your nervous system
When you laugh, your breath deepens and your body relaxes. Joy is good for you on every level. The more you invite it, the easier it becomes to return to it when life gets hard. Think of laughter as a practice that strengthens your resilience, one smile at a time.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bodhisattva in the Metro?
A video I shared years ago that showed how contagious laughter can be. It is no longer available online.
What is a bodhisattva?
In Buddhism, a being dedicated to awakening who chooses to help others awaken too.
Why is laughter contagious?
We naturally connect with others’ emotions, and hearing laughter invites us to join in.
How can I bring more laughter into my life?
Watch funny videos, spend time with joyful people, play, and laugh at yourself.
Want more joy, energy and inspiration in your inbox? Join my email community.
Pez,
I loved this. I would really love to talk with you via e-mail. I am the one who said “nice to see you” at Kripalu. I hope you remember. Thank you for your truly wonderful spiritual site. Hope to hear from you.
Wow! Awesome!
This is infectious and really though provoking!