Steve Bhaerman – A Course In Laughter

In this session, we will explore the metaphysical nature of humor and how and why life is indeed a joke. This understanding is the gateway to both healing the heart and freeing the mind. This week we will learn:

• What is the Cosmic Joke, and why is it funny – and not funny?
• How and why seriousness is always the set up for humor, and how to know when the joke is on you and not take it “poisonally”
• The journey to “fool realization” and the pathway to becoming the “wise fool”

This week we will look at the four elements and how they apply to comedy. We’ll recognize that with earth, water, fire or water, humor can be used as an “alchemical” (not to mention “all-comical”) balance. In this session we will have fun with:

• The alchemy of humor: how to transform the grosser stuff of life into laughter, joy, insight and wisdom
• Finding YOUR most powerful element, and identifying your humor type
• Using the four elements of humor to heal (i.e., restore wholeness)

In this session, we explore the protocols of when to go for the jocular… and when not to. We will put humor into the context of all transformational modalities, so a joke builds bridges instead of blowing them up. This week we’ll play with:

• Why the first – and best – joke is always on yourself
• How and when to take the conversation from serious to humorous
• How to tell a joke – really!

This week we learn how a joke uses a trance to end a trance, and how and why humor is a dance between the logical and intuitive brains. We will understand the deeper context of jokes so they can be truly used as “healing stories.” Some of what we will cover includes:

• Why the mind needs to – and loves to – be tricked
• The “aha” after the “ha-ha” – how to seed insight in a “harmless” joke
• The Zen Cohen – what it is, how to use it and how to create your own

Swami says, “Laugh at yourself – and the whole world will laugh at you, too.” This session is about creating “self-facing” humor that dances with your personal shadow while staying “in love.” Some of what we will cover in our final session includes:

• Finding the natural humor in your life story, and using it to transform your story into a healing one
• Tracing your own “fool’s journey”
• The transformational nature of: “… and then, a funny thing happened…”

You will learn about comedy – with a transformational twist – from the inside out, and find out how even a non-comedian can practice “situational comedy” in almost any situation.

In addition to the five course sessions, you will also receive two “fool length” e-books and a workbook that will help you apply and embody what you learn in the course into your daily life: