Uzume - Laughter

The following is excerpted exactly from The Goddess Oracle by Amy Sophia Marashinsky and the illustrations are by Hrana Janto. For more information on their work, please visit the following websites:

Amy Sophia Marashinsky: http://www.amysophia.com/
You can download the meditations included in the ritual suggestions at http://deepspiritualnourishment.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

Hrana Janto: http://www.hranajanto.com/

Before the Rock Cave of Heaven

where Amaterasu Omi Kami, the Sun Goddess

had hidden her radiant face

where all the assembled Gods and Goddesses had tried

and failed

to lure her out

I stepped up to the Cave

with utmost seriousness

with grave determination

with proper decorum and a lofty mien

and with a bump and a bump and a bump bump bump bump

lifted my kimono and revealed myself in ways

that caused the mouths of the exalted ones

to water and fall open

Then I played puppet with my labia

and paid myself a little lip service

I heaved my breast over one shoulder

then the other over the other

and landed on my ass

with a bump and a bump and a bump bump bump bump

amidst the explosions of laughter and merriment

of the esteemed crowd

With breasts tied in a knot

my legs spread like a welcome mat

I called in the Spirits

and offered them my body

but they refused to take it

The crowd howled and laughed as I continued my dance

till Amaterasu Omi Kami couldn´t stand it any longer

and rushed out to see what was what

And thus did laughter

win the Sun Goddess from her dark cave

and bring light and warmth back into the world.

Mythology

Uzume (pronounced oo-zoo-may), ancient Japan´s shaman-Goddess, is credited as being the one to entice the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omi Kami, out of the cave where she had hidden. Uzume did a bawdy dance making fun of shamanic ritual. She exposed her breasts, she played with her genitals, amidst the howls of laughter of the deities assembled. So loud and enticing was the uproar she created, that Amaterasu´s curiosity got the better of her and she came out from her cave.

Meaning of the Card

Uzume begins her comic dance in your life to tell you it is time to nurture wholeness with laughter. Laughter causes us to relax, enables us to gain perspective, helps ease us through difficulties. Have you been taking life too seriously? When is the last time you had a good laugh? Are you able to laugh at yourself in a gentle way? Perhaps life is challenging you with such ferocity that you find it hard to see the humor in your present situation. Uzume says that wholeness is gained when you choose to laugh and see the humor in all of life´s challenges.

Ritual Suggestion: Journey to Uzume

Click the link below to download the meditation for Uzume for $1.50

http://deepspiritualnourishment.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=67

Find a time and a place when and where you will not be disturbed. Sit or lie comfortably with your spine straight and close your eyes. Take a deep breath and release it with a "ha, ha, ha". Take another deep breath and lift your shoulders up and down three times as you exhale. Take another deep breath and release it with a "ha, ha, ha" while moving your shoulders up and down as if you were having a good laugh. Take another deep breath and, as you exhale, see, sense or feel the Rock Cave of Heaven. Take another deep breath and, as you release it, see yourself standing in front of the cave. Enter the cave. It is warm and pleasant. A small dancing sun appears before you to light your way through the darkness of the cave. You follow the dancing sun, enjoying its playfulness, becoming more relaxed, more at ease. The sun leads you to the light at the end of the cave where you step out into the Underworld. There you are met by Uzume who warmly walcomes you with a big smile. She takes you by the hand and leads you to a stage area with some cushions in front of it.

She sits on the cushions and gestures for you to do the same. She asks you what you need. You tell her you need help seeing the humor, the comedy, in a particular situation in your life. She agrees to help you. As you give her the details, the entire situation is played out before you on the stage. Once you have finished, she claps her hands twice and the entire scene is replayed as a comedy, complete with clowns and your favorite comic actors. It is very funny and you find yourself laughing and feeling light and carefree. When the scene is finished, Uzume claps and the scene vanishes. You thank Uzume and she asks you for a gift, which you give to her with an open heart. She escorts you back to the cave entrance where you are met by the dancing sun. You and the sun dance your way back through the cave, feeling energized, refreshed, revitalized and as light as air. At the cave entrance you take a deep breath and come back to your body. Take another deep breath and, when ready, open your eyes. Welcome back!