Uzume, Goddess of Laughter
Before the Cave of Heaven where Amaterasu Omi Kami, the Sun Goddess had hidden her radian 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 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 I landed on my backside with a bump and a bump and a bump, bump, bump, bump amidst the explosions of laughter and merriment of the esteemed crowd with breasted 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.
The 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 gets the better of her and she came out from her cave.
The lessons of this Goddess
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.
