Smile in your liver? :)

Click to view hanindyo's profile
hanindyo
Level 0

Posted on May 19, 2008 1:52 AM

I watched Oprah episode on Eat, Pray, Love recently and found myself smiling on this accidental error.

This following is taken from http://www.oprah.com/presents/2007/eatpraylove/slide/20071005/20071005_350_111.jhtml

While sitting with Ketut, Liz says she learned a more simple type of meditation. "He said, 'Why do they make it so complicated in India with the meditation?' He said, 'I'll give you a meditation. ... Sit and smile,' he said. Even smile in your liver," Liz says. "Smile all the way through. Sit there and smile all the way through and see if that doesn't work a little bit to start to change your life and cause a little revolution in your mind."

I'm an Indonesian, and for those who might not know, Bali is in Indonesia. I believe as an Indonesian who might not speak English fluently, pak Ketut might misunderstood the correct translation of "smile in/to your heart" with "smile in your liver" which is common for Indonesians because of some ambiguity of some Indonesian words.

Here's why:

Hati in Indonesian have several meanings, as the word Heart in English

Hati= the liver (organ)

Hati = the Heart, not the organ that pumps the blood, but the non-physical one, the center of our feeling. Located in our chest cavity.

Hati-hati! = Be careful

Hati-hati, = Dear Hearts,

while in English,

Heart = the organ that pumps the blood (in Indonesian is called "Jantung")

Heart = the non-physical one, the center of our feeling.

the instruction given in Indonesian is the same:

"Bahkan, senyum ke hati juga"

which can be interpreted in different meanings:

"Even, smile in/to your liver"
or
"Even, smile in/to your Heart"

Smiling in/to your liver or any other body organ in meditation supposedly will make that particular organ healthier. I also do meditation daily, called "Open Heart Meditation" mainly by smiling to our Heart (center of our feeling). Smiling to the center of our feeling have a very different effect than smiling to other particular part of our body. It will make you so relax, so calm, peaceful and so happy. For those who tried it several time/after some time, may experience the Beauty and the Joy of smiling into the Heart and some experience a deep longing to God/the Creator.

Smiling to your heart (center of our feeling) is actually not a method, it's supposedly something we do it naturally. But the way of our education system, often makes us using too much of our brain. Someone named Irmansyah Effendi from Indonesia has been teaching Open Heart Meditation and all about Heart for 10 years in many countries. He had written 4 books about Heart and Inner Heart. It's currently being translated into English. He also written 9 other books on spirituality (in Indonesian).

This is mere a loving share for me to Liz, Oprah, and dear readers and I hope this will be beneficial to all.

:) :) :) :x

With Love and Light,

Hanindyo Notohatmodjo & Cordelia de Lima

reply
Replies: 6
Click to view xara15's profile
xara15
Level 3
1. Re: Smile in your liver? :)
May 19, 2008 2:29 AM   |   In response to: hanindyo

Hanindyo,

I really appreciate your translation. I can remember when I read that passage, I think I thought, "that makes sense, the liver cleans the blood." And it made me smile. Your translation makes more sense, but I like it both ways. I can smile both ways. And I look forward to reading part 3 of the book and reading more sources about Indonesian meditation. Thanks, Sallamb

Reply
Click to view hanindyo's profile
hanindyo
Level 0
2. Re: Smile in your liver? :)
May 19, 2008 3:08 AM   |   In response to: xara15

Xara,

Thank you for your reply, I'm glad my post brings any use to you. Either way, smiling is always a good thing, whether we smile to a particular organ that needs to heal or to our Heart (center of our feeling) or even people around us, making other people's day brighter.

So keep on smiling wholeheartedly :) :) :)

With Love and Light,

Hanindyo

Reply
Click to view suship's profile
suship
Level 5
3. Re: Smile in your liver? :)
May 19, 2008 8:49 PM   |   In response to: hanindyo

OoooOOOoohhhh....what a lovely post. THANK YOU for chiming in with your translational notes. That's great.

I visited Indonesia 24 years ago, WOW. I have a cousin who lives there; I'm far away, in Canada. I'm half Japanese, and my cousin is half Japanese, half Indonesian. It is a beautiful country.

AND THE BANANAS. I overdosed on bananas......they taste like the sun, they are so RIPE. In Canada, we get pale, tasteless bananas that are shipped up from Equador - they are picked when they're still GREEN....(it's not Equador's fault!!!)...and they ripen after they've arrived. I ate so many bananas in Bali that I got sick. I also loved the dancing, where even the eye movements mean something.

Gorgeous country.

suship

Reply
Click to view hanindyo's profile
hanindyo
Level 0
4. Re: Smile in your liver? :)
May 20, 2008 3:11 AM   |   In response to: suship

Hi Suship,

24 years is a long time! Yes true, Indonesia has lots of exotic, tasty fruits, since our archipelago lies in equatorial line. Come visit Indonesia again, there are lots of changes and developments while we are trying to stay true to our heritage. Maybe you can visit Bali again, get overdosed with bananas while watching the Balinese dance, soaked by the sun. :)

:) Cheers,

Hanindyo

Reply
Click to view lilycat98's profile
lilycat98
Level 1
5. Re: Smile in your liver? :)
May 29, 2008 2:19 AM   |   In response to: hanindyo

OH my gosh. That is funny. But it makes a lot of sense. :)

Reply
Click to view agtstar's profile
agtstar
Level 5
6. Re: Smile in your liver? :)
Jun 17, 2008 3:05 PM   |   In response to: hanindyo

Maybe I can talk Suship into going to Indonesia with me. I am so excited to see it myself and she turned me onto the book. Maybe one of these days we'll make it there together.

Reply
Back To Top

Actions