|| The Science of Smiling ||

Smiling is a simple way to enjoy life. The science of smiling suggests that if you keep smiling, you not only improve your physical and mental health, but also connect with the good souls around you. As you all know, we smile when we see our newborn baby give his or her beautiful smile. We smile when our child does silly things by imitating us or tries something new, fails, and comes running to us for help. We smile when we recall memories of doing silly things ourselves to trouble our parents, teachers, or friends. We smile when we remember how we used to annoy our siblings—whether it was by trying to wear new clothes first, eat first, or get our parents’ attention first, and many more such moments. We also sit and smile when we think about how we used to make our spouse jealous just to get his or her attention. We even make silly excuses just to get a seat in a train, bus, or car. All these instances that make us smile actually help to re-energize our body, mind, and soul, allowing us to glow and face life’s challenges. Though the science behind smiling is simple, the many thoughts and experiences added by life can sometimes make it seem complicated.

Scientists and psychological studies suggest that when we are excited or happy, we smile or laugh, and we can perceive certain changes happening in our bodies. Psycho-physiologists are able to measure heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to various parts of the body. It is said that during emotions, especially when you smile with happiness, the sympathetic system causes the release of the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). Nerve impulses in the sympathetic system, which reach the inner part of the adrenal glands located on top of the kidneys, trigger the secretion of these hormones. These hormones then enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. In the liver, they mobilize glucose, making energy available to the brain and muscles. This process helps the heart function better and improves the overall functioning of the body. Science tells us that smiling is one of the best things for a healthy life. Are we making the most of it?

Science also tells us that to see it in action, you don’t have to go to a laboratory—science is all around you, every day of your life. From our education, we’ve learned that there are three kinds of science. The study of the natural world is called biology. Chemistry explores what things are made of and how they behave when mixed together. Physics examines the rules of how things work across the universe. Similarly, the philosophy of smiling can also be divided into three types: the natural smile, which is innocent, like what we often see in babies; the witty smile, which comes when you or someone else has done something silly, and you smile while analyzing it; and the cunning smile, which, unfortunately, we sometimes observe in today’s world, when people smile at the defeat or misfortune of others.

In the Bhagavad Gita, I read an incident where some friends of Lord Krishna went to Ambikavan. It was Shivratri, and there was a fair in the village. Despite going against their religious rituals, they gave donations to some Brahmins. After enjoying the fair, they decided to stay there for the night. While they were sleeping, a large python approached them. Seeing the python, everyone started calling for Lord Krishna. The python caught hold of Nand Baba, Lord Krishna's father. Krishna's friends panicked and began hitting the python with burning wooden sticks, but the python still didn’t release Nand Baba.

Lord Krishna smiled and slowly approached the python. He touched it with his feet, and within a few minutes, the python transformed into a handsome young boy. Although Lord Krishna knew everything about him, He asked the boy to explain his story in front of those present. The boy revealed that he was once very talented but had become proud of his abilities. He used to give cunning smiles and laugh at his own gurus, so they punished him, turning him into a python. Lord Krishna used this moment to teach everyone how important it is to be mindful of how others react to you when they smile. In this scientific era, many of us have forgotten our natural and innocent smiles that we once had, haven't we?

While writing on this subject, I was reading different books and discovered that there is another type of smile—the neutral smile. Many of our mythological texts mention this, especially in the stories of Akbar and Birbal. Akbar, known for seeking out intelligent individuals, would often ask Birbal seemingly irrelevant questions to test his wisdom. In response, Birbal would simply give a neutral smile. This smile allowed him to think carefully before responding, ensuring that his answers benefited both King Akbar and the people at large.

Once, Akbar asked Birbal, 'Birbal, we all say that God is just and merciful, but I see that this is not true in the world. We see so many different kinds of people—some are very poor while others are wealthy. If God is our Father, shouldn't we all be treated equally by Him? Why does He show prejudice?' Birbal replied, 'If God did not do this, no one would pray to Him. You are like a king and the father of this kingdom, and you provide employment to many people based on their work. Why do you do that? Sometimes you don’t pay those who don’t work. Similarly, God helps those who work hard and always pray to Him. He doesn’t let in trouble hurt them. Those who don’t do enough are punished by him. God's smile is always with those who make others smile.

Through writing about positivity and working with hearing-impaired individuals, I’ve learned about another type of smile—the smile of satisfaction. Recently, I took a group of kids to see the movie Chak De! India. Many people questioned how they would understand the movie without a sign language interpreter or captions, but I was confident. These kids are so positive; they understand emotions deeply and experience the movie with immense pleasure. A film about unity, maintaining the dignity of our country, and the rewards of hard work— I knew they would enjoy it. When they were shouting and enjoying the movie with smiles on their faces, I too smiled with immense satisfaction. That moment filled me with so much positive energy, which I still feel today and will cherish forever. Give a thought to my understanding of the science of smiling!