Laughing across Ontario for nearly ten years now, I have experienced great pleasure mixed with feelings of euphoria and delight.
Laughing in such a unique way has brought out the little girl in me and in others, in more ways than one (hundred). I (we) get to be silly and goofy and child-like. I get to lasso the moon, float on a cloud, ride of a sunbeam and catch falling stars. I get to dance in puddles of poodles and cats, I get to skip, jump and play and pretend I’ve found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
When I’m leading, teaching or participating in a laughter class I feel pure joy and great happiness!
It is within my heart that my child continues to live on.
“There’s nothing more contagious than the laughter of young children; it doesn’t even have to matter what they’re laughing about.” ~Criss Jami
I was the type of child and adult that always laughed at the hard lessons of life through the tears of a survivor.
I was always the first and the last one to laugh.
Unfortunately, some participants are unable to laugh during a session. They sit there, watching, but not participating.
Some walk away, expressing themselves openly to others on how “stupid and silly,” it all is.
Sadness, bitterness and anger are all healthy emotions that make sense. Laughter yoga is about feeling something authentic. In my humbleness, it’s best not to categorize emotions as acceptable versus unacceptable. LET IT BE!
Accept it all, because feeling it all, is what makes sense.
If someone comments it was stupid or silly. I accept all experiences as they are spoken. I nod my head to acknowledge her comment, and then I move on.
“Remember, there’s no need to reassure. Reassurance is a boundary crossing that I believe isn’t the LY leader’s place to cross. The LY experience is the participant’s experience whatever that experience might be.
Every emotion felt is “OK”! ~~Lynn Perreault
For some, challenging life circumstances, genetics and family of origin conditioning, childhood and adult trauma and the weather are some factors for not being able to laugh spontaneously.
So Why is it That some can let go and join in on the hilarity of life and others are unable to?
Some of my laughter friends around the world have shared their experiences with me as to why it might be harder for some to laugh than others.
“When I see someone in the audience not responding to the breathing and laughing exercises, I understand it can be overwhelming at first, feeling somewhat self-conscious, and embarrassing.”
For some, using laughter sounds is not the same as real laughter.
The idea of intentional laughter “is to use laughter and breathing exercises” with the encouragement of others and eye contact.
When using different laughter sounds and clapping, you massage the 43 muscles in your face, 600 muscles, 400 nerve centres and all the organs, the respiratory, circulatory and tissues within body.
Some people feel they need to have a reason to laugh, whether it’s to watch funny movies or have someone tell them a funny joke. Why wait for, CHANCE!
Our body can self heal itself with the right tools.
An Introvert’s Experience
“ I am a deep introvert, laughing is difficult for me. In spite of laughing, my stomach is in knots, and I feel self conscious. Am I laughing too hard, not hard enough, do I look really dumb laughing this hard?
Laughing brings out deep emotions within me. As a laughter yoga leader, I work on this one laugh at a time”.
Increasing One’s Comfortability During a Session
There is no talking during the exercises, as it will sabotage your laughter potential.
Try to focus on the breath and be in the moment.
Give yourself permission to smile, to giggle, to laugh.
Even if you are not participating you are still “bathed” by the laughter energy.
Share your experiences. People can usually relate to other peoples stories.
Invite people to come anytime and just observe if they wish, offering others a gentle smile of encouragement.
Laughter is a physical reaction to feelings based on a feeling of safety and connection with others.
Laughing is good for your heart
“ I have engaged with participants who appear to be asleep; I touch them gently on their knees, make eye contact and laugh softly. They all respond favourably”.
“Dave Hazlerig suggests at the beginning of a session, that they close their eyes for a moment and connect with their 6 year old self who use to jump in puddles and climb trees, or something specific to their childhood.
Then ask everyone to put their hand on their heart and say out loud, “I give myself permission to release my inner child, I give myself permission to play and have fun, I give myself permission to laugh.
Something magical happens when people hear themselves give themselves permission.”
By sharing the gift of Laughter Yoga, it gives one a reason to laugh when there is no other alternative. Everyone’s comfort level is different.
“Tears flowed from her bottled up emotions during a laughter exercise. Afterwards she shared she needed the tears and the laughter to let go. She finished the session laughing.
We all shared a compassionate moment together”.
We are all at different places on our journey through this life, let the laughter begin with you!
A friend of my mother’s once said, “I don’t know why I’m laughing, but it feels good”.
Laughter yoga classes are designed to help you feel safe in your own skin and to allow you to take small steps for better & greater health. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to laugh with like-minded people, and to laugh longer and louder.
Peace, love and laughter!
Thank you for being you!
May the laughter be with you, always!
Kathryn