I Am Thinking of Starting a Laughter Training Workshop

Laughter Therapy or Laughter Yoga has many health benefits; it is a powerful healing force, as it relieves stress and tension. It can also help you release emotional pain, for example that felt when your partner has been involved in an affair.

After reading a lot about 'Laughter Yoga' and how much it can help people, I am thinking of starting a Laughter Training Workshop. So far, the people who hear about this concept are so interested and enthusiastic that it seems to be a very good idea.

I suppose the first thing to do is get some publicity; perhaps the best thing to do is to remind everyone that 'world laughter day' is on the 1st Sunday of May every year, so having just missed it this year, we have loads of time to be well and truly ready for when it comes round next year.

Running a club is always difficult I am told; people come along the first time, full of good intentions, then they miss a few weeks and think they cannot come again because they have missed too much. But a Laughter Training Workshop need not be bound by how many times you have attended and new people will come along all the time, or so I am told by my mentor.

He also told me about a very useful thing to do if you want to remind people that the club is to take place: collect email addresses and mobile phone numbers, so that you can send a reminder email or SMS.

Laughter Therapy sessions tend to have four stages.

In the first stage, you perform physical warm-up exercises with your members.

First, Clap, Breathe and Laugh.

Stand up straight, stretch arms out to the side at shoulder level and then bring then together as you exhale and clap, with a full fingered clap. Breathe in and smile, clap your hands then exhale and relax and laugh as you clap.

Take a deep breath and express joy by laughing a lot.

Remember do not talk, keep making eye contact and pretending the laugh is fine. Act as if you are happy and energetic.

Sit-Down/Stand Up exercise

Sit on a pretend chair, still, totally calm and without smiling. Then, without warning, stand up as straight as you can laughing as you do it. Repeat this three or four times at random - try to surprise the rest of the group.

Telephone laughter.

Hold the telephone to your ear and pretend that you are hearing a great joke. Point to the phone and nod and laugh at your group; it is a really good joke.

Remember to keep up the exercises for about 60-90 seconds. Clap and Deep breaths in between exercises.

Relax and Chill

After about 20 minutes of these exercises it is time to Relax and Chill.

Sit down close your eyes let your body relax and feel the laughter inside. Relax for 60 seconds, feel the laughter and giggle or laugh for a minute or two. Keep your eyes closed if it helps.

Visualize

Still sitting, visualize something good. Hold the vision for a while, then open your eyes and affirm something positive,

I feel great, that was a good session. Today was a wonderful day. All say 'yes' to everyone's affirmations.

Share the joy.

Life can only be better when you spend more time laughing.

Bring more laughter and perhaps even better health into your life by going to
laughter yoga for better health