A laughter club is a safe environment where people can laugh as loudly as they like, without any social implications. There is a lot of judgement about laughing too loudly. For some people, it may even be a trigger. They are reminded of being mocked or jeered or laughed at by a group that excludes them. Nothing hurts us more than being excluded and ridiculed. That is NOT the kind of laughter we practise. We laugh as a form of catharsis to help us heal and to release anxiety and tension.
Today I wanted the group to have an embodied experience of laughter created in the moment. From Worry Town to Relax Station on the Laughter Yoga Express. It was an impromptu session which started with the idea of being at Boring Station or wanting to leave Worry Town. Using the body to move like we imagine the wheels of a steam train, shifting forward together, we breathed and moved with the sound “Shhhh shhhh shhh,” as we began our journey.
Our imagination is so rich with ideas yet we seldom ever access it. There is a wealth of knowledge that many of us have forgotten. As children, we played and created a world of wonder and yet, through conditioning, we gradually break those creative connections and slide into the sad, and sorry pit of conditioned mediocrity. As Laughter Yogis, we make it our intention to be more playful, to access, and even to stimulate creativity. When we can be creative with others who understand the needs of our inner child to play, to create, to express and to release, we engage wholeheartedly in whatever scenario is suggested. We made funny faces, sound effects, acted playfully, all the while moving further away from cognitive thought that is rife with worry into a present moment awareness full of unconditional joy.
Concepts in the session today:
Motion creates emotion—move your body to feel better, especially since worry and anxiety will keep you stuck.
People get bored and sometimes this leads to apathy and then they don’t bother to change state.
We left Boredom Station and Worry Town behind and took an active, embodied journey on our imaginary steam train.
When troubles, worries or anxieties actually do manifest as a problem, falling like a tree across the track, we have to take action. We can’t ignore the problem, we have to act and do something to solve it.
Mistakes happen. Don’t blame others. Own it, don’t punish yourself but acknowledge you made the mistake and move on. Most people get stuck again because they stay in perpetual punishment mode instead of releasing the error and doing something about it.
Laughter creates energy which expands on an ever-increasing gradient. Use laughter energy to help you with serious problems.
Playing with problems isn’t our customary way of handling difficult situations. We imagined lifting and throwing the tree off the track like we were at a Scottish Highland gathering.
Dance more, children dance spontaneously and as adults we restrict dancing to learned choreography. When we dance, it helps us release the mind that is grasping and gripping for control.
In order to stay on track we have to know where we’ve been and where we’re going.
When momentum slows, once again, it takes action to build up speed. And it takes another layer of effort to climb every mountain.
Music and singing makes even good times better, so we sang and enjoyed our journey using only the lyrics “Ha ha ha.”
We arrived at Relax Station and did a relaxing body scan with a shirt, guided meditation on letting love lead.
Some more benefits of Laughter Yoga:
Laughter Yoga for Wellness.
Best cardio workout.
More oxygen helps us concentrate and perform better at tasks.
Increases Blood circulation.
Laughter helps us manage depression and anxiety.
If you'd like to book Tové for Laughter At Work Session online or in-person, please email:
CHOOSEday With Tové's Online Laughter Yoga Club 17/01/2024.
Zoom Meeting: 939 5020 5071
Passcode: CHOOSE
Tové Kane is a Certified Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Teacher and Laughter Ambassador promoting the health benefits of Laughter Yoga as a daily practice of: laughing, breathing, stretching, singing, dancing and playing.
This is especially important right now where our lives are full of stress and uncertainty. To sing, dance, play and laugh is especially difficult when anxiety, job losses, divorce, broken families, destruction, greed, injustice, war, global warming, pollution, abuse and other awful things seem so prevalent.