My Joy Blog

Give the Gift of Laughter - A Laughter Flash

Sat, 5 Dec 2009 22:03:01 -0800

Give the Gift of Laughter – A Laughter Flash
I am encouraging people all over the world to get a group of friends together and go to the local mall or market on Sunday December 13th and laugh.

I was talking to my friend, Isa, who watches our laughter club at the Sebastopol Farmer’s Market. She said that even though she doesn’t participate she laughs just watching us. She was commenting on laughter’s contagious quality and suggested laughing in a public place during the holidays. I told Isa that I did that with Katie West the founder of “The Levity Project” when I was in Colorado for the All American Laughter Conference. The Levity Project’s vision is to design a more buoyant society through laughter, play and celebration. To do this, we engage in public acts of levity which create social change. This creates a ripple effect of positivity to all those we come into contact with during the moment and afterwards. Katie says, “in this way, we hope to create global social change towards a world which unites in joy”. You have all heard the holiday songs and greetings that say, “Tis the season to be jolly”, “Happy Holidays”, “Joy to the World” and “Peace on Earth”. Is there a better way to share the holiday spirit than Laughter? And is there a better place to share it than at the busy mall or market place? Isa and I decided to do laughter flash at the mall to bring holiday cheer to the busy shoppers. That is how “Give the Gift of Laughter” idea started.
We are going to get a group of laughers together. We are going to laugh our way through the mall with banners that say, “Give the Gift of Laughter” and “Laughter Yoga – Join the Fun – It’s Free”. We are going to pass out cards that say, “Give the Gift of Laughter – pass this card on with a giggle, a laugh, or a smile”. We will split up into 2 groups. One will start at one end of the mall and the other group will start at the other end. Then we will meet in the center and greet each other with joy, levity and laughter. I hope is that this event inspires people to share more joy with others and to think about what is really important this holiday season.
I want to have a couple of people video taping the event.
Before – interview the laughers.
During – the laughers and the shoppers.
After – interview the shoppers and the laughers to get their reaction.

I am going to send out press releases and hopefully get some media coverage.

Organize your own “Give the Gift of Laughter” event. Gather some friends together and go to your local mall are market and infuse it with laughter. See if you can get people to smile, to laugh at you or to join in and laugh with you.
I would like to write another blog about all the people laughing at malls and markets all over the world. Please let me know if you decide to participate. Send me stories, and photos and videos of your event.
I love to laugh. My mission is bringing more joy to my life and the lives of others. It is fun to encourage others to go out and laugh in public, it is rewarding to see serious people going through their day lighten up when they see people laughing. I think that laughter events are a great way to get media coverage and expose more people to Laughter Yoga, the idea of laughing for no reason and the therapeutic benefits of laughter. Join me. Let’s make this first annual “Give the Gift of Laughter” on December 13th, 2009 an international event.
Go to events page or TheLevityProject.com for more information and ideas. Or send me an email.

Laughter Flash in Sacramento, CA

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:32:09 -0700

I met Katie West at the All American Laughter Conference in September. She introduced us to her social movement she calls The Levity Project. I am in total alignment with her vision to bring more levity and laughter to this world. She has a “15 Minute with the Levity Project” series of different events that bring people together in public places to laugh. Sharing unconditional laughter with others makes me happier and makes others happier. It is a win-win, a no brainer, everyone should be doing it. And with The Levity Project events this social movement will spread and more people will be doing it. One of those events is called a Laughter Flash.

Two of my new laughter leaders and I planned to do our first Laughter Flash in Sacramento at the State Capitol. I almost canceled Wednesday the night before because Judy, the one who lives in Sacramento, said she only had 2 other people planning to come. With Beverle and I that made 5. But Judy assured me they were really excited about it and wanted to laugh. So we decided to try it.

We got to Sacramento and her 2 friends didn't show up. So it was only 3 of us. We got a grandma and two adorable little girls to join us for awhile, but they got tired of walking and wanted to feed the squirrels.
We started at the Rose Garden and walked about two blocks to the Capitol steps. We were holding smiley faces on a stick, that really helped. Otherwise we would have looked like three women walking down the sidewalk laughing, no one would have noticed. But people did notice. We felt successful in bringing more joy, levity and laughter to Sacramento. It was amazing to me how much of a difference we made even though there were only 3 of us. One guy was really serious and grumpy. His whole being transformed as we were walking by, laughing, a smile grew on his face. When we got to the steps of the capitol there was a group of school kids having lunch. We invited them to take on the one minute laughter challenge. They and their teachers loved it. One of the teachers said, "I love this project. We need more laughter in the world. My family is grumpy, I need to laugh more. Thank you".

Judy is already planning to do another one next Thursday and she will continue to do it weekly as long as the weather cooperates. I am looking forward to doing one in Santa Rosa soon.

Laughter Yoga an answer to prayers.

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Two weeks ago I facilitated a Laughter Yoga Leader Certification training. Judy Mikeska in one of the new Laughter leaders from that course. At the end of the training she told this amazing story about how laughter was an answer to her prayers. Watch her video and read her story.

I have an 83-year-old mother, but unfortunately we’ve not had a great relationship since the last 40 years. Looking after her has been a difficult task and has left me bitter and frustrated. Though, sincerely saying “I love you, Mom” has been on my bucket list for long, I was not able to break the ice. I had been praying for something to bring us closer, especially as mother is getting older.
I subscribed to a web group called “Freecycle” a couple of years ago, which is a group where people can offer things they want to get rid of or ask for something they need. I get several e-mails which I normally delete. But, one day, I received an email from someone looking for a portable dishwasher. For some reason, I was inspired to open it, even though I did not have a portable dishwasher to give away. The mail was from Elizabeth Wilson, a Laughter Leader and at the bottom was her signature which included “Laughter Leader” and “laughteryoga.org”. I was intrigued and immediately logged on to the site. This was my first introduction to Laughter Yoga. I was so impressed by the concept that I wanted to know it further and I sent a mail to Elizabeth to ask her how she became a Laughter Leader.
I then found out about Monnet Zubeita, a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, who incorporated Laughter with her Communication classes. I registered for her classes and during my very first Laughter Session, I had a wonderful experience of Forgiveness, while doing Lying Down Laughter. I had so many flashbacks of people I wanted to forgive. So, this was my chance to say "Goodbye". It made me feel good and was a terrific release. I was so happy that Laughter brought my emotions out.
At the end of the first day of training, we were given an assignment to prepare the Laughter Session for the next day. We had to choose some Laughter Exercises from the Training Manual, and make up a couple of our own. I went home and asked my mother to help me with my homework. She was only too willing, and got right into it. She suggested Tying your Shoelace Laughter. I first thought it didn’t sound too funny, but then seeing her Laugh hysterically as she pretended to tie her Shoelaces, was a turning point in my life. I hadn’t seen her like this in years. She never Laughs, hardly ever, but this was something rare. It was a huge step for her to have the ability to Laugh at 83! It was awesome! She Laughed and Laughed, and then I started Laughing. We Laughed and howled together for almost half an hour.
It was an absolutely moving moment for me. I hugged my mother, and we got the opportunity to share pure joy from that experience. I was able to say, ‘I love you’ spontaneously and genuinely. Earlier, I used to mutter something horrible under my breath like, ‘yeah, but not much…’ Remembering those times, I felt awful. When my mother responded, and said, ‘I love you too’, there was a sweet little giggle from her. And for that I am very grateful. I feel like we will have a different relationship forever now - thanks to Laughter Yoga Exercise.
My mother and I will soon be starting a Laughter Club at the Senior Center where she lives, and we hope to bring more Joy and Laughter into the lives of people, especially those like me who are unable to express their feelings and emotions freely. Laughter Yoga will definitely be able to help them as it helped me.