Haha-happy Laughter Yoga at Dusit Hotel

Believing that  “laughter connects people,” Janis Medina-Maghinay, director of Punongbayan, Araullo and Associates, made Laughter Yoga the centerpiece of the seminar her company conducted for its numerous valued clients.  Held at Dusit Hotel last month, 140 participants attended the seminar.  To make sure that Laughter Yoga was “it,” Janis asked for a meeting so I could discuss the many facets of Laughter Yoga. As I received inquiries about Laughter Yoga from her company a few years back, I readily agreed to meet up with her.  Aside from the relaxing laughter that comes from the heart and from the belly during the LYoga session,  I guaranteed her that the participants would greatly benefit from it, stressing that my Laughter Yoga session touches on the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual attributes of a person.  And I humbly added that I had yet to meet a participant, who was not awed and  did not feel wonderfully relaxed by Laughter Yoga, as it lives  true to its motto “a life-changing experience.”

“A very enlightening and relaxing Laughter Yoga session that helped us learn the benefits of laughter, and become more positive in life.  It  helped  lessen the big stress,” is how participant  Evelyn Nuñez describes her LYoga experience.  The world we live in gets more and more stressful with the passing of time that it becomes imperative for us  to learn to  deal with it — calmly. Nothing beats having doses of laughter each day, for  laughter calms the soul.  The endorphins, the feel-good hormones that  laughter releases, make us happy. The process of laughing and deep breathing exercises help bring about attitude changes and more positive thoughts, which will greatly help us in seeing the goodness  — in the midst of  violence happening around us —  in the world we live in.

Asked  to give themselves a big round of applause for attending the LYoga session, the participants clapped the traditional way, so I demonstrated the LYoga clap that makes the flow of energy to the body faster — a great relieving  tool when they feel tired, weak, sluggish.  Couple it with the hoho-hahaing,  and, presto, you will feel much better, energized!  These two warm-up exercises made the participants change their attitudes, and drop their shyness as we proceeded with the other LYoga exercises jubilantly.

When I learned that they actually do not know each other, we initially did the ice-breaker “Double Handshake Laughter” so they would be comfortable in doing the exercises together, as they need to look at the eyes of the  participants while moving around. They laughed hilariously and almost nonstop when we did the “Time to Laugh,” “Mobile Laughter,” “Hearty Laughter,” etc.  In the “Love Yourself Laughter,” I made special mention of the women participants — as women have the tendency to  put themselves at the last ladder of their priorities.  That afternoon, I encouraged them to give love, hug, and pat themselves for the many roles-rolled-into one they do.   As for the good-for-the-facial-throat-and-diaphragm muscles,  “Lion Laughter,” the participants eagerly moved towards me to make sure they get the exercise correctly when told that it was anti-aging and anti-wrinkle, a must-do Laughter Yoga  exercise daily.                                  

The feel-good and motivating comments of the participants from different situations I now face.

• Marie Dongon: A very nice  experience, and very good  in  stressful work, especially  in  call centers or BPOs.

• Tikel Canseco: Awesome! I am happy, very happy, yehehey! Ho ho! Ha ha ha!

• Annie Hernandez: Uplifting, inspiring, and with spiritual gratitude to the Lord. More power to Laughter Yoga!  

• JC Lyn Aggabao: Relaxing and an amazing experience. I will definitely share it with my friends and co-workers. Thanks, Ms. Elvie!

• Lourdes V. Co: I really enjoyed the activity. I felt so good, energized, stronger, and really happy!!! 

• Meschelle Paterez: It felt outrageous at first. Then  it felt  good as the LYoga session went on. It was really  good,  and totally fun.  Laughing is indeed the best.           

• Evangeline  Soliveres: Very enlightening, refreshing and, most of all,  inspiring!

• Hazel  Riego: A  rejuvenating  activity!  We enjoyed and got relaxed, which made us  forget  our  business problems.

• Clarinda  Bungubung:  It was a very effective and refreshing stress-reliever session.

* * *

My  Laughter Yoga session for this month will be at Barangay Bel-Air.  Meanwhile, let’s laugh to a healthy, happy, positive us!  Email me at mega_abundant_lv@yahoo.com. Visit the you tube:  lycphohohahaha  to join the hearty laughter of participants!