FIRST LAUGHTER YOGA WORLD CONGRESS IN MEXICO

I am so excited to announce that I am going to be speaking at the first Laughter Yoga World Congress in Mexico City, October 21-23m 2011. Below is my video introduction in Spanish with English subtitles. Please help us spread the word about this incredible event. Go to www.jojojajaja.com to learn more.

5TH NATIONAL LAUGHTER YOGA CONFERENCE

I was a speaker at the 5th Annual All America Laughter Yoga Conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from August 26th through the 29th. This event was the largest laughter yoga conference in America to date. It was thronged with laughers from all over North America and beyond, including those from South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For three days, presentations were given on a variety of inspiring topics by the most senior figures in the laughter yoga movement, including founder Dr. Madan Kataria, of Mumbai, India.

My workshop was called: “Holy Hysterics: How to Bring Laughter Yoga to Church, Synagogue, and Any Place Spiritual.” That's an action shot from my presentation above. As you know by reading this blog, combining laughter yoga with Christian ministry has become my specialty in recent years. I have presented programs in churches across the denominations, showing believers how to cultivate the joy of the Lord through hearty belly laughter and playful singing. Here's a free copy of my handout for this workshop.

Last month, our production company, The Gentry Joint, launched a Christian laughter CD, which is also called Holy Hysterics. It’s a faith-filled, laughing, dancing, singing, praising, whooping with joy, go bananas workout to make your walk with the Lord a silly one! This comprehensive resource, which retails for $14.95, contains a bible study about joy, a laughter workout, a silly singing section and relaxing guided meditation. Here’s the link to the ever-growing Holy Hysterics page. It is already being warmly received. Check out these customer reviews.

I absolutely love this CD!!! This is the perfect way to relieve stress and put me in an immediate good mood. The Bible Study is fantastic, and the laughter exercises are just plain fun! I loved the guided meditation as well. It is a wonderful way to relax before bedtime and remove all the stresses from the day. It put me in a wonderful, peaceful and joyful mood before I needed to go to sleep, and I found it to be a great way to really connect with God. The guided meditation brought me to a stage of peace and complete joy and relaxation, and I was able to really use my imagination to experience God in a fun, playful and grace-filled way. As daily life stresses us out, and the news and media are continually showing stories that only further depress us, Holy Hysterics playfully reminds us of the joyful creation our God created, and the joy, peace, and love that we have in Christ Jesus. I highly HIGHLY recommend this product for personal spiritual reflection and practice, for group devotions or as a gift to someone (or anyone!) that could use some cheer in their life!

—Jenna Miner, Seminarian

Holy Hysterics is wonderfully fun and refreshing. It’s amazing! I really appreciate the Christian emphasis of this CD and particularly love the guided meditation. I will definitely want to incorporate some of these exercises into my practice and as I lead a spiritual disciplines group at my church."

—Joan S.

I was so excited to receive my Holy Hysteric disc, I could hardly get it out of the envelope. I have been laughing with it in the car all day. Laura's best work ever! I'm definitely going to share it with the ladies from my church at our upcoming Women of Faith Afternoon Tea. I listened to the songs just before bedtime last night. What a great way to sleep—singing and laughing with the Lord! Highly Recommended.

—Karen Ricagno, Founder of Joy-In-Motion RX exercise program

This is so profound. I'm not sure if I'll ever pray without laughing again.

—Jewelle Lin, Laughter Yoga Teacher

The laughter yoga conference in New Mexico was an absolute blast. I encourage all laughter yoga professionals and laughter club members to make the effort to attend these conferences. They really renew your enthusiasm for the laughter movement and remind you of the powerful ways in which laughter yoga is transforming lives for good!

I also got to meet Merv Neal, (pictured above with me) Australia’s senior laughter yoga figure who is organizing this year’s New Zealand/Australia laughter yoga conference in Brisbane. He’s invited me to be a speaker at that event this November! So it looks like another Gentry laughter tour is in the works. Woo hooo! I’ll also be offering a Holy Hysterics intensive workshop there. The flyer for this is below. Double click to see a larger version.

The entire set of presentations of the 2010 laughter yoga conference, including mine, is available on DVD from The American School of Laughter Yoga, which organized the event. For more information, visit: www.LaughterYogaAmerica.com.

Dr. Kataria and Jeffrey Briar at the gibberish party.

Another shot from my workshop.

A participant laughing during my workshop.

More laughers enjoying my workshop.

Here I am with Dan and Jill Johnson, my dear laughter friends from South Dakata.

Me in my famous cow get-up at the costume party!

Dr. Kataria and I showing our true identity as laughing aliens.

And here I am with my neice and nephew who live in the Albuquerque area. It was a great bonus that I got to see them while attending the conference! By the way, they call me "Auntie Laugh"!

* Read The Standard article about my presentation at the All America Laughter Yoga Conference.

* Read about this conference and my presence there at Jill and Dan Johnson's laughing blog.

LAUGHTER AND FAITH

Karris Golden just wrote this opinion piece about laughter and faith for the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier in the Cedar Valley of Iowa.

Friday, May 29, 2009 12:01 PM CDT
Laughter proves to be good medicine
By KARRIS GOLDEN, onfaith@karrisgolden.com

Laura Gentry loves a good laugh --- but don't laugh her off.

Gentry, laughter yoga expert and pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lansing, has serious wisdom to impart.

"Laughter yoga combines laughter exercises with deep breathing, stretching and relaxation. When it is practiced in a group, it becomes absolutely contagious," she says. "Not only do people laugh, but they joyfully connect with one another and cultivate their own childlike playfulness."

By merging laughter with conventional understandings of "yoga" and "meditation," we tap into the additional benefits of mirth, deep breathing and contemplative focus, Gentry explains.

"It is surprising, even outrageous, to think of laughter as a form of meditation," she says. "Yet not only is laughter meditation one of the simplest forms of meditation, it is also a very powerful one. The physical act of laughing is one of the few actions involving the body, emotions and the soul. When we laugh, we give ourselves over to the immediacy of the present moment."

Laughter yoga and meditation can have deep, meaningful and spiritual benefits, adds Gentry. It is healing, soothing and builds compassion.

"The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength," she says. "Yet with the many pressures modern people face, we don't always live with joy in our hearts. If we truly believe the good news of the gospel, I think it is imperative that we live joyfully."

The basic premise is that anyone can laugh, Gentry says.

"We don't need jokes, or comedy, or even a sense of humor to laugh," she explains. "All we need is the desire to laugh, to open up our hearts and let the joy of laughter flow."

It's deceptively simple. To laugh for "no reason" requires a certain level of vulnerability.

"Laughing in such a childlike manner is daunting to some people," Gentry explains. "They've been conditioned not to exhibit such behavior in public. This is why the concept of laughter yoga must be introduced carefully to convince them that it is valuable."

The "zealous laughers" usually bring the reluctant ones along, she says. "Even if they didn't intend to cut loose and laugh so much, it happens naturally when they see the exuberance of the others. By all laughing together, we give each other permission to set aside self-consciousness for the moment and laugh wholeheartedly."

Why laugh? Because laughter reduces stress, lowers your blood pressure, boosts immunity, eases physical pain and promotes happiness, Gentry notes. In addition, practicing laughter yoga can increase your creativity, physical vitality, communications skills and sense of well being.

Gentry presents laughter programs for churches and other groups, offering an in-depth look at biblical joy. And they laugh, of course. It's fun and fulfilling work, she says.

"Recently, I did a young women's retreat for a church in La Crosse (Wis.). They even brought their own silly hats, and we had such a wild time. It was amazing! We have also walked the sacred labyrinth while laughing and playing, and that's quite a spiritually enriching experience as well."

For more information or to contact Gentry, go to www.laughinglaura.com, write her at P.O. Box 11, Marquette 52158 or laughterlaura@yahoo.com or call (563) 880-2699.