A TESTIMONIAL FROM SEBASTIEN GENDRY

This is a personal note to thank Laughing Laura for presenting at the 2012 All America Laughter Yoga Conference in Chicago, IL, on 9/20-23, 2012. 

Laughing Laura brought our joy to a new level by leading us in a series of laughter dances. Using her experience as a dance instructor, she engaged the group in playful dances, which combine rhythm and laughter. It was profoundly spiritual, yet buoyant and fun. This is the fourth time Laura has presented at the national Laughter Yoga Conference and each time, she has brought a new innovation which was met with great enthusiasm. 

We are grateful for the contribution she is making to the world wide laughter movement and hope to learn from and laugh with her again at our 2013 conference.

Mirthfully yours,

Sebastien Gendry

Founder, CEO

American School of Laughter Yoga, LLC | www.laughteryogaamerica.com

Laughter Online University | www.laughterwellness.org

Ecole Franco-Américaine du Yoga du Rire | www.rireenfrance.com

2012 ALL AMERICA LAUGHTER YOGA CONFERENCE

In September, I traveled to Chicago for the All America Laughter Yoga Conference. It was the fourth one at which I’ve presented. This year, my contribution was primarily laughter dances. I’ve been experimenting with combining laughter with various dances—both folk and popular. My presentation was called “Laugh Deeper: How to Harness the Spiritual Power of Laughter Yoga.” Within that presentation, I taught a laughing Hora dance (from the Jewish faith), led a laughing drumming circle (from the Native America tradition) and a laughing labyrinth (and ancient spiritual practice from many world religions). I also collaborated with Anne Timpany since she and I were both working with the spiritual realm. That way, I also got to experience her Embodying Joy exercises as part of our joint break-out session. The whole conference was uplifting as always. Here are some fun pictures from the event. Some are borrowed from Laughter Yoga Amerca and the rest are my own. Enjoy the pics and consider attending next year’s conference. More information at: www.LaughterYogaAmerica.com.

The whole group (mostly)

A circle dance I led

During my presentation

At the costume party

My morning session of breathing and laughing and singing and blessing

The laughter blessing in my session

Another laughter blessing is being given

More laughter blessings

Ha ha ha!

The closing part of my morning session

Lyrics to a simple laughter dance I taught

With the AMAZING Sarito Sun

With the AMAZING Christine Bills (wearing her You are Amazing shirt!)

Laughing with Anne Timpany and Sarito Sun

Laughing with my new friend from Russia

with Christine, one of my many HA HA sisters

with my pink feathered friends

With the AMAZING Merv Neal from Australia

Merv, Anne and Sebastien

Merv and Sebastien taking their own picture

With my HA HA Sister, Linda Leclerc from Canada

With my roomie and gelotologist friend, Hilary Licht

Laughing with Sarito and Linda

Go Merv! 

With Laughing Jodi Hart

Christine and I with our friend KO from Japan!

with Linda Tourlukis

Sarito's presentation

During the HA HA Sisterhood ritual led by Linda Leclerc

NEWS FROM LAUGHING LAURA

Hello Laughter Friends,
I know you haven't heard from me in a while, but be assured that I've been laughing. ha ha ha! And here's a bit of news.

National Laughter Yoga Conference

This week, I'll be heading to Chicago to present at the National Laugher Yoga Conference. I'm looking forward to a lot of inspiration, friendship and laughter. I hope that some of you will be there, too.

I'm doing three other big laughter presentations on my way there and back: one at a chaplain gathering, one at an eye care clinic, and then I'll lead a whole retreat at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, a camp in Illinois.

New Laughter CD
I have also been working on a new laughter CD! I teamed up with the famous Laugh Man, Doug Collins. He's been dubbed the man with the world's most contagious laugh. If you haven't already seen his runaway YouTube hit with over 23 million views, Dad at Comedy Barn, check it out. We recorded in the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis where such artists as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded their albums. The CD will simply feature contagious laughs. We're calling it Laughter Blasters and we hope to finish it by the end of the year.

The Laugh Man and Laughing Laura in Sun Studio in Memphis

Upcoming Educational Opportunities

I'm teaching a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader Retreat beginning Friday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m.  and concluding at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 21.

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to study with me at a retreat. The tuition is $295 (the international standard for this course, set by Laughter Yoga International) and includes all instruction to certify you as a Laughter Yoga Leader, my original manual, The Little Book of Big Laughs, a Be Laughter CD, two posters and a full color diploma professionally printed with your name. The meal plan for the weekend is $40 and accommodations at the retreat center are just $30 per night.

Laughter yoga professional and Mayo Clinic Education and Quality Assurance Specialist, Ann Marie Gullickson, will be joining me as an adjunct factulty-he-he at this retreat.

Space is limited at this highly-sought retreat so enroll as soon as possible. Visit the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga Website for more information.

In conjunction with this retreat, I will also be offering a Laughter Yoga Teacher Course. This begins October 19 and continues until the 23rd. If you want to take your laughter business to the next level, this is your chance! Please check my site for the details.

Spring Retreat

I also want to tell you about an exciting opportunity for laughter and renewal. I'll be offering a spring retreat at a camp in Ferryville, Wisconsin April 19-21. This idea was inspired by the last course I taught there. The students and I had such a wonderful time that we all decided we wanted to gather at the camp again the following year. So I booked the camp and we're all set for it. It is open to everyone. If you'd like to give a presentation there, let me know. I'll work out the details in the coming months but it will be fun, laid back, informative and affordable. What more could you want? Please save the date. I hope to laugh with you then.

That's all the news from laughter land. I hope you're having a wonderful fall. Keep up the laughing!