LAUGH-FEST 2016—YES!

Hello Laughing Friend,
I am so happy to share with you the exciting new that we ARE having another Laugh-Fest of the Midwest  May 13-15 in Ferryville, Wisconsin! How could we not? It is the highlight of my year. So much love and laughter fills my heart and makes it sing! I bet you could use a weekend of laughing, too.

We are just formulating our exiting plans and speaker schedule but we do know that Lynda Tourloukis will be back! And Dr. Laffy Kathy! And me, Laughing Laura! And hopefully many others, too.

How about YOU? Would you like to present an activity, workshop, or lecture? We are looking for a variety of things so pitch us your idea using the form at the Laugh-Fest page.

Registration is now open! Yippee! We are offering the Laugh-Fest at just $225, which includes meals, housing and programing—an incredible value. Better yet, you can get the Early Bird Discount all the way through April 1 and that's only $199. Go to the Laugh-Fest page to register on-line through PayPal or register by mail with the mail-in form.

See you in a few short months! I can't wait.

Laughingly,
Laura

LAUGHTER YOGA GRADUATES IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA

I have just spent a most amazing time with a group of laughter yoga students in Rochester, Minnesota. It was a class through the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga, which is affiliated with the Laughter Yoga University of Bangalore, India. We held the certified Leader/Teacher training retreat at Assisi Heights Spirituality Center at the Sisters of Saint Francis. This is a gorgeous retreat center on a generous portion of green space right in the heart of Rochester. Read more at their website.

The pictures below tell the story of our fabulous adventures together. Double click them to view in a larger format.

This is the Sisters of Saint Francis facility where we stayed and laughed. It felt like a bit of Europe as we strolled around the beautiful grounds.

We invited the sisters to do a laughter yoga practice session with us. Here we are with the laughing nuns (note that the one behind me is wearing a flower headband on top of her habit). We all had a fun time together, as you can see.

To experience the glorious spiritual power of laughter, we laughed through the sacred labyrinth. Here a group of laughers are rejoicing in the center.

Kristin and Amber laughing in the labyrinth

Ann Marie laughing in the labyrinth

Lily Bear, Mary Ellen's dog, laughed in the labyrinth with us

Laughing Laura and Kathryn at our costume party

Terri, the clown princess

Kristin, the cute banana

Ann Marie in her fabulous clown wig

Phoenix in the crabby hat

Helen as the laughing fairy (her shoes light up, too)

Laughter dancing

The teachers and teacher students

The Laughter Yoga Leader Graduation picture. Back row: Phoenix Soleil, Kristin VanDyke, Laughing Laura,  Mary Ellen Schmidley. Front row: Amber Cahue and Jane Schmidley

This is the entire group at the Laughter Yoga Leaders' graduation

Mary Ellen and Jane Schmidley—the laughing sisters with the retreat's laughing dog, Lily Bear

Laughing Laura & Phoenix from Berkeley, CA

The Laughter Yoga Teacher Graduation picture: Laughing Laura, Kathryn Kimmins,  Helen Juknelis, Ann Marie Gullickson and Terri Reasoner

If you would like to study laughter yoga in Alaska, you are in luck! I have just scheduled my first certified Laughter Yoga Leader class in Anchorage, Alaska. Read more at www.LaughterYogaIowa.com and please spread the word to any friends you may have in Alaska.

MY FIRST CLASS OF LAUGHTER TEACHERS

At last, I’m posting the pictures from my first laughter yoga teacher course. It was held over April Fool’s weekend (how appropriate is that?!). It began with a laughter yoga leader class, which was team taught by the fabulous adjunct faculty-hee-heee, Jody Ross, Dan and Jill Johnson, Nancy Greenwald and Michelle Erschen as well as the five laughter yoga teacher students. The leaders were overwhelmed by all that wisdom and joy. Below are pictures from the leader graduation ceremony, held on April Fool’s Day. 

After the big, blowout graduation ceremony on Sunday, the teacher students stayed on for another two and a half days of learning. We went deep and had a truly transformational time. I was humbled to have the opportunity to teach laughter yoga to such amazing people. I was blessed beyond measure by their open hearts. Their love and laughter cannot be described in words.

I'd like to thank my husband, William, for taking these delightful photos.

My next leader/teacher retreat is beginning this coming weekend in Rochester, Minnesota. Watch this blog for pictures and reports about that experience.

Teacher Kathy Wilkinson visiting with her small group

Dianne Jones taking some laughter notes

Lynette McCormack, Susan Kiefer (I think, but I can't tell for sure because of the costume!), Kim Doffing & Linda Dingels

Always clowning around

Laughing Laura, your fine feathered friend

Susan Kiefer, Laughing Laura & Kim Doffing

The graduation ceremony begins!

Nancy Greenwald is not chicken to laugh!

Dan Johnson, faculty-hee-hee member, making a commencement speech in gibberish

Celebration time!

Another diploma is awarded—Judy Hora receives hugs from all the faculty-hee-hee

Cheers all around!

Sandra Jones marches up to receive her diploma as Laughing Laura cheers her on

Laughing Laura giving out faculty-hee-hee awards

Michelle Erschen impersonating a rubber chicken as she received her award (it made sense at the time, trust me...you had to be there!)

The entire graduating class of leader students, along with the teacher students and faculty-hee-hee. Click on this photo  to see it larger.

Laughing Laura with the camp director, Dick Iverson

Jody Ross, the amazing fairy princess cowgirl and Laughter Yoga Teacher

The group going for a wagon ride

Nancy Greenwald, Michelle Erschen, Dan & Jill Johnson and Laughing Laura—and no, we did not plan this...we just all naturally chose chicken laughter-wear. Bawk Bawk!

Happy Hippie Chick & Laughter Yoga Leader, Lynette McCormack

Happy Dan!

Rev. Jenna Couch—a pastor AND Laughter Yoga Leader

Laughter Yoga Leader Sandra Jones

Laughing Laura in a teaching moment

Dan Johnson giving a presentation to the group

Kathy Wilkinson with Laughing Laura (she about had a cow over those udders!)

Laughing Laura with Carolyn Christopher

Kathy laughing all the way

Dan is some bunny!

Jill Johnson with another great laugh

Faculty-Hee-Hee from South Dakota—the irrepressible laughing duo Dan & Jill Johnson

Laughter Yoga Teacher, Teddy Bruns

Laughing Laura & Laughter Yoga Teacher Sue Kiefer doing a cow kick

Moo!

Just another hilarious moment at laughter school

Kathy Wilkinson and Deb Olson—both Laughter Yoga Teachers

Teddy presenting Laughing Laura with a magic bubble wand!

Laughing Laura being amazed with the bubble wand

Laughing Laura enjoying the big bubbles of the wand!

The teacher graduation ceremony

Teddy rocking it at the graduation

More unbridled celebration

Deb Olson receiving her diploma

Sue Kiefer receiving her diploma

Carolyn Christopher giving Laughing Laura some love as she receives her diploma

\

Teddy Bruns cheers to receive her diploma

Jill Johnson with a big cheer

The whole group of teachers giving one another laughter blessings

Here it is, the graduation picture of the first class of Teachers

Jody Ross in a teaching moment

Doing some yogic breathing

More teaching from Laughing Laura

The valley at the beautiful retreat center, Sugar Creek Bible Camp

Dan sharing his logo for life

Laughing Laura explaining the meaning of her Be Laughter painting

Teddy and Carolyn

Here is a list of contact information for the graduates. They are all prepared and ready to laugh with you and your organization!

LAUGHTER YOGA LEADERS

Betsy J. Kennedy

Madison, WI

betsykennedy@att.net

608-274-2902

Dianne Jones

West Des Moines, IA 

diannemjones@gmail.com

Susan Rhodes

Milwaukee, WI 

sue.rhodes@vmp.org

Sandra Jones

Madison, WI 

sandra.was.jones@gmail.com

Angeline Jensen

Rochester, MN

bydesignmn@yahoo.com

507-398-9709

Kim Doffing

Burnsville, MN 

gniffod@gmail.com

Jenna Couch

Dubuque, IA

jennalcouch@gmail.com

Josie Milan

Lakeville, MN 

josiemilan@yahoo.com

612-618-1149

Judy Hora

Waterloo, IA

mwjj@netins.net

319-342-2255

Karla Fernet 

Rockford, IL 

815-519-4977

Linda Dingels

Northfield MN

507-581-3826

Paula Achenbach

Northfield, MN

achenbackp@aol.com

Lynette McCormack

West Chester, OH

ldmccormck@aol.com

LAUGHTER YOGA TEACHERS

Deborah Olson

Rochester, MN 

507-358-3331 

olson.deborah2@mayo.edu 

Carolyn Christopher

Ann Arbor, MI 

CJCshalom@gmail.com

Kathy Wilkinson

Ann Arbor, MI 

happykw@comcast.net

Teddy Bruns

LaPorte City, IA 

515-210-0335

arbonneteddy@yahoo.com

Susan Kiefer

New Franken, WI 

920-866-2540

sskiefer@hotmail.com