NEW BOOK, YOGA ARTICLE & LAUGHFEST

Hi Laughing Friends,
I'm so happy to share some Laughing News! Here are three things designed to bring a smile to your face.

1. NEW LAUGHING BOOK

There is a brand new book out about laughter called

God Laughs--Why Don't You?: Making Use of Humor in the Practice of Ministry (Healthy Clergy Make Healthy Congregations)

It was written by Stephan McCutchan. He's covered a lot of hilarious topics for ministers who recognize their need for laughter. Funny and insightful, it is a real treat. I know about his amazing book because he asked me to write a chapter. My quote about laughter is also featured on the back cover. If you are a clergy or you know one who could use a lift, I encourage you to click the link below to check it out.

2. YOGA ARTICLE

The Iowa Yoga organization asked me to write an article about Laughter Yoga for their Yoga as Medicine issue. I was grateful to be asked because this is such an important topic and a great way for yogis to learn about Laughter Yoga. You can read the whole magazine for free! There are lots of interesting articles including mine. Here is the link: http://issuu.com/yogaiowa/docs/yia-winter-2015/0

3. LAUGHFEST 2015

The LaughFest of 2015 is coming soon! Yes, it will be May 15-17—the most wonderful time of year in which the trees are sprouting their brand new leaves. We are holding it at the retreat center in Ferryville, Wisconsin again. The nearest airport is LaCrosse, Wisconsin. If you've been a regular at this event, reserve your spot by getting registered right away. If you've never tried it out, we invite you to give it a whirl. This is your opportunity to have a laughter vacation, meet new friends, and acquire some new wellness tools to make you healthier and happier—right here in the Midwest! And it's as affordable as can be since it's held at a retreat center that serves delicious food.

This year, we have a very exciting new speaker of Linda Tourloukis and many returning speakers like Rev. Jane Voigts, Dr. Terri Reasoner, Dr. Kathy Phelan, Deb Olson, R.N. and me, Laughing Laura. There is room for more so go to the LaughFest page and pitch an idea. You may just be one of the speakers this year! You can lead an activity, too. We aren't just looking for lectures. We want our participants to have a whole host of happy experiences. There is an early bird discount until April 1. Don't miss it!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE LAUGHFEST PAGE

If you are interested in training as a Laughter Yoga Leader or a Laughter Yoga Teacher, please let me know. If we have enough students, we'll be adding these classes to the LaughFest. LaughingLauraGentry@gmail is my contact (even though this email sends out from yahoo).

Have a Laughing Day! YOU are amazing!

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!

 

LAUGHTER GRADS RADIATE HAPPINESS

Another class of happy laughers has graduated from the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga! On Sunday, August 14th, the graduates showed off their newly-formed laughter yoga leadership skills at their graduation ceremony. They laughed their way in to "Pomp and Circumstance." The gibberish commencement address was zealously delivered by Peter Jorgensen. Every single graduate won the "Laugher of the Universe Award" as well as their laughter yoga diploma. And finally, they took the Laughter Pledge, thus certifying their new commitment to live a laughing life. I'm so proud of them!

The graduates are pictured above. Back row: Robin Arendt, Peter Jorgensen, Mary Jorgensen; middle row: Carol Larson, Claire Buetler-Cruise, Jen Malcom; front row: Lisa Weis, Laughing Laura, Teleen Saunders. Below, are pictures of them eating lunch. Please note that happy cupcakes were served on a cupcake tree! :)

Here's how you can find and hire these amazing laughter yoga leaders.

Robin Arendt

1176 280th St.

Oskaloosa, IA 52577

violet.flamesp@yahoo.com

Rev. Claire Buetler-Cruise

Milwaukee, WI

cbcruise92902@yahoo.com

Peter & Mary Jorgensen

724 Day St.

Decorah, IA 52101

563-382-4558

mary@risingsunlifecoaching.com

Jen Malcom

310 Kellogg

Auburn, KS 66402

jmalcom4@prodigy.net

Teleen Saunders

6154 Sugar Mill Lane

Mound, MN 55364

teleen@web1234.com

Lisa Weis

1117 Maple Street

Northfield, MN 55057

lisacadyweis@yahoo.com

Also in attendance at the seminar were already certified laughter yoga leaders Cindy Hansmeier of Decorah, Iowa and Carol Larson of Hillsboro, Wisconsin.

They all radiating with happiness and eager to share laughter yoga with you!

LAUGHTER YOGA IN THE ROCHESTER WOMEN'S MAGAZINE

Anne Marie Gullickson, a graduate of the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga, is featured July August issue of the Rochester Women Magzine. I'm so proud of her and her outstanding laughter work to spread the laughter movement in Rochester, Minnesota. Very Good, Very Good, YAY, Anne Marie! Below is a reprint of the article. To read the entire magazine as a PDF file, click here.

When Ann Marie Gullickson walks into a room donning a pink fluorescent wig and matching boa, it’s hard not to laugh.

Gullickson, a certified laughter yoga instructor, recently conducted a seminar for employees of the Division of Preventative,Occupational and Aerospace Medicine at

Mayo Clinic, helping employees realize the benefits of laughter.

“There are four dimensions of the benefits of laughter: physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual,” Gullickson said.

“Laughter is a tool that can decrease blood pressure, increase employee morale and relieve pain or fear.”

Gullickson became interested in laughter yoga by accident. “I had gone to the library to check out a movie on planning a trip to India and instead I got a video on laughing yoga,” she said.

“I watched it, and when I got to India, I actually went to the birthplace of laughing yoga in Mumbai and decided when I got back to Rochester to look for a training program.”

In the two years since Gullickson has been a certified instructor, she has given approximately 24 laughter yoga sessions.

“It is stress relieving and can change the way you think about problems,” she said.

“After a session, we all still have the same problems, we just don’t care as much.”

Participants were introduced to a myriad of laughter yoga techniques, all based on the theory that the body cannot differentiate between real and fake laughter.

Self-triggered laughter was the result of activities such as “scales of laughter,” looking through “laughter binoculars” and singing Happy Birthday using laughter.

Also included were calming chants and breathing exercises, tying in the yoga component.

“We are always trying to look for things we can do to inform employees while at the same time making it fun,” said Dr. Donald Hensrud, Division Chair of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine at Mayo Clinic. “I think it was a success. Even if they didn’t laugh during the presentation, they will laugh thinking about it afterward.”

Participant Esther Heath, a registered nurse, enjoyed her first experience with laughter yoga. “It’s pretty silly,” Heath said. “Laughter is good for us though. We should all laugh more often.”

Co-worker Marta Fuentealba, also a registered nurse, said “I’m open to a new way to explore feeling better so I participate. You always feel better when you laugh.” It is that sentiment that Gullickson hopes to spread during the sessions.

“Most people are still brand new to laughter yoga,” Gullickson said. “It catches people off guard at first, but people find that sharing in laughter is a great way to build bridges.”

Julie Amy, a patient appointment coordinator, couldn’t agree more. “This is my first experience with laughing yoga,” she said. “I laugh all the time anyway, but I had a co-worker who came today in a bad mood and she feels better now, so it works.”

Gullickson urges participants to “tap into your self-care using laughter to find a playful, fun way to interact with others. Laughter truly is a universal language.”

Anne Marie Gullickson leads a laughter yoga session with the Rochester Women staff and friends.

Laugh With Us!

Connie De Lorme is a retired health care

professional willing to help develop laughter

yoga clubs around southeastern minnesota.

If you have a group of people who want to

laugh regularly for 30 to 45 minutes once or

twice a week, contact dr. connie de lorme,

507-289 8495.

Ann Marie Gullickson. to schedule your

laughter yoga session, contact ann marie at

507-282-2308.

Laughing Laura Gentry runs the Iowa school

of laughter yoga, with laughter yoga leader

training. she also has laughter cds available

for purchase. she certified all the instructors

listed in this article. Visit laughinglaura.com.

Deb Olson lives in rochester and, as

a Franciscan skemp health Promotion

consultant in la crosse, wisc., gives laughter

yoga presentations to businesses, schools

and organizations and leads a laughter club at

Franciscan skemp. “It is difficult for employees

to allow themselves to take a break from their

busy day and do something as ‘silly’ as laugh

and deep breathe,” she says, “but so many

comment on how good they feel the rest of

their day.” contact her at 507-358-3331 or

livingalive2010@gmail.com.

Benefits of Laughter Yoga

• reduces stress

• Improves heart health and lowers blood pressure

• burns calories

• lowers blood sugar

• boosts immune system

• manages pains

• slows the aging process

• Improves bronchitis and asthma

• Facilitates sleep

• enhances mood

• Improves self-confidence

• creates a sense of well-being

• complements your traditional health care

• benefits are felt almost immediately

• you can never overdose and addiction is not harmful

HAPPY HOUR WITHOUT THE HANGOVER

I'd like to tell you about a laughter yoga resource I recently had the pleasure of reading. It is a book to help you lead a successful laughter club by Meg Scott. Beautifully illustrated and exuberantly written, this manual is sure to inspire.

Meg is not only a certified laughter yoga leader, she is also a laughter leader through World Laughter Tour. Clearly, she's had a lot of experience leading laughter clubs and now she's sharing her wealth of knowledge through this concise book.

Why should you host a laughter club? How can you jump start it? What props can you use? How about some new and exciting laughter exercises? Meg explains all this and much more. She even provides a permission slip, which you can photocopy and give participants so that they can give themselves permission to laugh!

Here are some testimonials Meg's already received for this recent release.

"I received your package. Your LY guide is INCREDIBLE! A TRUE WORK of ART and LAUGHTER!

It is beautiful graphically and in content and a great resource for LY professionals. I Love it and admire your skill and talent."

—Gaga Barnes

Founder of The Laugh Line

www.LaughterYogaOnThePhone.com

"Way to go, Meg. Your creative ideas and engaging exercises have breathed fresh fun into my weekly LY classes and trainings. Thanks for providing a fantastic resource for the laughter community."

—Jen Mathews, CLYT

Co-creator of The Laugh of Your Life CD

www.optimysticinstitute.com

“Meg Scott’s cheerful guide is chock-full of useful tips and inspiring tales. This handy manual gathers together a lot of great tips and ideas in one concise, convenient package. Kudos and praise to Meg for creating an excellent resource for the newly-minted Laughter Yoga leader. Perhaps the best 'after the training' booklet currently available for the novice Laughter Yoga Leader who wants some practical (yet fun) advice and support in starting and operating a laughter club destined for success.”

—Jeffrey Briar, CLYT, CLL

Director of The Laughter Yoga Institute

www.lyinstitute.org

Happy Hour without the Hangover

A Laughter Yoga Professional's Guide to Leading a Successful Laughter Club

50 inspiring pages of advice, ideas, new exercises and tips to boost your

Laughter Club fun!

$12.95 includes shipping in U.S.

Order form for Happy Hour is found at: http://www.laughteryogawithmegscott.com/

For details about discounts on 10 or more copies email megscott35@yahoo.com

REMEMBERING ANN MARIE CLARK

Ann Marie Clark, a laughter yoga leader who studied with me, passed away on December 30, 2009 at the age of 58 years. She was a vibrant, amazing person who was a natural at laughter yoga. I am grateful to have known her and I am delighted that her life brought so much joy to others. She will be dearly missed.

For those of you who knew her, I would like to pass on the following information. A visitation will be held on Tuesday January 5th from 5-7 p.m. and a memorial service will take place at 7.

Suminski Family Funeral Home

1901 N. Farwell Ave

Milwaukee, WI 53202

414-276-5122

You may leave condolances at this website:

http://www.lifestorynet.com/memories/54741/

This is the eulogy written by her family:

Ann-Marie Clark was born 12/11/1951 to Winifred (Win) Simmons (Balcombe) and Gordon Walker in Sussex England. She grew up in East Grinstead and went to a Episcapal Boarding School. After finishing Physio (Physical Therapy) College she worked in Manchester. She then went to Haiti to do relief work as a physical therapist. From there she traveled up to the States to visit relatives and then worked in Canada. It was then that she meet her husband Jim at a Yoga Retreat in Michigan while living in Sault Ste. Marie Canada. After a year of a long distance romance she married Jim and had two lovely children (Joshua and Jessica). She continued to work as a physical therapist, making her home in Thiensville WI where she enjoyed doing all forms of dance (Sacred, Modern, African, and most other forms). She trained as a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist and helped many people with personal transformation work. She became interested in Tibetan Buddhism. She did Yoga for the disabled. Became a Laughter Yoga leader and enjoyed leading classes whenever she could. She even enjoyed a hiking club. She had an amazing ability for writing poetry (even had one published). But most of all was her ability to bring joy and laughter to people whom she was with. Often telling stories that would lighten hearts. She had a gift with children she treated.

CHILEAN LAUGHTER TOUR DAY 15

We awoke to another beautiful, clear day in Chile. We were eager to go to Alagarrobo to stay at Tosha's apartment and explore that coastal area.

Here's the view from the upstairs window at Tosha's house.

Look! William felt so much better than he shot this self-portrait.

We took a walk around Tosha's garden and enjoyed the spring flowers.

This is the reflection in her swimming pool.

This is the back of Tosha's Santiago home.

Her neighbor's lemons, which hang into he backyard.

Here I am in the sunny backyard.

These roses were brand new when we headed south. Now they were looking a little worse for the wear.

Tosha and her maid, Vilma, getting ready for breakfast.

Tosha was showered but still looking tired (too early in the morning for her).

Her daughter, Denise, dropped by to bring the apartment keys. She and Tosha looked at the trip pictures.

Here is Denise walking back home as we set forth for Alagarrobo.

These are the scenes we past along the way.

This is inside one of the tunnels we went through.

You can see how the vegetation is looking more like the desert. That's because we were heading north, which is desert country.

We reached  Alagarrobo and looked out at the coast from the car.

Here is our first look at Tosha's condo building, which is part of the sprawling San Alfonso del Mar Resort.

When we reached her apartment, we looked down to see the amazing view from the 10th floor.

Tosha and I are celebrating this glorious day.

Here is the view out to the deck from inside the apartment.

This is Tosha's bedroom where we stayed. The drawing is of her mother.

Tosha pulled out her stash of party hats. She's always prepared for laughter!

She put this one one me.

And we were set for laughter!

Pamela and I on the deck in our party hats.

William joined our big hat fun.

These are the lovely glasses in her cupboard.

I was happy to discover polka dotted pot holders.

Pamela demonstrated that she was laughter-ready by revealing her silly socks.

We hung out by the pool area and walked around to explore it. This pool was named the biggest pool in the world by Guiness in 2008.  It is 3,323 feet long—that's more than 1,000 yards! It covers 20 acres and holds 66 million gallons of water (salt water rather than clorinated). It's so big, in fact, that they call it a "lagoon" instead of a pool.

There is also a smaller, indoor pool in this pyramid (since the lagoon is heated naturally, and therefore too cold to swim in during the winter season). We found them reworking the indoor pool.

Little desert flowers were blooming in the gardens.

There are docks in this pool so I went out "surfing" on one.

Doesn't this resort area look comfortable?

This is a view of the pool that shows its expansiveness.

This is where the indoor pool is situated.

Yes, they sail boats on this pool. Here is a stack of them.

This is the view looking up at Tosha's building.

The windswept artificial beach.

Pamela and I laughing on one of the docks.

These condos also sell separate maid's quarters in a downstairs dormitory. This is the view out of one of these small units.

Here I am returning the shopping cart we had used to haul our luggage upstairs.

Then we went to a nearby restaurant for lunch. This is our friendly waiter shaking up a pisco sour.

Tosha enjoying her clams.

William and his lunch.

Here we are with some public art.

This is the pathway leading to Ilsa Negra.

This is the entry to Ilsa Negra, a home (and now museum) of Nobel Prize-winning poet and Chilean politician, Pablo Neruda. You can read more about Neruda at Wikipedia. It is one of 3 homes owned by Neruda, and reportedly his favorite. We took a tour through it.

This fish sculpture was Neruda's logo and it was used in decor throughout the home and grounds.

This is the beautiful coastal view from Neruda's house.

This is a tower on the house with another fish symbol.

This is another portion of the house. It was just a stone cabin when he purchased it but he expanded it a number of times to create a writing retreat and to house is many random collections such as ship figureheads, glass bottles, shells, masks, and nautical instruments. He had a great fascination with the sea and with ships. Therefore, each of the additional rooms was built to look like the inside of a ship. It was very unique but photography was not allowed inside.

Here's William in Neruda's back yard.

Another one of the things Neruda collected.

This is his dining room. You can tell what a stellar view it has to the ocean.

Here we are heading into the house.

Here is part of Neruda's glass bottle collection. Apparently, they have moved it into this glass-encased room because tourists used to bump into his bottles and break them. Now you have to look at them from a safe vantage point.

Here's our English-speaking tour guide.

This is the original part of Neruda's house.

Cactus blossoms in the yard.

Neruda and his third wife are buried on the grounds in an area that looks like the prow of a ship. 

Aloe vera plants in the yard.

Another view from the Neruda property.

Tosha and I are standing in front of Neruda's downstairs bar.

The courtyard of Neruda's house. The white doors in the red part were put on especially so he could fit a life-sized horse sculpture into his house. Once in, he held a welcoming party for it and all the guests had to bring gifts for the horse. Three of them brought artificial tails for it (since it had none). Now all three tails are displayed with the horse.

Pamela and I were feeling the chill of evening as we left the Ilsa Negra.

We got back to the beachfront apartment just in time to watch the sun set into the ocean.

And I can balance the sun on my nose (much like a clown nose).

Here's William in action, capturing the sunset.

We walked around the lagoon pool.

This condo looks like it is on a lake from this view, doesn't it? But the water in front of it is all pool.

Here you can see how the buildings are arranged around the pool.

I posed in front of a green light we passed.

When we returned, Tosha did a special demonstration of Touch Drawing for us. Tosha is a certified Touch Drawing teacher and she has done many wonderful works of art using this technique. It is a way to create intuitively by combining print-making with hand drawing not unlike finger painting. Tosha begins her explanation by rolling the brayer in ink and spreading it across her special Touch Drawing panel.

She's also got to combine it with laughter!

Now she lays a piece of paper down on the ink and touches the paper with her hands.

She continues touching the paper.

Then she peels the paper back to reveal her painting.

She shows it off.

She then creates another touch drawing of a face and shows it to us with a laugh.

It's been a full day so William and I head to bed. The other two stayed up for several more hours, in the Chilean tradition.