INTERNATIONAL LAUGHTER YOGA WEBSITE REPORTS ON THE AFRICAN LAUGHTER CONFERENCE

Laughteryoga.org, the international laughter yoga website, has just posted a news story about the first Laughter Yoga Conference in Africa. I'm reposting it below. Click here to see it at the website.

The First African Laughter Yoga Conference

The First African Laughter Yoga & Alternate Healing Conference 2011 was held in Durban, South Africa on the 24/25 November. The conference was co-ordinated by Sheroma Surajnarayan and was opened with a prayer by Rev. William Gentry, a congressional minister from United States of America.

Sheroma Suraj-Narayan microbiologist and director of the African Laughter Yoga Institute delivered the key note address welcoming the conference delegates and emphasising the theme of Humour, Hope and Healing through traditional healing practices and Laughter Yoga. She also outlined her work with Laughter Yoga, together with Dr. Gita Suraj-Narayan, in South Africa, having transformed the lives of over 10,000 people through the healing system of Laughter Yoga.

Rev. Laura Gentry Director of the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga and Pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, USA said Laughter Yoga is an incredible tool for nurturing spiritual growth. In this enlightening workshop, delegates learnt about the teachings on joy from major world religions and how Laughter Yoga can be integrated into these religious practices. As a minister, Rev. Laura Gentry shared firsthand how holy hilarity has enhanced her pastoral care.

Rev. Laura Gentry founded the first Laughter Club at church and is known as the laughing pastor. Five years ago, she opened the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga and has been a pioneer in spreading the laughter movement throughout the United States and around the world. She has now led Laughter Yoga in 5 continents and was selected by Dr. Madan Kataria as the first woman in America to become a Master Trainer of Laughter Yoga. Also a Laughter Ambassador, Laura has produced a number of creative, laughter resources including six CDs, a book and the film “Laugh Friends: A Laughter Yoga Workout for Kids.” With twenty years of ministry and motivational speaking experience, Laughing Laura brought radiant energy and wisdom to the Laughter Yoga workshop.

Dr. Gita Suraj-Narayan Researcher, Laughter Yoga teacher, lecturer, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal presented a scientific paper on the positive biopsycho-social impacts of Laughter Yoga on patients with dreaded and non-communicable diseases. She found that Laughter Yoga can be used as complementary alternate medicine and is the most cost-effective non-pharmacological intervention for patients in developing and 3rd world countries. She provided an overview on Ayurvedic practices and explained that we all have the potential to facilitate our own healing and demonstrated simple but effective tools and techniques. She combined ayurvedic practices with Laughter Yoga to inject positivity and bring about transformation in a practical, accessible manor that delegates can use everyday.

Katharina Aniya Mies from Switzerland presented a paper on holistic integrated healing, EFT Emotional Freedom Techniques while Bhupendra Suraj-Narayan a web developer from Pretoria presented a paper on the use of web analytics in determining the effectiveness of a website in promoting an alternate healing business. Thokozani Jali social work supervisor presented a paper on African Traditional Healing Practices which contrary to western medical practice focuses on treating the individual on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. Thokozani described the processes involved in traditional healing and demonstrated the use of indigenous plants in treatment and prevention of illnesses.

The second day of the conference marked the beginning of 16 days of Activism against women and child abuse. Participants talked about the importance of this campaign and the need for South African citizens to take a stand against gender-based violence and abuse and the need to laugh, laugh, laugh to promote peace, harmony and a non-violent society.

Barbara Scogings, Coach and Trainer in Emotional Quotient and Spiritual Quotient spoke about spiritual intelligence in today's world and high-lighted practical ways to stay spiritually grounded. Dr. Raksha Balbadhur a medical practitioner spoke about values in health care. She highlighted the need to explore alternate healing practices to complement medical interventions. She finished off her presentation with a guided meditation, leaving delegates rejuvenated and energised. Dr Sharad Hansjee a homeopath and therapeutic reflexologist also talked about the importance of homoeopathy within the medical and healing paradigm as an alternative approach to healthcare.

The conference was a huge success and delegates left the hotel feeling rejuvenated, energetic and healed from within. Many of the delegates were senior citizens and stroke survivors who greatly benefited from the workshops and seminars. The conference had an atmosphere filled with laughter, singing and dancing, which constitutes the three states of joy! The conference culminated in an exchange of skills, knowledge, resources and an African, Asian and European Alternate Healing Forum, which aims to promote alternate healing practices throughout the world.

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Photos by William  F. Gentry ll

LAUGHING RADIO INTERVIEW NOW ON YOUTUBE

Here are the  fun, laughing interviews I recently did for a local radio station. They kindly gave me the recordings when they were done airing them so I've put them together, added visuals and put it on YouTube.

LAUGHING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Laughter yoga is truly amazing in how it brings people together. It continues to spread across the globe and is now practiced in over 70 countries. My husband, William, and I have had the opportunity to travel to other countries to lead laughter yoga and connect with other laughter yogis. This winter, we went to South Africa. It was the fifth continent on which I've led laughter yoga! Laughter is truly the universal language. In this blog post, I'm sharing some pictures from our South African experience. Double click on images to see them larger.

From November 15 until December 9, 2011, we (the Gentrys) traveled to South Africa to present at the first Laughter Yoga and Alternative Healing Conference. 

South Africa is located at the bottom of the continent.

The conference was held in Durban, which is marked on this map.

We've just arrived in South Africa!

In Phoenix, near Durban, we stayed with the Surajnarayan family. We'd met them last year at the laughter yoga conference in Australia. They have conducted ground breaking research and have won the Oprah Magazine World Changer Award. See article here. On the first day of our visit, Dr. Gita was conducting a certified laughter yoga seminar. This is graduation ceremony for her student. I assisted in her training.

Toko with her certificate of graduation from the Dr. Kataria School of Laughter Yoga. Gita and I are pictured with her. She will be using laughter yoga in her social work, particularly with children all around the South Coast.

Along with Gita and Sheroma, I volunteered to lead laughter yoga with patients at the community clinic in Verlum. We brightened the folks in the waiting room of the psyciatric clinic by sharing laughter yoga with them.

Look at what a happy group they became. Laughter yoga made them so obviously joyful.

Here I am overlooking the whole clinic.

William and I with a leader at the Hare Krishna Temple, which we visited.

Gita demonstrates "Snail Mail"—you see, the snails attack and eat the mail in her mailbox.

The pier in Durban—our first view of the Indian Ocean.

The Durban coastline.

We joined Gita and Sheroma for their regular laughter club at the Verlum Day and Frail Care Center. Here, they have been running a vibrant laughter club with the elderly. They have even conducted ground breaking research on the positive effects of laughter yoga on stroke patients. Here I am in front of the building.

We prepared for the laughter club meeting.

Here I am leading laughter exercises with the club.

They even taught me how to say "Very Good, Very Good, Yay!" in Zulu.

The man on my right is one of the "miracle cases" that Dr. Gita has documented. Before doing laughter yoga, his stroke prevented him from speaking or walking. But after doing it for a while, he regained his ability to do both. It is hard to imagine a more enthusiastic laugher! Laughter literally gave him his life back.

Here I am with one of the laughter club members.

Just for fun, Gita dressed William up like an Indian groom at an Indian clothing store.

And I got to dress like an Indian bride.

Laughing in the yard.

We met up with another laughter yoga teacher, Katharina Mies from Baden, Switzerland. Here, we are doing "Raging Ape" laughter at the mall.

Their dog, Milo, and me!

This is the incredible view from the Blue Waters Hotel, at which the laughter conference was held.

To open the conference, Bhupendra Surajnarayan played a song.

Here I am getting ready for my presentation, entitled "Holy Hysterics."

One of the conference delegates, a Zulu woman from the Frail and Day Care Center Laughter Club.

Sheroma introducing me.

A few scenes from my presentation.

The group enjoying tea time.

Katharina's presentation.

Delicious buffet lunch at the hotel's dining room.

In addition to presenting at the Laughter Yoga and Alternative Healing Conference, Dr. Gita and I had the opportunity to lead a laughter yoga session with an international group of scientists who were gathering to prepare for the Cop 17 Conference being held in Durban the following week. They had a fabulous time laughing and as a result, Gita and Sheroma got invited to lead more laughter yoga at the Cop 17 event.

We helped them find more joy, hope and creativity with laughter yoga, which is important for these scientists in their research.

William and I with another one of the presenters at the laughter conference.

Bhupendra, opening the second day of the conference.

Another one of the speakers.

Toko, recent laughter yoga graduate, was a presenter on traditional African medicine.

Toko showed us some herbs used for healing in traditional African medicine.

The final speaker at the conference.

A number of the laughter club members from the Verlum Day and Frail Care Center attended the conference. They were very happy to be a part of the event. I'm pictured with four of them here.

Gita with her daughter and son.

On the last day in Duban, we went to the beach.

William with Bhupendra and Sheroma.

The Blue Waters Hotel at dusk.

Bhupendra, Gita, Sheroma, William, Katharina and me at lunch.

Some of the conference presenters.

Bhupendra and Sheroma sang some songs during the conference so everyone could get up and dance. The oldest people there seemed to be the most enthusiastic!

Here is the whole group at the conference.

Following the conference in Duban, we went to Cape Town, then took a train up to Johannesburg and went on a safari. Below are links to all these pictures at our Gentry Joint blog. 

DURBAN
http://thegentryjointll.blogspot.com/2011/11/durban-south-africa.html

CAPE TOWN
http://thegentryjointll.blogspot.com/2011/12/cape-town-south-africa.html

TRAIN TRIP
http://thegentryjointll.blogspot.com/2011/12/train-ride-south-africa.html

SAFARI
http://thegentryjointll.blogspot.com/2011/12/safari-in-kruger-park-south-africa.html

JO'BURG & PRETORIA
http://thegentryjointll.blogspot.com/2011/12/joberg-pretoria-working-title.html

SOWETO
http://thegentryjointll.blogspot.com/2011/12/soweto-south-africa.html