The best seminar I have ever attended.”
That was the consensus of the participants at the first- ever Certified Laughter Yoga Leader Training Seminar held at the SMC Training Center in Tagaytay City. Not everything in life is perfect, we all know that. But with God’s help, everything went perfectly well at this seminar — service was super efficient, food was soooo yummy (and overflowing that on the second day of the seminar, we had to cancel the morning snack), and the staff was very warm and helpful. Dr. Kataria’s performance as a Laughter Yoga master and guru was superb, and the participants were game, cooperative, eager, and willing to learn the most from the training. That the Training Center was cool, chilly, so peaceful and calm, being on a hilltop with a panoramic view to boot contributed greatly to the smashing success of the training. Oohs and aahs of appreciation and gratefulness for having been part of the training were overflowing!
It was truly worth every step of the painstaking efforts exerted and every minute spent to make this training a great experience for everyone.
Dr. Madan Kataria told me several times during and after the seminar that he has been to 65 countries worldwide conducting trainings and seminars, but this one in our country was one of the “finest,” that went way beyond his expectations. Let appreciation be given where it is due … to keep it flowing and strong more than ever. To the management and staff of San Miguel Corporation, we say, “maraming, maraming salamat and mabuhay kayo.”
The training moored us to the ground. As Dr. Kataria mentioned, children laugh at an average of 400 times per day, while adult people laugh at an average of 15 times per day. Where has the 385 laughter gone? As we grow old, we forget to be playful as we become more and more serious eking out a living. The irony, however, is that as one realizes his dream of buying the things he wants, the happiness that goes with it becomes only fleeting — as the desire for more things becomes more intense. And this cycle goes on and on. The training served as a constant reminder for us to work, eat, love, LAUGH!
Children laugh the most when at play. Adults lose their playfulness with the passing of time. This is where the beauty, practicality, and advantage of Laughter Yoga come in — enabling one to laugh anytime, anywhere, in any situation, alone or with others. Laughter can be faked initially until it transforms to genuine laughter. Scientific studies prove that the body cannot differentiate fake from genuine laughter, which have the same beneficial effects on our well-being. Fake it to make it!
The seminar drew participants of all ages — from as young as 19 to as young-once as 82 years old, single, married, separated, widow, and widower. Mommy Saling Caro, 82, still looks and acts strong and active. She came with her son and daughter, all from Davao, and they look forward to putting up the first Laughter Yoga Club in Davao City. Let’s laugh to that!
The seminar was very fruitful, enjoyable, super pleasant, and joyful. With the very able and laughable mentor, Dr. Kataria, it is our vision that the first batch of LYoga leaders will not only do LYoga for themselves, families, and friends but organize LYoga clubs in their respective offices and communities as well.
Let the laughter of joy, good health, and positivism ring in all the corners of our beloved land. Change the mindsets, and our kababayans’ perspective, and we help change our beloved country.
Hear this:
• Sister Delia Parma, DC: I must have been born with a laughing spoon because among my siblings (we were originally 12, Ha! Ha!) I have the ability to laugh naturally. I love telling and listening to jokes with roaring laughter! I laughed in a variety of situations and reasons. Humor and play became part of my life. Thank God I was accommodated by Elvie at the Laughter Yoga Leadership Training by Dr. Kataria himself. That was a privilege and I am very blessed to be part of that pioneering group. I can now reclaim my inborn playfulness, incorporate more laughter, more playfulness, and humor in my life, with or without reason, by setting aside regular, quality laughter time. I can find enjoyable activities that will loosen me up and help me embrace my playful nature with other people who are grim, thin-lipped, and humorless. Ha! Ha! If only they could experience real laughter! It is a saving, redeeming, and healing grace to be able to laugh and be laughed at.
• Aphrodite Abarquez, teacher: The presence of the Laughter Yoga founder Dr. Madan Kataria was the biggest strength of this event. Learning Laughter Yoga from the guru was an honor and a blessing. Tita Elvie is a godsend to everyone who believes laughter is a special gift we can share with everyone.
• Mary June Gonzales of San Lorenzo Village: I can’t say anything, except it seemed everything was perfect. What more could you ask for?
• Cristina M. Callejo: Laughter from the heart really brings joy. There is a saying, “At the end of the rainbow there is hope.” Now, there is laughter!
• Wilma Villaseñor: It’s good for our health, brings inner joy, freshens ourselves; inspires us to do everything positively, and motivates us to help others become happy and feel joy in their hearts.
The next Laughter Yoga session will be at St. Rita School of Nursing, Tondo, Manila on Dec. 15. Visit the Facebook fan page of Laughter Yoga Club or log on to www.laughteryogaphils.com.
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E-mail author at mega_abundant_lv@yahoo.com.