Laughter is a blessing available to each one of us.”
There is a magical, healing effect one gets just being with happy, laughing people!
On the seventh anniversary of Joy In Living Foundation, Ms. Peggy, one of its founding members and my gym mate for many years now, contacted me. With a persistent-one-cannot-refuse request, especially after mentioning it is their Foundation’s annual outreach project for cancer patients, I immediately agreed to conduct a Laughter Yoga session for them.
Held at the auditorium of Manila Doctors Hospital last month, about 80 people, 70 of them afflicted with cancer, attended. The participants and the organizers excitedly awaited what was in store for them in the Laughter Yoga session that Sunday morning. After being warmed up, with much vigor and resoluteness, they did the different kinds of Laughter Yoga and breathing exercises with so much gusto — laughing their heads off like they have never laughed before. Oohs and ahs were uttered by the amazed participants as I taught them how to sharpen their minds, increase memory power, enhance concentration, and prevent insomnia — all through the use of their fingers! That was the first time they heard and learned about it. Ho, ho, ha, ha, ha!
One could feel the powerful conviction and wholehearted utterances by the participants as we recited the affirmation and healing mantras … as they lifted up to God, our Greatest Healer, their bodies for His healing touch.
Comments from the participants:
• Antonio C. Bascao, afflicted with colon caner since 2004: I felt my face was stretched when we did the lion laughter, and my eyesight improved when Ms. Elvie taught us eye therapy exercises. Every day, I do the breathing and stretching exercises and the different kinds of laughter I learned during our LYoga session.
• Salanis Perutcho: I felt much better after the session and perspired profusely.
• Marieta Patron: The pains in my body disappeared, and I felt lighter and happier.
• Fe Josue: Very good for my body, my osteoarthritis pain went away, I perspired very much and the feeling was so good.
• Victoria Caberio: I feel positive that I will get well, and right now, I feel I am no longer sick.
• Maria Theresa Baniquet: I feel good, relaxed, young, healthy, beautiful, and in love with life again.
• Betty Neriza Z. Reyes: Invigorating, healthy feeling, happy, my diaphragm was exercised through active laughing; it helped me become very positive.
• Maria Olivia M. Osmillo: Feeling much better, my nervousness was gone, I feel beautiful. My whole body was exercised, and my smile became natural.
• Ms. Peggy: Thank you very much for the wonderful experience. I slept very well the night after the LYoga session, and I feel so happy today. The cancer patients super enjoyed it and are super happy! We learned a lot. Priceless! Ha ha ha!
I quote below the findings of the Laughter Yoga international research from South Africa: “Laughter may not be the most scientific counter to ailments, but a UKZN academician Dr. Gita Suraj Narayan, senior lecturer at the School of Social Work and Community Development and a certified Laughter Yoga leader, recently proved that laughter is the best medicine through her research and a series of community outreach projects. She carried out a research study in 2008 exploring the bio psycho-social impact of laughter therapy on stroke patients and empowering rural communities using Laughter Yoga with cognitive restructuring as an alternate form of therapy. The study comprised 120 laughter therapy sessions using various laughter techniques, pranayama (deep yogic breathing exercises), and cognitive restructuring conducted on stroke patients between the ages of 40 and 90. Significant findings of the study included a reduction in post-stroke depression, enhanced mobility, and the ability to walk without walking aids; endorphins released as a result of laughter helped in reducing the intensity of pain. In some cases, laughter therapy helped patients recover from cognitive deficits resulting from stroke, including perceptual disorders, speech problems, and problems with attention and memory. The findings also showed improved communication and relations between the patients and their significant others.”
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Let’s laugh to a healthy, happy, positive us!
E-mail me at mega_abundant_lv@yahoo.com.