Ooh la laughter with designers!

I bumped into my former gym mate Jiro Estaniel in a Japanese resto and asked if I could conduct Laughter Yoga for his organization, Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID). According to him, having known me for quite a long time in the gym and used to my hilarious laughter, just seeing the pictures in my column already makes him laugh. He recalled his first encounter with me: He was on the treadmill and so was I. He was watching a teleserye when roaring laughter filled the room. Confused, he focused his eyes on what he was watching, asking himself what was going on: Were his eyes or his ears misleading him? In what he was watching there were crying scenes, but he was hearing laughter instead. Looking around — aha! — he saw me laughing aloud while watching the same scenes! We had a good belly laughter when he narrated this to me. I told him I don’t want crying scenes so I laughed instead! Ha ha ha!

After a few days, I received their formal request for a Laughter Yoga session at the second seminar of PIID at the Makati Home Depot last November 18. 

It was so easy to warm up with the 90 participants, who were eager to experience Lyoga for the first time. To set the right laughter mode and help the participants drop their inhibitions and loosen up, I introduced the Lyoga clapping, which helps boost the flow of energy to the body when we touch specific   acupressure points on the palm. We followed this up with ho, ha, ha-ing, which moves the diaphragm rhythmically that is good for our overall well-being. Combining the two warm-up exercises, voila! We were all set a-fire for one and a half hours of total relaxation and an unforgettable afternoon filled with fun and laughter.

I suggested to the ladies in stilettos to kick up their heels (quite literally) so they could completely and comfortably participate. I was surprised they managed to do everything comfortably. Their toes and feet must have been so relaxed and energized. No aches, no pains — just like my arthritic knees that are pain-and-ache-free weeks after each Lyoga session. Laughter is indeed the best medicine!  

Since most of the participants were women, when I announced that the next laughter was anti-aging, anti-wrinkles, they immediately came forward, filled with wonder. Yes, Virginia, it is called Lion Laughter!

 Below is the icing on my Laughter Yoga sessions, the inspiring comments by the participants:

• Leila Garcia: Nice work for the insides.

• Necita R. Cheng: Happy to meet you, Ms Elvie! Thank you for sharing your laughter.

• Jiro Estaniel: Very, very good! Thank you for making us laugh heartily.

• Jane Ong: Very lively, entertaining, and packs a lot of punch as far as workout goes. I will do it more often.

• Mary Tan: I enjoyed it so much. I will recommend it for our team building at the Rotary Club, to our life insurance company and, of course, to our own interior design office.

• Dr. Joy Ejercito: Very effective and enjoyable!

• Rogelio Caringal: It was a happy experience having you as our speaker in our seminar.

• Alice Erfe: Very relaxing and refreshing!

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E-mail me at laughteryogaphils@gmail.com. Visit youtube lycphohohahaha… to laugh!