About 30 studies link volunteer work to health and longevity.
— Greg O’Neill, US Nat’l. Academy on an
Aging Society
Small things are responsible for great changes,†was Dr. Art Libao’s Pedya Kamp theme for their conference this year at the Makati Medical Center. Pedya Kamp, composed of over 300 youth volunteers and doctors, undertakes extensive training, this time in Saranggani, on how to best take care of our disabled and special children. To help prepare them for this daunting challenge, and make it an easy-enjoyable-memorable experience — aside from talks and tips given by specialized-in-this-field doctors — Laughter Yoga was made the main feature of Pedya Kamp’s conference. A case of an advocacy wholeheartedly supporting another advocacy!
Sweet smiles were seen, roaring laughter was heard soon after my LYoga team and Lynda Geraldez entered the hall. To jumpstart their energies, we immediately did the LYoga clapping — as this touches acupressure points in the palms to boost the flow of energy to the body. This was followed by the hoho-hahaing that moves the diaphragm up and down rhythmically, making you feel good overall. The participants playfully and gleefully did the different LYoga exercises, and some especially liked the Lion Laughter, an anti-aging, anti-wrinkle facial exercise that’s good for the throat muscles as well. The Laughter Pill exercise elicited so much laughter and fun. The carefully-crafted-designed-to-foster positivism chants were recited as one by the participants to the invigorating rhythm of hoho-hahaha!
The Pedya Kamp participants waited eagerly for the LYoga session to laugh their hearts out — and to banish into the air the worries, burdens, stresses, tensions, disappointments, anger they may have harbored consciously or unconsciously over time. Only through LYoga can people laugh wholeheartedly, continuously for an hour — as laughter is contagious and spreads easily. I encouraged the participants, after dropping their inhibitions, to release their stresses and tensions from the tips of their toes up to the tips of their hair as we did the LYoga exercises, interspersed with deep breathing and positive chants. Their all-to-give-and-do-carefree attitude made the LYoga session vibrantly alive with excitement and laughter galore to the hilt.
Being mostly young, many times the laughter could hardly be controlled, it just kept rolling on and on, with an almost nonstop hoho-hahaha, complete with body movements! Some even jumped for exhilarating joy! Ah, to be with young ones makes you feel young once again.
As I’ve told friends, I love so much conducting LYoga sessions. However, the process of scheduling takes too much time and effort. Sometimes, the two to three months of e-mailing back and forth comes to naught, with the time and efforts wasted. Moreover, as I conduct LYoga session in companies/organizations only once a month, when a scheduled LY bogs down, sadly other companies/organizations are deprived of the opportunity, as I deal with clients one at a time.
Seeing hundreds of participants laughing heartily, gamely participating, enjoying the sparkling moments gives me a sense of purpose, of fulfillment, and enhanced self-worth. Above all, the knowledge and satisfaction of making a healthy, happy, positive difference in them are the unequalled dividends I reap from this advocacy.
Some participants’ motivating-and-inspiring comments:
• Mae Torres: Laughter is truly the best medicine! The Laughter Yoga experience is an overload of happiness!
• Julie Grace Polon: We enjoyed the session and learned a lot from Ms. Elvie. We’ve learned to become positive in life and be happy all the time.
• Jerna Malonzo: Truly a much-awaited activity! Something we look forward to every year.
• Danielle Reyes: It was really fun! Thanks for sharing with us this wonderful experience.
• Sherra Mie Lantin: Laughter is really the best medicine. It really relieved me of stress. I will always laugh so I could be relaxed.
• Marc Jezreel Sacdala: I really had a great time, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it again.
• Ray Angelo Villanueva: LYoga is a great experience. Thank you for the opportunity!
• Fedel Osorio: I enjoyed the LYoga session. I felt very happy, healthy, and blessed!
• Rosalinda Balbuena: It was a really fun and enjoyable moment.
• Kristina Marie Taneo: I felt much better after doing LYoga. It made me happy, and freed me from stress.
• Aura Mae Santos: LYoga helped me overcome my depression, and I feel great now.
• Kathlyn Rose M. Cuyana: It was fun! I felt relieved and comfortable after doing LYoga. I promise I’ll always laugh from now on!
• Lyea Farillo: Very funny! I felt relieved and comfortable. From this time on, I will always laugh and smile.
• Mary Mijares: I love it! Thank you so much, Ms. Elvie. It was wonderful, so much fun, and amazing!
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Let’s laugh to a healthy, happy, positive us! For more info, e-mail me at mega_abundant_lv@yahoo.com. Visit http://laughteryoga.ph.