Krysan Blog: Healing Words 5 - Laughter - Archive
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- Written by Marian Moore
KRYSAN
THE WELLBEING CONSULTANCY
H E A L I N G W O R D S
(Enjoy a 5-minute chuckle with Marian @ Krysan)
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. ALBERT EINSTEIN
You are invited to log on to the KRYSAN BLOG each Friday or Saturday during the months of July and August for this latest series of Krysan Master Classes. The intention is to continue to explore the use of writing as a form of therapy and hopefully the caption HEALING WORDS and the Einstein quotation will prove rich in possibilities. MARIAN @ KRYSAN
Blog 5
Friday, 7 August 2009
It's all good ...
Turn up the sound and click below for
It's been all good this week. Tuesday saw me offering my services as a volunteer for a new BBC project to gather the Nation's true stories and publish them on line. The project is called 'My Story' and will be launched in early September 2009 on The One Show. So, look out for that. Wednesday meant a meeting with old friends for a Community Lecture by Sunderland man, Dr. Chris Steele. Dr. Steele is well-known as the in-house doctor on the This Morning television programme. Thursday saw a flurry of emails between me and another old friend, Marion Aslan. Marion is a mental health activist and published author who is in the process of launching an exciting new venture called EleMental. To learn more about EleMental go to USEFUL LINKS on the menu.
And, now it's Friday and the healing power of laughter is firmly on the menu, particularly for those who enjoyed again the sweet sounds of the Laughing Policeman so loved by generations of children in every corner of the globe. That link to Youtube was just for starters. For seconds, the following are some questions and answers from a children's science examination:
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
And, this one's for public health trainees everywhere. The question posed was, 'Name a major disease associated with cigarettes'. The answer given was, 'Premature death'. For those training to be medical doctors, here's a good one. Question: 'What is a fibula?' Answer: 'A small lie'. And, another (for medics and for shorthand writers). Question: 'How are the main parts of the body categorized?' Answer: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs; and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels A, E, I, O, and U.' Maybe I can test-drive just one more for some emergent journalists with whom I shared a laugh. Wasn't it Mary Poppins who had something useful to say about a spoonful of sugar? Anyway ...
Q: 'What does the word 'benign' mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
You have to laugh. It's good for you. That's official. Laughter ...
And, how do I know all this? Out of curiosity (and you know what that did), I found the money for the fee, braced myself for the unknown, and took myself off to a weekend Laughter Yoga Leader Training Session in Durham City. This was just a week or so ago. On reflection, it was money well-spent and now I'm certified (!) as having successfully completed the required training for Laughter Yoga Leadership under the guidance of Laughter Yoga Teacher, Lotte Mikkelsen. I would add that this was an absolutely unforgettable experience. I enjoyed (and laughed) through every single, exhausting moment of the two-day event. I was in good company throughout as like-minded people had travelled to Durham from all over the North of England. Like me, they had signed up to learn 'to laugh for no reason' and the skills to persuade others to do likewise for the good of their health. The following is from the laughter movement's official bible, Laugh For No Reason by Dr. Madan Kataria,
Sun demands no reason to shine;
Water demands no reason to flow;
A child demands no reason to be happy;
Why do we need a reason to laugh?
Fake it until you make it. You don't have to be a comedian to take part in Laughter Yoga or even have a sense of humour to enjoy the experience. You simply follow the Leader's instruction, 'fake it until you make it' and hey presto! Before I say more about the contagion and the undoubted magic of laughter, here's something more about the research which has been carried out by scientists over the past two decades. Significantly, this shows that laughter has a positive impact on the various systems of the body (including our precious immune system) and helps to remove the negative effects of stress which is known to be the number one killer today. In a nutshell, we are told that more than seventy per cent of illnesses, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, frequent coughs and colds, peptic ulcers, insomnia, allergies, asthma, menstrual difficulties, tension headaches, stomach upsets, and even cancer, are somewhat related to stress.
Laughter is seen as being the master key for the maintenance of good health.
The concept of Laughter Yoga is simple. Many people believe that one must have a good sense of humour in order to laugh and these same people see a sense of humour as being all about telling jokes, being funny and witty. Consider this. We are not born with a sense of humour - it is an acquired skill. On the other hand, we are all born with the tremendous potential to laugh. The scientists have found that children laugh spontaneously 300-400 times a day and usually (as all parents know) this means without any joke-telling whatsoever. A child does not laugh because he or she has a sense of humour, but rather because it is in the very nature of the child to be joyful. To develop a sense of humour one merely has to remove the inhibitions and mental blocks which have been created by one's own self, by one's parents, and by an over-seriousness in society at large. Once these barriers are removed, the infinite potential of each and every one of us to laugh will unfold automatically - as will our sense of humour. In Laughter Yoga, you 'fake it to make it'. Does that now make sense?
In India where Laughter Yoga started, the culture was such that people in the past rarely even smiled. Today these same people, the people of India, are to be found everywhere laughing, cracking jokes and enjoying humour as never before. More strength to their elbow. And, please note the Laughter Club phenomenon so evident across India is developing apace with more than 5,000 Laughter Clubs throughout the world. As mentioned above, it is intended above all else to allow us human beings to be joyful and playful as we were meant. The encouragement (the return) of this trait of joy which we were born with will undoubtedly help all of us navigate through life more effectively and create more opportunities for finding happiness.
The philosophy of Laughter Yoga is profound. Here's another quotation from Dr. Madan Kataria's book. These words help explain further why some highly committed professional people gave up their weekend to travel from far distant places to Durham City's Alington House, their purpose being to train as Laughter Yoga Leaders.
WORLD PEACE
THE MANTRA FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
There is a war in the world because we are at war within ourselves. If we can bring peace within us there will be peace outside. If we can bring peace within ourselves by practising Yogic Laughter, living intelligently and taking part in creating Laughter Clubs all over the world, there will be everlasting peace on this planet.
One last comment. Always remember that there is a heavy price to pay for taking oneself too seriously. Depression is the world's number one sickness. So, here's another two of those examination gaffes to end with, these being for everyone, everywhere who likes to laugh.
Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarian Section.'
A. The Caesarian Section is a district in Rome.
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.
On becoming a Laughter Yoga Leader
"You don't have to be a comedian to succeed and you certainly don't have to tell jokes,
but a sunny disposition, staying power, and courage will help."
Marian
This rose is a tribute to all those
with whom I have enjoyed the gift of laughter over the years
Until we meet again, I remain your very own
Laughter Yoga Leader
Turn up the sound and click here for
REFERENCES
KATARIA, Madan Dr. (1999), Laugh for No Reason: the entire world is an extended family; let us join through love and laughter, pub. Mumbai, Madhuri International
WEBSITES
WORLD PEACE THROUGH LAUGHTER
A LAUGH IS A LAUGH IS A LAUGH
- ENDS -696 hits @ 2013-05-05