Zoom laughter sessions for the week commencing 22nd February follow. I've just had some lovely feedback from a participant joining for her first time this week that I'd love to share here:

"Thanks very much, Em. Not laughed so long or so hard in ages. Highly recommended!!!!!"

The sessions are slightly different times this week due to school and work related bookings. Monday 11am, Tuesday 10am, Wednesday 4pm and Friday 5pm this week. I've added an extra session and I'll see how it goes doing 4 this week. 

Breaking news is that I've just finished my Laughter Yoga Leader course which is exciting. I also, on the same day, completed my Couch to 5K culminating in my first 5K run for ages. The 18th February was an auspicious date for me :)

The sessions are freely given and if you'd like to pay it forward with kindness you'd be very welcome (anything from a smile at someone to a bunch of flowers/helping someone out in need however makes sense is all good) but equally if you'd like to come along and just laugh then that's great too. I'm finding the zoom sessions working really well and it's a lovely time to spend with people. The sessions last about 30 minutes or so.

I heard today about new research from Hong Kong University and also a Turkish nursing college where they'd shown the positive effects of Laughter Yoga on anxiety. There's apparently a further 15-20 studies going on around the world currently investigating it, but it's enough for now, for me, that I feel good after the sessions.  I am curious about how much can be achieved from a regular laughter practice, and who knows, the researcher in me may be awoken yet.

For now, with love and laughter - I hope to see you soon,

Em x

If you're joining for the first time, please check the contraindications at the bottom of this blog post and be sure you're OK to laugh in the sessions. Thank you!

Feb 22, 2021 11:00 AM London

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Meeting ID: 794 9665 5855
Passcode: 4fhAPt

Feb 23, 2021 10:00 AM London

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Meeting ID: 712 3192 7834
Passcode: 9qia4X

Feb 24, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 716 7767 2094
Passcode: 5MU0Qg

Feb 26, 2021 05:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 734 1650 9035
Passcode: iN9t20

It's been so lovely to share laughter with friends and colleagues around the country... which is one benefit of the online time. I'm as ready to be seeing real people, having hugs and big face licks by now as anyone else (ah I appreciate everyone else might not be into the licks - perhaps I've spent too long around the dogs by now!). The gift of increased nationwide connection has been gorgeous and I think I'll continue in some form like this. I'm also visualising meeting in parks to laugh, maybe inside in the winter months or rainy days, let's see what happens. But for now, I've three sessions this coming week that anyone is welcome to join in with.

The sessions are given freely for several reasons - I'm aware I laugh more with others than by myself so it's lovely for me, I want to share it with others and I'm still in training as a leader of laughter yoga, so am sharing as a friend not a teacher. It really helps me consolidate what I'm learning in the classes to be sharing it so am very appreciative of those joining me. And importantly, I've felt the benefit of laughing through tough times and want to extend that to other people who may benefit too.

I love the Pay it Forward concept (if you need a good cathartic film it's worth a watch, starring the 'I see dead people' kid Haley Joel Osment) and the idea is really simple - if you want to work with it, enjoy the session then do something lovely for someone else. If you don't fancy the idea, then just enjoying the session works too :)

Laughter Yoga works by using laughter exercises and yoga breathing and can help increase the oxygen in our bodies and brains thus helping us feel more energetic, healthier and even perhaps more productive! Our mind doesn't distinguish between real and voluntary laughter, if done with willingness so the proven health benefits are possible to gain, and possibly even more accessible, from Laughter Yoga sessions than from relying on life in general making us laugh. 

This week it's half term holidays for me and times are slightly different to the last two weeks. I'm going for Monday at 4pm, Wednesday at 6pm and Friday at 4pm. Children are welcome to join in and have joined in with several of the sessions so far - even suggesting some laughter exercises that we all did together which has been great. 

Zoom links for each day are as follows: 

Topic: Laughter Time
Feb 15, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 797 0956 0701
Passcode: Fwuf1u

Feb 17, 2021 06:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 754 1300 6860
Passcode: fCW9gp

Feb 19, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 723 2402 9259
Passcode: fud6zV

Might see you there!

With love and laughter, 

Em x

It's been an interesting one! 

​Here's January. Finding my way towards emotional alchemy.

If you'd like to join me in Laughter Yoga, I'm currently updating times weekly on the blog here. Please read through the guidelines of earlier blogs, in particular reasons why you shouldn't do it. Also to be aware that I'm sharing it as a friend, not as a professional as am still in training. I've had some lovely feedback and it's great sharing laughter with others.

If you'd like to join me in my year of challenge, it's really easy - pick a few things you'd like to learn about, allocate them to a month or two months (not, perhaps, as I explained above 4 different things in a month... and I forgot to mention the Tony Robbins course that I signed up to and then realised I'd far too much going on!). Perhaps some reading, some activities you've always wanted to try but not got around to and jump in and give it a go. I'd love to hear from you if you decide to have a play with the concept.
​

Perhaps it's no laughing matter out there, and it would be fair to say I've had times the last week where it's felt hard going. That said, my regular dose of laughter time has often picked me up and got me back on my feet again.

There is something kind of magical about this to me, and the sharing of it makes it even more beautiful. I'm grateful to everyone who's attended a session over the past 3 weeks - can hardly believe I'm 3 weeks into my laughter journey! My leader training continues and happily so.

I am planning 3 sessions this week again, Monday at 10am to kick start the week, a hump day Wednesday at 4pm and Friday 4pm getting ready for the weekend.

You're welcome to attend, one, two or all of them. There's no charge - perhaps there will be one day - my daughter tells me I give away far too much - but for now, they're happily shared freely :) I'm sure there'll still be some of that even once qualified. For now though, if you want to pay it forwards somehow I'd love that, or just enjoy the session.

Monday 10am
Topic: Laughter time
Time: Feb 8, 2021 10:00 AM London

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https://us04web.zoom.us/j/72942793517?pwd=SGZjR3BhVDlHWDRIUFo2ZGtEVVVPZz09

Meeting ID: 729 4279 3517
Passcode: s7Wik4

Wednesday 4pm
Topic: Laughter time
Time: Feb 10, 2021 04:00 PM London

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https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75346177294?pwd=QW0yZEtTRlErLzFaWmNZVHhEVTJXQT09

Meeting ID: 753 4617 7294
Passcode: Hqfy0s

Friday 4pm
Topic: Laughter time
Time: Feb 12, 2021 04:00 PM London

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https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77017636259?pwd=Y3VBYXZVNlEyaUJoTWZIVUYyOEJPUT09

Meeting ID: 770 1763 6259
Passcode: R89QjG

See you there!

Hoho hahaha ;)

​Em 

That old saying 'may you live in interesting times' has been on my mind a while now. For these certainly are interesting times. Whichever side of the fence you're on. Whether it's a 'medicate everyone and it'll all be OK', or 'where is the information about natural immunity and why is it all being suppressed?', we are being bombarded with information from both sides of the metaphorical fence.

Last week for example, a friend and colleague sent me this:

I don't really even know where to start! I could rant on about how the concept of anti-vaxx is one dreamed up by the media to help cause further division and shut down conversation - which in my opinion, having been branded with that stick, on the basis of my profession, I should know a little bit about. I could tell you about all the mums I know who breastfeed and don't question this, don't home educate, don't all become hippies camping out in a yurt plaiting their underarm hair. But I thought best to breathe, be aware and move on.

Interesting that we need to shut down 'skepticism of institutional authority and healthy living practices' though. Because why? No one should be questioned? I'm not talking about the 'Big V' question. I have no desire to. But healthy living? Really?? Surely the American Academy of Paediatrics would quite like some 'healthy living' folk out there?

But then, the next thing I saw was this from The Guardian: Lunar cycle has distinct effect on sleep, study suggests.

​So perhaps we are in tune with nature after all. Or quite 'natural'. Then today's Guardian article discusses a project where, along with vitamins, homeopathic products were sent out to over 1000 NHS staff in early pandemic days. Does Vitamin D combat Covid?

Years ago The Guardian printed a brilliant article by a colleague: I don't know how, but homeopathy really does work. Since then times have changed and sharing openly positive articles towards homeopathy are not the way the mainstream press goes. 

But perhaps, in these paradoxical times - are they a-changing back towards a more natural focus; is that why we need a big push back against it?

One to muse for sometime I wonder.