When was the last time you laughed? I mean really laughed. Tears streaming down your face, sides aching and out of control laughter really taking over your whole body…?
I’m someone who laughs a lot, and easily. But I don’t think I was conscious of the power of laughter until fairly recently. Laughter reduces stress and anxiety, lifts your mood and even strengthens your immunity.
I was talking to my children the other day about the stress cycle. The origins in our ancestors who needed stress if faced with a potentially dangerous situation. When faced with a predator, stress triggers a fight/flight/freeze response so you can use your body to fight to overcome, run away to escape or keep still in the hope that the predator loses interest. We don’t face many predators nowadays, but we do face deadlines and tests and remarks and… our body is constantly dealing with the latest stressors and really needs to have moments of safety, comfort and joy to balance it all out.
Completing the stress cycle (Burnout: Solve Your Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski) means showing your body that the fight is over, that you managed to escape, and that you are safe. Dancing is a good one, hugging is a great one and laughing, is a joyful uplifting one!
How often do you laugh? At the moment, there are so many issues to deal with on a daily basis, not helped by this pandemic that seems everlasting. How many times did you laugh today? This week? Wouldn’t you like to give yourself the chance to focus on uplifting yourself through laughter?
I know someone who can help. Gabriela D Spencer is running a workshop with Madame Papillon next week. It is online, so accessible from everywhere and will give you the opportunity to learn the benefits of laughter, and experience intentional and natural laughter through the practice of laughter yoga.
What to expect?
︎- A safe space to let go
︎- Friendly atmosphere
– Breathing techniques
– Laughter stimulating exercises
– Clapping & Dancing
– Laughter meditation (yes, there is such a thing)
– Guided relaxation at the end
If the idea interests you, let us know, and if you want to sign up, you can register by writing to hello@madamepapillon.org