All's Well In The World

Laughter Club Begins Again in Rogers Park

Laughter Club just started up again tonight and will be held every Monday night at 7pm.  I found a great spot just down the street and eight people turned up for our first 'meeting'.  It's so much fun!  It's not possible to laugh for a whole hour though.  We do some simple stretching and then relax too.  I look forward to this fun community gathering growing.  I haven't done much to promote so I need to get out there and hand out flyers.  It is in a cool space and I think once people hear about it, we will have a great turn out every week.  The more the merrier! 

It is so cool the way laughter breaks down barriers.  Laughing together is really bonding. It feels like all of the sudden I have eight more good friends in the world.  All we did was laugh! 

HA HA Halloween

Those of you who know me, know that I am not much of a pet person.  Never have had one.  My friend Susan, however, is all about the animals.  She sent this email of pets in halloween costumes.  Now, I facilitate a laughter club every week and generally laugh easy and often.  But never have I laughed as I did when I saw these.

Some of these pictures had me on the floor.  Tears, shortness of breath, sore sides, the works.  I am sharing my favorites.  Go ahead and just let the laughter ripple through your entire being.  It is a state of mind so just let it in.   Click on the images if you want to read these owners perspectives on what their pets may be thinking for a somewhat disturbing if not intriguing insight into the mind of a pet "parent."

                                                   
                                                                           

                                                                                                                                    

"Laughter is so close to Forgiveness"

After our laughter club yesterday, one of the participants said to me, "Laughter is so close to forgiveness."   This really struck me.  It is.  Try to not forgive someone you are laughing with.  Laughing comes straight from the heart.  It pours out of the eyes, just like tears.   When we laugh, we look into each other's eyes.  They eyes are the windows to the soul and through them we can see the tenderness, purity and beauty in each person. 

There are only two emotions, love and fear. All other emotions are based on these.  If someone is not being loving it means they are afraid about something.  When we recognize this it is much easier to forgive.  When we are laughing, we are in direct contact with our own and other souls. 

I suppose every conflict resolution meeting or court proceeding should begin with laughter exercises. Then at least everyone would begin with a clear head and open heart. 

Next time you are mad at someone, try laughing together for a few minutes before you express your concerns. 

Keep laughing.

Laughter Club getting press, growing in size

Our Tuesday morning Rogers Park Laughter Club is getting good press. A couple weeks ago, a journalist showed up to take some photos.  I included some of them in an earlier post.  He works for Crain's Chicago Business magazine and a little blurb on our laughter club appeared in this week's issue.

We have new people showing up every week along with a steady group of regulars.  The weather has been just fine and even when it is cold or rainy, I think it will be fun to have the drops tickling our cheeks as we throw our heads back in raucous laughter.  It's only about a half hour! 

8am every Tuesday.  Loyola Park at Lunt Ave.

It is always a sure mood lifter and a great part of my weekly schedule.

click on the photo so you can read it.   Crain's Chicago Business 9/11/2006

My heart IS vast

I just read the first three entries from my bound lotus practice. It is amazing to see how far I have come.  Guess that's what journaling is all about...

That second one on day 5 made me cry, really.

Now here is me laughing.  A photographer named Kevin showed up to Laughter Club to report for some business magazine in Chicago.

There's my man and his mom too.

                           

Laughter Club is growing

This morning I held our second Laughter Club.  It was a bit rainy out and Paul couldn't make it so I wondered if anyone would show.  We had 8 people!  That is double our first club and the weather wasn't so nice.  It was a nice mix of characters and I know it brightened my day. 

It's fun to laugh, but not everyone thinks so.  I was walking around the park inviting people to join us.  I approached a man who was standing in the area we said we would meet and asked him if he was here for laughter club. "What's that?" he asked indignantly.  I told him and he said, "ew", with a sour face,  "that doesn't sound like much fun."  I just laughed.  I might as well have been showing him the bottom side of my shoe after stepping in dookie.

Well, fortunately there are many people who have expressed interest and enjoy getting together to laugh.  Even handing out my little bills to promote it has been a lot of fun.  I hand out a slip of paper that says, "FREE!" and "FUN!" and explain what it is, and even that makes people laugh.  There have been people who I feel hesitant to approach.  They are guarded, dark, low.  I do it anyway and I am amazed to see the sun come out in their eyes.  A man on the street turns from some foreboding character to a warm and grace filled papa right before my eyes.

This is cool.  I think it will quickly grow from twice monthly to weekly, as soon as I get back from teen yoga camp in August. 

come join our Laughter Club!

On Tuesdays at 8am up here in Roger's Park, we will be gathering to laugh. That's it, just laugh. It's based on the work of Dr. Kataria. Check out his website at www.laughteryoga.org.

The upcoming dates are July 11, Juuly 25, August 1 and August 15.

It lasts about a half hour. You may wish to bring a blanket or towel to sit on as we will be outside in the grass among the trees near the beach at Lunt Ave.

Get yourself to Sheridan Rd. and head north if you are in the city (or south if you are coming from northern suburbs). Lunt Ave. is north of Morse Ave. by one block and several blocks north of Loyola University. Look for the cafe Ennui. Turn east on Lunt and drive to the lake (a half block). There is a big parking lot right there. We will gather in the grass.

What a fine way to start the day.