I used to think that all laughter was a good thing, as in "Laughter
is the best medicine", until my years of Buddhist training when I
came across Buddhist teachings that distinguished healthy laughter
from unhealthy laughter.

For example "Laughing until you cry" or "Until your sides ache" is regarded by
Buddhists as unhealthy - their philosophy favours "keeping in the vibrant flow
of life" as opposed to neurotic "clinging and attaching", which so easily turns
us into "couch potatoes" dependent on a constant flow of external, consumer
entertaiment rather than our own playful, joyous, self-expressive creativity.

There is no doubt that some laughter/comedy is more about denial,
self-aggrandisement or destructiveness rather than the playful,
light, spontaneous and natural sense of humour that is our human
(and spiritual!)) birthright - not to mention a powerful antidote
against stress, mental illness, despair and a powerful, life-
enhancing boost for our immune and endocrine systems and for
cardiovascular health.

Healthy laughter can improved our relationships, reduce
irritability, aches, pain or tension, lift energy levels, restore
zest for life, relax mind and body and improve quality of sleep.

The healthiest laughter is also holistic - sending waves of
liberating joy and release coursing through our mind, emotions,
body, spirit (life-force), perceptions, relationships and behaviour
patterns.


Therapeutic laughter
--------------------
Laughter Therapy is not about "being funny", "making fun"
or "cracking jokes". It is experiencing the natural light
spontaneity and humour that is our human birthright. It is also
about "letting go" and opening ourselves up to the holistic ripples
of energy that course through our body, relieving stress and
tension, boosting our immune system and liberating the warm, relaxed
body language that encourages loving, supportive relationships and
lightens and invigorates those tedious, humdrum, boring daily tasks
and weighty adult responsibilities.

Therapeutic, healthy laughter is playful, nourishing, warm-hearted
and puts life and ourselves into a clearer perspective, without
being cruel or derogatory. Therapeutic laughter is celebratory -
celebrating the ambiguity, whimsicality, curiosity and chaos of life
and of people.

Within each of us there is a natural "joker" who can effortlessly
transform tragedy, struggle, stress, anger, frustration and
suffering into comedy, vitality, enthusiasm, flexibility and
perspective.

UK Laughter Therapy Workshops
------------------------------
If you are in travelling distance of East Anglia this weekend, why
not join us in a workshop to re-connect, renew and revitalise your
own creative and playful inner joker?

This Laughter Therapy workshop introduces us to tools and games that
can move us from a state of heaviness or weariness to a state that
is light, spontaneous, joyous and connects us to others with a
clearer sense that life is partly "play", partly a "game" and partly
absurd.

We will be including "Laughter Yoga" and "Laughter Meditation"
sessions.

This Laughter Therapy workshop is also available, by request, in
other parts of the United Kingdom.

More details at: http://www.sunflower-health.com/workshops.htm