Laughter

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose". Woody Allen.

Before I start I'd like to apologise for last week's blog - for some reason when it was published, half of the content vanished into cyber space, never to return!  I think blogger has sorted itself out now so this week should promise to be a full length blog! (I will return to the issue of forgiveness at some point in the future)

Ok, so onto the theme of today - laughter.  In honour of my guest, Joe Hoare who'll be speaking on the next PPUK Show in November (details below), I thought I'd give you some useful information about the free and readily available therapy of laughter.

Laughter is a great healer and is used as such by the inspirational doctor; Patch Adams (played by Robin Williams in the 1998 Hollywood film).  He believes that laughter and happiness are key to health and wellbeing and he does great work teaching, speaking and giving free medical care to patients in the US.

"In this life he who laughs longest laughs last". John Masefield.

If you want to feel instantly relaxed, laughter is the most efficient method you can use because it causes all the muscles in the body to release energy. 

Laughter and its little sister Smiling, can be enjoyed by yourself or in a group and both have many health benefits including lower blood pressure and reducing pain.  Regular laughter can also help; boost your immune system, reduce stress hormones and increase happy healthy hormones.  And it's really good for your heart and gives you relief from stored emotions.

The trick with laughter is getting into the habit of doing it often.  Sometimes life can seem to stressful and too serious and we forget how to really let go and laugh.  One thing Joe Hoare taught me on one of his Laughter workshops is to 'fake it til you make it' and this is about physically making yourself laugh on a regular basis to help you to make it a habit in your life.  I will suggest some ideas of ways you can make the most of this fantastic, free and funny little therapy.

1. When you wake up, make yourself laugh really loudly - try going 'ha ha ha', 'hee hee hee' or whatever works for you.  Look in the mirror while you do this and pull funny faces at yourself.  If you live with someone, get them to join in or make them laugh through the power of your sillyness!

2. Look up jokes on the internet or buy a joke book and share them with others; like these ones from Tommy Cooper:

So I said to the taxi driver, 'King Arthur's Close'. He said,
'Don't worry, we'll lose him at the next set of lights'

I went to the doctor. He said 'you've got a very serious illness'.
I said 'I want a second opinion'.
He said 'all right, you're ugly as well'.

I hurt my back the day.
I was playing piggy back with my 6 year old nephew, and I fell off.

A waiter asks a man, 'May I take your order, sir?'
'Yes,' the man replies. 'I'm just wondering, exactly how do you prepare your chickens?'
'Nothing special, sir. We just tell them straight out that they're going to die.

Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bullshit before

3. Look up funny videos on the internet and share them with others. There should be something for every sense of humour like animal ones or funny adverts (you can try YouTube or Yahoo or just search for funny video clips).

4. Watch funny programmes or films.  This is great to do by yourself or with others. 

5. Pay attention to find the humour in your day to day life - there are so many things that we might see or do that can make us smile or laugh.  If something funny happens, share it with someone.  Sometimes you need a fresh perspective to find the funny in life and when you do it can be uplifting and enlightening.  Consider how you view your life - do you have fun?  Do you take time to be silly and release your inner child?  What difference does that make to your experience of life?  Sometimes we need to go back to basics and review our belief systems to make the most of our time here on earth.

6. Attend a Laughter class or workshop like the one run by Joe Hoare in Bristol.  You may also want to check out Joe's fun stuff page on his website right now - I love the quirky signs from around the world!...

The important thing to remember is to find what works for you - discover for yourself ways you can make your heart a little lighter that bring you back into the present moment, free from conscious worries about the future or the past.

"To laugh totally is not only to be inwardly blessed, but to heal inwardly, profoundly"  Alison Stormwolf

Missed the last episode of PPUK?
Catch up now - www.tinyurl.com/ppukshow         
                                     

Next episode of Picture Peace UK - Sunday 13th November, 7pm - with Joe Hoare, Laughter Facilitator
You can listen as a guest on the night or sign up in 3 easy steps:
1. Click here and enter just a few details to register for FREE

2. You will then be taken back to my show page (Wendy Harmony, Picture Peace UK).

3. Click on the 'Follow' button on the right hand side of my page and you will automatically be invited to forthcoming live shows by email
NB. If you aren't taken straight to my showpage, just search for Picture Peace UK when you have signed up for Talkshoe and then click 'follow'.
By participating in the show you agree to the disclaimer.

Picture Peace Uk & Hypnosis 4 Harmony on You Tube:

Hypnosis 4 Harmony

Watch my Hypnosis 4 Harmony video to learn about how the subconscious mind works and how you can use holistic therapies like Hypnotherapy and EFT to undo old unwanted habits and create new positive ones.

Picture Peace UK

Take a look at the Picture Peace UK video to find out a bit more about my project and how you can get involved. I am offering an exciting opportunity for you to join in with others across the UK and experience a LIVE visualisation meditation. I will be your guide on this journey of finding inner peace and creating peace in your life. The best bit? It's completely free for anyone to join in and find out the benefits for themselves.

Like my videos and need a personal or professional video for yourself? If you are in the Gloucestershire area get in touch and I'll put you in contact with Videographer Jason Murphy - and you can enjoy a 10% discount for going through me.

Events

The World Wide Energy Awareness Event: http://energy888.org/

Organisations/People of Interest
Celestine Vision, Global Prayer Project - watch their video at globalprayerproject.com/ (they have a similar vision to Picture Peace UK, however to join in live in the UK you would need to tune in at about 1am - its good stuff though, James Redfield author of The Celestine Prophecy runs the project with his wife Salle.

Action for Happiness, www.actionforhappiness.org/ (You may have seen them on BBC Breakfast, they are a fairly new movement for positive social change. They're bringing together people from all walks of life who want to play a part in creating a happier society for everyone).

World Peace Prayer Society, http://www.worldpeace-uk.org/ (Their mission is to spread the message 'May Peace Prevail on Earth', to help achieve harmony within the individual, in society, and with our environment, where 'peace' is seen as the highest aspiration of humanity).

The Big Peace, http://thebigpeace.com/the-90-day-programme/ (A Free 90 Day Coaching Program To Help You Finally Find Inner Peace And Contentment)

Related Articles:
Article: Picture Peace UK: Using EFT & Visualisation to create inner and outer peace

Article: Tapping into Feelings - Using Positive Visualisation with EFT

Hug Chain: When was the last time you really hugged someone?

Books (Links to these at Amazon opposite):

Bruce Lipton PH.D, Biology of Belief

Dr. David Hamilton, It's the Thought That Counts

Joseph Chiltern Pearce, Evolution's End

Dr. Larry Dossey, Healing Beyond the Body

Amanda Lowe, Bliss
Joe Dispenza, Evolve your Brain
Jack Canfield and Eva Gregory, Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction
James Redfield, The Celestine Prophecy

Films (Links to these at Amazon opposite):

The Secret

What the bleep do we know?

Water

Pay it Forward