Laughter Yoga Taster session 14/02/21

Come along on 14/02/21 at 11:30 GMT to try Laughter Yoga for free and experience the positive and joyful benefits that Laughter Yoga brings.

Right now, we all need a little bit more laughter and joy in our lives, so come along to Birthscapes free / donations based Laughter Yoga taster session on Sunday 14th February, 11:30 am GMT (UK).

The session will include:

• Brief into to Birthscapes & laughter yoga

• Warm up

• Laugher exercises

• Grounding exercise

• Relaxation / yoga nidra

• Q&A / feedback

Further information about laughter yoga:

Laughter Yoga is a body-mind exercise and is based on scientific research proving that the body cannot tell the difference between real or "fake" laughter, so we get the same physiological & psychological benefits. However, for laughter to have a real effect, laughter should be sustained for around 10-15+ minutes and should be deep belly laughter.

There are two models of laughter, the adult (mind-body) model and the childlike (body-mind) model. With the adult model, laughter is usually triggered by an external humorous stimuli, such as a joke or seeing something we find fully. This kind of laughter is however conditional. Our laughter response depends upon our understanding of the humour (e.g. understanding the narrative of a joke), how it is told, our mood (i.e.. if we are in a negative mood, we may not respond as well) and also our exposure (if we hear a joke or watch a funny scene repeatedly, our enjoyment may dissipate).

Laughter yoga involves: childlike play, deep yogic breathing (pranayama) and laughter. Laughter is not based upon humour but is instead delivered as a bodily exercise. Laughter yoga is unconditional, we do not need a reason to laugh (e.g. external humorous stimuli) and it is something that we can access whenever we choose, with immediate positive benefits.

Laughter includes all four elements of joy: dance, song and laughter.

It provides an opportunity for everyone, adults and children alike to just play and be joyful without embarrassment or feelings of doubt. When was the last time you just played for the sake of playing for yourself alone? Play is beneficial throughout our lifespan, it doesn't become void and unnecessary just because we mature.

Laughter yoga allows for us to tap into and to develop our playful and creative side, which supports us both in our personal and professional relationships. Laughter yoga creates new neural pathways and reprograms our responses so that we respond in a more positive way to events and situations.

Some of the physiological benefits include increased: endorphins (natural opiates), oxytocin (hormone required for birth, breastfeeding, love and bonding), serotonin (relaxation, pleasure and improved memory), and dopamine (clarity, motivation, working-memory).

When dopamine is released in our body we smile and laugh and when we smile and laugh, we release dopamine.

There is a two-way connection between the mind and body, with whatever happens to one having an effect on the other. Consider the following, if we act sad and depressed using our body's to mimic this, we will start to feel sad and low / depressed emotionally after a short while. Whereas, if we are feeling low, but use positive body language, stand up straight, maybe even get out for a walk, we start to feel better. Laughter yoga is based on the body-mind theory of motion creates emotion. This is supported by scientific research and is one of they principles of NLP.

We cannot be in the 'fight, flight, freeze' response (our sympathetic nervous system) as well as our 'calm / rest & digest' state (parasympathetic nervous system). As such, by engaging in laughter yoga, we stimulate the parasympathetic branch of our autonomic nervous system and take ourselves out of our fear response.

What to do now?

Book onto the free / donations based session, using the Eventbrite link. You will then be sent a link to the Google Meet webinar event.

Sign up to my Facebook page (Birthscapes) for further information about upcoming events, including IG and Facebook Live Q&A sessions with esteemed guests, and workshops.

I have information about my upcoming courses in KG Hypnobirthing, Mindful Breastfeeding, the Beyond Birth Parental Wellbeing programme and Laughter Clubs (antenatal, postnatal & family sessions) on my website (www.birthscapes.com) and Facebook page (Birthscapes). If you have children of any age, you are also welcome to join my Facebook Page, Birthscapes for Parents and Parents to be.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday and laughing with you.

Warmest wishes,

Katy

Birthscapes

www.birthscapes.com

katy@birthscapes.com