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Laughter Yoga stretches imagination at Nature Center
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
No joke. Laughter Yoga will make you laugh, giggle and even guffaw.
Teresa Lisum of Newton Falls, a certified Laughter Yoga leader, led a recent session at the Ford Nature Center at Mill Creek MetroParks.
Carol Vigorito, recreation and educator manager at the park, recruited staff members to participate, and they did so with good humor because the 11-degree temperature earlier this week kept other participants home. The staff-development session helped park employees alleviate stress since they’re hard at work on summer programming.
Vigorito received an email from Lisum inquiring about offering a Laughter Yoga session at the park, which has other yoga programs. Vigorito acknowledged she thought the email was someone pulling her leg, then researched it online. “We’ve never had anything like this,” she said.
Laughter Yoga sessions are planned for 1:30 p.m. March 11 and 5:30 p.m. April 15 at the center.
Lisum, dressed in a yellow smiley T-shirt and matching socks, said the yoga components are breathing and stretching interspersed with laughter and concluding meditation. She noted laughter benefits the body and mind. Lisum has been involved in Laughter Yoga for four years since reading about it in a magazine, then pursuing training.
As she began the session, Lisum urged participants to “let their inner child out” and “have fun.” She led the laughter mantra ... clapping hands and chanting “ho-ho-ha-ha-ha.”
Stretching included reaching for imaginary cookies in the center of the circle that the women formed, then clasping their hands behinds their backs and stretching. Pretending to tie one’s shoes provided another stretch. The “silly shake” involved shaking their hands then feet.
“Shake your body and get rid of negative energy," Lisum urged. “Smoosh” your face with your hands, Lisum instructed, to get “loosened up” to laugh.
Lisum then asked participants to have a vowel movement ... repeating a-a-a, e-e-e, i-i-i, o-o-o and u-u-u then ho-ho-ha-ha-ha.
As the program progressed, the exercises generated spontaneous laughter among the women who became more relaxed.
“The body doesn’t know the difference between spontaneous and simulated laughter,” she said, adding that both benefit the body.
Genuine giggles greeted Lisum’s suggestion that the women pretend to have “ants in their pants” that tickled them and also urged them to engage in a slow-motion pretend pillow fight. Doing the “hokey pokey” was a musical vehicle to laughs along with “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.
“Laughter is the fastest way to increase your face value,” Lisum told participants.
The session concluded with a laughter pledge and short meditation.
Vigorito said the session was “refreshing and creative.”
Julie Bartolone, a naturalist, said she finds it easy to laugh and found the experience “enjoyable.”
Hillary Lenton, a naturalist, added the session was “an interesting experience.”
Cara Hahn, program and event coordinator, who is close to her delivery date of a baby boy, said it was “relaxing.”
Marilyn Williams, a naturalist, said “it’s good to bring joy into your life.”