Hardly Har Har

Laughter Yoga

Since starting my project of new experiences, I have felt lovely squishy positivity, inspiration & excitement. New things are always exciting, non? Not necessarily. Now before I go any further these are records of MY experiences and regardless of positive or negative effects on me I am not going to bang on about how crap something is. No regrets, that's what I say. However I am going to be honest in the most unoffensive way.

I set out this evening to a Laughter Yoga Workshop and was greeted with a decent cup of coffee & a plate of biccies which I declined very obediently (pat on the back). I handed over my dosh and was guided upstairs to a room of about 14ish people, all seemed pleasant enough so far. The class began with some loosening out of the muscles, I could do with that after a day in the office. The muscle loosening seemed to go on for for a while. I was left wondering what pearls of expertise had thought this one up...then came the laughter bit. Step one, breath in. Step two, laugh. Are you kidding me?

I had a vague look around the room for a recognisable nod of 'lets go to the pub' (I've learned to decipher that nod over time, it takes skill and practice) but no, everyone seemed to be into it. So, I thought I'd throw my cynicism away in a rather hippylike fashion. "Get out cynicism!", I cried (in my head of course, I didn't want them to think I was completely barking) and went along with it. A few giggles followed but I couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was in on a really hilarious joke - everyone except me. So, I spent the two hour session hobbling around the room & pretending to laugh but, unfortunately for me, found none of it really that funny.

I do accept that perhaps I was missing something because there were regulars there who were having a whale of a time. However I realised at the end of the session that I do laugh enough in my everyday life, which in itself is a great lesson to learn, and I'm grateful that I can, and have a reason to, laugh every day. So, it wasn't my cup of tea but I can see the benefits for those who want to bring out the inner giggler in a judge free environment. I, on the other hand, will be sifting through my Dylan Moran DVDs when I feel the need to bring forth a chuckle.