Laughter Greetings!

January was filled with faces at the Ageless Laughter Class and new volunteer opportunities.

Leigh started re-entry classes again at the regional jail with women inmates. Her teaching about laughter's ability to access and strengthen our "authentic" selves has been well received. She also suggests that for the hour of laughter yoga class, that the women leave their shame, regrets, failues and mistakes "at the door". For that hour, they're simply going to laugh. They have championed laughter yoga - demonstrating laughter games to other inmates - and seem to be having a blast.

Leigh also volunteered at UVa. She participated in the Health Carnival for the library staff -- for all 12 libraries. The laughter yoga session brought out the laughing lions in the studious staff members. A few have started attending the Ageless Laughter Class.

The second group at UVa. were women who are at high risk for breast cancer. It wasn't hard to get that group chuckling. Leigh's volunteer work may open doors to bring laughter yoga into the Cancer Center at the hospital. Yay!

The Ageless Laughter Class at The Senior Center is still going strong. Sometimes when we attend a laughter yoga class and feel so much better afterwards, we classify that as an "event", instead of something we expect to experience regularly. It's because we're used to laughing for a reason. We go to a movie, comedy skit, or a night out with friends and feel better. End of story until next time. Leigh has offered education about this lately - feeling relaxed, hopeful and energized can become a way of life, not just an osscasional experience. In other words, keep coming back to classes! Your laughter will do the work for you to change your health, habits and life!

Even though this report is positive and hopeful, we always need encouragment from you to keep going. This isn't a need for ego-boosting -- more like specific feedback that what we're doing is helpful to you, how and why?

We appreciate and value your support and look forward to a spring (no more snow!) filled with new opportunties and the laughter yoga leader certification training in beautiful Lexington in May!

laughlovepeace,

Leigh and Jon