Laughter….Defined
laugh verb \ˈlaf, ˈläf\
intransitive verb
1 a : to show emotion (as mirth, joy, or scorn) with a chuckle or explosive vocal sound b : to find amusement or pleasure in something <laughed at his own clumsiness> c : to become amused or derisive
2 a : to produce the sound or appearance of laughter b : to be of a kind that inspires joy
Children laugh just for the fun of it, from the heart, as they play. They don’t rely on understanding a joke or developing a sense of humor. They just laugh. In Grounded, we teach that Joy is a quality of the heart that can be cultivated and we show how laughter inspires joy through poses such as Laughter Hero, Laughter Milkshake, Oompa Loompa and Mountain Range Laughter.
We practice yoga to reveal our innate joyful nature that resides within our heart. Invite laughter into your body just as you would welcome an unexpected guest who arrives at your door eager to clean your house. Laughter clears away the dust from your heart allowing your innate joyful self to come out and play.
We take laughter very seriously here at Grounded. After all, it’s our middle name. Amy and Cheryl are proud to be certified in Laughter Yoga, created by Dr. Madan Kataria from India. “The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits. “In India, Laughter Yoga has been introduced in many schools of Surat, Baroda and Bangalore. The school schedule includes ten minutes of Laughter in the Morning Assembly, followed by five minutes of Laughter Session in the classrooms both at the beginning and at the end of the day. This routine has shown that the mood and atmosphere gets energized. Teachers and students are happier together, with a more positive outlook, and improved communication, discipline and attendance. Academic results have also shown improvement.”
Of all the proper definitions listed above, at Grounded we resonate most with the last one…to be of a kind that inspires joy! Our mission, our purpose, and our measure of success is inspiring joy. May we all choose to be grounded each day and speak the universal language of laughter with fluency.
Found: This Fear escaped from a very Grounded 9 year old’s first chakra. Her thighs were rooted and her connection to the earth was solid. She faced her fears, and actually whispered to herself, “I have the Right to be Here.” After the Fear escaped she felt even more Grounded and Elevated and aware of where she was in space.
Have you ever felt not worthy? Maybe you lacked Self-love or maybe you didn’t surround yourself with goodness at the time. Who we surround ourselves with is who we become. If we surround ourselves with downers we begin to feel down. If we surround ourselves with happy, joyous, and delightful people we become more happy and joyful. If we were to eat junk food every single day we would begin to feel down and ucky. When we eat healthier we experience delight and Self-love. Honor Your Self! Surround yourself with goodness. “The first step toward awareness is being willing to look at yourself and your life without judgment or self-criticism.” (Iyanla Vanzant) Awareness opens the heart to new possibilities.
