Dr. Annelie Gareis, Ecuador: When I was a small child I had a dream which I never will forget. I dreamed that I stood hand in hand with my mother in an amazing blue cave, which was sparkling all over. Off in the distance I saw a woman who smiled at me very cheerfully. I heard such beautiful music that I had to let go of the hand of my mother so I could spin round and round. I danced and started floating inside the cave. Feeling one with the music and movement I reached the smiling woman, who lifted me up without any effort. I knew that this woman was my teacher for dancing. “I want to dance!” I shouted to my mother.

What I was feeling was a sensation of spinning around, joy, motion and happiness connected with all and everything. I felt like I would take others into the movement and at the same time others were taking me into it. Suddenly I was aware that the world was moving around me and my movements were moving the world around. Those sensations I feel now everytime when I am dancing and laughing with others.

Unfortunately I didn’t have many chances in life to feel those wonderful sensations. For many years of my life I was sad and it held me back from performing my best. When I got to know Laughter Yoga, things changed. With prolonged laughter, play, dance and singing in Laughter Yoga sessions, I could trigger those good feelings over and over again and I found ways to extend this joy to others. Primarily I found the most changes within myself.

One of the changes within myself was the way I startet to deal with repeating problems which I have like all of us. I noticed that we always face the same challenges. The problems that we would like to get rid of. Eventually I concluded that it is our life’s work to solve these always repeating issues.

Now with the intensity of laughter that I felt in the training, I recognized life as a play and so it was very easy to overcome difficult repeating problems in life. Effortlessness and joy replaced fear and anger. I learned that it was not necessary to judge everything and everyone. I laughed about situations that would have provoked a depression in the past

Another change within myself that was a direct result of Laughter Yoga was a new belief that it is our life task to share our own abilities that we were born with. It became important for me to get to know myself and find my purpose in life. When I was in Laughter Yoga sessions I looked around and noticed the joyful response on peoples faces. I knew I had found my gift and my purpose.

I learned that the emotion of joy always showed up, when I did what my inner child wanted me to do and this was laughing, singing, dancing and playing. I could do it alone and this was good. I could also do it with others – and this was even more fantastic! After a laughter session I noticed the expression of joy on the faces of the participants. I had learnd that I was able to make a present to myself and serve others at the same time, when I did, what my inner self wanted me to do.
My struggle was over by being myself I brought laughter and joy to myself and others.

After 3 years of Laughter Yoga for myself and with other people I can summarize:

I have found my place in this life, where I can feel the joy of life by doing what I really like. In these moments I also feel deep love for life, the whole creation and for the moment where I can be totally myself. I have been able to detect my themes in life. Today I am more free and open to look at my problems honestly and accept them. With my new attitude many of my negative feelings have turned to positive feelings. I have gained confidence in life and now believe that life will always generate the best for me. My confidence continues to grow more, because of my new openess and joy in life has lead to fantasticand awesome events. Everyday I experience more effortlessness and joy in my life