2007 World Laughter Day

Date: Sunday 6th May 2007
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Venue: Verulamium Park in St. Albans
Cost: no charge - charity donations welcome

HO HO HA HA HA!
HEE HEE HU HU HU!

World Laughter Day was held around the world on 6th May!

In the UK London and St. Albans laughed!

Laughing in all the different time zones it seems the Earth was laughing non-stop for 24 hours.

Now, that was an amazing thought!

People gathered to laugh for peace, joy and happiness.

World Laughter Day was first introduced in 1998 by Dr. Madan Kataria. Since then the day has been held on the first Sunday of May to encourage World Peace.

For more information and details of the World Laughter Day 2008 please visit www.unitedmind.co.uk.

World Laughter Day Message From Dr Madan Kataria, founder of Laughter Yoga.

For release Sunday 6 May 2007 - World Laughter Day

"My dear friends of laughter yoga, today is WORLD LAUGHTER DAY.

It gives me great pleasure that tens of thousands of people are celebrating this day in more than 55 countries around the world.

Laughter yoga can bring BETTER HEALTH, JOY and WORLD PEACE to our world.

Why do I talk about BETTER HEALTH?

We are more prosperous today than 50 years ago.

We are also 10 times more stressed, sad, lonely and depressed. Depression is the number one sickness.

Stress continues to be major killer causing 70 to 80% of all illness.

Cancer is increasing.

Medical research tells us that the root cause of these illnesses is a lack of oxygen in our body cells. Because of stress we no longer breathe properly.

Laughter yoga is a fun and easy exercise that increases the net supply of oxygen to our body and brain and teaches us to breath properly.

Laughter yoga has helped tens of thousands of people to reduce stress levels, to bounce back from depression and to recover their health and wellbeing.

WHAT ABOUT JOY?

Laughter yoga is not about happiness.

It is about joy.

Happiness is fleeting, but joy can light our lives like a flame giving us strength and purpose.

It is easy to become joyful through laughter exercises and developing our childlike playfulness.

Happiness is a complex mental decision.

Joyfulness through laughter is the fastest way to create a positive state of mind.

With a positive state of mind our world quickly becomes a great place to be.

Joy teaches us to enjoy what we have today and every day. It gives our life a positive new purpose and meaning.

WHY DO I SPEAK OF WORLD PEACE?

If we are healthy and joyful then our life focus changes.

We lose our dis-satisfaction and hostility.

We realize that richness of life comes from serving others with unconditional love, appreciation, kindness and forgiveness.

Laughter is a positive energy.

It creates a positive mental attitude and brings openness and generosity, a willingness to help others.

It shows us that all people are brothers and sisters to be loved and cherished.

If you love people you don’t declare war against them, you work for peace.

The growing movement of laughter clubs in more than 55 countries is one big happy family dedicated to the creation of world peace.

On this auspicious day, I have a message for all the laughter lovers in our world.

Do not dislike or hate other people. Love them unconditionally.

We cannot remove negativity, violence and terrorism through war.

War brings more war.

Ancient wisdom says that you can never remove darkness. Darkness does not have identity.

A small spark of light in a dark room makes darkness disappear. But a small darkness cannot affect the light in a room.

Let our laughter be the light in the darkness.

Let us love our enemies unconditionally and we will have peace within ourselves and bring peace to the world.

I have a vision of seeing one million laughter clubs in the next 10 years.

I have a vision that the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics will start with one minute of laughter among the world’s athletes, among the spectators in Beijing and the millions watching live telecast --- let all those millions laugh together for just one minute and we will be closer to bringing health, joy and peace to our world.

Please join me right now in one minute of laughter. I love you all."