By Jan MacQuarrie
I came from a very serious family
one that was very serious about being serious.
My 
Husband David is a Physician who is well recognized
for his work with anger. Myself, I am a retired
Nurse, Certified Mediator, Behavioral Consultant
and Human Communications Facilitator. This combination
is really what initiated me into Laughter Trainings.
I like balance in my life and it seemed like
angry energy kept knocking me around.
I heard Steve Wilson of the World Laughter Tour
on a radio interview and phoned him immediately.
David and I enrolled in his workshop in California
and drove three days straight to get there. We
camped in ice and snow in that January of 2001
to add to the adventure. We drove over 7000 miles
but we learned how to start a laughter club.
This form of laughter from the Laughter Clubs
is about self generated laughing - not telling
jokes or apparently about anything except laughing.
Laughing till it hurts your belly, until tears
are streaming down your face. You see we all
could laugh for no apparent reason when we were
about two years old - and we were considered
cute then as we got older - the cute left and
we started receiving messages, This is not funny,
Take that smile off you face, Be serious, and
many more. And our natural, spontaneous laughter
stopped unless we were in the 'right place' a
comedy show or with friends telling jokes.
On returning I immediately offered my services
to various groups and held some workshops on
our premises. The concept really took off.
In the first year I facilitated twenty nine
talks around Ontario. This included mental
health institutes, staff for any stressed workplace
- i.e. hospice, even the clients at Alzheimer's
homes, church groups and conventions.
So I have been learning my lessons of being
less serious- and contributing to 
communities
by exploring and experiencing with them what
it is like to be playful and recreate that
gift we had so many years ago. I encourage
you to have fun, laugh and generally learn
to live in delight.
My experience in Canada has been very different
from the US. Canada is a reserved and cautious
nation. It takes Canadians time to take up new
ideas. But it is coming. Get out there and laugh
and come to one of our seminars.
The next Canadian training is being held May
9-11th in Orangeville. Fee $175 Can – meals
and accommodations separate. Contact Jan MacQuarrie
- jan@aplacetwobe.com
For more information about laughter clubs go
to www.worldlaughtertour.com
