The Creative Corner: July 2020

The Creative Corner: HOPE

Creativity is intelligence having fun.

– Albert Einstein

It’s timely that we should launch our 2020 Laughter Yoga USA Newsletter during the pandemic and the rising of racial upheaval and political unrest.

Recently, we have found ourselves awakened to a new world. The world as we know it has forever changed.

Laughter Yoga as a healing art form has the ability to educate, inspire, motivate, awaken our senses, our mindfulness and enhance our creativity. The laughter exercises themselves are improvisational and they allow us to remain alert and think quickly on our feet- which is helpful in our personal and professional lives. It’s no wonder that many creative types are drawn to the Laughter Yoga community. We as Laughter professionals are like magicians or alchemists; we weave and cast our magical laughter spells, which help to transform a depressing or negative mood for our client’s population. At any given time, Laughter Yogis get to start out our day using a blank canvas, as metaphor. Coloring our world, we decide on the strokes, the images, the words, and how this can help to shape or frame our day and transcend any emotional and physical pain. We apply these brushed strokes- which give us permission to laugh in the face of adversity, be creative, joyful and playful.

The Alexander Pope quote, “Hope springs eternal,” comes to mind in the darkest of times. In The Laughter Flash: The Creative Corner, we’ll SHINE A LIGHT ON and get to highlight a few Laughter Yogis in the community who have shared their creativity in various art forms. I’ve chosen the theme of HOPE, which seems fitting during these challenging times, to uplift our spirits towards brighter future full of possibilities.

Throughout the Laughter years, these women profiled, have journeyed in their homes, streets, beaches, and gardens- stumbling upon new vistas and gaining fresh perspectives through their creativity. These explorations have helped to stir their creative juices and ignite their spirits- leaving them bubbling with new insights and emerging creative endeavors.

Poetry of Hope

I’ve included Cara Nusinov’s poem entitled “Tomorrows.” Cara writes, “When I saw children popping bubbles and deer leap in these challenging times, I laughed and felt hopeful. I laugh for health as a laughter leader. As a poet, I write about serious and happy events. I strive for balance. My mother says, where there is life there is hope.”

TOMORROWS by Cara Nusinov

“Hope” is the thing with feathers. – Emily Dickinson

There is hope in bubbles touched by toddlers

as they waddle through a meadow,

through daisy petals swaying to unheard music.

It makes me laugh, and you laugh, too,

in fields of flowers where yellow dandelions

dust hillsides and reappear year after year.

Each season deer fly over the fence

at dusk.Horses nuzzle and neigh; they jump

their hurdles, clear hedges, what faith they have.

Optimism is free, you cannot touch it,

it’s why we plant our feet on the floor

each morning, it’s elusive, concrete joy,

so, we’ll cry, we’ll giggle, we’ll capture images

or write about subtle hope, celestial plans,

tomorrows. I’ll grab some mirth, breathe, laugh.

Flowers of Hope

Cynthia Conus Keeler‘s photographic images are a series of yellow hued flowers and plants. I choose her uplifting yellow colored images, as the color yellow represents: optimism, creativity, happiness, enthusiasm, and confidence. Cynthia writes, “Walking in nature is my meditation. It keeps me in the here and now. Each time I visit the gardens, different flowers are blooming and replacing those that are fading away, which represent the cycle of life, I guess.”

Color Me with Hope

Sarah Routman creates playful, whirly and swirly pages to color on Laughter Doodles. You can download her designs on the Laughter Doodle Facebook page for free.

Here’s Sarah’s Laughter Doodle of HOPE. Sarah writes,” When you’ve laughed yourself out of your mind, a few minutes coloring can be just what the doctor ordered. When you color Laughter Doodles, you get the best of both laughter and coloring together.”

Download the Laughter Doodle of HOPE.

Morning Dew of Hope

Elaine Nieberdling’s photographic images are morning remnants of a nighttime shower. Elaine writes, “There’s beauty in them collecting in a way we could notice and honor H20, the same water that compromises 60% or so, of our physical presence.” When Elaine is taking photographs, she adds,” Sometimes, it’s just textures and visual delight. The sidewalk chalk with the word HOPE really captured the playful curiosity that I associate with hope. Openness to joy that a being, more free and innocent- expresses, embodies.”