Jakarta – Joy and boisterous laughter echoed in one of the buildings located in east Jakarta. That morning, Sunday (8/4) the Anand Ashram Foundation Community (affiliated with the UN) visited the building of Anak Akar Studio which exudes the subtle quality of comfort and beauty. They wanted to share the Laughing Therapy, which Anak Akar Studio already knew from several private TV channels in the country. The Anand Ashram Foundation was founded by Mr. Anand Krishna, a spiritual activist and a prolific author who has written about 150 books.
Joy with Anak Akar Studio
Anak Akar Studio Community is a non-formal institutions established by several initiators, who are so concerned of street children and the underprivileged, in 1994. Later in 2009, this community was transformed into the Anak Akar Studio Autonomous School. It provides education equivalent to elementary, junior high school and high school for street children as well as children from underprivileged families.
That morning, the members and volunteers from Anand Ashram Foundation conducted a social service, as a routine activity, by introducing their principal sports program: the Laughter Therapy sports which stimulates anybody to burst in laughter and can transmit joy in a relatively short time. They wanted to share the joy they have benefited from the exercise.
Joy radiates from their faces
One of the participants from Anak Akar Studio, Putri (18 years old) from Depok, was thrilled by the presence of Anand Ashram Foundation in Anak Akar Studio Community. She was delighted to be able to try that Healthy Laughter sports. She and some of her friends could laugh out loud when they were taking part in the program, which was facilitated by Dian Martin and M. Dozan from Anand Ashram Foundation.
When asked about her impression about the Healthy Laughter sports Putri commented, “I am very happy I could laugh in the ways they taught us. It is funny and interesting. I never thought we could laugh out loud together. The children also seemed to enjoy it without burdens.” “I hope the togetherness and closeness like this can happen again. It is nice to be happy together”, she added enthusiastically with a cheerful face.
The Healthy Laughter therapy provided by Anand Ashram Foundation is the result of an exhaustive research on the importance and influence of “laughter” on the health significantly. It looks simple but it takes care of the health holistically.
And … they laugh
The methods have been already arranged systematically so that the facilitators of Anand Ashram Foundation can provoke laughter from every participant. At the beginning it might be difficult for people who are experiencing stress or those who cannot laugh easily. Nevertheless if you follow the instructions from the experienced facilitators you will undoubtedly laugh out loud. And the burst of laughter echoed in the open space. Stress and tension are relieved.
At that time, the body produces melatonin, a substance that provides relaxation to the whole body. It is a substance which is produced when somebody is sleeping or in a calm state. Yet here the purpose of this Healthy Laughter sports is to intentionally stimulate the body to produce that natural tranquilizer.
After joy has been created, it’s time the melatonin is spread throughout the body therefore the participants were invited to sing and dance together. It turned out the kids fostered by Anak Akar Studio could easily enjoy the series of program. The laughter sports day ended with the pronouncing of affirmations, guided by Dian Martin, “I’m Healthy, Successful, Joyful, and Always Conscious,” is pronounced slowly while closing the eyes and by placing the hand over the heart.
With this visit, the Anand Ashram Foundation Community expects: hopefully the joy, happiness and good health always belong to the foster children of Anak Akar Studio so that they can work and go to school with enthusiasm and joy. The meeting and farewell happened in joy and happiness. May the same joy and happiness can spread to all mankind. So be it.
(Reporter : Selamet Jr, David E. Purba – Documentation : Prabu Dennaga, Translator: Sylvia Antaresa)
