2008 West Coast
3rd Annual West Coast Laughter Yoga Conference

October 10-12, 2008

Start: Friday Oct. 12 at 7pm
Ends: Sunday Oct. 16 at 1pm

ALL WELCOME!

Join many kindred spirits, one of the most senior figures in the international Laughter Club movement and other successful experts in their field for the most important Laughter Yoga event of the year West of the Mississippi in a peace-inducing environment. This event is a must for all Laughter Yoga practitioners, leaders, teachers and professionals & others interested in Laughter Yoga.

NETWORK WITH YOUR PEERS

LAUGH & HAVE FUN

LEARN & GROW

People You Will Meet:

Sebastien Gendry

Sebastien Gendry is the founder and Director of the American School Of Laughter Yoga. He served for two years as World Operations Director for Laughter Yoga International, the organization leading the Laughter Clubs Movement of over 6000 clubs in 63 countries and is still the official representative for this movement in the USA. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

An enthusiastic and articulate speaker, he has been featured several times in the US media (The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC Good Morning America, National Public Radio, Associated Press, CBS News, Telemundo, Celebrity Fit Club, KCAL 9, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Inspire, and more). Read more.

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Laughter Yoga Latest News and Updates from around the World. In this very informative workshop you will learn the latest Laughter Yoga findings, techniques, trends and other relevant Laughter Yoga information from around the world! Sebastien is on the road in the USA teaching Laughter Yoga about 1 week per month and will lead workshops in France and Russia in July, as well as attend the 2008 Australian Laughter Yoga conference in August. Expect a full and unique audio-visual report in Death Valley!

Guru Yogi Ramesh

Yes, he is the one whose "Laughing Yoga" video you have seen everywhere on the internet in the past 2 years (over 3 million people have watched it). Yogi Ramesh started practicing what he called "laughing yoga" long before Laughter Yoga as we know it today existed. His ability to bring tears of laughter to all those who practice with him is truly a gift from the heavens. He began Yoga at the age of five, and has been practicing every day for over forty years.

He has appeared on NBC, CBS, and ABC on programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and the Roseanne Show. He has been featured in numerous US publications as well, including the Los Angles Times ("Ramesh Pandey A Better Body by Breathing") and the US News (Ramesh Pandey - Universal Yoga Guru). Read more.

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Beyond the basics of Laughter Yoga:

• The Yoga side of Laughter: simple Hatha Yoga exercises and breathing techniques for a healthier body
• Laughter Meditations 101: because the only way out is in
• How to use Laughter to clear your chakras

Jeffrey Briar

Jeffrey Briar is the Director of the Laughter Yoga Institute based in Laguna Beach, California, and the founder of the first Laughter Club in the world outside of India to meet seven days a week.

Jeffrey has been a Yoga Teacher since 1976. He has undergone extensive training in different Yoga Schools and taught Master classes himself to different Yoga Teachers Associations in Europe and North America.

He is also an accomplished comedian and performer on stage and screen. His career highlights include hundreds of TV and stage shows, as well as motion picture work with major Hollywood actors and actresses. Jeffrey concurrently flourishes as a concert pianist and composer and gives frequent solo recitals and serves as accompanist for opera singers, Broadway musicals and variety shows.

Jeffrey Briar\'s greatest enthusiasm however is for Hasya ("Laughter") Yoga, which he discovered in 2004. He is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher (Dr. Kataria School Of Laughter Yoga) as well as a Certified Laughter Leader (World Laughter Tour.) He travels throughout North America and Europe delivering Trainings, workshops, keynote speeches and special programs.

Recent media appearances include: The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars", “The Megan Mullally Show”, CNN’s “Happiness and Your Health” with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and more. Read more.

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Celebrate and Play as only Laughter Lovers can! (Jeffrey Briar is in charge of the Saturday evening festival of entertainment)

• Newly-Developed Laughter Exercise and Gibberish warm-ups: get out of your mind, into your heart, and ready to have a Blast of Creativity like you’ve never had before!
• All-Gibberish Grand Reception – bring your most outrageous and brilliant costumes, for mutual admiration and gawking.
• All-Gibberish Talent Show and Open Mike – jaw-droppingly funny skits, displays, and “Moments of Now.” “Talent-Free” acts are heartily welcome. You’ll never find a more appreciative, generous, and laughable audience.
• “Words Now Allowed” Talent Show. Laughter-Loving People include many amazingly talented artistes!
• Dancing with your new-found Laughter Buddies –expect the outrageous.

Dex Graham

Dex Graham is a nationally certified yoga teacher, Pilates instructor, fitness instructor, Laughter Yoga Teacher, and Holistic Personal Trainer from Long Beach, CA. Dex has worked in the fitness industry since 1994 and is a former studio owner and Group Fitness Supervisor for 24 Hour Fitness, the world’s largest privately owned chain of fitness centers. He also has been on the fitness teaching staff for colleges and universities, including a number of corporate fitness centers, such as Nissan Motors, Honda of North America, Rockwell Corporation, and Boeing Aerospace. With a background in improvisational theater, music, and theater, Dex also is a toy designer and children’s book author with more than 100 domestic and international awards. Read More.

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Fitness centers are great places in which to lead Laughter Yoga sessions. Large, enthusiastic classes, amazing sound systems, and fun fitness equipment are all available for incorporating into a Laughter Yoga class that also makes for a satisfying cardio and mind/body workout. But the unique expectations, industry licensing standards, and safety concerns can be daunting obstacles for the newcomer to the field. Dex Graham will lead an informative and hands-on “Laughter Yoga Fitness” seminar and mini-class that will shed light on the opportunities and concerns for Laughter Yoga leaders in this exciting new field. Dress ready to move. Soft-soled shoes recommended.

Laura Gentry

Rev. Laura Gentry founded the first laughter club at church. She is the Director of the Iowa School of Laughter Yoga and has been a pioneer in spreading the laughter movement throughout the Midwest. She produced and directed the film “Laugh Friends: A Laughter Yoga Workout for Kids”. With well over a decade of ministry and motivational speaking experience, Laura brings radiant energy and wisdom to her Laughter Yoga work. Read more here and here

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Laughter Yoga is an effective tool for spiritual growth. In this enlightening workshop, you will learn about the teachings on joy from major world religions and how Laughter Yoga can be integrated into these religious practices. As a minister, Laura will share firsthand how holy hilarity has enhanced her pastoral care. Experience uplifting, original techniques such as laughter intercessory prayer, and the laughter blessing.

Rolande Kirouac

Experience a refreshing and innovative approach to organizational wellness with Rolande Kirouac, a professional member with the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers and a certified Laughter Yoga teacher. Rolande believes that leaders who can learn to laugh more easily create a contagious environment, one that leads to healthy, satisfied and happy teams. Creative thinking skyrockets. Cooperation soars. Job satisfaction goes through the roof!

Owner of the Winnipeg, Canada-based consulting company Spadrole and co-creator of the laughter CD ‘HA! Rolande has logged over 10,871 laughter hours and has appeared on national and local television and in the press. She has been published in Leadership Gurus Speak Out! Rolande provides unique consulting packages, dynamite keynotes, unforgettable interactive workshops and life-changing retreats.

Andi Girl and Melanie Pleasure

Fun, fun, fun! Two Licensed HoopGirl Teachers will put some life into the breaks of this conference by sharing hooping tips and tricks with whoever wants to try out hooping! (hoops will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own).

Andi Girl\'s energy is off the charts with her passion of Hooping fun meets functionality. Using her Laughter Yoga experience, she invites spontaneous laughter into every class. Hooping for the first time ever in 2006, she went from a size 20 to a size 12 in six months. A real woman in an every day woman\'s body, she will share her awakening and inspire you with sexy, blissful and healing movements. "Feed the craving...get into the Hoop Habit.

Melanie Pleasure hopes to help you regain a true appreciation for your body, and be thankful for every part of you no matter how large or small, wrinkly or smooth, slender or not. None of that matters. What does matter is that you enjoy yourself inside the body God gave you. She\'ll help you free yourself by enveloping you in warm, positive energy. And she will want you to feel. Not think, just feel, and be happy. You can do it! That\'s her mantra!

And More!

Linda Leclerc (Director of the French Canadian School Of Laughter Yoga) confirmed her attendance and will share her Canadian experience with us.

We are still expecting confirmation from a couple more speakers to make sure this event will be the uncontested highlight of your year.

2008 American School Of Laughter Yoga Annual Retreat

October 12-15, 2008

Start: Sunday Oct. 12 at 7pm
Ends: Wednesday Oct. 15 at 1pm

Retreat Leader -- Sebastien Gendry
Retreat Co-Facilitator -- Vicki Howie

Create Your Own Destiny, Feng Shui Style

This retreat is designed for you if:

* You feel unclear about what you want in life
* You know what you want and yet you have difficulty making it happen
* You tell yourself “I want to do / be / have xxx, BUT it’ll never happen”
* You want to learn a powerful and fun way to focus on and achieve your life goals

Vision Board expert Vicki Howie will guide you in two different sessions (5.5h total) through a hands-on process of creating your very own Vision Board - one that will help you clarify your dreams and inspire you to manifest your most heartfelt goals. You will learn how to incorporate Feng Shui techniques to make your Vision Board more energetically powerful and complete.

A Vision Board is a collage of photographs, pictures and words (on a large sheet of card) representing people, events and things you want to bring into your life. It acts as a reminder about the life you dream of and enables you to focus on starting to make that Dream happen right now.

All the art materials -- including a 20” x 30” foam core board -- will be supplied, but please bring images you love that represent what you would like to see in the following areas of your life:

• PROSPERITY & PHILANTHROPY
• HEALTH & HOME
• LOVE & MARRIAGE
• TRAVEL & BENEFACTORS
• FAMILY & FRIENDS
• KNOWLEDGE & SELF-CULTIVATION
• FAME & RECOGNITION
• CHILDREN & CREATIVITY
• CAREER & LIFE PATH
  

Take Time Out to Spend Time on You

This is a unique time for yourself in the midst of the breathtaking desert grandeur of Death Valley. We\'ll have fun, highly interactive and creative activities every morning and evening, including numerous Laughter Yoga workouts and more with Sebastien Gendry, two Vision Board sessions with Vicki Howie, and one activity focusing on "The 7 Aha\'s of Highly Enlightened Souls". Afternoons will all be free time when you can nurture yourself with anything you like from massage to private yoga sessions, horse riding, golf, nature hikes, silent introspections and more.

Deepen Your Connection With The Joy Within

There will be daily laughter sessions and meditations (am and pm) with Sebastien Gendry, Director of the American School of Laughter Yoga. Regie Wells (Make-up Artist of Oprah Winfrey) best describes the impact of these sessions with Sebastien: "stress lifted from my body, it lifted stress from my soul".

Create Lasting Friendships

Come spend time with like-minded positive people in a warm & friendly environment. You will get to know all the participants of this retreat really well, as you bond in a friendly, relaxed and non-judgmental atmosphere.

This Retreat Will Be Led By

Sebastien Gendry

Typical is not a word that describes Sebastien Gendry. Born and raised in a small French village, he has lived in places such as Paris, Munich, Vienna, Florence, Hong-Kong, Calcutta, Mumbai, London and Los Angeles while crafting a compelling professional record. He holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of Angers, France, which he financed working as a free-lance journalist and doing round-the-world trips during his summer vacations.

An entrepreneur, he started a telemarketing agency in England in 1996 and grew it with his two partners to a multi-million $ company within 6 years.

An experienced Fitness Trainer and Hatha Yoga Teacher, he is also certified in 7 other forms of mainstream alternative healing therapies (massage, acupressure, energy work) which he has used on a one-on-one basis with over 1000 person. He speaks five different languages, has run 4 marathons and 1 ultra marathon, and loves to push his own limits.

An intuitive teacher, he is emotionally open and intensefully thoughtful. He projects a combination of earnestness, recklessness, adolescence, mischievousness and yet has a mature introspection that is much more than intriguing. He is playful with people from all walks of life, and manages to expand their mind in a trivial manner. Read more

Vicki Howie

Vicki Howie, M.A.,loves inspiring people to live to their fullest potential. She is a yoga teacher, life coach and workshop leader with a passion for deep transformation.

She has created a unique Feng Shui Vision Board Process that combines the power of visioning with the beneficial aspects of Feng Shui to help you clarify and manifest your dreams. It’s a power-packed combination that will guide your life to a more passionate and inspired place.

Participants of Vicki’s Vision Board Workshop have described it as:
“Inspiring!” – Cortney L.
“Powerful and revealing.” – Walter G.
“Fantastic fun!” – Rhoda C.
“Releasing, aligning, centering.” – Sherry B.
“Provocative.” Shannon B.

Vicki has an M.A. in Behavioral Communications from the University of Washington, has graduated from two different yoga teacher training programs, and is certified as a Yoga Alliance Teacher and Laughter Yoga Leader.

Currently, Vicki teaches yoga at four different locations in the San Fernando Valley, and at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts at Cal State, L.A.

To learn more about Vicki go to www.sacredblissyoga.com.