Phillip Mann – writer, teacher and theatre director

This is a good extrovert exercise to complement the intensity of the ‘going deeper’ exercise.

Image that the person leading the workshop is giving a lecture – it does not matter what. The class is seated, observing, taking notes etc. Be sure that people are spread out.

Now in one corner someone starts to laugh. The laughter is infectious. It spreads slowly across the entire class like a wave passing. Those who have started the laughter should no longer be laughing by the time the laughter reaches the other quarter. At the end the class should be as it was at the beginning, and the lecture continues as though nothing has happened.

But. .. Now, after a few  moments,  those who have just stopped laughing should slowly begin to cry. The weeping spreads across the entire class, again like a wave, until it finally fades away. The last people to begin weeping are those who began the laughing.

This is an interesting exercise. I think it clears the emotions in a very healthy and open way. It is not unusual for those who have finished crying to comfort others. Also, at the end one has silence and can move to a new and more physical exercise…  such as machines. Read on.