Laughter therapy to relieve stress is widely known. Crying too is a stress therapy, in fact more effective and powerful than laughter, says a group of Japanese men who are advocating and advancing crying as a stress therapy by organizing a seminar called ‘Crying for Joy’. The group recently conducted the seminar in Thimphu.
The participants listen and watch carefully as they are being prepared for the ‘Crying for Joy’ seminar. It starts off with a traditional Japanese story teller narrating a sad tale. Pretty soon, the tears start flowing. Many in the room were crying.
Dressed in their traditional dress, Kimono, these Japanese men are known for making people cry for good back home in Japan. The ‘Crying for Joy’ seminar by these men has attracted huge international media attention. Bhutan is the first country outside Japan where they have conducted the seminar.
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They say Bhutan holds special place in their hearts. They consider Bhutan lucky for them. One even went to the extent of foregoing his grandfather’s funeral to come to Bhutan.
Crying is not encouraged in most cultures. Some consider it a sign of weakness, while others look at it as an undignified act.
But these Japanese men say crying is a natural stress reliever, as effective as laughter. In fact, they say laughter relieves stress only for a short while, whereas crying can leave a person free of stress for a week. They say even scientific studies support the benefits of crying in relieving stress.
The group plans to visit Bhutan again as they continue to spread happiness through crying.
