Laughter Yoga?

When you think about yoga what comes to your mind? Meditation. Contortionist-like positions. Those are two things that come to MY mind. But laughter?

Today, as I was browsing the titles of some of the videos on google video, I came across Laughter Yoga. Laughter Yoga was started by Dr Madan and Madhuri Kataria. We all know that laughter is the best medicine, right? Normally we don't laugh for no reason. If we did, people would think we were crazy! We laugh because there is something funny that makes us laugh.

But in the Laughter Yoga class, participants do not need any reason to laugh. I watched a video of one of the Laughter Yoga classes. Just watching at the participants laugh was enough to make me laugh along with them. :-) In fact I am still laughing as I write this because the video I just watched is still very fresh in my mind. Yes, laughter is very contagious!

I didn't realize that Laughter Yoga is a serious business, not a laughing matter in fact. Dr Kataria is so serious about spreading the laughter movement that he is even conducting Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher training courses. You know what, I know I can do this course, and pass with flying colors, unlike the OTHER yoga where I have to contort my body to an impossible position! Haha.

According to Laughter Yoga, laughing exercises need to be combined with yoga breathing to give you the health benefits of hearty laughter. How does laughter benefit our well-being? When we laugh our bodies release a cocktail of hormones & chemicals that have startling positive effects on our system. Stress is reduced, blood pressure drops, depression is lifted, your immune system is boosted & more. Western science is just starting to discover the great effects of laughter. (Source: LaughterYoga.org)

Laughter Club, Sydney Australia. Picture Credit: http://www.laughternews.org/gallery.htm

People are forming laughter clubs all over the world, maybe you and I should join one if we can find a club to join, or form one ourselves! Heheh. But I guess before we can call it a Laughter Yoga club, we ought to get ourselves certified first.

There's a whole list of Laughter Yoga videos on YouTube. If you want to feel good today maybe you should watch one or two of the videos. I can guarantee that you will laugh along with them .. no need for any reason to laugh. :-)