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Laughter Yoga:

What is Laughter yoga ?

There’s a saying that if you have a problem, laugh it away. However, if it still doesn’t work, you may want to try it with a group of Laughter Yoga
practitioners.Laughter Yoga is one of the latest yoga inspired trends, as evidenced by recent features on the Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN. But although it originated in India and definitely includes laughing.

LAUGHTER Yoga History :

The Laughter Yoga movement began in March 1995 in Mumbai, India when Dr. Madan Kataria began writing an article called “Laughter – the Best Medicine” for his monthly health
magazine. His research led him to discover the benefits of laughter to people.

The following day, he tried to test out the effects of laughter by going out to a public park and convincing the people to form a so-called Laughter Club with him. Four people agreed on the first day and eventually grew to over 50 members in a span of several days.

It started out with one cracking up a joke with everyone ending up laughing. But as good jokes became scarcer with every session, they were replaced with bad ones that started to hurt other people’s feelings. In his search for an alternative to jokes as a catalyst for laughter, Dr. Kataria discovered in his research that the human brain cannot distinguish a fake laughter from a real one. That is to say that people can laugh for no reason at all so long as they see other people laughing. This method is still used today.

Medical research has suggested that laughing is a good way to reduce stress and stimulate the release of the body’s feel-good hormones (endorphins), and Kataria’s Laughter Clubs, as well as other forms of laughter therapy, are popping up all over. Kataria even offers laughter conference calls for those who don’t have a local Laughter Club.
This new take on an old practice combines laughter exercises with gentle yoga breathing techniques, and practitioners claim that it can ease stress, enhance immunity and just make you feel good.

The practice of laughter yoga combines the pranayama exercises of yoga with the rapid diaphragmatic contractions of stimulated laughter. This is said to provide the benefit of a genuine belly laugh. And though the laughter is stimulated, it still has the same benefits of real laughter, namely that it can lower stress, relieve tension and elevate the mood. Furthermore, it can lead to real laughter. By combining laughter with yoga, this exercise flushes the lungs, and in turn the bloodstream and entire body, with fresh oxygen while also strengthening the immune system. Laughter yoga also increases “happy” chemistry. You need not be happy when practicing laughter yoga because going through the motions of happiness creates the chemistry of happiness.

Laughter yoga is intended as a group practice and is appropriate for just about anyone. It is being practiced across the country and around the world, and there may very well be a class near you. There’s even an Annual Laughter Yoga Conference which is in its third year, as well as Laughter Yoga workshops.

Best Medicine of LAUGHTER yoga:We are born laughing, then seem to forget how to when we grow up, and get serious. The average adult laughs 17 times per day, while the average pre-school child laughs up to 400 times. If we laugh more we can gain natural health benefits, which could help improve almost every part of our life.Recent research has shown that the phrase ”Laughter is the best medicine” is truer than many of us may realise. Laughter helps to fight disease by boosting the immune system.Laughter can improve physical health, mental health and bring social and work related benefits.

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Laughter gives us the feel good factor as it releases endorphins, which helps to create a natural high. This encourages an optimistic outlook, together with more positive energy, helping to increase joy and happiness, and give a greater sense of being alive. It lowers certain stress hormones, including cortisol and epinephrine, and reduces anger and anxiety.

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Laughter energises you as it helps to break down barriers and release inhibitions. It relaxes muscles and gives a sense of control. Laughter is a motivational tool great for team building, creating better teams with better communication. It is inspirational and uplifting, and can boost creativity and productivity. Laughter is contagious, and can boost morale, adding to greater job satisfaction.People of all ages can benefit from laughter it helps to tone muscles and acts as an aerobic exercise, known as “internal jogging”. One minute of hearty laughter is said to give the equivalent benefits to ten minutes on a rowing machine.

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The main benefit of this exercise, as you might have guessed, is the release of stress from the body. It is a common notion that laughter is a major stress reliever. Without stress, as Dr. Kataria says, most forms of illnesses which are stress-related can be avoided.Aside from de stressing the body, other benefits of Laughter Yoga include boosting the body’s immune system, releases serotonin which is a natural anti-depressant, and releases endorphins which are the so-called feel-good hormones.Still feeling stressed or depressed? Why don’t you join a local Laughter Yoga club today and find out its wondrous effects to your body and your well being. DO YOGA !