Laughter Yoga/ Laughter Therapy

Have you heard of Laughter Yoga or Laughter Therapy?

Laughter Yoga (Hasyayoga) is a form of yoga employing self-triggered laughter. The "laughter" is physical in nature, and does not necessarily involve humor or comedy. The concept was developed by Indian guru Jiten Kohi.[citation needed] It was made popular as an exercise routine developed by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria.[citation needed] Kataria writes about the practice in his book Laugh For No Reason.

Method

Laughter is simulated in a group with eye staring, frivolity, petting, and deep diaphragm breathing[clarification needed] developing into real and contagious laughter. It is meant to be a combination of laughing and yoga breathing, in order to bring more oxygen to the body and the brain.[clarification needed] Laughter yoga is based on the assumption that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter, and that their physiological and psychological benefits are thus identical.[citation needed]

In the early stages of laughter yoga's popularity,[when?] early morning groups, especially the older men, practiced group laughter in open parks. In recent times, a more formalized version was created and popularized as "Laughter clubs".

Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from Mumbai, India popularly known as the ‘Guru of Giggling’ (London Times), is the founder of Laughter Yoga Clubs movement started in 1995. While researching the benefits of laughter, he was amazed by the number of studies showing profound physiological and psychological benefits of laughter. He decided to find a way to deliver these benefits to his patients and other people. The result is Laughter Yoga, a unique exercise routine that combines group laughter exercises with yoga breathing which allows anyone to laugh without using jokes, humor or comedies. Kataria's first Laughter Yoga club was started on 13 March 1995 in Mumbai. It began with just 5 people in a local public park, but the concept rapidly spread worldwide and as of 2009 there are more than 6000 laughter parties in 60 countries.

Spreading rapidly in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, South East Asia, China and Africa, this new concept has been widely covered by prestigious publications like the TIME magazine, National Geographic, and the Wall Street Journal and featured on CNN, BBC, US networks and the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Enjoy the video above and let's start our daily Laughter yoga "HoHo HA HA HA!