Laughter Yoga

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to try Laughter Yoga at a local health club. The session was lead by Dr. Matan Kataria, the man who developed Laughter Yoga in Mumbai India in 1995. As a physician, he was looking for ways to combat the stress of living in Mumbai, so he decided to test the theory that laughter really is the best medicine. Dr. Kataria organized a laughter club in the local park and had people come together to tell jokes and laugh. This lasted for a few weeks until some of the women became offended by the humor and the jokes became stale. Not wanting to give up on the practice of laughter, Dr. Kataria talked to his wife, a yoga instructor who shared some breathing techniques with him, and the idea of simulated laughter exercise was developed. Today, laughter yoga is practiced throughout the world. Research has shown that there are many physical, psychological and emotional benefits obtained from laughing. Interestingly enough, the body derives the same rewards whether the laughter is real or fake. The best part of laughter yoga is that the person doesn't have to be happy, be in a good mood or have a sense of humor to get the benefits of the session. 

This was something I needed to experience for myself.