“The most important benefi t is the overall feeling of
lightness and the general enjoyment of being,” says Elsie
Blum, a regular at Yogalaff. “There’s a loosening of body ten-
What’s so
sions, especially the facial muscles. Smiling is more natural.”
Ramesh Chandra attends Yogalaff evenings about twice a
month. He says that the laughter refreshes his lungs and also
Funny
helps him to manage tensions outside the club.
“I am now able to laugh more easily in my daily life,”
says Chandra. “My anger is more in check under trying con-
about Yoga?
ditions.”
People come in with
Laughter Yoga First
grim faces…then you
Cracks Us Up, Then
Calms Us Down
begin to see the sparkles
in their eyes.
by Kim Childs
Both Chandra and Blum maintain that laughter yoga
M
ost yoga classes take place in quiet rooms full of
sessions are better than funny movies and comedians when
earnest faces in various states of relaxation and con-
it comes to eliciting joy and release. One reason is the social
centration. Not so with laughter yoga, an unusual
aspect and the chance to connect with others in ways that
workout for the body, mind and spirit that aims to banish the
transcend language, culture, race, class and ethnicity. Many
blues by busting a gut.
laughter yoga clubs also become social clubs. In Boston,
Laughter yoga clubs began in 1995 with Dr. Madan
certifi ed laughter leader Sandra Daitch says that she’s forged
Kataria, who started them in his native India because he
some great connections this way.
believed in the health benefi ts of laughter. At fi rst, his partici-
“I fi nd it’s really fun to laugh in a group, so having a
pants simply told jokes. Later, Kataria and his wife, Madhuri,
community of laughers is really great,” says Daitch, who
added yoga stretches and breathing techniques. Eventually,
occasionally leaves “Laugh-a-gram”
he replaced the jokes with exercises designed to elicit laugh-
voicemail messages for community
ter without humor. Today, Kataria’s students play out these
members in need of cheer. Her men-
routines all over the world.
tor, Dr. Kataria, has been a role model
“I have a laughter bank of 100 exercises,” says Vishwa
for bringing laughter yoga to prisons,
Prakesh, a student who went on to create his own Yogalaff
orphanages and homes for the disabled.
sessions in New York. A textile designer by trade, Prakesh
Daitch observes that laughter clubs
opens his Manhattan offi ce doors for free every Wednesday
can be a refuge and a resource for those
night to lure “laughers” with exercises such as clapping and
struggling with depression and those
chanting “Ho, ho, ha, ha, ha,” until contrived laughter be-
who feel weighed down by the demands
comes the real thing.
of modern life. Exercises then can be
“You have people who come in with grim faces and ask,
applied to many real-life situations that
‘Are you sure I can do this?’” notes Prakesh. “Then you begin
aren’t so funny.
to see the sparkle in their eyes, and very soon they are really
“If you’re in traffi c, instead of hav-
Vishwa Prakash
laughing.”
ing road rage, just say to yourself ‘I’m in
Laughter
To break the ice in laughter clubs, people may intro-
a traffi c jam, ha, ha!’” advises Daitch. “It
Ambassador to U.S.
duce themselves in a comical way and then ask the group
can lighten you up!”
to mimic them. That may be followed by “lion laughter”,
Daitch, who is also a massage therapist, says that she
“hearty laughter” and “laugh for no reason” exercises.
modifi es the physical aspects of her laughter yoga workshops
Prakesh says he sees that people become more easy-go-
when she brings them to nursing homes. Of course, those
ing and less inhibited during his “yoga for the soul” sessions,
dealing with illnesses and surgeries involving the internal
which don’t feature yoga postures, but yield similar health
organs should consult a doctor before trying laughter yoga.
benefi ts. Laughter yoga proponents report that it increases
Otherwise, only those missing a funny bone should stay
lung capacity and oxygen, decreases stress hormones, exer-
away.
cises the abdominals, boosts immunity and provides a car-
diovascular workout through prolonged, deep belly laughs.
Editor’s note: There are several laughter clubs in Michigan.
Clinical research now backs many of these claims, but those
To fi nd a laughter yoga professional or nearby training
who fl ock to laughter yoga speak more of the mental benefi ts
session, visit LaughterYoga.org.
than the physical ones.
34 Greater Oakland, Macomb & Livingston
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48