ABOUT LAUGHTER YOGA
Laughter Yoga, also known as: hasya yoga (hasya means laughter in Sanskrit), is intentional laughter or sustained laughter. Laughter Yoga combines deep controlled breathing with various types of laughter-inducing exercises. Almost twenty years ago, Dr. Madan Kataria, an Indian medical doctor was writing a paper for a medical journal titled “Laughter is the Best Medicine.” Con
vinced of the medical benefits of laughter and Yogic breathing exercises, Dr. Kataria was researching how to bring these benefits to modern man. In a flash of inspiration, Laughter Yoga was born. Since then, countless people all over the world today enjoy the benefits of a daily dose of laughter in laughing sessions with local groups or at their workplace. It leads to wellness. LY is an amazing tool for stress- management that combines simple laughter exercises, gentle yoga breathing techniques, and childlike playfulness. Laughter Yoga relies on the scientifically proven fact that the body doesn't know the difference between real and simulated laughter. This revolutionary technique, invented by Dr. Kataria, begins as simulated laughter but soon becomes spontaneous genuine laughter. Participants don’t even need to be happy or have a sense of humor to laugh. Because of the eye contact and childlike playfulness that are components of the laughter exercises, laughter comes without jokes, humor, or comedy. Participants discover a deep, human connection with the other people laughing. This experience is fun as well as transformational.
