The more you laugh, HA HA HA HA! 
 
    The more you fill with glee, HA HA HA! 
 
    And the more the glee, HA HA HA HA!
 
    The more we're a merrier we!  HA HA HA!
 

                                   --Mary Poppins & friends

  

What is Laughter Yoga?
 

Learn the history of Laughter Yoga.
 
Discover  who benefits from Laughter Yoga.   
 
Check out some of Laughter Yoga's many physical, emotional and mental benefits! 

Or discover how Laughter Yoga can be a profound spiritual practice.

Find out about current Laughter Yoga offerings, including info on the new Providence Laughter Club. 

 

Discover what a Laughter Coach can do for you.

Request a copy of Rebecca's  "Top Eleven Ways to Incorporate More Laughter into 2011"!


Laughing behind bars? Read Rebecca's account of Laughter Yoga with founder Dr. Kataria at a county jail in New Mexico. 


And just for fun... 

Favorite laughter links

Videos
Websites & Blogs

Favorite laughter quotes

Laughter & Spirituality
Literary Laughter
Laughter & Difficulty
Laughter as the best medicine...
Other laughter quotes

             

What is Laughter Yoga?

Laughter Yoga is a playful and effective form of pranayama (yogic breathing), combining simulated laughter exercises with simple breathing and stretching.  We laugh for no reason -- no jokes, comedy or sense of humor required!  Laughter Yoga is exercise, and what we practice grows stronger.

The idea that laughter is good for us is nothing new.   The key to Laughter Yoga is that the body doesn't know the difference between real or simulated laughter.  We are able to intentionally generate physical, mental and emotional benefits by simply choosing to laugh. 

Why not use humor?  Humor is a wonderful gift but it is extremely cultural and individual and also conditional.  Laughter is universal and laughing for no reason is unconditional.  We laugh because we choose to laugh; we choose to laugh because it makes us happier and healthier.     

The real beauty of laughter however is that it is terribly contagious.  What starts out as simulated laughter often becomes a hearty gut busting belly laugh.  The incredible release and joy of this type of laughter-- which for many people is a rare and precious gem-- becomes an equally precious but easily accessible and regularly joyous part of our lives!

History of Laughter Yoga

In March of 1995, a medical doctor in Mumbai, India named Dr. Madan Kataria set out to write an article entitled "Laughter-- The Best Medicine" for a local health journal.  Discovering a wealth of evidence documenting the benefits of laughter on the human mind and body, Dr. Kataria went to a local park and recruited four people to join him in a morning laugh.  The first laughter club was born.  The movement has since grown exponentially, with over 6,000 clubs in more than 65 countries.

Who benefits from Laughter Yoga?

 

• People with limited mobility:  Laughter Yoga provides a safe and accessible form of exercise that fully oxygenates the body, building health and vitality.

• People caught in the stressful grind of everyday life:  Laughter Yoga reduces stress hormones, boosts the immune system and uses the power of play to bring delight back into living.

• People facing challenging health situations:  Laughter Yoga promotes the positive attitudes and emotions that are an essential complement to therapeutic medical care.

• People facing challenging life situations:  Laughter Yoga is a reminder that if you can laugh at yourself and see the lighter side of even the worst circumstances, they are easier to bear. 
  

• Groups of people in an organization, workplace or workshop who are new to each other or lack a sense of unity:  Laughter Yoga connects people quickly via a universal "language," building trust and resilience in a playful, lighthearted way. 

Note: there are some contraindications for Laughter Yoga, including uncontrolled high blood pressure, epilepsy, hernia, schizophrenia, late stage pregnancy, recent surgery, etc.  This list is not exhaustive.  Please consult your Doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Benefits of Laughter Yoga

Physical

• Flushes whole body with oxygen
• Decreases stress hormones (cortisol & epinephrine)
  
• Boosts immune system (including Natural Killer (NK) cells)
  
• Releases endorphins (natural pain relief)
• Massages internal organs
  
• Is a great workout for the heart and belly!

Emotional

• Cultivates playfulness
• Supports positive emotions (contentment, optimism, equanimity)
  
• Creates joyful connection with others
• Enables you to laugh more easily at life's travails

Mental

• Gets you out of the spinning mind
• Loosens fixed identities
• Cultivates insights into non-dualism and "no self"

Laughter Yoga as a Spiritual Practice?

"When you laugh, aside from the endorphin rush, there's also a spiritual opening.  You're not so tight inside yourself.     --Rabbi Sydney Mintz

"It's one thing to say, 'I don't fear death', but to laugh out loud somehow drives the idea home.  It embodies our theology."   --Rev. Laura Gentry
 
"If you become silent after your laughter, one day you will hear God also laughing, you will hear the whole existence laughing -- trees and stones and stars with you."  --Osho


Hasya means "laughter."  Yoga means "union."  Hasya Yoga moves us out of our anxious and judging minds and into a state of celebration and wonder.  We breathe life into the body.  We explore the edges of non-dualism in a light hearted, playful way.  We accept ourselves in all our glory and our messiness.  We connect with one another via the universal language of laughter-- Ha Ha Ha!  And as we do, we begin to break down the barriers that keep us separate and disconnected from our natural state of wholeness. 

"What is this precious love and laughter budding in our hearts?  It is the glorious sound of a soul waking up!"  --Hafiz