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If not, you are missing out on scientifically proven, easy and free benefits that can improve your health and attitude.

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This Saturday, May 19 at 10:30 am  raise your happiness level sky high when you attend the Laughter Yoga session at Comox United Church (side entrance). It’s an hour of non-threatening, playful exercises with like-minded laughter friends, punctuated by some breathing (that’s the yoga part) and topped off with a total body (the inner-smile connection) relaxation finale.

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Beginning your Long Weekend with a joyous Laughter Yoga session is the smart way to ensure an outrageously successful holiday weekend.

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Bring a friend, your water bottle, and your best Long Weekend Laughter this Saturday at 10:30 am precisely!

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Cheerio from  Susan, Certified Laughter Yoga Leader

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2.  What a gorgeous, warm, sunny day it was on Sunday for World Laughter Day at Simms Park Pavilion! Alan and I were so happy to welcome Akiko Shima, the Comox Valley’s first Laughter Yoga Leader as a special guest. Akiko began the Laughter Yoga Club several years ago right here in the Comox Valley and on Sunday she contributed both new and classic L.Y exercises to the mix of merriment and mirth.

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Thank you both to regular and new L.Y. attendees for this session in the sun that raised just over $25 for the Comox  Valley Food Bank.

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3.  Saturday, May 19th, at precisely 10:30 am, at our regular venue at Comox United Church, is the next meeting of Laughter Seekers and Laughter Lovers. Come and join us for an hour of pure pleasure that will not only lift your heart and spirit, but will improve you health while inspiring  you to spread joy around you.

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Bring your water bottle; bring a friend; bring your best laughter; wear bright colors; celebrate the joy of laughing.

Laughs are guaranteed!

Yes, it is going to be a double-whammy weekend with TWO Laughter Yoga sessions in the Comox Valley — the regular CV Club on Saturday, and the World Laughter Day on Sunday! Come to one, or come to both! Guaranteed laughter!

Saturday, May 5, 10:30 Comox United Church

There has been great turn-outs at our ‘every-other-Saturday sessions’ in our new location, the Comox United Church. We are in the children’s play area, a perfect fit for laughter exercises! The room has bright south-facing windows and we are surrounded by toys, bright colors and tiny furniture. That helps to put us in a playful mood right off! Co-led by Certified Laughter Yoga Leaders Susan and Alan;  starts at 10:30 AM sharp and ends about 11:30. Bring a water bottle and  yoga mat (optional). Admission by (again optional) donation to help defray costs.

Sunday, May 6, 11:00 Simms Millennium Park, Courtenay – World Laughter Day

One objective of the founder of Laughter Yoga, Dr. Kataria, is to promote world peace through laughter. Some people find this idea fanciful, but an understanding of the science of emotions and emotional contagion in particular shows how this might be achieved.

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The practice of Laughter Yoga causes the body to release certain ‘Feel Good’ hormones into the bloodstream related to feelings of happiness, warmth, unconditional love, bonding, tolerance, forgiveness, generosity, and compassion. Let’s call this a “Joy Cocktail”. The presence of this Joy Cocktail of hormones and neuro-peptides precludes the production of other hormones and neuro-peptides that correspond with hatred, fear, violence, jealousy, aggression and the emotions associated with war and oppression.

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By practicing Laughter Yoga in a group, the level of this Joy Cocktail is raised to high concentrations through the multiplier effect: people leaving Laughter Yoga sessions go forth and interact with many people who are in turn affected to varying degrees by this powerful emotional state of joy. They in turn ‘infect’ other people they come into contact with.

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You can experience this ‘chain reaction’ after your very first Laughter Yoga session. Not only will you cheer up your friends and family but you may also cheer up the bus driver and others on your bus, the people you work with, the staff at the shop and more. They in turn will cheer up others, and so on. By having tens of thousands of laughter clubs all over the world, it will create a positive energy which will change the consciousness of the globe for the better. Actually, the formula for world peace is very simple – one person at a time multiplies it and spread it…

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“When you laugh, you change and when you change the whole world changes around you.” Dr. Madan Kataria

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Nowadays, people may face enormous stress and might be at war with themselves. Laughter is a positive and powerful emotion which helps people to change themselves and to change the world — in a peaceful and positive way.

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Laughter is a universal language which has the potential to unite humanity without religion. It establishes a common link between various religions and creates a new world order. (from WorldLaughterDay.com)

All donations received for this event will go to the Comox Valley Food Bank.  If you have any questions, please phone  Susan 250-890-0626   or Alan 250-339-2687 or comox@shaw.ca

Earth needs laughter!

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Earth needs laughter!.

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Earth Day laughter —  get in on the health benefits of laughing while spreading the joyful sounds of laughter around the world.

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It feels good to laugh; the Comox Valley Laughter Club has regular sessions every other Saturday, 10:30 AM, in the Comox United Church, Comox. Next is April 21, 2012.

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Discover the scientifically-proven health benefits and have a great time! (Laugh while you learn)… (or is it “Learn while you laugh”??)

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Two Certified Laughter Yoga Leaders will lead a Saturday morning class. All you have to do is show up (on time!) and follow along in the laughter exercises. You do not have to be funny, or even need a sense of humor. It is simple, fun, contagious, and stimulating. It’s time to get out of the winter blues and live it up. Bring a water bottle and a friend. It lasts for about an hour, just in time to have a nice lunch.

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Next sessions will be May 5 & 19, June 2, 16 & 30, 2012.  Mark your calendar.

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Read Wikipedia’s definition of Laughter Yoga.

poster Laughter Yoga 2012

• remind to attend a class!
• tell others in your office!
• remind you to laugh!
• be surrounded with bright colors!
• have something to do!
• see where the classes are!
• make your fridge more colorful!
• understand the health benefits!
• keep positive energy!
• find the ‘almost invisible’ URL!
• look, smile, chuckle, laugh!
• tell your friends!

It has dimensions of 860×1042 pixels (about 11.3″ x 14.6″) so hopefully your printer settings will reduce it so that it shows well on a letter page. Well, on the other hand, why not make it big?

Now where were we? OH YES, after a brief hiatus, we are now starting up Laughter Yoga sessions, with a NEW location and NEW times.

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Every other Saturday at Comox United Church (lower side entrance), 250 Beach Drive near Comox Avenue from 10:30 to 11:30 am. See the Google Map. Come and join in the laughter – it’s liberating and fun! Donations (optional) are accepted to help with costs.

Upcoming Laughter Yoga Dates: (mark your calendar)

April 7 & 21,
May 5 & 19,
June 2, 16 & 30, 2012.

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We will see you there — wear bright clothes — and have some great health-inducing laughs!!!!!!

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Alan and Susan
your Comox Valley Laughter Yoga Certified Leaders

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Feel free to wear bright colors; bring a friend, a water bottle, and best of all, share the gift of your laughter with us.

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Alan and Susan are looking forward to leading the laughter yoga exercises and welcoming all to join in the fun. A small donation to cover rental costs is appreciated.

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“Even Fake Laughter is Good Medicine.”

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The body doesn’t care WHY you are laughing. Once your brain signals your body to laugh, it will release the feel-good hormones (endorphins) and your stress is relieved as a natural response to the physical act of laughing.

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Subscribe with your email here to receive updates on the new Laughter Yoga sessions that begin on  Saturday, April 7th!

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Upcoming Laughter Yoga Dates:

April 7 & 21

May 5 & 19

June 2, 16 & 30

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United Church in Comox location:

View Larger Map

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Laughter Yoga uses simple breathing techniques, fun laughter exercises, eye contact and childlike playfulness to elicit laughter, without relying on humor or jokes. It is based on the scientific fact that the body cannot tell the difference between fake and real laughter. Laughter Yoga participants will feel the benefits from the very first session!

What Laughter Yoga Can Do For You And Your Business

Due to too much stress the work place has become too serious. People think serious people are more responsible and more productive. This is not true.  More productive people are those who take their work seriously but take themselves lightly.

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Scientific research shows us that laughter can help to resolve workplace stress and many related issues, but until now there has been no reliable and effective system to deliver laughter. Humor was the only tool available, but it is not reliable and seldom leads to continuous hearty laughter.

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Laughter Yoga is a breakthrough laughter delivery system that enables a person to laugh continuously for 15 to 20 minutes with short breaks of yogic breathing.

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To get the scientifically proven benefits, laughter has to be:

•Hearty – coming from the belly (Diaphragm)
•It has to be extended for a longer period of time.

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Natural laughter in daily life comes for barely a few seconds here and there which is not enough to bring about powerful physiological changes. But, Laughter Yoga is the ideal system in which laughter can be extended at will.

What Is Laughter Yoga?

Laughter Yoga is a unique exercise routine that makes it possible for anyone to laugh for no reason anytime, anywhere, for any duration, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy.

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Laughter is simulated as an exercise in a group but with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The reason we call it Laughter Yoga is because it combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain which makes one feel more energetic and healthy.

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The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits.

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This innovative concept is fast sweeping the world and there are thousands of laughter clubs all over the world. In addition, Laughter Yoga is also practiced in companies and corporations, fitness centers, Yoga studios, senior facilities, schools, colleges and universities, and various self-help groups for the physically and mentally challenged, cancer patients, etc..

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Laughter Yoga has been widely accepted all over the world and has been written about in prestigious publications like TIME Magazine, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Daily Telegraph (UK) and many others. It has also been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, BBC, CNN, ZDF (Germany ) NHK (Japan ), ABC news ( USA ) and many other TV networks.

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How Laughter Yoga Helps Improve Business and Performance

By introducing Laughter Yoga sessions for all staff, companies have reported a happier workplace, increased efficiency, better communication, increase in sales and productivity, increased creativity and better teamwork, decrease in illness and absenteeism, and a reduction in employee turnover.

1.Stress Release
2.Peak Performance
3.Team Building
4.Motivation and Communication
5.Innovation and Creativity
6.Increasing Attention Span in HR Training
7.Positive Work Environment
8.Laughter Yoga For Health and Wellness

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“Employers who actively sustain a positive work environment could experience improvements of up to 25% in efficiency and customer satisfaction.” – Journal of Applied Psychology – 2003

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1. Stress Release

In this high pressure, high tension modern world stress levels are higher than ever before. Many people are facing an enormous amount of stress and burnouts in the workplace. Even highly talented and skilled people cannot perform well if they are emotionally imbalanced and stressed.There are many methods being used to reduce stress but Laughter Yoga is most cost effective, less time consuming and is a single exercise routine which reduces physical, mental and emotional stress simultaneously and brings an emotional balance. A research conducted in December 2006, on 50 IT professionals in Bangalore, India found a significant reduction in stress levels as shown by reduction in cortisol levels in saliva.

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2. Peak Performance

At any given time, performance depends upon mood and Laughter Yoga has the power to change one’s mood state within minutes by releasing neuropeptides from the brain cells called endorphins. Science tells us that the brain needs 25% more oxygen than other body organs.  Laughter Yoga increases the net supply of oxygen which helps in optimal performance and boosts energy levels.

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This translates for example into an increase in attention span during sales conferences.  Sales Training, or New Product Training Studies have shown that even after just 30 minutes, the concentration levels start to decrease. A brief laughter seminar can provide a great energy boost during a full day of training, meetings or conferences.

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3. Team Building

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Laughter is a great communication enhancer and it said that “people who laugh together, work better together”. This is why Laughter training is so effective for team building, stress management, communication and leadership programs:

•It breaks down barriers
•It makes us more likeable
•It makes us more transparent
•It connects and bonds people
•It develops our sense of humor and breaks down our inhibitions
•It enhances a sense of potential
•It brings out the best in people
•It enhances self-esteem in groups
•It creates safety
•Criticism collapses
•It interrupts the power struggle
•It diffuses conflict
In Laughter Yoga sessions participants are encouraged to communicate with all other group members. Group laughter is a team experience that reduces ego and overcomes inhibitions and shyness. The shared positive experience creates bonds between all participants including managers and staff and reduces barriers to communication.

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Laugh as a team, work as a team!

4. Motivation And Communication

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For people working in front office and sales and marketing, Laughter Yoga helps to bring a smile on their face and generate good feelings within the body. This enhances their communication and motivational skills thus increasing their client base and customer satisfaction.

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5. Innovation And Creativity

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The essence of Laughter Yoga system is to cultivate childlike playfulness. This playfulness stimulates the right brain activity which is the seat of creativity. This helps to generate new ideas and insights about workplace issues and problems. In this highly competitive market one needs to introduce new ideas and constant innovation to stay ahead. Laughter Yoga will help people to become more creative and innovative.

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6. Increasing Attention Span in HR Trainings

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Human brain cannot concentrate for more than 90 minutes after which the attention span reduces. Even a 5-10 minute Laughter Yoga session can provide a great energy boost during long HR training sessions and conferences. It helps to increase the attention span, enhance learning skills, concentration powers and potential.

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7. Positive Work Environment

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Job dissatisfaction and hostile work environment compel people to change jobs more frequently thus affecting productivity and profitability. Laughter Yoga creates positive energy and improves communication between people.

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The Bangalore study also confirmed the increase in positive emotions and decrease in negative emotions, thereby developing an emotional intelligence. This helps to create a more constructive work environment and ensures loyalty and commitment.

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8. Laughter Yoga For Health And Wellness

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The basic objective of every human being is to enjoy life, live in harmony with family and have lots of friends to connect with. But, one cannot enjoy life if one is sick. Laughter Yoga is a single exercise routine which brings physical, mental and social wellbeing in a shortest period of time. People can feel the benefits from the very first session.

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ULTIMATE RESULT: Enhanced success of your business

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 Laughter Yoga is a logical part of the solution
“There can be no doubt that Laughter Yoga significantly reduces stress levels in the workplace. Our physiological, biochemical, and psychological tests all indicate reductions in stress and improvements in the subjects’ abilities to cope with stress.” Dr MS Chaya, Principal Investigator “Unconditional Laughter And Workplace Stress”, Svyasa University Research Institute, August 2007.

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Here are the highlights of Laughter Yoga:

•It’s fun and easy  – there are no postures or skills to learn, no special clothes or equipment required;
•It provides a fast and powerful no-sweat cardiovascular workout;
•Stress levels are quickly reduce by 75% or more and stay down as it helps builds stress resistant;
•Blood pressure drops, circulation improves and pulse rate drops;
•Lungs are well exercised and flushed of stale residual air  – healthier deep breathing is learnt;
•Blood & major organs are fully oxygenated leaving one bursting with energy;
•Hearty laughter improves mood within minutes by releasing endorphins that act as mood enhancers and natural pain killers;
•It lifts depression  – even chronic depression may be cured;
•It boosts self-confidence, creativity and improves communication skills.

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Laughter Makes Business Sense
Up to 90 percent of the doctor visits in the USA may be triggered by a stress-related illness, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Today’s business demands have put a tremendous strain on our global workforce. Longer hours coupled with fewer resources are pushing more and more management and employees to their breaking point. Combined with the need to achieve work-life balance stress is taking a tremendous financial and personal toll on US business profitability:

•$300 billion per year or $7,500 each employee is paid out for stress-related compensation claims
•1 million workers went on stress-related disability in 2004
•75% of doctor visits are for stress-related conditions
•Eight of the top 10 prescription drugs marketed today are for stress-related conditions
•Stress is directly associated with depression, anxiety, asthma, alcohol/drug addictions and other conditions that affect the nervous and immune systems.
•Approximately 100 million Americans suffer stress related from chronic health conditions: heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

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Hire one of the Leaders now. Call Alan Pattinson 250-339-2687 in the Comox Valley, British Columbia.

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Aknowlegement to http://www.laughteryogaamerica.com

Open to beginners, intermediate, and advanced laughers of adult ages, both men and women. If you need a laugh, want to laugh, are looking for more laughter, feel like sharing laughs, or just need a pick-me-up, this is the class for you. Starts at 1:30 sharp, ends 2:30.

Alan Pattinson’s “One-Minute Overview” of Laughter Yoga:

1. Laughter Yoga is an unique concept that we can laugh for no reason, and still receive great health benefits, without the need for jokes, comedy or even a sense of humour.
2. Laughter Yoga was started in 1995 by a medical doctor, Dr. Kataria, in Mumbai, India, with just 5 people in a park. It has since grown to thousands of clubs in over 60 countries around the world.
3. We get into a circle and with eye contact and playful movements, “simulated” laughter can quickly turn into “real” laughter when done with willingness.
4. The BIG SECRET is that the body can not tell the difference between “simulated” laughter and “real” laughter. The movement of the diaphragm up and down sends endorphins to the brain and fresh oxygen to the body.
5. We use the term “yoga” because we use conscious yoga breathing.

To receive the benefits of Laughter, you have to do it! Come to the next session to experience real great belly laughs. It’s a natural stress reliever AND mood enhancer! Bring a friend or two. the laughing session is over in one hour, but you can continue to laugh out the door and into the world. Spread the peace and joy throughout the world. Happy Holidays!

Please sign up for updates, or leave your comments about this post below. Have a laughing day!

Alan Pattinson,

Certified Laughter Yoga Leader

ho ho, ha ha ha.

250-339-2687

The only reference to “Yoga” in “Laughter Yoga” is the breathing exercise, which goes like this: Breath in, breath out. Sort of sounds like ordinary breathing, eh? Well it IS done with a wee bit of control and a dash of consciousness. Overall, it’s laughter exercising – and THAT is worth laughing about! (There is even no need to bring a yoga mat.)

What happens at a Laughter Yoga session? It’s basically simulated laughter exercises which are just simple tension and release exercises based on mime and play. It sounds complicated but  just imagine laughing for no reason. At a Laughter Yoga session, we keep laughing going for a longer time and this is where the health benefits really pay off. It’s simple, easy, and loads of fun!

LAUGH YOUR CHRISTMAS STRESSES AWAY

Two Laughter Yoga  Leaders (Alan and Susan) will be (Dec. 10 Sat. 1:30 Zen Zero) laughing to melt away your pre-holiday stress and uplift you into the true Holiday spirit of merriment, good cheer and heartfelt connections. See and laugh with you there! Alan will be wearing a Santa hat, so you can’t miss him!

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. Laughter Yoga combines unconditional laughter with pranayama (yogic breathing). Laughter

 is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, initially forced laughter soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on the scientific observation that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter, and that both provide the same physiological and psychological benefits.

Laughter yoga was made popular as an exercise routine developed by Indian physician Madan Kataria. Kataria writes about the practice in his book Laugh For No Reason. Kataria launched the first Laughter Club at a park on March 13, 1995. Today, it has become a worldwide phenomenon with more than 6000 Social Laughter Clubs in about 60 countries. Each club has its own Laugh Captain and operates as an independent cell.

Method

Laughter is easily stimulated in a group when combined with eye contact, childlike playfulness and laughter exercises. Fake laughter quickly becomes real. Laughter Yoga brings more oxygen to the body and brain by incorporating yogic breathing which results in deep diaphragmatic breathing. Laughter Yoga is based on the concept that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter – physiologically and psychologically the benefits are identical.

In the mid-1990s Laughter Yoga was practised in the early mornings, primarily by groups of older men in open parks. Later, a more formalized version was created and popularized as “Laughter Clubs”. Kataria’s first Laughter Yoga Club began on 13 March 1995 in Mumbai. Beginning with five people in a local public park, the concept has rapidly spread worldwide. As of 2011, there are more than 8,000 Laughter Clubs in 65 countries.

Laughter Yoga is a unique exercise routine which combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can laugh without needing to rely on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter is initially simulated as a physical exercise while maintaining eye contact with others in the group and promoting childlike playfulness. In most cases this soon leads to real and contagious laughter.

Scientific studies have demonstrated that the body does not differentiate between simulated and real laughter. (“Make ‘Em Laugh Laughter can keep you happier and healthier.” Rebecca Fast. “Our body doesn’t seem to know the difference between simulated laughter and stimulated laughter. We experience the benefits of laughter whether it is simulated or actually stimulated by something funny,” says Dr. Gerald Ellison of Cancer Treatment Centers of America. http://www.okmag.com/April-2011/Make-lsquoEm-Laugh/) Laughter Yoga is the only technique that allows adults to achieve sustained hearty laughter without involving cognitive thought. It bypasses the intellectual systems that normally act as a brake on natural laughter.

Laughter Yoga sessions start with gentle warm-up techniques which include stretching, chanting, clapping and body movement. These help break down inhibitions and develop feelings of childlike playfulness. Breathing exercises are used to prepare the lungs for laughter, followed by a series of ‘laughter exercises’ that combine the method of acting and visualization techniques with playfulness. These exercises, when combined with the strong social dynamics of group behavior, lead to prolonged and hearty unconditional laughter. Laughter exercises are interspersed with breathing exercises. Twenty minutes of laughter is sufficient to develop full physiological benefits.

A Laughter Yoga session may finish with “Laughter Meditation.” This is a session of unstructured laughter whereby participants sit or lie down and allow natural laughter to flow from within like a fountain. This is a powerful experience that often leads to a healthy emotional catharsis and also a feeling of release and joyfulness that can last for days. This can be followed by guided relaxation exercises.

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Laughter is the best medicine — and contagious!

…laugh for no reason, without the use of jokes or comedy,  and still receive great health benefits! Come to a free Comox Valley class – it’s easy and fun!