Wondering what is laughter yoga? There is an ancient proverb saying ‘Laughter is the best medicine.’ This is not just a proverb, but it is practically true. Mere 10 minutes of genuine belly laughter has an anesthetic effect on the body and would promote at least 2 hours of pain-free sound sleep. Laughter Yoga is based on this very principle. Started by Dr Madan Kataria, this yoga is also known as Dr Madan Kataria Laughter Yoga.
Doctors often say that laughter is the best form of medicine. Well, Dr Kataria really believed that and started assigning doses of it. The first step to practice laughter yoga is to form a group. This kind of yoga always proves to be more beneficial in a group. When you look at other people acting and laughing like a fool with you, your laughter soon becomes quite genuine.
First of all, you need to forget all your self-consciousness and realise that life without any reason is not really a sign of insanity. You never need a reason to laugh, and I mean real laugh, not the phony ones that you use in offices where you are forced to laugh at your boss’s jokes that are just sad.
Laughter yoga is also known as hasya yoga. The yoga is pretty simple in the sense that it is prolonged involuntary laughter that will provide physiological benefits.
Fundamentals of Laughter Yoga:
Here is the importance of laughter yoga. Laughter is known to be the best cure for stress. Whether it is a fake laugh or a real one, your body does not distinguish, and hence it becomes easier for the body to accept it and thereby contribute to the well being of the body. Laughter yoga therapy sessions are conducted in many companies, schools, and even at old age homes.
Laughter is known to strengthen the immune system and also releases feel-good endorphins. It also lowers blood pressure. Laughter yoga also comes with deep breathing. Deep breathing ensures oxygenates the blood, but most of all, laughter will relieve stress and make you more energetic and positive.
Laughter Yoga for Beginners: What You Should Know
Before you take it seriously, here are some things, you as a beginner will need to know. Laughter yoga exercises are not so easy for beginners, and one needs to heartily accept at first that this is going to make a change.
- A warm-up is a must. Clap your hands first or perform smaller exercises that will synchronise your movement. When you start with clapping your hands, (both) it will stimulate the acupressure points on your hands. This will lead to an increase in the energy level too.
- Try the lion laughter exercise. Stick your tongue out and keep your mouth open. Slowly, stretch your hands out, similar to the paws of a lion. Laugh from your belly.
- Stimulate deep breathing. This will help in producing big belly laughs. Practice deep breathing throughout the session. This will get easier to access deep laughs.
Now there are many poses that you may try out while laughing. Here are some of the laughter yoga exercises list and how to do laughter yoga. Find out more from laughter yoga images.
- First in laughter, yoga steps to be happy. Then, clap your hands before your heart chakra and let out a hearty laugh. Focus on your stomach and laugh. Then focus on your heart and laugh. Keep switching between the two and feel the laughter course through your abdomen and ribs!
- Next, concentrate on your feet as you stamp them on the ground and let out a loud ‘huhuhu’!
- When your head is aching, or you are too stressed to do any work, just put your hands on your head and laugh loudly. Feel that laughter inside your head, removing all tension and stress. This can be great laughter yoga for stress too.
- Then you can bend down with your hands towards the ground and then let out a loud ‘hahaha,’ as you move your hands upwards towards the sky. This is called the laughter wave. You can do it five or six times. It makes you feel light inside.
- Then there is the welcome laughter. This is a kind of inviting a smile. If you are in a group, look at everyone in the eye and give them a warm, welcoming smile. If you are at home, look at the mirror and smile at yourself!
- The heaven laugh is to stretch your arms upwards as high as they will go and then laugh out loudly, ‘hahaha.’ As you laugh, feel yourself connecting with the positive energy of heaven.
Laughing Buddha Yoga:
Laughing Buddha Yoga is a famous yoga studio which houses expert teachers. They will guide you through the practice in a steady manner, with humor. Their experience and knowledge will enable you to experience the mental and spiritual aspects of practice. With this practice, your outlook towards life will change. These can even be tried as laughter yoga for kids.
Here is an interesting thing you may want to know about this unique yoga. MadanKatria laughter yoga is the founder of the Worldwide Laughter Yoga Movement. He offers one of the finest coaching to become a certified laughter yoga expert.
This will ensure your laughter club follows and abides by the fundamentals of the laughter yoga. He is popularly known as the ‘merry medicine man.’ Soon after, a number of laughter clubs began rising. In short, he is the man behind the success of the yoga.
The chief mantra of laughter yoga is “May all beings be happy. Let there be a world of laughing.” So be optimistic! Look at the bright side of things, feel the positive energy coursing through the air around you, and help others feel its presence too!
Once your laughter yoga routine is over, get into a comfortable position, and chant ‘om’ for a minute. This will help calm your body and slow it down again. Once you are done, you will feel rejuvenated and fresh, as only a good bout of laughter can make you feel.
Health Benefits of Laughter Yoga:
Laughter has a serious positive impact on your body. Here are some of the laughter yoga benefits:
- Increases oxygen intake and blood flow, this is one good thing about yoga.
- It improves the blood vessel function and will lower your blood pressure.
- It boosts your energy and helps in protecting your heart.
- Laughter yoga helps to relieve stress and allows you to gain focus.
Precautions and Contraindications:
While this may be good for your health, here are some precautions and contradictions that laughter yoga will bring about.
Precautions:
- If you have blood pressure, stay away from doing this.
- If you suffer from heart disease or associated problems, make sure not to practise laughter yoga.
- In case you feel any shortness of breath, stop doing it right away.
Contraindications:
- If you have a hernia, do not practice laughter yoga.
- Persistent cough and breathlessness is another sign that you should stop doing.
Laughter helps you feel better about yourself and the world. It makes you forget about all your worries for a second and just enjoy being alive. It makes you see good things and forget about the sad ones for a few moments, and that is enough to give you hope and thus make your day better!
Laughter is the best medicine, and by now, even you might have started believing in this principle. As we have told earlier that laughter yoga benefits in the group, and hence, it is only ideal that you first promote and form a group and then take the genuine benefits of laughter. So go ahead share our article with your friends and relatives and get relieved from stress by practising this simple form of yoga called laughing yoga for stress buster. Tell us what you think about this guide on Dr Madan Kataria laughter yoga.
