Laughter Yoga - Exercise for the "Funny Bone" as Well as the Body

Yoga has been practiced in the United States for more than 100 years. Americans liked its original form not only for the exercise component, but also because it helped relieve the stress that seemed to be an integral part of the modernization of this country.

Being Americans, they also adapted the original form to suit their lifestyles and different needs. Now they are embracing a new kind of yoga - one that was developed in its birthplace, India, but which is proving to be very appropriate for the American way of life. This new form is called Laughter Yoga.

Origins of Laughter Yoga
Laughter Yoga was developed by Dr. Madan Kataria, who became excited about research showing a connection between laughter and healing. In 1995 he started a "laughter club," where people met to tell jokes to get each other to laugh. It didn't take long, though, for the jokes to evolve into sexist comments that offended some of the participants. Dr. Kataria did more research and discovered that the human mind can't tell the difference between real and faked laughter, so he came up with the idea of "laughing for no reason."

Dr. Kataria's wife, Madhuri, a yoga teacher, suggested adding yogic stretching and breathing exercises to the sessions. And Laughter Yoga was born.

Laughter Yoga in the United States
Currently there are about 60 Laughter Yoga instructors scattered around the U.S. (with about a third in California). Their sessions involve traditional yoga stretches and breathing, but also include a lot of activities that are just plain silly, like imitating animals and telling jokes in gibberish. Using a "fake" language instead of a real one eliminates the chance of offending someone, and the use of gibberish helps people relax and start laughing.

In the beginning people may feel self-conscious and the laughter is usually forced, but it doesn't stay that way for long. Eventually everyone loosens up. It does seem that, when it comes to laughing, "fake it until you make it" works well.

Benefits of Laughter Yoga
According to the American School of Laughter Yoga, this kind of yoga is being used for a lot more than stress relief and improved flexibility. People like it because it can help them manage their anger and deal with depression. And unlike many other forms of yoga, which tend to appeal to introverts and "loners," this one encourages people to interact with each other, which can help improve their social skills and self-confidence. It's also recommended for those who are dealing with physical challenges; the exercises are gentle, and the laughter helps people take things less seriously.

Laughter Yoga teachers emphasize that having a sense of humor is not a prerequisite to enjoying their style of yoga. You don't have to be a normally happy person, or even arrive at the sessions in a good mood - although you'll probably leave that way. Laughter Yoga is designed to be useful for a wide range of personality and body types.

Where to find classes
Laughter Yoga classes are being taught in many states. The American School of Laughter Yoga has a directory of locations, and if you can't find a group (called a Laughter Club) in your area, they offer online training, books, CDs, and DVDs. There's also a certification program for Laughter Yoga instructors.

Laughter Yoga is fairly new to the United States, so how popular it will eventually become remains to be seen. But there's no denying the fact that laughter can help us loosen up, handle stress better, and in some cases even heal our illnesses. If Laughter Yoga can contribute to some of those benefits - and it seems that it already has - it may have a bright future here.