Laughter yoga is a different kind of yoga as compared to the traditional yoga or yoga practiced by older yoga masters. It is also far away from the yoga, that the Master of Yoga Patanjali had found. It is not a part of Hatha yoga, Karma yoga, Dhayana yoga or Raja yoga; but it falls under a new generation’s discovery for the well-being, happiness and healthy life of a human being.

Many experts say that laughter yoga is usually built on the concept that the human body is aware about how to laugh, even though your mind might say otherwise. A more simplistic definition would be that laughter can be physical in nature and a person can laugh without being triggered by comedy or humour, in a sense that laughter can be self-triggered. Experts state that the human body cannot tell the difference whether it is fake laughter or real and this has been proven through scientific studies. Made as a popular exercise routine, a person usually gets the same psychological and physiological benefits that come along with laughter, whether it is real or fake. It is very easy to stimulate laughter in a group, when combined with eye contact and childlike playfulness.

As you start to laugh in a fake manner it can immediately turn into real laughter, because the mind has an innate ability to think to itself “why am I laughing, I don’t know but it’s funny”. Laughter yoga started to gain momentum in the 1900’s, as small groups of older men would practice it in the early morning while sitting in open parks. Furthermore, some years later it picked up more attention as “Laughter Clubs” were formed with small groups practicing in open parks. Currently today, there are over 8,000 Laughter Clubs in 65 countries. This is a staggering number considering the recent modernized development of this technique of yoga known as Laugher Yoga.

While practicing laughter yoga, a person must also learn the proper breathing techniques that are associated with yoga teachings and thus it becomes a wonderful exercise in which unconditional laughter is combined with yoga breathing techniques. If done properly and with the correct guidance, fake laughter can quickly turn into real and contagious laughter. The benefits of laughter can be experienced through simulation or stimulation by seeing or hearing humour. Without involving cognitive thought, laughter yoga is the only technique that allows a person to achieve sustained wilful laughter. There are intellectual systems within the human mind structure that do not allow you to laugh, but practicing laughter yoga can bypass those systems.

Anywhere close to 25 minutes of laughter is more than sufficient to gain a full physiological benefit from this practice. Usually the sessions start by stretching and warming up while loosening up the body with movement. The breathing exercises help to get the lungs ready for laughter as they tend to expand. Once engaged in a session, it usually ends with something called “Laughter Meditation” where participants can lay or sit down and allow the laughter to flow from within like a stream. This powerful technique can lead to a person feeling positive for days and releases a sense of joyfulness in a person. While practicing laughter yoga it is advised that a person should also do guided relaxation exercises, known as “laying down in corpse position.”

Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India, launched the first Laughter Club at a Park on March 13, 1995, with merely a small group of people. Today it has expanded to a large amount of countries and has taken the world by storm. This technique was enhanced in 1995 by Dr. Kataria after he spent countless hours studying his patient’s immune system and found that it improved following long periods of laughter. After that he garnered attention as more and more people in the world started to try for themselves in hopes of increasing the chances of a healthier life.

Inward concentration is a vital part to practicing this technique.

the right way. It was reported by the American Physiological Society in 2009, that laughter increases the hormones beta-endorphins which elevate human growth hormone and mood and also builds immunity within the human body and enhances a human body’s white blood cell count, as well as helping reduced stress in our body. With laughter, a decrease in cortisol, epinephrine and dopac, which are the three key stress hormones, was reported by the Doctors working for the American Physiological Society. More and more Physicians and Clinical Psychologists are starting to support this method as scientific studies have helped to prove the positive effects. It has also gained notoriety as the world’s biggest media outlets have even ran stories on laughter yoga.

I, as the author of this book and Yoga practitioner practiced Laughter Yoga with my family, by telling jokes and even turning on video clips of comedy. We enjoy Laughter Yoga, which rejuvenates our brain, muscles, heart and brings about new energy to start our work. A majority of the Laughter Clubs throughout the world do not charge any membership fees, as they are run by trained volunteers to spread the message of this innovation technique. Most Laughter Clubs throughout the world are non-political, non-religious, non-profit and run directly by Laughter Clubs international in India and Laughter Yoga International in the rest of the world. The main goal of Laughter Yoga is to help bring about good health for people. While promoting world peace and joy through laughter. We all know that laughter is a universal language that has no barriers no matter where you go. People that smile and laugh together tend to build a bond with each other through the comfort of happiness. It is known that every first Sunday of May is celebrated as World Laughter Day. Also, in the year 2000, nearly 10,000 people laughed along with each other in Copenhagen, Denmark and went on to set a Guinness Book World Record.

All over India, Laughter Clubs meet in the morning and the members of these clubs are the first ones to admit that they have seen and felt a significant positive change in their lives as they never felt so rejuvenated before. They proudly express the fact that they are a part of these clubs and even try to educate those who are not aware of such techniques. Some say that at first these clubs were frowned upon because no one believed that laughing a lot can have a positive effect on their lives, until they tried it for themselves over a small period of time. Members also say that they haven’t felt this happy in years and feel that a new source of energy has been exerted into their bodies. These members attend these sessions each and every morning and some have not missed any sessions in five years. Practicing laughter yoga for a short period of time each and every day has helped these members gain the sense of being happy again. Most of these participants tried numerous anti-depressants before trying laughter yoga; they have stated they no longer require the use of antidepressants because laughter yoga is a much more natural and beneficial way to cure their depression.

Significant changes in health have been reported by people throughout the world and these individual feel that they have greatly lowered their levels of stress. A decrease in respiratory illnesses has also been noted by these participants. Professional studies and scientific observation in Austria, Bangalore, India and in the United States have all attributed to the fact that the laughter yoga significantly improves the human body. A positive and hopeful feeling is also achieved improves the human body. A positive and hopeful feeling is also achieved through this technique and it becomes less likely for a person to fall into stress and depression once a person becomes an avid participant in laughter yoga.

Many Educational Institutions throughout the world have tried these techniques and have found them to be greatly beneficial. There are also students in colleges throughout the United States that are experiencing the benefits of laughter yoga for themselves as well. A proven fact is that a simple routine like this has attributed to less stress during their days in college. Students have seen the effects of laughter yoga, as they have also built up the positive energy to allow them to lean more and take in more information from their professors. Some Schools in India have also set aside brief periods of 15-20 minutes throughout the school day to allow students time to partake in laughter yoga activities. Further, some teachers also have their students participate in laughter yoga during the first 5 minutes of class and the last five minutes of class. Through this practice, it has been shown that a positive and energized learning environment has been achieved for the students.

Experts on laughter yoga also feel that laughter can lower the stress and reduce problematic situations that may arise in a professional workplace. They have conducted research and have found that it can be greatly beneficial to large companies that employ hundreds of workers, but have not yet found a way to get the major corporations to implement these techniques into their environment. In the past few years, sessions have been offered to employees of large businesses and the feedback has been very positive. This idea has gained popularity in numerous companies in Denmark, India, USA and many other nations. It is a very powerful idea for improving employee and staff performance in the workplace. This was recently proved to be true by studies in India and the USA, which showed a significant reduction in stress and productivity enhancement by the staff after just a few weeks of having these sessions.

Even with all the health problems that a person tends to face towards the later stages of their lives, laughter yoga has been greatly beneficial to those in their elderly years. There are many facilities for the elderly elderly throughout the United States and Canada that they have begun to practice laughter yoga. Many believe that this can help increase the life expectancy rate by a significant amount and some predict that it will in fact increase over the next decades or so. With the advancement of the new age, people are looking for more ways to increase their chances of living longer so that they can see how far our society can go. Laughter Yoga can bring new health, happiness, fresh thinking, and it keeps a persona way from depression and is a tool of and -depression, without having to use medication.

The Author asked his Wife’s nephew, Parent’s, and children to laugh. Later it turned out to be a real laugh, instead of just a fake/forced laugh. Based upon my practice, Laughter Yoga is a great discovery of modern life.

The Elderly have also found comfort in the laughter as it has brought a new sense of joy to their lives. With the many different diseases out their today that can cut our lives short, people are willing to try different things that will lower the chances of getting these diseases. Studies have shown that laughter has had a positive effect on a person’s immune system and has helped the fight against cancer. There are many members in Yoga Clubs that have suffered from cancer and they have found comfort by practicing laughter yoga. There are also numerous Hospitals throughout the world that have used the techniques of laughter yoga which has been focused on cancer patents. While laughing or sharing laughter moments, can make a Patent or person to forget his/her pain.

Laughter Yoga is also being taught to those who are mentally challenged and to those with Physical Disabilities. There have been numerous groups that have been put together to have laughter yoga sessions with the challenged and disabled. The individuals that attend these gatherings have showed improvement in their operational and motor skills. Some have shown abilities they have never shown before whether it is in their activity or verbal speech. Laughter Yoga is also being introduced to schools for the blind, the deaf and mute children, so that they can find it easier to maintain their disabilities and work towards having a more positive attitude; which can help them to enhance their lives and skills.

With the ever changing personalities in today’s children, experts feel that they are put under too much stress in their days of youth and can sometimes have more stressful

lives. When you’re a kid, researchers say that you can laugh over a hundred times a day. That is why some feel that those are some of the happiest and healthiest days of our lives. There have been numerous scientific studies conducted that show children are healthier when they are living a happy life. This can lead to having a less stressful life because these children will know how to handle hard circumstances.

Based upon personal as well as documented research and studies, I personally recommend for you to laugh. Laugh at least 3 times a day, for five minutes each time. It won’t cost you anything and you will have nothing to lose. You will gain a positive attitude and a reason to laugh every single day, even during your bad days. As the saying goes, “Laughter is the best Medicine.”