This book is dedicated to my mother Raj Karni Kataria & my wife Madhuri

Transcription

1

2 This book is dedicated to my mother Raj Karni Kataria & my wife Madhuri

3 Sun demands no reason to shine; Water demands no reason to flow; A child demands no reason to smile; Why do we need a reason to laugh? L AUGH For No Reason Dr. Madan Kataria Founder Laughter yoga Clubs Movement

4 Copyright 1999 by Dr. Madan Kataria. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without permission in writing from Madhuri International. First Edition 1999 Second Edition 2002 Third Edition 2008 Fourth Edition 2011 Published by: MADHURI INTERNATIONAL A-1, Denzil, 3rd Cross Road, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (W), Mumbai Tel Mumbai: laugh@laughteryoga.org Website: ISBN Quantity sales This book is available at a special discount when purchased in bulk by corporations, organizations or groups. Website orders You can also buy this book on our website: Disclaimer: This book gives non-specific, general advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for proper medical consultation. The author and publisher cannot accept responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor.

5 CONTENTS 1. Laughter Yoga A Breakthrough How Did The Idea Originate Why Do We Need To Laugh More Today Essential Link Between Yoga And Laughter What happens During A Laughter session Laughter Meditation & Grounding Exercises Who Should Not Do Laughter Yoga Exercises Health Benefits: Laughter Yoga For Wellness Health Benefits: Laughter Yoga For Healing Global Laughter Yoga Movement The Happy-demic Spreads Is Laughter in Laughter Clubs Real How To Convert Laughter Exercises Into Genuine Giggles Difference between Laughter Clubs And Humor Based Activities Sensible Living: Paying Compliments...134

6 15. Sensible Living: The Value Of Apology & Forgiveness Laughter Clubs An Extended Family Laughter Yoga In The Workplace Laughter Yoga For Seniors Laughter Yoga With School Children Laughter Yoga For People With Special Needs Woman Power in Laughter Clubs World Laughter Day: World Peace Through Laughter Scientific Research On Laughter And Humor What Is A Laughter Club And How To Start A Club Role Of A Laughter Leader Laughter Workshops And Training Programs International Laughter Yoga University A Dream Come True...250

7 Before You Begin To Laugh It was on 13th March 1995, when the first Laughter Club was started in a public park in Mumbai, India, with just five people. The way it has grown in more than 65 countries, leaves me with no doubt that this laughter movement is a kind of Divine Wisdom, and I am glad it has been manifested through me. I must confess I am neither a comedian, nor a great joke teller. I do not have any extraordinary sense of humor and am also not a yoga expert or well versed in the philosophies of the Vedas, upanishads or Gita. In fact, I am just a physician who comes from a large agricultural family, from a small village with a population of not more than 500 people. I spent my childhood with rustic, innocent and hard-working people, who taught me that laughter can come easily and in abundance, if one has a childlike heart, full of love and innocence. In contrast to this simple philosophy of life, people in big cities often hold back their laughter for reasons like appropriateness, and for the sake of looking good. In doing so, they deny themselves the manifold benefits of the wonderful gift from God - the ability to laugh, freely and openly. This book seeks to inform all those who would like to know the concept of a Laughter Club, how it started and what it seeks to achieve. You will get an in depth knowledge of Laughter Yoga and its enormous benefits which help in complete body mind wellness and fitness. A number of people have said kind things about me. While I am very grateful to them, I must mention that it has, all along, been a combined effort of several Laughter Club leaders, teachers and members from all over the world. It will not be incorrect to say that each one of them has contributed, in one way or the other, to the growth of Laughter Clubs, while my role has been that of the facilitator.

8 At the outset, when Laughter Clubs started it was meant to combine laughter exercises based on yogic breathing and stretching techniques, so as to make the benefits of laughter freely accessible and free of cost to one and all. But soon after, we discovered a whole new significance of laughter. We realized that laughter is not about amusement and entertainment, giggling or chuckling; instead it has a great deal to do with our inner self - it has to come from our deep within, straight from the soul, and one can experience this laughter from the soul only when the heart is pure, full of love, kindness and compassion. Laughter becomes more meaningful when it is intended not only to make oneself happy, but also to make others happy. This in laughter clubs, is known as the Inner Spirit of Laughter. Laughter Clubs are instrumental in bringing attitudinal changes to facilitate peace and harmony around the world, as it is an ideal platform to help people connect through love and laughter. It will not be very long before the slogan, World Peace Through Laughter becomes a reality. It is my firm belief that we have already started out on the journey towards a Unified World, where every human being in the world belongs to a large extended family - that of LAUGHTER. This is how we can achieve World Peace WHEN YOU LAUGH; YOU CHANGE, AND WHEN YOU CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD CHANGES

9 CHAPTER 1 Laughter Yoga A Breakthrough Over the past two decades, extensive research all over the world has shown that laughter has a positive impact on various systems of the body. Most noteworthy is laughter s ability to unwind the negative effects of stress: the catalyst for many of our health problems. More than 70 per cent of illnesses - such as high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, frequent cough and cold, peptic ulcers, insomnia, allergies, asthma, menstrual difficulties, tension headaches, stomach upsets and even cancer are in some way related to stress. It has become a challenge for people to combat daily stressors and maintain good health. They resort to several therapies and expensive medication, but somehow fail to spot the simplest of them all Laughter which is the easiest and the safest way to alleviate stress and prevent sickness. It has been scientifically established that laughter has a profound impact on the body and mind. Not only does it help to prevent the onset of sickness by way of strengthening the immune system, it also has a healing effect. It has the power to unwind stress, uplift joy and strengthen the mind all in an instant, thereby proving 9

10 that it is the best remedy for complete body - mind wellness. In 1979, celebrated American writer Norman Cousins published his book Anatomy of an Illness in which he explains his battle with the potentially fatal and extremely painful disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and describes his discovery of the healing powers of humor and other positive emotions. He found, for example, that ten minutes of mirthful laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep. His story baffled the scientific community and inspired a number of research projects. Included was the discovery that laughter causes our body to produce endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Dr. William F. Fry, psychiatrist at Stanford University, while studying physiological effects of laughter in the late 1960 s and demonstrated that most of the body s major physiological systems are stimulated by laughter. He finally proved that mirthful laughter provides good physical exercise and can decrease the chances of respiratory infections. Dr. Lee Berk, PhD at Loma Linda University Medical Center, and his team of researchers found that laughter also reduces the level of stress hormones and results in improved immunity. He documented that laughter increases the level of immunoglobulin IgA, a special immune protein that protect us from a respiratory tract infections, and that laughter increases the number of NK Cells (Natural Killer cells), a type of white cell that plays an important role in protecting us from tumors. Dr. Michael Miller at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine reported that laughter dilates and expands the blood vessels. This increases blood flow and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. People Have Forgotten To Laugh But today, where is our laughter? Who is laughing? It seems people have forgotten how to laugh. Dr. Michael Titze, a German Psychologist, in his study says, In the 1950s people used to laugh 18 minutes a day, but today we laugh not more than 6 minutes per day, despite the huge 10

11 Laughter Yoga Founders The first five people who created history on 13 th March 1995 increase in the standard of living. Children can laugh up to times in a day, but as adults this frequency drops to barely 15 times a day. Researchers tell us that laughter has a positive impact on our physical and mental well-being, but in today s high pressure, high tension, and competitive world, laughter is fast disappearing. The hearty humor of 30 years ago no longer stirs even the faintest smile. If we consider laughter an expression of happiness, it seems that a lot of people are not happy with their lives. Most people rely on three things to laugh: level of happiness and life satisfaction, sense of humor, and reason. But, these factors are unreliable as we are not always happy; we can t depend upon a sense of humor and often there are very few reasons for us to smile and laugh. On the other hand, there are many reasons for us to be sad, depressed, and frustrated. The million-dollar question is: How can we still find laughter, and who will make us laugh? 11

12 The Breakthrough - Laughter Yoga Until now there was no reliable and effective system to deliver laughter. Humor was the only tool available, which is not very consistent and seldom leads to continuous hearty laughter. Laughter Yoga is a breakthrough laughter delivery system that enables a person to laugh continuously for 15 to 20 minutes. What Is Laughter Yoga Laughter Yoga combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy. In a session, laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group. The group maintains eye contact and childlike playfulness, and laughter soon turns real and contagious. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter--if it is done with willingness. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits, purely from the motion. Laughter Yoga approaches laughter as a bodily exercise, making it simple for everyone to follow. Laughter can actually be prescribed and practiced by one and all irrespective of cultural background, language and state of mind it is a common language we all speak. Laughter Yoga is fast sweeping the globe and has become a worldwide phenomenon, with thousands of social Laughter Clubs in over 65 countries. In addition, it is also being practiced in companies, old age homes, schools, colleges, fitness centers, community centers, prisons, hospitals, homes for the physically and mentally challenged and cancer self-help groups. Relationship Between Sense Of Humor And Laughter Is it possible to laugh for no reason? Most people believe that one must have a sense of humor to laugh, but Laughter Yoga has proven otherwise. No one is born with a sense of humor, which is the brain s capacity to perceive, relate, and experience 12

13 a situation, and judge if the situation is funny or not. We acquire this judgmental skill as our mental abilities develop during mid and late childhood. In effect, sense of humor is a mental and intellectual phenomenon. Laughter arising out of humor is conditional. It depends upon the person s intellectual ability, state of mind and level of happiness and life satisfaction. But, laughter can be achieved unconditionally. Children laugh without any mental or cognitive ability to aid them in comprehending humor. Most of their laughter is an outcome of playfulness and inherent joyfulness. To develop the ability to laugh joyfully once again, adults must remove layers of inhibition, programming and mental roadblocks created by self, family, and society. Beneath these barriers lies an infinite ability to laugh for no reason. Teaching an inhibited person to develop sense of humor is like flushing a drain blocked with rocks and rubble. Once the rubble is removed, water will start flowing. Similarly, mental inhibition and shyness is like rubble that blocks our sense of humor. Laughter Yoga facilitates this cleaning process. As years of programming are cleared, natural joyful laughter inside of us is released and begins to flow. Laughter Yoga techniques are effective even for people who have lost their laughter or have absolutely no sense of humor. People often say, I am depressed, I cannot laugh, or I don t feel like laughing. We tell them, It doesn t matter. Just bring us your willing body and we will make you laugh. Once released, natural laughter is hard to stop. Even in a country like India where we don t have a great tradition of humor and comedy, hundreds of thousands of people laugh daily in public parks. People who never smiled now laugh at small things. They have also started telling jokes and acting funny, something they never did before. Playfulness helped to develop their sense of humor and brought more laughter to their lives. 13

14 In fact, laughter and humor share a cause-and-effect relationship. They are in unison and cannot be separated. One leads to another. Sometimes humor is the cause, which is more mental and cognitive, while the effect is laughter--more of a physical phenomenon. In Laughter Clubs, laughter is the cause and the effect is humor. I realized that most people do not identify with a sense of humor. They find it easier to laugh physically in a group. This has led to the growing popularity of Laughter Clubs. So, even if you don t have sense of humor, don t worry. Just join a Laughter Club and you will develop a sense of humor. The Concept & Philosophy Of Laughter Yoga Motion creates Emotion The most frequently asked question is, How do you laugh when you re in no mood to laugh or you don t have any reason to laugh? The answer is the theory of motion creates emotion. There is an inherent link between the body and mind. Whatever happens to the mind happens to the body. If you observe sad and depressed people, their bodies are also depressed. They walk slowly, talk slowly and their body movements are sluggish and listless. The opposite is also true; whatever happens to the body happens to the mind. I remember my father said, If you re sad, don t sit idle. Keep doing some physical work or go for a walk and jog, you will feel better. And he was right; I always felt better by keeping my body active. This is known as theory of motion creates emotion. This establishes a two-way link between body and mind. If one changes the quality of thoughts, one can feel a change in body behavior. Conversely, if one can bring a change in body behavior one can experience the change in mental state. Laughter Yoga has the ability to synchronize both body and the mind, maintaining a mutual harmony. 14

15 Laughter Club members are of every age group - school children, college students, housewives, doctors, engineers and elderly people. Two Way Link Between Body And Mind Psychologist William James in 1884 found that the state of mind, whether positive or negative, is mirrored in a matching bodily expression-- or body behavior. In his research he found that each emotion in the mind has a corresponding behavior in the body. He discovered that bodily enacting any emotional behavior triggers corresponding changes in the state of mind. The connection works both ways: from mind to body and body to mind. Consider these: Sexual thoughts lead to arousal of sex organs in the body, and stimulation of the body s erogenous zones also induces sexual arousal in the mind. Acting sad and depressed (for example sitting in a moping, depressed posture and replying to questions in a sad and dismal voice) soon leads to real emotional sadness. 15

16 Actors who portray strong emotions often tell of real-life emotional repercussions. Many film and theater actors have reported that while performing tragic roles they experience a real sadness. Dr. Dale Anderson, MD (Minnesota USA) tells of an American actress who played tragic roles for so long that she fell into depression with classical physical symptoms. After extensive physical testing, her doctors declared her physically healthy, but psychologists suggested she stop playing tragic roles and turn to comedy. As she followed their advice her symptoms and depression completely disappeared. The same phenomenon can be observed in athletes participating in competitive sports. Physically they act in a brave and courageous manner, shouting and making body gestures to put their mind into a positive winning state. This reduces their fear and anxiety. Soldiers use similar tactics when preparing to attack, often shouting at the top of their voices to psych themselves up. This bodily expression of courage creates matching emotions in the mind. Laughter Yoga The Childlike Model Do you know why children laugh 300 to 400 times in a day while grownups laugh only 10 to 15 times? It s because adults use their cognitive ability to first comprehend humor and then laugh. This is called the mind-to-body model or-- the Humor model. It relies on the ability to understand what s funny and amusing. For example, the extent to which a person laughs at a given joke depends on the quality of the joke, the narration and also the state of mind of the listener. But, the model has its limitations - it does not guarantee how much a person will laugh. It s conditional: dependent on a sense of humor, the state of mind and the quality of the external stimulus. Being a mental experience, it has the disadvantage of diminishing with any physical or mental aberration that reduces cognitive and intellectual functionality. 16

17 The other model is-- the Childlike model or body-to-mind model. If you observe children, you will find that they laugh the most while playing. Their laughter comes straight from the body and does not make use of any intellectual capacity of the brain. This clearly shows that the source of their laughter is within the body. We, too, can use it whenever necessary by moving the body at our own will. The significant feature of this model is that the person must actively participate in laughter and humorous activities. Being passive will not reap the same benefits. Laughter Yoga and laughing without any reason helps to cultivate this childlike playfulness. Once you learn to play, laughter is a natural outcome. When you learn to induce laughter in the body, the mind just falls in step. The physical model of laughter is easy to practice for most people--they are relieved not to feel the pressure to identify with the mental part of humor. Difference Between Happiness And Joy Laughter Yoga makes a clear distinction between happiness and joyfulness. Happiness is a conditional response. It is dependent on the fulfillment of certain desires of the mind and is related to happenings in the past and the future and hardly ever deals with the present. Do you remember how long you stayed happy after getting that diploma, car, job, or new house that you had worked so long for? The sad fact is that even if the conditions are fulfilled, happiness is often fleeting as it is quickly displaced by new conditions the idea of forever-moving goalposts. In contrast, joyfulness is unconditional commitment to be happy for the moment and to have fun despite life s problems. Joyfulness is easily triggered by joyful activities like laughing, dancing, singing and playing. It is purely a physical phenomenon while happiness is a concept of the mind. When you re joyful, you experience physiological and biochemical changes. The generation of good feelings and a sense of well-being 17

18 change your outlook towards life. Laughter Yoga is all about learning to be joyful and you can navigate happiness in a much better way. Fake It Until You Make It There is an old saying, If you are not happy, act like a happy person and you will become one. There is great wisdom and science behind acting out happiness. Medical research shows that even if you pretend to laugh or act happy, your body produces happy chemicals. According to the principles of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), there is hardly any difference, between thinking about doing something, and actually doing it. Therefore, whatever may be the source of laughter; it leads to the same physiological changes occurring in the body. Many actors, all over the world, have experienced the effect of faking emotions. They often felt sick after enacting a sad and depressing role, which clearly indicates that if acting sad can make one sick; acting happy can make one healthy. Difference Between Being Funny And Having Fun When we look at Laughter Clubs objectively and see people laughing for no reason, it seems goofy and embarrassing. Most people feel inhibited and are shy of laughing without any reason. They would rather laugh naturally instead of forcing it. Subjectively, if you ask a Laughter Club member, they will tell you that they are totally into it and there is nothing funny about it. It is all about having fun. The difference between being funny and having fun is that when one is being funny, he is performing and acting in order to make others laugh. On the other hand, in Laughter Clubs, the people are not making others laugh; they are making themselves laugh. There are very few people who have the ability to perform and be funny. In contrast, what we do in a laughter session is that we play like children and cultivate our childlike playfulness, which is easily done 18

19 Leading gynecologists of Mumbai participating in a laughter session. in a group. It is all about having fun. In fact, laughter is not about the physical act of laughing; it is all about bringing out the inner child which allows you to play as a grownup. Once you learn to be playful, laughter becomes a natural outcome of play. You don t have to do laughter. Laughter Can Be Programmed Into Your Body Did you know that we can actually learn to laugh? Our body and mind can be trained to laugh at will. It s like learning to ride a bicycle. It s muscle memory; once you learn it, you never forget. Repetition is the mother of any skill. By repeating any bodily behavior over a period of time, the mind begins to generate a predictable response. The body learns to produce a knee-jerk reaction without involving the rational brain or the process of thinking. This is called conditioning. As a classic example of conditioning, famous Russian scientist Pavlov performed an experiment with dogs. Every time he gave them food, he would ring the bell. After several days of repeating the same process, he 19

20 stopped giving food and only rang the bell. He found that the ringing the bell, even in the absence of food, produced saliva in the mouth and gastric juice in the stomach. The body of the dogs had developed an association between the ringing of the bell - a physical sensory experience, and the food. Similarly, the human brain can also be conditioned. With repetitive exercises, the body starts reacting out of reflex before the conscious brain can rationalize and think. Throughout our lives, we are conditioned in both positive and negative ways. Over time, members of Laughter Clubs become conditioned to be joyful through the bodily experience of doing Laughter Yoga. Clapping in rhythm, chanting ho ho ha ha in unison, and positive affirmations like very good, very good, yeah! are a few examples of expressions of joy practiced repeatedly in Laughter Clubs. With Laughter Yoga, the brain develops new neuronal connections that produce happy chemistry in the body. These reactions can be triggered simply by laughter exercises, and doing certain actions of the body, which lead the mind to experience the emotion of joy - no matter what. Willingness And Commitment To Laugh The most important factor in Laughter Clubs is the willingness of the participants to laugh. The members laugh voluntarily, with full commitment. This makes it easy for the group to laugh because when the mind is willing; anything is possible. In contrast, when the mind is not willing to laugh, nobody can make you laugh. But why reserve our laughter only for times when something funny or amusing happens? So often we leave laughter to a chance, rather than committing to joy. All you need to do is to give yourself permission to laugh - and nobody can stop you. We have to make an effort if we want to add more laughter to our lives. This commitment 20

21 is the reason Laughter Club members laugh and remain joyful through life in spite of the ups and downs. Inner Spirit Of Laughter Laughter Yoga goes beyond just laughing. It not only fosters a feeling of physical well being, it enhances the spirit and touches the emotional core. It cultivates positive thinking and promotes understanding. Many of the laughter exercises focus on forgiveness, generosity, compassion, and helpfulness. Laughter Yoga gives participants the opportunity to actively enhance the lives of others. Laughter Yoga has the power to change the selfish state of mind to an altruistic state of mind. It has been proven that people who laugh are likely to be more generous and have more empathy than those who don t laugh. This inner spirit of laughter becomes apparent as people develop a state of internal peace: the worries and intense goals that have driven their lives become less important. These people become aware that true happiness comes from giving unconditional love, caring for others, and sharing with each other. Laughter Yoga inspires members to make the world a better place not only for themselves, but for every one. World Peace Through Laughter Our ultimate objective is to spread good health, joy, and achieve world peace through laughter. Though some may consider this goal idealistic, an understanding of the science and philosophy behind Laughter Yoga shows how it can be achieved. The practice of Laughter Yoga causes the body to release into the bloodstream high concentrations of hormones and neuro peptides-- related to feelings of happiness, warmth, unconditional love, bonding, tolerance, forgiveness, generosity, and compassion-a Joy Cocktail. When this Joy Cocktail of hormones is released through laughter, it inhibits the production of other hormones that correspond with hatred, fear, violence, jealousy, aggression and the emotions associated with 21

22 war and oppression. The group dynamics of Laughter Yoga increases this happy cocktail 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. It is like a chain reaction; it keeps the cheer flowing. I believe that there is war in the outer world because we are at war within ourselves. Therefore, if we can bring peace within ourselves, there will be peace outside. Laughter is universal. It has no language or cultural barriers. Laughter Yoga Clubs are sprouting everywhere, and more and more people are laughing together everywhere. We are developing into a worldwide community that believes in unconditional love, laughter, and fellowship. Our World Peace Through Laughter mission is to set up clubs all over the world and we hope to connect all the clubs bringing the world together to make one big universal laughing family. This is how we can achieve World Peace: WHEN YOU LAUGH; YOU CHANGE AND WHEN YOU CHANGE THE WHOLE WORLD CHANGES 22

23 CHAPTER 2 How Did The Idea Originate Born in a small village on Indo- Pakistan border, I was the youngest of eight children. Hailing from a farming background, my parents never attended school. Being simple village folk, they were engrossed in the daily grind of a farm life. None of my brothers and sisters was interested in studying, but I was the odd one. It was my mother s dream that someday I would become a doctor. Medical facility was a rarity in the village and it was difficult to find a doctor. One had to travel almost 15 miles to seek any kind of medical help. In pursuance of her wish, I went to a boarding school and worked hard to get my medical degree. After graduation, I went to Mumbai and joined one of the best hospitals in town to do my post- graduate studies in medicine. Completely lured by the glitz and glitterati of Mumbai, swanky cars and luxurious apartments, I wanted to become rich and famous. I tried everything in my capacity to reach for the skies, but soon realized it was not easy. My quest did not succeed and I slumped into a bout of depression. Life was tough and it was not easy 23

24 to make money without any business experience. I was stressed and miserable. At that time my mother visited Mumbai and was shocked to see my state. She said, Madan, what is wrong? You don t look happy and you don t laugh and smile like you did in the village. She was right. Somewhere in the midst of upward scramble, I had really lost my laughter. The transition from an innocent village boy to a city doctor had seriously altered my persona. I knew I was in trouble. Having realized the enormity of the situation, I embarked on a new search and this time it was not money. It was to find my laughter - the key to happiness and joy. My Tryst With Laughter Not content with being a practicing physician in a suburb in Mumbai, India, I launched a health magazine My Doctor to spread more awareness about good health among people. It was in March 1995, while writing an article Laughter The best Medicine for my journal, I stumbled on a rich repertoire of scientific work done on laughter as a therapy. On exploring further, I was amazed at the volume of documented studies that described at great length the many proven benefits of laughter on the human mind and body. While going through the scientific literature on the benefits of laughter, I was profoundly inspired by the book Anatomy of an Illness written by Norman Cousins in which he described how he laughed his way back to health from Ankylosing Spondylitis, an incurable disease of the spine. The work of Dr. Lee Berk of Loma Linda University in California which showed that mirthful laughter reduces stress levels and has a positive effect on the immune system was also very rousing. This set me thinking. Life in Mumbai was stressful. People hardly laughed. A huge population of about 15 million people were forever rushed and hassled to meet their needs and fulfill their dreams. Even I had turned dour and had lost my laughter to the daily rigors of my profession and the added burden of a publication. This was no joke. 24

25 This is how a typical Laughter Club looks like in India There was no time to laugh. I believed laughter could improve health and cope with the stressors of modern living. I looked for ways to generate more laughter and help people in medical or personal crisis. I stared joking and laughing with my patients and soon found that they recovered much faster as laughter kept them happy and positive. The Beginning Of Laughter Club Movement 13th March, 1995, I got up at 4am and was pacing up and down in my living room when a sudden idea flashed through my mind: If laughter is so good, why not set up a Laughter Club. I was ecstatic and could hardly wait to implement the concept. Within three hours, I hurried to a public park where I went for a morning walk every day. I tried to pursue the regular morning walkers to start a Laughter Club. The expressions were predictable. They were aghast and actually thought I was crazy. They laughed at the idea and scoffed at the whole 25

26 concept. But I was unshakeable and did not give up. I managed to motivate just 4 out of 400 people and thus was born the first Laughter Club with just 5 people. We met for half an hour every morning to laugh together much to the amusement of befuddled onlookers. In the beginning, the session began by someone telling a joke or narrating a humorous anecdote. Soon people started enjoying the whole exercise and reported feeling much better after a laughter session of minutes. Bearing the initial ridicule and criticism, I firmly explained the health benefits of laughter. Gradually people became a little more receptive and showed a keen interest. The attendance started growing, and there were nearly 55 people by the end of the week. For ten days the routine continued with much vigor, after which we hit a snag. The stock of good jokes and stories ran out, and negative, hurtful and naughty jokes started to emerge. Reacting to the offensive jokes, two participants complained that it would be better to close the club than to continue with such jokes. Determined to keep the Laughter Club alive, I asked the club members to give me just one day to resolve the crisis. That night, I was looking for some way to laugh without jokes. Luckily, I laid my hands on a book called Emotions and Health, from Prevention Health Care Series (USA). While reading a chapter on humor and laughter, I was surprised to learn that the body cannot differentiate between real and fake laughter. It clearly revealed that if one cannot laugh, one should pretend to laugh. I also learnt that not only laughter, but a bodily expression of any motion, generates a similar emotion in the mind. This was a breakthrough. I thought why not use laughter as an exercise? The next morning, I explained this to the group and asked them to try to act out laughter with me for one minute. Though skeptical, they agreed to try. 26

27 The results were amazing. For some, acted out laughter quickly turned into real laughter this was contagious and very soon others followed. Soon the group was laughing like never before. The hearty laughter that followed persisted for almost ten minutes. Finally, there was laughter, real laughter with no jokes. The fact that one could laugh without an external trigger was a unique feature. But there were some people who were naturally inhibited and shy and found it difficult to generate laughter. As every person has a different psychological make-up; it was harder for some to laugh. My new challenge was how to get these people laughing without any reason. I came up with an idea of warm-up exercises, such as clapping and chanting ho ho ha ha ha. This loosened the inhibitions and helped people to laugh easily. Soon different kinds of laughter exercises were developed, which included elements of role-play, childlike playfulness and other techniques from my days as an amateur dramatic actor. As the concept evolved, I saw many similarities between laughter and Pranayama in Yoga. Both were based on the principle of optimal breathing - fundamental to good health. Together with my wife, Madhuri, we incorporated the elements from this ancient form of Yogic breathing with laughter and the result was Laughter Yoga or Hasya Yoga ( as known in Sanskrit) - a complete workout for health and wellness. A physically-oriented technique, it allows for multiple health benefits, primarily increasing the supply of oxygen and boosting the immune system. It also energizes and recharges the metabolism. Today, with thousands of Laughter Yoga Clubs burgeoning worldwide, scores of people are taking advantage of the enormous benefits of laughter, and are experiencing relief from a variety of stress-related illnesses. It has grown on its own strength, and the actual benefits are undeniable. It is nature s best medicine. 27

28 Unstoppable Laughter! When I started the Laughter Clubs in 1995, the news spread in the country. We set up 13 clubs within a month in Mumbai. Back in my hometown, the local newspaper carried a picture of a Laughter Club on the first page, which sent my eldest brother into a state of panic. He called me and said, Madan, what are you doing? Please stop it immediately. This is causing us a lot of embarrassment. We sent you to become a doctor; instead you ve become a laughing stock. I tried to explain that the club was not some sort of funny entertainment or cheap comedy it was a health club and was dedicated to provide good health and maintain the well being of the people. But alas! All explanation was in vain. He was adamant that I stop my laughter movement. In order to convince my family, I invited him and my mother to Mumbai and took them to the Jogger s Park Laughter Club in Mumbai west. They were surprised to see more than 100 people laughing together. Most of them were educated professionals like doctors, engineers, accountants and businessmen. In fact, they were amazed to see lots of ladies in the session. The overwhelming response from the members and the feeling of harmony that was displayed had a profound impact on my family and they changed their attitude towards the laughter movement. Comprehending the tremendous health benefits and the happiness and joy that the clubs have instilled in the people worldwide, my family now takes pride in my work and is a part of my laughter family. Ha ha ha 28

29 CHAPTER 3 Why Do We Need To Laugh More Today Today, life is stressful and stress-related diseases are on the rise. As mentioned earlier, many diseases are a result of stress which invariably has serious physical manifestations. Stress is one of the most damaging causes which render people mentally, physically and emotionally incapable of coping with life and its challenges. With feelings of inadequacy and anxiety coupled with lack of positive attitude and recurring physical symptoms of disease, people under stress try to escape by turning to alcohol, smoking and drugs. Here are some symptoms that are a result of mental stress and anxieties. If you suffer from any of them, you are probably heading for a physiological or psychological breakdown of the body - mind system. Nagging ache at the base of the neck Frequent headaches with tender temples Lethargy and constant fatigue Frequent coughs and colds Stomach knots Nausea and indigestion Irritable bowel or constipation 29

30 Muscle tension with backache and neck ache Difficulty in going to sleep, waking early Breathlessness, bouts of dizziness, light-headedness Increase/decrease in appetite Increased smoking or drinking Loss of sexual drive Frequent mood swings Feeling of isolation Lack of self-worth Frequent memory lapses Poor decision-making abilities Irritability and aggression Difficulty in concentrating on and allotting priorities Suicidal tendency All of us suffer from some of the above symptoms off and on, but if the symptoms recur and persist for a long time, you need to unwind and become a member of a Laughter Club! People try a number of relaxation techniques such as exercise, massage, Yoga, meditation, going on holidays, picnics, and outings. All these measures are time consuming and expensive. One needs concentration and will power to stay with these pursuits. In fact, most exercise programs are abandoned due to boredom and lack of motivation. Yogic laughter in a group is one of the easiest and most economical de-stressing measures. Not only do we laugh in a group, but we also practice and implement ways and means of intelligent living. Within the group effort, motivation levels are high, one is free of boredom; it is truly a pleasant, thoroughly delightful, and effective exercise. All perils of modern living have resulted from competition. While healthy competition is necessary for growth and development, it seems that today s competition is unlimited. It makes us feel like losers even if we are winners. It puts a person at high level stress for fear of losing his position. If someone overtakes you, it brings a sense of shame, 30

31 depression, negative feelings of inferiority and jealousy. Due to this, people can t celebrate even their small achievements and this leads to dissatisfaction, frustration, in turn, leading to drug addiction, alcoholism, gambling, violence and corruption. In a collective effort to understand life in a better way and live more joyfully, we have created the platform of Laughter Clubs, where like-minded people can resolve to live a valuebased life together, rather than running in a perpetual rat race. Over Seriousness The whole world is full of seriousness. As a child, one is asked by one s parents over and again, When will you become serious? As an adult, if you want to be joyful at times, people say, Don t behave like a child! Life is serious, death is serious. There is a lot of seriousness in hospitals and religious places. There is little or no laughter at workplaces. Newspapers and television programs continually bombard us with bad news and negative thoughts, making people even less secure. At a tender age, children are overloaded with information. Instead of outdoor games, they play computer games and chess, where you need to apply a lot of thought and there is almost no laughter. Already children today behave like young adults. People are becoming more logic-oriented; they look for logic in laughter too. The very essence of laughter is absurdity, therefore where there is logic; there is no laughter. We are already paying a heavy price for taking life too seriously and the time has now come to take laughter seriously. We intend to break the seriousness of life through Laughter Clubs, and to revive the spirit of laughter, and joy as a way of life around the world. Depression The Number One Sickness Today, people are sad and lonely. Often they have no one to talk to or share their feelings and emotions. The world is sinking into deep depression due to isolation and individualism. As we grow older, we laugh less and less. According to some sources, depression is growing at a very fast pace and is soon becoming the number one sickness in the world. Depressed people have a penchant for negative and self 31

32 destructive thoughts which can even lead to suicide. People living in old age homes often suffer from these debilitating thoughts and are caught in a mire of despair and helplessness. Laughter Yoga is one such exercise regime that helps to alleviate depression and uplift the mood state, thereby improving the quality of life. Conditional Laughter And Happiness Children laugh more than adults because they do not have any conditions for laughter. They laugh because they want to laugh and are joyful. As we grow older, we start setting conditions for our laughter and happiness e.g. If I get this, I will laugh; if I get a job of my liking I will be happy. We are always looking for some reason to laugh, but unfortunately, today there are few situations which really make us laugh. In contrast, there are hundreds of situations which make us unhappy. The Laughter Club is a joint effort of like-minded people to liberate laughter and happiness from the reason. We can simply choose to be happy, regardless of what is happening in our lives. Expensive Modern Medicine Life expectancy has increased significantly due to advanced medical, surgical, and diagnostic techniques. Despite research and development, however, the incidence of heart disease, blood pressure, allergic disorders, psychosomatic disorders, and cancer is rising largely because of stress. For most people in developing countries, modern medical treatment is expensive and beyond their reach. A major part of their income is spent on treating stress-related diseases. Reach out for the wonder medicine - Laughter which can help save medical expenses by strengthening the immune system and preventing many diseases. 32

33 CHAPTER 4 Essential Link Between Yoga And Laughter What does a simple emotion like laughter and a universally acclaimed form of exercise Yoga have in common? Yoga has always been distinguished as a classic system of ancient Indian philosophy, because of the marvels of body control instilled by its practice. The word Yoga arises from the Sanskrit root Yuj which means to get hold of, integrate and harmonize. It means getting hold of our lives, integrating all aspects of life and harmonizing our bodies with our minds, spirits and society. As the concept of Laughter Yoga evolved, I found a deep connection between the basic fundamentals of Yoga and what we did in the Laughter Clubs. When I initiated the idea of Laughter Clubs, it was only to induce laughter as an exercise. I never thought of Yoga. In spite of initial ridicule, I pursued the idea as people felt much better and started accepting it as an enjoyable routine. When jokes didn t work, we learnt to laugh without them. I thought of how to make the members practice these laughter exercises everyday for minutes, and take it seriously. 33

34 I realized that many people found it difficult to laugh. In my search for a method of how to laugh without any reason, I introduced a warmup exercise in which people chanted ho ho ha ha ha in unison and kept their awareness on the abdominal muscles. This helped remove inhibitions, and there was full participation by the members. One morning, as I practiced my yogic breathing, I realized that ho ho ha ha ha was similar to Kapalbhati, a dynamic Yoga breathing exercise. Both Laughter and Kapalbhati used rhythmic movement of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. It then occurred to me as to why not combine yogic deep breathing (Pranayama) with laughter exercises because of their similarities. I had found a perfect blend which I named Laughter Yoga or Hasya Yoga, which in Sanskrit means laughter. Thus, Laughter Yoga was born. While studying Yoga in depth, I discovered that breathing was a fundamental part of Yoga. Many scientific studies proved that deep breathing has a calming effect on the mind. Also, while doing different laughter exercises people needed a break as laughing continuously can get tiring. It occurred to me to intersperse deep breathing in between laughter exercises this worked wonders as participants found it more relaxing and made the Laughter Club look like a serious discipline rather than a fun exercise. More and more people were drawn to the clubs as they gradually realized the benefits of doing Yoga with laughter. In our busy lives, people have no patience to follow yogic breathing daily, but the clubs make it part of their routine as it becomes a ritual effortless to maintain and fun to practice. Breath Is Life Breathing is fundamental to life. One can live without food and water for several days, but cannot survive if breathing stops for even few minutes. According to yogic philosophy, we are alive because the cosmic energy from the universe flows into the body through the breath. And breath is the life energy force--or Prana. 34

35 Western style greeting: Shake hands look into the eyes of the other person and laugh From a medical point of view, the most important component of breath is oxygen. Dr. Otto Warburg, President, Institute of Cell Physiology and Nobel laureate said, Deep breathing techniques increase oxygen to the cells and are the most important factors in living a disease-free and energetic life. When cells get enough oxygen, cancer will not and cannot occur. Due to stress and negative mental state, breathing becomes shallow and irregular. We tend to hold our breath whenever the mind is upset or in a state of turmoil. This leads to lack of oxygen and accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood which further causes anxiety, stress arousal and emotional reactions. More Oxygen From Exhalation Even when one exhales completely, there is some amount of air left in the lungs, called residual air. During inhalation we breathe in 500 to 700 ml of air and almost the same amount is exhaled. This is called tidal volume. This ml constitutes only 25% of our lung capacity. 35

36 But, there is a huge volume of residual air in our lungs, after we have exhaled that amounts to almost 2500 to 2800 ml, which is 75% of the lung capacity. This residual volume is mostly stale air that has more carbon dioxide. The hallmark of Yoga breathing is that we should exhale longer than inhale, so that we can get rid of as much of the residual air from the lungs and bring in fresh air and more oxygen for the next breathing cycle. This can be done effectively by contracting the abdominal muscles in, and pushing the diaphragm up. When we talk about deep breathing, it is not about inhalation, but rather through prolonged exhalation that one can breathe more deeply. If you observe carefully, we are exhaling as we laugh. During laughter, our exhalation lasts much longer than when we release air in regular breathing. Because of this, you will get more oxygen when you inhale again to fill the empty lungs, no matter whether laughter is real or as an exercise. It is also a much easier and a fun way to exhale longer. Breathing Capacity And Laughter The principal organs of respiration are the lungs. To utilize their full capacity and fully oxygenate them, it is essential to keep the respiratory passages clear. The muscles used in respiration should be strong. Two thirds of the lung capacity comes from abdominal breathing, which means that if you don t use your abdomen to breathe approximately 2/3 of the air in your lungs remains stale. Laugher exercises fully flush the lungs, thereby bringing more oxygen into the blood stream. Normally, a person at rest breathes times a minute. When under stress the breathing rate goes up to times a minute and becomes shallow. As a result of this, some cells in the lungs cease to participate in the respiration process. They have a tendency to collapse and become non-functional. As the lung capacity (vital capacity) goes down, the person feels breathless after a little exertion. During the act of laughter, there is a rhythmic movement of the 36

37 diaphragm (the major respiratory muscle which separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity), abdominal muscles and intercostal muscles (between the ribs). This helps to increase the lung capacity and flush the stale air, replacing it with a fresh supply of oxygen. Regular deep breathing, as practiced in Laughter Clubs, keeps the lungs at their full breathing capacity. Diaphragm Activates Parasympathetic System Both laughter and yogic breathing exercises are intended to stimulate the movement of the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles which helps to activate the parasympathetic system: the calming branch of the autonomic nervous system. This is opposite to the sympathetic system: the stress arousal system. One can turn off the stress arousal system simply by learning to move the diaphragm. The most important exercise we do in Laughter Clubs is the chanting of ho ho ha ha ha. We encourage people to focus on abdominal muscles so that we can learn to train our diaphragm. While doing most laughter exercises, participants learn to laugh from the belly. One particular laughter exercise called Lion Laughter, practiced extensively in Laughter Clubs, is taken from the Simha Mudra of Yoga. People laugh heartily sticking their tongues out, keeping their eyes wide open and posing their hands like the paws of a lion. This is a direct adaptation of the yogic lion posture. This exercise facilitates laughter from the belly and is a good exercise for facial muscles and throat ailments. Change Your Breathing, Change Your Mind There is a direct relation between the breathing pattern and the state of mind. When under stress breathing becomes fast, irregular, and shallow (using the upper part of the chest to breathe). There are spells of breath-holding, according to the number of disturbing and negative thoughts crossing the mind. In contrast, when the mind is at peace, breathing becomes slower, more regular, and deeper. 37

38 Breathing is the only process that has a dual character. It goes on automatically and is under the control of the unconscious mind as well as it can be consciously regulated or changed. Through the practice of belly laughter and deep breathing, we can learn to change our breathing pattern from shallow to deep and easily alter our thoughts in the mind. Even if we have disturbing thoughts, with deep breathing, our body will not experience stress response. Union Of Outer And Inner World If directly translated, Yoga means to connect. It is not about body postures and stretching alone - it is a way of life. Laughter Clubs are social organizations that help to connect people and develop a sense of solidarity among members. Through laughter, people can lighten their loads, sharing sorrows and joy together. The inner spirit of laughter helps people change their attitude. Through the platform of Laughter Yoga, we establish the knowledge base to develop unconditional love, compassion, appreciation and forgiveness. This perfectly aligns with the principal teachings of Yoga. In the Indian context, Yoga is a direct link to personal spirituality. Laughter Yoga goes beyond simply laughter and improved physical health. Laughter Yoga manages to bring together our strong emotions and enhance the inner spirit. A complete holistic approach, it transforms the entire perspective and makes people change for the better. This is the inner spirit of laughter. Laughter Yoga has a strong base in yogic philosophy, with the potential to connect us to a higher intelligence, and encourage intimate understanding of the inner self. Laughter Yoga Connecting People Unconditional laughter connects people from different cultures, countries, no matter what language they speak or how they live. Laughter Yoga promotes a strong union between those who laugh together resulting in family-like bonds, providing social interaction and 38

39 Laughter session at a park in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), India networking --- essential for happiness. The goal of Laughter Yoga is to connect people with one another at heart level without judgment --- this is the true meaning of Yoga. Scientific Rationale Of Yoga And Laughter The organs in the body are made up of tissues. In order to keep them healthy, there should be a constant supply of nourishment: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, salts, minerals and vitamins. The health of the tissue will depend on the quality of food one eats, and the power of digestion and absorption of the individual digestive system. Besides the digestive system, one s circulatory system must also be in good order to ensure that the nutrients reach every part of the body. A good supply of oxygen is required to help metabolize the nutrients, which means the respiratory system should also be fully functioning. The digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems should all be equally efficient in their working so as to maintain optimum health. 39

40 The Yoga practice offers many effective exercises and postures that tone these vital systems of the body and enhance a person s wellbeing. Let us examine how Laughter Yoga contributes to strengthen the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems. Toning The Digestive System All the principal organs of digestion, like the stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas, are situated in the abdominal cavity, and are supported by strong core muscles on all sides. The movement of the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during normal respiration naturally provides a gentle massage to these organs. Massaging these organs promotes health. During inhalation, the diaphragm pushes the abdominal organs downwards and forwards, and at the same time relaxes the abdominal wall muscles. During exhalation, the abdominal muscles are contracted, and they push all the organs of the abdominal cavity inwards and upwards. But, if the abdominal muscles are weak, and the muscles of the diaphragm are not exercised regularly, they cannot provide an effective massage. Sedentary lifestyle and obesity weakens the abdominal muscles. They lose their tone which leads to excessive fat deposits on the abdominal wall. As a result, the abdominal organs get displaced from their natural places, and their blood supply is affected. This can result in dyspepsia and a variety of digestive problems. In Laughter Clubs, we have different styles of belly laughter that exercise the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm simultaneously. Scientists have referred to laughter as internal jogging or a Magic Finger that goes right inside your belly and readjusts the internal organs. Regular laughter exercise not only strengthens the abdominal muscles and gives a constant massage, but also holds the abdominal organs in their proper places. This ensures proper digestion and absorption. 40

41 Strong Circulatory System All the body s nourishment is absorbed into the blood. It is processed in the liver, passed on to the central pumping system of the heart, and pushed throughout the body through a network of blood vessels. Similarly, the blood, after supplying the nutrients, collects the wastes of metabolism and returns to the heart and lungs for purification. The most important organ of circulation is the heart. Laughing promotes a healthy heart. A constant change in intra-thoracic pressure while laughing and breathing helps to draw in venous blood, returning from all the major venacavas of the upper and lower body. In a good bout of laughter, there is dilation of blood vessels all over the body. We ve all seen or experienced this as a flushed appearance and feeling of warmth. Pulse rate and blood pressure rise as the circulatory system is stimulated before settling down, below the original levels. In a nutshell, laughter helps tone the circulatory system of the body. Strengthens Respiratory System Once all the nutrients are carried to the tissues, they need oxygen to metabolize. Laughter and breathing exercises help to increase the breathing capacity of the lungs and increase the net supply of oxygen to the body. Laughter sessions, along with deep breathing, are like chest physiotherapy-- especially for those who smoke and suffer from bronchitis and respiratory airway obstruction. Many people have reported that they continue to clear out mucous throughout the day after a laughter session. This opens up their breathing passages and the unobstructed airways decreases the frequency of common infections like colds, and flu, and even tonsillitis. Various breathing exercises, along with Lion laughter helps to keep the respiratory passages healthier. 41

42 CHAPTER 5 What Happens During A Laughter Session The most common application of Laughter Yoga is social Laughter Clubs, but Laughter Yoga sessions vary according to the group and its objectives. For example laughter sessions conducted in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, for seniors or in business offices might be quite different to the Laughter Yoga sessions in a social club. There are three components of a complete experience of Laughter Yoga Laughter Yoga Session Laughter Meditation Grounding Techniques Laughter Session Guidelines Frequency: In India laughter sessions are held everyday, while in the west it takes place just once a week or once in 15 days. From our experience, the benefits of Laughter Yoga are maximum when practiced everyday. This is why Laughter Club members in India are getting the maximum health benefits. 42

43 Venue: When doing a laughter session outdoors, e.g. in public parks, make sure they are away from residential buildings so as not to disturb other people. Even indoors Laughter Yoga can get noisy, so ensure all doors and windows are closed to minimize the noise levels. But, if you do select an indoor venue, remember high roof venues are not suitable as there is a lot of echo and the energy of laughter gets lost due to large space. Another factor you should keep in mind is the size of the group. Do not select big venues if you have a small group size, because it is better to be close to each other while doing laughter exercises. Duration: Normally, a laughter session lasts for an hour in which we do laughter, breathing and stretching exercises for 30 minutes followed by Laughter Meditation and Guided relaxation of 15 minutes each. Groups which meet outdoors only do laughter, breathing and stretching exercises. As a rule, Laughter Meditation is not done outdoors because we need concentration and focus, and indoor venues are more suitable for it. Group size: To run a Laughter Yoga session you need a group of at least 5 to 15 people to make a good group dynamic. The more the merrier because it makes the laughter session more infectious, and becomes easy for people to laugh. As a leader, one has to spend little energy and effort to keep the group dynamic and energy going of a large group, but in case there are less people, the leader has to spend more effort and energy to keep up the group dynamic. Clothing: Wear loose clothing which does not restrict abdominal movements and avoid tight strings or belts above the navel area. Laughter Leader: Every Laughter Yoga session is led by a laughter leader or teacher, who controls the session, explains and gives commands to start and complete different exercises. The leader guides the members to start and complete the exercises together for improved group dynamic. How Should People Stand: All members stand in a circle or semicircle, according to the space available, while the laughter leader is in the 43

44 center. He or she gives commands to initiate different types of laughter exercises. The point to remember is that the members should not stand in a line to form a circle, as seen in military parades. The idea is that one should not feel conscious about breaking the circle or the line. It should be a crowd format with people standing at random. We encourage members to keep moving and meeting other participants, and laugh by having an eye contact. There should be arms distance between two members while doing different stretching exercises, but while doing laughter exercises, the members should move closer and interact with each other. However, some exercises can be done standing in a circle and holding each other s hands, and arms can be moved up and down, depending on the type of exercise. This is good for creating a sense of closeness or intimacy among the group members. Alternatively, while doing some laughter exercises, the participants can stand in two groups facing each other. This format is more interactive and playful and helps to make the laughter more spontaneous and playful. Laughing Together At The Same Time: Laughing together at the same time has a great impact, thereby all participants are instructed to start laughing all at once when the laughter leader gives the command 1, 2, 3...start. The sequence of laughter exercises suggested is just a guideline to get started. It is not mandatory to follow the same order of exercises every time. A group can develop their own exercises to make the session more interesting and playful. However, the style of clapping, deep breathing and certain value-based and yogic laughter exercises should remain constant. Each laughter exercise lasts for 30 to 45 seconds, or a maximum of 1 minute. After each bout of laughter or sometimes after two bouts, two deep breaths are taken, in order to provide a break. This avoids exertion and tiredness. Sometimes, various neck, shoulder and arm stretching exercises are done in place of deep breathing, between laughter exercises. 44

45 Lion Laughter is an adaptation of a yogic posture called Simha mudra. Those who suffer from hernia, epilepsy, severe backache, uncontrolled high blood pressure or any other heart and lung condition, where a person is not allowed to exert much, should consult their physician, before doing laughter exercises. Please remember Laughter Yoga exercises are like any other aerobic exercise, and all the conditions for fitness apply in the same way as that of aerobic exercises. Less Force More Enjoyment: Most sessions focus on enjoyment rather than force when doing laughter exercises. So, remember do not strain, or force out laughter. Childlike Playfulness: We strive to cultivate childlike playfulness during Laughter Yoga exercises. Open Your Mouth A Bit Wider: While doing laughter exercises, ho ho ha ha clapping and chanting people must open their mouth a bit wider to experience the sounds of laughter and ho ho ha ha coming from the belly. This will help the diaphragm to move which in turn brings more relaxation. 45

46 Four Steps of Laughter Yoga Step 1: Clapping and Warming-up Exercises: We clap with our hands parallel to each other for full finger-to-finger and palm-to-palm contact. This stimulates acupressure points in the hands and increases energy levels. Then we add rhythm to the clapping to further increase energy levels and group synchronicity, often a 1-2, rhythm. Next, we add movement. There are many variations, but most move their hands up and down and swing from side to side, with corresponding movements of the legs and feet. Chanting and Moving: We add a simple chant to clapping like ho ho ha ha ha. These are heavy exhalations that come from the belly to stimulate diaphragmatic breathing. Moving randomly, people smile making an eye contact with others in the group. Many add dance movements to this sequence which boosts feelings of happiness and joy. Enthusiastic clapping, chanting and movement help build a positive energy, gets the diaphragm moving and creates a positive group dynamic, preparing us to laugh. Gibberish Talking: Gibberish is a language of sounds without meaning. Children speak gibberish when learning to speak and during play. We sometimes use gibberish as a warming up exercise to help loosen up people and reduce their inhibition and shyness. Some people find it easier if you tell them what to talk about. Different emotions can be expressed including happiness, anger, sadness, romance and more. It is a playful exercise and helps cultivate childlike playfulness. Gibberish may be fast or at normal conversational speed and generally involves a focus on tone and hand and body movements to convey meaning. Some find silent gibberish easy to do and a lot of fun. Step 2: Deep Breathing Exercises Laughter exercises are interspersed with deep breathing exercises to 46

47 help flush the lungs as well as bring physical and mental relaxation. A typical deep breathing exercise: From a relaxed standing position, bend forward at the waist to a point where you are comfortable (different for everyone) while exhaling through the mouth to fully empty your lungs. Dangle your arms. Bending helps push the diaphragm up and empty your lungs. Hold briefly. Straighten up slowly while inhaling through your nose and take as deep a breath as possible. Raise your arms to the sky, stretching your body slightly backwards. Hold your breath for 4-5 seconds. Exhale slowly as you bring your arms down, and bend forward. Try to exhale longer in order to empty your lungs completely. Hold then repeat. A variation is to hold your breath a little longer, then letting the air burst forth in hearty laughter. There is no necessity to do the breathing exercises after every laughter exercise, but they are designed to take a break and relax so that you don t get tired doing laughter exercises continuously. You can decide after how many exercises you want to do the breathing exercises. It also depends upon the energy level of the group. Step 3: Childlike Playfulness The objective of Laughter Yoga is to cultivate childlike playfulness that helps you laugh without any reason. We sometimes chant after an exercise: Very good (clap), very good (clap), yeah (swinging arms up in a Y shape with thumbs up in childish exuberance and exhilaration). In between laughter exercises and breathing exercises, the entire group keeps chanting very good, very good, yeah. This helps to keep the energy levels, and builds up enthusiasm. You can decide after how many exercises you want to recite this chant. 47

48 Step 4: Laughter Exercises They are divided into three types: Yogic Laughter Exercises: While some exercises are based on yogic breathing (Pranayama), a few are based on Yoga postures, including the ever popular Lion laughter performed with growling laughter. Another Yoga based exercise is Calcutta Laughter in which you place your hands in front of your chest with palms facing outwards. Push them forwards twice saying ho ho aggressively and then push them downwards twice saying ha ha to stimulate the diaphragm. Then take a few long deep breaths and repeat. This exercise is designed to stimulate and bring awareness about the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Playful Laughter Exercises: These help to reduce inhibition and shyness and convert simulated laughter into unconditional laughter. It often includes method-acting techniques to shift our mindset, imagining and acting out a situation or a role. One-meter Laughter, Milkshake Laughter, Mobile phone Laughter and Hot-soup Laughter are especially popular. Value- based Laughter Exercises: These are designed to program positive feelings to gestures or situations while laughing, teaching our subconscious new auto-responses. Visa card Laughter, Appreciation Laughter, Greeting Laughter, and Forgiveness Laughter are some value based exercises. Stretching Exercises in Laughter Clubs There are some regular stretching exercises we do between laughter and breathing exercises. These can be done at the beginning of the session, while members are gathering, or in between various kinds of laughter to take a break or in the middle of the session, as per the convenience of each particular group. Neck Exercises: Neck pain is a very common complaint. Because of stress, bad posture, soft beds, or too many pillows, the muscles around the neck and shoulder go into a spasm. Yoga gives a lot of importance 48

49 Group of ladies doing Gradient Laughter in Bangalore, India to neck exercises, because all major nerves and the spinal cord pass through the neck and control the whole body. Major blood vessels pass through the neck and supply blood to the brain, the most important organ of the body. Thus, the neck is like a bridge between the brain and the body. Everyday, in between various kinds of laughter, the following neck exercises are done: - Move the neck first towards your right and then left, and maintain a pleasurable stretch for a few seconds. - Next, move your neck from left to right, and then up and down. People suffering from cervical spondylosis should not move their chin downwards. Instead, they should move it up and then return to normal position. - Lastly, the neck is rotated in a full circle, first from the left and then from the right. Caution: Elderly people who feel giddy and uncomfortable while doing neck exercises, must refrain from these exercises and get themselves 49

50 investigated by a qualified physician. Scores of people suffering from cervical spondylosis and neck pain have benefited from this exercise, as they are able to maintain regularity in a group. Shoulder Exercises: Place your fingertips on both shoulders and point both the elbows straight and move them slowly in a circle, backwards to forwards (anti-clockwise) five times and in reverse order (clockwise) five times. This exercise will ensure smooth movement of the shoulder joints. Due to a sedentary lifestyle, stress or diabetes, after a certain age, people are prone to frozen shoulders. This exercise has both preventive and curative properties against frozen shoulder. Body Stretches: Bend a little from your waist, while taking a long deep breath and stretch both the arms above your head. Reverse the palms and stretch your full body and bend a little backwards. This stretching exercise prevents stiffness of the body. It stretches the muscles of the front portion of your body, keeps the spinal cord straight, and relaxes the muscles of the entire back portion of the body. It can be repeated 2-3 times. The above three exercises are standard for every Laughter Club. There are a few optional exercises from among which, time permitting, a club can choose. Given below is the popular sequence of laughter exercises done in a session: Greeting Laughter: It is always good to start the laughter session with Greeting Laughter as it helps to connect the group as they shake hands and make eye contact. This is called Handshake Laughter. One can shake hands and look into the eyes while laughing gently (Western way of greeting). The Indian way of greeting is to join both the hands (Namaste Laughter). Alternatively, a group can do a greeting gesture from different cultures and laugh at the same time. There could also be other ways of greeting, according to the region, state or country. This is followed by ho ho ha ha ha chanting and clapping 5-6 times and deep breathing twice. Hearty Laughter: After ho ho ha ha ha exercise, participants do 50

51 Hearty Laughter. To initiate, the leader gives a command 1,2,3..., and everybody starts laughing at the same time. It builds up a good tempo and the effect is better than it would be if different members laughed with different timings. In a hearty laugh, one laughs by throwing their arms up and laughing heartily. One should not keep the arms stretched upwards all the time during a hearty laugh; instead keep the arms up for a while, then bring them down and raise them again. At the end of a hearty laugh, the leader starts clapping and chanting ho ho ha ha ha 5-6 times. That marks the end of a particular kind of laughter. This is followed by two deep breaths. Milkshake Laughter: Participants are asked to hold two imaginary glasses of milk or coffee and at the instruction of the leader, they pour the milk from one glass into another while chanting Aeee aeee..., and then pour it back into the first glass again saying Aeee... After that, everyone laughs and pretends to drink milk. This process is repeated four times, followed by clapping while chanting ho ho, ha ha ha. One Meter Laughter: This laughter is very playful and duplicates how we measure an imaginary one-meter. It is done by moving one hand over the stretched arm on the other side, and extending to the shoulder (like stretching to shoot with a bow and arrow). The hand is moved in three jerks by chanting Ae..., Ae..., Aeee..., and then participants burst into laughter by stretching both the arms and throwing the head a little backwards and laughing from the belly. (First, the imaginary measurement is done on the left side and then on the right). This cycle is repeated twice. Lion Laughter: This particular laughter has been derived from a Yogic posture known as Simha Mudra (Lion Posture). In this, the tongue is stuck out fully, while keeping the mouth wide open. With eyes wide open, the hands are stretched like the paws of a lion and roaring like a lion is followed by laughter coming from the belly. Lion Laughter is a very good exercise for removing inhibitions and exercising the facial muscles, tongue and throat. It also improves blood supply to the thyroid gland. 51

52 Silent Laughter With Mouth Wide Open: In this type of laughter, the mouth is opened as wide as possible and participants laugh looking at each others faces and make different gestures showing their palms to each other, while shaking their heads and hands. Silent Laughter should be done with quick movements of the abdominal muscles, as we do during spontaneous laughter. It should not be like a prolonged hissing sound, which seems artificial. Important: One should not apply excess force or over exert while laughing without sound. It can be harmful if intra-abdominal pressure is raised unnecessarily. One should try to impart more feeling rather than apply more force. Swinging Laughter: This is an interesting kind of laughter, as it has a lot of playfulness. All members move outwards by about two meters to widen the circle. On instruction from the laughter leader, people move forward by making a prolonged sound of Ae... Ae... Aeeeee... Simultaneously, they raise their hands and burst into laughter, while meeting in the centre, and waving their hands. After the bout of laughter, they move back to their original position. The second time they move forward by saying Oh... Ooooooo.. and burst into laughter. Similarly, the third and fourth time they make the sounds of Eh... Eh... E... and Oh... Oh... O...Many people behave like children and enjoy the exercise. Cell Phone Laughter: This is also known as Mobile Phone Laughter. It is very amusing and playful. The participants hold imaginary mobile phones and try to laugh, while making different gestures and moving around in the group to meet different people, and laugh as if they are enjoying the laughter. Mobile Phone Laughter can also be done in two groups facing each other, and at the command of the leader both the groups cross each other, while laughing and holding their makebelief mobile phones. If required, the two groups can cross over again, to come back to their original positions. While crossing, the members must look at each other and laugh. 52

53 A Laughter group enjoying Hearty Laughter in South France Argument Laughter: This laughter is a competitive kind of laughter between two groups separated by a gap. Two groups look at each other and start laughing by pointing their index fingers at the members of the other group. Usually, the women are on one side and men on the other. This is also quite enjoyable and amusing. Appreciation Laughter: This is a value-based laughter where the leader reminds the participants of how important it is to appreciate others. In this exercise, the tip of the index finger is joined with the tip of the thumb, making a small circle, while the hand is moved forward and backward in jerks, looking at different members and laughing in a very gentle manner, as if you are appreciating your fellow beings in the group. It is followed by ho ho ha ha ha chanting along with clapping. Forgiveness / Apology Laughter: Immediately after argument Laughter is time for forgiveness Laughter; the message behind this laughter is that if you fight with somebody you must apologize. How important it is to say sorry. In apology Laughter, participants hold both their ears lobes, by crossing the arms and then bend at the knee and laugh. 53

54 Guru Laughter: This is a value based exercise which conveys that one can learn from one s own mistakes as well as from the mistakes of others. Place one hand on your head saying, I learn from my mistakes ha ha ha. Then put the other hand on your head and say, I learn from others mistakes ha ha ha. By placing both hands on your head keep laughing and moving and meeting other group members. Laugh At Your Own Self: Point one finger towards your heart and laugh. Move around and look at other people as if you are laughing at yourself. This is the best ego busting exercise. Gradient Laughter: This laughter is practiced at the end of the session. The members are asked to come closer to the leader. Gradient Laughter starts with bringing smiles on faces and looking around at each other. Slowly, gentle giggles are added by the leader. Others follow and start giggling too. Gradually, the intensity of laughter is increased and the members burst into hearty laughter for about a minute. It is very refreshing and infectious. Heart To Heart Laughter (Intimacy Laughter): This laughter should be done last of all and here the participants come closer and hold each others hands and laugh with compassionate eye contact. They can shake hands or hug each other while laughing if they find it appropriate. This is also known as Intimacy Laughter. In conservative communities, men and women can do it in separate groups. Closing Technique: At the end of the session, three slogans are shouted. The leader delivers the first punch line by saying We are the happiest people in the world. Everyone raises their arms and says. Y-eee-s. We are the healthiest people in the world! Y-e-s. We are Laughter Club members! Y-e-e-s. 54

55 CHAPTER 6 Laughter Meditation & Grounding Exercises What Is Laughter Meditation The second part of a Laughter session is Laughter Meditation. While doing Laughter Yoga exercises we make an effort to laugh, but with group dynamic, laughter becomes spontaneous and effortless after a while. It flows like a fountain. This is a state of Laughter Meditation. Here you don t do laughter; you become laughter. It is a deeper experience of unconditional laughter; a kind of laughter in which tears start rolling down your cheeks and your sides start aching. Maybe you ll find yourself rolling on the floor laughing. Still it is without any jokes, humor or comedy. Laughter Meditation is the purest kind of laughter and a very cathartic experience that opens up the layers of the subconscious mind and you will experience laughter from deep within. In Laughter Meditation, one has to put in concerted effort to completely detach oneself, on mental and emotional levels, from one s own feelings and thought processes, as well as from the physical world, to prevent distractions. On the other hand, while laughing, we do not 55

56 have any conscious thought process, and all our senses naturally and effortlessly combine in a moment of harmony, to give joy, peace and relaxation. In other types of meditation you need to concentrate a lot, to take your mind away from distracting thoughts, which is easier said than done. Therefore, laughter is the easiest form of meditation, and one that brings instant relaxation. How Laughter Meditation works To get the deep experience of laughter without any humor there are certain factors leading to Laughter Meditation: Eye contact Group dynamic Silence - in between bouts of laughter; brief period of silence deepens laughter. Guidelines To Achieve This Meditative State Of Laughter Duration: Laughter Meditation should not be more than 20 minutes. Do it for 10 minutes in a sitting position with eyes open, then take a short break of silence and breathing for five minutes followed by another 10 minutes of lying down with eyes closed. There is no hard and fast rule about the duration. Ideal venue -- Indoor venue is best suited for Laughter Meditation as there is least distraction. Some leaders have also tried to do this in parks and beaches but have got only partial success. Therefore, while selecting the venue make sure it is comfortable, clean and peaceful. You can also use Yoga mats and blankets on the ground. How To Sit: You should sit relaxed in a normal posture, with eyes open, so that you can see others laughing. You can also move your body naturally while laughing. Sit comfortably in an inward facing circle so people can see each other and make eye contact. They should not be too spread out. No talking, No distractions: The most important instruction is to make it very clear to all that nobody must talk or try to communicate in 56

57 Laughter Meditation in progress in Denmark any way (no eye messages, funny faces, and funny sounds) as this will engage the conscious mind. We need to release the conscious mind. How Do We Start Laughter Meditation We begin with a warming up exercise called Calcutta Laughter (place your hands in front of your chest with palms facing outwards and push them twice forwards saying ho ho aggressively and then twice downwards saying ha ha) to stimulate the diaphragm. Then take a few long deep breaths and repeat. Alternatively, you can initiate Laughter Meditation by doing Gradient laughter where people start laughing slowly and softly in the beginning and gradually increase the intensity of laughter slowly and gradually. Soon, it becomes infectious and sets off a chain reaction to infect other people. Laughter often comes in natural waves. Grounding Techniques Laughter Yoga exercises stimulates blood circulation and raises the blood pressure for a short duration before it comes down to the base 57

58 level. The muscles also contract during laughter session before returning to a relaxation mode, based on the principle of muscle contraction before relaxation. Therefore, the real benefit of Laughter Yoga comes not during the stimulation phase, but after the session when we relax. During years of Laughter Yoga experience, we found some people complain that although they laughed heartily during the session, especially during Laughter Meditation, they were left feeling emotionally unstable and empty afterwards. Laughter is a powerful dynamic energy that can open your sub-conscious mind and release pent-up feelings and emotions. After intense Laughter Yoga sessions, some people become sad and start crying, while others experience bouts of anger, irritability and other negative emotions. For that reason, it is important to do grounding exercises after Laughter Yoga sessions to normalize our system and allow relaxation. Here are some techniques that work well to ground the energy of laughter. 1. Guided relaxation (Yog Nidra) After Laughter Meditation, energy levels can be too high to return directly to normal. To reduce these levels, the leader may talk the group through guided relaxation, also called Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep. This guided body tour brings immense relaxation by bringing complete awareness to different parts of the body as guided by the leader. Lie on your back, palms facing upwards with a little distance between your feet, and feel your body touching the ground - relax all your muscles. Then scan through your body from head to the toe, releasing any muscular tension in any part of the body. Take a number of deep breaths and put full awareness into different parts of your body and feel the relaxation. One can start from the toes and go upwards to the head, or vice versa. The basic idea is to put one s mind into the body, voluntarily relaxing all the muscles. Once you have understood that the body is a map, leading guided relaxation is simple. 58

59 Here is a sample sequence: Head muscles / forehead muscles / eye brows / cheek muscles / jaw muscles / tongue Neck muscles / shoulder muscles / upper back muscles / lower back muscles Right upper arm / right forearm / right hand / thumb, index, middle, ring and little finger Left upper arm / left forearm / left hand / thumb, index, middle, ring and little finger Front of the chest / abdominal muscles / pelvic muscles Right thigh muscles / calf muscles / foot / big toe, second, third, fourth and little toe 2. Ho Ho Ha Ha Dancing Grounding dance is a spiritual method which uses the movement of the hands to direct the energy towards the ground making one feel emotionally stable and well grounded. Good music with strong drumbeats is helpful, but not necessary. Participants should move their hands as if pushing the air forward, while doing ho ho twice, and then push their hands towards the ground, while bending the knees slightly saying ha ha twice, moving around and dancing. Though similar to Calcutta Laughter, this is performed more slowly with ho ho and ha ha being whispered or said without sound in silence. The emphasis here is on the dreamlike dancing and the grounding action of pushing hands down towards the ground with some slight flexing of the knees. Continue for at least 10 minutes. 3. Humming With eyes closed, take a long breath in and hum it out, actually saying the word Hummm... with upper and lower lips just touching each 59

60 other. Vibrations are felt throughout the facial muscles, sinuses and eventually into the head. This exercise is also beneficial for those with chronic sinusitis and nasal blockage because humming vibrations help to dislodge mucus and also increase blood circulation. When I was in Denmark doing laughter sessions in Copenhagen in 2005, I invited my Laughter Yoga friend Andreas from Malmo in Sweden to join me. He had bio feedback equipment developed by Swedish Professor Bo from Karolinska Institute a famous stress research facility. We measured heart rate variability, carbon dioxide, oxygen, breathing rate and also blood pressure of the Laughter Yoga group for two days. During the break, I asked Andreas to connect me to the machine, while I performed different laughter and breathing exercises to see which exercise had the maximum impact on my physiology. I was surprised to find that humming lowered my blood pressure significantly within a minute by more than 20 mm. Humming has a powerful impact on the autonomic nervous system and can activate the parasympathetic system that is responsible for relaxation. This exercise is most effective when done in a group. It is better to hum at the same time under the instructions of the leader. Humming together creates a unique resonance which is very calming. Different people have different breathing capacities; some people can hum longer than others. The ideal duration for humming should be 10 minutes. 60

61 CHAPTER 7 Who Should Not Do Laughter Yoga Exercises Ever since the inception of Laughter Clubs, some people though intrigued by the idea, have a shade of doubt about its side (or ill) effects. This is especially so among cardiac patients, and those who have undergone bypass surgery. Fortunately, there has never been a single untoward incident in the history of the Laughter Movement. But, being a medical person, I am aware of the fact that people are instructed to force themselves to laugh, and stimulate others to laugh. In fact, some, in order to get more benefits, become over enthusiastic and do forceful laughter thus over-straining themselves. Laughter Yoga is not a miracle cure and should not be considered as a substitute for medical consultation for physical, mental and psychological illnesses, but it is a powerful natural complementary form of healing. Laughter may not be suitable for everyone. It involves some physical strain and a rise in intra-abdominal pressure. Actually, some people may have silent ailments with no obvious symptoms. Therefore, in order to work out the various possibilities of side effects which might occur, I held discussions with a number of medical experts from 61

62 various medical and surgical specialties. Thereafter, a list of ailments was worked out, and patients with the following ailments were advised caution and medical advice, prior to joining a laughter session. Hernia Hernia is a protrusion of abdominal contents - various parts of the intestine, usually the small intestine - through the weakened wall of abdominal muscles. In those who have undergone any abdominal surgery, the site of the incision becomes the weakest point. With a repeated increase in intra-abdominal pressure, one might get an incisional hernia. Another common type of hernia occurs at the groin. The abdominal contents can protrude through the inguinal canal, and produce a swelling in the groin area, while coughing, sneezing or laughing. Elderly people are more prone to this condition, because of muscles weakened by advancing age. Those suffering from longstanding cough due to asthma or chronic bronchitis should be extra careful, because they are more prone to develop hernia. People with an enlarged prostate, who have to strain a lot while passing urine, and those with chronic constipation, are also susceptible to hernia. The abdominal contents can also get pushed into the scrotal sac, and cause swelling of the scrotum. This is also a variety of inguinal hernia, known as indirect inguinal hernia. Another common site of hernia is at the umbilicus (navel). Some people do get a small umbilical hernia during childhood, which progresses later on, and becomes bigger. If someone gets a swelling on any part of the abdomen, or discomfort while laughing, they must get themselves examined by a general surgeon. The more susceptible people are those who have a chronic cough, an enlarged prostate or chronic constipation. If you have a hernia on one side, there is a possibility of developing it on the other side too. The best option is to have a periodic examination, and not to apply undue force while laughing. At the same time, there is no need to be extra cautious or fearful about developing hernia. There are, in fact, more chances of developing hernia with coughing, sneezing 62

63 In India Laughter Clubs meet 365 days in a year and forceful expulsion in a constipated person, than with laughter. I have not come across persons who are enthusiastic laughers, having developed hernia. If diagnosed with hernia, once surgical correction is done, the person should be assessed by a surgeon, for fitness, before attending Laughter Yoga Sessions. Advanced Piles(Haemorrhoids) Those suffering from piles with active bleeding, or those at a stage when piles protrude from the anus, should not join the laughter session, as these conditions may worsen, with increase of intra-abdominal pressure. The patient may join a Laughter Club once surgical or other treatment is done. Heart Diseases With Chest Pain People suffering from anginal chest pain should not join laughter sessions, without consulting their physician, or preferably a cardiologist. However, heart patients who are doing well on medication, and those who have had heart attacks in the past, and record a Stress Test (Treadmill 63

64 Test) within normal limits, can join the sessions, without any problem. Even those who have undergone bypass surgery can participate in laughter if their treadmill test results are fine. In a nutshell, if you are allowed to take a basic walk for 45 minutes, you can definitely join a laughter session. Avoid Laughter Yoga for at least three months after a heart attack or coronary artery bypass surgery. Epilepsy Anyone suffering from any kind of epilepsy should refrain from laughter exercises and Laughter Meditation, as it can precipitate an attack. Severe Backache If someone has prolapsed inter-vertebral disc (slipped disc), one should not do laughter and other exercises, unless advised by their physician. With bad disc, forward and backward bending can aggravate the symptoms of slip disc. Recent Surgery To be on the safe side, one should not join a laughter session, within three months of any major operation, especially on the abdomen. In the latter case, one must get a go-ahead from one s surgeon. Uterovaginal Prolapse In some women, ligaments supporting the uterus become weak after the age of 40. Downward sagging of the uterus occurs, causing discomfort in the lower abdomen. One of the signs of such prolapse is involuntary passage of urine while coughing, sneezing or laughing. Such women should avoid laughter sessions until they are treated surgically. Pregnancy In a small percentage of pregnant women, there is a possibility of abortion if there is a repeated rise in intra-abdominal pressure. They should avoid laughter sessions till some conclusive data is available after conducting research on the effects of laughter on pregnancy. 64

65 Cold And Flu Acute viral infections are highly contagious and if a person with such infection laughs, he is likely to spread the infection by way of droplets in the air. People should stay away for about a week if they catch a cold. The good news is that regular Laughter Yoga increases the resistance of the upper respiratory mucous membrane and people get fewer bouts of cough and cold, as shown by a recent survey done in the first phase of clinical research on Laughter Clubs. Eye Complications Find your laughter center in your brain ha ha ha... Any person with high intra-ocular pressure (glaucoma) or with a history of retinal or vitreous hemorrhage should take the opinion of an ophthalmologist, before joining a Laughter Club. Minor discomforts After Doing Laughter Yoga Heaviness in the head or mild headache: Some people complain about heaviness in the head or mild to moderate headache after doing Laughter Yoga exercises. This is quite common, and settles down on 65

66 its own. It may be due to excessive force being applied during laughter exercises. So just take it easy, and do the laughter exercises gently. Put more emphasis on feelings and enjoying the exercises rather than applying force. Other possibilities of persistent headache after Laughter Yoga exercises are high blood pressure and chronic migraine headache. People must get their blood pressure checked if they are on the borderline or have hypertension before doing Laughter Yoga exercises. We have had many people suffering from migraine headaches for years who have benefited from doing Laughter Yoga. As one of the reasons for precipitation of migraine attacks is stress and pent-up emotions, Laughter Yoga acts like an emotional release. Anyone undergoing physician-prescribed therapy that experiences improvements through laughter should seek the advice of their doctor before reducing dosage or stopping treatment. Another common complaint is irritation in the throat or mild cough. This is also quite normal and people should be reassured and advised not to laugh too hard. Conclusion All the don ts stated above should not scare anyone, and deprive them of the beneficial effects of this wonderful nature cure. Caution should be observed against any untoward effects of laughter. Finally, everyone who comes to do a laughter session must understand that Laughter Yoga is like any other aerobic exercise, and all the contraindications apply as that of any aerobic activity. 66

67 CHAPTER 8 Health Benefits: Laughter Yoga For Wellness There is an ever increasing demand to open more and more Laughter Clubs in the world because people are inspired and motivated by the enormous health benefits derived from doing Laughter Yoga. Club members proudly say that they never miss a single day! In India, Laughter Clubs meet everyday and have proved to be a great platform where people not just meet to do Laughter Yoga exercises, but have also successfully created an effective social network of caring and sharing relationships. The benefits can be felt from the very first session and members report amazing improvement in their physical health, as well as a more positive mental attitude and higher energy levels. The first thing they say is that they don t fall sick very often. There are daily reports of partial or total cure of most stress-related illnesses like hypertension, heart disease, depression, asthma, arthritis, allergies, stiff muscles and more. Laughter Yoga is a complete package for physical, mental, social and 67

68 spiritual well-being of an individual. It has all the elements of perfect health building activity. Therefore, it is not about the concept or the philosophy which attracts them; it is about what they get and how it benefits their lives. 3 Reasons Why Laughter Yoga Most people feel that if they are able to laugh naturally they don t need to join a Laughter Club, but the fact is that spontaneous laughter is not sufficient to bring significant physiological and biochemical changes. Here are the 3 basic reasons why one must do Laughter Yoga to get maximum health benefits: 1. In order to get scientifically proven health benefits of laughter, we need to laugh continuously for at least for 10 to 15 minutes. Since in Laughter Yoga we do laughter as an exercise, we can prolong our laughter as long as we want; it brings measurable physiological changes like oxygen levels in the blood, muscle relaxation, blood circulation and release of certain hormones in the body. 2. To reap the health benefits of laughter, laughter has to be loud and deep, coming from the diaphragm. It should be a belly laugh. It might not be socially acceptable to laugh loudly, but Laughter Yoga clubs provide a safe environment where one can laugh loudly and heartily without any social implication. 3. Natural laughter that courses through our life depends upon many reasons and conditions, but there are not many reasons which make us laugh. That means we are leaving laughter to chance, it may happen it may not. In contrast, in Laughter Yoga club we are not leaving laughter to chance, but doing it out of commitment. This is a guaranteed way of getting the health benefits of laughter. Laughter Yoga Brings More Laughter & Joy If you ask any Laughter Club member what benefits they have received from doing Laughter Yoga, the first thing they say is that after laughing 68

69 Group of ladies laughing their stress away in a Mumbai park for 15 minutes they are in a good mood which keeps them cheerful throughout the day. This sense of wellbeing comes from the release of feel good hormones called endorphins which can improve the mood state instantaneously, and if your mood is good you are at your best in every sphere of life. Another thing people say that is that they are laughing much more than they used to before joining the Laughter Club. They never used to laugh at small things before, but after joining the club, they develop the ability to laugh at almost anything. This can be attributed to 2 factors: 1. Laughter Yoga helps to develop sense of humor 2. It helps to bring more childlike playfulness Laughter Yoga For Fitness Best Cardio Workout: As life has become more sedentary and stressful, people find it hard to stick to any exercise routine; Laughter Yoga is an ideal alternative. It can be compared to any aerobic exercise, except that you don t have to wear fancy shoes or clothes. You don t 69

70 need to slog on a tread mill or the tracks. Just laugh yourself fit and healthy. According to Dr. William Fry 10 minutes of hearty laughter is equal to 30 minutes on the rowing machine! This is in respect to cardiopulmonary endurance. Laughter Yoga is ideally suited for busy professionals and business people who have very little time to exercise. 20 minutes of Laughter Yoga can give you similar results as those of going to gym for one hour. More Oxygen: This is a major factor in the upkeep of wellness. Negative emotions constrict the supply of oxygen and induce shallow chest breathing. Laughter Yoga exercises are devised to facilitate longer exhalation and deep breathing through the diaphragm. This helps in flushing the lungs of stale residual air and increasing the net supply of oxygen. Increases Blood Circulation: Physical disease or mental problems all counter wellness. They restrict circulation and slow down the body system. Research has shown that laughter causes an internal jogging that massages and promotes circulation to the digestive and lymphatic systems. It increases circulation to flush the body and organs of waste products leaving us ready to operate at peak performance. Stress Buster Stress is the number one killer today, and most illnesses are stress related. When under a state of stress, the biochemical changes alter the breathing pattern making it shallow and irregular. More than percent illness is related to stress. These include cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and heart attacks; arthritis, asthma and other allergic conditions, diabetes, cancer, chronic fatigue, anxiety attacks, mood swings, psychological distress, depression, sleep problems, eating disorders peptic ulcers, poor immune function, chronic pain, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cold, flu, headaches and migraines, alcoholism and drug abuse and more. 70

71 Laughter Yoga is an instant stress buster. It has been scientifically proven that laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine and enhances positive emotions. A study on a group of 50 IT professionals in Bangalore, India showed that the cortisol levels dropped significantly after Laughter Yoga sessions. The study also showed a significant drop in blood pressure following the laughter sessions. Laughter Boosting For Stressful Situations Growing competitiveness and desire for lofty accomplishments in workplace, academics, and sports as well as in the field of creative arts invariably places people in a vulnerable situation, which can generate fear, anxiety and worry and lead to an immensely negative and stressful scenario. The performance levels are most likely to be affected as rationality gets clouded with stress. It is therefore important to alleviate these circumstances and create an ambience for optimal performance. Laughter can do just that. It has the power to boost positive emotions and enhance self - confidence just within minutes before a stressful event. The practice of using unconditional laughter to prepare for stressful events is known as Laughter Boosting and is gaining popularity with speakers, actors and other performers to prepare themselves for presentations to audiences of all sizes. Hollywood heartthrob Harry Hamlin recently used pre-performance Laughter Yoga sessions to boost his scores on the popular American show Dancing with the Stars. People are also using laughter boosting to prepare for job interviews and public speaking. Laughter boosting can assist students to prepare for examinations and also help sports teams to prepare for optimal performance before competition. Cases have been reported where people have utilized the enhanced endorphin levels provided by laughter boosting to undergo surgery without the use of anesthetics! 71

72 Few Examples Dominique Toulet, New Caledonia: I work as a conference interpreter from English to French. It is a profession recognized for being highly stressful. I sometimes work at international conferences with heads of states and the like, and they can be a real source of stress, particularly when the stakes are really high. Since I trained as a Laughter Yoga Teacher, I systematically devote half an hour of breathing (the 5 Pranayama exercises) and a good half-hour laughter meditation on my own before I interpret. I find it boosts my confidence more than any other trick I ve tried. I arrive at work all flushed and happy, totally calm within and deliver to the best of my abilities with no fear, stage fright or whatever negative feeling which could only lessen my performance. Laughter is the best mood and confidence enhancer I know! Linda Leclerc, Canada: As a Laughter Yoga Teacher, I tell people that laughter helps to decrease stress-levels and relieves tension. Whenever I feel nervous before meeting a new group or making a presentation, I lock myself in the bathroom and do my survival routine exercises: a few deep breaths, 2-3 minutes of silent laughter, stretching and breathing. Then I do 1 minute of lion laughter, take a few deep breaths and am ready to go feeling great. Every time I do this, it s almost like a new discovery for me: It really works! Teresa Verde, USA: This is about one of the seniors in a retirement community, where I led a Laughter Club on and off for a few years. She was in a state of high anxiety before going to a hospital for a procedure, which in the past had been quite painful. But, this time, she asked the attending doctor and nurse to take a few minutes prior to the procedure and laugh with her. Fortunately, they were willing to do so, as she led them in a few laughter exercises. Not only did she sail through the procedure stress- free but also pain- free! I was so pleased to see a Laughter Club member take what we do and apply it to her life. 72

73 Dr. Kataria and Madhuri in Philippines Laughter Yoga For Personal Development Besides being the best stress buster, Laughter Yoga has proved to be very effective as e personal development tool. It enhances mental skills and abilities that help a person to improve their performance in every sphere of life. As it generates a positive mental attitude; it helps to change the mood state and the whole perspective towards life and people in general. Here are some aspects of personal development which are easily enhanced by Laughter Yoga: Self Confidence: Laughter Yoga is a powerful means for self confidence as it helps to overcome inhibition and shyness and eases out awkwardness. Laughter and smiling not only helps to communicate with others effectively but also creates a safe environment for others to connect and come closer. This goes a long way in achieving success in business life, personal life and social life. When you laugh in a group, in a public place, it removes most inhibitions and over a period of time 73

74 you become more sociable, unreserved and outgoing. Gradually, it builds self-confidence and helps develop personality and leadership qualities. Communication Skills: Stress and negative emotions reduce communication skills and the motivation to communicate. Laughter Yoga is a perfect exercise routine that counters these effects. As it induces unconditional laughter through group dynamics and childlike playfulness, it enables people to communicate and express their emotions freely. It generates positive feelings and alleviates all negative strains of thought. In fact, it is hard to remain in conflict with someone when you are laughing. Power struggles cause us to focus on our own needs and ignore the needs of others. Laughter interrupts the power struggle. It allows people to be more open with each other and creates a feeling of safety where issues seem less important. When we laugh with others, criticism and sarcasm seem to evaporate. We are not judgmental, and are able to let people be themselves and enjoy them even more for that. It also makes us generous to a level where we feel better giving than receiving. In effect, it promotes good will and cooperation between generations, between those with opposing viewpoints, and even between nations. Maintains Emotional Balance: It is comparatively easy to manage physical or mental stress but very complex to handle emotional stress which arises due to problems at home or at work, faulty relationships and several other strained situations. Faced with such circumstances, people find it hard to express their feelings and emotions. As a result, they suppress their emotions. Laughter Yoga helps free flow of emotions and releases pent up feelings. It defuses painful emotions like fear, anger, resentment etc. thus preventing conflicts, easing tension and helping to us to understand and comprehend the other person s point of view. Not only does it release these negative emotions, it also cultivates positive emotions like unconditional love, generosity, openness, compression and willingness to help and serve others. 74

75 Unfolding Infinite Potential Through Laughter Laughter has an infinite potential to enhance right brain functionality, which is the seat of creativity, intuition, imagination, inventions, music, art, meditation and healing. The capacity of the analytical left brain is limited, while the right has tremendous prospective to grow and develop. One of the easiest ways to stimulate this is by playfulness. By being playful, one can augment creativity and imagination. A Laughter Club is a perfect platform that gives an opportunity to be playful in a group, without embarrassment. Makes You Look Younger Laughter is an excellent exercise for toning facial muscles and improving expressions. When you laugh, the face becomes red, due to increase in blood supply, which nourishes the facial skin and makes it glow. Laughing people look more cheerful and attractive. It also adds a sparkle to the eyes by squeezing the tear glands through laughter. Laughter also exercises the abdominal muscles and helps to reduce those ugly potbellies. Laughter Changes Who We Are For The Better We are creatures of habit that often behave in ways contrary to our selfimage. Laughter Yoga allows us to re-program automatic responses. For example, laughing instead of becoming angry at a high credit card bill. It is a pathway to unconditional love. Loving with the mind is conditional. Loving with the heart is unconditional. The bonding qualities of laughter allow us to feel such emotional closeness that we want to be physically and spiritually close as well. 75

76 CHAPTER 9 Health Benefits: Laughter Yoga For Healing Laughter Yoga is the fastest growing health and fitness exercise routine. Thousands of practitioners around the world have reported remarkable improvement in health conditions. The healing effects of laughter are different for each person according to their physical, mental, emotional problems and needs. Many have reported remarkable improvement in symptoms like hypertension, diabetes, migraine headaches, neck and shoulder problems, asthma, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Some find their symptoms have become less frequent, and in some cases, even disappeared completely, eventually requiring no medication. People suffering from life threatening diseases like cancer and other chronic illnesses have found the Laughter Yoga Clubs a great platform to deal with their trauma and pain. The therapeutic and healing effects of laughter can be attributed to 2 components: 1. Strong immune system 2. Increased oxygen levels in the body cells 76

77 Laughter Boosts Immune System A weak immune system is a major cause for almost all sickness and ill health. One tends to spend millions on prescription drugs while overlooking the natural coping mechanisms of the body intended to restore health. Laughter Yoga strengthens the immune system and one does not fall sick easily. The lowering of the immune system is also somewhat responsible in the development of cancer. Laughter quickly increases immunoglobulin levels that help fight infection and increases the number of Natural Killer Cells (NK cells) in the blood, which plays a key role in cancer prevention. According to Dr. Lee Berk of the Loma Linda School of Public Health in California, laughing makes it grow stronger, with the body s T-cells, natural killer cells and antibodies all showing signs of increased activity. Laughter should be combined with other forms of treatment to provide cancer patients with an improved quality of life and the best possible chance of survival. Disease-fighting proteins increase in gamma interferon, a blood chemical that transmits messages in the nervous system and stimulates the immune system. An increase in IgB (immunoglobulin B) brings defense against the entry of infectious organisms through the respiratory tract. In general, laughter raises the resistance against infections by increasing the concentration of circulating antibodies in the blood stream and increasing the concentration of circulating white blood cells in the immune reaction to fight infections. Increases Oxygen Levels Oxygen is one of the primary catalysts for all metabolic reactions in the human body. Ongoing scientific studies show that lack of oxygen is the major cause of most diseases. Laughter Yoga flushes the lungs and fully oxygenates the blood and major organs leaving one bursting with energy and vitality and free from disease. Research has also shown that cancer cells are destroyed in the presence of oxygen. In fact, many 77

78 parasites and bacteria don t survive well in the presence of oxygen; therefore an increase in the oxygen levels with laughter exercises is a great way to combat diseases. Heart Disease And Hypertension Modern day stressors, worries and lifestyle changes have increased the rate of heart diseases which are a major cause of death and despair. Even as doctors and patients try to minimize the risk factors, scientific studies have proved that laughter is the simplest answer to a healthy heart. An extended hearty laughter is one of the fastest ways to accelerate heart rate and provides an excellent cardiovascular workout and heart massage. Dr. Michael Miller, a leading heart researcher and Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Director, Center for Preventive Cardiology at University of Maryland Medical Center discovered that laughter expands the blood vessels promoting circulation and reducing blood pressure. Scientific studies have proved that a few days of laughter exercises and deep breathing lowers blood pressure thus reducing the risk of a heart attack. It improves circulation and increases the supply of oxygen. In experiments, it has been proved that there is a drop of mm Hg (or torr) pressure after a 10 minute laughter session. It may not be a cure, but it helps to reduce the frequency of medication and at times even stop it completely. Having too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to the hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the major vascular systems. A daily dose of laughter opens the arteries and allows the blood to flow freely to all parts of the body thus preventing a cardiac failure. Story of Linda who underwent a heart transplant On July 7, 2007, I celebrated my 67th birthday and three months of my heart transplant. I had a great party with friends and family who supported me through my new heart adventure! Did I mention I received my new heart on April Fools Day? It fits my personality perfectly ha ha! 78

79 Certified Laughter Yoga teacher Elsie from New York going strong at 85 My medical situation suddenly changed in a few days in I went from no symptoms of heart disease to a heart transplant. I had a clean bill of health after my annual physical, and I asked if I could have even have a treadmill stress test just to have a more complete health picture. Why? You are my healthiest patient, I was told. But, the test was done a few days later and I was told to stay in the hospital overnight. The test information led to more tests. It was determined that I had already had a silent heart attack. Three or more arteries were blocked 70, 80, or 90 per cent. Bypass surgery was scheduled. One of the bypasses was hyper clotted, so they did another one. Very soon all the bypasses shut down due to a reverse reaction to one of the medicines they had to use. I was sent back to have 7 stents put in and was in the ICU for nine and a half weeks with one complication after another. My son was told that I may spend the rest of my life going from bed to chair and back, but I m relieved that he did not tell me. After a year of slow recovery, I knew I needed to do more than walking and eating correctly. I needed medicine with no bad side effects for my spirit. I heard something about laughter groups and soon went to join a 79

80 laughter club. After one session, I knew I had found what I was looking for. It was then Laughter Yoga entered my life. Laughing hard for health is different from intermittent laughing at a joke or a funny action. Seriously laughing quickly moved to silliness and playfulness for me. I was a person who had a weak self esteem which led to a lot of repressed hostility. I needed to laugh for the shear JOY of it. No matter how I felt going into a Laughter Yoga session, I always came out with a lighter spirit and feeling of self confidence which showed in my new interactions with people. My sense of joy led to less notice of pain, more regular exercising and an influx of new friends who have positive outlooks and often laugh at themselves and funny situations. While my heart continued to weaken, my spirit grew stronger. With CHF I had terrible days with fluid buildup. On the day that I meekly asked my doctor if I would be eligible for a Handicapped parking placard, he gently told me that I would benefit from having a heart transplant. What? You must think I m really sick. That hadn t occurred to me. I had so many complications in 2004, I looked forward to the transplant with nervousness, excitement and complete confidence in my transplant team. The first outing after leaving the hospital was to go with my daughter and grandchildren to my laughter session. I became a Laughter Yoga leader in Right away I got a vision of what I would do with my Laughter Yoga training. I started a nonprofit organization, working with groups of volunteers to become an extended family to the healthcare facility of their choice. My project is in honor of my heart donor and her family. My doctors say I did so well because of my Gratitude Attitude. I say that came from my experience with Laughter Yoga. Laughter Yoga And Diabetes Linda LeVier Diabetes is emerging as a major health hazard worldwide. Japanese scientist Murakami s experiment to ascertain the effect of laughter on 80

81 the blood sugar levels has affirmed that laughter has a lowering impact on blood sugar. Murakami identified 23 genes that can be activated with laughter. In addition, it also reduces the stress hormone cortisol responsible for increase in sugar levels in effect lowering the blood sugar and helping a diabetic patient. It also stabilizes the immune system, which if weakened, can affect the production of insulin in the pancreas. This is the story of Vishwamohan who fought his never ending illnesses of over 30 years by Laughter Yoga exercises. It s usual to celebrate one s birthday the day one is born, but, not so for Mr. Vishwamohan from Vijaywada in south India. He celebrates his birthday on the day he joined the Laughter Club! He feels he got a new lease of life and was Reborn in the club. Constantly troubled by never-ending illnesses for the over 30 years he had almost given up on life. From chronic diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiac problems to diabetic neuropathy, he had suffered immense pain and anxiety right through 53 years of his living. After a heart bypass in 1999, he still had to endure other health complications. Disillusioned with constant medication and rising stress levels he decided to adopt an alternative method to help him feel better. On January 14th, 2002, he joined the local Laughter Club. Gradually his life underwent a remarkable change. His health improved considerably as his ECG, BP and blood sugar levels stabilized. He had never felt so much healthier in his entire life. He firmly believes that Laughter Yoga helped him rejuvenate and nurtured him to good health. He feels grateful to the day he joined the club and therefore now celebrates it as his new found birthday. Bronchitis And Asthma Laughter has a profound positive impact on allergies, with many practitioners reporting complete disappearance of all symptoms of asthma, skin and other allergies. Though not an intervention for countering physical causes of allergies; Laughter Yoga is a definite tool 81

82 to remedy stress. It helps to reduce the risk factors by boosting the immune system, encouraging deep breathing and flushing the lungs of stale air and generating a feeling of wellness. The usual prescription for asthmatic patients is chest physiotherapy to remove mucous (phlegm) from the respiratory passages. Blowing forcefully into an instrument and blowing balloons is one of the common exercises given to asthmatics. Laughter Yoga does the same job more easily, and at no cost. It increases the antibody levels in the mucous membranes of the respiratory passages, thereby reducing the frequency of chest infections. It also tones up the normal mucous clearing system of the bronchial tubes. Frequent belly laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in resulting in a cleansing effect similar to deep breathing. This can be especially beneficial for patients who are suffering from emphysema and other respiratory ailments. Research has confirmed that negative emotions can trigger allergic skin reactions. Disorders like hay fever and eczema are regulated, in part, by hormones and neuropeptides released into the bloodstream in response to stress. Laughter Yoga increases the level of positive hormones and neuropeptides in the bloodstream thereby reducing the risk of skin allergies. Laughter activates the immune system and produces healthy positive emotions. It helps to increase T cells (T lymphocytes) and the antibody IgA (immunoglobulin A), which fights upper respiratory tract infections. Cancer And Other Chronic Illnesses Those suffering from life threatening diseases not only go through physical pain; they also face immense psychological trauma. Not just the patient, but family, friends and care givers all need positive reinforcement. Having a positive mental attitude greatly influences the course of the disease. We have had many members suffering from cancer, immune disorders, multiple sclerosis and other chronic diseases who have reported relief from their symptoms, thereby reducing their medication. 82

83 Laughter meditation in progress at Chicago Laughter Club In the past, inspired by the research on laughter, many cancer patients tried to use humor in order to laugh away their tumor. But, it is not easy to laugh when someone has a disease like cancer. This is where Laughter Yoga has an advantage. Since it is a physical method, it is ideally suited for cancer groups who can practice laughter as a form of exercise with no need of any humorous intervention. It may not cure the disease but definitely help in enhancing one s ability to cope with and maintain a positive attitude. Des s Story Of How His Tumor Healed through Laughing Alone Greatly inspired by Laughter Yoga Clubs, I started to laugh all by myself every day after meditation. The laughter exercises include chants of Ho Ho, Ha Ha and deep breathing. I also do these exercises even while walking. I allow myself to be spontaneous and childlike and make funny movements. I even sing some positive affirmations like: I am happy tee hee hee; I am free tee hee hee; I am healthy tee hee hee; I am strong tee hee hee Regular practice of laughing alone has had a tremendous effect on my 83

84 health condition. Though suffering from a tumor for some time, I can feel it getting smaller. Even my specialist was amazed when he realized it had shrunk remarkably. He cancelled the radiotherapy and said, I am happy to keep an eye on it for now. I really believe its laughter, meditation and positive affirmations that have worked so wonderfully together. I also think laughter is anti-ageing. Though I m 60 I feel very energetic, there is less pain and I can easily do a lot of things. People remark I look much better and younger! Depression Des, Australia Depression is the number one disease today. It is a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, and eat. A disabling condition, it can affect a person many times during their life. Depressed people seldom laugh, and laughing people are seldom depressed. Laughter Yoga has helped thousands to overcome severe depression all over the world as it uses laughter in the form of physical exercise rather than using cognitive humor. This means that anyone can laugh, regardless of their state of mind and cognitive ability. So, even depressed people are able to laugh. It is not unusual for people who have suffered long-term depression to recover through laughter, even after years of anti-depressant medication. Laughter Yoga creates a positive state of mind and fosters a positive and hopeful attitude with increased optimism. This makes the world seem a wonderful place full of fun and interesting people and great potential for achievement and happiness. In this state, one is less likely to succumb to feelings of depression and helplessness. As laughter is known to reduce the levels of stress hormones it is a powerful remedy to elevate the mood state instantaneously and lift the spirits. Depression-linked stress switches off body systems not required for a fight or flight response. These include the immune, digestive and 84

85 sexual systems. Thus the chronic stress of depression causes one to lose interest in activities that bring pleasure, including sex and good food. The weakened immune system leaves one prone to illness and disease. Laughter Yoga on the contrary has the opposite effect on the body. It switches on and boosts the immune system, digestive and sexual systems thus restoring the pleasures of good food and sex and enabling the body to fight infections and disease. Depression is often associated with physical pain, feelings of despair, loss of appetite, immobility, insomnia and other cardiovascular problems. Practicing Laughter Yoga regularly helps to resolve most of these ailments as it is the one of the fastest ways of boosting heart rate, reducing blood pressure, providing an excellent cardio workout and alleviating pain. Extended hearty laughter is a body exercise with powerful body-mind healing effects. In addition to strengthening the body to aid recovery, it can provide mental tools to help cope with the stress of illness, and also transform the emotional condition, providing a strong motivation to become well. This is Dianne s story which confirms the effective therapeutic power of Laughter Yoga. Depression is number one sickness in the world and it is estimated that more than million dollars are spent in producing anti depressant pills in USA alone. In January 1997, my thoughts of suicide became frequent and by April 1997 I was officially diagnosed with Clinical Depression. Over time my condition became severe and by this year I was spending over $400 on depression medication each month. I first heard about Laughter Yoga on the American TV show Dancing with the Stars. It seemed delightful. Then on April 11th 2007, I happened to see LY on the Oprah Winfrey show. Even before the show ended I signed up for the May Sierra Madre training and tried to find a local LY group. The next day I met Jeffrey, a Laughter Yoga teacher who guided me to my initial session. 85

86 Just two months after my first LY experience on April 12, I had amazingly decreased the use of medicines by almost 80%. In fact, I m completely free of all medication now and am saving over $400 each month. I sleep better than I ever have in 11 years; people tell me I look great, especially at 64! My life has undergone a remarkable change. Anxiety And Panic Attacks Dianne Theil McNinch Mental and emotional stress triggers the body arousal mechanism by stimulating the sympathetic system and producing physiological and bio chemical changes that lead to physical symptoms of stress, anxiety and even panic attacks. It is apparent that the state of mind directly affects breathing. When in a stressful emotional state or turmoil, the breathing pattern alters drastically. It becomes faster, shallow and irregular. Sometimes people even hold their breath under stress which leads to an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood. Laughter Yoga provides an excellent cardiac workout and triggers a peculiar breathing pattern that provides significant respiratory benefits. It lowers the amount of residual air in the lungs, replacing it with oxygen-rich air. This reduces the level of carbon dioxide in the lungs, thereby reducing the risk of pulmonary infection. By shifting the breathing pattern from shallow to deep diaphragmatic breathing, it stimulates the para sympathetic nervous system which is the cooling branch of the autonomic nervous system and is the opposite of the sympathetic stress arousal system. This scientific phenomenon coupled with ancient yogic wisdom of breathing makes this concept a unique exercise regime to loosen stress and relieve anxiety. This is an incredible story of a woman who suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks since the age of 8! Right from her childhood she was plagued with these intensely negative emotions which made her life miserable even as she stepped into adulthood. Depressed and dejected for years she had almost given up on life till she discovered 86

87 Laughter session at a workshop in Japan the world of Laughter Yoga. Her life changed for the better and the attacks have become less frequent. Believe me; I was taken to a shrink at the age of 8! I was in a special education class in grade 5 and was diagnosed with some learning disabilities and visual perception problems. I cried a lot and was always scared. I constantly complained of stomach aches and constipation and feared the reactions of other children. Even my brother resented me and called me a cry baby. Being highly sensitive to things I feel pain more than others. Any little thing is enough to set off a panic attack. In fact, after I left home for college, the attacks became more frequent. I took the ECE program wanting to work with young children but had trouble being a leader type of person. I was very sick with and ended up on medications as the panic attacks became worse. Though I had very supportive parents, I could not help feeling depressed and fearful all the time. The turning point came when I met Dr. Kataria. My life changed completely. Laughter Yoga helped my mind to relax and reduced the 87

88 frequency of my panic attacks. I m at peace with myself, can think clearly and have developed a positive viewpoint. It has helped me both physically and mentally and has changed my entire perspective. I started Laughter Yoga in April of 2006 and since then I do my exercises faithfully every morning in front of the mirror in my bedroom. Laughter Yoga makes me joyful and is the reason for my happiness. I feel I can handle the stresses of daily living without getting agitated. I used to wake up scared but Laughter Yoga helped me get rid of fears and tensions and I m no longer frightened in the morning. My eyes look brighter and there is less body pain when I laugh and chant ho ha ha ha ha hah! My mom too noticed the remarkable changes. She finds me in a happy mood as I talk more about the positive things in my life instead of dwelling on the negative aspects. I have also started singing in the church choir which was unthinkable five years ago. Laughter Yoga improved my communication skills and my confidence to a very large extent. My mother calls me a social butterfly! I talk to everyone with a big smile on my face. Laughter Yoga also helped me to deal with my father s death. The attacks came back when he died early this year and I went into a state of depression and intense sadness. But, these exercises brought me out of my negative state and taught me to cope with the tragedy. Laughter Yoga is keeping me well overall. I believe that if I leave off Laughter Yoga, I would again slip into a state of distress. The anxiety and the panic attacks would come back. Therefore, it s my life s mission to continue with this most powerful coping tool to keep well forever. Natural Pain Killer Christina Watson, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada Pain is triggered in the nervous system. It can be physical in nature mainly due to injury, sickness and disease or it can be brought on by psychological reasons, which if not treated, can get extremely detrimental to one s mental well being. Physical pain management is comparatively easy than managing a psychological hurt which builds up and leads to symptoms of stress, 88

89 anxiety and depression. People harboring mental hurt, resentment and guilt are hardly able to laugh and express their emotions. Laughter Yoga is a universal remedy for release of emotions and reduction of pain. The regular practice of laughter exercises has helped thousands to deal with their unattended pain. It is unique as it approaches laughter as a physical exercise rather than using cognitive humor. This means that anyone can laugh, regardless of their state of mind and cognitive ability. It is not unusual for people who have suffered chronic pain to recover through laughter. The moment we sense pain, we naturally tense up and there is muscle contraction. But, the more we tighten up, pain gets more intense. Laughter Yoga releases endorphins, natural opiates that are more potent than equivalent amounts of morphine. It helps in reducing the intensity of pain, in those suffering from arthritis, spondylitis and muscular spasms of the body. Many women have reported a reduced frequency of migraine headaches. Laughter is an effective pain medicine; costs very little, and has no side effects. 20 minutes of belly laughter reduce the pain for almost two hours. It also increases tolerance to pain, and while laughing, the body increases the amount of T-Cells in the blood as well. Many instances have been reported when people have gone through physical trauma of surgeries without the use of pain killers. They just laughed it off! Here is an interesting story of how Laughter Yoga helped Lucinda get over her dental pain. I used laughter exercises to relieve a nagging dental pain. During an uncomfortable drilling episode, I decided to do some laughter exercises to ease the pain. Just five minutes of laughing helped me to go through 4 minutes of TOTALLY PAIN FREE drilling. Though the pain crept back after 4-5 minutes, but by then the job was almost finished. Besides alleviating my pain, laughter lightened the mood in the office. I often do laughter exercises in the elevator and believe me it takes the edge off. Lucinda, Canada 89

90 Laughter Yoga And Arthritis Laughter offers respite from arthritic stress and provides both physical and mental relief. Both arthritis and spondylitis are debilitating disorders with inflammation of the joints. Documented research has proved that laughter has enormous benefits on one s physical health and is a great workout to increase the threshold for pain. The combination of natural pain killers with movements in laughter exercises makes Laughter Yoga a powerful tool for physiotherapy. Many practitioners have reported reversal of frozen shoulder and other movement limitations due to stroke, arthritis, and injury. Endorphins released as a result of laughter help in reducing the intensity of pain in those suffering from arthritis, spondylitis and muscular spasms of the body. The release of these beta endorphins also causes the adrenal glands to manufacture cortisol, which is natural anti-inflammatory and is wonderful for arthritis. The benefits of laughter have now been scientifically recognized and prescribed. Belly laughter as practiced in Laughter Yoga is a great way of activating deep breathing facilitating better control of chronic diseases. Laughter is a safe, easy and economical method to enhance good health and longevity. 90

91 CHAPTER 10 Global Laughter Yoga Movement The Happy-demic Spreads From just five persons in March 1995, Laughter Clubs have spread all over the world like a happy-demic. At present, there are thousands of clubs in more than 65 countries. A major reason for this rapid spread was the need for people to laugh away their several stressors of modern living. There was a strong need for a platform where they could laugh without bothering about any reason to laugh, or sense of humor. They were looking for a place which offered a sincere commitment to laughter which would help them relieve stress and develop a positive attitude. All of this they finally found in the Laughter Clubs, where people laugh because they wanted to laugh; they celebrate life and have fun while cultivating playfulness. Some of the reasons behind the success of the Laughter Movement are: Never before in history was laughter so well structured and made into an organized exercise routine, to be practiced by the common man and which led to instant relaxation from stress. It has helped scores of people worldwide derive health benefits. 91

92 Everybody knew laughter is the best medicine, but no one had any idea of how to bring more laughter into their lives. Humor and jokes do not really work, and there are not many happenings in life that make us laugh. Also, there is the problem of an appropriate time to laugh, and people rely more and more on sense of humor, which is not very common. In Laughter Yoga, laughter is induced as a physical exercise, and unlike humor, is not a mental phenomenon This idea of laughing without a reason is universal and can connect people all over the world, without any language barriers. A Laughter Club is a practical platform, where one can actually practice laughter rather than just talk about laughter. Everyone is encouraged to find their own laughter, rather than look for someone who could make them laugh. It is an ideal platform for people to connect with each other, socialize and cultivate fellowship. This has helped many people to overcome depression and isolation. A unique feature of these Laughter Clubs is that it is free. These clubs constitute a social movement that is non-political, non-religious and non-profit making. There is no membership fee for Laughter Clubs. A group laughter exercise is easy to practice and gives benefits that are the same as those gained from real laughter. People are opening up and finding their sense of humor through laughter. This particular way of laughing is free from any kind of negativity, associated with negative humor. This is a short and sweet minute exercise, which can be a value addition to other health building activities like Yoga, meditation, aerobics, Tai-Chi, etc. Beginning Of The Movement Going down memory lane, I recall how it all started for fun, but never dreamt it would become such a big movement. During the formative 92

93 Dr. Kataria - a great visionary days, it was quite difficult for me to get started. The fear of being laughed at made people apprehensive of joining the laughter group. In fact, the first to object were the garden authorities in a suburb in Mumbai, where we started the first Laughter Club. They thought it would create a public nuisance and a lot of noise pollution, and advised me to discontinue. However, I persisted and went around motivating people. It was after a few talks I gave on the health benefits of laughter that people started coming forward. Still, many ridiculed the idea and called us a Murakh Mandli ( Band of Fools ) in our local language. About people used to walk in that park everyday, but only people joined initially. Gradually, as they started reporting a sense of well-being after the sessions, more and more people trickled in. This made the park authorities soften their stand, and they allowed the group to go on with the activity. Soon, the number swelled to including a few women. Initially, we laughed at jokes but that didn t work after some time. We learnt the art of laughing without jokes by inventing a variety of simulated laughter. The very idea of laughing in a public place without any reason, 93

94 sounded intriguing to many people who saw about 50 people engaged in what they perceived as a funny activity. Scores of befuddled people watched us from balconies of adjoining buildings and roadsides and the hundreds who walked inside the park couldn t resist staring as they passed us. The initial reaction of most of these people was amusement and surprise. The question in their minds was: How can they laugh in a public place without any reason? Some of those living around the park took half-hearted objection on the specious ground of being woken up by loud laughter. But that was largely a psychological reason of opposition to anything new, even if it is for the better. Among those watching from the roadside were youngsters who would watch the fun, standing on the bridge nearby. They would respond with sounds of ho ho ha ha and then, shy away from the scene. Many auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, who were not carrying passengers would stop for a while, and then proceed, with timid smiles on their faces. Even bus drivers would slow down to get a glimpse of the laughing group. The good thing was that it was very amusing. But there were a few, who raised their eyebrows, and thought we were wasting our energy and disturbing others. Some of them passed sarcastic remarks. It must be said to the credit of those who laughed, that they took all this as a part of the game. There were few people who would stand a couple of yards away, and keep watching the proceedings, without gaining the courage to join in. Many who wanted to join the group would hold themselves back, thinking that there may be some fees to be paid before joining. Efforts were always made to clarify this impression. Membership of a Laughter Club involves neither filling up a form nor paying any fee, or any other fuss. Those who were slow to get into the spirit of the laughter expressed the opinion that it was artificial or forced. Those who practiced it daily found it beneficial, and began spreading the news, by word of mouth. Soon, the concept caught on in the residential complex, and many people came just to watch the 94

95 funny people in action. As we kept updating our laughing techniques, people from adjoining localities also joined us and gradually expressed their desire to start similar clubs in their areas too. We were very happy to share the happiness. It was not more than two months from the start of the first Laughter Club that Seven Bungalows, a nearby suburb of Mumbai, was resounding with the guffaws of a second Laughter Club. Media Breakthrough Shy Laughter ha ha ha... The first media coverage of our Laughter Club was by India s most popular cultural show, Surabhi, on national television network, Doordarshan. The office of the production company was located near the park where we held our laughter sessions everyday. It tickled the curiosity of many newspapers and magazines all over the country, and one day, the news of Laughter Clubs hit the headlines of India s most popular English daily The Times of India. The paper carried a picture of Laughter Club members on the front page with a report saying, This Club Is Not A Laughing Matter. I was flooded with telephone calls and it created a flutter in the entire city. The effect was magical; the attendance at our Laughter Club went 95

96 up by 50 per cent. Requests from other areas started pouring in. Within three months, there were 16 clubs! Lokhandwala Public Park became a famous hunting ground for journalists from various newspapers, magazines; and national and international television networks. Our first international exposure was on BBC News, followed by coverage on CNN and NHK (Japan). I have not seen such enthusiastic media coverage for any other social movement. Soon, I lost count of the frequency with which the Laughter Movement appeared in national and international journals. It did not take very long for the movement to spread outside Mumbai. Madhuri and I started traveling all over India, on invitation, and helping people to start Laughter Clubs. I ignored my medical practice and with no money coming in, Madhuri was actually not laughing! We did not charge anybody for the Laughter Clubs, but somehow carried on and Laughter Clubs multiplied at an astronomical pace. New clubs are being opened almost everyday in different parts of the world. In India, most Laughter Clubs meet in the morning at public places, but there are some evening women clubs and clubs in offices and factories, schools, blind schools, deaf and mute children, prisoners, disabled children s schools and old age homes. Laughter Yoga Goes Global This innovative concept has a worldwide following, and has been featured by many popular publications like TIME Magazine, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Daily Telegraph (UK) among others. Laughter Clubs have appeared on popular Television: Oprah Winfrey Show, BBC, CNN, ZDF (Germany) NHK (Japan), ABC News (USA) and others around the world. Many film features on Laughter Yoga and Laughter Clubs have been produced in different languages of the world. The media has been highly influential in the growth of Laughter Yoga globally. 96

97

98 One of the 85 Laughter Clubs in Mumbai, India Laughter Club in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India

99 Laughter Club of Jogeshwari East, Mumbai More than 100 ladies laugh together every morning at Dombivili, near Mumbai

100 Laughter Club in action in Sydney, Australia Laughter Yoga session in progress at Zurich, Switzerland

101 Hearty Laughter at Copenhagen, Denmark Laughter Yoga session at Budapest, Hungary

102 Laughter Yoga session in Madrid, Spain A group doing Milkshake Laughter in South France

103 Dr. Kataria sharing a laugh with laughter leaders in London Dr. K leading a laughter session in a company in Moscow

104 Laughter workshop in Hamburg, Germany Corinne Cosseron (France) along with Mark De Wilde leading a laughter session in Frontignan

105 Dr. Kataria sharing a laugh with Dr. Andrew Weil in Arizona, USA Dr. Kataria meets Dr. Patch Adams in Italy

106 Laughter session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Laughter session in progress in Humor Congress in Stuttgart, Germany

107 Dr. Kataria with John Cleese during his visit to Mumbai in 2001 Dr. Kataria with Goldie Hawn

108 Rowing The Boat Laughter in Helsinki, Finland Happy laughter leaders after the training in Tel Aviv, Israel

109 Indian ladies doing Guru Laughter in Borivili club, Mumbai Hot Soup Laughter: Move your hands up and down as if you are having very hot and spicy soup and say he he he

110 A group of women doing Lion Laughter at Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark Shy Laughter: Hide your face with your palms and look left and right towards other group members and laugh like a shy person

111 Laughter session in progress in Chandigarh, North India Laughter session in progress in Brussels, Belgium

112 Laughter Yoga session at Mumbai club Just Laugh: I don t know why I am Laughing ha ha ha...

113 CHAPTER 11 Is Laughter In Laughter Clubs Real Ever since we started Laughter Clubs, the most common criticism was that laughter in Laughter Clubs is forceful, not genuine. Most people wondered if laughing this way is really beneficial. Let us examine in detail the quality of laughter in Laughter Clubs. Given that laughter is not real, why then are people drawn towards Laughter Clubs. Looking at the way Laughter Clubs are increasing worldwide, there must be something behind it. You asked me whether laughter in Laughter Clubs is real. My answer is yes and no. Firstly, we do start by simulating laughter, but when we laugh in a group it soon turns into genuine laughter. Secondly, even if we pretend to laugh, it leads to the same physiological and biochemical changes in the body as real laughter. Jokes And Humor Did Not Work God has given mankind the ability to laugh - a gift not bestowed upon any other species. In fact, this extraordinary capability is inborn, as even a new born baby is able to laugh. Laughter is natural and instinctive 113

114 and almost everyone knows there is just one way to laugh that is whenever a funny or a humorous situation is created. But, with the inception of Laughter Yoga, people learnt how to laugh without any reason. This unique concept did not rely on humor, jokes or comedy as laughter was simulated in a form of physical exercise. Initially, we did take the help of jokes and humorous anecdotes to make people laugh, but the major hurdle to this endeavor, was that there was not a large enough stock of good jokes. Besides, not everyone found all jokes funny, and most of them were targeted at some community or gender. This hurt the sentiments of one or the other and was indeed very disappointing. Some even went to the extent of suggesting that the idea of a Laughter Club, or group laughter should be given up completely. After some soul searching it became clear to me that if people have to laugh everyday, the idea of someone making them laugh would not be workable. That meant that laughter had to be self-induced and for no reason, except to derive its many benefits. When I put this idea before the group, the reaction was one of total disbelief. They could not comprehend that something like this was possible. I was of the view that, in a group, not all laugh for the same reason. Some laughed because others were laughing. For instance, in a cinema hall when the whole hall roars with laughter, it is not because everyone has understood the joke they all have their own reasons. After some explanation and persuasion, the group agreed to give the idea of self-induced laughter at least a try. They were pleasantly surprised to see good results coming gradually. Psychologists say that the human mind initially tends to resist any change, even if it is for the better. Similarly, I realized that anything new, particularly an idea such as laughing for no reason would draw cynicism. In fact, many people from outside the group still felt that laughter in Laughter Clubs is artificial, as compared to laughter arising from jokes, which they called natural. This artificial laughter according to them cannot possibly have any benefit. 114

115 Laughter Club, Surat, India As this thought is quite wedged in into the people s minds, let me put the entire concept of pretending to laugh in a proper perspective. Difference Between Real And Fake Laughter Though laughter resulting from a joke and laughter in Laughter Clubs is not identical, looking more closely, we find there are more similarities between the two than differences. The difference is in the initial stage of providing a stimulus and triggering laughter. In one case, a stimulus is provided and laughter is triggered not naturally, but by something done by another person other than the laugher; in the other, it is something done by the laugher himself. Robert Provine writes in his book, Laughter - A Scientific Investigation, one of the many reasons which make us laugh is laughter itself. He has also stated in his book that, in daily life we don t laugh much at funny or amusing things, but being with people creates laughter opportunities, for example, we laugh when we meet friends by just saying Hello! How are you? etc. and these situations are not necessarily funny. Being convinced of the many benefits of laughter, members of the Laughter Clubs practice Laughter Yoga on a regular basis and derive those 115

116 benefits. With that stimulus and motivation, triggering of laughter is not at all difficult. The reason is simple. It Is Not All Fake If you observe the members of a Laughter Club objectively it feels like they are laughing forcefully. But those who participate in the laughter sessions at Laughter Clubs know that we may start off by doing laughter in a form of an exercise, but very soon it turns into real laughter. We have two most important tools which help to convert this fake laughter into contagious and natural laughter: 1. Eye contact 2. Childlike playfulness The hallmark of Laughter Yoga exercises is to have an eye contact with the group members while laughing and be playful like a child. When you learn to play like child laughter comes naturally. Mirror Neuron Theory Everyone knows laughter is infectious, but did you know why? This is because our brain has specialized cells called Mirror Neurons. It is said that we mimic other people s emotions. When you see another person laughing, you feel like laughing. Similarly, when you see someone crying, you feel like crying. Even Fake Laughter Is Good Ever since Laughter Clubs came into existence, people thought fake laughter is not good. The whole genesis of Laughter Clubs came into existence because of the scientific fact that whether you laugh for real or fake your body doesn t know the difference and you will get the same physiological and biochemical changes occurring in your body. You know that you re pretending, but your body cannot make a distinction. For example, when I pretend to laugh I m exhaling which leads to expulsion of carbon dioxide from the lungs. This gets replaced by fresh oxygen which increases the net supply of oxygen to our body. In fact, 116

117 one of the major components of the benefits of laughter is oxygen and as long as your body is getting more oxygen, it makes no difference whether you re laughing at a joke, or just doing laughter exercises. Cultivating Playfulness City of Bangalore in India has more than 200 laughter clubs The ever increasing number of Laughter Clubs in the world indicates that people are deriving health benefits from these exercises. This is based, not just on theory, but on practical experience. Laughter in Laughter Clubs is from the body, not from the mind. It is the result of cultivating child-like playfulness, which is a very difficult quality to develop as an adult. Laughter Clubs provide an ideal platform to cultivate this child-like playfulness and help people to laugh more than they normally do. We have developed a number of playful laughter techniques which help convert self-induced laughter exercises into real laughter. Moreover, in Laughter Meditation, real and genuine laughter springs like a fountain, without any reason. This meditative laughter is more spontaneous, and far deeper than any laughter arising from humor or jokes. 117

118 Quality Of Laughter At times, it is contended that the quality of laughter in the two cases is different, and one is more pleasurable than the other. This is only an impression, and a wrong one at that. The source of laughter in all cases being the same, what is meant by quality is the intensity of laughter. That, as also the pleasure drawn, cannot possibly depend on who or what triggers the laughter but, rather the reaction, that is, how hearty the laughter is, whatever may be the type of laughter. The above is evidenced by the fact that all people who hear a joke are not equally amused by it, and therefore, do not laugh with the same intensity. Some laugh heartily, while others just smile, and some are totally unmoved as they do not find the joke funny. It is also true that some members of a Laughter Club laugh more heartily than others. That difference could be due to mood, level of commitment and degree of playfulness. The pleasure and the benefits a person derives from laughter does not depend on the source or what kind of laughter it is; but on the extent to which a person enjoys it. Therefore, if the thought of laughter in the Laughter Clubs being artificial is withholding anyone from becoming a Laughter Club member and deriving the benefits of laughter, my request to him/her is, please leave that doubt aside and walk up to the nearest Laughter Club without any further delay. You will not regret it. Even if you do not enjoy the experience, you will find from what is stated below, enjoyment will come, and till that happens, there will still be benefits; because it has been scientifically proven that whether one laughs for real or pretends to laugh, one gets the same psychological and physiological benefits. Acting Happy Paul Ekman and Robert Levenson, psychologists from the university of california, have come to the conclusion that the advice, Put on a happy face may actually be beneficial. Their research shows that facial expressions are not only reactions to emotional states, but can provoke these states as well. The latter is what happens at Laughter Clubs. 118

119 Madhuri Kataria doing Hearty Laughter on a beach in South France As discussed in earlier chapters, I am referring to the theory of motion creates emotions and emotions create motion i.e. if you act like a happy person over a period of time, you become one. For a person to act happy is a little difficult (though not impossible), but it becomes far easier to act out happiness in a group. This is exactly what happens in Laughter Clubs. We all act happy and the chemistry changes to happiness, according to Dr. Dale Anderson (of Minnesota, USA), who visited our clubs and found a lot of sense what we were doing. In fact, we acquired one slogan from him, which is getting popular in Laughter Clubs which is, Fake it, fake it... till you make it, Act chemistry, act chemistry and the chemistry becomes real. Thank you, Dr. Dale for a beautiful thought. Here, I would like to quote the work of Dr. Dale Anderson, M.D. of the Act Now project, based in Minnesota, USA. He has a beautiful exercise in his workshops, where he tells all participants to hold a pen between their teeth and write a few words on a piece of paper. Because the facial expression of holding a pen between the teeth resembles a smile or a wide grin, it produces happy chemicals in the brain and the mood 119

120 changes. Similarly, when the same exercise is performed by holding the pen between the lips the facial expression resembles that of sadness; one feels low after some time. The Duchenne Smile Although Norman Cousin s book Anatomy of an Illness on curing oneself with laughter was a layman s viewpoint, scientific research too shows that smiles and laughter actually trigger pleasure centers in the brain, even if artificially induced. Dr. Paul Ekman has opined that we do not know as of now, what specific parts of the brain are involved in each emotion, but we are gathering fundamental knowledge, and showing that there is a brain pathway that allows you to generate your own emotions. Dr. Ekman has identified 18 different kinds of smiles, each of which uses slightly different muscles or groups of muscles. He found that a bored smile, a cynical smile, or smiling at someone s humiliation will do nothing to raise your spirits. There is only one smile which activates the brain center for happiness, and that is the Duchenne Smile, named after Guillaume Benjamin Amad Duchenne, a French neurologist who experimented with, and studied the muscles of the face, when engaged in smiling. He discovered that when lips part and turn up, the eyes crinkle up, showing crows feet and the upper lip droops slightly, then there is heightened activity in the left anterior region of the cortex of the brain, which is the center for happy emotions. Even an induced smile can turn your gloominess into an upbeat mood. Laughter Yoga Activates Laugh Muscles Yogic laughter exercise is not a substitute for the spontaneous laughter which we may experience throughout the day. As a matter of fact, it helps to increase our capacity to laugh each day. According to another research study, if you stretch your laugh muscles on a regular basis, they will respond more spontaneously whenever there is something amusing. Group laughter exercises help members to reduce their inhibitions, enabling them to laugh more often. 120

121 CHAPTER 12 How To Convert Laughter Exercises Into Genuine Giggles If you happen to see any Laughter Group forcing their laughter, without any fun and pleasure, don t frown - it still has its benefits and remember, with all the benefits of acting happy, are value additions like deep breathing and stretching exercises, based on Yoga. If you find that a particular group s quality of laughter is not very amusing, perhaps, they might not have been trained properly. There are many ways we can transform simulated laughter into intermittent spontaneity. Here are a few techniques: 1. Good eye contact 2. Theory of silliness 3. Playfulness and fun 4. Childlike actions 5. Gibberish talk. 121

122 Eye Contact Want to see some magic? Select someone close to you and look into the eyes of that person. Start smiling slowly and then giggle a bit. You will see that the other person will start laughing without even knowing why you laughed. It is because of the infectiousness of laughter and the absurdity of the situation. This is the most important factor we apply in Laughter Clubs to initiate laughter. Eye contact, effectively applied, is enough to generate laughter. People who are too shy to have eye contact lack self-confidence. Therefore, learning to have good eye contact during a Laughter session will also enhance your selfconfidence. This self-confidence will be projected into your personal life as well as in business. The spontaneity of laughter in Laughter Clubs will depend upon the effective use of eye contact with other members of the group. Theory Of Silliness People, who really understand the philosophy of laughing without reason, can laugh without any problem. But today, everyone needs to be convinced, and wants a logical answer. If you find it hard to get into the spiritual depths of laughter, then think in the simplest way. This is known as the Theory of Silliness. At the outset, the very name- Laughter Club- is amusing to many people and makes them laugh silently in their hearts. The onlookers in public parks can t help laughing, when they see a group of gigglers laughing for no reason. Apparently, it is the absurdity that makes them laugh. The idea of a Laughter Club makes them laugh. Laughter Club members laugh for the enlightenment and health benefits they get, but onlookers laugh at their silliness. Whatever it is, the idea is ongoing and mind-tickling, and sufficiently absurd to attract people who soon find plenty of reasons to become regular members. I have interviewed many people who swear by their health and feel that the Laughter Club has changed their lives. They admit that initially they thought it was foolish, but now they laugh at their silliness. 122

123 One of the Laughter Clubs in action in Tehran This theory can even help one to laugh at poor and already heard jokes. Someone asked me, How can I laugh at a joke which I have already heard? I said, Why not? One reason for you to laugh is that you already know the joke which is being told to you, by someone with great effort, and you may start laughing in your mind, even before the punch line is delivered. Believe me, I have laughed at many sick jokes by applying this theory of silliness. This will happen only if you look at the person s face closely, while he is saying a joke which you already know. Another effective reason to laugh at a bad joke is that it is good for one s health if one laughs. A Laughter Club member can easily laugh at anything because he practices laughter everyday. Another possibility is, if you already know the joke, don t worry. The style of narrating may be more amusing. You may enjoy the joke in a better way, than when you heard it earlier. While you are participating in a Laughter Club, if you happen to make eye contact with someone who is laughing for no reason and in a funny way, it becomes a reason for you to laugh. One member may think that other members are silly! 123

124 Another application of this theory is that if you want to laugh alone looking into the mirror, try to imitate the laughter of someone you know, maybe a movie character, say ha ha ha ha, and continue this for some time. If you are not able to imitate properly, you will feel silly. The moment one begins to feel silly, a genuine laughing sensation springs up, which is a great feeling and can be enjoyed as long as one allows the feeling of silliness to persist. Silliness Opens Perception There is a lot to learn from the silliness in Laughter Clubs. A person, who can laugh at himself without caring about the people watching him, is a person who can make his laughter real. In the beginning, when we decided to abandon jokes and laugh for no reason, some people found it difficult to come out of their shell. Silliness really opened the doors of perception. Being silly is the first step towards freedom and creativity. The word silly is derived from sealy, which means blessed, happy and joyful. We all have been silly during our childhood, and played with endless possibilities of nonsense, absurdity and silliness. In fact, all great inventors were snubbed as silly to begin with, and the rest is history. Silliness is the gateway for inventions and innovations. A serious person will never take a chance, for he is always afraid of ridicule by others. He will hesitate to explore possibilities, and will not always be ready for experimentation. Lastly, silliness will help to develop egolessness in a person. A person, who can laugh at himself, will not have a bloated ego. The ego is the seat of many negative emotions like anger, jealousy and greed. We play silly games in Laughter Clubs, and it is amazing to see creativity at its best, when the members come up with funny ideas, every now and then. Acting silly is one of the basic necessities of being a Laughter Club member. Once your inhibitions are removed, you will find yourself at your best. 124

125 French Laughter Club members enjoying a session on a beach Fun And Playfulness There is a saying that, We don t stop playing because we are old, but we grow old because we stop playing. Playfulness gives immense pleasure, especially in a group. If you observe people playing games without stakes and gambling, you will always observe smiles and laughter. For instance, children laugh a lot while playing, but this playfulness is restricted to only school days. It is abandoned as soon we enter college, and as adults we become very serious believing that playing is only meant for children. And whenever adults do play, they play to kill time or start gambling along with the game. Unlike children, it is rarely accompanied by smiles or laughter. In Laughter Clubs we have devised different types of simulated laughter with a lot of playfulness. Swinging Laughter, One-meter Laughter and Cocktail Laughter, Argument Laughter, Mobile Phone Laughter and Milkshake Laughter are some examples. We remind people over and again, that no one is ever too old to play, and that the spirit of play lives forever. 125

126 Fun Games Keeping up with playfulness, we have developed some fun games which we play during picnics and also during our regular meetings. Many Laughter Clubs and thousands of members are engaged in creating new ideas and fun games that have tremendous potential to make people laugh. These fun games can make people laugh better than jokes, but the important thing is that the members must actively participate and create laughter, rather than passively watch any humorous thing. Childlike Playfulness If you want to get rid of your dependence on jokes and still want to laugh, simply become childlike. In the initial stages of the genesis of Laughter Clubs, when we found jokes could not make us laugh much, we forced ourselves to laugh in a group. But many people found it mechanical and bored with the activity. Laughing in a group provides a stimulus, while childlike behavior by adults helps them to get over their inhibitions. We do a lot of childlike actions in Laughter Clubs; like producing funny sounds by swiveling the tongue inside the mouth, tapping air-filled cheeks, laughing like a child and talking Gibberish. We keep reminding our members about the importance of being like a child. Robert Holden in his book Laughter - The Best Medicine says: Every child is born with abundant creative potential for laughter, fun, play, happiness and love. Any restraint on any of these has an adverse effect on the child s growth and development. Anyone who grows with the inner child will find health, harmony and happiness. Therefore, instead of growing out of the child, we should grow with the child. As adults, very few people retain the excitement of a child. Poems have been written about the desire to get back to one s childhood days. This alone is not enough. Some additional action is necessary. Just as one cannot learn swimming without getting into the water, one can be childlike only by behaving like a child. Taking a little time everyday, 126

127 Laughter Club members try to revisit their childhood, and carry that carefree spirit over to daily life. Childlike activities can be done either with one s own children/grandchildren, or in a group of adults at Laughter Clubs. Gibberish Talking Talking Gibberish is one of the best methods to drain out stress. It has very good cathartic value. But in Laughter Clubs, we use this as a tool to remove inhibitions and act like children, so as to create laughter. It is also used as a warm-up exercise in Laughter Clubs to help people to open up. In addition to Gibberish talking, there are many humor activating techniques like Gibberish singing, Gibberish contests and whiff-piff talking, which help members to generate laughter. Over the past many years, we have developed several techniques of talking Gibberish in Laughter Clubs. Basically there are two types of Gibberish: - The first is fast verbal Gibberish, where people continuously talk whatever comes to their mind, while no one is listening. This is a lot of fun and people enjoy the chaos. - The second is conversational Gibberish, where two people talk to each other as if they are conversing. They express different types of emotions while talking in Gibberish leading to a cathartic release of feelings. This game is very creative, and since nothing is decided about what they are going to talk, it helps to activate the right side of the brain which is the greater part of our brain. We can also make theme stories and express them through Gibberish. There is another game called Gibberish translation in which one person talks Gibberish and the other translates the fuss language into whatever he understands. He basically says all funny things made up on the spot. There is Gibberish singing as well in which people can sing in any language, making any melody or tune. Gibberish talking is a very powerful tool for developing creative abilities as well as it is a lot of fun. 127

128 CHAPTER 13 Difference Between Laughter Clubs And Humor Based Activities What is the difference between laughter and humor? This is the most common question people ask in my seminars and workshops all over the world. Let me make a statement that, Though we do laugh without using humor, we are helping people to develop their sense of humor through laughter. Laughter and humor run in unity; they cannot be separated. While humor is more subtle, and is the awareness and ability of a person to see something funny, or express something in a funny way; laughter is one of the expressions of humor. Laughter and humor have a cause-and-effect relationship. Humor is the cause and the effect is laughter, which brings physiological and biochemical changes in the body. But in Laughter Clubs, we do not use any type of mental and cognitive humor as a cause; we use the physical act of laughter as a cause which helps people to do away with their inhibition and shyness, become more open and start seeing the funny side of life. In other words, laughter helps our club members to develop 128

129 a sense of humor. We laugh in the form of an exercise in a group at absolutely nothing. This does not mean that there is no reason to laugh. Laughing in a group at nothing itself makes the idea so absurd that it makes us laugh. Secondly, we use the infectious and contagious nature of laughter as a reason for simulated laughter. We do not use humor as a cause to simulate laughter because humor is a mental and intelligent phenomenon. In fact, a lot of people feel they cannot laugh much as they don t have a sense of humor. This is where a Laughter Club really helps. It brings more laughter to the lives of people without bothering much about their sense of humor. Laughter helps to open up their perception and create a sense of humor. In Laughter Clubs, laughter is the cause and humor is the effect. It is like putting the cart before the horse, and it works. What Makes Laughter Yoga Methods in Laughter Clubs Different From Other Humorous and Laughter- Filled Activities Laughter Yoga Clubs practice organized activities based on ancient practices such as Yoga and meditation. They are also based on research studies conducted on the beneficial effect of laughter on our body and mind. Members of Laughter Clubs are engaged as active and interactive participants, and not as a passive audience being entertained. It has been proved that people who actively participate in any humor and laughter activity get more benefits, than those who inertly receive humor and laugh. The source of laughter is within the body, and one can generate laughter with conscious effort and commitment, anytime he or she wants to. Laughing at something is conditional laughter and is dependent upon the availability of the source. Laughter Clubs promote laughter as a genuine form of exercise based on Yoga stretches, along with rhythmic and dynamic breathing techniques based on Yoga. Irrespective of the source of laughter, it brings about physiological and chemical changes that are conducive to good health. 129

130 Laughter Clubs make the natural and positive power of laughter a widely accessible health option, for example, as in long-term care. It is an activity that is emerging as recognized and valued by professional activity therapists and recreation therapists as well as counselors, nurses, social workers, teachers, chaplains, clowns and others. Since most diseases today have some stress and psychological element, laughter which has some therapeutic value against stress-related disorders, and psychological ailments is a great remedy. Let me emphasize once again, that we are using laughter as a preventive medicine. Our slogan is Laugh Before You Fall Sick. There is no substitute for conventional medical treatment, but laughter can be added as complementary medicine along with popular medicine. Most often, laughter activity takes place in a group that comes together with a common purpose, and provides social support. Therefore, the method and viewpoint can be applied in communities as a form of social glue. The very reason why Laughter Yoga Clubs are spreading all over the world is that, they cultivate brotherhood and fellowship. These laughter activities are particularly relevant for bringing people together from all over the world because one does not have to use language as a base for laughter. This could be the real breakthrough for bringing the world as a Universal Laughing Family. Since Laughter Clubs function as a group, they help people to inspire and motivate each other, to keep working on their inhibitions and shyness, till they find their sense of humor. Remember, laughter is not an individual phenomenon; it is a group activity, and comes more easily when practiced in a group. The Laughter Club members act as a source of motivation, and help each other to keep going. Otherwise, as in any other health building activity, there is an element of boredom and the chances of abandoning such activities is much higher. Wisdom Becomes Manifest In A Group We have a plethora of eastern and western wisdom which, if practiced, can lead us to a happy and blissful life. For example, one may acquire 130

131 Laughter meditation during laughter workshop in Paris knowledge about swimming from books, but it means nothing until one does not get into the water and begins to swim. This is the problem with most of us. Our knowledge about so many things in life is not manifested because we lack motivation. We know the theory, but do not put it into practice. The success of Laughter Clubs is attributed to group effort. If we practice laughter in a group, it comes easily. Who would have thought that one could laugh without jokes, but it happened when we all ventured into laughing as a group, where the motivation levels are high and laughter just happens. You do it because others are doing it. If we can laugh together, we can also practice ways and means of living together sensibly. A Laughter Yoga Club s program has a structure that can be learned, and leaders, who are trained to demonstrate, motivate, educate and inspire. If humor occurs in a Laughter Club session, it is a spontaneous occurrence within the group, not forced, expected or required. Humor is very individual and subjective; laughter is universal. When 131

132 jokes are used to evoke laughter, many people don t get the joke, or don t like the joke. Using jokes runs the risk of being offensive or hurtful. Laughter Clubs operate on a value system that minimizes and eliminates this risk. Humor is difficult to define and funniness is almost impossible to measure. However, the physiological changes that accompany laughter are relatively easy to measure, and the benefits can be observed and studied more readily. Laughter Clubs can meet as often as the group wants, without becoming stale or boring. The members are encouraged to keep contributing their creative inputs like inventing their own exercises, which keep their self-interest and motivation very high. Since Laughter Clubs are a global network and have a common method and shared values, Laughter Club leaders and members share ideas and provide encouragement and inspiration to others. New exercises are always being invented and we even learn the necessary cultural adaptations too. Laughter Clubs are open to everyone; nobody is excluded. They are non-political, non-religious, non-exploitive and noncommercial. Let me clarify that there is no individual membership fee to become a Laughter Club member anywhere in the world. However, there is an affiliation fee for a Laughter Club so that we can keep providing updates, innovations and scientific information. The laughter leader training programs are chargeable. If there is some incidental charges involved in hiring the venue for the Laughter Club, the cost has to be shared by the club members. The use of laughter activities in profit-making corporations and business houses is chargeable so as to help generate funds to promote laughter movement around the globe. Laughter Yoga methods are adaptable to all ages, backgrounds, and even adapt to various physical and mental (cognitive) limitations. 132

133 Laughter Yoga Suits All And Is User Friendly Laughter exercises are short and easy and can be added to your existing fitness program. It can be a valuable addition at Yoga groups, Tai-Chi groups, aerobic centers, meditation centers, health clubs, sports and fun activities. Laughter Yoga is now included in the curriculum of Yoga sessions all over the world. Thousands of Yoga practitioners have added 5-10 minutes of unconditional laughter at the end of their sessions. You do not have to take special time out to laugh, though ideally, it should be practiced daily in a group. Most importantly, laughter does not depend upon external factors, but on your own internal resources. Whenever and wherever the group decides; they can laugh and gain the benefits. If you are a working person, group laughter will give you instant relaxation and help you increase your wellbeing, so that you can work hard throughout the day. If you need to socialize and increase social contacts, becoming part of a support group, offers a kind of social medicine. This format is ideal for the retired and the elderly. If you are a person with intelligent introspection and a spiritual inclination, it also offers a philosophy. You can learn to enhance the art of living through laughter. In essence, everyone may learn and benefit from being part of a Laughter Club. Laughter Yoga is a complete discipline for body, mind and spirit. We have a philosophy behind our Laughter Movement - laugh and make others laugh, Laugh and have the spirit of laughter. Through the spirit of laughter, participants in Laughter Clubs achieve a better balance of emotions, they are not judgmental, and it helps to reduce the negative effects of stress, release harmful anger and find a path to world peace. Because there is a common method, philosophy and values, Laughter Clubs link members and enthusiasts all around the world. To celebrate this feeling of oneness, they created the World Laughter Day (First Sunday of every May) which brings together thousands who help to spread of laughter, joy and peace and also make people aware of the several benefits of laughing. 133

134 CHAPTER 14 Sensible Living: Paying Compliments Soon after Laughter Clubs started gaining momentum, a wife of a Laughter Club member complained that though her husband laughed heartily every morning in the club, at home he continued to shout at family members, like he did earlier. She said that Laughter Clubs should ensure that laughter travels inside the members also. When I requested her to clarify what she meant by laughter traveling inside, she fumbled, and it was evident that she had not prepared herself for such a question. But, with some effort she said that what she really meant was that, to be a Laughter Club member in the true sense, they should develop the spirit of laughter also. I thanked her for the suggestion and assured her that it would be considered seriously. To be honest, I only said this out of politeness. But, her suggestion did not leave me, because while I had got used to critical comments, this was the first time someone had made a constructive suggestion. On further reflection, the lady s suggestion struck me as very profound. After all, I asked myself, was it not true that laughter would not add up to anything at all, if a person did not shed some negativity. 134

135 After some serious discussion amongst those involved in the laughter movement, it was decided that the aim of Laughter Clubs be revised from Laugh and be Healthy to Health and Happiness through Laughter and the Spirit of Laughter, where the spirit of laughter is not only making oneself happy; but also making others happy. The above I consider as an important step, along the route of the Laughter Club Movement, as it brought about a qualitative extension to the focus of the efforts and action at Laughter Clubs. We then tried to identify actions as steps that would make not only the members happy, but would also motivate and equip them to make others happy. Looking back, I thought it would be a good idea to do something about those members who came for a daily guffaw, and had not changed. I thought this was a wonderful platform where people meet everyday, and it would be a good idea to adopt some resolutions, to bring about changes in their thinking. The idea was to change negative thinking into positive. We started looking for negative emotions and habits that stop us from laughing. Paying Compliments One common bad habit most people have, is criticizing others just to kill time, or just for the heck of it. During morning walks, the general topic of discussion is politics, price rise, government corruption, pollution, traffic jams, bad economy and the like, followed by problems relating to children and other family members. I could not stop every one of them, but thought of replacing these negative thoughts with positive ones. To do away with the habit of criticizing others, we should start complimenting others, and raise their spirits and self-esteem. Paying compliments was the First commandment we introduced in our search for identifying various ways and means of sensible living. Initially, the response was not very enthusiastic, but some thought it was a good idea. Many people found it difficult to pay compliments for no reason, as it seemed like flattery and sycophancy. I repeatedly 135

136 made announcements that one of the objectives of Laughter Clubs is health and happiness through laughter. The happiness aimed at is, not only to make one own self happy, but also to make others happy, which further results in one s own happiness. One of the ways to make others happy is by paying genuine and deserving compliments to them. Some members got very good results and they started appreciating their spouses and children in the house, while others said good words to their servants. In India, very few people appreciate their wives with words; they may feel the affection in their hearts but are unable to verbalize their feelings. For example, very few people actually say to their wives, I love you. Though it is important to praise and appreciate, remember that timing is equally important. Sometimes, people choose an inappropriate time to shower their praises, which may then backfire. Like in this example: One day, a member went home after the laughter session and told his wife You are looking very beautiful, as she was getting up from bed. She was completely taken aback and wondered what happened to her husband, because he had never ever said this in 25 years of their married life! But now, when he did, the timing was all wrong. His wife found it hard to trust his statement as she was firstly not used to it and secondly, she had just got out of bed and was certain about not looking her best. Now, had he said these words when she was all dressed up, it would have perhaps made more sense and would have sounded more truthful. I was surprised to know that many people find it very difficult to compliment others. The human tendency, by and large, is to see only the wrong and bad in others while ignoring the good. As a result, a lot of negative energy and unpleasantness is generated which leads to bitterness, intemperance, tension and bad relations. Therefore, the idea of sharing their experiences together with paying compliments was to give members an insight on how to praise one gracefully. How many things can you compliment and in what ways? The most important thing we tell members is to look for good qualities in 136

137 others, and then appreciate them. But remember, giving irrelevant, undeserved, and unnecessary compliments can look like a gimmick or pure sycophancy. Is Paying Compliments Necessary? People of all ages and backgrounds, and at all stages of success and failure, need love and recognition in order to live happily. Everyone, in order to function at his best, needs to be noticed and appreciated. Most of us want to be told how we are doing. If our best efforts are met with silence, we tend to become careless, negligent and hostile. Each one of us has a mental picture of ourselves - a self-image. To find life reasonably satisfying, the self-image must be one that we can live with and can like. When we are proud of our self-image, we feel confident and free to be ourselves and we function at our best. On the contrary, if we are ashamed of our self-image, we attempt to hide it, rather than express ourselves. In such a situation, one becomes hostile and hard to get along with. A sort of miracle happens to the person whose self-esteem has been raised. He suddenly starts liking other people better. He becomes kinder and more co-operative with people around him. Praise is a like a polish that helps to keep one s selfimage bright and sparkling. By raising someone s spirits and adding to someone s self-esteem, you make him want to like you and co-operate with you. To flatter or put into words, emotions we don t feel, amounts to insincerity that is easily spotted, and benefits none. Withholding a compliment is cheating. It should be passed on as quickly as possible. It might give some unhappy person a moment of joy, or help him cope with deep despair. It will help someone defeat the two arch - rivals of human happiness loneliness and insignificance. Happiness Comes Back As an artist finds joy in giving beauty to others, so also, anyone who masters the art of praising, will find that, it blesses the giver as much as the receiver. There is truth in the saying, Flowers leave part of their 137

138 fragrance in the hands that bestow them. If you increase your sense of gratitude and your willingness to express it, you will make the people around happier, and in turn you will become a happier person yourself. How To Pay Compliments One can pass on compliments in a casual conversation, or in a letter, or a written note. There is yet another way that of third party compliments. When someone says something pleasant to you directly, there is a possibility of that being discounted as mere politeness or even flattery. There are many others who find it difficult to pay compliments directly, as it may cause some embarrassment. They can take recourse to what may be called third party compliments. This form of appreciation is much easier and could even be more effective. When indirect compliments reach the concerned party, they may be better than direct ones, because most people believe that if someone praises you behind your back, he probably means exactly what he says. When To Pay Compliments The golden rule of appreciation is - Do it now! Do it while your sense of gratitude is fresh and strong. If you feel a flash of thankfulness, act on it before the impulse goes away. A Few Examples From Laughter Clubs The idea of paying compliments has made a good beginning, and I would like to cite a few stories. 1. There is a cobbler who sits at the corner of the lane where I live in Mumbai. I found him fully involved and happy repairing shoes. One fine day, I stopped for a while and wanted to express my feelings about him. I said, My dear sir, you are doing a great service to humanity. Do you know that the job you are doing for a few pennies is considered a dirty job by many people? He smiled and was thrilled to receive such a compliment. Since then he smiles at me whenever I pass his shop and I could clearly see his spirits were raised by my appreciation of his contribution to society. 138

139 2. On Sundays, during our meeting to share a secret, one member said, I have never paid compliments to anyone, but once when I was beginning to criticize someone, my inner voice suddenly stopped me saying, What are you doing? You are a Laughter Club member and you are supposed to compliment others! That was an achievement, I believe. To conclude, what the Laughter Clubs really seek to achieve is not only laughter outside, but also laughter within. Paying compliments would result in what we would like to call the inner spirit of laughter. I often ask Laughter Club members during our monthly meetings, Why does one go on to make a lot of money, beyond what s needed for one s basic necessities? It is to get appreciated and noticed, because just building a palatial house has no meaning if you don t hold parties and have more and more people appreciate your achievements and taste. We are building a network of like-minded people who will share their experiences about complimenting. The idea of paying compliments is nothing new, but through the platform of Laughter Club it will get manifested, rather than remain as mere knowledge. By paying compliments, we, the members of Laughter Clubs, are developing a conscious habit of praising others and winning hearts. Indirectly, it will help to shun the habit of criticizing others that creates a hostile atmosphere, and stops us from laughing. 139

140 CHAPTER 15 Sensible Living: The Value Of Apology & Forgiveness Laughter in Laughter Clubs is not just laughter from the outside, it is also inner laughter that is, developing the spirit of laughter by being happy and making others happy. It is a joint effort to search for different formulas for stress-free living. To live in peace and harmony, we need to identify and be aware, all the time, of what stops us from laughing. Going through various aspects of human behavior, it has been found that our ego gets hurt over and over again, and makes our lives miserable, in spite of our best achievements. Regarding the strange behavior of human beings, something which has puzzled me through the years, is that it takes years to build a relationship, but just one stroke to sever age-old ties. People who earlier could not live without each other become foes. And what is it that creates this difference and causes a change of heart? It is the ego. We all go through life, in a world, where even well-meaning people hurt one another. A friend insults or betrays, a parent abuses, a lover 140

141 ditches, and so on. That gives rise to a stream of painful memories. If these grudges and grievances are not forgiven, the rancor and bitterness keep the old wounds alive. They continue to haunt and harm both parties, physically as well as psychologically. As preached extensively in Jainism, Christianity and many other religions, forgiveness breaks the grip of pain on our minds, and opens the doors to the possibility of repairing resentments and grievances; whereas, hate and revenge are totally counterproductive. In the long run, apologizing / forgiving are the best alternatives for both the forgiver and the forgiven. But, it is easier said than done. There is something deep within that stops us from asking for forgiveness even if we want to. People feel humiliated to apologize, and many find it difficult to forgive others who have caused a grievous hurt. Now even if the hurt is well recognized by both parties, the question arises, who will ask for forgiveness first? Factors That Hinder Apology / Forgiveness There are certain misconceptions which hinder recourse to the best alternative of apology/forgiveness. Let us review these misconceptions more realistically, as this will help overcome hurdles. a) The first misconception is that apologizing will depict the apologizer as a weak person, and may invite humiliation. This is incorrect. Contrary to experience, it is the impression of one who has not tried it earlier. The fact, however, is that apologizing requires a lot of moral courage and instead of humiliating; it raises the apologizer in the eyes of the other, which prompts the latter to consider forgiving. b) The apologizer feels doubtful whether the forgiver will accept his apology or not. Actually, most people understand, and when one admits that he is at fault, it touches the instinct of generosity in every person. Even if your apology is rejected once, it may be due to the deep hurt or sensitivity of a person. If persistent efforts are applied, most people will not resist, and you will definitely get a chance for peaceful co-existence. If your apology is not accepted, perhaps your expression 141

142 was not repentant enough to assuage the hurt of the other person. c) The natural response to deep and unfair hurt is hate, which comes more easily, and gives rise to the desire for getting even, and hurt back. Therefore, on the face of it, forgiving requires the forgiver to be contrary to his interests. It appeals to him to be unnatural and unjust, as his sense of fairness tells him that people must pay for their wrong doings. For these reasons, the forgiver thinks that forgiving is weakness. These feelings and emotions may be correct on the surface, but when examined in depth, it becomes clear that to forgive is to be tough and not weak. It needs a lot of fortitude to let go of a person who has harmed you. Though the idea of forgiving may appear to be passive to some, genuine forgiveness is a positive act, that requires enormous spiritual strength. Therefore, people who ask for an apology and those who forgive are not ordinary people. It needs a stable mind to understand in depth the future implications of hate and revenge. In contrast, if the apology is asked for, or forgiveness is considered out of fear that the other person may be stronger, the results may not be fruitful in the long run. d) Another problem that hinders forgiveness, is that, one person may keep on hurting the other, and ask for forgiveness, over and over again. If this is happening, the forgiver may choose his stand, and communicate it to the apologizer, emphatically. But, one must not think about this possibility in the very first case. e) Forgiving becomes easy if you analyze the situation, and find out if the act of wrong doing is deliberate, or unintended. Calm consideration of the matter will make the hurt person see the truth, and then seriously, consider the best alternative of forgiveness. Even if the hurt is deliberate, a proper communication of your desire to live in peace will make the other person realize his/her mistake. It is very rare that the wrong doer is 100 per cent at fault, and the person hurt, is 100 per cent innocent. If someone has insulted or hurt you, look deep into yourself, to ascertain if your actions, in a small 142

143 way, were responsible for the act. If you can see your contributions, however small, it becomes much easier to forgive. No person is all good or all bad and everyone has some good and some bad in them. But in practice, the application of this truth is one-sided. If I am the wrong doer, to minimize the wrong done by me, I say, I am not as bad as I am being made out to be. After all, there is so much good in me. This is conveniently forgotten and overlooked, when the wrong doer is someone else. His wrong doings get exaggerated and good points are ignored. If the forgiver reminds himself, that the other person also has something good, it becomes much easier to consider apology or forgiveness. An Effective Apology Put up your laughter antenna ha ha ha... Many times apologies are not considered for forgiveness, because they are not projected properly. Naturally, an apology must be sincere and satisfy the forgiver for better results. Otherwise, the entire effort may go waste. For an apology to be effective, the following points should be kept in mind: 143

144 a) The apology should be direct, and the apologizer should never pretend to be doing something else. b) The forgiver has to be made to realize, that the apology is really meant. Therefore, the apologizer must not be looking at the ground or elsewhere, but into the eyes of the forgiver, though it may be a bit embarrassing for a moment. c) The apologizer must show readiness to accept responsibility. It should be total acceptance. One should avoid making excuses because that dilutes the apology. A No Excuses apology leaves both parties feeling better about themselves. d) Most of the time it may not be enough to merely say I am sorry, because the victim wants to see the apologizer feeling really bad and upset. If the apologizer can put a bit more expression into his apology, it is more likely to calm down the recipient. Effective Forgiveness Like an ineffective apology, ineffective forgiveness can also render all efforts fruitless. For forgiveness to be effective: a) It must be gracious. b) It must be sincere and show a change of heart on the part of the forgiver. c) It must not appear as if being done as a favor to the apologizer. It must not be accompanied by warnings or threats. Rather, it should suggest that the apologizer avoids such provocations in future so that both can live in peace and harmony. d) Acceptance of an apology is very important. Therefore, the forgiver must make it seem that he is really accepting it. Since most people find it difficult to apologize, the acceptance could be by words like, I know it must have been hard for you to apologize but I appreciate you doing it. It could also be by inviting the other party for a cup of tea. Another effective acceptance is by writing a letter which has a 144

145 better registration. Such symbolic gestures can strengthen the bond of forgiveness. Holding of the hand and a couple of hugs, if appropriate, will add flavor to the future relationship. Never Reopen Old Files The two words forgive and forget go together, and rightly so, because if the forgiver is not able to forget, he has not really forgiven. Forgetting takes some time. That, however, is no cause for worry, because if there is genuine forgiving, the wound will heal, and forgetting will eventually come. Forgetting, however, does not mean obliterating the whole event from memory. What has to be forgotten are hurt, resentment and bitterness. Details of the happenings, which remain in memory, without bitterness and hurt, could serve the useful purpose of enabling others to learn from the experience. All the best efforts will be nullified, if one tries to open old files, at the slightest provocation. I have seen people making each other s lives miserable for years together, referring to an event that happened twenty years ago. To illustrate this point, we narrate and enact a story, as to how hunters catch monkeys. They fix a box with iron bars placed at such a distance that a monkey can put in his hand to take the bananas kept inside. Once the monkey holds a banana, it becomes difficult for him to pull his hand out of the box. If it has the wisdom of leaving the banana, it could go free. By holding on to the banana, he gets caught. In our workshops, we actually tell one participant to hold a banana, and try to take his hand out, which does not happen. Taking a cue from the story, we remind our members: Whenever you make the mistake of opening old grievances, remember you are acting like a monkey holding on to his banana. Advantages Of Apology / Forgiveness Experts feel that forgiving and forgetting is the first means of defense. These are untapped and least understood sources of healing power. a) If a person realizes his mistake, but does not pick up the courage 145

146 to apologize, that does not benefit him in any way. Rather, he is perpetuating endless self-punishment. Seeking forgiveness can free him of that punishment. b) In a strained relationship, both the parties live under stress. An apology and forgiveness can result in new happiness for both. c) It breaks pain s grip on our minds, and opens the doors for new possibilities. A new beginning could arise from past pain. d) Forgiveness transforms hostility into helpfulness, and lifts the spirits of both the forgiver and the forgiven. e) It is said that the most important ingredient in forgiveness is love, and at its best, forgiveness is done for those persons who are our loved ones and have hurt us. Forgiveness, in such cases, is at its most powerful, renewing friendships, marriages and careers. f) Hate and revenge disturb the harmony of the entire family. Hate, whether passive or active, is a malignancy that grows, eats you from within, and keeps on releasing harmful chemicals that give rise to a battery of illnesses. And vengeance never evens the score. It leads to an endless spate of retaliation. History is full of such examples, where a little act of revenge has wiped out entire families, and has led to war between nations. Mahatma Gandhi once said that if we all live by an eye for an eye kind of justice, the whole of mankind would be blind. Double Benefit There are many situations in life where one is provoked into a state of anger. If you get angry with someone who is bothering you, and fight with him unavoidably, there is a lot to be achieved, by saying sorry after your temper has cooled down. You may fire your child, your family member, an employee or a neighbor. They will have hurt feelings, even if they are not able to express them. But if you pick up the courage to go up to the person with whom you fought and say, Sorry, I got angry with you, but I got upset because I didn t like the way you behaved with me. Here, by saying sorry, you are neutralizing the hurt feeling, 146

147 inflicted by your outburst, and you can take this opportunity to remind the person once again, about the reason why you got angry. The trouble with most people is that even if they want to say sorry, it is difficult to verbalize these feelings. By doing it over and again, we are making it a conscious habit, so that apologies come easily, when required. I too have benefited immensely from this idea and have renewed over a dozen relationships by apologizing. As a matter of fact, many bonds have become much stronger than before. What Does Not Constitute Forgiveness Forgiveness is the ability to control anger, by understanding the situation in depth, and then choosing the right kind of response, instead of a prompt reaction. It prevents generation of anger, and enables one to control the emotion of revenge. Forgiveness is kindness, tenderness, affinity and love expressed after careful thought. Hypocrisy is to forgive outwardly, and cultivate revenge, enmity and a desire to punish inwardly. It is not forgiveness. For example if one forgives under a threat that: My enemy or opponent may harass me if I don t forgive, it is not real forgiveness. If greed and temptation are motives behind forgiving: If I don t forgive, my motive will not be served, then too it is not real forgiveness. If your ego is dictating forgiveness: I am powerful, I am the master and only I can forgive him and save him, and in turn, can get things done to my convenience, is also not forgiveness. In short, forgiveness originating from ego, fear, hypocrisy, greed, lust is not real forgiveness. Selfless, motiveless, unperverted manifestations of love, kindness and affection constitute forgiveness. Set Yourself Free with Forgiveness This is an inspiring story about Tarzan Ren-yuan Lyu, a psychologist, who I met on my tour to Taiwan. He assisted me as a translator for my workshops and seminars. He also translated an article from my book about Forgiveness and was so inspired that it led him to apologize 147

148 to his uncle with whom he had not spoken for years. Laughter Yoga changed his life and motivated him to learn and develop the concept even further. In 2007, I went back to my hometown to visit my father s grave, who died 16 years ago. As my mother prayed to bless our whole family with health and happiness, a sudden thought hit me. I too wanted to pray to my father. I realized I had missed him for years. Tears welled up in my eyes and I broke down as I said, Dad, I haven t talked to you for a long time and have been missing you so much. I apologized for my action years ago, when I had torn the congratulatory notes which were put on my door by neighbors to congratulate him for my achievement. I regretted my indifference towards him. I know you must have felt very sad, pained, and even tired of earthly life because of my behavior. I know I acted rashly and left home that day to go to a friend far away. You called me that night to show your love, but unfortunately I did not understand it then. I am so sorry dad would you please forgive me? I cried. As I prayed, I felt better and continued to talk. I said I had got married and had two beautiful children who I loved just as much as he loved me. I even told him that my younger brothers and sisters were happy and well settled. When I finished praying, I saw my mother and brother crying. To ease their emotions, I decided to lighten the situation by offering my father a drink (water)! Dad, why not drink a cup of wine; Cheers! Everybody laughed as we all knew dad loved drinking wine. Even as I recovered from years of sorrow and repentance, I couldn t help remembering my uncle with whom I had a big squabble 12 years ago and since then had never met or spoken to him. After my father died, my uncle helped my mother to maintain the family business. Though he did the work, he used to take a lot of money which made me very angry. I thought his kindness was not genuine and was 148

149 tinged with an ulterior motive. That led to a squabble and I broke all links with him. This had been troubling me for years, till recently I read the teachings of the Dalai Lama and also Dr. Kataria s philosophy on the importance of forgiveness and apology. I learnt to see the positive side of everything. These teachings made me look within myself and gave me the strength to let go my ego. I went to my uncle s home and apologized for years of apathy. I thanked him for all he had done for my family and acknowledged his concern. A simple man, he was so touched and moved by my gesture that he could not say a word. In a sudden surge of emotions all the unpleasant and hard feelings were just washed away. We talked and talked and I felt calm and relaxed. Years of hatred, hostility and old grudges just vanished. All that was left was a sense of lightness and happiness. I felt free. It was like a release of all pent up emotions. We usually bring on these negative emotions ourselves and suffer the most. Laughter Yoga is a powerful technique which diminishes hurt and releases all negative emotions and helps develop a positive mental attitude. What I learnt from Laughter Yoga is: When you laugh first, you win; When you apologize first, you win; When you forgive first, you win. Tarzan 149

150 CHAPTER 16 Laughter Clubs An Extended Family Modern science has recently discovered that a rich network of emotional connections is the number one reason for people to be happy, and that the most powerful factor for our happiness is good relationships. This is more important than money, job satisfaction or marital status. The simple fact is that, for humans to be happy, we need a network of healthy emotional relationships with a group of people who care about us and about whom we care. To achieve this goal, social Laughter Clubs have proved very valuable since they provide important social networking benefits that have changed tens of thousands of lives. Ongoing research shows that people suffering from depression are more prone to many illnesses like high blood pressure, heart attacks and cancer. Depression also affects the immune system adversely. Common causes of depression are social isolation and a diminishing family value system. This is more frequent in western countries, but is 150

151 now slowly affecting the east also. Laughter Clubs have helped many people to get rid of their antidepressant pills in a short period of time. The magic is the friendship and brotherhood gained from Laughter Clubs which are fast developing into close-knit communities. Laughter is an important tool in our social interaction. It is not only a biological release or a cognitive process, but more importantly, it is a social and psychological phenomenon, which initiates and facilitates communication. With the spread of Laughter Clubs in every locality, each Club has taken the shape of a small community, wherein, its members experience a sense of affiliation and belonging to the group. Clubs are turning into large Laughing Families. Social Glue The affiliation, in more ways than one has been positive for most members. These clubs are now, not only responsible for enhancement of physical health, but also for safeguarding emotional health, and more importantly, communicating harmoniously. Laughter is a common language. It knows no religion and has no gender bias. There is no discrimination according to caste, creed or color. Laughter is a powerful emotion and social glue. When Steve Wilson, a psychologist from the United States, visited some Laughter Clubs in Mumbai, he had the unique experience of participating in a Laughter session at Juhu Beach. In a few minutes that he spent laughing with so-called strangers, he felt that at the end of the session, he knew everyone in the group. There was a strange feeling of closeness with them. Many of our visitors from all over the world share similar views. Thinkers like sociologists, psychologists, behaviorists or historians for that matter, have always believed that Man is a social animal. We are very well aware of the fact that our behavior is the result of social values and norms, and we all survive on the basis of our social interactions. And, there is no doubt, that sociability of any kind is considered definitely worth cultivating. Research conducted in various fields, has provided mounting evidence, to support the fact that people who belong to a network of 151

152 community, friends and relatives are happier and healthier, better able to cope with stress, and remarkably resistant to emotional and physical ills. Each Laughter Club, with no monetary inclination, has become a close-knit community, where people enjoy the caring and warmth of its members. More important, people form close ties with others, irrespective of the economic stratum they belong to. Prof. Dennis T. Jaffe, Ph. D., a Professor of Psychology at Saybrook Institute in San Francisco, found that, A close-knit community can act as a protective envelope against stresses of environment. But unfortunately, today, people have become more self-centered and socially isolated with a rapidly changing social system. Even the way in which we view our elders, has changed. One must not forget that a feeling of being worthy and of importance to others is essential, not only for a person s self-esteem but also for emotional health, and Laughter Clubs are have been successful in enhancing self-confidence and self worth of its members. Healing through Laughter Clubs Members of Laughter Clubs laugh together daily, or weekly. The healing effect of laughter is different for each person and varies with their physical, mental, emotional problems and needs. Many members with chronic pain, migraines, headaches and asthma have found attacks to become less frequent, and in some cases, to disappear completely. Symptoms of high blood pressure, severe spinal, neck or shoulder problems and even diabetes have improved eventually requiring no medication. Besides the therapeutic power of laughter experienced in these clubs, people also find a profound change in their mental condition as it helps them to counter depression, anxiety and stress. Members have reported moving from debilitating fear and anxiety to a more positive state of mind, transforming their quality of life. Many members who harbored bitterness, hatred and other long-term 152

153 Laughter session in progress at Saibaba garden in Mumbai, India emotional problems found that all their pent up feelings are released through the cathartic effects of laughter, leaving them joyful and free. People suffering from life threatening diseases like cancer found laughter in these clubs as a refuge to deal with their trauma and pain. Even students with emotional problems that have left them incapable of learning have reported that after a period of laughter they have been able to continue their education and succeed. A Network of Caring-Sharing Relationships Social Laughter Clubs have the power to reach beyond the healing of laughter. The effective network of caring-sharing relationships is the key to a happy and healthy life. Relationships with people with whom we laugh regularly can become very strong. Some examples that prove the strong bonding power of these clubs: A Laughter Club member was devastated when his uninsured shop burned down. He was ruined; the result of 25 years of hard work vanished, leaving him in debt with no means of supporting himself and his family. Members 153

154 of his Laughter Club pooled together and raised money to rebuild his shop and provide new stock, rebuilding the life of someone they held dear to themselves. *************************** An elderly Laughter Club member was shattered when her husband of more than 40 years passed away leaving her alone in the world. She had married early and never worked. Feeling her life was over she went into a black depression, refusing food and not leaving her bed. Fellow Laughter Club members arranged medical care and medication, and took turns staying with her throughout the day, bringing her treats and cajoling her to eat, but most importantly being there for her and providing emotional support. After three months she recovered. Convinced that her life would have ended without Laughter Club, she started a new Laughter Club in a nearby school where she runs daily laughter sessions for students to this day. *************************** A senior member from the Johnson Garden Laughter Club in Mumbai, India, who fell sick and was admitted to hospital, burst into tears of joy, when he found his room flooded with flowers from visitors of the Laughter Club, when none of his family members and relatives turned up. *************************** In another incident, Mr. Mingo, a laughter leader from Taiwan met with an unfortunate car accident just after finishing a laughter session on May 3rd, 2010 (the day after WLD). While recovering in the hospital, his fellow Laughter Club members visited him regularly in the hospital and gave him the healing love energy which brought tears of joy in his eyes and a feeling of belonging. Developing Into Close Knit Communities With the spread of Laughter Clubs worldwide, its members experience a sense of affiliation and belonging to the group. In fact, these clubs are soon developing into close-knit communities with familial ties. 154

155 More important, people form close ties with others, irrespective of the economic stratum they belong to. They not only care for an individual s happiness but also share their sorrows, thus reinforcing in the person a feeling of belonging to an accepting and caring community. This has made people more secure, than their non-member relatives and friends. This is the kind of Laughing Family that the whole world is waiting for. A Laughter Club, in many ways, provides a protective shell which safeguards our emotional well-being. It has brought a lot of people together and created awareness that one is not alone with one s problems. Happiness Through Emotional Networking Sadly, for many people modern life does not include a network of caring and sharing relationships --- the age-old extended family culture and its group bonding is breaking down. The lack of two-way emotional dialogue and relationship leaves us without emotional grounding, often resulting in feelings of isolation and loneliness. The amount of time spent with others is not what matters; it is the quality of interaction that is important. If there is lack of warmth and friendliness amongst people it leads to anxiety and stress. This type of interaction is important to our physical and emotional well being and is central to human happiness. Laughter Clubs provide a rich social network of people who care about one another, and perhaps even more importantly, a way of getting to know new people who we care about. This provides a sense of emotional security which resists stress and promotes excellence in all other areas of life. Spiritual Benefits Of Laughter Clubs In addition to providing a positive and secure emotional environment, Laughter Clubs promote personal happiness in many ways. The positive and happy attitude from Laughter Clubs is spread through the mechanism of emotional contagion to others that we have contact 155

156 with. This is not limited to just friends, family and co-workers but also includes social contacts and even people they sit next to in a bus or in a restaurant, taxi drivers and many others. Their caring, empathetic manner touches all the people they interact with and thus the benefits continue to grow. The emotional problems and selfish interests fall away through laughter and caring and there is a kind of inner joy that fills the heart. This Inner Spirit of Laughter becomes apparent to some as they develop a state of emotional fluidity where the worries and intense goals that have driven their lives become less important to them. These people become aware that true happiness comes from giving unconditional love, caring and sharing, and working to make the world a better place not only for themselves but for all others. Laughter Clubs - Connecting People Unconditional laughter connects people from different cultures, countries, no matter what language they speak or how they live. The goal of Laughter Yoga is to connect people with one another at heart level without being judgmental. It promotes a strong union between those who laugh together resulting in family-like bonds, providing social interaction and networking --- essential for happiness. Laughter Yoga is provided free in thousands of Laughter Yoga clubs that meet daily in public parks across India and in many venues around the world. Laughter leaders provide their services free of charge and members join together to pay for any celebrations or outings. It has become a close-knit community, where people enjoy the caring and the warmth of relationships irrespective of different cultures and economic stratum. Way Of Socializing Laughter is a powerful positive emotion. It changes the electromagnetic fields around the body and lends a positive aura. The group dynamic of these clubs helps in breaking down inhibition and a person becomes 156

157 more receptive. It brings about nearness, companionship and camaraderie, flowering into a kind of social support. Celebrations It s time to laugh ha ha ha... In India, where culture is varied and religion is diverse, laughter groups have helped bring about a strong sense of communal harmony by celebrating different festivals in the club. Birthdays, especially of senior citizens are celebrated with fanfare and lots of warmth and affection. In fact, there are many members who have celebrated their birthdays for the first time in their lives! The occasion brings together all the members and their creative talent. Besides religious and social functions, these clubs organize fun picnics and outings to facilitate better interaction and build a positive rapport between all the members. On a lighter side there is always the advantage of a group discount! All tourist places offer heavy discounts to Laughter Club members, sensing the huge potential of regular business. The frequency is on the rise, as members are exploring new destinations. Through our central 157

158 body, the Laughter Club International, we share all good things in life, to keep motivation levels high. Examples of Special Birthday Celebrations It was really a special birthday treat for a 78 year old lady from the Bandra Reclamation Laughter Club in Mumbai, where members laugh everyday in the compound of a temple. This Club has a unique way of celebrating birthdays. All the members surrounded the birthday girl, sang a birthday song, and danced around her in a circle. Later, she was taken to the temple, a few yards away, where she was made to sit on a chair and was offered coconut, flowers and sweets by the priest. The members touched her feet (a mark of respect in India). Throughout the celebrations, tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. The club had made her day she was happy and full of joy. *************************** Laughter Clubs members in Jerusalem celebrated the 95th birthday of Nisim Salis, the oldest Laughter Yoga leader in Israel. Nisim has been practicing Laughter Yoga for regularly 5 years every week in the Jerusalem Laughter Club with laughter teacher, Bat shachar weinfeld who trained him as a leader. He lives a very healthy lifestyle and takes no medicine. It is remarkable that at this age he has an excellent memory, goes for regular walks, does sports and even swims. He maintains a great discipline in life - doesn t smoke or drink alcohol and goes to sleep at 10 pm to get up at 6 am. Born in Turkey, he is the head of the house committee for 40 years and speaks 7 languages. With two daughters, six grandchildren and 14 great grandsons, Nisim is very optimistic and loves to laugh and play with his great grand children. His birthday was celebrated with Laughter Yoga exercises and Laughter Meditation. We all hope he lives till 120! And never stops laughing. 158

159 Inter Club Exchange Program Socialization is not restricted among the members of a particular Laughter Club, but goes beyond that. While celebrating anniversaries, invitations are also extended to other clubs in town. Representatives of different groups are called and felicitated during the function. Not only that, some groups even go out together, which further strengthens the relationship between members of various clubs. Extending this idea further, we have an Inter-Club Exchange Program, which allows a group of Laughter Club members (generally 2-10) to travel to different cities and the host club makes the arrangements for home-stay on a voluntary basis. The visiting team pays for their travel while the host club takes care of boarding, lodging and sight-seeing. This provides an opportunity for the members to visit different places and understand different cultures, while staying with the families. This arrangement is entirely on a mutual basis. The visiting members who enjoy a family stay must reciprocate by hosting people from other cities. This is a great way to bring the world community together. One can visit different countries in a very economical budget and have the privilege of enjoying diverse cultures, meeting different people and learning through sharing of ideas and experiences. 159

160 CHAPTER 17 Laughter Yoga In The Workplace The growing popularity of Laughter Clubs all over India, and the interest shown by many who have visited these clubs from all over the world, has made one point very clear - these clubs are no laughing matter. While tens of thousands have taken to this unique therapy, there are many who wish to join a Laughter Club, but find it difficult to do so because of time constraints. As most clubs start quite early, between 6.30 am and 7 am, and are held at public parks, many office goers as well as most women are tied down with morning chores and cannot attend the laughter session. While dwelling on this problem, I was inspired by some companies in Japan, where it is a regular practice to do a few physical exercises in the office premises in the morning, before starting their work. All the members of the company, from the Managing Director to peons, take part in this daily ritual. I thought introducing Laughter Yoga in corporate houses would be a very significant and worthwhile idea. It can help to improve interpersonal relationships at all levels in an organization, replacing mutual 160

161 lack of trust and confidence, with a more positive outlook and a cooperative attitude towards one s colleagues and subordinates. This in turn, would definitely help to improve the prevalent work environment, and overall performance of an organization. Fear Of Indiscipline Initially, many people showed interest, but such proposals did not materialize because of some hesitation about anything new being started, and that too, a concept as funny as Laughter Yoga! Maybe, they feared it might be ridiculed, or may cause indiscipline. I wrote to many companies, corporate houses, medium and small-sized factories, and they all felt that the workers may not be able to understand the concept. Many of them, and rightly so, were waiting for its bonafides to be proved. But that did not deter me. I went on to organize seminars and demonstrations in different offices and factories and found an initial resistance from the top management, who was not very keen on mixing with their down line. They feared that the workers might not respect them, and may even disobey them, if they laughed together. So, they would send their managers to attend the sessions, while they refused to step out of their cabins. Fortunately, this fear was proved wrong, when we successfully implemented this program in some factories and offices in Mumbai. Our laughter leaders in many countries are now making presentations on Laughter Yoga in companies, organizations and corporations, and the concept is fast catching on in the business world. Need For Laughter Yoga In Business World Occupational stress is the most rapidly growing global phenomenon. People are succumbing to work pressure, and its damaging effects are being felt in almost every country and among all levels of the workforce. Caught in a whirlpool of maddening hurry, lack of time, unfulfilled targets and unrealistic demands a working person is in a state of 161

162 constant dilemma. The body is fatigued and overworked, while the mind is stressed and fretful just the recipe for bad health! This rise in unhealthy levels of stress leads to a broad range of pathological consequences ranging from chronic exhaustion to depression, insomnia, anxiety, migraine, emotional upsets, allergies, hypertension, heart disease, peptic ulcers and stomach disorders. It can also alter immune functions, which may in turn lead to the development of cancer. Taken together, these disorders are responsible for a majority of disease, death and disability. Laughter The Best Medicine With continuous stress the workplace becomes serious and most of the time 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. Scientific research shows that laughter can help resolve many major workplace issues, but until now there has been no reliable and effective system to deliver laughter. Humor was the only tool available, and it is not reliable and seldom leads to continuous hearty laughter. Laughter Yoga is a breakthrough laughter delivery system that can enable a person to laugh continuously for 15 to 20 minutes with short breaks of yogic breathing. With new research on laughter, the business world is beginning to consider laughter seriously as a tool to improve workplace performance and increase productivity and profitability. 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. 162

163 Laughter session with company officials in Germany Stress in the workplace: 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. Stress in the workplace can be divided into three types: Physical Stress results from working beyond one s physical capacity. Working continuously without sufficient rest or recharge makes one physically tired and exhausted. Mental Stress in the workplace stems largely from heavy workloads with tight deadlines, from fear of losing one s job or pushing too hard to fulfill basic needs. Competing with others or competing with yourself to improve your performance also leads to mental stress. 163

164 Emotional Stress is deep-rooted and caused by bad relationships at home or at the workplace. Even highly talented and skilled employees cannot perform well if they are emotionally disturbed. Emotional problems at home reflect at work and vice versa. Emotional stress is more difficult to cope with (and to reduce) than physical and mental stress. One needs to deal with emotional stress at two levels: Develop skills to express emotions freely without fear: Laughter Yoga helps to develop emotional expression through physical playfulness and a playful mental attitude. While playing you focus entirely on the play process and one s personality takes a back seat. One is creative, dynamic and playful. Most people spend a lot of time and energy holding on to their masks and personalities. Physical playfulness helps to shed these masks and enables the free expression of emotions without fear. Increase one s ability to release pent-up emotions: Suppressed emotions cause ongoing physical or mental pain, and in turn reduce both physical and mental performance. Laughter Yoga provides a simple, painless and effective release mechanism to help rid the subconscious mind of pent-up emotions through catharsis during intense laughter. Such release helps to build performance and improves one s emotional intelligence and communication skills. Peak Performance At a given time, the performance depends upon mood and Laughter Yoga has the power to change the mood state within minutes by releasing neuro-peptides 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. 164

165 Team Building People who laugh together, work together John Cleese, a renowned British comedian, once said during his visit to Mumbai that Laughter is a great connector of people. It breaks all hierarchies and is a force for democracy. Laughter Yoga is a powerful tool that can give you a highly motivated and energetic workforce for maximum productivity and profitability. It also develops a positive mental attitude, hope and optimism and increases communication skills to help in teambuilding. Motivation and communication 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. Innovation and Creativity The childlike playfulness cultivated by Laughter Yoga stimulates the right brain activity, which is the seat of creativity. This helps generate new ideas and new insights about workplace issues and problems. As one needs to introduce new ideas and constant innovation to stay ahead in this highly competitive market, Laughter Yoga helps people grow to be more creative and innovative. Increases Attention Span in HR Trainings 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. Positive Work Environment 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 165

166 communication between people. 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. Laughter Yoga for Health & Wellness The basic objective of every human being is to enjoy life, live in harmony with the 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. In 30 years of my experience in medicine, the two most common causes of ill health are wrong food habits and lack of exercise which leads to heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and many stress related illnesses. Business people are very busy and have no time to exercise. Dr. Williams Fry of Stanford University proved that 10 minutes of hearty laughter is equal to 30 minutes on the rowing machine. This is not in term of muscular movements but a cardio pulmonary endurance. The purpose of all aerobic exercises is to stimulate heart rate, increase blood circulation, supply oxygen and remove waste products. Laughter Yoga Research Two studies completed in 2007 may help convince the business world of the potential of Laughter Yoga for business. Both studies used a series of Laughter Yoga sessions (rather than funny movies or humor) to generate laughter in the workplace and measured stress and emotional variables before and after the course of the study. Bangalore Study In December 2006, Laughter Yoga International commissioned a scientific research project involving 200 IT professionals in Bangalore, India, to study the effects of Laughter Yoga on their stress levels. Seven Laughter Yoga sessions were administered to half the group over an 166

167 Employees of Electrical Products of India (EPI) start their day with laughter 18 day period, with physiological, immunological and psychological tests performed on each person before and after the Laughter Yoga sessions. The study was undertaken by one of India s leading scientific research organizations. The results of the Bangalore study were extremely positive. In the Laughter Yoga group there was a significant drop in heart rate, blood pressure dropped significantly, cortisol levels were significantly reduced, positive emotions increased by 17% and negative emotions dropped by 27%, perceived stress dropped significantly, and Alexithymia dropped by almost 9%, indicating a significant improvement in emotional intelligence. US Study (Beckman, Regier & Young) Another important 2007 study in the United States looked at the effects of Laughter Yoga on personal efficacy in the workplace. Self-efficacy is the belief in one s ability to organize and carry out courses of action necessary to achieve a goal or manage a situation 167

168 (Bandura, 1986). This personal belief influences the choices people make, the effort they put forth into working toward a goal, how long they persist when confronted with obstacles, and how they feel during the process of working toward goals. Self-efficacy beliefs affect performance in the workplace. Personal efficacy testing was done the week before, the week after, and days after the series of daily Laughter Yoga sessions. Laughter Yoga was administered for 15 minutes a day for 14 days. The results show significant improvements of the Laughter Yoga group in all areas, with positive changes of 100% occurring in a number of areas. It is particularly interesting to note the long-lasting effects of the laughter interventions. 168

169 Dream Of A Laughing Room In Companies While I was conducting a seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark, for Hewlett Packard, I saw a room called Smoking Room and suddenly the idea flashed into my mind that if there can be a smoking room in companies, why not a Laughing Room where the employees can go and laugh together for minutes, and feel relaxed. We can have Laughter Yoga sessions everyday, or at least five days in a week. Social Laughter Clubs in Western countries laugh once a week, which is good, but not enough. To reap concrete effects of Laughter Yoga quickly, one needs to laugh everyday. The advantage of having a Laughing Room in the workplace is that they don t have to specially invite people for a laughter session. People are already there in the workplace and it becomes much easier to get the required number of participants for a group laughter session. 169

170 CHAPTER 18 Laughter Yoga For Seniors There is a distinct rise in life expectancy due to advances in medical science creating a much larger population of senior citizens who long to find emotional comfort and solace. As the joint family structure crumbles and youngsters steer away from parents, the seniors particularly in the west find themselves alone either in aged care facilities or old-age homes where they hardly laugh and smile. Though they live with likewise people and there is a community feeling; they still yearn for their family. They are prone to frequent bouts of depression that often leads to a debilitating condition. All they need is to talk to someone, and friends to share their emotions. I believe laughter can provide them with the much-needed sense of fellowship, and connect with people. Laughter Yoga - Ideal For Seniors Faced with age and age related troubles, seniors find that their physical and mental faculties decrease. Even the ability to laugh reduces because as one ages the capacity to understand humor decreases due to the onset of senile dementia, Alzheimer s and other diseases. The 170

171 degeneration of the brain cells makes it difficult for many seniors to understand and organize facts, let alone humor. Simple tasks become difficult and frustration levels rise. Since humor is an intellectual phenomenon, seniors find it difficult to laugh at any humorous intervention which needs cognitive abilities. This is where Laughter Yoga can help them to laugh without any reason, as it uses laughter primarily as an exercise. Being a physically oriented process, Laughter Yoga does not require any mental abilities thus enabling the older people to comprehend humor without using their mental faculties. A good hearty laughter gets rid of stress, worry and depression, and alleviates feelings of loneliness and isolation. The elderly frequently suffer from a variety of diseases due to their reduced immunity compounded by depression and isolation. Although not all diseases can be cured, laughter brings several positive changes. It reduces the risk factors for cardiac diseases, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels and alleviates pains and aches due to different types of arthritis. Due to lack of proper breathing, seniors don t get much oxygen which is the root cause of many ailments. Scientific studies have proven that laughter exercises and Yoga breathing is a great way to increase the net supply of oxygen to the body cells and maintain good health and well being. Laughter As An Aerobic Exercise Laughter Yoga is equivalent to any aerobic exercise, in terms of cardiopulmonary endurance. According to Prof. William Fry, 10 minutes of laughter is equivalent to half-an-hour on a rowing machine. In other words, laughter provides exercise to the lungs and circulatory system, and pushes the heart rate up to a level comparable to any aerobic exercise. Laughter Yoga is an ideal workout for the elderly as they cannot walk and do much physical exercise because of weak muscles and arthritic problems. 171

172 Alleviates Depression One of the most profound effects of laughter is on depression. This may be due to biochemical changes occurring within the body, and also due to the social contacts depressed people get from Laughter Clubs members. Laughter Club activities have helped them to become more playful and celebrative. Laughter exercises can help older people to keep their spirits high, and come out of depression. In India, a majority of Laughter Club members are over the age of years and they have significantly benefited from regular practice of laughter exercises. In addition to physical exercise, these clubs have also helped them to find muchneeded social support to sustain their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Other Benefits At advancing age sedentary lifestyle, illness and lack of physical exercise causes stiffness of limbs and muscles, leading to immobility and pain and aches. Laughter exercises coupled with deep diaphragmatic breathing are simple, structured and a lot of fun. Regardless of any limitations cognitive or physical, they are appropriate for all. Extended hearty laughter is known to increase muscle movement and mobility and boost the immune system. It increases disease fighting cells and proteins, and triggers release of endorphins (body s natural painkillers). Many elderly people who previously had difficulty in sleeping and needed tranquilizers and sleeping pills, found Laughter Yoga exercises helpful in getting better quality sleep. The Danish Experience I had a unique experience in Copenhagen, Denmark. I was invited to laugh with a group of 70 residents of a senior citizen s home. More than 10 elderly persons were on wheel chairs, and could not move much. After the initial briefing, we started with the Laughter session, and we took all the persons who were on wheelchairs, into the center, 172

173 Laughter Yoga session in a senior center in Canada and laughed with them. We greeted them with laughter, shook hands with and played. Everyone enjoyed the laughter session, except those on wheelchairs who could not participate much. We thought perhaps they did not like the idea, but to our surprise, when we spoke to them after the session, they told us that although they were not able to laugh much, they loved being touched and greeted, with laughter. They looked forward to more sessions like this on a regular basis. In a nutshell here are some highpoints of Laughter Yoga with seniors: Laughter Yoga is an ideal exercise for elderly people because it is not just physical exercise, but connects the body, mind and spirit. The exercises are adaptable to all levels and limitations of cognitive, sensory and motor ability. They do not require any ability to tell jokes or perform humorously. They provide physical exercise that involves large and small muscles, and strengthens breathing ability. 173

174 They reduce suffering and contribute to the restoration of optimal health and independence. They take place in a socially supportive group setting. They transcend most linguistic barriers. They encourage healthy attitudes and peace of mind, such as by paying compliments, and being less angry. They are not passive-receptive, but adapt to all levels of capacity for interaction. They are an inviting, not demanding activity. They provide a simple, structured, playful routine that is based on sound scientific principles. They lift the spirits of staff and residents alike. 174

175 CHAPTER 19 Laughter Yoga With School Children Many people believe the human child is born in a state that closely mirrors the natural human state before the realities of our world come to modify our behavior and state of mind. If this is true then we see that humans are naturally joyful and healthy. During our most important formative years, children laugh more than 400 times a day without humor. They engage in playful activity and are bursting with health and joy. Unfortunately, as we grow up we are taught by society to change to adult behavior, repressing our playfulness and laughter. Laughter becomes a front brain activity where we judge whether something is funny or not, and whether laughter is appropriate in the situation before deciding whether to laugh or not. This effectively reduces our laughter to 5-15 times per day and virtually eliminates our playfulness. 175

176 The one question that always made me uncomfortable was when people asked me, People of which age group come for laughter sessions? And my answer was always the same: Those above 40, senior citizens and retired people. The most obvious impression was that the Laughter Clubs is mainly for the elderly. Many wondered why youngsters did not join the laughter group. Firstly, as all Laughter Clubs start very early in the morning, it is difficult for school children and college goers to attend the session. Secondly, most youngsters are not aware of the benefits of Laughter Yoga. They think it is more for those suffering from some ailment. Moreover, they are interested in heavy workouts like jogging, swimming, gymnastics, cycling and aerobics, which they feel yield better results. But, now with the growing awareness of the several benefits of laughter that can help children and teens resolve their stresses and other related problems, many schools are incorporating Laughter Yoga as part of their regular curriculum. Why Children Need To Laugh More Today From time immemorial, childhood has been a time for children to lead low-stress lives full of personal exploration and group play. Modern studies show us that through this period of play we develop emotional intelligence, now recognized as being the single major factor in our long-term life and career success. Growing bodies require the intense physical exercise of play to learn motor skills, develop and cope with rapid growth. In play, we develop emotional and social skills and learn how to cope with different situations skills that determine and influence much of our future life. Children today are increasingly subjected to new and very different childhood realities - play and physical activity is restricted, new stresses are imposed, adult behavior is demanded at very early ages, group play and child-to-child interaction is being replaced with electronic games & remote communication devices. 176

177 Stresses Faced By Children Children whose natural energy is traditionally expressed in movement, laughter and play are now being forced to sit still and concentrate on studies for extended periods from an early age. Studies show a huge leap in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with this disorder are extremely hyperactive and find it difficult to concentrate for even short periods. They act on impulse and often appear to have no sense of danger. Children faced with a competitive academic environment from early age are being pressured by their parents and teachers to attain excellent grades. Schoolwork results in many symptoms of stress and high social anxiety. The increase in broken homes and the consequent lack of emotional bonding and long term relationships with parents or responsible adults combine to cause a host of emotional problems. Working parents and the reduction in family size leaves children alone for long stretches of time, rather than in healthy group play. A general decrease in parenting skills leaves children deprived of strong moral and emotional guidance and role models. Video games, television and the internet have taken over the free and interactive play. High tech communication skills have eroded the fun of laughing at simple things. Without considering the effects of the content of what they are seeing on their values and social programming, it is very different from a traditional play-in-a-group that is typical in human history. The many emotional and social skills of simple interactive group play and laughter are being lost. The IPOD generation: even when children are in a crowd they are often no longer communicating. They are in a private world that removes auditory input and thus blocks most social interaction. The mobile and SMS generation: traditional face-to-face learning 177

178 of communication skills with resulting laughter through play are quickly being replaced by variations of distance communication unaccompanied by body language and facial expressions. This form of distance communication develops cerebral skills but does not develop the skills of reading emotions from body and facial expression that is the key to developing emotional intelligence. Teenagers in particular are faced with demands of college and parents to perform and achieve goals that may be unrealistic. Not meeting these goals often leads to anxiety that is detrimental to physical and mental health, in some cases even resulting in suicidal tendencies. It appears than many factors of modern life are conspiring to rob today s children of a traditional childhood and to expose them to new types of childhood stress. Any system that can introduce more laughter into the lives of today s children needs to be promoted and integrated into educational institutions. It will help children cope with stress and also to replace some of the play and laughter time that they are losing. My First Experience With School Children It was 21st October 1996; I conducted the first Laughter Yoga session with 300 boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 15, along with about 50 parents and 25 teachers in a school in Aurangabad. Everybody was waiting in suspense, to see what was going to happen in the next hour. I love making children laugh, because it is easy to make them giggle and chuckle. During the demonstration, they were bursting with laughter, and sometimes it was very difficult to stop them. I have observed that when I am with adults, I have to tell them, Come on, Laugh! Laugh! and they find it difficult to laugh. But, with children, it was hard to stop them from laughing. They have the natural ability to laugh at any silly thing. Laughter Yoga In Schools Laughter Yoga was first formally introduced in schools in India in 1998 and has spread informally to schools in Mumbai, Bangalore, Surat and across India. Feedback from schools has been positive. According 178

179 Laughter Yoga session with school children in Surat, India to reports, students feel more energized, their mental attitude and communication with the staff improves, willingness to learn, innovation and creativity increases, disciplinary problems are reduced, and a gradual decrease in sickness and absenteeism is noted. According to teachers there is a wonderful change in the atmosphere of the school. Students become upbeat, playful and smiling and many teachers say that it has made a meaningful change in their attitude, and re-energized and re-motivated them in their profession. Laughter Yoga is Fun, Easy and Economical Laughter Yoga is a very economical addition to any school or educational institution. Training costs are low and the major investment is time. Because Laughter Yoga is fun, it is normally welcomed and enjoyed by students and staff. No known downsides or negative side effects have been reported. How Children Benefit From Laughter Yoga Laughter promotes positive emotions and coping skills. Group dynamics establishes a caring - sharing network of relationships and 179

180 emotional bonding. Regular laughter sessions have proved to be very beneficial for young and teenage children. It has the ability to relax children and help them get over stress in many ways. Children, particularly teenagers learn to indulge in healthy group play which alleviates feelings of deprivation and loneliness. Laughter Yoga is a unique workout regime that oxygenates the blood and other organs, leaving them full of energy and physically fit. In a nutshell these are some benefits of Laughter Yoga with children: It helps to bring more laughter into children s lives. They become more upbeat and smiley. It helps to alleviate stress and provide tools for dealing with increased stress. It also increases the oxygen supply to improve their mental functions and academic performance. It reduces examination stress. Before entering the exam hall, children should be made to laugh for 10 minutes to reduce anxiety. It boosts learning skills and enthusiasm and improves attention span and concentration levels. It provides much-needed exercise and their health improves as they learn the art of deep breathing. They suffer fewer attacks of coughs, colds, throat and chest infections, as laughter helps to build good immunity against common infections, thereby reducing absenteeism in schools. It also enhances aptitude for different talent and creative abilities and they start participating in different activities in school. Helps children cope with daily pressure of studies and authoritative demands of both parents and teachers. They learn to deal with their problems in a better manner and become more considerate and understanding. Their attitude towards peer group and elders undergoes a positive 180

181 change. They learn to cope with failure and defeat. Laughter teaches children to be happy and move ahead rather than brood over the past. The release of endorphins helps to kick start good feelings and also change their frequently irritable moods. This helps them to perform better in every field. Laughter Yoga is an effective catharsis to release any pent up emotions and feelings which trouble children making them happier and more relaxed. Laughter Yoga increases stamina and breathing capacity, to help them excel in sports activities. It is very relaxing before competitive sports events. It increases the level of relaxation, and reduces nervousness and stage fright. It also helps children to become extroverts and develop self-confidence which helps them in all extra curricular activities like stage performance and public speaking. Laughter Yoga With Teenagers Teen stress is an important health issue. We know that the early teen years are marked by rapid changes. They are faced with demands of college and parents to perform and achieve goals that may be unrealistic. Not meeting these goals often leads to anxiety that is detrimental to physical and mental health, in some cases even resulting in suicidal tendencies. Teenagers laugh a lot with peers but when they interact with elders they close up and become very protective about conveying their emotions. They go into their shell and want to play it safe. They are afraid of feedbacks and are extremely awkward in their actions. Being on the threshold of adulthood, they are afraid of facing the challenges of growing up. 181

182 Major Teen Stressors Puberty: The child changes physically and emotionally at the onset of puberty. Even the child s attitude towards his or her parents is likely to change. Often, children think their parents are annoying and oldfashioned. In return, parents may find their child cheeky and sullen. Obviously, it can be a time of conflict between parents and children. In fact, it may be more alarming to the parents if there are no conflicts at all, as it may be a sign that their child is hiding their problems, which can lead to suppressed feelings and emotions, in effect harming the mental psyche. Extended hearty laughter induced by Laughter Yoga is extremely beneficial as it helps to release these pent up feelings and emotions from the sub-conscious mind through effective emotional catharsis. Parental inconsistency: During this transitional phase parents raise their expectations and become quite inconsistent in their behavior. They sometimes want their children to behave like kids and sometimes like adults. Don t do this, you re a kid ; you can do this, you re big enough. These instructions send confusing signals to children and they become self protective and draw back into their shell. Laughter helps to dissipate thoughts of distrust and hostility arising out of continuous confrontations with parents. Laughter releases endorphins that kick starts good feelings and changes the mood state almost immediately. Changing relationships: Puberty is a time of life when the child begins to feel liberated. But support from parents is still of paramount importance. Parents are not only a safety net, but also the platform from which the child can eventually experience the whole world. Laughter helps to boost the self-confidence and encourage a great network of healthy relationships. It encourages team building and eliminates feelings of aggression, jealousy and antagonism. School demands: As teens step into the threshold of adulthood, they experience a changed environment all around them. Their 182

183 Laughter Yoga session with children in Taiwan new found freedom also brings in new pressures of performance, competitiveness, and striving for excellence. All these lead to stress and tensions which at times can prove fatal. Laughter has the ability to reduce stress symptoms and provide a feeling of wellness. New responsibilities: Teens learn about their role in the family and the importance of helping others. As they become older, they take on new responsibilities. A hearty laughter helps to develop a sense of independence and self-reliance. It boosts self esteem and helps them to perform better in every sphere of life. How Do Children Laugh At Different Ages Several Laughter Yoga sessions among schoolchildren between the age group of 5-15 has confirmed that it s much easier to make children laugh under the age of five. As they grow older they become more self-conscious and it becomes difficult for them to simulate laughter. They re not really open to follow the commands to laugh without any reason. 183

184 Young children laugh from their heart but as they enter their teens they start using their mental faculty to rationalize their laughter and behavior. It s a period of transition and changeover and the beginning of the inhibitory factors which play a major role in the expression of emotions. There is a shift from open behavior to closed and defensive reactions. There is a noticeable switch from body laughter to laughing from the mind. Laughter Yoga is a physical exercise that works on the body and mind simultaneously. It boosts systems that are switched off or disrupted by stress, especially the circulatory and digestive systems. It stimulates willingness to learn and retention improves creativity and self discipline. It provides tools to deal with stressful situations in new ways, providing an alternative to anger and aggression and resulting fear. With these tremendous benefits, laughter is indeed the best medicine for both young and teenage children. In fact, in the educational context laughter boosting is used to prepare students for examinations, and also to prepare sports teams for optimal performance before competition. 184

185

186 Factory workers doing Laughter Yoga in Mumbai Dr. Kataria leading a laughter session in an IT company in Mumbai

187 Teachers and children doing Laughter Yoga session in a school in Surat, India Laughter Yoga session in progress in a school in Aurangabad, India

188 Laughter Yoga session with deaf and mute children in Udaipur, India Laughter Yoga session with street children in Mumbai

189 Prisoners doing Lion Laughter in Udaipur jail, India Dr. Kataria leading a session in an orphanage in South India

190 Dr. Kataria doing Handshake Laughter in a senior center in Canada Laughter session in an old age home in Soultz, France

191 Laughter session at National Association For Blind in Mumbai Laughter Yoga session with blind school girls in Mumbai

192 Participants of teachers training program in Interlaken, Switzerland Dr. Kataria leading a session at a senior center in New York

193 Laugh your cancer away: laughter can help fight cancer by strengthening your immune system Laughter session with mentally challenged children in Perth, Australia

194 Jan Thygesem Poulsen leading Laughter Meditation with a mammoth crowd at Town Hall Square in Denmark World Laughter Day Celebrations in Town Hall Square Copenhagen, Denmark in 2001

195 Laughter Yoga session with police personnel in Gujarat, India Dr. Kataria leading a Laughter Yoga session in a detention center at Albuquerque, New Mexico

196 Session in progress in Tokyo, Japan Laughter Yoga session with business people in Seoul, S. Korea

197 Laughter Buddies: laughter is like a glue which binds people together Laughter Yoga teachers sharing a laugh during Bangalore training in 2010

198 One way to bring more laughter in your life is to become a Laughter Yoga teacher Participants of teacher training program in Osaka, Japan

199 Dr. Kataria and Madhuri with research team at Osaka University, Japan Dr. Kataria in Berlin during European Laughter Yoga Conference

200 Certified Laughter Yoga teachers at Sydney, Australia Dr. Kataria and Madhuri in Iceland

201 CHAPTER 20 Laughter Yoga For People With Special Needs Laughter Yoga movement has now grown exponentially in over 60 countries and is no more restricted to social clubs. It has gone into different areas of application and has been successfully implemented among physically and mentally challenged people, blind schools, prisons, orphanages, self help cancer groups and those suffering from chronic diseases like multiple sclerosis and others. Living with a disability is a huge challenge and can be hard to deal with. It can lead to severe mental trauma and stress. People are prone to negative feelings and emotions that undermines all rationality and gives rise to a confusing mindset regarding one s own image and capabilities. One undergoes an all time low and sensations of self pity and self worthless set in. Laughter Yoga has the ability to elevate the mood state, helps to cope with physical and mental disability and provides relief from feelings of 201

202 negativity. The group dynamics of Laughter Yoga lead to more openness and aid people to share their grief. Exercises and deep breathing relax the body and mind and help one to accept reality. Laughter Clubs are a safe haven for people to release their inner feelings without fear and pain. Laughter catharsis is a great technique for emotional release and balance. Laughter Yoga With The Blind In October 1997, I received a call from Dinesh Saryia, requesting me to come to an institute for the blind in Dadar, Mumbai, and conduct a laughter session for young girls, most of them below the age of 12. Dinesh must have been around 25, but his vision was diminishing due to retinitis pigmentosa, a disease which gradually leads to blindness. He expressed his desire to meet me and work out the details. Though I said Yes, I was a bit hesitant and wondered how can I make the blind laugh. Normally, we laugh in a group, and stimulate each other by looking into each other s eyes. But this was different. After two days, Dinesh came to my office with his blind colleague and spent nearly half-anhour with me. I couldn t help noticing that, while talking they were smiling all the time, which is very rare in normal individuals. At that moment, I recalled my visits to blind homes during my college days, when I observed that most of them have an inbuilt smile on their face when they talk. Another noticeable fact is that these people are extraordinarily talented in certain creative fields like music, weaving skills and other arts. I was quite keen to do a laughter session with them so I went along with four Laughologists to the institute where we were given a warm welcome. After the initial ceremony, we asked a group of blind girls to come out in the open, and experience the joy of laughter exercises. Initially, they were hesitant and amused at the idea of laughing in a group, for no reason. But, after ten minutes of persuasion, they joined the group of adults, outside in the compound. Till then, I was not sure whether I would be able to make them laugh. 202

203 Laughter Yoga session in a blind school in India Sound Of Laughter Is Contagious One needs to look at other people to initiate laughter. I thought eye contact is the most important factor in eliciting genuine giggles, but I was proved wrong. When I experimented with that particular group during the laughter session, for the first time I realized that the sound of laughter is also infectious. As the session progressed, the quality of laughter improved. The girls were laughing non-stop, and it was difficult to stop them. It was a indeed a unique experience, and I would like to bring more smiles and laughter to the faces of millions of blind people all over the world. It may bring a fresh ray of hope to their sightdeprived lives. Laughter Yoga With Mentally And Physically Challenged The city of Bangalore, also known as Silicon Valley of India, has the distinction of having more than 70 Laughter Clubs. One of these is at the institute for mentally and physically challenged children. One day, a teacher from the institute, also a Laughter Club member, decided to conduct a laughter session with these special children. She found them 203

204 more cheerful and energized throughout the day. Highly inspired, she introduced Laughter Yoga in the curriculum, and it was seen that many children who did not respond to their commands earlier, responded spontaneously after doing laughter exercises. It also helped to improve their physical and mental well-being. Laughter Yoga With Prisoners Laughter Clubs are open to all Some years ago, famous English actor John Cleese came to Mumbai, to make a BBC documentary titled Human Face and Laughter Clubs of India were a part of that series. During his visit, I took him to many Laughter Clubs, factories and finally to Arthur Road prison, for a Laughter session. Laughter among prisoners was a humbling experience. I obtained permission from the police authorities to hold a Laughter session among the undertrials. One hour before the session, I went to the overcrowded prison premises, to build a rapport with them. As I explained the concept, about prisoners opted to join the laughter session. I was not too sure whether they would laugh or not, because they looked sad, angry and depressed. Some of them had mask-like faces. Along with my laughter leaders, I started with different 204

205 laughter exercises. After initial hesitation, they opened up and laughed uproariously, as if all their anger had transformed into laughter. At the end of the session, everybody seemed happy, and asked when they would laugh like this again. I spoke to many prisoners after the session, and realized they harbored a lot of anger and depression inside of them which needed to be removed, in order to prevent them from committing further acts of crime once released from jail. I knew Laughter Yoga could certainly help in resolving these long standing negative emotions in criminals, and putting them into a positive frame of mind. In fact, this is my dream project, and I am sure I will soon gain permission for such an initiative in India, and the day is not far off, when this idea will be implemented worldwide for not just prisoners but also the jail staff, warden and others who constantly live under pressure and stress. Laughter Yoga With Police Personnel With increasing crime, the police personnel are under constant stress, though the police department in India keeps organizing different camps for stress release like Yoga and meditation. I was once invited to conduct a seminar by the Police Academy in Nasik and Baroda, in India. In the beginning, it was very difficult to make the policemen laugh in front of their senior officers, but once they started laughing, the ice was broken and the laughter session worked well. Another hampering factor was that looking serious and tough, is a part of their job, and laughing without a reason was initially very hard, but later I saw the visible relaxation on their faces after the session. 205

206 CHAPTER 21 Woman Power In Laughter Clubs I have always held women in high esteem, as far as health is concerned. Though men are supposed to be stronger than women in many ways, but when it comes to health and stress management, women are far ahead of their male counterparts. They have always been more concerned about the health of their families, and are always in the forefront whenever any health-building activity is considered. One of the unique features of Laughter Clubs is the enthusiastic participation of the fairer sex. In a conservative country like India, where women are bound by several religious and cultural beliefs, it requires a lot of courage for a woman to come out in a public place and laugh aloud, for no reason. Initially, when we started the first Laughter Club in Mumbai, we had only two women, as the others were not sure of what was happening. At first, they used to watch from a distance and get amused seeing the funny proceedings, but didn t have the courage to join the group. Gradually, over a period of time, when we learnt to laugh without jokes and the word spread about the benefits of deep breathing and 206

207 stretching exercises based on Yoga, more and more women started participating. At the outset, most women were plus, as the younger ones found it difficult to get away from their morning chores. Tied down to home routine, lack of exercise and emotional expression, Laughter Clubs provided a new platform for women to give vent to their bottled-up feelings. I must admit, that the presence of more and more women, provided authenticity to our Movement. People in India believe that if there are women in Laughter Clubs, there must be something good about the clubs; otherwise they would not endorse it so enthusiastically. More Fun Loving Dr. Kataria in All Ladies Club Bangalore In my experience, when it comes to laughing for no reason, it was easier to make women laugh in comparison to men. Even the infectiousness of laughter is more in women and they are definitely more playful than men. Though hard to understand the reason for this, but the most plausible cause maybe because they are completely involved and dedicated in bringing up children, which helps them to keep in touch with the childlike playfulness and joyfulness. 207

208 Almost 70 percent members of Laughter Clubs are women Female Energy versus Male Energy When I talk about women in Laughter Clubs, it does not necessarily mean gender. What I mean is female energy. As you know, we all have the male and female energy within us, irrespective of gender. Male energy is mostly about power, position and success and about having a complete control. In contrast, female energy is all about giving caring and sharing. This is what is happening in Laughter Clubs where men and women alike are building a network of caring, sharing and giving relationship. In fact, the men involved with Laughter Clubs have more of female energy. Statistically, it will not be incorrect to say that we now have more women in Laughter Clubs all over the world and the number is constantly increasing. In the West almost 70 percent of members are women while men are just about 30 percent, which is clearly indicative of the growing Women Power in Laughter Clubs. The reason for this ever increasing female dominance in the Laughter Clubs is because the women are able to express their emotions more easily than men; be it laughing or crying. This makes them emotionally 208

209 more resilient and they can balance their emotions without any difficulty. Another important characteristic is that female energy is a giving energy and women are not afraid of losing power, while men are afraid of losing their power and status. For men, laughing without a reason is risking their ego, whereas for a woman the essence of laughing without reason is cultivating the child-like playfulness. All Women Club In many Laughter Clubs, women outnumber men. They seem more committed and their dropout rate is much lower than men who have several other commitments. In fact, at in many places there are 100 per cent Women Only clubs! I was extremely overjoyed to hear about the first Women Only club going strong in one of the suburbs in Mumbai. About ladies gather in the building compound at 6 pm every evening for half-anhour laughter session. The women from almost each and every house participate in laughter exercises with amazing enthusiasm. A majority of members are working women who return home around 5.30 pm and start their guffaws at 6 pm. I never expected this to happen, but was truly happy to see this development. Today, there are more than 20 All Women Laughter Clubs in the city of Bangalore, and cities like Mumbai, Pune and Nasik are fast catching up. Laughter Kitty Many women who could not join Laughter Clubs in the morning because of their household commitments, requested me to start an evening Laughter Club and on 18th July, 2004, we started the new concept of a Laughter Kitty. It is very successful, because, in addition to Laughter Yoga exercises, the participants do Laughter Meditation, followed by fun games and dancing. The most important aspect about the Laughter Kitty is that members discuss and share their experiences of life, which is not very feasible in the laughter sessions held in public parks. 209

210 CHAPTER 22 World Laughter Day: World Peace Through Laughter Today, we need to laugh more than ever before as global terrorism, boundary disputes, civil strife, political unrest and war of religious beliefs and ideologies has led to major international conflict between countries. Even as top leaders pitch for peace, there is growing unrest and turbulence in the world which leaves me thinking as to how should one appeal for peace. What is the root cause of man vs. man? Inner War The ultimate objective of Laughter Yoga Club Movement is to bring world peace through laughter. How can we bring peace through laughter? The logic is very simple. The war in the external world is a reflection of the inner war going on in the minds of people all over the world. 210

211 World Laughter Day Celebrations at Copenhagen, Denmark One of the objectives for Laughter Yoga 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. 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. By practicing Laughter Yoga in groups, 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 others they come into contact with. You can experience this chain reaction after your very first Laughter Yoga 211

212 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. Collective Aura Laughter is a powerful positive emotion. It creates a positive aura around individuals, and when a group of individuals laugh together; it creates a collective community aura. Electromagnetic waves from a group of individuals laughing everyday form a protective layer around that area to protect it from evil forces. Similarly, in the olden days, people believed that one saintly person was enough to protect the entire village. If these laughter groups multiply all over the country, it will change the aura of the entire nation. Therefore, having Laughter Clubs all over the world can build a global consciousness of friendship. The Whole World Is A Family Through the Laughter Club Movement, we are creating a community of like-minded people who believe in unconditional love, laughter and joy. Our past experience has shown that it is difficult to unite the whole world through politics or religion. I strongly believe that world peace can happen at the grass-root level. If people from around the world come together to have a common shared vision of love, compassion, appreciation and forgiveness, it is possible to create an international community. Laughter is a universal language which has the potential to unite humanity and establish a common link between various religions to create a new world order. 212

213 Hundreds of people walking in Mumbai, India, at World Laughter Day celebrations in May 2000 World Laughter Day - History World Laughter Day was created in 1998 as part of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive manifestation for world peace and is intended to build up a global consciousness of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. Its popularity has grown exponentially with that of the Laughter Yoga movement now counting over 6000 Laughter Clubs in more than 65 countries. The first World Laughter Day gathering took place in Mumbai, India, in Twelve thousand members from local and international Laughter Clubs joined together in a mega laughter session. HAPPY-DEMIC was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place in the year 2000 in Copenhagen, Denmark where more than 10,000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. It was the largest ever gathering that laughed and bonded together and the event went into the Guinness Book of World records. 213

214 Laughter Yoga club at Nasik India Celebrating World Laughter Day - Format World Laughter Day is customarily celebrated on the first Sunday of May every year. The usual format of WLD celebration is the congregation of Laughter Club members, their families and friends at some important landmark in their city like big squares, public parks or auditoriums and laugh collectively. They pray for world peace and read out my message. In India, Laughter Club members gather in public parks and take out a procession or a Peace march. They carry banners and placards such as - World Peace Through Laughter, The Whole World Is An Extended Family, Laugh & Make Others Laugh, Join Laughter Club It s FREE! etc. During the march all chant Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, Ha and Very Good, Very Good Yeah as they clap and dance. After walking some distance, they stop to do a few Laughter Yoga exercises and then move on. At the 214

215 end of the march, they assemble on a stage or platform where laughter leaders conduct a brief 10 min laughter session followed by reading of the message for World Peace. This is followed by a variety entertainment program of music, dance and laughter contests. One can organize contests with prizes like: Best laughing man / woman / child / senior, Horrible singing contest, etc. Winners are those with the most infectious, natural and effortless laughter for no reason. Laughter In The Olympics A Vision On the occasion of second World Laughter Day, we strongly recommended the introduction of a Laughter Contest during the Olympics. In fact, the opening should start with a laughter session by athletes from all over the world with viewers joining them. The idea of a Laughter Contest at the Olympics was conceived by a young Indian boy in Just before the Atlanta Olympics, one of the three lads who qualified for the Visa Olympics of the Imagination (VOIs), a future Olympic sport, was Nirmal John from India. The contest asked children aged between 11 and 13 years, to create their own vision of a new Olympic sport, and to describe how their new sport would promote World Peace and unity. The young Indian proposed that a Laughter Contest should be included in the Olympics because it would certainly promote World Peace. 215

216 CHAPTER 23 Scientific Research On Laughter And Humor In the last two decades, a lot of scientific research has taken place which has documented that laughter has a profound effect on the human mind and body. This is mainly because we now have scientific tools available to measure the impact of laughter on human physiology and biochemistry. Most of the scientific research that took place in the last 20 to 30 years was based on humor. Researchers induced laughter by using humorous intervention. This required the cognitive ability of the mind to produce laughter that would eventually change the physiology. Since Laughter Yoga is a non humor based technique, it is safe and easy to practice and ever since it was introduced, it has spread like wildfire around the world primarily because people have been getting enormous health benefits from Laughter Yoga exercises. It does not matter how we induce laughter, whether through the mind or the body the physiological 216

217 changes are the same as natural laughter. Moreover, in Laughter Yoga clubs, though we use simulated laughter to begin with, it becomes real and spontaneous after a while. This chapter analyses the scientific principles of the medical benefits of laughter and humor on the basis of research work done by scientists all over the world, and some of the clinical data gathered from Laughter Clubs in India and other countries, which practice Laughter Yoga. Laughter As A Stress buster According to Hans Selye laughter has a built-in balancing mechanism that encourages the two-step action of stimulation and relaxation, due to the release of the chemicals adrenaline and noradrenaline. This produces a feeling of wellbeing by relieving the minor stresses and strains of daily life. Laughter also reduces anxiety, tension and depression, thereby, mitigating several serious diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, in which anxiety and tension are predisposing factors. Kay Herth (American Journal of Nursing 1984) has documented reduction of hypertension after laughter. Laughter As An Analgesic Laughter releases neuropeptides like Endorphins and Enkephalins which are natural opiates and pain suppressing agents. The ability of laughter to release muscle tension and soothe the sympathetic nervous system also helps to control pain, as does increased circulation. Thus, laughter has a multi-pronged approach for the relief of pain in conditions such as arthritis, spondylitis, etc. This is aptly demonstrated by the Norman Cousins in his article (New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 1976), where he documents that 10 minutes of laughter had an analgesic effect for 2 hours, in his personal problem of severe ankylosing spondylitis. Cogan et al (Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 1987) demonstrated by clinical experiments that discomfort thresholds were higher in subjects after bouts of laughter. 217

218 Laughter Yoga research in progress in Copenhagen, Denmark Laughter And Immunity Lee S. Berk (Clinical Research 1989) found that laughter may attenuate some stress-related hormones and modify Natural Killer Cell activity, resulting in immunomodulation. Labott also supports Berk s findings (Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 1990) and concludes that laughter results in improved immunity. In a study at Canada s University of Waterloo (Well Being Journal), it was well documented that laughter increases the levels of immunoglobulin IgA and IgG. Norman Cousins (Prevention March 1988) also states that laughter serves as a blocking agent against disease. Thus, laughter, by improving body immunity, can mitigate a host of chronic diseases such as bronchitis, common cold, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, etc. Improving immunity may also be a supplementary measure in the control of AIDS. Cancer And Laughter In Berk and Tan s (1996) experiment concerning the laughter-immunity connection, they used a few healthy fasting males who volunteered for 218

219 the experiment, and had them view a funny video film for an hour. They took blood samples of their interferon-gamma (IFN) before, during and after watching the film. They obtained significant results that showed increased activity in IFN, after watching the funny video, which lasted till the following day. IFN activates the CT-Cells, B-Cells immunoglobulins and Natural Killer (NK) Cells. This could be very important research for cancer, since laughter also fights against tumor cells. Laughter s ability to be a pain reliever, and its ability to fight tumor cells, has added an exciting new area in cancer research. In Laughter Clubs, there are many cancer patients who are leading much healthier lives due to a positive attitude towards life. This makes us believe that laughter can be used as a preventive measure against cancer. Laughter As An Aerobic Exercise Dr. W. Fry states that laughter is a good aerobic exercise. He says that 100 laughs a day are equal to 10 minutes of rowing or jogging. Lloyd (Journal of General Psychology, 1938) showed that laughter is a combination of deep inhalation and full exhalation, inspiring excellent ventilation, wonderful rest and profound release. Thus, laughter increases the lungs vital capacity and oxygenation. We measured the lung s vital capacity (peak flow rate) of our members, using a Spirometer. The peak flow rate was lower than normal in 13%, (<300l/m.), it was normal in 67% ( l/m.) and high in 20% (>500l/m.). This would benefit patients with pulmonary diseases such as bronchitis, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis. Effect Of Laughter On Cardiovascular System Dr. Michael Miller from University Of Maryland School Of Medicine in Baltimore found that laughter appears to cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, to dilate or expand, in order to increase blood flow. Emotionally-wrenching movies that produced mental stress, on the other hand, caused vasoconstriction 219

220 Clean your mind with Mental Floss Laughter ha ha ha... tightening of the blood vessels, which reduces blood flow. The researchers say the findings suggest that laughter may do the cardiovascular system some good while mental stress will slow down blood flow. Given the results of our study, it is conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, says Dr. Michael Miller, Director of Preventive Cardiology at the University Of Maryland Medical Center. At the very least, laughter offsets the impact of mental stress, which is harmful to the endothelium, he says. The beneficial changes that laughter brought were similar to the benefit seen with aerobic activity, says Dr. Miller. We don t recommend that you laugh and not exercise, but we do recommend that you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system. The study looked at 20 volunteers who had normal blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels. Each volunteer was shown a 15- minute segment of a movie either a comedy, or a drama. The drama was the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, while the comedy was 220

221 King Pin. Forty-eight hours later, they were shown the other movie. Brachial artery flow was reduced in 14 of the 20 volunteers following the movie clip that caused mental stress. In contrast, beneficial blood vessel relaxation, or vasodilation, was increased in 19 of the 20 volunteers after they watched the comedy. Overall, average blood flow increased 22 per cent during laughter, and decreased 35 per cent during mental stress. The blood vessel changes lasted for at least 30 to 45 minutes after the volunteers watched a movie. Effect Of Laughter On Diabetes And Cholesterol Lee Berk, DrPH, MPH, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunologist, of Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, has paired with Stanley Tan, MD, PhD an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist at Oak Crest Health Research Institute, Loma Linda, CA, to examine the effect of mirthful laughter on individuals with diabetes. They found that laughter, as a preventive adjunct therapy in diabetes care, raised good cholesterol and lowered inflammation. A group of 20 high-risk diabetic patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia were divided into two groups: Group C (control) and Group L (laughter). Both groups were started on standard medications for diabetes, hypertension (ACE inhibitor or ARB)) and hyperlipidemia (statins). The researchers followed both groups for 12 months, testing their blood for the stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine; HDL cholesterol; inflammatory cytokines TNF-α IFN-γ and IL-6, which contribute to the acceleration of atherosclerosis and C-reactive proteins (hs-crp), a marker of inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Group L viewed self-selected humor for 30 minutes in addition to the standard therapies described above. The patients in the laughter group (Group L) had lower epinephrine and norepinephrine levels by the second month, suggesting lower stress levels. They had increased HDL (good) cholesterol. The laughter group also had lower levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and hs-crp levels, indicating lower levels of inflammation. 221

222 At the end of one year, the research team saw significant improvement in Group L: HDL cholesterol had risen by 26 percent in Group L (laughter), and only 3 percent in the Group C (control). Harmful C-reactive proteins decreased 66 % in the laughter group vs. 26 percent for the control group. The study suggests that the addition of an adjunct therapeutic mirthful laughter Rx (a potential modulator of positive mood state) to standard diabetes care may lower stress and inflammatory response and increase good cholesterol levels. The authors conclude that mirthful laughter may thus lower the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. Further studies need to be done to expand and elucidate these findings. Laughter Regulates Genes Laughter session in progress in Denmark Laughter as an intervention or a stimulus has the ability to regulate genes and arouse latent genetic expression. Experiments conducted on T2D (Type 2 Diabetes in Japan at the Foundation for Advancement of International Science, Bio-Laboratory; found that laughter helps 222

223 regulate gene expression to control the progression of type 2 diabetes. It has a tremendous effect on gene expression in the DNA formation. It has the ability to curtail the expression of the gene that can cause type 2 diabetes. This may not be a cure, but certainly is a preventive. A Japanese scientist geneticist, Kazuo Murakami used laughter to trigger energy inside a person s DNA, potentially helping to cure a disease. Murakami had diabetics laugh at a comedy show performed by top stand-up comedians after listening to a monotonous college lecture. The two-day experiment showed that the diabetics blood glucose levels dropped remarkably after they laughed as compared with their levels listening to the boring lecture. He identified 23 genes that are activated with laughter. 18 of these genes control immune response and cell signal transmission. A laughing therapy has no side-effects, meaning it s an epochmaking treatment for clinical medicine, Murakami said. One day it won t be a joke to see patients receive a prescription for a comedy video at a pharmacy for medical treatment, he added. Scientific Research On Laughter Yoga There were no previous studies done on Laughter Yoga methods until 2006 when we did a scientific study in Bangalore followed by USA, Germany, Austria and South Africa. There are some more studies underway in Japan and other countries but it may take a few years before we can get conclusive evidence. So far, all scientific research conducted for the past 25 years, was by using the humor model. The researchers induced laughter, by showing some humorous videos, or some kind of mental process, which led to laughter, and then physiological and biochemical changes were measured. People always questioned the efficacy of Laughter Yoga exercises, as they were self-induced, and not the outcome of any humorous interaction. My experience with Laughter Clubs worldwide 223

224 taught me that people were definitely deriving health benefits from Laughter Yoga exercises. There was no scientific proof I could offer them, to satisfy the logical-minded people, especially in the West. I had no problems in India, as more than 100,000 people laughed every morning, without asking me for any proof, but when it came to the West, everybody asked, do you have the data? In , the first authentic research was completed by Dr. Ilona Papousek from the University of Graz in early fall According to the news release by Ananova - March 2004, a new study shows that laughter really is the best therapy for stroke patients, according to scientists. The research, conducted at Graz University in Austria, showed that Laughter Yoga helped people recovering from strokes lower their blood pressure. Thirty patients in the study were split up into two groups. One group took part in regular Laughter Yoga sessions, over a six-week period, while the other practiced movement exercises only. This Laughter Yoga combines laughing techniques with breathing exercises, and patients involved in the test took part in three half-hour weekly sessions. Psychologist Ilona Papousek, who headed the research, said, This is the first study that shows that laughter has an effect on blood pressure. Blood pressure levels remained roughly the same in the Movement group, but dropped significantly in the Laughter group. Physical exercises were similar in both groups, meaning we can ascribe the positive effects to the Laughter training. The mood improved in both groups, but more noticeably so, in the Laughter group. Participants also said they felt more awake and less stressed. Papousek added: The feeling of happiness caused by laughing, the distraction and improvement to the person s mood in the long run, can help improve the quality of life for patients as well as healthy individuals. Laughter Yoga Study In Denmark A study was conducted at a computer company where Mr. Thomas Flindt led a session of Laughter Yoga, in the beginning of the day, throughout the month of May The study was made using an 224

225 AIR-PAS (Artificial Intelligence Respiratory-Psycho physiological Analysis System), developed by Mr. Bo von Scheele, Ph.D., the Psycho physiological Institute at Karolinska Institute Stockholm, Sweden, and conducted by Mr. Anders Lonedal. The test group of four persons was randomly selected. The group was tested with the AIR-PAS at the start of the project, and consequently at the end of the same project. This project clearly shows the effect that regular practice of Laughter Yoga has on stress levels. On an individual level, the results were remarkable. The body stress levels significantly reduced. The AIR-PAS test contributes also as an awareness raiser, that is, the individual becomes aware about how the body and mind interact. The importance of a correct breathing behavior is also highlighted. During a laughter session, breathing exercises are frequently used, and laughter itself has a positive influence on the movement of the diaphragm, as well as the levels of stress hormones in the body. Laughter brings us back to the present. Since the results at group level, and even more so on an individual level indicate good and even remarkable results, the investigation will continue. Important to state is also the participants subjective analyses of the project, and the general feeling of well-being that will remain in the company, for a long time. The results from this project confirm a study carried out on ten Laughter Yoga instructors in April Bangalore Study In December 2006, Laughter Yoga International commissioned a scientific research project involving 200 IT professionals in Bangalore, India, to study the effects of Laughter Yoga on their stress levels. Seven Laughter Yoga sessions were administered to half the group over an 18 day period, with physiological, immunological and psychological tests performed on each person before and after the Laughter Yoga sessions. The study was undertaken by one of India s leading scientific research organizations. 225

226 The results of the Bangalore study were extremely positive. In the Laughter Yoga group there was a significant drop in heart rate, blood pressure dropped significantly, cortisol levels were significantly reduced, positive emotions increased by 17% and negative emotions dropped by 27%, perceived stress dropped significantly, and Alexithymia dropped by almost 9%, indicating a significant improvement in emotional intelligence. Brief summary of Bangalore Study results: US Study (Beckman, Regier & Young) 226

227 Laughter Club in Malad east Mumbai Another important 2007 study in the United States looked at the effects of Laughter Yoga on personal efficacy in the workplace. Self-efficacy is the belief in one s ability to organize and carry out courses of action necessary to achieve a goal or manage a situation (Bandura, 1986). This personal belief influences the choices people make, the effort they put forth into working toward a goal, how long they persist when confronted with obstacles, and how they feel during the process of working toward goals. Self-efficacy beliefs affect performance in the workplace. Personal efficacy testing was done the week before, the week after, and days after the series of daily Laughter Yoga sessions. Laughter Yoga was administered for 15 minutes a day for 14 days. The results show significant improvements of the Laughter Yoga group in all areas, with positive changes of 100% occurring in a number of areas. It is particularly interesting to note the long-lasting effects of the laughter interventions. 227

228 Fif Fernandes doing Laughter Yoga in Uganda Even Fake Laughter Is Good Medicine Psychologists say a minute of forced laughter can help the blues. Forced laughter is a powerful, readily available and cost-free way for many adults to regularly boost their mood and psychological wellbeing, said Charles Schaefer, psychology professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. He also found that selfimposed smiling is a mood enhancer. But howling like a wolf for a minute didn t do anything - except make a racket. His findings come from two experiments he conducted on 39 college students and Teaneck residents. While additional studies with larger samples are needed to bolster his conclusions, Professor Schaefer said, these initial results are important enough to warrant attention. He also uncovered the salubrious effect of artificial laughter in a study of 17 Fairleigh Dickinson students. He first asked them questions that measured their mood. Then he directed them to laugh heartily for a minute, and tested them again. On average, test subjects reported feeling significantly better after 60 seconds of fake merriment. Why would phony laughter work? Because your body doesn t know 228

229 its fake, even though your brain might, Professor Schaefer said. Once the brain signals the body to laugh, the body doesn t care why. It s going to release endorphins; it s going to relieve stress as a natural physiological response to the physical act of laughing. Intrigued, Professor Schaefer designed a second study to compare the effects of forced laughter with continuous smiling or howling. He directed 22 study participants to smile broadly for 60 seconds, laugh heartily for 60 seconds and howl for 60 seconds. Laughing and smiling both helped boost their spirits, but howling didn t, he found. Forced laughter was the best medicine. One minute of forced laughing showed a significantly greater improvement than one minute of smiling, he said. How did test subjects know exactly what to do? My research assistant and I would demonstrate, he said. We stood before them and laughed hysterically and then howled. I instructed them to imagine a wolf howling at the moon, he said. When the subjects saw a senior professor howling; it took away some of their natural self-consciousness. Laughter Yoga Research Studies In Germany A Television film in Germany showed one group of people doing laughter exercises and another group doing callisthenics. The objective was to do a comparative study about the impact of Laughter Yoga on the muscles of the belly. The study was conducted by Professor Dr. Heiko Wagener of University of Mu nster. And guess what? The Laughter group showed greater mobilization of the low lying muscles than the group doing callisthenic exercises. The participants of the Laughter group belonged to the Laughter Club of Neuss (near Du sseldorf) and were led by Laughter Leaders Veronica and Gisela Dombrowsky. Research In South Africa Laughter may not be the most scientific counter to ailments, but a UKZN academic recently proved that Laughter is the best medicine 229

230 Linda Leclerc doing Appreciation Laughter in New Mexico through her research and a series of Community Outreach Projects. Dr. Gita Suraj-Narayan, senior lecturer at the School of Social Work and Community Development, and also a Certified Laughter Yoga teacher was inspired to carry out research exploring the bio psycho-social impact of laughter therapy on stroke patients and to empower rural communities using Laughter Yoga with cognitive restructuring as an alternate form of therapy. The study, which commenced in September 2008 comprised 120 laughter therapy sessions using various laughter techniques, Pranayama and cognitive restructuring, conducted on stroke patients between the ages of 40 to 90 years, in the Verulam Frail Care Community. Initially, some of the patients viewed laughter therapy with skepticism. However, by their fourth session, they were more receptive to this form of therapy, said Dr. Suraj-Narayan. Significant findings of the study included: A reduction in post-stroke depression, resulting from direct damage to emotional centers in the brain, compounded by frustration and difficulty adapting to new limitations. These included anxiety, panic 230

231 attacks, flat effect (failure to express emotions) and apathy, often characterized by lethargy, irritability, sleep disturbances, lowered self esteem and withdrawal, and a reduction in stroke-related pain. Enhanced mobility and the ability to walk without walking aids. Endorphins released as a result of laughter helped in reducing the intensity of pain. In some cases laughter therapy helped patients recover from cognitive deficits, resulting from stroke, including perceptual disorders, speech problems, and problems with attention and memory. Improved communication and relations between the patient and significant others. Stroke patients viewed laughter therapy as a safe medium to overcome their problems. They developed a zeal and enthusiasm to do things for themselves. For older patients, it had given them inner joy, and offered them a renewed sense of purpose to live. In another study, Dr. Suraj-Narayan also conducted Laughter Yoga, combined with cognitive restructuring, with patients in Phoenix, suffering from stress, diabetes, asthma, depression and high blood pressure. After exposure to laughter therapy over a four-month period, I found a reduction in stress levels, depression, diabetes and blood pressure, among some of the participants. Because Laughter improves the lung capacity and oxygen levels in the blood, some of the participants reported a reduced frequency of asthmatic attacks and in the use of nebulizers, said Dr. Suraj-Narayan. The Laughter Exercises conducted stimulated heart and blood circulation, equivalent to any other standard aerobic exercise. According to Dr. Suraj-Narayan a Belly Laugh is equivalent to Internal Jogging. Laughter also provides good cardiac conditioning, especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercises. 231

232 Laughter therapy may be used as a supplementary treatment to patients who are already on medication for their ailments. It should not be used as a substitute for medication, said Dr. Suraj-Narayan. She plans to develop an integrated model of this therapy, incorporating individual, group and community development which can be used within the School of Social Work and Community Development, and other related disciplines. She also discovered that laughter is an excellent medium to minimize the negative impacts of contemporary issues facing rural and urban communities. She has conducted several Community Outreach Projects using laughter therapy, aimed at breaking down the barriers of social isolation, discrimination, oppression and concomitant depression, as well as to expose people to a light-hearted but effective way of enhancing their sense of well-being and reducing stress and burnout. 232

233 CHAPTER 24 What Is A Laughter Club And How To Start A Club Laughter Clubs are a worldwide network of social clubs run by volunteers under the aegis of Laughter Yoga International based in Bangalore, India. People get together in groups in public places or indoor venues and practice Laughter Yoga exercises along with breathing and stretching exercises to reap the enormous health benefits. This organization is fully independent, not for profit, non political and non religious. What s Free Laughter Yoga Clubs are social clubs that are free for all anywhere in the world. We do not charge any membership fee anywhere. However, members of the club should share expenses towards hiring of venue or any equipment hire. What s Fee Based Outside of the Laughter Clubs, any Training/ Coaching conducted by 233

234 laughter leaders or teachers for personal and business development are chargeable as per the skills, abilities and reputation of the teachers. Members are however under no obligation to attend such sessions, and may do so only when convinced of their value. No Control on Laughter Clubs No Posts, No Hierarchy All Laughter Clubs are individual entities and are free functioning units. They are not under control of any other organization of a group or an institution anywhere in the world. Though there are no rules and regulations that oversee the conduct of Laughter Clubs, but we do offer guidelines for functioning. The Laughter Yoga Movement recognizes no hierarchy, positions or titles. The only classifications we recognize are certified Laughter Yoga leaders and teachers. Registration The registration of Laughter Club is FREE For all over the world. You can download and fill up the form online from our website www. laughteryoga.org. However, affiliation to Laughter Club International can be done by paying a small fee. The details you can find on our website. Starting A Laughter Club In India In India, most Laughter Clubs function on a daily basis and the members meet at public parks where people go for a morning walk. If you want to start a Laughter Club, find a place in your locality where people can assemble early morning while going for a walk. It can be a public park, an open ground, or a beach. The advantage of selecting such a place is that you can combine Laughter Yoga sessions with your morning walk. The chosen place should not be in the immediate vicinity of residential complexes so as to prevent any disturbance to others. In areas where weather conditions are not favorable throughout the year, it is not possible to have laughter sessions round the year. Under such circumstances these sessions can be held during Yoga classes at health 234

235 clubs or at aerobic centers, where laughter can be a value addition to the ongoing activities. Laughter Club International arranges for a team of experts to give lectures and demonstrations of various techniques of yogic laughter. They also train leaders to conduct laughter sessions everyday. The expenses for conveyance, boarding and lodging of the team of experts are borne by the organizing group. If you can t afford the expenses, you can approach social organizations like the Rotary or Lions, or corporate houses and philanthropists to sponsor the event in the public interest. From time to time Laughter Club International and Dr. Kataria School of Laughter Yoga organize laughter leader training programs all over the world. In Western Countries The concept of Laughter Clubs is slightly different in the West where club members like to meet for 2 hours every weekend or fortnightly. They laugh together for 30 minutes along with breathing and stretching exercises, followed by Laughter Meditation for 30 minutes. After that there are humor activities, fun games, brain storming on psychological and philosophical aspects of laughter and dancing with music. This is known as a social Laughter Club. It operates on a no profit basis and all the expenses of the venue, food and drinks are shared by the members. The frequency of such laughter meetings can be increased or decreased according to the convenience of the group. You need to be trained as a laughter leader to start a Laughter Club. We organize workshops and training programs from time to time in India, Europe, America and Canada. By training yourself as a laughter leader you can do laughter seminars for companies and corporations on stress management through laughter and humor. Also, Laughter Yoga concept can be value added to those who are professional speakers, motivational speakers and trainers. 235

236 CHAPTER 25 Role Of A Laughter Leader A successful Laughter session requires a skilled leader. There can be more than one laughter leader in a group. His job is not to crack jokes and make people laugh, nor is he supposed to do any mimicry or funny actions. His main purpose is to initiate different stages of laughter, breathing exercises and stretching exercises. He is like a trigger, who laughs more easily and infectiously than others. His job is to motivate others to drop their inhibitions and be more playful, so that simulated laughter can be converted into genuine peals of hilarity. Good self-confidence, humble nature, proper eye contact and a vibrant voice and to give commands to initiate laughter are some basic qualities he or she must have. In addition, a good leader is one who leads people from behind helping them to become leaders. In order to have a good relationship with other co-leaders, never find faults, instead look for positive qualities and profusely appreciate them. In other words, do not correct people; connect with them. 236

237 Proper Training Even with all the inbuilt qualities of a good leader, a laughter leader needs proper training to conduct a laughter session. Since yogic laughter is a new concept, proper understanding of the subject is very necessary. Books, literature and instructional videos are available at the headquarters of the Laughter Club International. It is better to go through them before starting a Laughter Club. Being a new concept, people might ask several questions which need to be answered. For details on laughter leader trainings you can visit our website Important: At the time of opening a new Laughter Club, a suitable laughter leader should be selected. He/she should be very regular and should be able to conduct the session from the very next day. Many clubs do not take off well because of a wrong Laughter leader. Motivation Levels To make people laugh without jokes is no laughing matter. It needs both skill and motivation to make a laughter session truly enjoyable. In addition to giving proper commands, a laughter leader should be a good motivator. He should be able to inspire others to keep their spirits high. Therefore, a laughter leader himself should be dynamic and full of energy. He should remember the philosophy of Motion creates Emotion i.e. if you repeatedly act like an energetic man, you will become one over a period of time. It will become a part of your nature. The leader himself should first be motivated in order to inspire others. To motivate the participants, the leader should move around in the circle going up to different members and making hand gestures as if saying Come on, Come out. Also he should verbalize encouraging words like Wonderful, Very good, Great etc. In between the laughter exercises he must say, Relax! Relax! to make people more comfortable. Lastly, to keep the self-interest intact, a leader must innovate and introduce new items as per the recommendations of our central research team. One should be open to introducing new things 237

238 in place of less interesting old actions. Therefore, the leaders should stay in touch with the Laughter Club International headquarters through correspondence, telephone, fax, etc. Discipline In A Laughter Club A successful laughter leader should be able to maintain discipline about timings and duration of laughter sessions. The entire session should be short, not lasting for more than minutes. Punctuality is one of the hallmarks of a Laughter Club; it starts sharp on time. In fact, people set their watch at the onset of a laughter session! Even if there are hardly any people, the clapping and ho ho ha ha must start without waiting for others to arrive. There are many reasons for this punctuality - one of them being that many members have to go to work. Therefore, the leader can t afford to be late. He must reach five minutes earlier than the scheduled time of the laughter session. The word discipline does not mean regimentation or bossing around. One of the great characteristics of a Laughter Club is that there are no compulsions or strict rules that one has to come everyday, or to reach on time. It is up to the members to decide when they want to come; whether daily, weekly or just occasionally. But, if the laughter session is being introduced by an organization then the rules have to be followed. Normally, in public parks we leave it entirely up to the members discretion as to how many times they want to attend. Our simple logic is if the sessions are good and enjoyable why should people miss them? The idea of maintaining discipline is to maintain orderliness, togetherness and harmony. We favor administration with love and not with force. Even if some member tries to disturb the harmony of the club, he should be gently spoken to after the session is over. The leader should avoid scolding or shouting at him in front of everybody during the session. In spite of the best efforts, if some member hampers the smooth functioning of the club, the leader is fully authorized to ban the offender s entry, not by law but by the consensus of the existing members of the group. 238

239 Laughter Yoga teacher training in progress at Byron Bay, Australia in 2005 Training Other Leaders Laughter Clubs go on 30 days in a month, 365 days in a year in India and some other countries and at least once in a week in western countries. In case the chief leader is not available, there should be a couple of co-leaders who should be able to run the show effectively. In my experience, the best leaders are those who glorify others and get their recognition, rather than those who have the tendency to lead the show all by themselves, not allowing others to come forward and conduct the session. If you find that new leaders are able to conduct the whole session effectively, start slowly by asking them to first conduct exercises and deep breathing, and then go on to different laughter exercises. Another good idea is to conduct the entire session jointly by dividing various sets of laughter commands. And by doing so, you can always ask new people to come forward and start by giving a particular command. This will create good harmony among the members and help more and more people achieve self-confidence. 239

240 The Laughter Club of Mulund in Mumbai has created more than 30 leaders in a group of members. More and more women are encouraged to lead the proceedings. This helped to remove stage fright and fear of public speaking and developed self-confidence. Allowing others to be leaders helped them to transform their personalities from an introvert to an extrovert. There are hundreds of such examples in Laughter Clubs, where some people who could not speak even a word in public earlier, now effectively lead laughter sessions. Keep Religion And Politics Away We are dreaming of a unified world and of bringing world peace through Laughter. Laughter belongs to everyone and has the potential to become a common link between people of all religions, castes, creed, color as well as the rich and poor and the boss and subordinate. Though religion helps to achieve spiritual enlightenment through different religious practices, laughter is one of the easiest and the most acceptable forms of spirituality. We take the best of the wisdom from all religions and implement it practically in Laughter Clubs to achieve health and happiness. It is the duty of a laughter leader not to undertake any prayers or let anybody belonging to a particular religion take advantage of Laughter Clubs. There were some clubs which started chanting prayers, and I had to convince them to stop. I told them that a prayer is a personal thing and should be done in a private place or a religious institution. It should never be said casually in a public place. Organizing Fun Games - Picnics - Health Camps In addition to laughter sessions in the mornings, most clubs organize outings, picnics and health camps. The expenses involved in these activities can be contributory. Family members, friends and relatives of regular members may be invited for such occasions. This is one way of marketing laughter and increasing the membership of your club. If the gatherings on such occasions are good, you can approach local banks, 240

241 One of the outstanding features of the Laughter Clubs in India is that they are very punctual. People set their watches by Laughter Clubs! popular stores, companies or business houses to sponsor such events by putting up their banners to cover a part of the expenses. Assist In Research From time to time we will be conducting medical research to evaluate the health benefits of Laughter Yoga. Laughter leaders can help the research team in interviewing club members and getting the research proforma filled in. Even if some tests are to be conducted, they will be entirely sponsored by the central body - Laughter Club International. Important Announcements The laughter leader acts as a bridge between club members and Laughter Club International. From time to time we send mailers about various activities, research findings, new developments and different projects to bring good health and happiness to members. We will also send information about various national and international conferences on laughter and humor. With the help of behavior scientists from all over the world, we try and help Laughter Club members to overcome 241

242 negative emotions like fear, anger, guilt, jealousy etc. Leaders make the announcements to implement these programs, workshops and seminars. If necessary, copies can be made and distributed among the members. Health Watch Laughter leaders should also keep a watch on club members asking them about their welfare from time to time. Once a fortnight, an announcement should be made about the contraindications and the members should be informed about who should not participate in laughter sessions. For example, any one with angina problem (chest pain), hernia, glaucoma, cough with sputum for more than 10 days, acute viral infections (cold, flu), uterovaginal prolapse and slipped disc problems with back pain, should consult their doctor before attending a laughter session. If any person feels any discomfort during a session, he should again consult his doctor before the next session. For hygienic reasons, a pack of tissues should be kept in case someone coughs phlegm while laughing. Members should be discouraged from spitting in the open. Leaders should also keep a watch on members who overexert and use a lot of force while doing the exercises. Irregularities And Change Of Format With growing popularity of the laughter movement, many groups have started laughter sessions on their own, without proper training. This might cause some harm as the sessions should be monitored by medical experts. We also encourage the clubs to keep experimenting with new ideas to create playfulness and fun in Laughter Clubs. But some leaders try to change the existing laughter exercises according to their own judgment. If the main exercises are not standardized, it becomes difficult to do medical research to evaluate which particular exercise is more beneficial and which is less so. It has also been observed that according to the liking of some leaders, various types of new exercises are introduced which significantly reduce the duration of laughter exercises, as the total duration of the whole session is minutes. 242

243 If a particular group wants to introduce more exercises or other items, it should be done before the scheduled time or after the laughter session is over. Extra exercises should not be a compulsion for all the members. If certain types of laughter or exercises are liked by a particular group other than the standard format, they should not exceed 5 minutes. Welcome New Members It is a tradition in many clubs to call first-time visitors in the center of the circle and do Welcome Laughter. Similarly, if a member of any other club from the same city or from outstation happens to visit your club, he must be acknowledged and honored. This will motivate new members to join your club. Attending Seminars And Conferences Periodically, we hold seminars and conferences to share new ideas from experts on laughter and humor and behavior scientists from around the world. The leaders and co-leaders must attend these sessions to gain new insights and implement innovative concepts. During health workshops and Yoga and meditation camps, leader persons must take the opportunity to call a few members forward to share their experiences with Laughter Yoga. Health Caution For Leaders One of most important precautions every leader must take is not to overstrain the voice. In order to motivate the group members, leaders have to make extra efforts which can sometimes put an unnecessary strain on the body. Most vulnerable are the vocal cords which may develop nodules, and may lead to permanent hoarseness. Utmost care should be taken not to put extra strain on any part of the body while giving demonstrations/commands during laughter sessions. 243

244 CHAPTER 26 Laughter Workshops And Training Programs With worldwide awareness of the enormous health benefits derived by thousands of people from Laughter Yoga, there is an ever increasing demand for opening more and more Laughter Clubs world over. Since group laughter without reason is a new concept, one is required to understand the basic philosophy and learn the different skills in order to conduct a successful laughter session. We need proficient laughter leaders who can lead a group of people through Laughter Yoga exercises along with Yogic breathing and Laughter Meditation. To facilitate knowledge and skills, we have developed different types of trainings, seminars and workshops conducted by trained Laughter Yoga professionals. Laughter Yoga Trainings Whether it is a social Laughter Club, corporate session, Laughter Yoga for schools, seniors or people with special needs, Laughter Yoga 244

245 exercises remain the same with slight variations according to the need of a group. There are 3 levels of trainings: 1. 2 Day Certified Laughter Yoga leader training (CLYL): These trainings are done by certified Laughter Yoga teachers for 2 days, at the end of which the participants are certified as laughter leaders Day Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher Training (CLYT): This is a 5 day intensive training course for laughter leaders conducted primarily by me and some authorized laughter teachers or Master Trainers. At the end of the training, the laughter leaders are certified as laughter teachers who have been given an in depth knowledge about leading Laughter Yoga in different areas of application along with promotion, marketing, PR and training skills. 3. Advanced Laughter Yoga Trainings (1/2 day or Full Day): These trainings are conducted exclusively by me based on my worldwide experience and skills. What You Will Learn In 2 Day Certified Leader Training This is a basic training on how to lead a laughter session for social clubs, corporate organizations, seniors, school children and people with special needs. You will acquire the basic facilitation skills of how to lead a group of people through laughter session and meditation. You will also learn the history, concept, philosophy and different steps of Laughter Yoga and Laughter Meditation. During this course, you will also learn why we need to laugh more today, scientific research on laughter and its effects on human physiology and behavior, essential link between Yoga and laughter and the multi health benefits of Laughter Yoga. Who Needs It Anyone who is committed to spreading Laughter Yoga will benefit from this training. 245

246 It will be of special interest to: Yoga and fitness teachers HR and management training professionals Health care professionals Teachers and sports coaches Psychologists and psychiatrists Entertainment professionals Senior care workers Marriage and family therapists Life coaches and alternative therapists Sales managers Tourism professionals & tour guides What you will learn in 5 Day Certified Teacher Training Exclusively conducted by me and now by some select laughter teachers around the world, this is an advanced course and is very exhaustive. After completing this training, you will be authorized to train Certified Laughter Yoga leaders and start Laughter Clubs. You will be trained to conduct Laughter Yoga seminars and workshops for corporates, companies, hospitals, schools, colleges & universities, old age homes, prisons, children with special needs etc. During the course, you will learn how to lead a group of people through simulated Laughter Yoga techniques and skills of converting this simulated laughter into real infectious and spontaneous laughter without using jokes, comedy or humor. You will be given an opportunity to lead a laughter session during practice sessions. You will also learn the powerful technique of real and deeper Laughter Meditation, where you do not have to make any effort to laugh, and laughter flows like a fountain. You will be taught how to lead the people through guided relaxation and other grounding techniques. You will get the opportunity to watch video presentations 246

247 A Laughter Workshop in Switzerland on Laughter Clubs, and the experience of Laughter Yoga in public parks, companies and corporations, schools for visually challenged persons, deaf and mute children, prisoners etc. After the extensive training, the participants will have a better and deeper understanding of many concepts of life and how to make a better sense of living. They will understand facets like - Why we don t need a reason to laugh; why it is necessary to have a sense of humor to laugh and do we need to be happy in order to laugh? They will also learn the difference between happiness and joy and will be able to find their inner child by cultivating playfulness. An in depth knowledge of Theory of motion creates emotion and the different humor active techniques like gibberish talk, fun games, learning to laugh at your own self, playing with silliness and how to laugh alone by yourself will also be a part of this training schedule. Besides the physical aspect of laughter and its several benefits, the training will also enable the members to use their knowledge in difficult times. They will learn about the tools of inner spirit of laughter which helps to keep the spirit alive when faced with negative situations 247

248 and negative people. These tools are derived from knowledge based on western psychoanalytical methods, as well as eastern spiritual disciplines, and includes ideas like - How the human mind works; what is the meaning and purpose of life; understanding laws of the Universe which govern our lives and also understanding negative emotions like anger, fear and cultivating positive attitudes like appreciation, forgiveness, service and devotion. Other Skills You will also learn organization skills, marketing, advertising & PR skills, how to create a core group, leadership skills, communication skills, training skills to train laughter leaders, various aspects of presentation to develop facilitation skills and how to give different commands. Laughter & Silence Retreat This is a new self awareness program based on age-old Indian wisdom that our life is like a house with five rooms: 1. Self 2. Family 3. Work 4. Social 5. Spiritual If we want our house to be clean or our life to be balanced we need to clean all the rooms and take care of all these areas of life. Most people are focused on their work, leaving other areas of life unattended. This creates an imbalance. Why Laughter And Silence: It is said that laughter deepens your silence and silence deepens your laughter. Unconditional Laughter that follows silence is very deep and intense. It comes from the diaphragm and flows like a fountain. This will help to transcend your conscious and judging mind and unfold the layers of your subconscious mind which helps you to get in touch with your true inner self. Learning Through Silence: Silence meditation is a very powerful tool to help you understand what is going on with your life. At the deepest level you get new insights, creative ideas and what you can do about them. It enables you to learn more about your 248

249 personality, behavior and your belief systems thereby ensuring a much deeper and real assessment of one s nature and disposition. Self Learning And Parallel Learning: Each participant will share their experience, insights and ideas about all the five rooms everyday for 2 hours in the evening. You will learn from your own experience and also by listening to others. This is called Parallel learning. What Happens In A Typical Day: Every morning there is an orientation session taken on one of the five rooms, followed by silence meditation. The group meets for Laughter Meditation thrice daily for an hour and in between there are long periods of silence and contemplation. Laughter Yoga Corporate Programs Besides the training programs for laughter professionals and the basic awareness program for people in general, Laughter Yoga is now successfully being integrated in business houses, companies and corporations. We have also devised some corporate programs and workshops to help the companies to learn more about the concept and successfully implement Laughter Yoga session as part of their daily regimen or corporate training programs to boost profitability. 249

250 CHAPTER 27 International Laughter Yoga University A Dream Come True Keeping pace with our mission of spreading good health, happiness and joy, we have finally taken the step towards creating a University of Living The International Laughter Yoga University. This will be the world s first unconventional university which does not offer any academic degrees. Instead, it will teach people how to bring more laughter into their lives. Slated to come up on the outskirts of Bangalore, India, it will be an idyllic venue for living, teaching and imparting laughter and joy. Our Vision The University will be one of its kinds to explore all aspects of human body, mind, emotions and relationships, art, culture, music and dance through the basis of unconditional laughter. This university of living life will teach people that real happiness is within and does not depend upon 250

251 objects or situations in the world or mind. It will teach them how to live life from within, and bring more joy into living. Not just one, but we will be setting up 5 centers in each continent to fulfill this dream of making the world more peaceful. The first being Bangalore, second Australia followed by America, Europe and finally Africa. These centers will provide all necessary knowledge and comprehension of Laughter Yoga. What Will Happen In The Laughter Yoga University Unlike any university, the Laughter Yoga University will have a curriculum entirely different from anywhere in the world. All departments will be an epitome of joyfulness and happiness seeking to promote inspiration, motivation and the inclination to change one s outlook towards people and life in general. The underlying USP is to de-stress and find an inner self capable of coping with life s challenges and maintaining a healthy and positive attitude of body and mind. Here are some unusual departments proposed for the Laughter Yoga University! Department Of Joy The core philosophy of Laughter Yoga is to cultivate joy, and not seek happiness, which is a concept of the mind and depends upon many conditions and reasons of life. It is fleeting because even when you get something; you still want more. It is rare to find someone completely happy. In contrast, joy can be triggered by simple physical activities like singing, dancing, playing and laughing. It can quickly change the mood state by releasing certain chemicals, and can be triggered in a group easily. The university will have a full fledged Department of Joy, which will have four different sections viz singing, dancing, playing, and laughter the basic tenets of Laughter Yoga. 1. Singing and music: While it is difficult to sing alone, it becomes easy in a group. We will integrate all types of music taken from diverse cultures and folklore not just from India but from various traditions around the world. People can learn vocal as well as instrumental music 251

252 from Indian and international teachers. They can learn and perform any time they feel they are ready. The best part is that all singers will be amateur with no professional singing background. We will hold extraordinary competitions like horrible singing, gibberish singing and classical and opera singing! 2. Dancing: Like singing, dance is a physical expression of joy, which becomes easy in a group. Dancing enables people to express their emotions by body movement, and helps to release pent up feelings and lightens the mind. Initially, the emphasis will be on group dancing, but as people lose their inhibition and shyness we will encourage individual performances. 3. Play: The hallmark of the university campus will be the presence of amphitheatres and indoor theatres where people can stage plays and drama. Again, the performers will not be professional actors, as most participants will be from Laughter Clubs. We will teach people improvisational theatre and help them to perform on stage even if they have never done it before. In addition, there will be cultural festivals and film screening occasionally to provide the necessary exposure in the field of music and drama. Laughter Yoga University will also promote different kinds of fun games and develop universal games which can be played without any barrier of language. We will have gibberish parties gibberish talking competition, party games, and theme parties. 4. Laughing: There is no one way to laugh. We will explore all possible ways that can bring more laughter in our lives; be it humor based or non-humor based. Laughter Yoga remains the mainstay of our university teaching and coaching. But we will encourage clowning, traditional plays, comedies and parodies. Center For Holistic Healing And Integrated Medicine No system of medicine is complete by itself. Each system has its strengths and weaknesses. While modern allopathic system is most popular, it is 252

253 Dr. Kataria addressing the delegates at Bangalore Conference in 2010 difficult for a common man to decide which system of healing is best suited for which kind of illness. For example, modern medicine does nothing much to cure arthritis, while there are several benefits using alternative healing systems like acupressure, acupuncture, ayurveda and homoeopathy - all non - drug systems with relatively fewer sideeffects. At Laughter Yoga University there will be a holistic healing center which will incorporate all alternate healing systems other than allopathic medicine. These integrative centers will provide guidelines to help people understand which system is most suitable. The idea is to help people reduce the intake of modern toxic medicines and drugs which mostly treats symptoms and manifestations of the disease. It does not get at the root cause of the illness and this is where all traditional healing systems help. There will be seminars, workshops and dial-up programs to generate more awareness about health and fitness. While there will no treatment offered at the center, people visiting the university regularly can avail of our state of art health checkup facilities. The packages will include 253

254 blood tests, sonography, ECG, X-ray, stress test etc. Our data system will maintain all health records for any further assessment. We propose to have the following departments of healing: Department of Naturopathy According to principles of naturopathy, people frequently fall sick because of some imbalance or alteration in the body most likely due to wrong food habits, excessive alcohol, smoking and stress. These factors lead to excessive acid formation in the body which perpetuates illness by weakening the immune system. Nature peptic sciences offer a balance of acid based balance by the following methods: a) Detoxification - this can be achieved by fasting & cleansing which includes ayurvedic Panchkarma and colon wash. b) Using organic food to maintain ph balance- When the body is too acidic as a result of acid forming foods and toxic food residues, disease and infections proliferate. This is especially true in cases of arthritis and rheumatic situations. The human body should be slightly alkaline in order to counter acid-forming conditions such as stress, lack of exercise, or poor dietary habits. One should include more organic food like fruits, vegetables, sprouts etc in their diet, besides exercise. As maintaining this is difficult and depends on food preparation, individual lifestyle, genetics, exercise, and mental outlook, we will have a complete monitoring system and the department will ensure that people follow a good health regime. Department of Yogic sciences While study of Laughter Yoga forms a major stream in the university, we will also explore different types of traditional yogic systems of the world. People will have the opportunity to learn not just about laughter, but also the basics of Yoga for preventive and therapeutic purposes. Department of Ayurveda Ayurveda is an ancient system of healing which helps cure illnesses and maintain an internal balance. This system believes that with stress, 254

255 Our vision - the entire world is an extended family tension, wrong food habits and lifestyle, our constitution goes out of balance leading to several physical and mental disorders. Basically, it is an outcome of the imbalance of three important doshas viz. vatta, pitta and kapha. We will set up the ayurvedic system of diagnosing the constitution of an individual and giving the right dietary and lifestyle advice. We will also recommend and dispense basic herbs, offer ayurvedic massages and Panchkarma to help people detox their body and mind through these ancient healing systems. Acupuncture & Acupressure For centuries south-east Asia and countries like Japan, Korea, China and Sri Lanka have been the hub of acupuncture and acupressure healing systems. These healing systems have proved very beneficial in cases of arthritis, chronic pain and other major ailments suffered by most people after the age of 40 or even earlier. While taking painkillers does not offer any curative properties, acupuncture and acupressure can cut down the need of painkillers significantly, thereby reducing the risk of side-effects. The university will have fully equipped acupuncture and acupressure clinics run by experts. Workshops and seminars will 255

256 be organized periodically to train people how to use these methods at home. We will provide them the equipment and tools as well as suggest some common acupressure procedures available in daily life. Homeopathy Though the science of homoeopathy originated in Germany, it is now popular worldwide. It is an alternative form of treatment comparatively free from side effects. It also offers the most economical form of therapy and works very well for long-term illnesses. Our homeopathic experts at the center will provide treatment for some common ailments and hold regular workshops and seminars to generate awareness and help people benefit from this system. Department of Research & Development One of the major objectives of the university is to conduct scientific study and research on the healing effects of Laughter Yoga and other forms of alternative healing systems. We will also work on developing new techniques, new programs based on laughter, nature cure, social sciences, behavior science and body mind medicine. Department of Spirituality The International Laughter Yoga University is hoping to help people attain spirituality by using non-religious methods based on spiritual laws and spiritual values. We will offer seminars, workshops and spiritual retreats based on meditation and techniques developed by experts around the world. One of the best methods of seeking spirituality is through unconditional service unto others and practice of silence. It is a general belief that the path of spiritual accomplishment is tedious. One has to meditate for years and follow an intricate course to realize God and our true nature. Based on Laughter Yoga experiences, we will explore how one can attain spirituality in a simple manner and follow spiritual values and spiritual laws to maximize potential. Meditation is one such effective tool to attain spirituality. A wide range of meditative techniques will be offered which will be easy to learn and 256

257 help people get the benefits. One such technique is to observe silence. We will have silence retreats for observing the mind, and help one to get in touch with their true inner self. Silence combined with pure laughter helps empty the mind quickly and unfold the layers of the sub conscious mind to know the deeper self. Laughter Tourism And Laughter Yoga Holidays People from all over the world are fascinated by India. They want to explore Indian culture, how people live and its spiritual values. The objective of laughter tourism is to organize group sight seeing tours which will emphasize on fun as you learn. These groups will spend a few days in the university to know the basics of Laughter Yoga before proceeding to other cities. They will be led by certified laughter leaders as their tourist guides to discover spiritual India. We will organize tours to villages in different states to give people an exhilarating experience of diversity in this country. They can enjoy the hospitality and delectable Indian cuisine from the north to south and east to west. Laughter Festivals Every year we will have designated days for laughter festivals by integrating different cultures of the world. These festivals will provide an opportunity to learn different customs and traditions from around the world. Laughter City & Township ( Hasya Nagari) We also plan to create community living townships of the happiest people in this world. Besides the University, we also plan to make the country s first Laughter City - a township that encourages people from around the world to come together and form a community based on the essence of Laughter Yoga -- singing, dancing, playing and laughter. While people will come for learning and healing, they can also live as a community by buying different properties like apartments, bungalows & villas. They can divide their time between their families in their native places and the Laughter city. The township will have all basic 257

258 amenities which will include recreation facilities, hospitals, transport, supermarket, restaurants hotels, fitness and wellness centers. They can also rent out their properties while away. Laughter Yoga Based Programs Besides special departments based on philosophy, concept and Yoga, the university will also have several Laughter Yoga based programs, seminars and conferences to enable people to learn, assimilate and impart knowledge about Laughter Yoga. There will be regular training and coaching workshops as well as Spiritual and Silence retreats. The curriculum is designed in a fashion to help people relax and maintain good health through unconditioned laughter. Laughter Yoga Resource Center There will be a well equipped resource and media center which will have a library providing comprehensive information on Laughter Yoga, research studies and other related material to help people comprehend the concept even better. Other resources will include books / DVDs and CDs. There will also be an outlet for ready garments, humor props & costumes which people can buy and use during trainings and workshops. This unusual learning center, will provide to all laughter enthusiasts from across the world, an access to these specially designed courses which cover everything right from the basics of Laughter Yoga, to teachers training courses, stress management techniques and even applied courses in Ayurveda and Naturopathy. And yes, all these courses will be certified by the Laughter Yoga University. 258

259 Laughter Yoga Resources Training Videos 4 DVD Pack An excellent resource for Laughter Yoga professionals, these training videos provide in-depth knowledge about a laughter session, laughter meditation and grounding exercises. You ll also learn about marketing, public relation, leadership and presentation skills to help enhance your LY business opportunities. Training Video 1: Concept, History & Philosophy behind Laughter Yoga Dr. K explains the concept, history, philosophy and scientific theories which support this idea. Learn how to explain Laughter Yoga and its benefits in just 1 minute through the 5 point explanation. Training Video 2: Systems & Procedures of Laughter Yoga Session Dr. K explains 4 basic steps of Laughter Yoga which will help laughter professionals to learn and teach how to conduct a laughter session. Training Video 3: Laughter Meditation & Grounding Techniques This video explains Laughter Meditation in depth to help you learn on how to start and end the session and help people experience laughter from deep within. See visuals of Grounding techniques like Ho Ho Ha Ha Grounding Dance, Yoga Nidra and Humming. Training Video 4: Laughter Yoga Marketing, PR, Leadership and Presentation Skills Learn how to start a laughter club and the value of public seminars and the art of successful presentations. You will also learn how to deal with media, prepare press releases, business docs, video clips, etc. which will help enhance your PR skills. One On One Laughter Coaching - 5 DVD Pack A new program which enables people to learn and teachers to coach Laughter Yoga One-on-One. A great resource and value addition for 259

260 LY professionals; it is ideally suited for people who have no access to Laughter Clubs, are introvert and shy, for seniors who have forgotten to laugh, physically challenged and bedridden and also for those facing enormous stress and depression. Watch Dr. K actually doing One-on-One coaching and two inspiring laughter sessions with a paralytic patient and with a young woman suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Laughter Yoga Concept and Step by Step Session (2 DVD Pack) Dr. K gives explains the history, concept and philosophy of Laughter Yoga, and how it has changed his life and lives of thousands of people worldwide. In the second DVD watch a run through LY session along with Laughter Meditation. Laughter Yoga Alone (2 DVD Pack) Understanding Concept + Practice Session Developed by Dr. Kataria, these new techniques are very beneficial for those who do not have an easy access to Laugher Clubs. Especially in the West where laughter clubs meet just once a week, this is an innovative way of practicing laughter exercises and reaping the same health benefits as from the clubs. This 2 DVD pack comprises the concept of Laughter Yoga Alone and a practice session of laughter and breathing exercises to help people do Laughter Yoga all by themselves. Laughter Yoga for Seniors - DVD This DVD for laughter leaders and teachers presents new techniques from Allan O Meara, the world s most experienced laughter coach for seniors. Laughter Yoga with School Children - DVD This video is for Laughter professionals and for anyone who wants to introduce Laughter Yoga to school children and bring more laughter in their lives. Watch Laughter Yoga being conducted with hundreds of 260

261 children in different schools in India. You will also see special Laughter Yoga sessions with physically and mentally challenged children, deaf and mute children and also with street children. Laughter Yoga In Business DVD This DVD deals with different avenues where LY professionals can find business opportunities in areas like companies and corporations, Yoga studios and fitness centers, Senior (old age) homes, with cancer, self-help groups, mentally and physically challenged, professional speakers and HR trainings, hospitals, personal development and others. It also addresses the issues faced by the business community and provides guidelines on different kinds of programs for the business world. 100 Laughter Yoga Exercises on 3 DVDs 40 Foundation Exercises + Laughter Bank Vol 1 + Laughter Bank Vol 2 A collection of selected Laughter Yoga exercises, it is an effective blend of yogic, playful and value based exercises. It will help LY teachers to train laughter leaders and also those interested in learning more about Laughter Yoga sessions. Dr. K s description of each exercise is coupled with captivating visuals from different laughter clubs round the world. Laughter Bank Vol 1 & 2 This is a collection of 60 more laughter exercises in addition to 40 Foundation Exercises to make your Laughter Yoga session lively and energetic as repeating the same exercises tends to become boring and monotonous. Three Most Popular Fun Games DVD from Laughter Clubs These fun games are designed to cultivate childlike playfulness among grownups. This DVD includes games viz. Pizza Pasta, In The Bedroom and Whiff Piff. Easy to play, they make people laugh and are excellent ice breakers for trainings and workshops. 261

262 Yoga Nidra Audio CD Yoga Nidra or yogic sleep is a unique art of conscious relaxation without really going to sleep. It generates a sense of calmness to the mind and you will feel energized, cheerful and relaxed. Just 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to two hours of ordinary sleep, and is the fastest way to recharge and relax both body and mind. Hear Dr. Kataria as he takes you through guided relaxation and helps you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Humming Meditation - Audio CD Humming involves deep and slow inhalation followed by prolonged exhalation which slows down the breathing rate significantly. Normally we breathe times in a minute but with humming you can bring it down to 4-6 a minute which helps to slow down your heart rate and brings down your stress level. It is a great way to break the chain of thoughts and their reactions and help relax the body and mind, induce good sleep and also control high blood pressure. This CD has 2 tracks: 1. A comprehensive explanation of Humming Meditation. 2. A practice session with Dr. Kataria set to the beautiful strains of a classical string instrument from India called the Tanpura. This will not only help to enhance the effects of this technique, but also keep you motivated to continue humming for a longer period of time. Exhale & Relax (EXHALEX) - Audio CD Hear Dr. K as he leads you through EXHALEX, a quick recharge method for highly stressed people. You can do it in just 10 minutes even while sitting in your office chair. We focus our mind on a particular part of the body and deliberately relax the muscles of that part while exhaling. 262

263 In this process both inhalation and exhalation are prolonged and slow and help to release all fears, stress and tensions from the body and mind. Track 1- Theory of EXHALEX. Track 2- A guided session to help you learn & practice the technique. Breath Connect Meditation - Audio CD Breath Connect Meditation is a powerful yet simple and easy to learn meditation. It is a technique of visualization and breathing at the same time that helps you to connect with others in a mysterious way and improves your relationship with others. We use our Minds Voice and Minds Eye to reflect and remember some important people in our life who have made a major difference. We see their faces on our mental screen, think about them and breathe for them. You can breathe for your partner and spouse, professional colleagues and also for people with whom you may be having a difficult time and a bad relationship. Any negativity or hatred towards that person will dissipate and you may see the changes in your behavior as well as in the behavior of the other person. Ho Ho Ha Ha Grounding Dance - Audio CD Grounding dance is a technique used in laughter clubs after a laughter session and meditation. Although most people feel energized after a laughter session, there are a few who get emotionally overwhelmed and unsettled. At times, they may experience sadness and may even feel like crying. Grounding dance is a spiritual method which uses the movement of the hands to direct the energy towards the ground making one feel emotionally stable and well grounded. Laugh & Dance Party - Audio CD Laughing and dancing are both expressions of joy which is the very basics of Laughter Yoga. This is a non- stop laugh and dance CD interspersed with popular laughter exercises from Laughter Yoga clubs. 263

264 E-book - Laugh For No Reason CD This is the only book on Laughter Yoga which explains the history, concept and philosophy behind the revolutionary exercise routine that has taken the world by storm since its inception in Dr. Kataria updates many developments and scientific & Yogic aspects of laughter. It also traces the growth of Laughter Clubs in over 60 countries, the multifold health benefits, World Laughter Day, Sensible living and many other benefits of Laughter Yoga. 240 pages & more than 110 color and B/W photos. Resource Pack CD A Resource Pack DVD and CD which contain International news coverage video clips, Laughter yoga in corporates and in schools, scientific research on Laughter Yoga and some articles and photos for press and media. 264

265