Today, we are answering a popular question: How did Laughter Yoga start?
Laughter Yoga is an increasingly popular mind and body workout – but how did Laughter Yoga originate?
The day Laughter Yoga was created became the start of the best holistic medicine (in our humble opinion).
The History of Laughter Yoga
The history of Laughter Yoga is fascinating, and it is behind this rapidly life-transforming holistic practice.
In 1995, Dr Kataria was writing an article for My Doctor magazine about why laughter is the best medicine. The meetup was to find out how the group felt after laughing together and telling jokes.
On 13 March 1995 Dr Madan Kataria, a medical doctor, and his wife Madhuri invited three friends to a park to practice laughing. They only knew to tell jokes to make them laugh.
The small group became more significant daily, but the jokes became awful after a few weeks. Hence, that is why we don’t tell jokes anymore.
Overnight, Dr. Kataria created Laughter Yoga exercises, and Madhuri, a keen Yoga student, confirmed that deep breathing to sustain laughter should be included.
The early morning practice of Laughter Yoga exercises for 10-30 minutes in parks grew across India, then to the USA, and onwards to Europe. Laughter Yoga reached the UK in 2003 when Julie Whitehead started her group on Clapham Common. Due to unreliable weather, many community Laughter Yoga Clubs run their activities indoors.
Today the Laughter Yoga Movement Has Grown
Laughter Yoga is now practised in over 120 countries, with thousands of Laughter Yoga regular clubs and corporate workshops, and is slowly integrating into schools. The benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise, which is accessible and boosts mental strength and health, are a testament to the effective practice.
What are the Benefits of Laughter Yoga?
Regular practising of Laughter Yoga exercises has already transformed thousands of lives – helping to boost morale and provide stress relief. More benefits of Laughter Yoga are shared below:
Mental and physical conditions may benefit from Laughter Yoga.
People with Multiple Sclerosis, poor mental health (depression and anxiety, Parkinson’s, and pain-ridden conditions like fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis can benefit from regularly practising Laughter Yoga.
At Serious Laughter, in addition to our corporate work, we have shared Laughter Yoga sessions with charities for the blind, mental health charities for teenagers, older age groups, and carers.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Laughter is the best medicine is a famous phrase, and it is true: Studies are frequently conducted worldwide on this subject.
Scientists and gelotologists are discovering and confirming the benefits of health and well-being.
Incredibly, thousands upon thousands of people are still being introduced to Laughter Yoga as a new concept. If you know someone who would benefit from these morale-boosting and stress-relief exercises, please share this website with them.
There are now an infinite number of Laughter Yoga exercises available.
What Laughter Yoga exercises to try?
Two of the original Laughter Yoga exercises from 1995
- Laughter milkshake – Try a Laughter Yoga exercise – Imagine holding 2 glasses before you, pouring from side to side, saying “yey” 3 times, then cup your hands around one glass and drink with laughter.
- Hot soup laughter – This is a good Laughter Yoga exercise – Imagine holding a mug of hot coffee and drinking it. It’s very hot, so say “ho ho ho ho” whilst trying to cool your mouth down by waving your hand in front of the mouth.
Bollywood Laughter Yoga Dance
In 2019, Dr Kataria created Bollywood Laughter Yoga Dance. At Serious Laughter, we are proud to be one of only a handful of Laughter Yoga companies in the UK that offer this in workshops to communities and organisations for corporate wellness.
Laughter Yoga is here to stay, and in this stressful, busy world, it is one way of having an instant holiday that boosts positivity and de-stresses simultaneously.
For more information about Laughter Yoga workshops or the latest concept, Bollywood Laughter Yoga Dance
Email us at happy@seriouslaughter.co.uk or fill in this enquiry form – www.bit.ly/SLENQ007
