Laugher is the best medicine to heal our hearts. Have you ever heard about Laughter Yoga? Laughter Yoga is a new form of exercise with a group of people to laugh away the stress! Let’s follow these steps to do together. It is full of fun and joy!
What is Laughter Yoga?
Laughter Yoga (Hasyayoga) is also called “Yoga Laughter” or “Laughing Yoga”. It was formed in India in the mid-1990s. The founder, Dr. Madan Kataria is an Indian physician who develops and advocates Laughter Yoga all over the world. Laughter Yoga is a series of interactive and playful laughter exercises for all ages. People can connect with each other and laugh away their stress.
Step (1): Chanting and Clapping
There is a laughter leader in a group of people. The leader guides and gives commands to do Laughter Yoga exercises. At first group members will form a circle around the leader. They start clapping with a 1-2, 1-2-3 rhythm to enhance their energy and synchronicity. Then, they also raise up their arms and swing them from side to side. Repeat the movements several times. A simple chant “Ho-Ho, Ha-Ha-Ha” is added with clapping. This simple chant can stimulate diaphragmatic breathing through deep inhales and exhales from the belly. Dancing movements also can be added to promote the feeling of happiness.
Step (2): Gibberish
Gibberish is a nonsense language. Group members have eye contact and speak gibberish like children to communicate with each other. Gibberish with laughter can help to reduce shyness, release tension and inhibitions.
Step (3): Deep Breathing Exercise
Practice deep breathing is the key exercise of Laughter Yoga. Inhale and exhale deeply through your nose can stimulate the diaphragm and release big laughter from the belly. You can flush the lung and relieve the stress through deep breathing and laughing. This movement brings you physical and psychological relaxation.
Step (4): Laughing with No Reason
Then, all group members are laughing with no reason. They laugh and chant “very good” and “yay” with simple movements like thumbs up, clapping, raise up or swing their arms side by side.
Step (5): Physical Laughter Exercise
Physical laughter exercise is a series of simple yoga-based postures. These physical postures can promote mobility through stretching and relieve neck, shoulder and back pains.