FAQs > What do you do? > What is Laughter Yoga?
The term Laughter Yoga was coined by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1995. It brings together our innate ability to laugh with yogic breathing exercises. It began with an article he was writing about laughter being the best medicine. From there he held his first Laughter Yoga club with his wife and a few others in a park. Within ten days 50 people were attending. Now there are more than 6,000 Laughter clubs around the world in more than 60 countries.
From www.laughteryoga.org - "Laughter Yoga is physically-oriented technique that uses a perfect blend of playful, empowering and otherwise "tension-releasing" simple laughter exercises, interspersed with gentle breathing, warm up and stretching exercises, rhythmic clapping and chanting of Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha in unison. Sessions usually end with a most powerful laughter meditation where laughter flows out easily like a fountain. These exercises are done as a way to improve health, increase well-being, and promote peace in the world through personal transformation. In Laughter Yoga you use laughter as a tool, not an emotion."
Last updated on November 3, 2008 by Andrea Crisp