Yoga has been part of the Indian tradition for centuries. It embodies the art of meditation, body postures, and breathing techniques that aim to promote physical and mental wellness. However, a new type of yoga has emerged – launched by Dr. Madan Kataria in 1995 – and it is focused on laughter.
Yes, you read that right–laugh yoga is a type of exercise that incorporates laughter and breathing techniques to promote happiness and relieve stress.
If you are curious about this new type of yoga and the benefits it promises, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about laugh yoga.
What is Laugh Yoga?
Laugh yoga, also called laughter yoga or Hasya yoga, is a new type of yoga that combines deep breathing and laughter exercises. The yoga sessions start with some warm-up movements, followed by laughter exercises and breathing exercises to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Dr. Madan Kataria launched the first laugh yoga club in 1995 in Mumbai, India, with five people. Today, there are thousands of laugh yoga clubs worldwide, gathering people of all ages, backgrounds, and religions, all laughing together.
What are the Benefits of Laugh Yoga?
Laughter has several known benefits. These include such as improving mood, relieving stress, boosting immunity, strengthening the heart, and stretching and exercising muscles. These benefits are enhanced when combined with yoga’s traditional benefits.
These benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Relaxation
- Focus
- Peace.
Research has also suggested that laugh yoga may have other benefits, such as reducing anxiety and depression and decreasing cortisol, a stress hormone. Laugh Yoga may also improve social connections, as participants laugh and bond with each other.
How to Practice Laugh Yoga?
The key to laugh yoga is doing it in a group, as laughter is contagious. You can join an existing laugh yoga club or start one with your friends and family. There are also online resources and videos available to help guide you through the exercises.
The sessions usually start with a warm-up routine, including some stretching and deep breathing. Then, the laugh yoga leader introduces a series of exercises to encourage laughter. These exercises include fake laughter, laughing for no reason, and laughing with eye contact.
Quick Sum Up & Recap
If you are a beginner, Laugh Yoga may seem unusual at first. But its benefits are undeniable. Laughter is a powerful tool to improve physical and mental wellness, and combining it with yoga’s traditional practices can enhance those benefits even further.
Whether you have been practicing yoga for years or are just starting, laugh yoga may be worth exploring as a way to increase happiness, reduce stress, and improve your overall well-being. So, the next time you feel lazy or bored, go for laugh yoga. You will thank yourself later.