Laugh your heart out!
At a social function I was asked what you do. I said, ‘I am a Laughter coach and Happiness Expert”. The person just smiled and giggled. If mentioning my career can make a person chuckle, imagine what a laughter yoga class can do for you.
When have you really laughed your heart out! It makes one ponder. Gosh it could have been a very long time. There are rare gems amongst us who laugh their hearts out most of the time. Hooray to them!
Uplifts the spirit
We have lost this most amazing natural talent. It’s a sad situation! We have been programmed to be serious, prim & proper. Humans have become intense, serious and somewhat lonely. In the process we have suppressed our inner spirit of laughter. This inner spirit of joy and laughter can be awakened again by simply laughing.
One does not need humour or jokes to laugh. Just laugh for no reason at all. Don’t think about it, just laugh! Fake it if you have to! Fake it until you make it! The subconscious mind does not know the difference. The effects are the same. Laughter reduces loneliness, connects each other, increases self-confidence, and improves enthusiasm and sense of well being!
A good hearty laughter is a valuable technique for emotional catharsis. Laughter Yoga is a physical way of releasing pent-up feelings and repressed emotions by accentuating diaphragmatic movement and changing the breathing pattern. Laughter unleashes inhibitions, breaks down barriers so that it opens the heart to new views and possibilities.
Stress & fear
In our modern lifestyles we are always chasing something. This something will give us joy when we get it. As life happens at times we get sad, disappointed, fearful, stressed and powerless. Fear and stress have power over lives in a profound way. Coping with these life challenges can be extremely strenuous.
Fear is the mind killer. It makes us into slaves of all the stressful emotions that spring from fear. It stifles our immune system, which can make us ill and keep us from healing. The cure for fear is love and laughter. Pure, unconditional laughter is the medicine for what ails us in life. A good laugh diffuses these stressful emotions by relaxing the body boosting the immune system. Cortisol and adrenaline, the toxic hormones (created by stress & fear) are reduced considerably. The feel good hormone Endorphin are released, giving us the good feel factor. Laughter changes us for the better!
A Laughter Yoga/Laughter Workshop Session
The foremost requirement is that we leave our logical, rational and intellectual adult-self at home. All you to bring is your child-like innocent playful self. There is clapping, singing and laughing. We scuttle around showing imaginary credit card bill bursting into laughter. Next we listen to a made-up cellphone story, scurry around shaking people’s hands. It may feel a wee bit ridiculous. At times embarrassing! Some laughter exercises are eccentric while others unbecoming and peculiar. Some people cackle, some give the sceptical whimsical snort while others have a rumbling roaring laughter. Absolutely fun, social and contagious!
The second element breathing exercises. The breathing exercises come naturally while doing the laughing yoga exercises. Breathing is fundamental to having a good healthy mind and body. Breathing is a function most us take for granted. We have lost the natural art of breathing. Laughter Yoga uses the art of laughing with deep yogic breathing (Pranayama) to promote correct breathing.
Laughter is the quickest and effortless way of regulating breathing and increasing the net supply of oxygen by exhaling longer and flushing the lungs. It brings more oxygen to the blood and to the brain. Breathing controls the Prana (life force) and revitalizes the body.
When under stress, strain and depression, our oxygen level diminishes and breathing becomes faster, shallow and irregular. Sometimes people hold their breath under stress which leads to accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood. A laughter exercise encompasses the principles of deep diaphragmatic breathing which is the easiest way to counter unhealthy effects of physical, mental and emotional stress.