Nothing is as beautiful as genuine joy and a natural smile. Or is it? Our body doesn't differentiate between "natural laughter" and "fake laughter." We can use this to our advantage with laughter yoga! Because laughter yoga is truly beneficial for our bodies. We relax, stress falls away, and it can also strengthen our immune system. There are now over 100 laughter yoga exercises, such as the lion's laugh, the hot soup laugh, and the cell phone laugh.
In this article, you will learn how these exercises work, where laughter yoga comes from, and how it affects people.
Where does laughter yoga come from?
In 1995, the Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria wrote an article on the topic "Laughter is the best medicine." He intensively studied research findings on the effects of laughter on people. These findings fascinated the doctor so much that he founded a laughter club in Mumbai. Initially, the members of the laughter club told each other jokes to get laughing. But the laughter yoga meetings didn't stop at jokes alone. Together with his wife, yoga teacher Madhuri Kataria, Madan Kataria developed special laughter yoga exercises that quickly create a positive mood of laughter.
How does laughter yoga work?
A laughter yoga session is usually divided into four phases:
1. Warm-up phase
Participants clap their hands to a specific rhythm and shout "Hoho Hahaha." This yoga warm-up exercise begins standing. The group members smile at each other. They then walk in a circle or dance while clapping and laughing.
2. Breathing exercises
Afterwards, various breathing exercises from yoga are used.
3. Expressive exercises of childlike playfulness
During this phase, participants imitate various forms of childlike playfulness and combine them with laughter. A well-known laughter yoga exercise is called "Very good, very good, yeah!" When you say "Very good," you clap your hands, and when you say "Yeah!" you stretch your arms out in the air.
4. The actual laughter yoga exercises
Dr. Madan Kataria has developed more than 100 laughter yoga exercises. These include yoga breathing exercises (pranayama) and elements from specific yoga postures (asanas).
Lion Laughter Exercise
The lion's laugh originates from the yoga lion pose (Simhasana) . While standing, the hands are held beside the head like lion's paws. The mouth is wide open. Then the participants stick out their tongues and simultaneously roar loudly.
Spicy Soup Laughter Exercise
The Spicy Soup Laughter is based on the imagining of having eaten very spicy soup. Participants fan themselves with their hands, breathe in and out, and laugh.
Cell Phone Laughter Exercise
In Cell Phone Laughter, participants hold an imaginary cell phone in their hand and imagine someone telling them something funny. They then laugh.
Eye contact with other participants plays a key role in all laughter yoga exercises. This transforms gratuitous laughter into a natural, liberating laughter. After the exercises, some instructors offer a guided deep relaxation at the end of the laughter yoga session. Participants lie down on the yoga mat and feel what has changed in their bodies through laughter.
What does laughter yoga do?
Whether it's fake laughter, intense laughter, hearty laughter, or spontaneous laughter, the human brain doesn't differentiate between "fake" and "real" laughter. So, you don't have to feel genuine joy when laughing to quickly reap the positive effects.
When we laugh, so-called happiness hormones (endorphins) are released. These include serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Serotonin and dopamine have a mood-enhancing effect. The release of oxytocin conveys a feeling of balance and well-being. Physical and emotional tension can be released.
The positive effects of laughter yoga
By reducing stress levels in the body, the immune system can be strengthened. Laughter yoga exercises and the associated intense breathing provide the brain with more oxygen. This can improve concentration and vitality. Furthermore, laughter in a group unites participants. A pleasant sense of belonging can develop. Relationships with other people can be built. Thus, laughter actually helps us live healthy lives.
Laughter is actually very healthy for people!
- Stress is reduced
- the immune system can be strengthened
- Concentration and vitality can improve
- Pain can be reduced
- has a calming effect on the cardiovascular system
Conclusion
Laughter yoga can enhance well-being. There are now more than 6,000 laughter clubs in over 100 countries worldwide. Dr. Kataria established the first Sunday in May as World Laughter Day. At 2 p.m. German time, people worldwide laugh together for one minute. Laughter yoga requires no special yoga knowledge. You can start at any time under the guidance of a qualified laughter yoga instructor. Your body and mind can benefit from it.
Laughter yoga is only discouraged in cases of certain conditions (angina pectoris, hiatal hernia, high blood pressure, glaucoma, herniated discs, aneurysms, severe depression, and those taking psychotropic medications). If in doubt, consult your doctor before beginning laughter yoga.
