| Laughter is an audible manifestation of happiness and | | | | along with minor stretching and laughter exercises. |
| is mostly produced as a result of hearing jokes or | | | | Hasyayoga proves to be a great stress reducer and |
| happy memories. Medically it can cure a number of | | | | promotes self confidence while eliminating negative |
| health problems as it produces high levels of the | | | | emotions such as anger, anxiety, shyness and self |
| happiness hormone Serotonin, which in turn has a | | | | pity. It helps to focus on the meditation aspect of |
| positive effect on the general outlook that a person | | | | yoga as well, in order to be able to deal with the day |
| might have. Laughter at times is contagious and once | | | | to day agitations by itself. |
| started spreads through a crowd quite rapidly. | | | | They Hasyayoga therapy does not rely on an |
| Hasyayoga is based on the concept of laughter | | | | unconditioned round of laugh and most of the times, |
| therapy. It was the brainchild of Indian guru Jiten | | | | there is nothing funny in particular that makes its |
| Kohi, but was spread by the Indian physician, Madan | | | | yogis laugh. In fact the students are taught and |
| Kataria. | | | | coached to program their bodies to laugh which helps |
| Laughter yoga is a unique and innovative idea where | | | | the yogi in numerous ways. The benefits include: |
| a cluster of people laugh unconditionally along | | | | - Reduces and eliminates mental stress |
| pranayama for a session of about 10-15 minutes. | | | | - Improves and alleviates depression |
| These bouts are not brought on by any jokes or | | | | - Reduces anxiety |
| humorous scenarios; instead people just coach | | | | - Provides an overall sense of peace and well being |
| themselves to start laughing simultaneously. The inner | | | | - Keeps blood sugar levels in check, reducing risk of |
| focus is to stay lively and the laughter soon becomes | | | | diabetes Today this form of yoga therapy has |
| real instead of pretend. The body and brain cannot | | | | spread widely throughout the world. There are |
| differentiate between real and phony laughter, | | | | numerous yoga institutions as well as laughter clubs |
| therefore, it reaps all the advantages from laughter | | | | that promote the concept of Dr. Kataria in countries |
| yoga as it would from an instinctive laugh. | | | | across the globe. This treatment has been bringing |
| Dr. Kataria started his first laughter club based on | | | | smiles to the faces of stressed out and emotionally |
| Guru Kohi's concept in Mumbai, India in 1995 with a | | | | disturbed people all over and has worked immensely |
| limited amount of people gathered together in a park. | | | | in helping them resolve these issues with just a few |
| In just a few days the club expanded to a lot of | | | | short sessions of laughing and breathing. There are |
| people who saw the benefits of this therapy in their | | | | laughter clubs for people of all age groups and it is |
| peers. Dr. Kataria and his wife developed the | | | | easy to select one that is most compatible with your |
| thorough laughter exercises program that | | | | needs. |
| incorporates a series of yogi breathing techniques | | | | |