Laughter Yoga - what you should know.
Laughter Yoga - never heard of it? Well, here’s what you should know to get you started.
Mrs MacLaughter a.k.a Katy-Anne
8/29/20231 min read
Laughter Yoga is a complete workout for wellness and health through the promotion of playfulness and fun.
What is a complete workout for wellness and health?
Laughter Yoga is a workout that has many health benefits. It is good for both your physical health and emotion/mental wellbeing.
But what will I be asked to do in a Laughter Yoga class?
You will be participating in Laughter exercises. Each Laughter Exercise involves a repetitive cardio movement and the use of sound (vocals/laughter).
The Yoga element of the practice comes from Yogic (deep/diaphragmatic) breathing and meditation.
While this provides an accurate and robust description of what to expect from Laughter Yoga class. I can’t help but feel it overlooks a fundamental element of the practice, which is to have ‘fun’. Fundamental – fun get it?
(You may be pleased to hear that one of the unique features of Laughter Yoga is that anyone can laugh for no reason. Meaning that jokes are not required. So, if my pun, with fun, made you groan, please don’t worry jokes aren’t a part of a Laughter Yoga class. And if you laughed, I’m hear all year folks!)
But seriously, I say with a grin. An important part of the Laughter Yoga philosophy is to bring joyfulness into your daily life, and this can be done by choosing to be more playful.
I am always reminded of an observational skit by the comedian Michael McIntyre. Where he is comparing running and childlike skipping (think, ‘skip to the loo my darling’). Where he observes that it is much easier to skip for a long period of time than it is to run. That no-one every runs out of breath when they are skipping. Suggesting that rather than running for exercise we should all be skipping instead. And it’s true, don’t believe me give it a try. A prime example of how being playful is beneficial to your physical health.
So, yes, Laughter Yoga is a complete workout for wellness and health through the promotion of playfulness and fun.