Wearing a bright pink tank top, Celeste Greene pops off the Zoom screen, clapping and chanting gleefully. She is a certified laughter yoga teacher in Atlanta, offering the benefits of chuckling and guffawing. Laughter can reduce stress and increase oxygen flow to the brain.
“You can go through the motions of laughter and get health benefits similar to an aerobic workout,” says Greene. Even if you’re not in a good mood, the benefits still apply. Greene became a laughter yoga leader in 2010 after a bout of depression.
Using her marketing skills, Greene has grown her business with private workshops and leader trainings. She even facilitates free laughter yoga meetups, both in-person and on Zoom. Laughter yoga combines yoga’s breath work and movement with laughter therapy.
Dr. Madan Kataria, the founder of laughter yoga, emphasizes that it’s an exercise program based on breathing. Your brain and body can’t differentiate between acting and genuine laughter. Laughter yoga is not about comedy, it’s about breathing and happy chemicals. The movement has now grown globally.
Laughter yoga can be started by anyone, not just yoga teachers. Social workers, therapists, nurses, and pastors can all benefit from laughter yoga training. After becoming a certified laughter yoga leader, further training is available to become a teacher or master trainer.
Connecting heart to heart through laughter helps people feel good and celebrate the moment. A typical laughter yoga class involves warm-up exercises, laughter exercises, deep breathing, and childlike playfulness. One exercise involves speaking gibberish with a partner.
Laughter yoga has proven beneficial even in natural disaster situations. Clergy, seniors, and grieving families have found joy and light through laughter. It helps to cultivate a sense of calm and connection. Leaders recommend daily laughter practice for 10-15 minutes.
Trying laughter yoga can be intimidating, but the benefits are worth it. Making eye contact and being in community while laughing maximizes the benefits. Laughter is a universal language that can change perspectives. It leads to generosity, forgiveness, and gratitude.
