Using the concept that laughter is physical in nature and the fact that the body is not able to distinguish between real or simulated laughter, this type of yoga program attempts to utilize the combined health benefits of these two well acknowledged therapies.
Generally conducted in a group setting participants attempt to initiate laughter by staring at one another while participating in mood setting activities such as clapping, petting, yoga deep breathing exercises and other relaxing laughter inducing activities. They perform the process of a forced laughter ritual which in many of the participants stimulates genuine laughter. It is believed that all of the participants will each acquire the full health benefits of the exercise. It's a theory that is proving itself to be highly accurate in its prediction. Yoga laughter therapy works because each factor of the process is good for you.
Pranayama is the term used to describe yoga breathing exercises. Prana means life force or breath while Yama is the discipline or control of. The yoga breathing exercises are designed to strengthen the diaphragm and stomach muscles in order to help a person to attain maximum oxygen into the body and the brain.
These breathing exercises have a number of very important health benefits. Not only do they increase strength and flexibility of the lungs but they also serve to increase overall lung capacity. By increasing the amount of life force that you are able to bring into the body these lung exercises open the energy flows within your body. They promote extra oxygen within the blood and this aides in a removal of toxins thus increasing the body’s ability to heal itself.
You can join a yoga laughter group or you can create your own by inviting friends, neighbours, or relatives to join you in a self designed workout. The program itself is very versatile. You can meet indoors or out of doors. Many groups choose to meet in park like settings. Your group can stand, sit, or lay on the floor to perform the positions required within the routines. Many choose a variety of poses and positions to include in their workout. It is suggested that the breathing exercises are most optimized when performed in an upright position allowing the lung to be filled to its maximum ability.
Be sure to make frequent eye contact with those around you when participating in both the yoga breathing and laughter positions. This eye contact sharing will help to stimulate a level of comfortableness and light-heartedness within the group. Watching others attempt to stimulate a laugh will help to initiate genuine laughter among the participants.
You can select the breathing exercises and routine that you wish to implement into your therapy session. There are no right or wrong choices so long as the exercises induce relaxation and laughter. Begin your session by having everyone form a standing or seated circle. Now select a breathing exercise designed to create a relaxed atmosphere around those in attendance.
One breathing exercise might be to inhale slowly and deeply into your lungs. As you inhale elevate your shoulders to help you achieve a maximum inward breath. Feel your chest expand as the air fills it. Hold this complete breath for a count of three and then slowly begin to exhale as completely as possible. Do not force the air outward but instead gently and slowly exhale it. Feel your abdomen contract inward as it empties of air.
Relax and breath normally for a few minutes before repeating the yoga breathing exercise once more. Have the group look directly into the eyes of those around them and initiate laughter. A deep belly laugh whether simulated or real is exercise and will serve to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
When a person smiles or laughs the brain releases a chemical message known as an endorphin. It flows down the spine sending out its feel good message throughout the body. This initiates a feeling of happiness within the participant and increases the likelihood of genuine laughter. But whether or not the laughter displayed is real it is still exercise and as such will be of benefit to the body.
Your yoga session can be a program that begins and ends with breathing exercises but focuses on laughter within the middle of the session. It can also be a program which simply alternates yoga breathing exercises with laughter sessions. The choice is completely up to you. The point of a laughter yoga program is to derive the ultimate health benefits that you can acquire from these sessions.