Celeste Green USA: I found Laughter Yoga and meditation around eight years ago and have been a daily laugher and regular meditator for four years. Before establishing these regular practices, my mind seemed to swing like a pendulum from happy to unhappy in a matter of seconds, but with laughter and meditation, it has become much easier for me to keep a happy and stable mind even when faced with bad conditions or difficult circumstances.

Laughter taught me what is good is good and what is bad also becomes good as Dr. Kataria says, “When we laugh, we change, and when we change our world changes.” This is because laughter gives us perspective. When I laugh I am more likely to see the bright side of a situation and have a more positive outlook.  Laughing gives me the breathing space I need to release tension and to keep a positive outlook, no matter what. It shrinks life’s upsets and gives me a sense of resilience. It has also helped to improve my sense of closeness to others, so that I can more readily see that there are fewer differences and more similarities among us. We all wish to be happy and these tools allow us to do just that.