Laughter Yoga Lightened Up My Life

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Sukumar Satpathy

Cal Appleby, USA: I was fascinated several years ago when I first heard about Laughter Yoga opportunities in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. My partner, Laurie Savran, began to attend the Lake Harriet Laughter Club, facilitated by Jody Ross, several weeks before I began attending, Laurie had been recently diagnosed with lymphoma, and was interested in the healing potential of Laughter Yoga. Changes as she continued to attend were clearly observable in her overall mood and level of well being.

Laurie and I went through an empowering workshop taught by Jody to become certified Laughter Yoga leaders. I introduced Laughter Yoga into my yoga group and other classes on spirituality which I teach. Jody introduced Laughter Yoga into my Hatha Yoga class as a Pranayama practice. She also presented Laughter Yoga in a maximum security prison meditation group which I facilitate. One student continued to attend a Laughter Yoga group after he graduated from the chemical dependency treatment center where I teach.

I have learned from Laughter Yoga to lighten up in my life. This, I believe, is reflected in a more fluid, rewarding and relaxed teaching style free from over intellectualizing. I call myself a recovering academic, largely thanks to Laughter Yoga.

I was fascinated several years ago when I first heard about Laughter Yoga opportunities in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. My partner, Laurie Savran, began to attend the Lake Harriet Laughter Club, facilitated by Jody Ross, several weeks before I began attending, Laurie had been recently diagnosed with lymphoma, and was interested in the healing potential of Laughter Yoga. Changes as she continued to attend were clearly observable in her overall mood and level of well being.

Laurie and I went through an empowering workshop taught by Jody to become certified Laughter Yoga leaders. I introduced Laughter Yoga into my yoga group and other classes on spirituality which I teach. Jody introduced Laughter Yoga into my Hatha Yoga class as a Pranayama practice. She also presented Laughter Yoga in a maximum security prison meditation group which I facilitate. One student continued to attend a Laughter Yoga group after he graduated from the chemical dependency treatment center where I teach.

I have learned from Laughter Yoga to lighten up in my life. This, I believe, is reflected in a more fluid, rewarding and relaxed teaching style free from over intellectualizing. I call myself a recovering academic, largely thanks to Laughter Yoga.