LAUGHTER CLUB – AN INTERESTING OPTION Laughter is the Best medicine. Is it? Do you believe this? Do you laugh every day? The answer is, for most of us, Yes but not many people really know why, except that we always feel better when laughing. In 2004 I trained as a Laughter Yoga leader with a Geelong lady Phillipa Challis who was the first person in Australia ever to start Laughter Clubs. However, Laughter Yoga and Laughter Clubs began in 1995 with the founder Dr Madan Kataria and his wife Madhuri. I trained with these two wonderful people beginning 2006, when they both stayed in my home. Later I travelled to India and stayed with them, attending laughter sessions and also presenting all over India. I have trained, observed and experienced that as children we can laugh at nearly anything and become joyful easily but as we grow and become adults we become more serious and laugh less. Some of us even forget to laugh at all, even while watching or listening to comedies.
Do you know that we are not born with a sense of humour? We are lucky if we are born into a family who has developed a sense of humour. Even if we think we can not laugh or do not have a sense of humour, we can develop our own unique sense of humour. It only takes training, like training for exercise. The more we do something, the easier and more natural it becomes. Over the ten years i’ve been leading Laughter Clubs and working with Laughter Yoga, I have become a Laughaholic, I laugh naturally like a child and my life has become more joyful and happy. The body does not know the difference from fake laughter and real laughter, so when we do any fake laughter, the body thinks it is real and creates the same natural chemical cocktail as with natural laughter. This strengthens the immune system, lowers heart rate, pulse rate and lowers blood pressure. It relieves depression, relieves pain, keeps our stress levels down and most of all creates joy and Happiness. Even with the simple chant, Ho Ho Ha Ha ha... our body believes we are naturally laughing. Any laughter is good but laughter needs to be continues for at least 10 minutes for the benefits to effect the body. I have noticed that even while watching comedies most people do not laugh continuously. Even a fake smile, effects the body in a positive way, try it right now. You deserve to laugh, to be healthy and happy. Happiness does not come from having things, it comes from living in the moment, having gratitude and choosing to be happy right now. Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha. Whatever you do, take laughter with you. I have started a Free laughter Club, at Cherry Lake, Millers Road, Altona 10a.m. every Saturday. We meet near the BBQ Rotunda at 10am then move over near the lake to laugh. Carolyn Nicholson Laughter Leader/Trainer/Coach Founder/Leader Cherry Laughter Club Dip. Counseling. A.I.P.C. Cert 4. Community Services Editor: This sounds fantastic. Thank you for spreading the word. I’ll try to get there myself!
16