How To Start A Laughter Session

The following is a personal adaptation of the Laughter Yoga method as initially devised by Dr. Madan Kataria. While the essence remains the same, its application differs somewhat in that Laughter Yoga as it is applied in Indian Laughter Clubs is geared for large groups that meet outdoors, from 10min to 20min and on a daily basis. My experience in leading a few thousand people through hundreds of laughter sessions in the western world is with a lot of small groups (under 15 people) who always meet indoors and most often for 1h. What you will read here is what I found worked best in these settings for me and the 500+ people I have trained so far. Have fun!

We are now going to exercise our laughter muscles. It’s easy and it’s fun!

We will practice and repeat three different types of exercise and progressively add a lot of childlike playfulness into it. First we will clap, then we will take a deep breath, then we will laugh.

(Demonstrate the following)

• The clapping is hands on hands with full contact. Swing your hands left and right as you clap and chant “ho ho ha ha ha”. Let’s try this all together now (do it 2 or 3 times). Very good! Remember: whenever you hear me clap please clap with me. It means it is time to move on.

• The breathing is easy: breathe in and smile as you lift your arms up, breathe out as you relax. Let’s try this all together now (do it 2 or 3 times). Very good!

• Last we are going to laugh. This of course is the best part, and before we do it please keep the following 5 important things in mind:

No New Pain
Respect your body. Nothing should be painful nor even less uncomfortable. In doubt don’t do it or ask your physician.

Fake Is Fine
Whether you genuinely laugh or not makes little difference. Either way you will breathe a lot and benefit from the exercise.

Maintain Eye Contact
This is very important. It helps keep your mind into the “here now”. Also, laughter is visually very contagious.

Please Refrain From Talking
No jokes please. Talking / joking sabotages your own laughter potential. Let it flow freely.

Act happy and energetic!
A joyful spirit is noisy! Move around. Smile. Interact with others. Act happy and energetic and let us hear it! Acting this way will make you feel just like it.

Ready? Go!

(for ideas on clapping, breathing, and laughter exercises we strongly recommend the very comprehensive exercise manual "From Zero To Laughter In 0.5 Seconds")

How To End A Laughter Session

There is no right and no wrong way of doing this. When and where you meet as well as how much time you have define what you can do. Experiment! The following works well after 30 min. of laughter:

Floor Laughter Exercises: 10-15 minutes
If you can, we urge you to do it. This is the best part of any laughter session because this is when the most people usually choose to “let go” and truly laugh. Sit down first for one or two more laughters, then (if space allows) lay on your back and laugh some more.

Grounding Technique: 1-2 minutes
This is especially useful when you laugh in the evening. Laughter exercises will both relax and energize you. They can sometimes be too much for some people who might then experience difficulties in getting to sleep. The most efficient grounding technique we use is the humming bee breath. It can be done in any position (laying, sitting, standing.)

Group Prayer For Peace
Invite all to lift their right arm up, palm facing up, and touch the floor with their left hand. They are now connecting the heavens and the earth. Bring in harmony, healing, love, peace, strength, wisdom through your right hand, and send it out to the Earth through the left, and through the Earth to anybody anywhere where we feel it is most required.

Positive Affirmations
I am going to affirm with conviction a few positive, empowering statements – for example “We are amazing!” - and then shout a loud “YES!” after each one as I thrust my arms in the air. Note that this is not a “Yes” or “Yeah”. It’s a “YES!” (shout) and it comes with real conviction because I believe in it! Please shout “YES!” with me each time if you believe in it too. I will do 2 affirmations and then you are welcome to do one too if you want. If you do PLEASE do not try to be funny or even remotely entertaining. This is not the place. Only positive and truly empowering statements please, e.g.:

Feedback / Q&A / Announcements
This is a good time to invite participants to share their experience or anything they’d like to share, ask questions or make an announcement.

Appreciation Moment
This is the very last thing we do. Everybody stands up and comes closer to you. Invite all to thank whoever they want, however they want, for being here. Give the good example yourself and thank someone (shake hands or hug.)

(for ideas on floor laughter exercises, the laughter meditation and more relevant topics, we strongly recommend the very comprehensive exercise manual "From Zero To Laughter In 0.5 Seconds")

Important Reminders

Laughter Yoga is a very unique form of simulated laughter exercises that is simple, good for you and a lot of fun! Here is how you can get the most out of it:

Understand The Key Concept
This is not entertainment, it is exercise. Do not try to make others laugh by telling jokes. Fake laughter is fine. Inspire all to laugh with others, not at them. Jokes effectively sabotage your own and others’ laughter by putting a cage around it: Words have to be understood and as such force you back from your body / creative mind into your head / rational mind.

Follow And Repeat This Sequence
Getting any group to fake laughter is easy. Getting a large number of participants in any group to genuinely connect with free flow laughter within 30 minutes anytime anywhere is an art. You can do it too (practice makes perfect.) The following is a reference structure that works very well and will help you build momentum. How fast / slow, physical / gentle, sitting or standing is up to you. Whatever feels best.

• Clap. Clapping improves your blood circulation, creates a nice dynamic in a laughter session and most importantly allows the instructor to keep control of the group by indicating without having to shout that it is time to move on to a different exercise. Look for the red pages in this book for ideas on how to clap in a laughter session.

• Deep-Breathe. Breathing brings in an element of relaxation in a laughter session. Everybody knows laughter is good for you. Few know that laughter is also a very powerful form of cardio-vascular exercise. Look for the green pages in this book for ideas on how to deep-breathe in a laughter session.

• Laugh. This is of course the fun part. Look for the orange pages in this book for ideas on how to simulate laughter in a laughter session.

Maintain discipline
We mean this is a friendly and loving way (never address one person in particular. Always talk to the group in general.) Nobody is allowed to talk in a laughter session except for the instructor. No jokes please! Also remind people to keep eye contact and interacting one with another.

Act happy and energetic
The spirit of joy is noisy! Fake it if you have to. Act happy and energetic yourself before you ask others to do the same. This is especially important for the class instructor as he/she sets the tone. People mirror what they see more that what they hear.