Hey! Let’s Laugh Again
We are now flooded with the imagery of violence on a daily basis. From reports coming in from Iraq or Afghanistan…to our daily speech / thought / writing / newspapers / TV / blogging.
So how does one survive in such a world in a healthy manner?
“The Laughing Club of India” a film by internationally-acclaimed filmmaker Meera Nair allows her subjects to tell how being part of a laughing club affected them — in some cases, simply relieving stress, in others, helping to live through overwhelming grief, loneliness and sadness.
Insight into Indian life is a bonus of the film.
“Yoga laughter” is a blend of Yogic deep breathing, stretching, stimulated laughter exercises and cultivated child-like playfulness.
It is advocated as internal jogging, which provides a good massage to all internal organs. The benefits include natural pain relief, improved breathing and strengthened immune system.
The trend now includes Laughter Parties and Weekends. Proponents say you benefit even if you don’t feel like laughing. Faking it still prompts the body to produce happiness chemicals, and soon enough the mind follows!!!
Interestingly, in the laughter clubs in the world more than 70 percent of members are women.
Here is a three-step Yoga laughter exercise that my wife taught me a few years back:
1) A broadest possible grin/smile without a sound (and mouth firmly shut) for a few minutes.
2) Open your mouth wide gently – very subdued long, deep laughter almost like a whisper, again for a few minutes.
3) Breathe in deeply…Then throw your hands up in the air and laugh very loudly with gay abandon for a long time….repeat at least for two three minutes (don’t look at your watch…end the exercise when you feel like it or tears start flowing from your eyes).
Remember: Laughter should come from the belly…so the breathing exercise becomes deeper. Don’t worry if people call you crazy! We all are, anyway!!!
You can do the exercise in the privacy of your room. Better still, invite friends/their children over and let it be a joint exercise.
What fun when everyone (including the pompous one) looks like an idiot! Serve dinner or drinks only after the exercise. You would realize that the dinner or drinks never tasted so much better!!!
But that’s what I think!!! I recently informed my daughter Deepali and son-in-law Rajesh about my wife’s and mine decision to visit their new home in Australia. My daughter had this to say: “Papa do everything but don’t do that crazy laughter business. My neighbours may wonder what’s going on!!!”
Finally, Where Did Laughter Come From?
4 Responses to “Hey! Let’s Laugh Again”
“Hey! Let’s Laugh Again”
Sry, Swaraaj, but many here can’t laugh about the chimp…
Swaraaj I do find this quite interesting. I saw a documentary on this once, I believe on Discovery channel.
You write:
On that doc. they said the same. I also read some other stuff about it and it, indeed, seems to be so: in many ways by the way. We are capable of ‘misleading’ our own body. It’s a power many people are not aware of, but it is true.
I have adopted – a few years back – a positive thinking ‘trick’. Just positive sentences to influence your state of mind. It truly works: one starts, after a while, believing in it ánd one feels better almost immediately (for instance when – almost – suffering from the flu, but also every day life).
Very true.
Swaraaj- Thanks for the cute chimp pic. I tried your exercise, and it does work. I usually watch an episode of The Colbert Report when the news gets too depressing!
KR The misplaced irony of Gasbag and Hannity are just as funny. I slipped from my HighHorse and watched some Etv about Jenna Jameson(porn star) the other night. I wasn’t aware that she appear on the OReilly show. She tried to have a serious debate and was crucified by Billo as a whore. The punchline – Billo wanted her to send him tapes and asked so after the lights went DOWN(snark) and the sponge cums out. Haggart and Billo sitting in a tree……