- No one needs permission to start a Laughter Club. No affiliation
is required although appreciated (it helps to put even more people
in touch - click here to register
your laughter club).
- Though there are no rules and regulations that oversee the
conduct of Laughter Clubs, we do recommend basic guidelines for
functioning: Laughter Clubs are Non-Political, Non-Religious,
Non-Exploitive, Non-Competitive, Non-Perfectionist, Non-Threatening,
Everybody is welcome!
The Laughter Yoga Movement recognizes no hierarchy, positions or
titles. The only classifications we recognize are Certified Laughter
Yoga Leaders, and Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers.
Laughter Yoga Clubs are social clubs that are free for all everywhere
in the world. Most clubs do not charge any membership fee. Some
do in order to cover the expenses of hand-outs, hall rental etc.
There is nothing wrong with putting a donation box out to help cover
whatever club expenses you may incur (e.g. photocopies…)
Outside of the laughter clubs, any training/ coaching that is conducted
by Laughter Yoga Leaders or Laughter Yoga Teachers for personal
and business development are chargeable as per the skills, abilities
and reputation of the teachers. Members are however under no obligation
to attend such sessions, and may do so only when convinced of their
value.
- When Will You Meet?
- How often you will meet obviously depends on how often you
are available. Since there must be a leader (someone who knows
how things work), and that leader will be you for a little
while, only commit to meetings you can attend. Keep in mind
that establishing a strong laughter club usually takes about
one year.
- Do not get discouraged. Running a laughter club is for your
own benefit first and foremost. Use it as an excuse to make
a firm appointment with yourself to laugh for no reason.
- Have a feedback system. No time/date will suit 100% of the
people. Find something that works best for most. Most clubs
meet on Wednesdays or Thursdays. In Stockholm they meet at
5:30pm (after work) very close to the train station.
- Mornings are best but anytime will do. Laughing in the morning
will make you feel good for the whole day. Laughing in the
evening is good too, but it may “stir up” a little
too much energy and make it harder for you to go to sleep.
If this is the only option for you, make sure you ground yourself
at the end of your sessions by either humming, dancing or
sitting completely still and focused on the breath for a little
while.
- Quickly establish a core group of socially minded people
and enlist the assistance of at least one person ASAP. Empower
people. Invite them to contribute / welcome creativity.
- Start slowly by asking interested members to conduct laughter
and deep breathing exercises. Another good idea is to conduct
the entire session jointly by dividing various sets of laughter
commands. In doing so, you can always ask new people to come
forward.
- Where Will You Meet?
- Your next big decision is to decide where to meet (finding
a free location can be a challenge). It is a good idea to
hook up with an existing activity / program that people already
attend on a regular basis. In India public parks work best
because they are free plus a lot of people go there for their
morning walk every day. Choose a location that is accessible
and easy to find. Options include:
- Community centers
- Church facilities
- Public libraries and hospitals usually let you use their
meeting room for free up to a specified number of times
per year as long as your meetings are free and public.
- You can of course also meet in someone’s home.
- Make sure the size of the room matches the size of the group.
A big room with high ceilings where your voice gets lost is a
hindrance if the group is too small (if this is all you can have,
gather in a corner. It creates a more intimate space).
- Beware of echo.
- The floor is very important (being able to sit down is very
nice).
Be well prepared for your event and if possible give handouts to
participants that provide even more information about the benefits
of laughter.
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