24-Aug-07
This story sketches the complete essence of laughter clubs and how they help people to deal with negative and challenging situations in real life. Laughter eases tension and tackles obstacles positively and cheerfully.
Last month the members of the ABC Laughter Club in Thane, Mumbai decided to arrange a picnic. Excited about the outing they set out with the entire paraphernalia looking forward to a great time.
But as luck would have it nothing turned out right as the day dawned. Peter’s Principle was at its best which states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Firstly, members were late in assembling and there was utter chaos. To add to the confusion the bus had a flat tyre even before the journey began. People started pacing up and down in sheer disappointment.
The driver and his assistant got down to fix the flat tyre as fast as they could. It was a big job and some club members pitched in to help. The other club members surrounded them and started a laughter session. As they laughed together, tension seemed to disappear. People forgot the delay and started to laugh heartily.
Soon they were on their way feeling refreshed and recharged. Laughter helped them to cope with the state of distress.
On reaching the picnic spot all was forgotten and the members had a great time laughing and having fun together.
13-Aug-07
Mumbai is the biggest metropolis in India. It provides dramatic examples of the great divide between rich and poor — modern skyscrapers skirted by slums.
The pavement is home for thousands of families. Many children are deprived of shelter and clothing — education is far removed. These harsh conditions turn many innocent children to acts of criminality.
Asha Kiran is an NGO that provides basic education to homeless and slum children. It runs a chain of schools on the streets of Mumbai.
Today I chanced on a class being held on the pavement. I was surprised at the discipline maintained by the young children and their teacher. In these basic surroundings — a noisy sidewalk, loads of pollution and trash — they were totally engrossed in their studies, oblivious to their surroundings.
Moved by their sincere search for improvement I introduced them to laughter yoga. They took to the exercises instantly and we were all soon in hysterics. Together we laughed and chanted very good, very good, yeah! and clapped and danced ho ho ha ha ha .
It was a blockbuster hit.
Laughter yoga with children is extremely beneficial. They laugh easily and use their body actions to change their state of mind — their playfulness helps express their emotions and develops better learning and cognitive skills. It also provides the exercise missing from so many childhoods today.
Laughing with kids is one of the most rewarding activities for laughter professionals — we learn and benefit from their exuberance and playfulness.
Develop your childlike playfulness — go laugh with kids!
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I contacted the Asha Kiran organization who bring hope through education to tens of thousands across India. I hope we can raise funds to provide training for their teachers across India and bring laughter into the lives of these kids.
12-Apr-07
On 7th January 2007 we were invited to a 6th annual laughter competition day organized by Aarey Walkers & Laughter Club.
They invited 10 laughter clubs from western Mumbai. The unique feature of this year’s competition was that each laughter club was to send 10 members to present a “Theme Story”, incorporating laughter exercises into their stories.
It was amazing to see the creativity and playfulness that laughter club members have developed over the years. These ordinary people have developed a remarkable sense of humor through laughter.
Here are some of the examples of theme stories from the competition:
The award winning story was about an American couple coming to visit laughter clubs in India. Each group member wore an outfit representing a different state in India and each was laughing, dancing and talking in a different way. The American couple was amazed by the diversity of Indian laughter clubs.
The story which I liked best didn’t win a prize. It was about 9 laughter club members walking to a laughter club when they found a person lying by the road looking like he is about to die. One said take him to the hospital. Another said No No No nothing doing — there is no medicine like laughter. We’ll revive him with laughter. They checked his respiration and pulse and then started doing laughter exercises around and over him. After two exercises he started moving his fingers and toes. After more laughter exercises he improves further then gets up and start laughing and dancing with them. Ho ho ha ha and no need to go to iCU.
Another story was about a laughter group that went out on a picnic and did different laughter exercises while they were having food, talking on the mobile, discussing and arguing with each other.
Another club presented a story in which the laughter leader explains about a guest who stayed in his house. The guest was a poet. They made different laughter exercises out of his good and bad habits — for example he burped and farted out loud, made lot of noise while eating. It was very funny.
28-Nov-06
I am often asked, Dr Kataria, who is your master, who is your guru? I answer, I don’t have a particular master, I learn from everyone who comes my way.
Let me introduce you today to one of my gurus. Yamma Gucci is a stray dog who lives in my street in Mumbai. Read more…
23-Nov-06
Cancer is the second most common killer after heart disease today. The number of people suffering from cancer is rising constantly. The most common cause of cancer is stress. Extreme physical, mental and emotional stress weakens our immune system.
On 9th November 2006 I spoke at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Breast Cancer Survival Conference in Mumbai. Here is a summary of my thoughts on the subject. Read more…
07-Nov-06
On 13 March 1995 five people held the first laughter yoga session based on a breakthrough realization of Dr Madan Kataria.
Today hundreds of thousands of people in more than 50 countries practice laughter yoga for health and vitality. Here are the five that started it all.
Dr. Madan Kataria (sitting), Madhuri Kataria (sitting)
Madan Mohan Pushkarna (standing left), Mohan Singh (standing middle),
Rajendra Kumar Tandon (standing right)
04-Nov-06
Today Madhuri and I got up at 6am and went to Jogeshwari laughter club in Mumbai for a BBC laughter yoga filming for a BBC1 program called “Round the World”.
We met anchorman Simon Calder who is travel editor of “The Independent” UK at 6:30. In a 15 minute interview I explained laughter yoga and how to do the exercises. Read more…
30-Oct-06
We were invited to visit ABC laughter club in Thane, which is about an hour’s drive from Mumbai on the occasion of their first anniversary. Read more…
29-Oct-06
Today I and my wife Madhuri visited a laughter club in the suburbs of Mumbai India.
Nearly 70 men and women standing in two lines welcomed us with Indian greeting laughter, called namaste laughter. We walked like a king and queen greeting and laughing with them.
After joining and witnessing their laughter yoga session, I learnt quite a few things.
Read more…
27-Oct-06
On the occasion of Diwali popularly known as festival of lights, I and Madhuri invited, a group of ladies from my building to join us for a dinner celebration.
There were 12 ladies present who had never been to a laughter club. When I suggested that before dinner we do a laughter session they agreed with great excitement.
I explained that you have to force yourself to laugh in the beginning, but Read more…
26-Oct-06
Today my wife Madhuri and I met with film producer Ram Dayal from Bollywood who is 75 years old.
While having lunch he and his wife told us the story about their amazing recovery from depression through laughter yoga.
Eight years ago he suffered from severe depression. He was very upset Read more…
26-Oct-06
Today a producer of a BBC team making a travel show for BBC1 called me. They are coming to visit laughter clubs in Mumbai on 3rd November for the BBC show. Media interest in laughter clubs is picking up very quickly.
26-Oct-06
Today a photo journalist from Marie Claire US magazine came to visit me in Mumbai. Marie Claire is writing an article on how woman in India are coping with life through laughter yoga.
We went to two laughter clubs near my home. He took pictures of groups of ladies dressed in Indian sarees and suits. He was taking photos of only woman and the men were asking why not even one picture of men? They came to know and laughed about it when I told them towards the end of session.
While having breakfast the journalist asked me why there are more women in laughter clubs and very few men? Good question. I replied as follows:
Read more…
This story sketches the complete essence of laughter clubs and how they help people to deal with negative and challenging situations in real life. Laughter eases tension and tackles obstacles positively and cheerfully.
The driver and his assistant got down to fix the flat tyre as fast as they could. It was a big job and some club members pitched in to help. The other club members surrounded them and started a laughter session. As they laughed together, tension seemed to disappear. People forgot the delay and started to laugh heartily.
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