Maurine Pachter: I had no idea what an impact Laughter Yoga has been on my life. In 2009, I was introduced to this amazing exercise and its founder Dr Madan Kataria, through my yoga instructor. As I work with children on a daily basis, I felt it was important to learn more about this unique concept. So, a year later, I received my certification through Dr. Kataria's classes, which encouraged m...

Suman Suneja: I’m the Managing Director of Morano lighting company in Dubai, more popularly known as the “Morano Lighting and Laughter Company” in Dubai, because all my staff has learnt laughter from me and are always smiling and laughing, while dealing with customers. My association with laughter began in 2002, when Dr Madan Kataria visited Dubai and I attended one of his ses...

In the year 2000, I was diagnosed with CREST*- a fatal auto immune disease, which kept shutting down my body and hampering my movement. There were calcium lumps on my tendons, red dots all over my body and bleeding capillaries that finally led to a stroke. I was given just three years to live but here I am after 20 years! A miracle; thanks to Laughter Yoga. It played a huge role in my survival and...

Preeti Pai Mayekar: Last year in December, I was diagnosed with an auto immune condition called Multiple Sclerosis. This is a disease of the central nervous system wherein the immune system attacks their own organs in many different forms. In my case, the immune system attacked the myeline sheath in the nerves, which causes different neurological symptoms. Mine were dizziness and balance issue and...

Judi A. Winall, USA: My journey with laughter yoga began in 2007 when I received an e-mail inviting me to a leader training in South Africa. Attending that training was not an option for me, so I began doing research and discovered a training much closer to home near Chicago. The profound experience of this training changed my life in a powerful way. I felt lighter, energized and more joyful than ...

Adarsh Sharma, Japan: I was born and raised in India but have been living in Japan for the last 33 years. I came across an article on Laughter Yoga somewhere in late 90’s. Few weeks later, I saw a TV program which showed people laughing loudly and doing ‘funny’ exercises in a park in Mumbai. It was something really crazy but within five minutes I was laughing uncontrollably while...

Roxana Badea, Romania: In September 2010 I read the book of Lenny Ravich,“ A Happy Thing Happened on the Way to Enlightenment” and then I had an insight – I can do much more that I actually do to help people! I soon founded an association called “ Smile has no age”(its objective – animation of old people living in the fosters and people with disabilities). A few...

Elvie Punzalan, Estavillo: Scientific studies have long confirmed the vast potential healing powers of laughter, and my most recent experience once again proved this. Last October as I was going back to my car, I missed a step and slid to my left side before landing on my right foot. On being medically examined it was found that the 5th metatarsal of my right foot was fractured. It was put in a te...

Cynthia Sharp, USA: Sitting in my living room, thoughts came slowly, and that is an understatement. It was the second week of December 2011; just a few days after I had a stroke, and all I knew is my brain that always moved quick and fast had slowed to a polite rest stop. Long gone were the days of accomplishing goals, the “to do list” became dormant, and all that was left was emptines...

Susan Dustin, Melbourne: I have been a full time, non-salaried volunteer worker for 35 years in 25 countries – The longest time being in Thailand. I have been doing Laugher Yoga for the past 5 years after the health ministry of Thailand asked me to conduct a workshop on ‘Humor in the Workplace’ for 300 healthcare providers. I learnt a lot from the Laughter Yoga website and Youtub...

Mayra Avila, USA: I first heard about Laughter Yoga when I was working for a community clinic. I was preparing for a wellness group especially for women and I decided to include a laughter session to see what it was. After seeing the session in action, I thought it was a neat and unique exercise but after hearing the participants’ comments about how much they had enjoyed the session, I decid...

Anju Shahani, Moscow: Though originally from Mumbai, I have been living in Moscow since the last ten years. I experienced Laughter Yoga about 15 years ago when I visited Mumbai with my mother- in-law who was very active in the Laughter Yoga social clubs when they just started. In fact, I was even crowned a Laughter Queen one of the years! Hahaha. Just thought it was the silliest things to particip...