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Laughter Yoga: Daily Practices for Health and Happiness
Bring into your life more laughter--and all its physical and emotional benefits--with this definitive guide by the founder of the worldwide laughter yoga movement.
Could you use a good laugh?
This book will show you how to bring laughter into your life at any time of day--no special equipment needed, no new wardrobe, no expensive classes, not even a sense of humor!
Laughter yoga is all about voluntary laughter--how you can learn to laugh even in the absence of humorous stimuli, and reap the extraordinary, scientifically proven benefits, which include stress reduction, pain relief, weight loss, heightened immunity, and, especially, enhanced mood: If you act happy, you'll become happy--your body can't tell the difference!
Children laugh more than 300 times a day, adults fewer than fifteen. But it's easy to start laughing again. The exercises in this book combine voluntary laughter with yogic breathing to give you a full body-mind workout. And it turns out that laughter is the fastest way to reduce stress and the best kind of cardio: Ten minutes of hearty laughter is equal to thirty minutes on the rowing machine.
With Laughter Yoga, join the growing worldwide movement and discover how laughter really is the best medicine.
A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE
Could you use a good laugh?
This book will show you how to bring laughter into your life at any time of day--no special equipment needed, no new wardrobe, no expensive classes, not even a sense of humor!
Laughter yoga is all about voluntary laughter--how you can learn to laugh even in the absence of humorous stimuli, and reap the extraordinary, scientifically proven benefits, which include stress reduction, pain relief, weight loss, heightened immunity, and, especially, enhanced mood: If you act happy, you'll become happy--your body can't tell the difference!
Children laugh more than 300 times a day, adults fewer than fifteen. But it's easy to start laughing again. The exercises in this book combine voluntary laughter with yogic breathing to give you a full body-mind workout. And it turns out that laughter is the fastest way to reduce stress and the best kind of cardio: Ten minutes of hearty laughter is equal to thirty minutes on the rowing machine.
With Laughter Yoga, join the growing worldwide movement and discover how laughter really is the best medicine.
A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2020
53 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 13, 2022
Raced through this life-changing book in one sitting. My face hurts from laughing but my body and soul are deeply refreshed. Don't miss this simple guide to happiness!
September 5, 2020
Interesting activity just not for me.
August 12, 2022
I enjoyed reading and applying this little book about how laughter is healing and promotes happiness.
The author is an Indian physician who stumbled across laughter therapy when going through some adjustments to the pressures and disconnected quality of life in a large Indian city while attending medical school. He read Norman Cousin's book about his experiences with laughter and comedy in healing his painful disease and immediately set about doing personal "research" into how effective laughter would be in healing his depression.
He also looked at laughter as a way to bring people together in a warm and friendly way, to reconnect humans. Using Yoga philosophy and breathing exercises, in 1995 he went about formally setting up Laughter "Clubs", first in India and then around the world.
In this book he describes the way laughter yoga is practiced, the principles, and talks about the various studies that show how useful laughter is in alleviating various conditions, and in fact, in healing some. He looks also at various populations of people and the effect of laughter yoga in these groups.
This book is very inspiring. I have been doing some of the exercises. There are several videos about Laughter Yoga online and courses as well, through Udemy, etc. This seems to be a simple technique that can be expanded and used in many different situations (eg., dental anxiety) to turn things around so that fear is replaced by confidence, angry exasperation by calm, foggy thinking by acuity, etc. It's a quick read with lots of uplifting testimonials.
The author is an Indian physician who stumbled across laughter therapy when going through some adjustments to the pressures and disconnected quality of life in a large Indian city while attending medical school. He read Norman Cousin's book about his experiences with laughter and comedy in healing his painful disease and immediately set about doing personal "research" into how effective laughter would be in healing his depression.
He also looked at laughter as a way to bring people together in a warm and friendly way, to reconnect humans. Using Yoga philosophy and breathing exercises, in 1995 he went about formally setting up Laughter "Clubs", first in India and then around the world.
In this book he describes the way laughter yoga is practiced, the principles, and talks about the various studies that show how useful laughter is in alleviating various conditions, and in fact, in healing some. He looks also at various populations of people and the effect of laughter yoga in these groups.
This book is very inspiring. I have been doing some of the exercises. There are several videos about Laughter Yoga online and courses as well, through Udemy, etc. This seems to be a simple technique that can be expanded and used in many different situations (eg., dental anxiety) to turn things around so that fear is replaced by confidence, angry exasperation by calm, foggy thinking by acuity, etc. It's a quick read with lots of uplifting testimonials.
December 4, 2021
Laughter is fast disappearing from our high pressure, high tension modern world.
Try to maintain a smile on your face. Smile at strangers.
Place a pencil between your teeth to mimic a smile.
Combine breathing with smiling.
Sing. Hum. Dance
Surround yourself with happy people.
Act silly. Seek out humor related entertainment.
Laughter increases blood circulation, boosts the immune system, heightens your mood, reduces pain, builds self confidence and helps maintain emotional balance.
Try to maintain a smile on your face. Smile at strangers.
Place a pencil between your teeth to mimic a smile.
Combine breathing with smiling.
Sing. Hum. Dance
Surround yourself with happy people.
Act silly. Seek out humor related entertainment.
Laughter increases blood circulation, boosts the immune system, heightens your mood, reduces pain, builds self confidence and helps maintain emotional balance.
February 25, 2020
Great reasons to keep laughing!
Thanks to NetGalley And Penguin Books for the opportunity to read and review Laughter Yoga: Daily Practices for Health and Happiness by Madan Kataria, M.D.!
The book takes readers through the origins or beginnings of Laughter Yoga and what this practice actually is and onto the process and how it works. Then it teaches how to laugh more alone and within a group, the shared benefits, and gives ideas for using Laughter Yoga. A Laughter Quotient Quiz opens the book and allows readers to rate the amount of laughter in their lives. I have a laughter quotient of 78 which falls in the category of “you are good at laughing, but you can do better”. Laughter Yoga practice starts with stretching, clapping and chanting which can lead to a playful attitude and onto laughter, especially in a group setting. Deep breathing exercises prepare us for belly laughing which is a healing laughter. A regular session has fifteen steps and lasts about twenty minutes but alternative options are shared to vary the session experiences. Yoga nidra is explained also. This is putting your body to sleep while your mind stays awake. This practice helps rejuvenate a person and thirty minutes of yoga nidra equals two hours of regular sleep. Fascinating practice that I tried and I agree with the helpful results. Three key tips for laughter yoga are to know laughter, do laughter and be laughter. Wonderful reasons for making laughter a part of daily life, 5 stars!
Thanks to NetGalley And Penguin Books for the opportunity to read and review Laughter Yoga: Daily Practices for Health and Happiness by Madan Kataria, M.D.!
The book takes readers through the origins or beginnings of Laughter Yoga and what this practice actually is and onto the process and how it works. Then it teaches how to laugh more alone and within a group, the shared benefits, and gives ideas for using Laughter Yoga. A Laughter Quotient Quiz opens the book and allows readers to rate the amount of laughter in their lives. I have a laughter quotient of 78 which falls in the category of “you are good at laughing, but you can do better”. Laughter Yoga practice starts with stretching, clapping and chanting which can lead to a playful attitude and onto laughter, especially in a group setting. Deep breathing exercises prepare us for belly laughing which is a healing laughter. A regular session has fifteen steps and lasts about twenty minutes but alternative options are shared to vary the session experiences. Yoga nidra is explained also. This is putting your body to sleep while your mind stays awake. This practice helps rejuvenate a person and thirty minutes of yoga nidra equals two hours of regular sleep. Fascinating practice that I tried and I agree with the helpful results. Three key tips for laughter yoga are to know laughter, do laughter and be laughter. Wonderful reasons for making laughter a part of daily life, 5 stars!
June 2, 2020
So insightful!! This teaches you the easiest ways to bring more health and happiness into your life through laughter! We could all use a little more health, happiness, and laughter-- in my opinion. I joined a laughter club skype session hosted in India the day I finished, and Dr. Madan Kataria was leading. I got to speak with him and a few other people from all over the world at the end and it was truly a joyful experience.
August 25, 2020
Well this was intriguing !! Learned a lot about a subject of which I knew nothing...I didn’t even know it was a thing. Definitely piqued my interest; excuse me while I go check out what classes might be nearby...!
March 13, 2023
Note: docked a star bc some claims can be misleading, esp at the beginning of the book. It is not a panacea; key word - it can help improve (ie his term “provide relief”), prevent recurrences/regressions for some of them and the author does make this more clear later in the book. Many diseases are indeed psychosomatic, and finding methods to be present, release endorphins, cultivate a positive state of mind, connect with others (“the shortest distance between two people is laughter”), thereby reducing stress does indeed influence the immune system and inflammatory states. Laughter yoga can do this. I find it interesting that it is hard to do much else (upset, stress, ruminate) when laughing but be present. It is actually a very interesting way to be in the present vs mindful meditation (where one focuses on the breath to come into the present). I’ve also noticed that sometimes I hold my breath during certain activities particularly stressful ones; laughter yoga helps one practice breathing better and more fully (diaphragmatic breathing)
- Author was raised in a small rural, agricultural village in Punjab (close to my mom’s!) and was the only one of 8 kids to get advanced education. He went on to be a doctor in Mumbai. He ended up starting a laughing movement, to which, initially, his family was ashamed (our son went away from village, got educated only to laugh all the time?! How dare he?!) but fortunately that changed. hohoho hahaha
- Body cannot tell difference btwn forced and natural laughter: benefits can be reaped from doing 20 mins daily
- Laughing is a form of efficient breathing, the exhale is longer than inhale which is similar to deep breathing. It also brings you to the present moment (grounding)
- “hohoho hahaha”
- children laugh on avg 400x per day; they are full of joy! As we get older, we laugh less because we create rules for when we can laugh (mood, how content we are, situation).
- Not sure of the validity of some statements but they do make me laugh: one Russian guy interviewed said he laughed for 3 months and lost so many pounds, it changed his life. Hohoho hahaha
- emotional stress is difficult to cope with. Laughter yoga helps one develop emotional expression and express emotions freely through a playful attitude and mentality (often people hold firmly to their personality and suppress emotional expression).
- humor requires more cognitive and mental efforts while simply laughing does not. Therefore, it can be more accessible for those with mental limitations, like dementia. Also it doesn’t require body movements like other forms of yoga: it is accessible to those with a variety of disabilities
- Don’t leave laughter to chance. Laugh when you can. 30 mins daily. there are laughter clubs around the world.
- Author was raised in a small rural, agricultural village in Punjab (close to my mom’s!) and was the only one of 8 kids to get advanced education. He went on to be a doctor in Mumbai. He ended up starting a laughing movement, to which, initially, his family was ashamed (our son went away from village, got educated only to laugh all the time?! How dare he?!) but fortunately that changed. hohoho hahaha
- Body cannot tell difference btwn forced and natural laughter: benefits can be reaped from doing 20 mins daily
- Laughing is a form of efficient breathing, the exhale is longer than inhale which is similar to deep breathing. It also brings you to the present moment (grounding)
- “hohoho hahaha”
- children laugh on avg 400x per day; they are full of joy! As we get older, we laugh less because we create rules for when we can laugh (mood, how content we are, situation).
- Not sure of the validity of some statements but they do make me laugh: one Russian guy interviewed said he laughed for 3 months and lost so many pounds, it changed his life. Hohoho hahaha
- emotional stress is difficult to cope with. Laughter yoga helps one develop emotional expression and express emotions freely through a playful attitude and mentality (often people hold firmly to their personality and suppress emotional expression).
- humor requires more cognitive and mental efforts while simply laughing does not. Therefore, it can be more accessible for those with mental limitations, like dementia. Also it doesn’t require body movements like other forms of yoga: it is accessible to those with a variety of disabilities
- Don’t leave laughter to chance. Laugh when you can. 30 mins daily. there are laughter clubs around the world.
August 9, 2022
A beautiful and original proposal, as a practitioner I can use it to start the day, places me in a relaxed and cheerful humor, I unfold with an optimistic attitude towards my daily life, if I am fine everything flows better and collaborate with my harmony towards the world.
As a facilitator of psycho-energy therapy, using this philosophy and exercises as tools for my customers, can help them overcome their anxiety and stress, but also drives them towards a path of self-knowledge, discover that in the essence of their being they are Joy, that empowers them and supports them in recognizing their resilience capacity.
As a facilitator of psycho-energy therapy, using this philosophy and exercises as tools for my customers, can help them overcome their anxiety and stress, but also drives them towards a path of self-knowledge, discover that in the essence of their being they are Joy, that empowers them and supports them in recognizing their resilience capacity.
October 9, 2020
Laughter is truly the best medicine, and this book explains why. Laughter yoga is a unique concept and healing modality that everyone can do. I love the combination of yogic breathing and laughter to create a harmonious exercise that can elevate all aspects of our well-being. Although this book is useful and interesting, it is by no means necessary. The main point is: go try laughter yoga for it can change your life. It is definitely something that I now love. I laugh more, smile more, and play more. I am grateful to Dr. Kataria for having the dedication to spread this healthy contagion.
August 31, 2022
The best book on health I have ever read. I used to consider the the expression "laughter is the bet medicine" more as a cliché rather than a solid documented proven health strategy. Laughter Yoga clubs exist in 0ver 80 countries with thousands of members and thousand of testimonials proclaiming the efficacy of Laughter Yoga. The book is very comprehensive and complete explaining the history, how to do it, benefits and and related topics. My wife and I have have started to do daily laughter yoga, laugter that combines yoga breathing. We are some benefits already.
March 23, 2022
I had never heard of Laughter Yoga, but now I want to learn it and share it with everyone!
This is a full resource book! Full of studies, research, scientific, medical and personal accounts of the benefits of laughter, examples and detailed description of activities so you can begin today, as well as how to access Laughing groups and teaching online and in person.
I would recommend it for individuals as well as mental health and physical health therapists.
This is a full resource book! Full of studies, research, scientific, medical and personal accounts of the benefits of laughter, examples and detailed description of activities so you can begin today, as well as how to access Laughing groups and teaching online and in person.
I would recommend it for individuals as well as mental health and physical health therapists.
August 6, 2023
An interesting guide to a relatively new form of yoga that has many followers.
There wasn't enough in the text for me to suspect that laughter yoga is any more effective than any other form of meditation. Some of the sources and terms were definitely biased towards the presumption that laughter yoga is more efficient. The funniest thing in the book was putting the police into the special needs category. For me the entire thing felt too forced as an advertisement and it read that way.
There wasn't enough in the text for me to suspect that laughter yoga is any more effective than any other form of meditation. Some of the sources and terms were definitely biased towards the presumption that laughter yoga is more efficient. The funniest thing in the book was putting the police into the special needs category. For me the entire thing felt too forced as an advertisement and it read that way.
September 18, 2021
I really loved this book! I actually laughed lots reading it. It’s very comprehensive in the science and approach. I love the central message about having fun and laughing more and how we can be intentional about this in our lives. Yay, what’s not to love about that? There’s loads of great pictures and I love, love the cover. It’s very visually appealing.
February 13, 2024
An amazing book and so easy to read! Fastest I’ve read a book in years. Laughter Yoga is a tool everyone should take seriously and implement into their lives for a healthier life and happier state of mind. I have already begun practicing and have felt results almost instantly after sessions. So happy I read this, wish I had done sooner !
January 26, 2025
Absolutely adorable! I found this golden nugget on Audible and am so happy to have enjoyed it in that format. The narration is upbeat and made what initially seemed like an awkward activity—laughter yoga—feel familiar and lighthearted. The anecdotes at the end of the chapters are read with an accent befitting the nationality of the writer so every chapter ended with a hoot.
February 15, 2021
I hadn’t heard of Laughter Yoga before this book. Interesting concept. I did try it and I will most likely try it again in the future. I had Covid-19 recently and breathing and laughter are still a bit weird.
January 1, 2022
This book looks very interesting. I saw once a video on utube about laughing yoga but it didn't appeal me first. A few days ago I saw this book in my local bookstore and I though why not give it a go. Now I've only read 3 chapters and want to join a class or create one in my area !❤
January 30, 2023
This book tells us about the author's journey to forming laughter yoga. It also goes on to explain how laughter can help in different situations. It gets very repetitive very quickly. It's probably better to just attend a laughter yoga session.
September 3, 2023
This was disappointing. There wasn’t a laughing yoga practice or any internet references to find a laughter yoga group. Lots of discussions about the benefits but without a practice how can you use this?
February 19, 2024
The All You Need to Know about Laughter Yoga Book from the inspiring initiator of a world wide movement. What, how, why, personal stories, benefits, research based: everything is in the book. Great read. But: could have been half the size - in the second half there's a lot of repeating.
August 28, 2024
This book is an embodiment of "This meeting could have been an email." Great content, but parsed out and repeated over too many chapters.
I think it was valuable insight, but it would have been more impactful if it were edited together in a more streamlined manner.
I think it was valuable insight, but it would have been more impactful if it were edited together in a more streamlined manner.
October 26, 2020
Interesting ideas. I am going to look into a Skype laugh group. Who doesn't need more laughter in their life?!
February 23, 2021
Really great concept. Rated it 3 stars because of the writing style and because I felt the book needs more substance.
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June 1, 2021I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about laughter yoga. Tough to rate because it served more as a primer into an interesting practice
July 18, 2021
Bon livre de référence
December 1, 2022
Good concept and practical materials, but unnecessarily repetitious and proadvertising.
September 6, 2023
This isn't a great book, but the idea is very interesting. Read enough to see if it makes sense for you and then skim the rest.
October 26, 2023
3 stars for the writing, upped to 4 stars for the laughter yoga itself
January 29, 2024
Love the concept - lots of evidence throughout. It could have been an essay with some practical ways to get started.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews