Laughing Away the Stress: A Look Inside the Craze of Laughter Yoga

6/30/2012 (Updated 11:08:21 PM)

ENDICOTT --  It's a craze that's sweeping the nation.  It's one of the hottest trends in big cities like New York, LA, and Boston.  It's called Laughter Yoga, but what exactly is it?

"Laughter Yoga is a form of yoga that the exercise part is the laughter," says Laughter Yoga Instructor Jo Whitney.

So aside from laughing a lot, what sets Laughter Yoga apart from other kinds of yoga?

"The other forms of yoga are usually from the mind to the body, the mind tells the body what to do," Whitney says.  "Laughter Yoga is just the opposite, the body actually tells the mind what to do."

"It clears your mind, gets rid of the fogginess, stress," says Deborah Overfield of Binghamton

The more stress you hope to relieve, the harder you need to laugh.

"The more you participate in the laughter, the more you'll benefit from the exercise," says Whitney.  "Take all those negative thoughts and do away with those and bring in the positive thoughts."

Rather than just incorporating laughter into yoga, this exercise incorporates everyday activities.

"What I focus on in my classes are everyday problems such as a credit card bill," Whitney says.  "You open it up and laugh at it and then you show it to a friend and as you do that it turns into real laughter."

With no age limits or physical restrictions, it's never too late to try, and even after your first session, you wont be disappointed.

"It was actually a good time, it was silly, and fun," says Evan Christie of Endicott.  This was Christie's first Laughter Yoga session.

If you feel like you want to try it out, but don't want to feel like you're making a fool of yourself, don't worry.

"Everyone's doing the same thing," says Overfield.  "You're all part of the group and it benefits you."

"The best thing i could say is leave the ego at home and just come and have some fun," Christie says.

With everyone leaving much happier than when they arrived, I guess it's really true that laughter really is the best medicine. 

If you would like to participate in a Laughter Yoga session you can contact The Body Lab in Endicott by sending an e-mail to bodylabwellness@gmail.com or visit their website at www.bodylabwellness.net.

If you would like to try it first, Whitney offers a free outdoor class once a month at the Little Italy Stage at George W. Johnson Park on the northside of Endicott.

In Endicott, Jeremy Donovan, Fox 40 News.



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