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LAUGHTER THERAPY
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Nature has provided us with many ways of catharsis, just to rebalance the chemicals produced in our body due to painful emotions. These ways are laughing, crying, sweating, yawning, trembling and raging. However, there are some manmade ways too, which have grown over the past 15-20 years, of which some are drinking, smoking, overeating, adultery and drug abuse (the last one is surpassing all records these days).
Laughing by far is the easiest one. Everyone is born with the capacity to laugh; we don’t have to learn to laugh, as we learn to speak French or German. It happens naturally and unconsciously. Laughter is highly contagious. Many of us need a reason to laugh but sensible ones laugh right away.
Laughter is the way to happiness; and is quite unique to human beings. It lightens the burden of seriousness, frees our thinking and sensitivity and changes our mood, attitude and perspective.
Laughter therapy is one of the prescribed alternate ways of healing people, which is evident from the fact that worldwide, laughter clubs have come up in a big way. If you chance to get up early morning and take a stroll in your neighborhood park, you will encounter the reverberating roars of laughter. You will surely witness a group of mostly elderly people lined up in a circle, laughing with raised arms and funny facial expressions. This is the latest in the workout regimen for morning walkers, an excellent way of keeping fit.
Why laugh, that too in a group?
Laughter has physiological, psychological, spiritual and social benefits. When you laugh in a group, it destroys your conservative nature and reputation; you connect well and experience a deep connection with other like-minded human beings that helps you live life full and with a broader perspective.
The up and down movement of the diaphragm, (the flap separating our thoracic and abdominal cavities) and the involvement of abdominal muscles, in laughing simulate an internal jogging, that stimulates the heart and lung functions, improving the oxygen caring capacity of the lungs, increasing cardiovascular flexibility.
Laughing also activates the functions of abdominal organs like the stomach and intestines, helping you cleanse your bowel regularly. It replenishes your creative juices, releases and transforms your emotional disturbances i.e. releases stress and tension.
It strengthens your immune system. It boosts the interferons of the immune system, that help to fight illness and enhance healing.
Laughter increases your intellectual performance and allows adequate information retention. You think more clearly.
It helps muscle relaxation and in pain relief. It helps forget pain and distracts from aches and arthritis.
Fifteen minutes of hearty laughter each day should be part of a healthy lifestyle. Those who can’t join a group for laughing, can laugh at home or can at least watch a rib tickling, funny movie to compensate it.
The cathartic therapy of laughter follows five basic steps and can be practiced at home too.
Step 1, Rotations: All the measure joints of the body like, neck, shoulders, wrists, waist/hip, knee and ankle joints are gradually rotated seven times clockwise and anti-clockwise each. This helps open up the joints and improves flexibility.
Step 2, Breathing exercises: Gradually breathe in and out through the nose or mouth, pursing the lips as in whistling silently. Move your arms up as you breathe in, as far up as you can easily go and bring them down on exhaling. Do it seven times. Steps 1 and 2 are warm-ups for the main routine.
Step 3, Clapping: Hands kept parallel, clap hitting all fingers to fingers and palm to palm. This activates all the acupressure points (chakras) on all fingers and palms of both hands, which stimulates blood circulation as well as organs linked with them. The capping has to be to the rhythm of 1-2, 1-2-3 with loud chanting of Ho-Ho, Ha-Ha-Ha, with smile and mouth half open. The sound has to come from the navel, contracting the abdominal muscles. Keep moving and meeting other people and maintain eye contact with all.
Step 4, Laugh: Now you start the actual laugh. You can choose the way you want to laugh. It will be a stimulated laugh initially ending in a spontaneous one. The laugh has to be hearty, can be playful with or without gestures.
—The author is managing director of Personal Point and an acclaimed fitness expert
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October 2006
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