I’m often asked questions about my laughter yoga practice, about my life… and here are the ones I get asked the most!
1. Is that your real laugh? Of course I do! Even when I’m doing my laughter yoga exercises, my laughter quickly becomes natural and I don’t feel like I’m forcing myself to laugh. All I have to do is think that I’m doing an ex-er-ci-ce of laughter and my real laughter is triggered! At least for a few seconds. What’s more, when laughing with other people, it’s impossible not to laugh for real after a while.
2. How long do you laugh every day? It depends. There are days when I laugh a lot more, up to 30-45 minutes! Believe me when I say I sleep soundly on those nights! But there are days when I only do my light exercises, so about 4-5 minutes… I don’t beat myself up when that happens. Life’s too short for that! I know it doesn’t happen every day. Plus, I go to my laughter club on a regular basis (it used to be weekly), I have a few subscribers to my online Skype laughter sessions so I have opportunities to laugh with other people who want to do it too! In the absence of laughter, I try to smile more.
3. Do you feel a difference in your life since you’ve been doing laughter yoga? Yes, I do! My body is quicker to react with laughter to all kinds of situations, and that’s wonderful! I know I must be “releasing” something more positive than before… and I’m glad I am! After 11 years of regular practice, I’m sometimes told that I’ve changed – for the better. That’s a good sign hahaha!
4. What makes you laugh? Lots of things, in fact! Comedians, films, TV shows, people I know. I have my favourite exercises, of course, and I also have those I don’t like so much because they take me way too far out of my comfort zone. When I decide to do one of these, I laugh out loud because I know my mind must be going “Woooooooooooo…. that’s so crazy!” hahaha! I really enjoy the value laughter exercises (appreciation laughter, self laughter, argument laughter, welcome laughter) but I have my best of in the more playful laughter (cow milking laughter, windscreen wiper laughter, loudspeaker laughter…) and I LOVE the lion laugh that releases the tension in my jaw.
5. Do you take drugs or drink alcohol to laugh like that? No ! No stimulants, no matter how harmless they may be! Laughing gives me a huge HIGH, and the more I get, the more I want! Thanks, endorphins! hahahaha!
How about a little treat to go with that? Click this link to laugh with me for a minute!
Laughter, joy and health
Linda Leclerc, CLYMT
