Laughter yoga may not be a new concept. Over the years, it has found favour with many across the world for being a perfect stress buster. In Kochi too, the technique has a bunch of ardent followers and many claim it to have made them a healthier person.
The Cochin Laughter Yoga Club, which completes three years, is laughing its way to better days.
The club gathers at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at Kaloor on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday every week to relax themselves.
The over-50 members ranging from 75-year-old to small vendors to young professionals thoroughly enjoy these sessions.
P Rajendran Nair, yoga trainer, says various types of laughter yoga techniques are developed here and named after famous personalities. They include ‘Charlie Chaplin Laugh’, ‘Rajasthan Marble Laugh’, ‘Hanuman Laugh’, ‘Madras Mail Laugh’, ‘Hen Catching Laugh’ and “Amitt Laugh’ among many other types.
“We practice 90 types of yoga in an hour. This is a healthy practice which can reduce stress. Doing the exercise regularly can curb lifestyle diseases to a big extend,” says Rajendran Nair.
The man behind the formation of the group is Kochouseph Chittilappilly, chairman, V-Guard Group. “I feel fresh whenever I do this. There is absolutely nothing that comes to our mind while taking part in laughter yoga for an hour. That takes away all the stress,” he said.
Sathyan, a chartered accountant and a one of the founders of the club, says the one-hour session is where he gets all his positive energy from. “My long working hours gave me Spondylosis which got cured through the sessions,” he added.
N M Hussain, who is 69 and a heart patient, says he feels more healthier than before. Laughter yoga is used as a healing therapy which bestir our mental and physical activities. Studies have proven that exercise-combined laughter yoga can control ailments like blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar, obesity and migraine.