Life, Death and Laughter!

What is Laughter Yoga? It's a global movement started by Dr. Madan Kataria, an MD from India, in 1995. There are now over 16,000 groups that meet to laugh together in over 100 countries around the world to spread health, peace and joy through laughter! The Oakland LifeFire Laughter Yoga Meetup has been around for almost 13 years.

Laughter Yoga does not use the familiar "Hatha Yoga" poses. It is not based on humor or jokes. Rather it combines playful, easy laughter exercises with yogic breathing followed by a guided relaxation. And like yoga it IS a "practice", called "intentional laughter", that taps into the mind-body connection to lift your mood, reduce stress, lower blood pressure and boost your immune system while you have fun. After laughing and playing with this fabulous group, you will leave energized and relaxed. How cool is that!

At this Laughter Yoga Meetup, we’re going to look at the serious issue of death and dying—from a lighter perspective. Many cultures celebrate this time of year as a time when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest. And a time to honor and celebrate our dead. Think All Saints Day, Halloween, Samhaim and Day of the Dead.

So let's let loose our inner Halloween spirit of fun! And without denying the seriousness of death, know that laughter can help us face the inevitable with less fear and more joy.