Feet on the Street: Laughter is Good Medicine

by Teresa Royer, Member Relations Specialist

Have you ever heard of Laughter Yoga?  I didn’t either until recently.  It’s been around for about 11 years and originated in India and is currently in about 60 countries with laughter clubs throughout the world – one of them is right here in Fort Wayne!

I ran into Lee Wilcher a massage therapist at Vital Living Massage Therapy the other day and learned he is also a Certified Laughter Yoga Therapist.  He leads a laughter club for the residents at Covington Commons but it’s open to the public as well. 

I was very intrigued by this notion (not to mention curious) that my husband and I attended a session the other evening.  The price is right, just $5 gets you in the door. 

Lee starts out the session by passing out these toys that giggle (kind of like Tickle Me Elmos) – and of course you can’t help but to start laughing right away.

Next come introductions – as you introduce yourself you’re supposed to say something that you’d like to change about yourself – and the required response from everyone is fake laughing….. It’s kind of funny because you find yourself laughing at other’s perceived short-comings (yours as well).

After many exercises that required a fake laugh response – real laughter becomes the natural response.

One exercise was called argument laughter --- in which you learn not to take life and its problems too seriously.  At the end of the hour, you find yourself very relaxed.

Laughter Yoga club meets the 1^st & 3^rd Sundays at 5:30 p.m. at Covington Commons.  Please know it’s open to all age groups—kids as well -- so it could even be a family night out.

I highly encourage you to give laughter yoga a try.  In addition, these sessions have been endorsed by local physicians.

You can contact Lee to learn more about Vital Living and / or Laughter Yoga at: (260) 436-8807,             leewilcher@yahoo.com, www.vlmassage.com.