Hundreds of people gather in Lotus Hill Park in southern
Shenzhen to laugh out loud together every morning. They belong to
the local "Love to Laugh" club, which aims to promote health and
harmony.
Guangzhou Daily quotes club founder Mr Zhang saying he
used to have a bad temper and fight with his wife every day. But
once he was introduced to laughter therapy, he started feeling
better about himself. The tension in his home has eased since he
and his wife started practicing laughing exercises every day.
To provide a professional foundation for the club, Zhang
traveled to Bombay to study Indian laughter yoga. Since he
returned, he has developed more than 30 positions for the novel
therapy.
The club's members vary from lonely empty-nesters to
stressed-out office workers, but all share the belief that laughing
makes them feel better.
Laughter therapy is generally considered helpful in reducing
stress and tension, as well as decreasing blood pressure. According
to laughteryoga.org, there are now more than 5,000 laughter clubs
around the world.
(CRI November 6, 2006)
