Who I am and what I'm doing

I love food, music, fashion, art and culture. I also love to write and never do enough of the above things, especially in London and so in 2011 I thought I'd create a blog and attempt to do one thing a week that I'd not done before in London - whether it was a show, an exhibition, a class, a course, a dating evening - whatever. At the end of the year I completed my challenge of doing 52 new things.

In 2016 I am doing the challenge again but this time, its all about learning something new each week. So I'm going to go to a different talk, lecture or workshop each week and learn something and educate and inspire myself!

Sunday 30 January 2011

Week Four

So far, when I go on these weird and wonderful outings I wait a day before writing my review of them.  However, laughter yoga exuded such good feelings that I had to come straight home and tell you all about how hilarious and wonderful it was.

Its definitely a strange one - without fail everyone I told that I was doing laughter yoga guffawed (ironically) with bewilderment.  "What on earth is laughter yoga?" - Well, it first originated in India and is a mixture of laughing exercises and yogic breathing.   It is all about getting loads of oxygen to the brain and is based on the fact that the body can't tell the difference between real and fake laughter.

I arrived at the yoga studio in Kensal Rise and met Charlotte; the lady who runs the classes.  She's only been practising this for about a year but seems to reap the benefits as she has a very clear glow about her and certainly has a joyful air.

But, before I start getting all totally spiritual, I have to say that I was a little reticent about this because of the obvious hippy connotations and looking around the room at the other 4 participants there was an element of embarrassment going round.  But, it diminishes so quickly because everyone is in the same boat.  Even if the laughter doesn't come naturally you just feel better by going through the motions and Charlotte really helps because her laughter is so raucous and its very difficult to tell whether she's faking it or not.

There are some very funny exercises with a little bit of hand action and role-playing such as drinking tea laughing, doing your taxes laughing and my personal favourite, winning the lottery laughing.  Oh yes, there is no faking with that one!



Scattered amongst the laughing are some standard stretching and breathing exercises which actually came as a very welcome break to the laughing for me as my throat just got really scratchy and my head was pounding.

At the end everyone lies down and is open to a bit of unrestrained laughter.  I have to thank Peter who was lying next to me as he made me completely and utterly get the giggles and the pair of us were uncontrollable for about 10 minutes.

Peter and Natasha were total legends

Whatever your opinion is about the more Bohemian and holistic methods of exercise and ways of living your life, there is absolutely no reason to not give one hour of your time to a laughter yoga class.  It releases the inner-child in you and you have full sanction to laugh however you like at absolutely nothing and feel awesome.

You can hit Charlotte up here and find out where and when her classes are throughout the year.  Classes are priced between £3 and £12.  Go forth and laugh away!

Next week its La Soiree at The Southbank Big Top.

4 Comments:

Raymund said...

Sounds like a brilliant experience. Perhaps you should go to naked laughter yoga, that would really give you the giggles. Can't wait for next week's RX

Q said...

What a great idea! I think I'll just take a walk in the park and laugh like a maniac to cure the next bout of blues that comes my way. Good inspiration!

Anonymous said...

mwahahahahahaaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaa

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG said...

i think u should host a yoga laughing session at ur flat!! will be hilarious - ha ha ha ha!

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