Just Do It For 'Sh#*ts And Giggles'...

       'I started a joke, which started the whole world laughing...' Great lyrics, to a terrific song from days gone by, by the Bee Gees...remember? Laughter, truly, the very, best, medicine, is a shared, universal 'language'. It is a thing that, from the time we are, mere, infants, we engage in, even without the understanding of language or owning a sense of humor. We are all born to LAUGH. The act of laughing is, extremely, beneficial to a body, mind, and, soul. Charlie Chaplin once said 'a day without laughter is a day wasted.' People have long said that laughter is the best medicine, and we know now of its many positive physiological effects. Laughter is known to reduce pain, reduce stress, increase our body's resistance to disease and improve the function of blood vessels and increase blood flow, which can help protect us against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. Laughter can also help us burn calories. There is plenty of evidence on why we should laugh, so why don't we do so more? Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician in India, developed an exercise known as 'Laughter Yoga' in the '90s. He was doing a research on an article about laughter being the best medicine, when he got the idea. He started a laughter club, where people gathered in a park and just laughed for no rhyme or reason. The concept of 'Laughter Yoga' is based on the observation that our body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. We do not need to be happy or hear something funny, we can just laugh and still get the same physiological and psychological benefits. What started as five people in a park has now spread to thousands of laughter clubs in more than 50 countries. Today, I participated in a 'Laughter Yoga' session, along with about 50 other men and women. I must admit that it was an extraordinary experience, which left me feeling rested and invigorated, all at the same time, not unlike how meditation impacts me. It was wonderful! In that laughter can be contagious, this created a roomful of giggling, guffawing, goofy gals 'n' guys...FUN STUFF! I, typically, laugh a lot, during the course of a day, but, it is not 'intentional' laughter, such as what we practiced and exercised today. The thing is, though, that once a roomful of folks begins to laugh with deliberation, before ya know it, you're laughing with, complete, sincerity. Today's laugh-fest left me feeling, quite, sated. From now on, I plan on incorporating more and more chuckles into my day to day, how 'bout you? Laughter allows us to get in touch with our inner-child, to experience joy and mirth as we did, so freely, when we were young. So, whether you chortle, giggle, howl, snort, or, snicker, try to do so MORE, each day. Walt Disney once said, 'Laughter is America's most important export'. I'd, rather, choose to believe this, than, not; for, this would, indeed, make me 'proud to be an American'! Just Sayin'...