Free “Encouraging Words” – see the bottom of this page Laughter Exercise of the Month Click Image to see the Video Name:  Follow The Leader Level of Vigor*:  1 – 9 How to Lead (for a group of up to 15 people): 1. Declare: “The next exercise is called ‘Follow the Leader.” 2. Demonstrate: “One person will laugh while doing any movement for 4 or 5 seconds. Everyone else copies them, at the level where you feel comfortable.  After a few seconds, we’ll let the next person be the Leader, and we’ll go around so everyone has a turn.” 3. Do:  “Are you ready?  Everyone copy me first.  And: GO!” (Begin performing a movement while laughing.  After a few seconds, point to another person to indicate they are to lead next.)   > Technical Note: In the World Laughter Tour school, the certified Laughter Leader performs the laughter/movements and the rest of the group copies him/her. When the Leader stops doing their movements, the exercise is over.  In the Kataria tradition the leadership role is passed to everyone (or many) in the group. Benefits: Especially good with young people, as they succeed no matter what they do; since they choose their own expression they avoid embarrassment.  (Such “unconditional success and acceptance” can boost self-esteem.)   Variations:  If you have a large group, the Leader can choose which person(s) will do the exemplary movement/exercises. Watch the group members’ energy level – depending on the vigorousness of the person leading the exercise this could go on for anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes. Variation:  Follow the Leader (Moving Around): Start in a line.  One person will be the head of the line.  At the command of “Go,” this person does a laughter/movement, walking ahead, and everyone copies them.  After a few seconds, the first person goes to the rear of the line while the next person in line becomes the “Leader,” everyone else copying them.  Continue, changing Leaders every five seconds or so. Variation:  Musical Instruments: One person pretends to play a musical instrument which makes laughter sounds; everyone else copies them. Go around the group, switching the instrumentalist (everyone copies them). (Be sure to encourage them to make laughing sounds, not just “pretend musical” sounds.) Variation:  Follow the Leader (Shadows): Start in a row, with the sun or a bright light behind such that your shadows can be seen on the ground.  The person on one end does a movement while laughing, the others (looking at their shadows on the ground) copy that person’s movement.  After a few seconds, pass the “Leader” role to the next person.  (Special thanks to Fiona Skye for coming up with this – now a Laguna Laughter Club “favorite!”) Find Follow The Leader (and many Variations) in The Great Big Anthology of Laughter Exercises.  Click here to download. Origin:  Timeless. See on the web:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3sNhRTTqHc * All sessions begin with the advice that participants may engage at whatever level they wish. The “Level of Vigor” offered is a suggestion of the intensity range at which the exercise is typically performed.

Videos of Laughter Exercises (about one minute each) from The Laughter Yoga Institute: American Cowboy Canvas Painting (with Kathryn) Cellphone Laughter Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (with Ruthe) Find the Laugh Fishing (Fisherman) (with Fiona) Follow the Leader Funny Fries & Silly Sauce (with Sue) Gibberish Punchlines Good Hair Day (with Sue) Gorilla (with Barbara) Hearty Laughter (to Another) Kelp Bed (Seaweed & Sea Life) (with Kathryn) Laguna Greeter/Waving Lawnmower (with David) Planting Flowers (with Kay) Scents of Humor (with Kathryn) Sea Lion Silent Laughter Swimming Laughter (with Lynn) Upchuckle (“Heave Ho-ho-ho”)

Laughter Yoga Links and Articles

Dr. Kataria’s site, The International Laughter Yoga HQ, from Dr. Kataria, the Founder of Laughter Yoga.

AATH, the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Laughter, professional association for everyone in the field of therapeutic laughter.

American School of Laughter Yoga, Sebastien Gendry’s site.

Wikipedia, definition of Laughter Yoga.

Sense of Humor Site, all about humor, with Links to Laughter Sites.

Laughpower, discover the Power of Laughter with Laughter Yoga.

Pastor Laura Gentry, powerful advocate for Laughter as part of her ministry (Iowa, USA).

Laughter Yoga for kids, Pastor Laura’s delightful video.

Pamela Venus, Laughter Yogini/Therapist working with all ages (including teens, tweens and seniors) in Ohio, USA.

The Whole Being Weekend, annual low-cost California retreat with myriad workshops (including Laughter Yoga), music, dance and community celebration.

Tucson Laughter Yoga, laughter advocate Patti Wheatley, programs and events in Arizona, USA.

Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, accomplished freelancer, writes about laughter yoga and health.

Hilary Kimblin, teaches both traditional and laughter yoga, including wonderful retreats in nature.  Produces laughter parties and events in the Los Angeles area.

Coty Benrimoj, enthusiastic Laughter Leader/Teacher with diverse offerings in the San Diego area.

Melanie Rudolph, Laughter Yoga Leader and Wellness Coach in Louisville, Kentucky.

Melanie’s Louisville Laughter Club.

Laughing in Georgia, Helen and Craig Whitley’s delight-filled Laughter Yoga site (Georgia, USA).

Teresa Corrigan offers programs in Marin County, California; and Laughter Yoga Leader Training at the University of California Medical Center, San Francisco.

LaughterYogaAlberta, Fif Fernades’ website in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Get inspired by what Fif (and husband Hamish) are doing in Uganda.

LaughterYogaVictoria&ComoxValleys,Canada Laughter Clubs, Leaders and resources.

LaughterSchoolQuebec, Linda Leclerc’s multi-faceted Laughter Yoga school in Montreal, Quebec Canada (in French).

LaughterYogaInstituteFrance Fabrice and Lolita Loizeau’s wonderfully active “Institute of Laughter Yoga and Healthy Laughter” in France (in French).

LachYogaGermanyBirck, Claudia Birck’s flourishing and fun School of Laughter Yoga in Germany (in German).

LachYogaInstitut, Gabreila Leppelt-Remmel (based in Hamburg) offers  training, laughter club, conferences and other programs  (in German).

LaughterYogaAmsterdam, Maarten Voss’ sparkling offerings:  Club, Coaching, Resource Center in the Netherlands (in Dutch).

YogadelaRisaMexico, The fantastic, encouraging work of Luis Gomez in Mexico and South America (in Spanish).

Encouraging Words

a gift to thank you for visiting our site

During laughter sessions, as an exercise concludes, let the air resound with comments like these.  Words of encouragement remind the participants that they are in a supportive atmosphere where their playfulness is genuinely welcome.  The Critical Mind can be calmed by the assurance that the person’s actions are greeted with acceptance, even to the point of gratitude and celebration.  This will encourage continued participation (rather than the individual withdrawing to listen to the judgments of their Inner Critic).

As you complete an exercise, call out a word (or several) of encouragement before moving on.  Deliver them with enthusiasm! 

Just reading these will make you feel good.  

Hint:   put them up on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator.  Read often – let yourself accept the praise!

 [ In the following, the implied exclamation points (!!) are deleted to make the reading less tiring. ]

Some favorites:

• Great job!
• Alright
• Oh, yeah
• Super job, gang
• Fantastic
• Brilliant
• Wonderful
• You’re doing great
• Uh huh, uh huh; That’s the way I like it
• Perfect
• Beautiful!

Other great exclamations, listed alphabetically:

Absolutely – – -! (Absolutely amazing, absolutely fantastic, etc.)

A-plus job, everybody

Awesome

‘Best aerobic workout in the world

Best in the West

Bingo

‘Bit of alright

Boing

Bravissimo

Bravo

Classic

Cowabunga

Cragzap

Deee-lectable

Deee-licious

Deee-lightful!

Deee-lovely!

Dynamic

Dynamite

Dynamo

Excellent

Exemplary

Fabulous

Fantabulous

Feelin’ good

Feel so good, feel so fine

Fun fun fun

Get down

Get funky

Go— (Go laffers; go girlfriend; go surfers, etc.)

Google-icious

Great

Hallelujah

Happy days are here again

Healthier and healthier

Healthy, happy, Howsabout it

Hinky dinky parlay voo

Hip hip hooray

Hoo-ray

Hooray for Captain Spaulding

Hot-cha-cha

Hot dog

Hubba hubba

Hunga dunga

I adore (love) this

I love what you do to me

I love (adore) you!

Immune system — is happy! (Lungs are happy; Feet, Heart, Knees, Toes, etc.)

I’m proud of us

I’m ready to go

Incredible

I still respect you

It’s never too late to have a happy childhood

I want fries with that

Joy to the world

Knock me out

Let it out

Let it loose

Let it be

Lookin’ Good (Fine)

Loosenin’ up

Magnificent

‘Makes me feel so good

Marvelous

Masterfully done

Now we’re flying

Now we’re havin’ fun

Now we’re takin’ off

Now we’ve got it

Ooh baby that’s what I want (- what I like)

Original

Outstanding

Phenomenal

Priceless

Rama lama ding-dong!

Really—! (Really good, really awesome, etc.)

Remarkable

Right on

Rock and Roll

Sensational

Shake it, baby

Shake it up

Shazam

Sock it to me

‘So much to be grateful for

Spectacular

Speechless

Supercalifragialistic…

Super-duper

Terrific

Thank you

Thankyou-thankyou-thankyou

That makes me happy

That’s right

That’s the best

That’s the way to do it

That was special

There’s no stoppin’ us now

This is soooooo good

Totally – – –  (Totally excellent, Totally right-on, etc.)

 — to the max (Super to the max, Cowabunga to the max, etc.)

Way down upon the Swanee River!

‘Way to go!

We are all in this together

We are doin’ it

We are one

We are together

We be friends

We have got it together

We’re free

We’re healthy

We’re not in Kansas any more

We’re on top of the world

We’re on our way

We’re reelin’ and rockin’

Well done

What a gift

What a great workout

What a marvel

What a treasure

What a treat

What good listeners

What you say

Whoo-ie

Whoopie

World-class

Wowie

Ya-hoo

Yee-haw

Yee-ow

Yippie

You hound dogs

You’ve got friends

You’ve got it!

Special thanks to Dr. Catherine Maloof 
whose compilation “Words to Praise Children” 
greatly inspired the above collection.