the announcement in Peschiera
During the fourth Laughter Yoga congress held in Peschiera del Garda, closed on Sunday 13 October at the end of three intense and participatory days
October 15, 2024
Laughter yoga
Laughter yoga
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He is born the Italian Institute of Laughter Yoga: the announcement came during the fourth Laughter Yoga congress that was held in Peschiera del Garda, closed on Sunday 13 October at the end of three intense and participatory days (around 200 enthusiasts and professionals in the sector) with speeches and workshops held by experts, including psychologists, healthcare professionals and a doctor, as well asthe founders of the practice via video link: the Indian allopathic doctor Madan Kataria and his wife Madhuri.
The origins of the discipline
Born in 1995 in a public park in Mumbaitoday Laughter Yoga is widespread throughout the world: it involves more than 3 million people in over 115 countries, with thousands of free Laughter Clubs (over 500 Italian ones, here is the map).
The benefits
In an era characterized by depression, anxiety and stressLaughter Yoga is a panacea for mental health. A laugh that lasted for at least 10 minutesas is done in a laughter yoga session, produces a biochemistry of well-being with an antidepressant and anxiolytic effect: reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases the feel-good substances produced by the brain such as serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins, the latter also important for their function as a natural painkiller.
Not only that: through the diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the calming one. The secret lies in self-generating laughter, even in the absence of humour, then maintaining it with breathing and, if practiced in a group, thanks to the activation of mirror neurons.
Numerous benefits have been demonstrated by scientific research. A practice that is increasingly proving to be one powerful ally for mental health, on an individual and collective level. In particular, its social and therapeutic value is increasingly recognized in various group contexts: companies, schools and families, socio-healthcare fields (hospitals, oncology patients, elderly people, Alzheimer’s patients, disabled people, drug addicts) as well as Laughter Clubs. .
The Italian Institute of Laughter Yoga
From these premises the idea of creating the Italian Institute of Laughter Yoga, which will be led by Lara Lucaccioni, leading Italian trainer of practice, and Matteo Ficara, philosopherwriter and new Master Trainer of the discipline.
The objectives are to create the Italian register of Laughter Yoga trainers and map all the active Laughter Clubs, offer continuous training and certified updates, promote scientific research on the benefits of the practice, monitor active projects in various application areas and support the network of qualified professionals throughout the national territory.
Meanwhile, the appointment for the fifth Laughter Yoga Congress has already been set: it will still be at the Parc Hotel Paradiso in Peschiera del Garda from 23 to 26 October 2025, the year in which the 30 years of the practice’s foundation will be celebrated.
2024-10-15 07:17:00