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Yoga master to promote laughter

Madan Kataria, the Indian founder of the laughter yoga movement that has spread all over the world, will visit Taiwan next month to promote the idea, his local sponsor said yesterday.

"We have invited Dr Kataria to visit to promote the laughter yoga movement and meet members of local laughter clubs," said Chen Ta-cheng (陳達誠), director of the Taiwan Laughter Yoga Club.

He will arrive on Dec. 4 and give two speeches during his week-long visit, Chen said.

The club also plans to arrange a discussion on the benefits of laughter with Kataria and medical personnel, he said.

There are 12 laughter yoga clubs in Taiwan, whose members meet every day to practice laughter yoga — a routine of simulated laughter starting with "Ha Ha Ha, Ho Ho Ho."

A former physician in Mumbai, Katarai hit upon the idea of treating patients with laughter in 1995 and founded the first laughter yoga club.

His laughter exercise became so popular that it became known as the laughter yoga movement and there are some 6,000 clubs in about 60 countries.

While some people find Kataria’s laughter exercise embarrassing or stupid, others believe it has physical and psychological benefits.

In 1998, Kataria designated the first Sunday of May each year as International Laughter Day.

Kataria now divides his time between running his company Laughter Yoga International from Bangalore, and traveling abroad to promote the practice.
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