LOL 😂 (Laugh Out Loud)

When we are feeling stressed, we call on our yoga practices to find some relief. We use yoga to help us feel light and free of the emotions that often weigh us down. While no yogi can deny that their practice has become one of their most valuable coping mechanisms, what we less often think about is that our bodies are already equipped with stress reducing mechanisms and that we don’t necessarily need to be on our mats to start to feel the lightness and openness that yoga promotes.

Humor is one of the distinctly human features that allow us to achieve a more relaxed state than the world around us often produces. By increasing the release of endorphins—the body’s built-in pain killers—in the brain, laughter leaves us feeling good. In addition, laughter can stimulate the circulation of oxygen-rich air and blood flow, which aids muscle relaxation and healing while simultaneously alleviating physical symptoms of stress.

The benefits of laughter span far beyond those of a momentary feel-good mechanism. Instead, it can be considered one of the best means of preventative medicine. In general, positive thoughts boost immunity by minimizing cortisol, which is associated with stress, and maximizing the release of neuropeptides, which reduce stress and protect the body from illness. Laughter, then, gives us a valuable tool to keep our minds positive and our bodies free of stress. Fittingly, laughter has been noted as an enhancer of long-term satisfaction, resilience, self-esteem and happiness.

Yoga and laughter, alike, help us live a physically and mentally tranquil life—both practices allow our minds to be less stern and our bodies to be less tense and, as a result, for us to be less serious and more flexible. YO is taking the opportunity to move the practice of stress reduction and self-healing off the mat. From August 3 through August 9, we will be taking our summer break and, instead of offering classes, encouraging all to search for the lighter side of life by inviting laughter into each day and noticing the benefits that it provides. Starting August 10, we will be back and ready to serve a refreshed community in our temporary home while we continue to practice understanding and patience as we wait for our permanent home to reopen.

Our Current Location (as of July 5):

2 Division St., Suite 7
(video map here)

Check the latest schedule in the Yoga Odyssey App!