Laughter Yoga is a global phenomenon that took the world by storm over the last 15 years, since its inception. Created by a medical doctor in India to capitalize on the scientifically proven health benefits of laughter and play, it is now in over 65 countries. The Laughter Club scene has been growing in the Portland area over the last year with the recent press coverage of Laughter Yoga in the August 30th issue of the New Yorker, the demand is expected to increase.
The original Portland Laughter Club, put on by local motivational humorist Gail Hand, has been meeting on and off since 2006 at various times and places. Currently, word gets out to interested parties about sessions via Hand's web site and a new MeetUp group, so check out the event calendar for current dates. Then there has been the Awakenings Laughter Club, which has been meeting every Tuesday morning in SE Portland since October 2008. It was the first weekly club in Portland to make it through the beginning growing pains of starting a new club and has become a permanent fixture of Laughter Yoga in the Portland area.
However, this year two new clubs have been started by the amazingly fun duo of Molly and Jamie from PLAY (stands for Portland Laughter and Yoga). The Sunnyside Laughter Club meets each Tuesday evening at 6 pm in SE Portland. Currently lead by Molly Dilg from PLAY, the club meet outside on the playground of Sunnyside Elementary on SE Yamhill and 34th, rain or shine.
Originally started by the folks at PLAY, the Belmont Laughter Club meets each Sunday afternoon at 4:15 pm in SE Portland at the Belmont Yoga Studio next to Slappy Cakes on SE Belmont and 43rd. It is now being run collaboratively by several area laughter enthusiasts, Andrea Crisp, Laura Lou Pape-McCarthy, Diane Rigor and Matt Deegan.
There have also been laughter Clubs popping up on the campuses of PCC. Both Cascade and Sylvania campuses usually have clubs during school, although the meeting dates and times change each quarter.
To find out more about the Laughter Yoga movement and Laughter Clubs visit the Laughter Yoga International web site. To keep up-to-date on laughter related happenings in Portland check out Portland Laughter Yoga.
Comments
So happy to see this form of healing is spreading so quickly.
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