Mosman High School Laughter Session

It all started with a phone call from Mandy a couple of months ago.  She explained that she was a teacher at Mosman High School and was enquiring about a laughter session on behalf of her students.  Laughter was one of the subjects her year 11 psychology students were studying, and they wanted a first hand experience of a laughter yoga session.  So yesterday was the big day.  A space was cleared at Mosman High School’s library and in trooped around 30 year 11 students.  There was a sense of anticipation in the air.

Mandy reminded her students to be “flexible” with what was about to come and then introduced me.  I followed up on her remarks, advising them to take it as it comes and not to think about it too much. Laughter involves some loss of emotional control and, for some, that’s an unfamiliar place to go.  I also commended them for wanting to try it out.  The notion that a group of people could come together to laugh for almost no reason sounds far fetched and implausible.  And it’s too easy to discount the idea.  Until you’ve done it.  Then you have an experience of it and begin to understand this might not be so off base after all.

The idea of “laughter clubs” has humble origins with an impulsive but visionary idea by a Mumbai doctor, Madan Kataria, in 1995.  It has now spread to more than 60 countries worldwide.  It relies on the fact that, as advanced social primates, laughter is somehow hard wired into us.  And brought out through group interaction.

The session went fantastically well.  Participation was very high and the laughter was natural.  We segued into a “laughter meditation” session, where a few students really cracked up.  And closed with a short guided relaxation. At the end I summarized some of the benefits of laughter, especially the psychological benefits such as increased social confidence, better relationships and stress reduction.  In her closing remarks Mandy informed us that the laughter could be heard outside the building and created some jealously in those who were wondering what was going on.

To help cover my costs a donation bowl was laid out at the end and about $50 was collected.  I requested this be donated to a charity.  A vote was taken and there was about a close 50-50 split between breast cancer and Somalia, but Somalia won out.  The next day Mandy texted me “Hi Usuff just donated the $50 through Australia Red Cross to Somalia.  Money goes directly to food…”

Laughter is a very connecting force.  It brings people together.  My parting words to the group were “your laughter saved a kid in Somalia!”  Wouldn’t that be a nice notion?  Laugh and save the world.

Mandy asked would I consider delivering a laughter session next year for her current Year 10 students.  Absolutely.  Laughter expands when it’s shared.  And you never know where her students will take the idea.    I wished I could have experienced a laughter yoga session when I was in year 11.  Life would have been so different.