Ashwin and Deepika

About Ashwin and Deepika

In 2002, my wife and I were at a social gathering in Alhambra, CA. All of a sudden we heard HO HO HO HA HA HA and loud laughter. We went closer to see what was happening and with great surprise we saw my Dad leading Laughter Yoga! He was visiting from India. It was really shocking and seemed crazy at first, since we had no clue what was happening. After the party, while going home we talked to my Dad, and he explained what Laughter Yoga is, how it has so many health benefits because of deep belly laughter and yogik breathing. It was interesting at the moment, however we continued on with our lives without being pulled in to know more at the time.

Then, in 2012, our daughter who lived in New York City called us and shared that she registered for Laughter Yoga Leader training. Because of her remembering her grandfather doing it, she would keep us in the loop as she did Laughter Yoga sessions at universities and for staff wellness events. Due to her experiences and sharing along the way, my wife and I became more intrigued by Laughter Yoga as a practice. We started to appreciate the practice along with its benefits.

In 2022, our daughter forwarded an e-mail about a Laughter Yoga Teacher certification in India led by Dr. Madan Kataria himself in India. We happened to be going to India during that time frame and were able to connect with Dr. Kataria. We were able to quickly coordinate the prerequisite of completing an online 5 day leader training before the in-person teacher training at the Laughter Yoga headquarters in Nashik, India, which was in January 2023. We had such an amazing experience, learned about so many benefits and were surprised to learn that more than 100 countries have laughter clubs set up on a regular basis and are reaping the benefits of laughter.

Laughter Yoga has certainly changed our life as we realize with playfulness and not taking life too seriously, we can become healthier and more joyful. Why not pass this accessible practice to as many people as we can? We have felt a great sense of satisfaction to be able to immediately start leading sessions and sharing the practice of laughter with others. We see the immediate benefits of social connections, the positive effects it brings to a group dynamic, and know all the health benefits that come along with increased endorphins.

It has been such a joy to be able to have this tool to use and give back to the larger community for a more positive impact on the world.

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