Press Release : Laughter Yoga comes to Idaho Falls

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Laughter Yoga comes to Idaho Falls

Idaho Falls, Idaho, October 6, 2010— Laughter Yoga, an exercise and health regimen that is sweeping the world and has spread to more than 65 countries, has come to Idaho Falls! Free Laughter Yoga sessions will be held every Tuesday at noon on the Greenbelt, near the corner of Riverside and Memorial Drive.

The free sessions, open to the public, combine laughter with yoga breathing exercises for a one-hour workout session that includes 30 minutes of laughter. “Laughter truly is the best medicine,” says Anne Timpany, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and leader of the laughter sessions. “We all know that laughing feels good, and now scientific research is revealing the full range of physical and mental health benefits that come from the practice of laughter.”

Laughter Yoga is a wellness workout that enables people to laugh as a form of exercise. “Adults often realize that they just don’t laugh as frequently as they did as children,” says Timpany. “With Laughter Yoga, we are choosing to laugh, rather than leaving laughter to chance. And what people find is that contagious laughter erupts very quickly, bringing light-hearted levity and joy to the group within minutes.”

To bring together people who want more laughter in their lives, Timpany has founded the “Laughter by the Falls” Laughter Club, in which free Laughter Yoga sessions will be held weekly. Free laughter club sessions are the heart of the Laughter Yoga movement, which originated in India in 1995 when a medical doctor, Dr. Madan Kataria, came up with the idea to start a laughter club so that people could experience the health benefits of laughter. Since then, more than ten thousand laughter clubs have been formed around the world. Laughter clubs provide a rich social network that cultivates emotional wellness and a sense of connectedness that is key for human happiness.

The “Laughter by the Falls” Laughter Club and free laughter sessions are open to everyone. “Come as you are,” says Timpany. “No yoga experience is needed. All you need to bring is a willingness to laugh and have fun. If you’re not sure, just come by and observe for a little bit—you can giggle from the sidelines if you prefer, no commitment required.”

“Laughter by the Falls” will be held every Tuesday at noon, beginning October 12, 2010. Weather permitting, the laughter sessions will be held outdoors on the Greenbelt near the corner of Riverside Drive and Memorial Drive. On inclement weather days, the group will move half a block east to the Unitarian Universalist Church on 555 E Street and meet in the lower level yoga room.

Timpany recently completed training with Dr. Kataria, founder of Laughter Yoga, and will be scheduling additional Laughter Yoga classes, workshops, and programs throughout eastern Idaho this fall. For more information, call 208-351-1241 or email Anne@LaughingAnne.com , or visit www.laughinganne.com. More information about Laughter Yoga is available at www.laughteryoga.org.