Laughter Yoga isn’t about jokes or stand-up comedy; it’s a joyful mix of deep breathing, playful movement, and laughter exercises that anyone can do. This uplifting practice was born in 1995 in Mumbai, India, when Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor, decided to test if “laughter really is the best medicine.” What started with five people laughing together in a park has now become an international laughter movement!
Laughter Yoga California
Laughter Yoga California made its way to the state through passionate yoga teachers and wellness enthusiasts who believed in its power. With California’s sunny skies and laid-back lifestyle, it quickly became a perfect home for this cheerful practice, be it on a beach, in a studio, or online.
Its benefits? More than just giggles! Laughter Yoga helps reduce stress, improve mood, and breathing, strengthen the immune system, and bring people together in the most heartwarming way.
Sweet Benefits of Laughter Yoga –
- Lifts your mood – A few minutes of laughter can brighten your entire day and improve your creativity.
- Good for the heart – It’s like a mini workout for your heart, here no treadmill is required and comes with a balanced blood pressure!
- Intensify your breath – Laughing gets more oxygen in and stress out. It helps you build a relaxed mind-body connection.
- Melts stress slowly – It’s just like a warm hug for your nervous system, which removes all the pain and welcomes peace.
- Brings people closer – The shared laughter builds instant connection and community with a good sense of humor.
Laughter Yoga Fun
About –
Laughter Yoga Fun was started in 2014 by Carole Holcomb, a certified Laughter Yoga teacher who found the healing power of laughter after becoming a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader in 2013. What began as weekly sessions for seniors quickly grew into a joyful mission to help more people feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally through laughter.
Carole used her marketing skills to build a supportive space for laughter yoga leaders and bring awareness to the yoga community. Over the years, she created two playful card decks—one for kids in 2017, tested by her great-grandkids; and another in 2020 for older kids and adults to inspire daily laughter.
The studio continues to spread smiles, reduce stress, and remind us all that laughter really is a good medicine!
Laughter Yoga Offerings –
- Live & Online Laughter Yoga Sessions – They conduct laughter yoga classes almost every day via Zoom or in-person across California. The sessions are for everyone, which are led by certified local teachers.
- Certified Training – They offer Certified Laughter Yoga Leader (CLYL) training, a 2-day program in California, plus globally.
- Workshops & Specialty Trainings – “Tips & Tricks for Refreshing Your Laughter Practice,” which is a 90-minute on-demand workshop at $25, ideal for beginners and seasoned leaders.
- Specialty programs – The programs conducted by them are Marketing Local Laughter Yoga, practical promotion strategies ($25), Chair-Based Laughter for Parkinson’s/Dementia patients, and monthly support Zoom chats for Certified Leaders/Teachers.
- Children’s Laughter Programs – They have “Laughter Yoga for Children” tools like card decks, built to make laughter yoga fun for kids.
Website – https://www.laughteryogafun.com/
Laughing in San Diego
About –
Laughing in San Diego was started in 2006 by Michael Coleman, a busy attorney, who tried his first laughter yoga class. What started out feeling awkward left him feeling calm, happy, and refreshed. After being inspired by his experience, he trained under Dr. Madan Kataria and became a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader in April 2007.
He launched free community laughter sessions to bring people together to laugh, breathe, and feel better. Soon, companies and nonprofits started inviting him to lead laughter sessions at work to improve team spirit and reduce stress.
In 2011, Michael started a nonprofit organization called Laughter Matters that has trained over 160 laughter leaders and offered more than 1,200 free sessions across San Diego.
Laughter Yoga Offerings –
- Free Community Laughter Classes – They host free weekly laughter classes, which anyone can join in person for playful, guided laughter with breathing and gentle stretches.
- Certified Leader Trainings & Refresher Workshops – They offer Certified Laughter Leader training and hands-on courses for new leaders.
- Corporate & Custom Laughter Programs – Their corporate laughter sessions are best for businesses, nonprofits, and groups to improve team morale, reduce stress, and improve workplace wellness.
- Introductory Videos – They also share videos featuring the founder, Michael Coleman, who explains what to expect in laughter yoga leader training or corporate programs.
Website – https://www.laughinginsandiego.com/
iHanuman
About –
iHanuman was started in 2006 as a special online space created by Sara Miles Pope Agelasto, a passionate yoga teacher with over 25 years of experience.
She saw how technology could connect yoga teachers and students all over the world. So, she built iHanuman to share yoga classes, workshops, and inspiring talks with a friendly and welcoming vibe.
iHanuman is a big digital yoga library that helps teachers reach more students and helps yogis improve their practice from the comfort of home. It’s all about making yoga simple, accessible, and meaningful for everyone.
Laughter Yoga Offerings –
- They offer daily laughter yoga classes for all levels to feel joy, reduce stress, and improve well-being.
- The studio hosts certified Laughter Yoga Certification California trainings that teach both practice and theory to prepare students to become certified leaders.
- Their workshops and business seminars help improve your practice and show you how to build a laughter yoga career.
- They conduct retreats and special events that provide multi-day experiences combining laughter yoga with meditation and nature walks.
- They provide program development support for creating laughter yoga programs in workplaces, healthcare, and communities as well.
Website – https://www.ihanuman.com/
The Laughter Yoga Institute
About –
The Laughter Yoga Institute was started by Jeffrey Briar, a yoga teacher and comedian, in 2005. Jeffrey loved both yoga and making people laugh, so he became a certified laughter yoga leader and opened the very first daily laughter club in the Western world, for laughter yoga at Laguna Beach CA. He wished to create a friendly place where people could come together every day to laugh, have fun, and experience good health.
Since then, the institute has grown into a hub for laughter yoga by offering classes, training, workshops, and special laughter events to people. Their goal is to help everyone enjoy a healthy body and mental health through the joyful practice of laughter.
Laughter Yoga Offerings –
- Certified Laughter Yoga Leader (CLYL) – It’s a 2-day training program approved by the international headquarters in India, made to train individuals with the skills to lead laughter yoga sessions.
- Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher (CLYT) – This is a graduate-level laughter yoga training California from 5 to 7 days to improve their practice and teach others.
- Customized Experiences – They conduct personalized laughter yoga sessions of 30 minutes to week-long retreats, which are adaptable to various group sizes and settings.
- Laughter Club – This is a community initiative that has been creating group amusement since 2005 for laughing Yoga Laguna Beach CA.
- Social Events & Outings – They regularly organize events for community engagement and the joy of laughter.
Website – https://lyinstitute.org/
Living From Joy
About –
Living From Joy was created by Carla H. Brown, someone who once took life very seriously until laughter changed everything. After facing major health challenges, she found that just 10 minutes of intentional laughter can lift her spirits in a way nothing else could. That one small shift led her to a much bigger purpose!
Carla became a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader and Teacher in the early 2000s and has now been sharing laughter and joy with others for more than 18 years. From founding laughter clubs in Texas and Santa Cruz, California, to leading such joyful sessions across the country, her mission has always been the same: to help people feel lighter, calmer, and more alive.
Because sometimes, all it takes is a calm breath and a good laugh!
Laughter Yoga Offerings –
- Weekly Wednesday Online Laughter Yoga – It’s a 40-minute playful session via Zoom, which allows anyone to join with a $5–$10 donation.
- Joy Reboot! – This is a short, daily-morning “reboot” class mixing body moves, breath, and laughter to help participants start the day with clarity and joy.
- Grief Yoga Online – It’s a gentle and soothing class made to support emotional release and healing through movement and laughter, which is best for processing grief.
- Trauma Release and Laughter Workshop – This is a day-long, in-person event combining trauma-release exercises (TRE), laughter yoga, and joyful embodiment to release stress, rebalance the body, and for emotional well-being.
Website – https://livingfromjoy.com/
Final Words
In a world that often feels too serious in life, Laughter Yoga in California offers a much-needed pause, a place to breathe, connect, and simply laugh. If you’re by the ocean, in a park, or joining a class online, this playful practice reminds us that joy is always within reach. You don’t need to be flexible, funny, or even in a great mood! Just show up, smile, and let the laughter flow.
Because here in California, sunshine isn’t just in the sky, it’s also in the spirit of those who choose to laugh together!
