YogaLaughs

Specialties

We practice laughter yoga as a gateway to health, friendship and peace. We offer a bi-​weekly, free, public laughter club, Charlottesville Laughter Yoga, which meets at Gordon Avenue Library in Charlottesville (near UVa). Leigh Meredith, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher, leads retreats, workshops and events, Certified Laughter Yoga Leader Trainings, corporate and business team building sessions and teaches how laughter yoga helps boost employee productivity. She also volunteers frequently, leading community laughter yoga sessions and laughter and silence retreats.

History

Established in 2006.

Throughout history, humans have recognized the intrinsic health and social benefits of laughter. Modern-​day laughter yoga began as a small group of people who wanted to deliberately access these benefits in park in Mumbai, India, in 1995. Since then, laughter yoga has spread to 65 countries.

Leigh Meredith came into the practice of laughter yoga as a treatment for depression and anxiety. She started Charlottesville Laughter Yoga in 2007, which first met weekly at The Senior Center and has been laughing together almost weekly since then. Charlottesville Laugher Yoga has welcomed over one thousand visitors and has been featured in every major media source in the area. Leigh received her laughter yoga teacher certification in 2010 after studying with the founder, Dr. Madan Kataria. She has taught 5 YogaLaughs Certified Laughter Yoga Leader Trainings and led hundreds of widely diverse groups in laughter yoga. Her life has become much «lighter» using laughter yoga as tool for peace.

Meet the Business Owner

Leigh M.

Business Owner

I’ve traveled alot and have been in countries where I only knew the language for «Thank You» and «Where is the Bathroom?» No matter what the culture or language, though, I notice the universal language of laughter — and when shared mirthfully — always communicates peace and affection. This fascinates me.

Since being trained as a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader in 2006, I’ve studied the research on laughter as a health booster. The cascade of health benefits we receive from regular, prolonged laughter is huge, yet we have stressed most of our long bouts of laughter out of our modern lives. Stress is killing us – it’s now recognized as the catalyst for almost every chronic illness and disease. I’ve also studied the concept of play (for no reason other than play) as an emotional and social healer, as joy seems to naturally bring down separation on every level. I’ve also helped businesses boost employee productivity and creativity by using laughter yoga at meetings and conferences.