Laughter Yoga from Islington Now on Vimeo.
A group of grown men and women acting like children and laughing uncontrollably is not what you would expect to see at 8am on a Thursday morning in Highbury Fields.
Yet over the past six months this has become a regular sight.
A small group of people, led by Highbury resident Annette Zera, meets every Thursday morning to practise laughter yoga, launched in 1995 by Dr Madan Kataria, an Indian physician.
Ms Zera, a 63-year-old facilitator, leads the group which chuckles and chortles for 20 minutes. They pull faces at each other, march around and clap in an effort to get each other to laugh even harder.
Ms Zera said: ““My whole intention in getting this going was to see loads of people laughing for free. This is just a thing we can do together and then go our different ways doing what we have to do.”
Laughter yoga is the combination of unconditional laughter and yogic breathing. It is said to stretch muscles and trigger endorphins – the chemical in the brain known for its feel-good effect.
There are now more than 6,000 clubs in 60 countries.
When asked why she started the free sessions on Highbury Fields, Ms Zera said: “What else are you to do with these fields? They really should be the spot for all sorts of communal activity.
“I think it’s such a beautiful location and I have this idea of the fields being covered by people laughing. I know how good it makes me feel when I laugh and it would be wonderful to laugh on the fields with lots and lots of people.”
Despite her good intentions, Ms Zera has faced problems in recruiting participants.
In an effort to advertise the sessions, she pinned notices to the trees on Highbury Fields only for them to be removed days later by Islington Council.
She put notices in telephone boxes which did not last long either.
She complained to the council who replied by saying that if she sent them two laminated posters, they would be put up on approved notice boards for three weeks.
Highbury Fitness Centre has also refused to let her leave leaflets on the premises because they see her sessions as competition for their yoga classes.
Despite these obstacles, word seems to be spreading slowly. Last Thursday, seven people turned up at 8am to take part, up from three the week before.
Ms Zera said: “I’m very heartened. We’re getting somewhere now and it is Spring.”
Laughter yoga takes place at Highbury Fields near Ronald’s Road every Thursday at 8am.
