Life Is Serious,
Laugh a Little

In one of the most congested, noisy and nerve-rattling cities in the world, laughter clubs are becoming a response to the stresses of living in the "Big Apple." The Laughter Clubs in New York City have arrived by pushing a holistic, traditional Indian approach to heal and transform.

Swinging laughter exercise at Healing Hearts in Greenwich Village, Manhattan

PHOTO: Preeti Dawra

The transformation is coming slowly but surely. Last November, the Museum of Natural History previewed "The Laughing Club," a documentary set in Bombay, India, that was made by an Indian director Mira Nair. Nair, who teaches film at Columbia University, is best known for her movies "Mississippi Masala" and "Salaam Bombay" for which she won the best new director award at the Cannes Festival and was nominated in the Oscars for the best foreign film.

After the documentary ended, Steve Wilson, President of U.S.A Laughter Clubs, invited the audience to come to the stage and practice different kinds of laughter. What followed was part circus and a whole lot of spirit.

Nurses, recreation therapists, and social workers have seen the wisdom behind laughter therapy.

She works at Healing Hearts, a social-work organization in Greenwich Village.

Ditlow's laughter group is mostly made up of people who are caregivers to AIDS patients. "These people can feel pretty low after dealing with the sick and the dying day after day. They could do with some cheer," she says.

There are others who could use some laughter in their lives as well--the homeless in New York City. "Life is not very funny for these people. It is very threatening and stressful," says Ellen Carter, a social worker and coordinator for the homeless program at Veteran's Hospital in Manhattan. "It would be great to have laughter clubs as a part of the humor therapy program here for the homeless veterans."

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