دار بيبليون
Laughter in the Arab-Muslim tradition and the Yoga of Laughter2
Lecture by Dr Lwiis Saliba on Zoom Wednesday 15/12/2021
Ahmad Amin: Laughter is a natural medicine
The last of the modern writers to have laughed and advised laughter as a remedy for the ills of the age, was the Egyptian writer and historian Ahmed Amin (1886-1954). Like Laughter Yoga and before him, he has advocated since 1937 the replacement of many medicines with laughter, as it is a natural remedy with no side effects or negative effects, unlike all modern and chemical medicines. He says: “If people were fair, they would do without three quarters of what is in the pharmacies by laughing. A laugh is worth a thousand times more than an aspirin pill, a quinine pill and all the foreign and Arabic names you want. This is because laughter is nature’s medicine and Aspirin (and what is connected with it) is man’s treatment, and then nature is the most skilful and true treatment. Don’t you see how nature treats the human body by providing it with red and white blood cells, and nothing of the artificial treatment can be compared to that.
Simulated laughter has the same effect as spontaneous laughter
Ahmed Amin goes on to explain and mention some of the health benefits of laughter, both physical and psychological: “A person who bursts out laughing causes blood to flow into his arteries, so his face becomes red and his arteries swell. Above all, laughter has a magical effect in healing the soul, eliminating grief, restoring life and activity to the soul and body, and preparing the person to welcome life and its troubles with kindness and gentleness. (Amin, op. cit. p. 99).
It should be noted that Ahmed Amin refers in this article to a fact proven by science today, which is the basis on which Laughter Yoga is based. He says: “A friend of mine once told me that he had tried to overcome his worries and sorrows with a simple remedy, and he had succeeded: that is, if his anxiety intensified and things became complicated in front of him, so that he could not think of a solution for them, he would burst out laughing, which would relieve him, and his worries would evaporate. (Amin, op. cit, p100)
Here, this Egyptian researcher and thinker seems to be the precursor of a scientific discovery on which the teachings of the yoga of laughter are based today.
Man is a laughing animal
Amin says that laughter is one of the most important characteristics of man, one of the most important blessings nature has given him, and one of the tools by which he relieves his anguish: “The logicians say in one of their definitions of man: ‘Man is an animal that laughs’, and that, to me, is more agreeable than their other definition: ‘Man is an animal that talks’. Man in our time has more need to laugh than to think, or rather, we have more need to think and laugh at the same time” (Amin, op. cit, p98).
This urgent need was expressed by Ahmed Amin at the beginning of his article. He seeks laughter, he seeks to experience it in his whole being, and to feel it in the parts of his body and limbs: “As I need a laughter that comes out of the bottom of my chest and bursts into my atmosphere. It is rather a laughter with which I hold my chest and tap the ground with my feet. A laugh that fills my mouth, relieves my pain and anxiety and dissipates my anxiety. (Amin, op. cit, p. 97).
Note how Amin seeks to make his whole body react to laughter, and to feel it in every part and organ of his body: chest, legs and jaws. This is exactly what yoga teaches and advises.
In conclusion, Ahmad Amin is a thinker and historian who was aware, from experience, of the importance of laughter, and its positive impact, especially on the physiological and psychological aspects, to purify the nervous system from what was later known as Stress, i.e. convulsions.
A scientific look at the influence of laughter
But having discussed the medical and psychological impact of laughter, quoting Ahmed Amin, what do doctors, researchers and scientists have to say about it today?
Thomas Hobson says: “Laughter has two functions: one physiological, related to the body, and the other psychological, related to the mind.
A number of German doctors and researchers claim that laughter affects both body and mind, aids digestion, strengthens blood circulation, increases sweat secretion and increases the strength of every organ in the body. (Corra Ali, op. cit, p. 21).
These German doctors conclude in their research that laughter prolongs life, so the more a person laughs, the longer they live. (Ibid).
Laughter is the only common language among people
A number of anthropologists who have studied the subject state that “laughter is the only common language of mankind. It was born before the birth of languages and dialects, and it will remain so even if languages and dialects disappear” (Qara Ali , op. cit, p 22).
They point out a characteristic of laughter that Laughter Yoga today emphasises in its teachings, that laughter is contagious and communicative. They say: “The flow of laughter is no less between human beings than the flow of their own languages, even if it differs between one race and another, one gender and another, one country and another. (Qara Ali, op. cit, p. 22).
William Frey, M.D. of Stanford University/America, confirms that laughter, like sport, has benefits that do not fade away. After laughing, muscles begin to relax more than before, relieving much suffering. Dr Frey concludes that laughter is closely linked to longevity because of its effectiveness.
It is known that the laughing and crying centres are one in the brain, some of us laugh from sadness and others cry from joy. (Freyha, MS, p. 30). This is, in our view, an important and significant scientific issue. Most of us have known, or at least seen, someone who cries with joy or laughs when sad or in times of calamity, according to the above-mentioned proverb. As long as both laughter and crying come from one centre of the brain, it is easy to turn crying into laughter. In this the English poet Lord Byron (1788-1824) says: “I laugh so as not to cry” (Hnain, o. cit. p.1/22).
The physician Dr. Harthy Kellogg, summarises the impact of laughter on health and the need to practice it and make it part of a person’s daily routine with the following advice: “Eat half as much as you used to eat, sleep twice as much as you used to sleep, drink three times as much as you used to drink, and laugh four times as much as you used to laugh. If you do, you will enjoy a better life” (Qara Ali, op. cit, p. 35).
Current research on the benefits of laughter
Nowadays, medical and scientific research centres have continued to study the physiological effects of laughter. In particular, this has been done by the Mayo Clinic, a famous research centre in America. And it has been proven that laughter has great benefits, both in the short and long term, because laughter improves the inhalation of oxygen-rich air, which stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles. It helps to stimulate the brain to secrete endorphins, increasing the body’s ability to tolerate pain, as endorphins are a ‘natural painkiller’ in the words of Sophia Scott, neuroscientist and professor at University College London (UCL). Laughter can also relieve some of the physical symptoms of stress by stimulating blood flow and relaxing muscles.
Laughter can also relieve the stress and psychological pressure we are exposed to on a daily basis and can be part of the treatment for some mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. In a recent study of two groups of depressed patients, conventional treatment was followed in one group, while laughter yoga was combined with conventional treatment in the other group for a period of 3 months. The results showed the effectiveness of laughter yoga in improving mental health, in addition to the possibility of it being considered as a supportive treatment for depression.
Laughter Yoga and Scientific Research
What about laughter yoga, which has seen a remarkable spread in recent times, especially during the Covid and Quarantine pandemic.
Laughter yoga has been shown to improve mood, causing a person to laugh more than usual during the day, which in turn helps to strengthen social bonds. Laughter is a positive energy that helps people communicate quickly with others and contributes to better family and friendships. This increases a person’s sense of security and inner satisfaction with themselves.
Laughter Yoga has interested many medical and psychological researchers. In a recent research, a group of patients with Colon-irritable disease was studied, considering that the symptoms of this disease are related to anxiety and psychological stress. The aim of the study was to provide a treatment plan that relies on both laughter yoga and anti-anxiety medication, as well as to determine the effectiveness of these therapies in treating the anxiety and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Laughter yoga supports the body’s immunity in the long term, as laughter reduces the secretion of stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting bodies, thus improving the body’s resistance to disease. In addition, one research study indicated a significant improvement in the immunity of patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy after introducing laughter therapy as part of their treatment plan.
How is laughter yoga practiced?
Laughter Yoga is often practised in a group setting, such as a club or workshop, under the supervision of a trainer who trains participants in various techniques to create laughter and increase joy. Most sessions include simple breathing techniques, with clapping and singing to help participants relax and laugh.
The organisation “The Yoga of Laughter” provides a detailed guide to practising this type of yoga which includes 4 basic steps, usually starting with clapping and warm-up exercises, followed by the introduction of a clapping rhythm to increase energy levels, often in 1-2 and 1-2-3 with the repetition of ho-ho, ha-ha-ha, which comes in as a technique to stimulate deep abdominal breathing.
In the second stage, the emphasis is on breathing exercises, in which the inhalation is done through the nose taking as deep a breath as possible, while lifting the hands and pulling the body back a little, and while holding the breath for 4-5 seconds, followed by an exhalation through the mouth with a forward bend, as this helps to push the diaphragm up and empty the lungs completely. It is recommended to wait a little while before repeating the breathing process.
The next step is to bring out the child in us to laugh for no reason, and this is achieved by repeating positive phrases between breathing exercises, such as “very good” or “great”, with clapping. This helps to maintain energy levels and increase one’s enthusiasm.
Finally, we come to laughter exercises that aim to break down the shyness barrier, and we start to simulate laughter until it turns into real laughter.
Although this may seem simple and even naive at first, the aim of these exercises is to remove any internal judgement and eventually enjoy real laughter which reflects positively on public health. Laughter Yoga does not have any negative effects, and its practice is not limited to a certain class of people or a certain age. In conclusion, it should be noted that it is not a substitute for traditional medicines and treatments, but rather can play a supportive role that should not be underestimated.
Personal experience of the effect of laughter
We conclude with a personal experience of laughter and its positive impact.
I was in the fourth and final year of my university studies to obtain a Master’s degree in Arabic language and literature from the Faculty of Arts at the Lebanese University in UNESCO-Beirut. The Lebanese war was at its peak in 1984, and the homeland was breaking ties. Crossing from the eastern region, where I lived, to the western region, where the faculty was located, was more difficult than crossing the border between two countries in a state of hostility: checkpoints, security measures and the like often took a long time.
I had to take an exam in what we considered one of the most difficult subjects, Arabic philology (Fiqh al-lugha). Our teacher in this subject was a learned and respectful sheikh, Sheikh Dr. Subhi Al-Saleh (1926-1986). We generally found this subject difficult because of the precision and rigour of this teacher in correcting the compositions. The said composition in this subject was the first in the examinations at the end of that year. It was the only subject in which it was allowed to bring books and documents to the examination.
I had decided to do well in this difficult subject, no matter how much effort and study it took. As long as books were allowed in the examination, it occurred to me to take with me the main reference on the subject which was Ibn Manzur’s encyclopaedic dictionary Lisan al-Arab, in 16 large volumes, in addition to dictionaries and other sources. The total of what I had to carry to the examination hall was about 20 volumes. But how could I make the crossing between the two regions to reach the faculty with this heavy load, and my home which was in Jbeil, about 40 km from the examination venue!
I had no choice but to use a big suitcase like a travel bag that belonged to my father, and to put all these files in it. And then…to rely on God and the strength of my forearms to carry them. I had to move from one taxi service to another with this heavy load and put the big suitcase in the trunk of each car. When I crossed the barriers between the two areas, I had to get down to open the suitcase so that it could be searched. All in all, all these steps made me late for the early morning arrival time at the university campus. When I arrived, I first had to go to the administration building to get a card that would allow me to enter the examination room. And I did that. Then I went to the building, deposited my bulky luggage with the guard who knew me, went upstairs and explained to the employee why I was late because of the roadblocks. He was understanding and gave me the card saying: “Come on, take this, and when you reach the hall, you will go directly to the supervisor in charge to show him your card and explain the reasons for your delay”.
I picked up my suitcase and had to walk with it the long distance from the administration buildings to the examination hall. When I reached the examination room, I climbed the stairs with my big suitcase. I had to cross the large examination room with my load from one end to the other, to get to where the supervisor in charge was sitting. The other students had taken their places in the room and had started to write their answers to the questions asked in the essay. The room was filled with about a hundred students, plus about ten invigilators who were professors in the Arabic language department of the faculty. I entered the examination room as if I were entering the ‘Passenger Terminal’ of an airport and made my way to the invigilator’s seat. My entrance in this strange way attracted the attention of all the students who started to look at me with suspicion: “What is he putting in that big suitcase? The smile started to appear on the faces of some of them, and gradually turned into a suppressed laughter, especially since laughter is basically forbidden in an official exam like this.
I arrived at the invigilator, but he couldn’t even ask me why I was late, because he was about to laugh. So he waved his hand at me as if to ask me what was in that big bag? I answered that I was carrying the Lisan al-‘Arab encyclopaedia, especially as documents were allowed in this exam, but as soon as everyone knew what was in my strange bag, the whole room exploded with laughter: professors and students alike, including the venerable Sheikh, known for his seriousness and sobriety, who started laughing like the others. As for me, to get rid of the embarrassment of my situation, I laughed heartily with everyone!
Then I went to the seat and table indicated to me by the general supervisor and began to answer questions. Thus, the electrifying atmosphere resulting initially from the difficulty of the composition had been dissipated by the laughter that spread a joyful atmosphere in the room.
My strenuous efforts to carry this encyclopedia had not been in vain, for I had found in it an answer to a question posed in the examination, which most of my colleagues had been unable to answer.
When the exam was over, I left the room. My colleagues came to thank me for breaking the tense atmosphere caused by the difficulty of the exam, and congratulated me because I had managed to make the venerable Sheikh laugh, which he had never done throughout the year, as it is known that laughing in the presence of bearded men is totally undesirable. (Freyha, MS, p. 38). So my classmates hoped that the softening of the atmosphere through laughter would make Professor Sheikh more flexible in his correction. They asked me how I had chosen to go to the trouble of transporting this huge encyclopedia from my distant home in Byblos? When they, who lived near the faculty, had not even thought of bringing it along!
In short, this laughter broke the barrier of fear, and opened minds. The results of the exam in this subject were better than in previous years and I was among the first, especially as I used a source that the others had found too heavy to take with them into the exam room.
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