Laughter Yoga Ontario

Marja Pirie is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher, accredited by Madan Kataria M.D., founder of Laughter Yoga.  She has upgraded her skills and knowledge with Dr. Kataria on a yearly basis through training and conferences. In addition, she was honoured to have received the “Laughter Ambassador Award” from Dr. Kataria for dedicated and selfless service in September 2006.

Co-founder of the Burlington-Oakville Laughter Club in August 2005, Marja has been volunteering her time to run and lead laughter yoga sessions at the club since then, as well as for the Community Wellness Program at Carpenter Hospice since 2008.

Always a teacher at heart, Marja, formerly a high school teacher, now loves teaching laughter yoga as it has lightened her up and given her a way to help many others, while also changing her life to one of greater joy, confidence, and purpose. Club members have shared that laughter yoga has helped them to forget their problems while laughing. By promoting relaxation, greater energy, and better sleep, and happiness, laughter yoga sessions have helped them to cope with challenges such as pain, depression, anxiety, grief, and stress.

As a Laughter Yoga professional, Marja has enjoyed teaching the Certified Laughter Yoga Leader course, as well as presenting laughter yoga at a variety of events such as conference openings or workshops, employee appreciation or corporate events, retreats, health and wellness events, ladies groups, retirement homes, as well as in the media.

Marja Pirie will introduce you to Laughter YogaÔ and invites you to experience laughing for no reason. Since scientific evidence shows body cannot tell the difference between a real or fake “belly laugh”, you will be encouraged to just laugh as a form of exercise. All that is needed is a willingness to laugh, clap and have fun to connect with your child-like playfulness. Laughter YogaÔ is a unique idea where anyone can laugh without the use of jokes or happiness. Laughter exercises are combined with deep yogic breathing (no poses) which brings in more oxygen. You’ll learn laughter and breathing exercises that you can use to feel uplifted, revitalized, and relaxed. Laughter quickly and easily changes the way you feel. It relieves all types of stress, reduces pain, and boosts mood within minutes. It improves lung capacity, circulation, oxygenation, detoxification, immunity and youthfulness as well as bringing more peace and joy into your life.

"Laughter Yoga is total freedom to laugh. Without being dependent on any conditions, it provides an action that can be easily done to change the way people feel. Laughter Yoga gives people a way to liberate their laughter from logic, to let go of stress, and be happy now. " ~ Marja