Everyone knows at least one friend who often complains about his or her job or career choice. The next time you hear from them, suggest them to read this piece and they might thank you later. There is a community of people in Tamil Nadu I visit exclusively, whose job responsibility is to dig graves day in day out. No, seriously! 

Digging graves is a grave career. The work environment is emotionally draining since the people they meet are far from happy. It is a full time job that demands them to stay on the graveyard and raise their families in surroundings that don’t offer a reason to laugh or have fun. Especially their children deserve a better and happier environment to live, laugh and blossom into cheerful human beings. 

Funnily, if you look up ‘therapy for grave diggers’ on the web, even Google goes blank. And so I was particularly inspired to treat these 60 men to my Laughter Yoga session and infuse some relief in their lives. Well, I was delighted to see them all turning up for the session beaming with anticipation. And I was impressed by the fact that they were all dressed up for the occasion. Our session began with introductions, impromptu games and interactions and I was pleasantly surprised by their spontaneity and receptivity to fun engagements. As we progressed from laughter infusing activities to natural guffaws, it felt like they had been waiting for happy moments like these all their lives. 

Here’s why I feel it’s high time this dedicated community gets our care and attention:

They deserve to de-stress from the grief they witness daily.
Laughter yoga works like a therapy in lightening the emotional baggage that tends to build everyday in their situation. I was moved to notice tears of joy in their eyes while their cheeks hurt from the laugh riot during our session. I felt extremely gratified by the fact that my laughter yoga session had given their heavy heart a great exercise.

Laughing together builds a support system within the community.

Practicing laughter yoga as a group not only promotes the much-needed bonding and camaraderie within the community but also creates a guilt-free occasion to laugh together in a setting as serious as theirs.

Practicing laughter yoga regularly helps build a positive work and life environment despite the situation
It was insightful to observe how these brave men have developed a profound understanding of the impermanence of life. And making them laugh, even momentarily, felt extremely rewarding. When my session ended, some of them candidly shared that they have found something precious to look forward to in their unusual work-life, ie. laughter!

My enriching experience with the gravedigger community in Tamil Nadu makes me feel even stronger about spreading laughter yoga to those who go unnoticed despite their crucial contribution to the evolution of the society.

I invite you to bring relief with laughter to such communities in your city.
Contact me to #GiftALaughter to those who serve society.