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Phrequently Asked Questions about Hamasté ma- (mah) like what you call your mom (By the way, when was the last time you called your ma?) sté- (stey) like what happens when you’re having so much fun laughing with a friend that you want to stay. What is Hamasté? Hamasté is many things. It’s a verb, a noun and everything in-between. Hamasté is all about connecting people by inspiring them to take turns tickling each other's funny bone. In the current form you’re staring at today, Hamasté is an online And tomorrow? Who knows? Where did the saying ‘Hamasté—the funny bone in me tickles the funny bone in you’ come from? This is a fun twist on the ancient Sanskrit greeting that you might hear shared between two spiritual people or at the end of a yoga class-- “Namaste, the light in me salutes the light in you.” This is part of the Hamasté website where people from all over the globe can come together to tickle each other’s funny bone. They do this by posting funny jokes, stories and videos. Whether you want to share something you think is funny or just want to kick back and laugh while reading and viewing what others have contributed, it’s all good. It’s all Hamasté. Hamasté encourages the practice of SAFE TICKLING that neither deliberately offends nor upsets another person or group. After all, while not all humor will make everyone laugh, no humor should make anyone cry. Unless, of course, those tears are a result of laughing so hard. Well then, that's a seahorse of a different color. Is Hamasté a cult? Well, if you call people coming together to share the joy of laughter a cult, then yes, Hamasté is a cult. lol. Does Hamasté have anything to do with the Palestinian group Hamas? Really??? Uhhh, no, Hamasté has absolutely nothing to do with Hamas. Not unless Hamas members are busy sharing funny jokes on the Hamasté What is ‘funny’? Funny, an easier question might be, “What is the meaning of life?” What is funny varies from one day, one person, one mood, one war, or one culture to the next. Just ask Albert Brooks in his medium-funny 2005 movie So is there really a right or wrong answer to the question ‘what is funny’? No. Now how’s that for avoiding the question? What if I don’t have a sense of humor? Ooh, yes, that could be a problem. Good news! From a giggling baby to two old people chuckling about their uncontrollable flatulence, most everybody is born with a funny bone. And unless you go out of your way not to laugh (been there, done that), we all have the capacity to giggle, chuckle, chortle… You get the idea. What’s so good about laughing? For most breathing human beings, laughing is fun and feels good. It relieves stress and can make you feel better. Plus, it’s healthy for you. It can also save your life. See the ‘Norman Cousins’ question below. And laughing together with others can help people feel connected, especially when they see humor in the same thing. Why does the world need more laughter? Seriously? Who was Norman Cousins? Norman Cousins was an American journalist and adjunct professor of Medical Humanities for the School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. When he was diagnosed with a fatal and painful disease, he devised a recovery program that included megadoeses of Vitamin C and laughter fueled by Marx Brothers films. His book Anatomy of an Illness chronicles how this odd humor therapy helped save his life. (He lived for another 16 years.) Though not really very funny, an article entitled of what Mr. Cousins endured and the breakthroughs he achieved. Who shared the first ‘laugh’ and why? Though it might have first happened when two cavemen were vying to see who could gross out their girlfriends the most by burping the loudest, one serious theory is that shared laughter began as a gesture of relief at the passing of danger. Think: you being chased by a gang of hungry dinosaurs. Shared laughter between people suggest a trust and a bond. Developed by Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from India, a revolutionary exercise routine and a complete well-being workout that has spread across 80 countries. The concept is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits. Clinical research conducted at Bangalore, India and in the United States has proved that Laughter lowers the level of stress hormones (epinephrine, cortisol, etc) in the blood. And on top of all that, it’s just plain fun. Who’s the wiseacre who cooked up Hamasté? The creator and head of I.T. (Instigating Tickler) for Hamasté is the follically-challenged Laughter Yoga instructor, Improv artist, playwright, and children’s book writer B. H. Levinson. And while much of the continued building and maintaining of this rib-tickling site, his original goal to give a little something back remains the same. In Levinson’s own words, “Okay, so sharing a few giggles won’t instantly cure all of the world’s ills. But, hey, it couldn’t hoit.” Now that’s funny. Actually, yes, you can get a quantity discount. Whether you want to buy multiple pieces for gifts or your group, for your class or to sell at your store, just explain what you need and send to: info@Hamaste.com What if I have a question or problem with something I bought from Hamasté? As you might expect, your happiness is a high priority at Hamasté. Please do not hesitate to write for help: help@Hamaste.com. Is Hamasté trademarked? Yes. Is Hamasté available for licensing? Yes. For information, please contact: info@Hamaste.com Is advertising space available on the Hamasté website? Yes. If you have a relevant organization or company (yoga studios, comedy clubs, funny books, movies, TV-shows. etc.), please contact Hamasté for details: help@Hamaste.com What if I don’t feel much like laughing and would rather kill myself? If you’re not joking and really feel like hurting yourself, please, please, Are there any organizations devoted to depression, suicide and mental illness?
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