1 414 70 BODIES IN YOGA: TANGLED DISCOURSES IN CANADIAN STUDIOS. THIS PAPER PRESENTS THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A ONE AND A HALF-YEAR ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY CONDUCTED IN VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. THE RESEARCH FOCUSED ON PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCES OF THEIR BODIES IN THE CONTEXT OF YOGA AS A HEALTH PRACTICE-SPECIFICALLY HOW THEY CONCEPTUALISED THEIR MUSCULOSKELETAL BODIES IN THIS PRACTICE THROUGH IDEAS OF SYSTEMS, FRAGMENTS, AND MATERIALITY. IT ARGUES THAT PARTICIPANTS' LARGER NARRATIVES ABOUT HEALTH AND HEALTHY BODIES INFORM HOW YOGA AS A HEALTH PRACTICE IS EMBEDDED IN DISCOURSES OF BODY WORK WHERE YOGA, HEALTH, AND PARTICULAR NOTIONS OF BODILY-NESS BECOME A PROJECT FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE SELF INTO A PARTICULAR IDEA OF WHAT A BODY IS OR SHOULD BE. 2021 2 1735 26 PHENOMENOLOGICAL INQUIRY INTO PHOENIX RISING YOGA THERAPY. THERE IS GROWING RECOGNITION WITHIN PSYCHOLOGY AND OTHER DISCIPLINES THAT BODY EXPERIENCE MAY BE AS IMPORTANT AS COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, PSYCHOLOGY HAS FEW PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF MIND AND BODY WITHIN THERAPY. PHOENIX RISING YOGA THERAPY (PRYT) IS A FORM OF MIND-BODY THERAPY THAT USES YOGA POSTURE, TOUCH, AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC DIALOGUE TO FACILITATE GROWTH AND HEALING. THE CURRENT STUDY EXPLORED THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE OF FOUR WOMEN WHO EACH RECEIVED FIVE PRYT SESSIONS. RESEARCH QUESTIONS POSED WERE: (1) WHAT ARE THE CLIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF THE PHENOMENA OF PRYT? AND (2) HOW DOES RECEIVING PRYT SESSIONS IMPACT THE CLIENTS' LIVES? THE FOLLOWING THEMES EMERGED FROM THE DATA AS THE ESSENCE OF PRYT SESSIONS: MINDFULNESS, SELF-AWARENESS, MIND-BODY CONNECTION, IN VIVO EXPERIENCE OF NEW BEHAVIORS, CLIENT-DIRECTED, EMPOWERMENT, AND LIFE CHANGES. THESE THEMES SHOW SIGNIFICANCE IN THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION AND THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE MODALITIES SUCH AS PRYT FOR CLIENTS. EACH PARTICIPANT NOTED GREATER INSIGHT INTO MIND-BODY CONNECTION. THEY NOTICED THE EFFECT OF COGNITION AND EMOTION ON THE BODY, OBSERVED HOW THE BODY CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE COPING THROUGH MOVEMENT AND BREATHING, AND EXPERIENCED DIFFERENT THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT AREAS OF THEIR BODIES. ALTHOUGH THESE RESULTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY GENERALIZABLE, THEY OFFER INTERESTING THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR EMBODIED INTERVENTIONS. 2018 3 2554 24 YOGA FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: RESEARCH REVIEW AND REFLECTIONS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH POTENTIALS OF YOGA. THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES YOGA AS A POTENTIAL TOOL FOR CHILDREN TO DEAL WITH STRESS AND REGULATE THEMSELVES. YOGA PROVIDES TRAINING OF MIND AND BODY TO BRING EMOTIONAL BALANCE. WE ARGUE THAT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE NEED SUCH TOOLS TO LISTEN INWARD TO THEIR BODIES, FEELINGS, AND IDEAS. YOGA MAY ASSIST THEM IN DEVELOPING IN SOUND WAYS, TO STRENGTHEN THEMSELVES, AND BE CONTRIBUTING SOCIAL BEINGS. FIRST, WE ADDRESS HOW CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN TODAY'S WORLD FACE NUMEROUS EXPECTATIONS AND CONSTANT STIMULATION THROUGH THE INTERNET AND OTHER MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES. ONE REASON WHY CHILDREN EXPERIENCE STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES IS THAT GLOBALIZATION EXPOSES THE YOUTH ALL OVER THE WORLD TO VARIOUS NEW DEMANDS, STANDARDS, AND OPTIONS. THERE IS ALSO INCREASED PRESSURE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, PARTLY DUE TO INCREASED COMPETITION BUT ALSO A DIVERSE RANGE OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES THAN IN THE PAST. OUR ARGUMENT ALSO PARTIALLY RESTS ON THE FACT THAT MODERN SOCIETY OFFERS PLENTY OF DISTRACTIONS AND UNWELCOME ATTRACTIONS, ESPECIALLY LINKED TO NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES. THE DOMINANT PRESENCE OF MULTIMEDIA DEVICES AND THE TIME SPENT ON THEM BY CHILDREN ARE CLEAR INDICATORS OF THE SHIFT IN LIFESTYLES AND PRIORITIES OF OUR NEW GENERATION. WHILE THESE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES ARE VALUABLE RESOURCES IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES FOR COMMUNICATION, LEARNING, AND ENTERTAINMENT, THEY ALSO RESULT IN CONSTANT COMPETITION FOR YOUNGSTER'S ATTENTION. A MAIN CONCEPT IN OUR ARTICLE IS THAT YOGA MAY HELP CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE COPE WITH STRESS AND THUS, CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO BALANCE IN LIFE, WELL-BEING, AND MENTAL HEALTH. WE PRESENT RESEARCH LITERATURE SUGGESTING THAT YOGA IMPROVES CHILDREN'S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING. SIMILARLY, YOGA IN SCHOOLS HELPS STUDENTS IMPROVE RESILIENCE, MOOD, AND SELF-REGULATION SKILLS PERTAINING TO EMOTIONS AND STRESS. 2014 4 2448 18 YOGA AND THE EXPERIENCE OF EMBODIMENT: A DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE LINKS. THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON BODY IMAGE AND EMBODIMENT HAS BEEN A RECENT AREA OF FOCUS IN THE FIELD OF BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS. THIS PAPER COMPRISES A THEORETICAL DISCUSSION OF HOW THE PRACTICE OF YOGA CAN LEAD TO POSITIVE WAYS OF INHABITING THE BODY, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE LENS OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY OF EMBODIMENT. YOGA MAY ENHANCE THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF EMBODIMENT, BY HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON EACH OF ITS FIVE DIMENSIONS: BODY CONNECTION AND COMFORT, AGENCY AND FUNCTIONALITY, ATTUNED SELF-CARE, SUBJECTIVE IMMERSION (RESISTING OBJECTIFICATION), AND EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSION OF DESIRES. THE ARTICLE THEREFORE DESCRIBES EXAMPLES OF TEACHER-RELATED PRACTICES DURING YOGA THAT CAN ENHANCE EACH OF THESE DIMENSIONS. FURTHER, YOGA TEACHERS CAN CONSIDER THE VARIED PROTECTIVE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS DELINEATED BY THE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY OF EMBODIMENT TO FACILITATE POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD EXPLICITLY INTEGRATE EMBODIMENT THEORY WITH YOGA INTERVENTIONS, AS WELL AS MEASURES THAT ASSESS BOTH POSSIBLE MECHANISMS OF CHANGE AND POSITIVE WAYS OF LIVING IN THE BODY. 2020 5 2711 20 YOGA KERNELS: A PUBLIC HEALTH MODEL FOR DEVELOPING AND DISSEMINATING EVIDENCE-BASED YOGA PRACTICES. MANY PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO YOGA FOR ITS POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS. WITH ITS RISING POPULARITY, YOGA COULD BECOME A WIDELY USED PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION, BUT ITS SUCCESS DEPENDS ON FINDING EVIDENCE-BASED YOGA PRACTICES THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE AND FEASIBLE FOR A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION. COMPLEXITY AND VARIABILITY CREATE BARRIERS TO THE ADOPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICES. IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE STUDY, ADOPTION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THERAPEUTIC PRACTICES USED IN THE CONTEXT OF PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, WE INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF "YOGA KERNELS," DEFINED AS DISCRETE, EVIDENCE-BASED YOGA PRACTICES THAT ARE AMENABLE TO SCIENTIFIC STUDY AND CAN BE EFFECTIVELY DISSEMINATED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION. YOGA IS REVIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION USING THE REACH EFFECTIVENESS ADOPTION IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE (RE-AIM) MODEL. THIS MODEL IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF GENERALIZABLE, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS. IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES TO THE ADOPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF YOGA PRACTICES, WE PROPOSE THAT A POTENTIALLY FRUITFUL DIRECTION FOR YOGA RESEARCH IS MOVING AWAY FROM STUDYING YOGA CLASSES TO STUDYING SPECIFIC YOGA PRACTICES THAT ARE SIMPLER AND EASIER FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO USE. YOGA KERNELS COULD BE A UNIFYING CONCEPT TO IDENTIFY THERAPEUTIC USES OF YOGA AND HELP PEOPLE ADOPT AND MAINTAIN THESE PRACTICES AS PART OF A SYSTEMATIC PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY. 2019 6 1673 23 NORTH AMERICAN YOGA PRACTITIONERS' LIVED EXPERIENCES OF MIND-BODY CONNECTION: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY. THE PRACTICE OF YOGA WAS BORN IN INDIA THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO AND BROUGHT TO NORTH AMERICA GRADUALLY BEGINNING IN THE 20TH CENTURY. THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF YOGA IS SPIRITUAL IN NATURE WITH AN INTENTION OF PURIFYING THE MIND AND BODY, LEADING TO AN ALLEVIATION OF SUFFERING THROUGH CONNECTION WITH THE DIVINE (I.E., LIBERATION). YOGA HAS GAINED WIDESPREAD POPULARITY IN NORTH AMERICA, BUT WHETHER NORTH AMERICAN YOGA PRACTICE INCLUDES AN INTENTION ON THE PURIFICATION OF THE MIND-BODY, IN CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS A MIND-BODY CONNECTION, HAS YET TO BE EXPLORED. THIS RESEARCH STUDY INVESTIGATED NORTH AMERICAN YOGA PRACTITIONERS' EXPERIENCES OF MIND-BODY CONNECTION IN THEIR PRACTICES. SIX YOGA PRACTITIONERS RESIDING IN NORTH AMERICA WERE INTERVIEWED FOR THIS STUDY. INTERVIEWS WERE AUDIORECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED. PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED TO PRODUCE THE ESSENCE DATA, AND THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED TO PRODUCE THE CONTEXTUAL DATA. PHENOMENOLOGICAL THEMES REGARDING THE CO-RESEARCHERS' EXPERIENCES OF MIND-BODY CONNECTION IN THEIR YOGA PRACTICES WERE IDENTIFIED AND GROUPED INTO FOUR TEXTURAL ESSENCES: (1) THE EXPERIENCE OF BREATH, (2) LOCAL OR INTERNAL EXPERIENCES, (3) AN INCREASED SENSE OF AWARENESS AND MINDFULNESS, AND (4) TRANSCENDENTAL AND SPIRITUAL QUALITIES. FOUR STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS THAT ALLOW PRACTITIONERS TO EXPERIENCE MIND-BODY CONNECTION DURING YOGA PRACTICE WERE IDENTIFIED: (1) BREATH, (2) PHYSICAL ASANA, (3) PRACTITIONER INTENTIONALITY, AND (4) ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. FINDINGS OF THE CURRENT STUDY SUGGEST A CAPACITY FOR NORTH AMERICAN YOGA PRACTITIONERS TO EXPERIENCE MIND-BODY CONNECTION THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO TRADITIONAL YOGA PRACTICE. 2021 7 2556 15 YOGA FOR CHILDREN. THERE IS AN INCREASING INTEREST IN THE USE OF YOGA FOR CHILDREN TO CALM THE MIND AND INCREASE HEALTH AND WELL BEING. DESPITE SCANT BUT INCREASING EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE EFFICACY OF YOGA IN CHILDREN, SPECIAL YOGA PROGRAMS WITHIN SCHOOLS ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. THIS INCREASING POPULARITY OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA MAY ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO CONSIDER YOGA FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND REQUEST REFERRALS OR CLARIFICATION OF THE PURPORTED EFFECTS. A DESCRIPTION OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL BASIS OF YOGA, THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF A YOGA PRACTICE, SAFETY CONCERNS, AND HOW TO LOCATE AND EVALUATE A YOGA PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WILL BE ADDRESSED. 2009 8 2211 27 THE HEALTH IMAGINARY OF POSTURAL YOGA. THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE CAPACITY OF YOGA NARRATIVES AND PRACTICES TO CONTRIBUTE TO AND RELATE IDEAS ABOUT HEALTH. IT ADDS THEORETICALLY TO EXISTING LITERATURE ON YOGA BY INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF THE 'HEALTH IMAGINARY' AS AN ANALYTIC LENS FOR CONSIDERING YOGA DISCOURSES IN LATE MODERN TIMES, WHERE PERSONAL HEALTH CARE AND SPIRITUAL AMBITIONS ARE ONCE AGAIN BECOMING BLURRED. WITH THIS PERSPECTIVE, THE PAPER PROVIDES A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF HOW YOGA POSTURES (ASANAS) ARE CONCEIVED TO WORK THERAPEUTICALLY, IN YOGA'S RECENT HISTORY AND IN PRESENT-DAY YOGA THERAPY. TAKING CASE STUDIES FROM INDIA AND GERMANY, IT IS SHOWN EMPIRICALLY HOW THE APPLICATION OF ASANAS IS RATIONALIZED DIFFERENTLY IN SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AND THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENTS - PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE PRESUMED THEORY OF THE BODY. THUS, THE CONCEPT OF THE HEALTH IMAGINARY NOT ONLY PROVIDES ANALYTIC SPACE TO EXPLORE THE IMPLICIT LOGICS AND GOALS OF HEALING IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, BUT ALSO OFFERS CLUES ABOUT THE DISTINCT SOCIAL, CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS, AND LOCAL INFLUENCES THAT DRAW PEOPLE INTO YOGA AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS SELECTIVE APPROPRIATION ACROSS THE GLOBE. 2021 9 560 25 CREATING INCLUSIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPACES: THE CASE OF BODY-POSITIVE YOGA. PURPOSE: WITHIN THE MODERN CULTURAL CLIMATE, THOSE IN LARGER BODIES FACE HIGH LEVELS OF WEIGHT STIGMA, PARTICULARLY IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPACES, WHICH SERVES AS A STRONG BARRIER TO THEIR PARTICIPATION. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE STRONG LINK BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND GENERAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING FOR PARTICIPANTS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE STRATEGIES THAT ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. THUS, THE CURRENT RESEARCH EXAMINED STRATEGIES THAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INSTRUCTORS USE TO DEVELOP INCLUSIVE EXERCISE SPACES FOR ALL BODY SIZES. METHOD: THIS STUDY EMPLOYED A SERIES OF SEMISTRUCTURED QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS (N = 9) WITH INSTRUCTORS OF BODY-INCLUSIVE YOGA CLASSES TO EXPLORE THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION FOR THOSE IN LARGER BODIES. RESULTS: EMERGENT THEMES FROM THE CURRENT STUDY SUGGESTED SUPPORT FOR 6 FACTORS FOR CREATING BODY-INCLUSIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPACES: AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP, A CULTURE OF INCLUSION, A FOCUS ON HEALTH, INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE, LEADER SOCIAL ACTIVISM, AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY REVEALED THAT LEADERS MUST INTENTIONALLY CULTIVATE INCLUSION IN THEIR SPACES TO ENCOURAGE THOSE IN NONCONFORMING BODIES TO PARTICIPATE. THESE FINDINGS HAVE IMPORTANT HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CONTEXT AND PROVIDE A BASIC OUTLINE OF PRACTICAL STRATEGIES THAT PRACTITIONERS CAN USE TO FOSTER INCLUSION IN THEIR SPACES. 2017 10 2375 18 WHITE PAPER: YOGA THERAPY AND PAIN-HOW YOGA THERAPY SERVES IN COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT, AND HOW IT CAN DO MORE. THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE ROLE OF YOGA THERAPY IN COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT (CIPM). THE PAIN CRISIS IS DESCRIBED, AND HOW YOGA THERAPISTS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ITS SOLUTION IS EXPLAINED. YOGA THERAPY CAN BE AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNDERTAKING THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES AND ALTER THE TRAJECTORY OF THE GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS CONSTITUTED BY AN EPIDEMIC OF POORLY UNDERSTOOD AND INADEQUATELY ADDRESSED PAIN. ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AND EVIDENCE ARE PRESENTED TO DOCUMENT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE LIVING WITH PAIN. THE WHITE PAPER CONCLUDES BY LISTING RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROVIDERS, CONSUMERS, PAYERS, AND LEGISLATORS, WHO TOGETHER CAN ADDRESS SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO CIPM, AS WELL AS SUGGESTIONS FOR ENABLING THE YOGA THERAPY PROFESSION TO MORE FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THESE SOLUTIONS. 2020 11 1256 15 FELDENKRAIS METHOD, ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE, AND YOGA--BODY AWARENESS THERAPY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS. THE THREE DISCIPLINES DESCRIBED ARE PRACTICED BY MANY INDIVIDUALS FOR A MYRIAD OF REASONS. DEPENDING UPON ABILITY AND DEPTH OF STUDY, TEACHERS OF ALL THREE DISCIPLINES MAY HAVE SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES WITH WHICH TO ANALYSE, INSTRUCT, AND INTERACT WITH STUDENTS/CLIENTS. IN THE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE, PERSONS WHO SEEK OUT THESE PRACTICES AND INCORPORATE THEM INTO THEIR DAILY LIVES AND EXPRESSIONS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OFTEN ARE MOTIVATED TO MAINTAIN OR ESTABLISH AN OPTIMAL STATE OF WELL-BEING AND FUNCTION. PHYSICIANS AND THERAPISTS WHO WORK WITH PERFORMING ARTISTS ARE IN A POSITION TO ENCOURAGE SUCH POSITIVE DIRECTION IN PATIENTS, PROVIDE INFORMATION ON LOCAL RESOURCES, AND CONSIDER THE PRACTICES AS COLLABORATIVE AND ADJUNCTIVE TO MEDICAL CARE. 2006 12 242 20 A WELLBEING SKILL: MOVING ATTENTIVELY IN HOSPITAL YOGA PRACTICE. YOGA IS SOMETIMES INTERPRETED AS MEDICAL THERAPY AND THE EVIDENCE FROM BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INDICATES THAT IT CAN BE USEFUL IN A BROAD RANGE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS. YOGA, HOWEVER, CAN ALSO BE PURSUED AS A PROCESS-ORIENTED CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE. THIS ARTICLE DRAWS ON PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION-BASED RESEARCH WITH YOGA PRACTITIONERS AT TWO HOSPITALS, ONE IN PONDICHERRY, INDIA, AND ONE IN FUKUI, JAPAN. IT EXPLORES HOW PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT THESE HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS ARE INVITED TO MOVE WITHOUT ANTICIPATING AN OUTCOME AND TO CULTIVATE ATTITUDES SUCH AS CONTENTMENT AND NON-VIOLENCE. TAKING CUES FROM RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS' APPROACHES TO YOGA AS A SKILL AND FROM ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF SKILL, YOGA IS CONSIDERED HERE AS A CAPACITY OF MOVING WITH AWARENESS. A SKILL-BASED APPROACH ALLOWS PRACTITIONERS TO TRY OUT YOGIC TECHNIQUES ACCORDING TO THEIR PERSONAL ABILITIES AND NEEDS. THE ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT, IN THE CONTEXTS DISCUSSED, YOGA PRACTITIONERS PURSUE WELLBEING NOT AS AN INDIVIDUAL THERAPEUTIC GOAL BUT AS MUTUAL EXPLORATIVE LEARNING. 2021 13 2489 13 YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS: DOES IT HELP? THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE USES OF YOGA AS AN EXPERIENTIAL ADJUNCT TO OTHER FORMS OF THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS IN RESIDENTIAL AND OUTPATIENT SETTINGS. SUPPORTED BY OTHER TREATMENT MODALITIES, YOGA CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR INCREASING SELF-AWARENESS, REFLECTION AND THE ABILITY TO SELF-SOOTHE. LIKE OTHER INTERVENTIONS, YOGA HAS POTENTIAL MISUSES. THESE MISUSES ARE UNCOVERED WITH SUGGESTIONS MADE AS TO HOW THERAPISTS CAN SUPPORT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN RESIDENTIAL AND OUTPATIENT SETTINGS. 2009 14 1500 19 INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE ON YOGA AND POSITIVE EMBODIMENT: A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS ON HOW WE GOT HERE. STUDYING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO BODY IMAGE, EMBODIMENT, AND EATING DISORDERS BRINGS TOGETHER THE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES AS YOGA PRACTITIONERS, RESEARCHERS, AND WOMEN LIVING IN BODIES WITHIN A SOCIETY THAT CAN BE TOUGH ON BODY APPRECIATION. DEVELOPING THIS EDITION ON "YOGA FOR POSITIVE EMBODIMENT IN EATING DISORDER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT" HAS BEEN A WORK OF LOVE FOR ALL OF US. AS YOGA PRACTITIONERS, WE HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN OUR OWN BODIES AND FELT THAT THERE MAY BE BENEFITS FOR OTHERS. AS RESEARCHERS, WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE EXPLORATION AND UTILIZATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO ENHANCE WELL-BEING, PROMOTE A POSITIVE BODY IMAGE AND SENSE OF EMBODIMENT, AND BOTH PREVENT AND TREAT EATING DISORDERS. OUR EXPERIENCES AS YOGA PRACTITIONERS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR CURIOSITY AS RESEARCHERS, LED US TO EXPLORE THE EXTANT EVIDENCE FOR YOGA AS A TOOL FOR LEADING TO IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY IMAGE, DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIORS, AND EATING DISORDERS, AND TO EMBARK ON OUR OWN RESEARCH IN THIS AREA TO FILL NECESSARY GAPS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE. OUR LONG-TERM DEDICATION TO THE FIELDS OF BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR EMERGING INTEREST IN YOGA AS A POTENTIAL TOOL, LED US TO THE COMPILATION OF THIS EDITION ON YOGA AND POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. 2020 15 2902 24 [FROM YOGA TO PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: A HERMENEUTIC STUDY ON THE ETHICAL VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI]. THE SCOPE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO INTERPRET ETHICAL VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE YOGA TRADITION AND DISCUSS THEM WITH A VIEW TO POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE (PHC). A THEORETICAL-HERMENEUTIC STUDY WAS CONDUCTED, IN WHICH CONCEPTS CONTAINED IN THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI WERE INTERPRETED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MENTAL HEALTH. IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE VALUES FOUND IN THE TEXTS CAN ENRICH THE EXISTING PRACTICES OF YOGA FOR PHC USERS (WHO SUFFER FROM AFFLICTIONS INHERENT TO LIFE) BY PROVIDING IDEAS AND GUIDELINES THAT PROMOTE A SENSE OF LIBERATION FROM SUFFERING. SUCH VALUES AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE DISCUSSIONS IN PHC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE, SUCH AS THE REDUCTION OF IATROGENIC DISORDERS AND UNNECESSARY MEDICATION (QUATERNARY PREVENTION). IT CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RELATIVIZATION OF BIOMEDICAL POWER, STIMULATION OF EMPATHY AND PARTICIPATION OF USERS IN CARE, WITH THEIR SUBJECTIVE REPOSITIONING, MULTIPLYING AUTONOMOUS WAYS OF MANAGING SUFFERING AND BUILDING NETWORKS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT. THE CONCLUSION DRAWN WAS THAT THE VALUES OF THE YOGA SUTRAS MAY BE PRESENT IN VARIOUS DOMAINS OF PHC, WHICH MIGHT PROVIDE A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT 'THE PRACTICE OF YOGA' MEANS. 2021 16 1310 32 HEALING MYTHS, YOGA STYLES AND SOCIAL BODIES: SOCIO-LOGICS OF YOGA AS A HEALTH PRACTICE IN THE SOCIALLY STRATIFIED CITY OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE. DRAWING ON PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION AND INTERVIEWS IN TWO YOGA STUDIOS IN THE HIGHLY SOCIALLY STRATIFIED CITY OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE, THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE UNDERSTANDINGS OF YOGA AS A HEALTH PRACTICE THAT EMERGE AT THE INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN YOGA STYLES AND THEIR SOCIAL CONTEXTS OF CONSUMPTION. ITS INSIGHTS EMERGE FROM THE COMPARISON OF THREE MODERN YOGA STYLES THAT WERE DEVELOPED FOR WESTERN ENGLISH-SPEAKING CULTURAL CONTEXTS - IYENGAR, BIKRAM AND FORREST - AND WHICH DIFFER IN FORM BUT ALSO IN THE CHRONOLOGY OF THEIR EMERGENCE ON THE GLOBAL YOGA MARKET AND THAT OF THEIR RECEPTION IN FRANCE. THESE THREE YOGA STYLES ARE ALSO BRANDED THROUGH CONTRASTING MYTHOLOGIES OF TRANSFORMATIONAL HEALING, AND THE AIM OF THIS PAPER IS TO EXPLORE HOW A BRAND CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA AS A HEALTH PRACTICE RELATES TO OR RESONATES WITH THE EMBODIED EXPERIENCES OF PRACTITIONERS, AND TO THE SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXTS IN WHICH PRACTITIONERS AND THEIR PRACTICES ARE EMBEDDED. THE PAPER CONTRIBUTES A NEW CASE STUDY TO THE GLOBAL YOGA SCHOLARSHIP AND TO A POORLY STUDIED FRENCH YOGA SCENE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT CROSS-EXAMINES THE DISCOURSES THROUGH WHICH A YOGA STYLE IS BRANDED, THE WAY IT IS TRANSMITTED, AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXT AND SOCIAL POSITIONING OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE IT. COMBINING PERSPECTIVES ON THE BODY, NARRATIVE AND RITUALS, IT IDENTIFIES HOW YOGA HEALING IS CONSTRUED IN RELATION TO GENDER, ETHNICITY AND CLASS AND THE POINTS OF CONSENSUS AND DISSENT THAT EMERGE FROM THE ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN FRENCH SOCIAL BODIES AND EXOGENOUS YOGA STYLES. 2021 17 26 25 'A TOOL TO HELP ME THROUGH THE DARKNESS': SUFFERING AND HEALING AMONG TEACHER-PRACTITIONERS OF ASHTANGA YOGA. YOGA IS WIDELY REGARDED AS BENEFICIAL FOR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND AS A SAFE ANCILLARY INTERVENTION FOR MANAGING A RANGE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. EVIDENCE OF INJURY, HARM, AND ABUSE IN YOGA TRADITIONS IS DIFFICULT TO SQUARE WITH THIS EMPHASIS ON HEALING. DRAWING MAINLY FROM ON ONLINE MEMOIRS BY LONG-TERM PRACTITIONERS OF ASHTANGA YOGA, THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUFFERING AND HEALING IN YOGA, SHOWING HOW LONG-TERM ABUSE CAN BE PERPETUATED AND INJURY SUSTAINED IN A SYSTEM WIDELY UNDERSTOOD AND LABELLED BY ITS PRACTITIONERS AS THERAPEUTIC. THE PAPER ARGUES THAT ELEMENTS OF HEALING AND HARM ARE PRESENT IN THE RITUALS OF PRACTICE, THE CONCEPTS THAT SUPPORT IT, AND THE POWER STRUCTURE OF THE ASHTANGA SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM'S ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS TOGETHER WITH A THERAPEUTIC DISCOURSE THAT LINKS SUFFERING TO ITS TRANSCENDENCE ENABLED THE SAME KINDS OF ABUSE AND TRAUMA THAT ASHTANGA YOGA IS PURPORTED TO HEAL. THE ANALYSIS RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERARCHING NARRATIVE OF YOGA AS SAFE AND HEALTHY, AND ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HEALING AND HARM WITHIN THERAPEUTIC TRADITIONS. 2021 18 2580 21 YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGING: SCIENCE OR HYPE? YOGA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST HEALTH SYSTEMS IS RECEIVING NEW ATTENTION FOR CLAIMS THAT IT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTHY AGING. UNTIL RECENTLY, SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR ITS EFFICACY HAS RELIED HEAVILY ON SMALL AND POORLY-DESIGNED RESEARCH, BUT THIS IS CHANGING. MULTIPLE, WELL-DESIGNED STUDIES PROVIDE DATA SHOWING THAT YOGA PRACTICE HAS POSITIVE EFFECTS ON CELLULAR AGING, MOBILITY, BALANCE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND PREVENTION OF COGNITIVE DECLINE-ALL AREAS OF CONCERN FOR OLDER ADULTS. SINCE THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING YOGA-BASED COMMUNITY AND HOME-BASED INTERVENTIONS IS LOW-POLICYMAKERS ARE ALSO EYEING YOGA PRACTICE AS A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE MEDICAL COSTS AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES AMONG A GROWING AGING POPULATION. THIS COMMENTARY REVIEWS THE EVIDENCE FOR BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS FROM YOGA, AS WELL AS CONCERNS ABOUT INJURIES THAT HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN TYPES OF YOGA PRACTICE. IT REVEALS A SURPRISING RANGE OF YOGA PROGRAMS AND DIFFICULTY LEVELS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALMOST ANYONE TO PARTICIPATE AND GAIN HEALTH BENEFITS WITH PRACTICE. 2021 19 1678 21 OLDER WOMEN, EXERCISE TO MUSIC, AND YOGA: SENSES OF PLEASURE? THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF OLDER WOMEN PARTICIPANTS IN (A) A LOW-IMPACT EXERCISE TO MUSIC (ETM) CLASS AND (B) A YOGA CLASS TO UNCOVER WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM IN TAKING PART IN THESE CLASSES. RESEARCHER S IS THE INSTRUCTOR OF THE ETM GROUP AND DRAWS UPON INDIVIDUAL AND FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS AND PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION. RESEARCHER B IS A MEMBER OF THE YOGA CLASS WHERE SHE INTERVIEWED THE WOMEN AND UNDERTOOK PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS. BOTH AUTHORS ARE A SIMILAR AGE TO THE OLDER WOMEN INTERVIEWEES. THROUGH A PHENOMENOLOGICAL INTERPRETATIVE APPROACH, THE PAPER EXAMINES THE WOMEN'S PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR EXERCISE CLASS AND YOGA EXPERIENCES, HIGHLIGHTING PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCES AND FEATURES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ENJOYMENT. THE PAPER CONSIDERS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PLEASURE, WELLBEING, THE SENSES, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND AGING, DRAWING UPON A VARIETY OF ANALYSES. IT PAYS ATTENTION TO THE CONTEXTUAL FEATURES OF THE ETM AND YOGA CLASSES IN MAKING AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PLEASURABLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EXPERIENCES FOR THE WOMEN AND DRAWS, IN PART, ON 'TYPOLOGIES' OF PLEASURE TO FRAME THE DEBATE AROUND OLDER WOMEN, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND SENSES OF PLEASURE. OUR RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THE CONSIDERABLE WELLBEING AFFECTS FOR WOMEN WHEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROVISION TAKES ACCOUNT OF CONTEXT (THE SPATIAL, CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND SENTIENT). 2016 20 2882 12 YOGA: A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH. YOGA, PRACTICED WIDELY IN THE EAST, IS NOW POPULAR IN THE WEST AS PART OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THIS ARTICLE BRINGS A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. SELECTED YOGA POSTURES THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BENEFIT CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS ARE HIGHLIGHTED. IN ADDITION, THE PHILOSOPHY, GENERAL GUIDELINES, AND MEDICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE ARE DESCRIBED. 2004