1 474 91 CLAIMING PEACEFUL EMBODIMENT THROUGH YOGA IN THE AFTERMATH OF TRAUMA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCES OF PRACTICING YOGA AND ITS ROLE WITHIN PROCESSES OF HEALING FOR ADULT WOMEN WITH COMPLEX TRAUMA HISTORIES. USING A HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL METHOD, DATA WERE ANALYZED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH 39 WOMEN. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE CORE MEANING OF PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCE OF HEALING THROUGH YOGA IS CLAIMING PEACEFUL EMBODIMENT. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS OCCURRING ON A CONTINUUM WHEREBY WOMEN EXPERIENCED IMPROVED CONNECTIONS WITH AND SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OVER THEIR BODIES, EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS, AND A GREATER SENSE OF WELL-BEING, CALMNESS, AND WHOLENESS IN THEIR BODIES AND MINDS. A NUMBER OF INTERCONNECTED ESSENTIAL THEMES RELATED TO THIS CORE MEANING WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED, ILLUMINATING PROCESSES THAT SUPPORTED CLAIMING PEACEFUL EMBODIMENT AND CAPABILITIES THAT WERE ENABLED BY BEING MORE PEACEFULLY EMBODIED. ADDITIONAL THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED HIGHLIGHTING FACTORS THAT FACILITATED OR IMPEDED PARTICIPANTS' ENGAGEMENT WITH YOGA AND THEIR EXPERIENCES OF HEALING THROUGH YOGA. 2015 2 2448 21 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 3 1278 15 FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH ON YOGA AND POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES THE CONCLUDING THOUGHTS ON THE SPECIAL ISSUE, YOGA FOR POSITIVE EMBODIMENT IN EATING DISORDER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND THE DIFFERENT INDICATORS OF POSITIVE EMBODIMENT THAT IS RELEVANT FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS. BASED ON THE CURRENT BODY OR WORK, WE OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEXT STEPS FOR RESEARCHERS FOR POPULATION-BASED, QUALITATIVE, AND PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION RESEARCH. 2020 4 380 34 BECOMING CONNECTED: THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF YOGA PARTICIPATION AFTER STROKE. PURPOSE: TO INVESTIGATE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF A YOGA PROGRAMME FOR STROKE SURVIVORS. METHOD: THIS ARTICLE REPORTS ON A PRELIMINARY STUDY USING QUALITATIVE METHODS TO INVESTIGATE THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF A YOGA PROGRAMME. NINE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED STROKE WERE INTERVIEWED FOLLOWING A 10-WEEK YOGA PROGRAMME INVOLVING MOVEMENT, BREATHING AND MEDITATION PRACTICES. AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH WAS USED TO DETERMINE MEANINGS ATTACHED TO YOGA PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS PERCEPTIONS OF OUTCOMES. RESULTS: INTERPRETATIVE THEMES EVOLVING FROM THE DATA WERE ORGANISED AROUND A BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH BENEFITS FROM YOGA. EMERGENT THEMES FROM THE ANALYSIS INCLUDED: GREATER SENSATION; FEELING CALMER AND BECOMING CONNECTED. THESE THEMES RESPECTIVELY REVEALED PERCEIVED PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF STRENGTH, RANGE OF MOVEMENT OR WALKING ABILITY, AN IMPROVED SENSE OF CALMNESS AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR RECONNECTING AND ACCEPTING A DIFFERENT BODY. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY HAS GENERATED ORIGINAL FINDINGS THAT SUGGEST THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A STROKE YOGA PARTICIPATION CAN PROVIDE A NUMBER OF MEANINGFUL PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS AND SUPPORT THE RATIONALE FOR INCORPORATING YOGA AND MEDITATION-BASED PRACTICES INTO REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. 2011 5 2800 29 YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE: PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCES. MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WHILE THE POPULARITY OF YOGA CONTINUES TO RISE IN WESTERN CULTURE, LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO EXPLORE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FROM A QUALITATIVE, CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS STUDY EXPLORES PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES OF THE "YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE" (YTFTM), AN INTERNATIONAL, MANUALIZED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. EIGHT FEMALE PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, AND TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED USING AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, WITH FOUR MASTER THEMES EMERGING: "PERSONAL JOURNEY OF CHANGE," "AMBIVALENCE," "MIND/BODY CONNECTION," AND "GROUP EXPERIENCE." THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN OVERCOMING THESE. FINDINGS ALSO REVEAL THAT PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS FROM THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ASANA IN ADDITION TO MINDFULNESS, SUCH AS A MORE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, ADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGIES, AND ENHANCED WELL-BEING. 2017 6 1338 31 HOW DOES YOGA REDUCE STRESS? EMBODIED COGNITION AND EMOTION HIGHLIGHT THE INFLUENCE OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM. YOGA IS AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR ACTIVITY, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH STRESS REDUCTION AND RELAXATION - AN ASSOCIATION THAT IS GENERALLY SUPPORTED BY EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE. UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEDIATING VARIABLES IS, HOWEVER, LIMITED. GIVEN THAT, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO PRESENT A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT ENCOURAGES SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA, STRESS, AND MUSCULOSKELETAL ACTIVITY. THIS EMBODIED PERSPECTIVE PARALLELS POPULAR INTEREST IN THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION AND EMPHASIZES THE INFLUENCE OF BODY POSITION ON THINKING AS WELL AS EMOTION. THOSE INFLUENCES TAKE ON ADDED MEANING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COGNITIVE APPRAISAL THEORY AND THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF CHALLENGE AND THREAT. INVESTIGATIONS OF EMBODIED COGNITION SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY REDUCE STRESS BY AFFECTING THE WAY INDIVIDUALS APPRAISE STRESSORS. THE COMBINATION OF BODY POSITION AND COMMON COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICE MAY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT EFFECT, PARTICULARLY WHEN CONSIDERING THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SELF AND FEELINGS OF CONFIDENCE. FINDINGS REGARDING EMBODIED EMOTION MAKE A SIMILAR CONTRIBUTION TO UNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH FINDINGS AND COMMON YOGA PRACTICES. CONSIDERING YOGA AND STRESS FROM AN EMBODIED PERSPECTIVE ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM IN THE STRESS PROCESS, LEADING TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER YOGA INFLUENCES STRESS BY DIRECTLY INFLUENCING THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM, INDIRECTLY BY INFLUENCING AWARENESS OF THAT SYSTEM, OR THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. THOSE QUESTIONS, IN TURN, HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPANDING INVESTIGATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES, BODY POSITION, MUSCULOSKELETAL ACTIVITY DURING YOGA, AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THOSE VARIABLES. 2019 7 1500 23 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 8 1673 31 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 9 653 22 EATING DISORDERS, EMBODIMENT, AND YOGA: A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW. YOGA AND ITS RELATION TO EMBODIMENT AND DISORDERED EATING HAS ONLY RECENTLY RECEIVED RESEARCH ATTENTION. NEVERTHELESS, EARLY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT YOGA IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS. IT IS ASSUMED THAT YOGA AMELIORATES EATING DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND FACILITATES A SHIFT FROM NEGATIVE TOWARDS POSITIVE BODY IMAGE AND WELL-BEING BY CULTIVATING POSITIVE EMBODIMENT (I.E., THE ABILITY TO FEEL A SENSE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN MIND AND BODY). IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE CONSTRUCTS OF DISORDERED EATING, EMBODIMENT, AND YOGA, THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THESE CONSTRUCTS. THE THREE MAJOR EATING DISORDERS AND CURRENT TREATMENT METHODS ARE DESCRIBED. FURTHER, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS AND THEORETICAL MODELS OF EMBODIMENT ARE DELINEATED AND THEIR COMMUNAL CORE FEATURES ARE OUTLINED. LASTLY, THE ORIGIN, BASIC PRINCIPLES, AND MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF YOGA ARE DISCUSSED. 2020 10 1735 33 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 11 65 24 A CONCEPTUAL MODEL DESCRIBING MECHANISMS FOR HOW YOGA PRACTICE MAY SUPPORT POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. YOGA PRACTICE HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS INDICES OF POSITIVE EMBODIMENT IN CORRELATIONAL AND INTERVENTION STUDIES. YET, SYSTEMATIC, THEORETICALLY-GROUNDED MODELS DETAILING SPECIFIC MECHANISMS BY WHICH YOGA SUPPORTS POSITIVE EMBODIMENT ARE LACKING. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE PRESENT A CONCEPTUAL MODEL THAT DESCRIBES MECHANISMS (I.E., MEDIATORS AND MODERATORS) THAT CAN BE USED TO GUIDE RESEARCH TO HELP ANSWER HOW, FOR WHOM, AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS YOGA PRACTICE MAY PROMOTE POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. BASED ON EXISTING THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS AND EMPIRICAL FINDINGS, THIS MODEL SUGGESTS THAT (A) YOGA PRACTICE MAY CULTIVATE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES DURING YOGA (E.G., STATE MINDFULNESS), (B) THESE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES MAY BUILD STABLE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES THAT GENERALIZE BEYOND THE YOGA CONTEXT (E.G., TRAIT MINDFULNESS), AND (C) THESE STABLE EMBODYING EXPERIENCES MAY THEN PROMOTE EMBODYING PRACTICES (E.G., MINDFUL SELF-CARE). THIS MEDIATIONAL CHAIN IS LIKELY MODERATED BY THE YOGA CONTEXT (E.G., INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS, PRESENCE OF MIRRORS, DIVERSITY OF BODIES REPRESENTED) AND YOGA PRACTITIONERS' SOCIAL IDENTITIES (E.G., BODY SIZE, PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS), SOCIAL AND PERSONAL HISTORIES (E.G., EXPERIENCES WITH WEIGHT STIGMA AND TRAUMA), AND PERSONALITY TRAITS AND MOTIVES (E.G., BODY COMPARISON, APPEARANCE-FOCUSED MOTIVES TO PRACTICE YOGA). USING THE STRUCTURE OF THIS CONCEPTUAL MODEL, WE OFFER RESEARCHERS IDEAS FOR TESTABLE MODELS AND STUDY DESIGNS THAT CAN SUPPORT THEM. 2020 12 1342 24 HOW YOGA HELPS HEAL INTERPERSONAL TRAUMA: PERSPECTIVES AND THEMES FROM 11 INTERPERSONAL TRAUMA SURVIVORS. TRAUMA IS UBIQUITOUS IN OUR SOCIETY; THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE HOW INDIVIDUALS CULTIVATE HEALING AFTER TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES. YOGA MAY BE ONE AVENUE TO CULTIVATE HEALING. QUALITATIVE METHODS WERE EMPLOYED TO STUDY THE ROLE YOGA PRACTICE PLAYED IN THE HEALING PROCESS OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED INTERPERSONAL TRAUMA. ELEVEN INTERPERSONAL TRAUMA SURVIVORS WHO PRACTICED YOGA REGULARLY WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH A CRITERION SAMPLING METHOD. DATA ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE EMPHASIS OF YOGA ON MIND AND PHYSICAL BODY FOSTERED NUMEROUS POSITIVE OUTCOMES, SUCH AS SPIRITUAL GROWTH, SELF-ACCEPTANCE, ALLEVIATION OF TRAUMA-RELATED SYMPTOMS, AND INCREASED FEELINGS OF SELF-COMPASSION, EMPOWERMENT, AND SERENITY. OUR FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY BE HELPFUL TO REGAIN MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, FOSTER WELLBEING, AND CULTIVATE PERSONAL GROWTH AFTER INTERPERSONAL TRAUMA. 2016 13 1588 39 MEDICAL YOGA: ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD-A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONS SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS. THE PREVALENCE OF STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS HAS GROWN IN RECENT YEARS. MANY OF THESE PATIENTS SEEK HELP IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE. YOGA CAN REDUCE STRESS AND THUS COMPLEMENTS PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY IN MEDICAL PRACTICE. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF YOGA TREATMENT IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING OR, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXPERIENCES OF YOGA WHEN SUFFERING FROM STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS. THUS, THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE MEANING OF PARTICIPATING IN MEDICAL YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR STRESS-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTING. THIS STUDY HAS A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL DESIGN AND TOOK PLACE AT A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE IN SWEDEN DURING 2011. FIVE WOMEN AND ONE MAN (43-51 YEARS) PARTICIPATED. THEY WERE RECRUITED FROM THE INTERVENTION GROUP (N=18) IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL, IN WHICH THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN A MEDICAL YOGA GROUP IN ADDITION TO STANDARD CARE FOR 12 WEEKS. DATA WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, AND A PHENOMENOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED. THE ESSENTIAL MEANING OF THE MEDICAL YOGA EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THE MEDICAL YOGA WAS NOT AN ENDPOINT OF RECOVERY BUT THE START OF A PROCESS TOWARDS AN INCREASED SENSE OF WHOLENESS. IT WAS DESCRIBED AS A WAY OF ALLEVIATING SUFFERING, AND IT PROVIDED THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A TOOL FOR DEALING WITH THEIR STRESS AND CURRENT SITUATION ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL. IT LED TO GREATER SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH IN TURN HAD AN IMPLICIT IMPACT ON THEIR LIFEWORLD. IN PHENOMENOLOGICAL TERMS, THIS CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS ANOTHER WAY OF BEING IN THE WORLD, ENCOMPASSING A PERCEPTION OF DEEPENED IDENTITY. FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE, DUE TO USING THE BODY IN A NEW WAY (YOGA), THE PARTICIPANTS HAD LEARNT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, WHICH ENRICHED AND RECAST THEIR PERCEPTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIVES. 2014 14 560 28 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 15 2517 20 YOGA COMMUNITIES AND EATING DISORDERS: CREATING SAFE SPACE FOR POSITIVE EMBODIMENT. WITH ADEQUATE EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE, YOGA COMMUNITIES, AS PART OF THE THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPE IN THE 21ST CENTURY, CAN PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE PROMOTING POSITIVE EMBODIMENT FOR THOSE WITH, AND AT-RISK FOR, EATING DISORDERS (EDS). TO DO THIS, YOGA TEACHERS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO CREATE A BODY-POSITIVE COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO THOSE AT RISK AND STRUGGLING WITH EDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS YOGA TEACHING METHODS ASSOCIATED WITH EDS AND ED RISK, BROADER CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES AND SPECIFIC PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH POSITIVE EMBODIMENT ARE OFFERED. THESE INCLUDE THE BROADER CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES OF: INTENTIONAL INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE, EXPERIENTIAL EMPHASIS, SUPPORTING POSITIVE EMBODIMENT AND INQUIRY. STUDIO PRAGMATICS ARE ALSO DETAILED AS RELATED TO THE BODY, BREATH, EMOTIONS, AND COMMUNITY. ASSESSMENT, REFERRAL, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ARE ALSO ADDRESSED. 2017 16 1479 25 INTEGRATING BRAIN SCIENCE INTO HEALTH STUDIES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSE IN CONTEMPLATIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND YOGA. AS NEUROSCIENCE KNOWLEDGE GROWS IN ITS SCOPE OF SOCIETAL APPLICATIONS SO DOES THE NEED TO EDUCATE A WIDER AUDIENCE ON HOW TO CRITICALLY EVALUATE ITS RESEARCH FINDINGS. EFFORTS AT FINDING TEACHING APPROACHES THAT ARE INTERDISCIPLINARY, ACCESSIBLE AND HIGHLY APPLICABLE TO STUDENT EXPERIENCE ARE THUS ONGOING. THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE HEALTH COURSE THAT COMBINES THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF CONTEMPLATIVE NEUROSCIENCE WITH CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE, SPECIFICALLY YOGA. THE CLASS AIMS TO REACH A DIVERSE MIX OF STUDENTS BY TEACHING APPLICABLE, HEALTH-RELEVANT NEUROSCIENCE MATERIAL WHILE DIRECTLY CONNECTING IT TO FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE. OUTCOMES INDICATE SUCCESS ON THESE GOALS: THE COURSE ATTRACTED A WIDE RANGE OF STUDENTS, INCLUDING NEARLY 50% NON-SCIENCE MAJORS. ON A PRE/POST TEST, STUDENTS SHOWED LARGE INCREASES IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF NEUROSCIENCE. STUDENTS' RATINGS OF THE COURSE OVERALL, OF INCREASES IN POSITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT ITS FIELD, AND OF THEIR PROGRESS ON SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES WERE HIGHLY POSITIVE. FINALLY, STUDENTS IN THEIR WRITTEN WORK APPLIED NEUROSCIENCE COURSE CONTENT TO THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES. SUCH RESULTS INDICATE THAT THIS APPROACH COULD SERVE AS A MODEL FOR THE INTERDISCIPLINARY, ACCESSIBLE AND APPLIED INTEGRATION OF RELEVANT NEUROSCIENCE MATERIAL INTO THE UNDERGRADUATE HEALTH CURRICULUM. 2017 17 2392 28 YOGA AND BODY IMAGE: HOW DO YOUNG ADULTS PRACTICING YOGA DESCRIBE ITS IMPACT ON THEIR BODY IMAGE? THIS STUDY EXPLORED THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF YOGA ON BODY IMAGE. YOUNG ADULTS (N= 34 FEMALE, 12 MALE; MAGE = 30.6 [SD = 1.6]) PRACTICING YOGA WERE INTERVIEWED AND DATA WERE ANALYZED FOR EMERGING THEMES ACROSS WEIGHT STATUS. IN GENERAL, PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF YOGA ON THEIR BODY IMAGE, BUT SOME DESCRIBED BOTH A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT. YOGA WAS PERCEIVED AS HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON BODY IMAGE VIA PERCEIVED PHYSICAL CHANGES, GRATITUDE FOR ONE'S BODY, A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT WITHIN ONE'S YOGA PRACTICE, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND WITNESSING DIFFERENT TYPES OF BODIES PRACTICING YOGA. YOGA WAS PERCEIVED TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON BODY IMAGE VIA COMPARATIVE CRITIQUE (E.G., UPWARD COMPARISONS WITH OTHERS) AND INNER CRITIQUE (E.G., NEGATIVE SELF-TALK). THEMES WERE GENERALLY SIMILAR ACROSS WEIGHT STATUS; EXCEPTIONS WERE THAT PARTICIPANTS AT HIGHER WEIGHT STATUS WERE MORE LIKELY THAN THOSE AT LOWER WEIGHT STATUS TO DISCUSS ACCOMPLISHMENT WITHIN ONE'S YOGA PRACTICE AS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON BODY IMAGE AND COMPARATIVE CRITIQUE AS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON BODY IMAGE. YOGA STUDIOS AND INSTRUCTORS CAN TAKE STEPS TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF YOGA AND TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF PARTICIPANTS WITH DIVERSE BODY SHAPES AND SIZES. 2018 18 1712 21 PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA AMONG URBAN SCHOOL STUDENTS: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS. THIS STUDY REPORTS ON THE FINDINGS OF A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF A YOGA INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR URBAN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. SIX FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN A YEAR-LONG YOGA PROGRAM TO DETERMINE THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES. RESULTS SHOW THAT STUDENTS PERCEIVED THE BENEFITS OF YOGA AS INCREASED SELF-REGULATION, MINDFULNESS, SELF-ESTEEM, PHYSICAL CONDITIONING, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND STRESS REDUCTION. BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES FOR A YOGA PRACTICE INCLUDE LACK OF TIME AND SPACE. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE BENEFITS EXPERIENCED ARE INTERRELATED TO ONE ANOTHER IS DISCUSSED. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMMING ARE ALSO OFFERED. 2016 19 394 18 BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND CUES TO ACTION OF YOGA PRACTICE: A FOCUS GROUP APPROACH. OBJECTIVES: TO EXPLORE PERCEIVED BENEFITS, BARRIERS, AND CUES TO ACTION OF YOGA PRACTICE AMONG ADULTS. METHODS: FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER PRACTICED YOGA, PRACTITIONERS OF ONE YEAR OR LESS, AND PRACTITIONERS FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL WAS THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATION OF INQUIRY. RESULTS: ALL PARTICIPANTS ACKNOWLEDGED A VARIETY OF BENEFITS OF YOGA. BARRIERS OUTWEIGHED BENEFITS AMONG PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER PRACTICED DESPITE KNOWLEDGE OF BENEFITS. POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA AND YOGA INSTRUCTORS FACILITATED PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: NEWLY IDENTIFIED BENEFITS AND BARRIERS INDICATE THE NEED FOR QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH AND BEHAVIORAL TRIALS. 2009 20 333 18 APPLICATION OF YOGA IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT OF TRAUMATIZED YOUTH. BACKGROUND: THE TRAUMA CENTER AT JUSTICE RESOURCE INSTITUTE HAS ADAPTED A FORM OF HATHA YOGA INTO A TRAUMA-SENSITIVE ADJUNCTIVE COMPONENT OF INTERVENTION FOR USE WITH COMPLEXLY TRAUMATIZED INDIVIDUALS EXHIBITING CHRONIC AFFECTIVE AND SOMATIC DYSREGULATION AND ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORAL, FUNCTIONING, AND HEALTH COMPLAINTS. OBJECTIVES: THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE USE OF YOGA WITH TRAUMATIZED YOUTH (AGED 12-21 YEARS) IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT. DESIGN: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON THE SOMATIC IMPACT OF TRAUMA EXPOSURE PROVIDES A RATIONALE FOR THE USE OF YOGA WITH THIS POPULATION AND HIGHLIGHTS AN EMERGING EVIDENCE BASE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PRACTICE. CASE VIGNETTES ILLUSTRATE THE INTEGRATION OF STRUCTURED, GENTLE YOGA PRACTICES INTO RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. RESULTS: ANECDOTAL DATA AND CLINICAL OBSERVATION UNDERSCORE THE PROMISE OF YOGA AS A VIABLE APPROACH TO BUILD SELF-REGULATORY CAPACITY OF TRAUMATIZED YOUTH. CONCLUSIONS: FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA PRACTICES FOR YOUTH ARE DISCUSSED. 2011