1 1733 70 PERSPECTIVES ON BENEFITS OF CLASSROOM YOGA AND THE NEED FOR INNOVATION AND ADAPTATION. SCHOLARSHIP ON THE USE OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS IS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE: THEORETICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL PIECES TOUT THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION, WHILE RESEARCH REVEALS MANY POSITIVE OUTCOMES. BASED ON THEIR PRACTICE OF CLASSROOM YOGA, THE AUTHORS FOUND THAT YOGA, AS A CONTEMPLATIVE MIND-BODY PRACTICE, HELPED STUDENTS TRANSITION FROM BUSY LIVES TO FOCUS ON THE LEARNING PROCESS AND DEVELOP AN ACADEMIC MINDSET. ADDITIONALLY, THEY OBSERVED THAT SUCCESSFULLY OFFERING YOGA IN THE CLASSROOM REQUIRES A RESPONSIVE AND ITERATIVE APPROACH THAT FLEXIBLY ADAPTS TO CONDITIONS AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE CONTINUOUSLY IN FLUX. 2021 2 2556 16 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 3 2554 22 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 1735 21 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 5 2711 22 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 2448 15 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 7 2375 15 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 8 1256 16 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 9 242 22 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 10 2489 12 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 11 485 15 CLINICAL GROUP SUPERVISION IN YOGA THERAPY: MODEL EFFECTS, AND LESSONS LEARNED. CLINICAL SUPERVISION IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THERAPIST TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF ITS CAPACITY FOR FOSTERING KNOWLEDGE, SELF-AWARENESS, AND CLINICAL ACUMEN. INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION IS PART OF MANY YOGA THERAPY TRAINING PROGRAMS AND IS REFERENCED IN THE IAYT STANDARDS AS "MENTORING." GROUP SUPERVISION IS NOT TYPICALLY USED IN THE TRAINING OF YOGA THERAPISTS. WE PROPOSE THAT GROUP SUPERVISION EFFECTIVELY SUPPORTS THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOGA THERAPISTS-IN-TRAINING. WE PRESENT A MODEL OF GROUP SUPERVISION FOR YOGA THERAPIST TRAINEES DEVELOPED BY THE NEW ENGLAND SCHOOL OF INTEGRATIVE YOGA THERAPEUTICS (THE NESIYT MODEL) THAT INCLUDES THE BACKGROUND, STRUCTURE, FORMAT, AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR INAUGURAL 18-MONTH SUPERVISION GROUP. PRE-AND POST-SUPERVISION SURVEYS AND ANALYZED CASE NOTES, WHICH CAPTURED KEY DIDACTIC AND PROCESS THEMES, ARE DISCUSSED. CLINICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS BOUNDARIES, PERFORMANCE ANXIETY, SENSE OF SELF EFFICACY, THE THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE, TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTER TRANSFERENCE, PACING OF YOGA THERAPY SESSIONS, EVALUATION OF CLIENT PROGRESS, AND ADJUNCT THERAPIST INTERACTION ARE REVIEWED. THE TIMING AND SEQUENCE OF DIDACTIC AND PROCESS THEMES AND BENEFITS FOR YOGA THERAPIST TRAINEES' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ARE DISCUSSED. THE NESIYT GROUP SUPERVISION MODEL IS OFFERED AS AN EFFECTIVE BLUEPRINT FOR YOGA THERAPY TRAINING PROGRAMS. 2012 12 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 13 1673 20 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 14 1937 15 ROLE OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF NEUROTIC DISORDERS: CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS. A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA, NOT ONLY IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDER BUT ALSO IN PROMOTING POSITIVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. THIS PAPER REVIEWS VARIOUS STUDIES ON THE TREATMENT OF NEUROSIS WITH TECHNIQUES DERIVED FROM YOGA. A FEW LACUNAE HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND POSSIBLE DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ARE OUTLINED. IT IS HOPED THAT RESEARCH ALONG THESE LINES WILL DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED METHOD OF YOGA THERAPY WHICH CAN BE UTILIZED AND INTEGRATED WITHIN THE EXISTING METHODS OF TREATMENT OF NEUROTIC DISORDERS. 1994 15 2378 14 WHY AYURVEDIC YOGA THERAPISTS AND WHY NOW? IAYT HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR YOGA THERAPY AS A HEALING PROFESSION TO GROW AND DEVELOP ITS MISSION TO DELIVER OPTIMAL THERAPEUTICS VIA INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS AND TAILORED GROUP CLASSES. FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE NATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NAMA) HAS BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO CONSIDER THE VALUE AND DEFINITION OF AN AYURVEDIC YOGA THERAPIST (AYT) PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION WITHIN THE YOGA THERAPY DISCIPLINE. THE AYT DESIGNATION WOULD COMPLEMENT THE CURRENT STANDARDS FOR YOGA THERAPISTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BY IAYT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO DISCUSS (1) WHY THE AYT DESIGNATION IS IMPORTANT; (2) HOW IT SUPPORTS AND EXPANDS ON IAYT'S MISSION; AND (3) WHY NOW IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DEVELOP COMPETENCIES, STANDARDS, AND A SCOPE OF PRACTICE FOR AYURVEDIC YOGA THERAPY. 2015 16 2296 13 THERAPEUTIC PROCESSES IN A YOGA ASHRAM. ALTHOUGH COMMUNAL AND NEW RELIGIOUS GROUPS ARE SAID TO PROVIDE QUASI-THERAPEUTIC EXPERIENCES FOR RELATIVELY HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SOCIETY, THERE IS LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS OCCURS. THIS STUDY EXAMINES THE LIFESTYLE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF A YOGA ASHRAM AND DESCRIBES HOW THEY FACILITATE PROCESSES WHERE RESIDENTS LEARN TO RELEASE AND PREVENT STRESS IN THEIR LIVES. 1985 17 2882 18 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 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 2580 19 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 20 1624 17 MINDFULNESS AND REHABILITATION: TEACHING YOGA AND MEDITATION TO YOUNG MEN IN AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION PROGRAM. THIS STUDY USED PARTICIPANT/OBSERVATION AND OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEWS TO UNDERSTAND HOW MALE PARTICIPANTS (AGE 18-24 YEARS) BENEFITED FROM YOGA AND MINDFULNESS TRAINING WITHIN AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION (ATI) PROGRAM. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE MALE PARTICIPANTS (AGE 18-24 YEARS) BENEFITED FROM THE INTERVENTION THROUGH REDUCTIONS IN STRESS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN EMOTION REGULATION. SEVERAL PARTICIPANTS NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EMBODIED PRACTICE FOR ASSISTING THEM IN MANAGING ANGER AND IMPULSE CONTROL. THE YOUNG MEN'S NARRATIVES SUGGEST THAT MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS CAN CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO REHABILITATIVE OUTCOMES WITHIN ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATIONS SETTINGS, PROVIDING COMPLEMENTARY BENEFIT TO EXISTING ATI PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY FOR CLIENTS AMENABLE TO MINDFULNESS TRAINING. WITH MANY JURISDICTIONS EXPANDING REHABILITATION-FOCUSED INTERVENTIONS FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS SHOULD CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS CAN HAVE FOR FOSTERING DESISTANCE AND REDUCING RECIDIVISM AMONG JUSTICE SYSTEM-INVOLVED POPULATIONS. 2017