1 2379 59 WHY PRACTICE YOGA? PRACTITIONERS' MOTIVATIONS FOR ADOPTING AND MAINTAINING YOGA PRACTICE. WE EXAMINED MOTIVES FOR ADOPTING AND MAINTAINING YOGA PRACTICE IN A NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS (360 YOGA STUDENTS, 156 YOGA TEACHERS). BOTH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ADOPTED YOGA PRACTICE PRIMARILY FOR EXERCISE AND STRESS RELIEF, BUT REPORTED MANY OTHER REASONS, INCLUDING FLEXIBILITY, GETTING INTO SHAPE, AND DEPRESSION/ANXIETY RELIEF. OVER 62 PERCENT OF STUDENTS AND 85 PERCENT OF TEACHERS REPORTED HAVING CHANGED THEIR PRIMARY REASON FOR PRACTICING OR DISCOVERING OTHER REASONS; FOR BOTH, THE TOP CHANGED PRIMARY REASON WAS SPIRITUALITY. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT MOST INITIATE YOGA PRACTICE FOR EXERCISE AND STRESS RELIEF, BUT FOR MANY, SPIRITUALITY BECOMES THEIR PRIMARY REASON FOR MAINTAINING PRACTICE. 2016 2 1646 26 MOTIVATIONS FOR ADOPTING AND MAINTAINING A YOGA PRACTICE: A NATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. BACKGROUND: YOGA PRACTICE IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR AROUND THE WORLD, YET LITTLE IS KNOWN REGARDING WHY PEOPLE ADOPT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA OR HOW THEIR REASONS FOR PRACTICE CHANGE WITH CONTINUED PRACTICE. FURTHERMORE, WHETHER THOSE WHO PRACTICE DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIVES REMAINS UNKNOWN. METHODS: TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, THE AUTHORS CONDUCTED A NATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL ONLINE SURVEY OF 1,702 YOGA PRACTITIONERS IN GERMANY, ASKING ABOUT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND MOTIVES FOR INITIATING AND CONTINUING YOGA PRACTICE. RESULTS: THE MOST COMMON PRIMARY REASONS FOR STARTING YOGA WERE RELAXATION (26.6%) AND PREVENTION (25.5%), WHICH WERE ALSO THE MOST COMMON SECONDARY REASONS. NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE (55.3%) REPORTED A DIFFERENT PRIMARY REASON FOR MAINTAINING THAN FOR ADOPTING YOGA PRACTICE. PREVENTION (38.4%) AND SPIRITUALITY (26.4%) WERE THE MOST COMMONLY REPORTED PRIMARY REASONS FOR MAINTAINING YOGA PRACTICE. MORE HIGHLY EDUCATED PARTICIPANTS AND THOSE PRACTICING LONGER THAN 5 YEARS AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE REPORTED A DIFFERENT CURRENT PRIMARY REASON FOR YOGA PRACTICE THAN THAT FOR WHICH THEY STARTED PRACTICING. CONCLUSIONS: THESE RESULTS SHED LIGHT ON YOGA'S APPEAL TO NOVICES AND REGULAR PRACTITIONERS, WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR MAKING YOGA APPEALING TO BEGINNERS AS WELL AS PROMOTING THE PRACTICE AS A LONG-TERM LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOR. 2019 3 634 24 DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN PERCEPTIONS OF REAL AND IDEAL YOGA TEACHERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. OBJECTIVES: ALTHOUGH MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE ADOPTING YOGA INTO THEIR LIVES, LITTLE RESEARCH HAS EXAMINED PRACTITIONERS' EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF THEIR YOGA INSTRUCTOR'S BEHAVIOR. DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN REAL AND IDEAL BEHAVIORS OF YOGA INSTRUCTORS MAY LEAD TO UNSATISFACTORY EXPERIENCES AND DECREASE THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF YOGA PRACTICE. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOGA PRACTITIONERS' REAL AND IDEAL PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR YOGA TEACHER'S BEHAVIOR AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISCREPANT BELIEFS AND STUDENTS' SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY,AND STRESS. METHODS: THE PERCEPTIONS OF YOGA TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE (PYTQ), A RECENTLY DEVELOPED SURVEY OF STUDENT ATTITUDES REGARDING YOGA TEACHERS' BEHAVIOR, WAS ADMINISTERED INA NATIONAL ONLINE SURVEY OF YOGA STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. GREATER DISCREPANCY BETWEEN REAL AND IDEA YOGA TEACHER BEHAVIOR WAS ANTICIPATED TO BE POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH PRACTITIONERS' SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS. RESULTS: PEARSON CORRELATIONS CORRECTED FOR MULTIPLE COMPARISONS REVEALED THAT YOGA STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THEIR TEACHER'S BEHAVIORS. SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN REAL AND IDEAL TEACHER BEHAVIOR WERE FOUND FOR BOTH GROUPS. HIGHER DISCREPANCY SCORES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY BUT NOT DEPRESSION FOR STUDENTS, BUT NOT FOR TEACHERS. CONCLUSIONS: THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPECTANCIES AND REAL YOGA TEACHER BEHAVIORS AND THEIR LINKS TO STUDENT EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT.MORE RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IS WARRANTED. 2013 4 2373 13 WHAT IS OUR "EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY"? REFLECTIONS ON SOCIAL WORK'S ORIENTATION IN YOGA THERAPY RESEARCH. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO EXPLORE HOW THE SOCIAL WORK DISCIPLINE COULD PROVIDE A COMPLEMENTARY LENS THROUGH WHICH YOGA THERAPY CAN BE ANALYZED AND EVALUATED BY ENGAGING IN KNOWLEDGE-CREATION PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES THAT PRIORITIZE THE "EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY" DESCRIBED BY PHILOSOPHER LORRAINE CODE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, BY SEEKING TO STRATEGICALLY INCLUDE OFTEN-SUBJUGATED TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE AND BY FOCUSING ON REDISTRIBUTING EPISTEMIC POWER TO AGENTS THAT TYPICALLY HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM EPISTEMIC PARTICIPATION IN CONTEMPORARY YOGA THERAPY RESEARCH, THE SOCIAL WORK DISCIPLINE, WITH ITS STRONG COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO FILLING AN IMPORTANT GAP IN SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. WE BEGIN BY PRESENTING THE RELEVANCE OF THE SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE IN RELATION TO THE FIELD OF YOGA THERAPY. WE NEXT OFFER A RESERVED CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DOMINANT TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT CURRENTLY INFORMS YOGA THERAPY PRACTICE. THIS ANALYSIS HIGHLIGHTS THE SOCIAL PARAMETERS THAT MAY BE RENDERED INVISIBLE OR LEFT ASIDE WHEN ADOPTING A POSITIVIST EPISTEMOLOGICAL LENS AND JUSTIFIES HOW THE CONCEPTUAL APPARATUS OF EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY SERVES AS A POTENTIAL PLATFORM FOR RETHINKING SOCIAL WORK'S POSITION AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD OF YOGA THERAPY. FINALLY, WE MOBILIZE THE CONCEPT OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION TO ILLUSTRATE HOW STRIVING FOR EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY PROVIDES AN ENTRY POINT FOR ADDRESSING THE MULTILEVEL, COMPLEX SOCIAL PROCESSES EMBEDDED IN YOGA THERAPY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH WHILE AIMING TO CAPTURE THE MANY VOICES-AND HENCE THE VARIOUS TRUTHS-IMPLICATED IN A DEMOCRATIC, REFLEXIVE, AND INCLUSIVE RESEARCH PROCESS. 2020 5 664 13 EFFECT OF 90-MIN BIKRAM YOGA ON BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS AMONG PRACTITIONERS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. BACKGROUND: IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE. BIKRAM YOGA IS A LOW IMPACT; MODERATE EXERCISE AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF MOTIVATION AND ADHERENCE TO THE PRACTICE IS UNKNOWN. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF 90 MIN BIKRAM YOGA PRACTICE ON BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS OF COMPETENCE (THE SENSE OF SKILL MASTERY), AUTONOMY (VOLITIONALLY PERFORMING A TASK), AND RELATEDNESS (A CONNECTION WITH OTHERS) AS POSTULATED IN SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY FOR MOTIVATION. METHODS: THE SAMPLE INCLUDED BIKRAM YOGA PRACTITIONERS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES (N = 126) AVERAGED BETWEEN THE AGE GROUP OF 35 AND 64, PREDOMINATELY FEMALE, AND HIGHLY EDUCATED. RESPONSES TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL NEED SATISFACTION IN EXERCISE SCALE WERE ANALYZED USING MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE. RESULTS: RESULTS SHOWED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT OF FREQUENCY OF YOGA ATTENDANCE ON THE SATISFACTION OF BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS (I.E., COMPETENCE, AUTONOMY, AND RELATEDNESS); (P = 0.025); SPECIFICALLY, YOGA PRACTITIONERS WHO ATTENDED FOUR OR MORE CLASSES PER WEEK HAD HIGHER SATISFACTION LEVELS OF BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEED FOR COMPETENCE (P = 0.013) AND RELATEDNESS (P = 0.034). A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT OF THE LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE ON THE SATISFACTION OF BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS (I.E., COMPETENCE, AUTONOMY, AND RELATEDNESS) (P = 0.014) FOUND IN EXPERIENCED BIKRAM YOGA PRACTITIONERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR COMPETENCE (P = 0.013) AND RELATEDNESS (P = 0.023) COMPARED TO NOVICE COUNTERPARTS. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY PROVIDES SOME EVIDENCE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S MOTIVATION FOR A 90 MIN BIKRAM YOGA PRACTICE AND POSSIBLE ADHERENCE. FUTURE INVESTIGATION OF BIKRAM YOGA PRACTICE ADOPTING SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY APPEARS WORTHWHILE. 2020 6 65 13 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 7 1479 14 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 8 2486 16 YOGA AS AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER. DESPITE TREMENDOUS ADVANCEMENTS IN MEDICINE, THE NUMBER OF ORAL CANCER CASES CONTINUES TO INCREASE, AND THE NEED FOR INTEGRATING ALTERNATE MEDICINE OR ADOPTING AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH HAS BECOME A COMPELLING COST-EFFECTIVE REQUIREMENT FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF DISEASES. CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER INVOLVES SURGERY FOLLOWED BY RADIOTHERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT CHEMOTHERAPY WHICH CAUSES SEVERAL COMPLICATIONS INCLUDING POOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HIGH CHANCES OF RECURRENCE OF CANCER. ORAL CANCER IS OFTEN LINKED WITH OBESITY WHICH IS MAJOR RISK FACTORS IN OTHER CANCERS. APART FROM OBESITY, ORAL CANCER IS THOUGHT TO HAVE AN INVERSE RELATION WITH NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS PRESUMABLY BECAUSE CELL DEATH DECREASES IN THE FORMER CASE AND INCREASES IN THE LATTER. ANCIENT MIND-BODY TECHNIQUES SUCH AS YOGA HAVE NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY TESTED AS A TOOL TO SYNERGIZE THE CELLULAR EQUILIBRIUM PERTAINING TO THE TREATMENT OF ORAL CANCER. NERVE GROWTH FACTOR (NGF), TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA (TNF-ALPHA), AND INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6) ARE AMONG THE EARLY EXPERIMENTAL CELLULAR BIOMARKERS THAT MAY BE USED TO PROBE THE MODULATION OF ORAL CANCER, OBESITY, AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS. YOGA HAS BEEN REPORTED TO INFLUENCE THESE MOLECULES IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS BUT WHETHER THEIR EXPRESSION CAN BE ALTERED IN PATIENTS OF ORAL CANCER BY YOGA INTERVENTION IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS RESEARCH BEING DISCUSSED IN THIS REVIEW ARTICLE. THEREFORE, THE PRESENT ARTICLE NOT ONLY REVIEWS THE CURRENT STATUS OF RESEARCH STUDIES IN ORAL CANCER, OBESITY, AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS BUT ALSO HOW THESE ARE LINKED TO EACH OTHER AND WHY THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PUTATIVE NGF PATHWAY, INVOLVING TNF-ALPHA AND IL-6, COULD PROVIDE USEFUL CLUES TO UNDERSTAND THE MOLECULAR EFFECTS BROUGHT ABOUT BY YOGA INTERVENTION IN SUCH PATIENTS. 2018 9 2517 10 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 10 2302 10 THINKING THROUGH THE BODY: THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA AS THERAPY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH EATING DISORDERS. YOGA HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN VIEWED AS A DISCIPLINE THAT INCREASES SELF-AWARENESS THROUGH BODY BASED PRACTICES, MEDITATION, SELF-STUDY, AND THE READING OF PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS. IN THE 21ST CENTURY THE MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUES OF YOGA HAVE BEEN ADAPTED AS AN ADJUNCT TO THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH EATING DISORDERS. IN AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF YOGA AS THERAPY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH EATING DISORDERS, THIS ARTICLE JUXTAPOSES HOW MINDFULNESS BASED YOGA IS REGARDED IN THREE DISCIPLINES: SOCIOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE, AND THE "SPIRITUAL TEXTS" OF YOGA. 2011 11 1704 11 PARTNER YOGA FOR ESTABLISHING BOUNDARIES IN RELATIONSHIP: A TRANSPERSONAL SOMATIC APPROACH. THIS ARTICLE IS WRITTEN FOR YOGA THERAPISTS AND PSYCHOTHERAPISTS WHO WORK WITH COUPLES WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY SETTING BOUNDARIES AND MAINTAINING INDIVIDUALITY IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. PARTNER YOGA, TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY, AND SOMATIC-BASED PSYCHOLOGY ARE APPROACHES THAT CAN PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH A HOLISTIC SYSTEM OF THERAPY TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY BOUNDARIES AND EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. THE PROCESS OF PARTNER YOGA IS DESCRIBED FROM A TRANSPERSONAL, SOMATICALLY ORIENTED APPROACH. EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC ASANAS, OR YOGA POSES, ARE DISCUSSED ALONGSIDE THE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT A THERAPIST MUST CONSIDER WHEN EXPLORING BOUNDARIES AND COMMUNICATION THROUGH PARTNER YOGA. INSIGHTS FROM INDIVIDUAL CASE SESSIONS WITH COUPLES ARE INCLUDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE PROCESS OF DIFFERENTIATION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPERIENCING A TRANSPERSONAL UNION THROUGH PARTNER YOGA. 2011 12 1211 14 EXPLORING HOW DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA CHANGE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING ACROSS A SINGLE SESSION. OBJECTIVES: YOGA DEMONSTRATES BENEFICIAL EFFECTS IN MANY POPULATIONS, YET OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOGA BRINGS ABOUT THESE EFFECTS IS QUITE LIMITED. AMONG THE PROPOSED MECHANISMS OF YOGA ARE INCREASING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES (MINDFULNESS, BODY CONSCIOUSNESS, SELF-TRANSCENDENCE, SPIRITUAL PEACE, AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS) THAT MAY BRING ABOUT SALUTARY EFFECTS ON EMOTIONAL WELLBEING. FURTHER, YOGA IS A COMPLEX PRACTICE COMPRISING MEDITATION, ACTIVE AND RESTORATIVE POSTURES, AND BREATHWORK; HOWEVER LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT COMPONENTS MAY AFFECT MECHANISMS. WE AIMED TO DETERMINE HOW AN ACUTE SESSION OF YOGA (AND ITS SPECIFIC COMPONENTS) RELATED TO PRE- TO POST- SESSION CHANGES IN PROPOSED MECHANISMS (PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES) AND WHETHER THOSE CHANGES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH POSITIVE CHANGES IN EMOTIONS. DESIGN: 144 REGULAR YOGA PRACTITIONERS COMPLETED MEASURES OF MINDFULNESS, BODY CONSCIOUSNESS, SELF-TRANSCENDENCE, SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, SPIRITUAL PEACE, AND EXERCISE-INDUCED EMOTIONS (POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT, REVITALIZATION, TRANQUILITY, EXHAUSTION) IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER A YOGA SESSION (N=11 SESSIONS, EACH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF YOGA). PERCEIVED PROPERTIES OF EACH YOGA SESSION, EXERCISE EXERTION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE YOGA TEACHER WERE ASSESSED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SESSION. RESULTS: PRE-TO POST- YOGA, LEVELS OF POSITIVE EMOTIONS (ENGAGEMENT, TRANQUILITY AND REVITALIZATION) INCREASED WHILE EXHAUSTION DECREASED. FURTHER, ALL PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES INCREASED AND CLOSELY TRACKED IMPROVED EMOTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, ASPECTS OF THE YOGA SESSION CORRELATED WITH CHANGES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES (MECHANISMS) AND EMOTIONS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MAY INFLUENCE MULTIPLE PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS THAT INFLUENCE EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. FURTHER, DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA MAY AFFECT DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. RESULTS CAN INFORM YOGA INTERVENTIONS AIMING TO OPTIMIZE EFFECTS THROUGH SPECIFIC MECHANISMS SUCH AS MINDFULNESS OR SPIRITUALITY. 2020 13 598 17 DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE YOGA SELF-EFFICACY SCALE (YSES). BACKGROUND: YOGA IS A BEHAVIORAL PRACTICE THAT USES PHYSICAL MOVEMENT, BREATHING, AND MEDITATION TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND PROMOTE PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION. ANCIENT YOGA PHILOSOPHY PROPOSED THAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S CONFIDENCE ABOUT YOGA, A CONCEPT SIMILAR TO SELF-EFFICACY, WILL AFFECT THE LIKELIHOOD OF IMPROVED HEALTH FROM YOGA PRACTICE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP AND EXAMINE THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF A SELF-EFFICACY MEASURE FOR YOGA PRACTICE (THE YOGA SELF-EFFICACY SCALE; YSES). METHODS: YOGA PRACTITIONERS WERE RECRUITED TO EVALUATE THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF YSES VIA A SECURE ONLINE SURVEY. WE COLLECTED DATA ON ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO FURTHER EXAMINE CONSTRUCT VALIDITY. AFTER TWO WEEKS, PARTICIPANTS WERE INVITED TO COMPLETE YSES ITEMS AGAIN TO ASSESS TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY. RESULTS: A MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS (N = 309) WERE WHITE (85%), FEMALE (82%), AND YOGA INSTRUCTORS (56%). THE 12-ITEM YSES IS UNIDIMENSIONAL WITH A CRONBACH'S ALPHA OF 0.93. TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY IS R = 0.79 (N = 170). YSES SCORES ARE POSITIVELY CORRELATED WITH HEALTH COMPETENCE, HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, AND YEARS PRACTICING YOGA, SUPPORTING CONSTRUCT VALIDITY. ALSO, YOGA TEACHERS SCORED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER ON THE YSES THAN NON-TEACHERS (P < 0.001). NON-SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS WITH EDUCATION, INCOME AND SEX SUPPORTED DISCRIMINANT VALIDITY. YSES MAINTAINED INTERNAL CONSISTENCY AND CONSTRUCT VALIDITY FOR ALL YOGA STYLES SURVEYED. CONCLUSION: YSES IS A RELIABLE AND VALID MEASURE OF SELF-EFFICACY FOR YOGA PRACTICE THAT MAY PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO BARRIERS TO ADOPTING AND MAINTAINING YOGA AS A HEALTH BEHAVIOR. 2016 14 2448 11 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 15 2372 14 WHAT HELPS OLDER PEOPLE PERSEVERE WITH YOGA CLASSES? A REALIST PROCESS EVALUATION OF A COVID-19-AFFECTED YOGA PROGRAM FOR FALL PREVENTION. BACKGROUND: FALLS AMONG OLDER PEOPLE ARE A MAJOR GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERN. THIS PROCESS EVALUATION INVESTIGATES THE EXPERIENCE OF PARTICIPANTS AGED 60+ IN A YOGA PROGRAM AIMED AT PREVENTING FALLS WHICH TRANSITIONED FROM STUDIO-BASED CLASSES TO ONLINE CLASSES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. WE SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE SUCCESSFUL AGEING (SAGE) YOGA PROGRAM FUNCTIONED IN BOTH SETTINGS AND AS A HYBRID PROGRAM, AND TO EXPLAIN WHY IT WORKED WELL FOR MOST PARTICIPANTS. METHODS: REALIST PROCESS EVALUATION WAS USED TO EXPLORE THE FACTORS THAT FACILITATED A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FOR MOST PARTICIPANTS, AND TO CONSIDER WHY IT DID NOT WORK FOR A MINORITY. THIS APPROACH DEVELOPS PROGRAM THEORIES THAT DESCRIBE WHICH MECHANISMS AN INTERVENTION IS (OR IS NOT) ACTIVATING, AND HOW THIS IS MEDIATED BY CONTEXT TO GENERATE PROCESS OUTCOMES. DATA INCLUDED INTERVIEWS WITH PARTICIPANTS (N = 21) AND YOGA INSTRUCTORS (N = 3), SELF-REPORT FEEDBACK FORMS (N = 46), OBSERVATION OF CLASSES AND ROUTINE PROCESS MEASURES. RESULTS: FACTORS THAT FACILITATED A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FOR MOST PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED THE QUALITY OF YOGA INSTRUCTION, THE PROGRAM FORMAT AND INHERENT CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA. GAINS IN TRANSITIONING ONLINE INCLUDED CONTINUITY AND GREATER CONVENIENCE. LOSSES INCLUDED PERCEIVED REDUCTION IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA INSTRUCTION. THERE WERE GREATER CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH PAIN AND IN DISADVANTAGEOUS HOME ENVIRONMENTS. WE IDENTIFIED SIX PROGRAM THEORIES CONFIGURED AROUND 16 MECHANISMS: 1. IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT AND 2. IN EXPERT HANDS (THESE HAD THE SAME MECHANISMS: VALUE EXPECTANCY, THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT/MASTERY), 3. A COMMUNAL EXPERIENCE (THESE MECHANISMS WERE SHARED EXPERIENCE, SOCIAL CONNECTION, SOCIAL COMPARISON AND PEER CHECKING), 4. PUTTING YOGA WITHIN REACH (ACCESSIBILITY, CONVENIENCE, GRATITUDE), 5. BUILDING YOGA HABITS (PURPOSEFUL STRUCTURE, MOMENTUM, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONTINUITY), AND 6. YOGA'S SPECIAL PROPERTIES (EMBODIMENT AND MINDFULNESS). CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY SHOWED THAT ONLINE DELIVERY OF A YOGA PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE AGED 60+ RETAINED MUCH OF THE VALUE OF A FACE-TO-FACE PROGRAM FOR THE MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS, AND INCREASED THE VALUE FOR SOME. THE STRUCTURED, COMMUNAL NATURE OF AN ORGANISED GROUP PROGRAM DELIVERED BY A SKILLED INSTRUCTOR, TOGETHER WITH YOGA'S INTRINSIC FOCUS ON MINDFULNESS, FACILITATED CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AND PERCEIVED HEALTH BENEFITS, DESPITE THE CHANGE IN DELIVERY MODE. 2022 16 2773 11 YOGA RESEARCH AND SPIRITUALITY: A CASE STUDY DISCUSSION. THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE THAT YOGA CAN BE BENEFICIAL AS AN ASPECT OF SELF-CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH ARTHRITIS. HOWEVER, YOGA MAY BE LESS ACCEPTABLE TO THOSE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES, SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, AND RACIAL/ETHNIC IDENTITIES. WHILE IMPLEMENTING A FEASIBILITY/ACCEPTABILITY PILOT STUDY OF YOGA AS SELF-CARE IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES, THE SUBJECT OF SPIRITUALITY SURFACED. THIS COMMENTARY SHARES THE EXPERIENCE OF THE RESEARCHERS AND YOGA TEACHERS COLLABORATING ON THE STUDY AND THE LARGER CONVERSATION THAT ENSUED FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF ONE OF THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS. IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO START A RELEVANT AND NEEDED DIALOGUE AROUND YOGA RESEARCH AS AN INTEGRATIVE HEALTH MODALITY, AND WHY THE UNDERLYING BODY-MIND-SPIRIT APPROACH TO YOGA MAY SOMETIMES SERVE AS A BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS SUFFERING FROM ARTHRITIS. 2015 17 2002 10 STRESS, SUBSTANCE USE, AND YOGA IN THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY REENTRY FOLLOWING INCARCERATION. THIS FIELD REPORT PROVIDES A RATIONALE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF YOGA TO SUPPORT REDUCTIONS IN STRESS AND SUBSTANCE USE AMONG PEOPLE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY FROM JAIL OR PRISON AND DESCRIBES AN AGENCY-BASED EXAMPLE OF YOGA CLASSES OFFERED IN THIS CONTEXT. PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED INCARCERATION FACE A MULTITUDE OF STRESSORS, WHICH CAN HEIGHTEN THE RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE AND SUPPORT THE NEED TO ADDRESS STRESS REDUCTION AS A PATHWAY TO REDUCED SUBSTANCE USE. ONE PROMISING INTERVENTION IS YOGA, WHICH HAS DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT STRESS-REDUCTION EFFECTS AMONG SEVERAL POPULATIONS. FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS IN THIS FIELD REPORT'S PRACTICE EXAMPLE REINFORCES THE POTENTIAL FOR YOGA TO DECREASE STRESS AND COMPLEMENT SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT IN SUPPORTING HEALTH DURING THE TRANSITION FROM INCARCERATION TO COMMUNITY RETURN. FURTHER SCHOLARSHIP IS NEEDED TO EXPLORE THE BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS OF YOGA IN THIS CONTEXT. 2018 18 1278 10 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 19 154 10 A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES WITH YOGA. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE HOW YOGA IMPACTS BODY-RELATED THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES, WELL-BEING, AND SELF-CARE BEHAVIORS IN A SAMPLE OF MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN WHO REGULARLY ENGAGE IN YOGA IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SAMPLE INCLUDED 22 WOMEN; 10 SELF-IDENTIFIED AS BEGINNERS OR NOVICES AND 12 SELF-IDENTIFIED AS EXPERIENCED IN YOGA. INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS GUIDED THE DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION. FOUR KEY THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED AROUND THE TOPICS OF: SUPPORTIVE YOGA ENVIRONMENT, MINDFULNESS, SELF-CARE BEHAVIORS, AND BODY-RELATED PERCEPTIONS. RESULTS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA THAT CAN SUPPORT POSITIVE BODY-RELATED EXPERIENCES IN MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN. 2021 20 2286 15 THE USE OF YOGA IN SPECIALIZED VA PTSD TREATMENT PROGRAMS. BACKGROUND: POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IS A CHRONIC, DEBILITATING ANXIETY DISORDER THAT IS HIGHLY PREVALENT AMONG U.S. MILITARY VETERANS. YOGA, DEFINED TO INCLUDE PHYSICAL POSTURES (ASANA) AND MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION, IS BEING INCREASINGLY USED AS AN ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR PTSD AND OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. NO RESEARCH OR ADMINISTRATIVE DATA HAVE DETAILED THE USE OF THESE SERVICES IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS' (VA) 170 PTSD TREATMENT PROGRAMS. METHODS: ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE PROGRAM COORDINATORS OR DESIGNATED STAFF COMPLETED AN 81-ITEM SURVEY OF THEIR PROGRAM'S USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE MODALITIES IN THE PAST YEAR. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES DATA FROM A SUBSET OF 30 QUESTIONS USED TO ASSESS THE PREVALENCE, NATURE, AND CONTEXT OF THE USE OF YOGA, MINDFULNESS, AND MEDITATION OTHER THAN MINDFULNESS PRACTICES. RESULTS: RESULTS REVEALED THAT THESE PRACTICES ARE WIDELY OFFERED IN VA SPECIALIZED PTSD TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND THAT THERE IS GREAT VARIABILITY IN THE CONTEXT AND NATURE OF HOW THEY ARE DELIVERED. CONCLUSIONS: UNDERSTANDING HOW YOGA IS USED BY THESE PROGRAMS MAY INFORM ONGOING EFFORTS TO DEFINE AND DISTINGUISH YOGA THERAPY AS A RESPECTED THERAPEUTIC DISCIPLINE AND TO CREATE PATIENT-CENTERED CARE MODELS THAT MINDFULLY FULFILL THE UNMET NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING VETERANS WITH PTSD. 2012