1 2346 115 USING REALIST EVALUATION TO UNDERSTAND PROCESS OUTCOMES IN A COVID-19-IMPACTED YOGA INTERVENTION TRIAL: A WORKED EXAMPLE. REALIST EVALUATION OFFERS A VALUABLE WAY TO UNDERSTAND HOW INTERVENTIONS FUNCTION AND THUS HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED AND LOCALLY ADAPTED. CONSEQUENTLY, REALIST EVALUATION IS INCREASINGLY CONDUCTED IN PARALLEL WITH INTERVENTION TRIALS. IT COMPRISES A CLEAR PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATION AND VIEW OF CAUSALITY, PRAGMATIC MIXED DATA COLLECTION METHODS, AND A THEORY-DRIVEN APPROACH IN WHICH HYPOTHESISED PROGRAM THEORIES ARE TESTED AND REFINED. HOWEVER, DETAILED METHODS FOR DATA ANALYSIS ARE SELDOM WELL-DESCRIBED IN REALIST STUDIES AND NO CLEAR METHOD FOR ANALYSING AND PRESENTING REALIST EVALUATION DATA HAS YET EMERGED. IN THIS METHODOLOGICAL PAPER WE USE THE WORKED EXAMPLE OF OUR REALIST PROCESS EVALUATION OF THE SAGE YOGA TRIAL TO ILLUSTRATE AN APPLIED PROCESS OF DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS. WE SHOW HOW WE DREW ON OTHER REALIST STUDIES FOR IDEAS, PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF SIX KEY TASKS INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING A REALIST PROCESS EVALUATION (INCLUDING CODING DATA AND STRUCTURING RESULTS) AND DESCRIBE STRATEGIES THAT DID NOT WORK AND OUR RATIONALE FOR REJECTING THEM. THIS DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE DECISIONS AND METHODS THAT WORKED FOR US IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A PRACTICAL AND INFORMED POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR RESEARCHERS CONDUCTING A REALIST EVALUATION. 2021 2 2372 42 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 3 2721 19 YOGA MEETS POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY: EXAMINING THE INTEGRATION OF HEDONIC (GRATITUDE) AND EUDAIMONIC (MEANING) WELLBEING IN RELATION TO THE EXTENT OF YOGA PRACTICE. THE PRESENT STUDY AIMS TO EXPLORE THE EXISTENCE OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXTENT OF YOGA PRACTICE AND TWO DIMENSIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING: MEANING IN LIFE AND GRATITUDE. BOTH OF THE VARIABLES ARE POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY CONSTRUCTS; THERE IS THEORETICAL AFFINITY AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE RELATED TO OVERALL PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING. ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR PARTICIPANTS AGED 18 YEARS AND ABOVE, WITH YOGA EXPERIENCE RANGING FROM NONE TO OVER SIX YEARS, RESPONDED TO A NUMBER OF SCALES. THE EXTENT OF YOGA PRACTICE WAS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF YEARS DURING WHICH INDIVIDUALS PRACTICED YOGA AT LEAST TWO TIMES A WEEK. PARTICIPANTS RESPONDED TO THE FOLLOWING SCALES: MLQ (MEANING IN LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE) AND GQ-6 (GRATITUDE QUESTIONNAIRE). THIS STUDY HYPOTHESISED THAT THE NUMBER OF YEARS PRACTICING YOGA WOULD BE POSITIVELY CORRELATED TO THE SCORE OBTAINED ON THE AFOREMENTIONED SCALES. POSITIVE CORRELATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED BETWEEN THE EXTENT OF YOGA PRACTICE AND MEANING IN LIFE AND GRATITUDE. IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS REGARDING THE CONTRIBUTION OF YOGA TO BOTH HEDONIC AND EUDAIMONIC HAPPINESS ARE DISCUSSED. 2014 4 561 21 CREATING SPACE THROUGH AFRICA YOGA PROJECT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. THIS QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS EXAMINED TEACHERS' EXPERIENCES OF THE AFRICA YOGA PROJECT (AYP), A MENTORING-ORIENTED YOGA PROGRAM FOR FOSTERING RESILIENCE AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IMPACTED BY POVERTY AND TRAUMA. INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED WITH AYP TEACHERS WERE CODED USING QUALITATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS. THEMES DEMONSTRATED THAT AYP BENEFITED PARTICIPANTS BY CREATING S.P.A.C.E. (SAFETY AND STABILITY, PERSONAL GROWTH, ACTION, CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND EMPOWERMENT). THE FINDINGS ILLUSTRATED WAYS IN WHICH THIS PROGRAM FOSTERED INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT. IMPLICATIONS ARE DISCUSSED INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR PROVIDING YOGA AS A LOW-COST, SUSTAINABLE, AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE HEALTH, ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN DIVERSE SETTINGS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES. 2016 5 2392 19 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 6 2312 20 TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS. RESEARCH ON POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND CHRONIC CHILDHOOD ABUSE HAS REVEALED THAT TRADITIONAL TRAUMA TREATMENTS OFTEN FAIL TO FULLY ADDRESS THE COMPLICATED SYMPTOM PRESENTATION, INCLUDING THE SOMATIC COMPLAINTS, LOSS OF AWARENESS OF ONE'S EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL BEING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT, AND OVERALL LACK OF INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE BODY. THE MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION OF HATHA YOGA SHOWS PROMISE AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT, AND FOCUSES ON PERSONAL GROWTH IN ADDITION TO SYMPTOM REDUCTION. THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORED THE EXPERIENCES OF THIRTY-ONE ADULT WOMEN WITH PTSD RELATED TO CHRONIC CHILDHOOD TRAUMA WHO PARTICIPATED IN A 10-WEEK TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA CLASS, SPECIFICALLY EXAMINING PERCEIVED CHANGES IN SYMPTOMS AND PERSONAL GROWTH. FIVE THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED THAT REFLECT PARTICIPANTS' FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE AND COMPASSION, RELATEDNESS, ACCEPTANCE, CENTEREDNESS, AND EMPOWERMENT. RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND CLINICAL WORK ARE PRESENTED. 2017 7 474 22 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 8 2304 24 TOWARD AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK FOR YOGA THERAPY INFORMED BY PHILOSOPHICAL AND ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES. CONTEXT * YOGA THERAPY IS AN EMERGING COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH PRACTICE FOR WHICH THERE IS INCREASING INTEREST FROM BOTH CLINICAL AND RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES. CURRENTLY MISSING, HOWEVER, IS AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROFESSION THAT PROVIDES PRACTITIONERS, CLIENTS, AND THE PUBLIC WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW VARIOUS YOGIC TRADITIONS AND PRINCIPLES CAN BE UNDERSTOOD IN MODERN HEALTH CARE CONTEXTS. OBJECTIVE * THIS STUDY PROPOSES AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK FOR YOGA THERAPY, INFORMED BY PHENOMENOLOGY, EUDAIMONIA, VIRTUE ETHICS, AND FIRST-PERSON ETHICAL INQUIRY. CONCLUSIONS * THESE 4 PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES-PHENOMENOLOGY, EUDAIMONIA, VIRTUE ETHICS, AND FIRST-PERSON ETHICAL INQUIRY-PROVIDE A LENS THROUGH WHICH TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOGIC PRACTICES SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL'S TRANSFORMATION IN THE EXPERIENCE OF ILLNESS, PAIN, OR DISABILITY. WE PROPOSE THAT THIS TRANSFORMATION OCCURS THROUGH FACILITATING A REHARMONIZATION OF BODY, MIND, AND ENVIRONMENT TOWARD THE EXPERIENCE OF EUDAIMONIC WELL-BEING. 2018 9 653 19 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 1878 25 REALIZING YOGA'S ALL-ACCESS PASS: A SOCIAL JUSTICE CRITIQUE OF WESTERNIZED YOGA AND INCLUSIVE EMBODIMENT. IN THE 21(ST) CENTURY, THE ANCIENT MIND-BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA HAS SURGED IN POPULARITY AMONG WESTERN ENTHUSIASTS FOR ITS NUMEROUS HEALTH BENEFITS. PARTICULARLY, A GROWING EVIDENCE BASE SUPPORTS YOGA FOR CULTIVATING POSITIVE EMBODIMENT AND REDUCING RISK FOR DISORDERED EATING. NEVERTHELESS, AMIDST ITS RISE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT YOGA'S DEPARTURE FROM ITS SPIRITUAL FOUNDATIONS AND INCREASING ASSIMILATION INTO THE APPEARANCE- AND COMMERCIAL-DRIVEN EXERCISE AND FITNESS CULTURE. CONSEQUENTLY, AN EXCLUSIONARY IDENTITY HAS BEEN PERPETUATED IN SHAPING NORMS SURROUNDING WHO CAN AND DOES PRACTICE YOGA, WHICH CONTRADICTS EARLIER EGALITARIAN VISIONS OF A YOGA FOR ALL. THEREFORE, WE ADOPT A SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS IN OFFERING A FOCUSED ANALYSIS OF THE INTERSECTION OF YOGA, EMBODIMENT, AND INCLUSION FOR SELECT MARGINALIZED SOCIAL IDENTITIES TYPICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS AND IN YOGA SCHOLARSHIP. DATA ARE SYNTHESIZED FROM BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE SOURCES AND INTEGRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CONFINED MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF "THE YOGA BODY" AND OTHER PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS MAY UNDERMINE THE PERCEIVED ACCESS TO THE PRACTICE FOR MEMBERS OF DIVERSE GROUPS. WE CONCLUDE WITH INVITING FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS TOWARDS FOSTERING MORE INTERDISCIPLINARY COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS AMONG THE VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS INVESTED IN ADVANCING THE ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION OF YOGA AND POSITIVE EMBODIMENT FOR ALL BODIES. 2020 11 65 31 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 2517 19 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 13 1342 23 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 14 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 15 414 22 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 16 1704 21 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 17 2314 20 TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA TRAINING IN KENYA: A QUALITATIVE PILOT STUDY ON FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY. THE CURRENT STUDY PRESENTS A PILOT QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF THE COLLABORATION OF TWO YOGA SERVICE AGENCIES IN IMPLEMENTING A TRAUMA-INFORMED MINDFULNESS-BASED TEACHING CURRICULUM IN KENYA, AFRICA. YOGA AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICES HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED AS SUCCESSFUL COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF STRESS TRAUMA. THIS STUDY EXPLORES THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF MINDFULNESS PROGRAMMING FOR YOGA TEACHERS IN THE NAIROBI REGION OF KENYA. GROUNDED THEORY IS USED TO EXPLORE SURVEY RESULTS. OUTCOMES DEMONSTRATE PROMISE FOR BOTH ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY. CURRICULUM TOOLS WERE VIEWED AS EFFECTIVE, AND PARTICIPANTS INDICATED INTENTION TO BOTH UTILIZE AND SHARE TOOLS. REFLECTIONS ON PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACTS ARE ADDRESSED, AS ARE POTENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPROVED PROGRAM TRANSLATION. FINDINGS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT FOR FUTURE COLLABORATIONS, AND ALSO SUGGEST BEST PRACTICES CONSIDERATIONS FOR GLOBAL IMPLEMENTATION OF EMBODIED MINDFULNESS PROGRAMMING. 2018 18 10 29 "MAKING IT OKAY": PROFESSIONALS IN HIGH-STRESS ENVIRONMENTS CONSTRUCT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF A YOGA-BASED RETREAT DESIGNED TO BUILD RESILIENCE. PURPOSE: WHILE THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE FOR RESILIENCE BUILDING PROGRAMMES, TO DATE RESEARCH HAS NOT EXPLORED HOW PROFESSIONALS CONSTRUCT UNDERSTANDING OF PROGRAMME IMPACT. RISE (RESILIENCE, INTEGRATION, SELF-AWARENESS, ENGAGEMENT), A 5-DAY YOGA-BASED RETREAT PROGRAMME, HAS BEEN LINKED WITH POSITIVE WELLNESS OUTCOMES. THIS QUALITATIVE INQUIRY EXPLORES PARTICIPANTS' REFLECTION AND EXPERIENCE 3 MONTHS AFTER PROGRAMME COMPLETION. METHODS: THROUGH A GROUNDED CONSTRUCTIVIST LENS, IN-DEPTH SEMI-STRUCTURED PHONE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 17 ADULT PROFESSIONALS IN HIGH-STRESS WORK ENVIRONMENTS WHO ATTENDED RISE. INITIAL HAND-CODING INFORMED CODEBOOK DEVELOPMENT FOR SYSTEMATIC CODING USING DIRECTED CONTENT ANALYSIS USING SENSITIZING STRUCTURING. RESULTS: TWO INTEGRATED PERCEPTIONS WOVEN THROUGH FIVE THEMES. PERSISTENT THREADS OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND SENSE OF PERMISSION PROVIDED STRUCTURE FOR THEMES FOUND. FIVE INTERRELATED THEMES RELATED TO PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND WORKPLACE DYNAMICS WERE (1) USE OF ACQUIRED BEHAVIOURAL SKILLS AND PRACTICES; (2) LIVED MINDFULNESS; (3) RESILIENCE TO STRESS AND EMOTION REGULATION (4) SELF-CARE AND SELF-COMPASSION, AND (5) SHARING WITH OTHERS. CONCLUSION: FINDINGS PROVIDE MEANINGFUL INTERPRETATION OF PREVIOUSLY REPORTED PROGRAMME EFFICACY BY CONTEXTUALIZING PERCEIVED BENEFITS WITHIN PARTICIPANTS' CONSTRUCTED UNDERSTANDING OF CHANGE. SPECIFICALLY, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND EXPERIENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS HAVE SUGGESTED IMPLICATIONS FOR RESILIENCE BUILDING PROGRAMMES.ABBREVIATIONS: RISE (RESILIENCE, INTEGRATION, SELF-AWARENESS, ENGAGEMENT). 2022 19 148 21 A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF IMPLEMENTATION FACTORS IN A SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAM: LESSONS LEARNED FROM STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. IDENTIFYING FACTORS RELEVANT FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTIONS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE THAT PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED IN AN EFFECTIVE AND ENGAGING MANNER. THE PERSPECTIVES OF TWO KEY STAKEHOLDERS CRITICAL FOR IDENTIFYING IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS - STUDENTS AND THEIR CLASSROOM TEACHERS - MERIT ATTENTION IN THIS CONTEXT AND HAVE RARELY BEEN EXPLORED USING QUALITATIVE METHODS. THIS STUDY REPORTS QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVES OF FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR TEACHERS OF A 16-WEEK SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAM IN THREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING LOW-INCOME URBAN COMMUNITIES. FOUR THEMES RELATED TO PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS EMERGED: PROGRAM DELIVERY FACTORS, PROGRAM BUY-IN, IMPLEMENTER COMMUNICATION WITH TEACHERS, AND INSTRUCTOR QUALITIES. FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IS DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF INFORMING IMPLEMENTATION, ADAPTATION, AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAMMING IN URBAN SETTINGS. 2017 20 1500 24 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