1 565 119 CURRENT STATUS OF YOGA IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. YOGA (DERIVED FROM 'YUJ' WHICH MEANS TO YOKE TOGETHER OR UNITE) HAS BEEN USED FOR MILLENNIA AS A TOOL FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT, WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF UNITING THE INDIVIDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS WITH THE UNIVERSAL. THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA, ALTHOUGH SEEN AS NECESSARY IN THE PATH TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL, THEY WERE NOT CONSIDERED AS THE ENDPOINT FOR A PRACTITIONER. SAGE PATANJALI, WHO CODIFIED THE PRACTICES INTO AN EIGHT-LIMBED MODEL (ASHTANGA YOGA) IN THE PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS, MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE TARGET OF YOGA IS PRIMARILY THE MIND. HOWEVER, IN THE MODERN WORLD, YOGA PRACTICES HAVE BECOME IMMENSELY POPULAR AS AIDS TO IMPROVE HEALTH. YOGA-BASED PRACTICES ARE BEING EXTENSIVELY USED AS THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENTS, ALONE OR AS ADJUNCTS TO OTHER THERAPIES IN A VARIETY OF DISORDERS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. THERE IS NOW STRONG EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS ARE BENEFICIAL IN SEVERAL LIFESTYLE DISORDERS. RECENT RESEARCH HAS ALSO SHOWN SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS IN MENTAL DISORDERS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND PSYCHOSIS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE PLACE OF YOGA AS ONE OF THE THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES IN THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MENTAL DISORDERS, AND THE CHALLENGES INHERENT TO RESEARCH IN THIS AREA. 2016 2 2902 31 [FROM YOGA TO PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: A HERMENEUTIC STUDY ON THE ETHICAL VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI]. THE SCOPE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO INTERPRET ETHICAL VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE YOGA TRADITION AND DISCUSS THEM WITH A VIEW TO POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE (PHC). A THEORETICAL-HERMENEUTIC STUDY WAS CONDUCTED, IN WHICH CONCEPTS CONTAINED IN THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI WERE INTERPRETED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MENTAL HEALTH. IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE VALUES FOUND IN THE TEXTS CAN ENRICH THE EXISTING PRACTICES OF YOGA FOR PHC USERS (WHO SUFFER FROM AFFLICTIONS INHERENT TO LIFE) BY PROVIDING IDEAS AND GUIDELINES THAT PROMOTE A SENSE OF LIBERATION FROM SUFFERING. SUCH VALUES AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE DISCUSSIONS IN PHC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE, SUCH AS THE REDUCTION OF IATROGENIC DISORDERS AND UNNECESSARY MEDICATION (QUATERNARY PREVENTION). IT CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RELATIVIZATION OF BIOMEDICAL POWER, STIMULATION OF EMPATHY AND PARTICIPATION OF USERS IN CARE, WITH THEIR SUBJECTIVE REPOSITIONING, MULTIPLYING AUTONOMOUS WAYS OF MANAGING SUFFERING AND BUILDING NETWORKS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT. THE CONCLUSION DRAWN WAS THAT THE VALUES OF THE YOGA SUTRAS MAY BE PRESENT IN VARIOUS DOMAINS OF PHC, WHICH MIGHT PROVIDE A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT 'THE PRACTICE OF YOGA' MEANS. 2021 3 64 24 A COMPUTER VISION-BASED YOGA POSE GRADING APPROACH USING CONTRASTIVE SKELETON FEATURE REPRESENTATIONS. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF YOGA POSE GRADING IS TO ASSESS THE INPUT YOGA POSE AND COMPARE IT TO A STANDARD POSE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION AS A GRADE. IN THIS PAPER, A COMPUTER VISION-BASED YOGA POSE GRADING APPROACH IS PROPOSED USING CONTRASTIVE SKELETON FEATURE REPRESENTATIONS. FIRST, THE PROPOSED APPROACH EXTRACTS HUMAN BODY SKELETON KEYPOINTS FROM THE INPUT YOGA POSE IMAGE AND THEN FEEDS THEIR COORDINATES INTO A POSE FEATURE ENCODER, WHICH IS TRAINED USING CONTRASTIVE TRIPLET EXAMPLES; FINALLY, A COMPARISON OF SIMILAR ENCODED POSE FEATURES IS MADE. FURTHERMORE, TO TACKLE THE INHERENT CHALLENGE OF COMPOSING CONTRASTIVE EXAMPLES IN POSE FEATURE ENCODING, THIS PAPER PROPOSES A NEW STRATEGY TO USE BOTH A COARSE TRIPLET EXAMPLE-COMPRISED OF AN ANCHOR, A POSITIVE EXAMPLE FROM THE SAME CATEGORY, AND A NEGATIVE EXAMPLE FROM A DIFFERENT CATEGORY, AND A FINE TRIPLET EXAMPLE-COMPRISED OF AN ANCHOR, A POSITIVE EXAMPLE, AND A NEGATIVE EXAMPLE FROM THE SAME CATEGORY WITH DIFFERENT POSE QUALITIES. EXTENSIVE EXPERIMENTS ARE CONDUCTED USING TWO BENCHMARK DATASETS TO DEMONSTRATE THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF THE PROPOSED APPROACH. 2021 4 1341 29 HOW JUNIOR DOCTORS PERCEIVE PERSONALISED YOGA AND GROUP EXERCISE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL AND TRAUMATIC STRESSORS. OBJECTIVES: JUNIOR DOCTORS ARE EXPOSED TO OCCUPATIONAL AND TRAUMATIC STRESSORS, SOME OF WHICH ARE INHERENT TO MEDICINE. THIS CAN RESULT IN BURNOUT, MENTAL ILL-HEALTH AND SUICIDE. WITHIN A CROSSOVER PILOT STUDY COMPARING PERSONALISED, TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA TO GROUP-FORMAT EXERCISE, QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCE OF JUNIOR DOCTORS AND WHETHER SUCH INTERVENTIONS WERE PERCEIVED TO HELP MANAGE THESE STRESSORS. METHODS: TWENTY-ONE DOCTORS, 76% FEMALE, WERE ORDER-RANDOMISED TO CONSECUTIVE 8-WEEK YOGA AND EXERCISE PROGRAMMES. FIFTY-TWO INTERVIEWS WERE RECORDED BEFORE AND AFTER EACH PROGRAMME. RESULTS: MANY PARTICIPANTS REPORTED BEING TIME POOR, SLEEP-AFFECTED, FREQUENTLY STRESSED AND OCCASIONALLY IN PHYSICAL PAIN/DISTRESS. MAJOR STRESSOR THEMES WERE WORKPLACE INCIVILITY, DEATH/HUMAN SUFFERING AND SHIFT WORK WITH MINIMAL SUPPORT. BOTH INTERVENTIONS WERE ACCEPTABLE FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. PERSONALISED YOGA OFFERED A THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE, TIME TO CHECK-IN AND REDUCED ANXIETY/RUMINATION. GROUP EXERCISE PROVIDED ENERGY AND SOCIAL CONNECTION. ONE PARTICIPANT FOUND YOGA BENEFICIAL FOLLOWING AN ACUTE WORKPLACE TRAUMA: 'IT WAS REALLY EYE OPENING HOW MUCH I FELT MY BODY JUST NEEDED TO DETOX ... I WOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO A GROUP FITNESS THE NEXT DAY ... I JUST WANTED TO RELAX AND BREATHE ...WE STILL HAD A BIG DEBRIEF WHICH WAS GREAT ... (BUT) I ALMOST FELT LIKE ... I DEALT WITH IT PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY BEFORE GOING INTO IT (P20).' CONCLUSION: JUNIOR DOCTORS FOUND BOTH INTERVENTIONS USEFUL FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT ADJUNCTIVE TO OTHER ORGANISATIONAL PROGRAMMES THOUGH FOR DIFFERENT AND COMPLEMENTARY REASONS, POSSIBLY RELATED TO DELIVERY MODE. PERSONALISED, TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA PROVIDED A CONFIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE WHEREAS GROUP EXERCISE OFFERED SOCIAL CONNECTION. 2021 5 2420 29 YOGA AND MENTAL HEALTH: A DIALOGUE BETWEEN ANCIENT WISDOM AND MODERN PSYCHOLOGY. BACKGROUND: MANY YOGA TEXTS MAKE REFERENCE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE USE OF SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL DISORDERS. DIFFERENT CONCEPTS UTILIZED IN MODERN PSYCHOLOGY MAY NOT COME WITH CONTEMPORARY IDEAS, INSTEAD, THEY SEEM TO SHARE A COMMON ROOT WITH ANCIENT WISDOM. AIMS: THE GOAL OF THIS PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE IS TO CORRELATE MODERN TECHNIQUES USED IN PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY WITH YOGIC PRACTICES, IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL DISORDERS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE CURRENT ARTICLE PRESENTED A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE YOGIC APPROACH FOR THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL DISORDER AND CONCEPTS USED IN MODERN PSYCHOLOGY, SUCH AS META-COGNITION, DISIDENTIFICATION, DECONDITIONING AND INTEROCEPTIVE EXPOSURE. CONCLUSIONS: CONTEMPLATIVE RESEARCH FOUND OUT THAT MODERN INTERVENTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGY MIGHT NOT COME FROM MODERN CONCEPTS AFTER ALL, BUT SHARE GREAT SIMILARITY WITH ANCIENT YOGIC KNOWLEDGE, GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WISDOM OF BOTH EAST AND WEST. 2016 6 1671 31 NEW ENERGY GEOGRAPHIES: A CASE STUDY OF YOGA, MEDITATION AND HEALTHFULNESS. BEGINNING WITH A ROUTINE DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PRACTITIONER OF YOGA AND MEDITATION AND EMPHASISING THE IMPORTANCE OF NURTURING, MAINTAINING AND PREVENTING THE DISSIPATION OF DIVERSE 'ENERGIES', THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE POSSIBILITIES FOR GEOGRAPHICAL HEALTH STUDIES WHICH TAKE SERIOUSLY 'NEW ENERGY GEOGRAPHIES'. IT IS EXPLAINED HOW THIS ACCOUNT IS DERIVED FROM IN-DEPTH FIELDWORK TRACING HOW PRACTITIONERS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION FIND TIMES AND SPACES FOR THESE PRACTICES, OFTEN IN THE FACE OF BUSY URBAN LIFESTYLES. ATTENTION IS PAID TO THE 'ENERGY TALK' FEATURING HEAVILY IN HOW PRACTITIONERS DESCRIBE THE BENEFITS THAT THEY PERCEIVE THEMSELVES TO DERIVE FROM THESE PRACTICES, AND TO CLAIMS MADE ABOUT 'ENERGIES' GENERATED DURING THE TIME-SPACES OF THESE PRACTICES WHICH SEEMINGLY FLOW, USUALLY WITH POSITIVE EFFECTS, INTO OTHER DOMAINS OF THEIR LIVES. THE PAPER THEN DISCUSSES THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS ENERGY TALK IN THE CONTEXT OF: (A) CRITICALLY REVIEWING CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO STUDYING 'ENERGY GEOGRAPHIES'; (B) IDENTIFYING AN ALERTNESS TO THE LIKES OF 'AFFECTIVE ENERGIES' SURFACING IN RECENT THEORETICALLY-ATTUNED WORKS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (AND COGNATE DISCIPLINES); AND (C) EXPLORING DIFFERING UNDERSTANDINGS OF ENERGY/ENERGIES EXTANT IN GEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES OF HEALTH AND IN STEP WITH THE EMPIRICAL RESEARCH MATERIALS PRESENTED ABOUT YOGA, MEDITATION AND HEALTHFULNESS. WHILE ORIENTATED TOWARDS EXPLICITLY GEOGRAPHICAL INQUIRIES, THE PAPER IS INTENDED AS A STATEMENT OF INTEREST TO THE WIDER MEDICAL HUMANITIES. 2015 7 653 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 8 2304 26 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 1878 28 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 10 2372 33 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 11 2211 28 THE HEALTH IMAGINARY OF POSTURAL YOGA. THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE CAPACITY OF YOGA NARRATIVES AND PRACTICES TO CONTRIBUTE TO AND RELATE IDEAS ABOUT HEALTH. IT ADDS THEORETICALLY TO EXISTING LITERATURE ON YOGA BY INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF THE 'HEALTH IMAGINARY' AS AN ANALYTIC LENS FOR CONSIDERING YOGA DISCOURSES IN LATE MODERN TIMES, WHERE PERSONAL HEALTH CARE AND SPIRITUAL AMBITIONS ARE ONCE AGAIN BECOMING BLURRED. WITH THIS PERSPECTIVE, THE PAPER PROVIDES A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF HOW YOGA POSTURES (ASANAS) ARE CONCEIVED TO WORK THERAPEUTICALLY, IN YOGA'S RECENT HISTORY AND IN PRESENT-DAY YOGA THERAPY. TAKING CASE STUDIES FROM INDIA AND GERMANY, IT IS SHOWN EMPIRICALLY HOW THE APPLICATION OF ASANAS IS RATIONALIZED DIFFERENTLY IN SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AND THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENTS - PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE PRESUMED THEORY OF THE BODY. THUS, THE CONCEPT OF THE HEALTH IMAGINARY NOT ONLY PROVIDES ANALYTIC SPACE TO EXPLORE THE IMPLICIT LOGICS AND GOALS OF HEALING IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, BUT ALSO OFFERS CLUES ABOUT THE DISTINCT SOCIAL, CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS, AND LOCAL INFLUENCES THAT DRAW PEOPLE INTO YOGA AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS SELECTIVE APPROPRIATION ACROSS THE GLOBE. 2021 12 2346 28 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 13 2448 23 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 14 26 29 'A TOOL TO HELP ME THROUGH THE DARKNESS': SUFFERING AND HEALING AMONG TEACHER-PRACTITIONERS OF ASHTANGA YOGA. YOGA IS WIDELY REGARDED AS BENEFICIAL FOR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND AS A SAFE ANCILLARY INTERVENTION FOR MANAGING A RANGE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. EVIDENCE OF INJURY, HARM, AND ABUSE IN YOGA TRADITIONS IS DIFFICULT TO SQUARE WITH THIS EMPHASIS ON HEALING. DRAWING MAINLY FROM ON ONLINE MEMOIRS BY LONG-TERM PRACTITIONERS OF ASHTANGA YOGA, THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUFFERING AND HEALING IN YOGA, SHOWING HOW LONG-TERM ABUSE CAN BE PERPETUATED AND INJURY SUSTAINED IN A SYSTEM WIDELY UNDERSTOOD AND LABELLED BY ITS PRACTITIONERS AS THERAPEUTIC. THE PAPER ARGUES THAT ELEMENTS OF HEALING AND HARM ARE PRESENT IN THE RITUALS OF PRACTICE, THE CONCEPTS THAT SUPPORT IT, AND THE POWER STRUCTURE OF THE ASHTANGA SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM'S ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS TOGETHER WITH A THERAPEUTIC DISCOURSE THAT LINKS SUFFERING TO ITS TRANSCENDENCE ENABLED THE SAME KINDS OF ABUSE AND TRAUMA THAT ASHTANGA YOGA IS PURPORTED TO HEAL. THE ANALYSIS RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OVERARCHING NARRATIVE OF YOGA AS SAFE AND HEALTHY, AND ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HEALING AND HARM WITHIN THERAPEUTIC TRADITIONS. 2021 15 1481 36 INTEGRATING YOGA INTO PSYCHOTHERAPY: THE ETHICS OF MOVING FROM THE MIND TO THE MAT. GIVEN THE RISE IN ATTENTION TO CLIENT PREFERENCES IN MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THE SHIFT IN FOCUS TOWARD HEALTH PROMOTION, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE USE OF COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACHES HAVE INCREASED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. YOGA IS AMONG THE MOST PROMINENT COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACHES. RECENTLY, BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE WORK HAS EMERGED SUPPORTING ITS USE FOR A VARIETY OF MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CRITICAL GAP IN KNOWLEDGE REGARDING HOW TO MOST OPTIMALLY AND ETHICALLY INTEGRATE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES (I.E., YOGA) INTO CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICES. MOREOVER, IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHICH CLIENTS ARE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR RECEIVING SUCH COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENTS AND WHICH THERAPISTS SHOULD PROVIDE THEM. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF YOGA, THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF ITS USE FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND AN ETHICAL FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE PSYCHOLOGISTS INTERESTED IN INTEGRATING YOGA INTO PSYCHOTHERAPY. 2017 16 1733 19 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 17 1502 18 INVEST IN YOURSELF. YOGA AS A SELF-CARE STRATEGY. A WIDENING RECOGNITION OF THE MIND-BODY-SPIRIT CONNECTION IN WESTERN MEDICINE HAS RESULTED IN A GROWING INTEREST IN ANCIENT HEALTH PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGA. AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES ENTER MAINSTREAM MEDICAL SETTINGS, NURSES AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS NEED A FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF THESE MODALITIES TO BE ABLE TO ADVISE PATIENTS EFFECTIVELY. THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF YOGA AND DETAILS THE BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE. 2000 18 1687 27 OSTEOPATHY AND (HATHA) YOGA. DIFFERENCES AND POINTS OF CONTACT BETWEEN OSTEOPATHY AND YOGA AS REGARDS THEIR HISTORY AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION ARE OUTLINED. BOTH SEEK TO PROMOTE HEALING. YOGA SEEKS THE ATTAINMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS; OSTEOPATHY AIMS FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT TO HEALTH. ONE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IS THE PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN YOGA. TEACHER AND STUDENT ALIKE ARE CHALLENGED TO RE-EXAMINE THE ATTITUDES OF MIND THEY HAVE ADOPTED TOWARD THEIR LIVES. OSTEOPATHY GENERALLY INVOLVES A RELATIVELY PASSIVE PATIENT WHILE THE OSTEOPATH IS ACTIVE IN PROVIDING TREATMENT. PRACTICAL EXAMPLES ARE USED TO HIGHLIGHT POINTS OF CONTACT BETWEEN YOGA AND OSTEOPATHY. THE TEXT INCLUDES A DISCUSSION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICALITY AND A DESCRIPTION OF WAYS OF USING IT IN HEALING PROCESSES. FURTHERMORE, PROCESSES OF ATTAINING CONSCIOUSNESS ARE OUTLINED. POSSIBLE REDUCTIONIST MISCONCEPTIONS IN YOGA AND OSTEOPATHY ARE ALSO POINTED OUT. FUNDAMENTAL ATTITUDES AND FOCUS THAT COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER ARE PRESENTED, TAKING THE CONCEPT OF STILLNESS AS A PARTICULAR EXAMPLE. 2011 19 1772 30 POTENTIAL SELF-REGULATORY MECHANISMS OF YOGA FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. RESEARCH SUGGESTING THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MYRIAD ASPECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH HAS PROLIFERATED IN RECENT YEARS, YET THERE IS CURRENTLY NO OVERARCHING FRAMEWORK BY WHICH TO UNDERSTAND YOGA'S POTENTIAL BENEFICIAL EFFECTS. HERE WE PROVIDE A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND SYSTEMS-BASED NETWORK MODEL OF YOGA THAT FOCUSES ON INTEGRATION OF TOP-DOWN AND BOTTOM-UP FORMS OF SELF-REGULATION. WE BEGIN BY CONTEXTUALIZING YOGA IN HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY SETTINGS, AND THEN DETAIL HOW SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICE MAY AFFECT COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND AUTONOMIC OUTPUT UNDER STRESS THROUGH AN EMPHASIS ON INTEROCEPTION AND BOTTOM-UP INPUT, RESULTING IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. THE MODEL DESCRIBES YOGA PRACTICE AS A COMPREHENSIVE SKILLSET OF SYNERGISTIC PROCESS TOOLS THAT FACILITATE BIDIRECTIONAL FEEDBACK AND INTEGRATION BETWEEN HIGH- AND LOW-LEVEL BRAIN NETWORKS, AND AFFERENT AND RE-AFFERENT INPUT FROM INTEROCEPTIVE PROCESSES (SOMATOSENSORY, VISCEROSENSORY, CHEMOSENSORY). FROM A PREDICTIVE CODING PERSPECTIVE WE PROPOSE A SHIFT TO PERCEPTUAL INFERENCE FOR STRESS MODULATION AND OPTIMAL SELF-REGULATION. WE DESCRIBE HOW THE PROCESSES THAT SUB-SERVE SELF-REGULATION BECOME MORE AUTOMATIZED AND EFFICIENT OVER TIME AND PRACTICE, REQUIRING LESS EFFORT TO INITIATE WHEN NECESSARY AND TERMINATE MORE RAPIDLY WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. TO SUPPORT OUR PROPOSED MODEL, WE PRESENT THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE FOR YOGA AFFECTING SELF-REGULATORY PATHWAYS, INTEGRATING EXISTING CONSTRUCTS FROM BEHAVIOR THEORY AND COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE WITH EMERGING YOGA AND MEDITATION RESEARCH. THIS PAPER IS INTENDED TO GUIDE FUTURE BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE TREATMENT OF STRESS-MEDIATED PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. 2014 20 2302 20 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