1 145 144 A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING AND SKILLS USE IN A SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAM. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA PROGRAMS HAVE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF PROGRAM OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY USED QUALITATIVE DATA TO INVESTIGATE PROGRAM CONTENT AND SKILLS THAT STUDENTS REMEMBERED AND APPLIED IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. DATA WERE GATHERED FOLLOWING A 16-WEEK MINDFULNESS AND YOGA INTERVENTION DELIVERED AT THREE URBAN SCHOOLS BY A COMMUNITY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS WITH NINE CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND HELD SIX FOCUS GROUPS WITH 22 FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. THIS STUDY ADDRESSES TWO PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) WHAT SKILLS DID STUDENTS LEARN, RETAIN, AND UTILIZE OUTSIDE THE PROGRAM? AND (2) WHAT CHANGES DID CLASSROOM TEACHERS EXPECT AND OBSERVE AMONG PROGRAM RECIPIENTS? FOUR MAJOR THEMES RELATED TO SKILL LEARNING AND APPLICATION EMERGED AS FOLLOWS: (1) YOUTHS RETAINED AND UTILIZED PROGRAM SKILLS INVOLVING BREATH WORK AND POSES; (2) KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS OF THESE TECHNIQUES PROMOTED SELF-UTILIZATION AND SHARING OF SKILLS; (3) YOUTHS DEVELOPED KEENER EMOTIONAL APPRAISAL THAT, COUPLED WITH NEW AND IMPROVED EMOTIONAL REGULATION SKILLS, HELPED DE-ESCALATE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, PROMOTE CALM, AND REDUCE STRESS; AND (4) YOUTHS AND TEACHERS REPORTED REALISTIC AND OPTIMISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR FUTURE IMPACT OF ACQUIRED PROGRAM SKILLS. WE DISCUSS IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS FOR GUIDING FUTURE RESEARCH AND PRACTICE. 2016 2 2071 29 THE EFFECT OF A SINGLE YOGA CLASS ON INTEROCEPTIVE ACCURACY IN PATIENTS AFFECTED BY ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND IN HEALTHY CONTROLS: A PILOT STUDY. PURPOSE: TO EVALUATE INTEROCEPTIVE ACCURACY (IAC) BEFORE AND AFTER A SINGLE YOGA CLASS IN A POPULATION OF PATIENTS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN) AND IN A POPULATION OF HEALTHY CONTROLS (HC). METHODS: FIFTEEN PATIENTS WITH AN AND TWENTY HC WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. ALL INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN A SINGLE YOGA CLASS. BEFORE (T0) AND AFTER (T1) THE YOGA CLASS, THEY UNDERWENT THE HEARTBEAT DETECTION TASK FOR THE EVALUATION OF IAC. AT T0, ALL PARTICIPANTS ALSO UNDERWENT A PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING EVALUATION OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, BODY AWARENESS, ALEXITHYMIA, SELF-OBJECTIFICATION AND EATING DISORDERS PSYCHOPATHOLOGY. RESULTS: PATIENTS WITH AN HAD LOWER IAC THAN HC AT T0. A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OF IAC AT T1 WAS FOUND IN THE HC GROUP BUT NOT IN THE GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH AN. CONCLUSION: WE INFER THAT OUR FINDINGS MIGHT BE LINKED TO THE FACT THAT PATIENTS WITH AN, DIFFERENTLY FROM HC, DID NOT PROPERLY ATTEND TO THEIR BODIES, DESPITE THE YOGA CLASS. THIS HYPOTHESIS IS CONSISTENT WITH PREVIOUS STUDIES SHOWING THAT PATIENTS WITH AN HAVE DECREASED IAC DURING SELF-FOCUSED BEHAVIOR BECAUSE OF BODY-RELATED AVOIDANCE. MOREOVER, WE SURMISE THAT HC MIGHT BE KEENER TO IMPROVE THEIR PERCEPTION OF INTERNAL BODY SIGNALS EVEN AFTER A SINGLE YOGA CLASS BECAUSE THEIR EMOTIONAL AWARENESS SYSTEM IS NOT IMPAIRED. PATIENTS WITH AN, ON THE CONTRARY, MAY HAVE AN INTRINSIC IMPAIRMENT OF THEIR EMOTIONAL AWARENESS, MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM TO MODULATE THEIR IAC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: LEVEL III, EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM WELL-DESIGNED COHORT OR CASE-CONTROL ANALYTICAL STUDIES. 2021 3 148 39 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 4 957 30 EFFECTS OF A SINGLE YOGA SESSION ON CARDIAC INTEROCEPTIVE ACCURACY AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. BACKGROUND: THERE IS AN INCREASING BODY OF RESEARCH SUPPORTING THE IDEA THAT CARDIAC INTEROCEPTIVE ACCURACY (IAC) CAN BE IMPROVED BY TRAINING. FINDINGS CONCERNING THE EFFECTS OF A SINGLE YOGA SESSION ON IAC AND THE RELATED CONSTRUCT EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE ARE SPARSE. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE IF A SINGLE YOGA SESSION INCREASES IAC AND IMPROVES EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. METHODS: 137 STUDENTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 20-MIN YOGA SESSION (N = 47), AN ENDURANCE SESSION (N = 46), OR AN INACTIVE CONTROL CONDITION (N = 44). IAC AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE WERE ASSESSED BEFORE AND AFTER THE SESSIONS. RESULTS: THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN IAC, OR POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT. IAC AT BASELINE AND THE CHANGE IN POSITIVE EFFECT WERE FOUND AS PREDICTORS FOR IAC AFTER THE YOGA SESSION. CONCLUSION: A 20-MIN YOGA SESSION SEEMS TO BE NOT APPLICABLE TO IMPROVE IAC AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. FUTURE STUDIES SHOULD INVESTIGATE LONG-TERM INTERVENTIONS AND DIVERSE HEALTHY AND CLINICAL POPULATIONS. 2021 5 10 47 "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 6 154 22 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 7 18 55 "THE PROGRAM AFFECTS ME 'CAUSE IT GIVES AWAY STRESS": URBAN STUDENTS' QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON STRESS AND A SCHOOL-BASED MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. CONTEXT: SCHOOL-BASED MINDFULNESS AND YOGA STUDIES GENERALLY MEASURE STRESS-RELATED OUTCOMES USING QUANTITATIVE MEASURES. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY ANSWERS THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH QUESTIONS: HOW DO YOUTH DEFINE STRESS AND IN WHAT WAYS, IF ANY, WAS A MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION HELPFUL TO YOUTH DURING STRESS EXPERIENCES? DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: TO EXPLORE YOUTHS' OWN PERSPECTIVES ON STRESS, STRESSORS IN YOUTHS' LIVES, AND PERCEIVED CHANGES IN RESPONSES TO STRESS POST-INTERVENTION, WE CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH 22 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME URBAN COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING A 16-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. RESULTS: USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS, THE FOLLOWING THREE THEMES EMERGED: (1) YOUTH CONFLATED STRESS WITH NEGATIVE EMOTIONS; (2) PEER AND FAMILY CONFLICTS WERE COMMON STRESSORS; AND (3) YOUTH REPORTED IMPROVED IMPULSE CONTROL AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. STUDY FINDINGS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR REFINING INTERVENTION CONTENT (E.G., DISCUSSIONS OF STRESS), AS WELL AS INFORMING THE SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF QUANTITATIVE MEASURES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON STRESS AND STRESS RESPONSES IN URBAN YOUTH. 2016 8 1145 47 ELEMENTARY STUDENT AND TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF A MINDFULNESS AND YOGA-BASED PROGRAM IN SCHOOL: A QUALITATIVE EVALUATION. RESEARCH QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE QUALITATIVE INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A MINDFULNESS AND YOGA-BASED PROGRAM FROM ELEMENTARY YOUTH AND TEACHERS? CONTEXT: A MINDFULNESS AND YOGA-BASED CURRICULUM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 15 SCHOOLS. THE CURRICULUM WAS TAUGHT TO STUDENTS DURING A PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR DANCE CLASS BY INSTRUCTORS WHO WERE WITHIN EACH SCHOOL AND RECEIVED TRAINING ON THE CURRICULUM. SAMPLE SELECTION: VOLUNTEER FOCUS GROUP ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED FOR ONE YEAR AND TEACHERS WHO DID NOT IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WERE QUALITATIVELY INTERVIEWED, BY THREE TRAINED UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS. DATA COLLECTION: NINE FOCUS GROUPS WERE COMPLETED WITHIN THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SIX FOCUS GROUPS WERE COMPLETED WITH 3RD AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS. THREE FOCUS GROUPS WERE CONDUCTED WITH TEACHERS WITHIN EACH SCHOOL WHICH RECEIVED THE PROGRAM, EXCLUDING INSTRUCTORS. ANALYSIS: FOCUS GROUP DATA WERE CODED AND A THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED AMONG THE 40 STUDENTS AND 23 TEACHERS. INTERPRETATION AND MAIN RESULTS: TEACHERS HAD VARYING DEGREES OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PROGRAM AND COMMUNICATION EMERGED AS A CRITICAL THEME FOR BUY-IN AS COMMUNICATION REPRESENTS THE UNDERPINNINGS OF CREATING AND RETAINING STAKEHOLDERS. MOST STUDENTS TALKED ABOUT PERCEIVED IMPROVEMENTS IN FOCUS, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, FLEXIBILITY, BREATHING, AND SCHOOL WORK. A COMMON THEME TO DESCRIBE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM EMERGED WITH THE IDEA OF "INCREASED FOCUS". CONCEPTUALLY, IT MAY BE THAT INCREASING MINDFULNESS INCREASES "FOCUS" THUS INCREASING POSITIVE OUTCOMES. MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND IF "FOCUS" MAY SERVE AS A MEDIATING VARIABLE ON EMOTIONAL REGULATION, COGNITIVE IMPROVEMENTS, AND OTHER HEALTH OUTCOMES. 2020 9 15 32 "OVEREATING IS NOT ABOUT THE FOOD": WOMEN DESCRIBE THEIR EXPERIENCE OF A YOGA TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR BINGE EATING. AS PART OF A LARGER MIXED-METHODS STUDY, DATA FROM 20 PERSONAL JOURNALS WERE ANALYZED TO EXAMINE THE EXPERIENCE OF A 12-WEEK YOGA TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR BINGE EATING AMONG A SAMPLE OF 25 WOMEN WHO WERE OBESE. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS REVEALED A POSITIVE SHIFT EXPERIENCED BY THE WOMEN DURING THE PROGRAM, SUMMARIZED BY A GENERAL STRUCTURAL DESCRIPTION: DISCONNECTION VERSUS CONNECTION. WOMEN'S COMMENTS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROGRAM APPEARED TO ENCOURAGE A HEALTHY RECONNECTION TO FOOD, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL SELF-EMPOWERMENT, THROUGH CULTIVATING PRESENT-MOMENT AWARENESS. SPECIFICALLY, WOMEN PERCEIVED AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN THE QUANTITY OF FOOD THEY CONSUMED, DECREASED EATING SPEED, AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD CHOICES THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM. THE WOMEN ALSO REPORTED FEELING MORE CONNECTED TO AND POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. THESE EVOLVING OUTCOMES WERE SUMMARIZED THROUGH TWO MAJOR THEMES: THE WAY THEIR PHYSICALITY CHANGED, AND THE WAY THEIR FOOD CONSUMPTION CHANGED OVER TIME. FINDINGS PROVIDE INSIGHTS RELEVANT TO THERAPEUTIC PROCESSES THAT MIGHT OCCUR WITHIN EATING DISORDER INTERVENTIONS THAT DRAW ON MEDITATION-BASED APPROACHES. 2009 10 21 34 "YOGA RESETS MY INNER PEACE BAROMETER": A QUALITATIVE STUDY ILLUMINATING THE PATHWAYS OF HOW YOGA IMPACTS ONE'S RELATIONSHIP TO ONESELF AND TO OTHERS. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSE OF THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY WAS TWOFOLD: (1) TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW YOGA PRACTITIONERS PERCEIVE INTRA- AND INTERPERSONAL OUTCOMES OF THEIR YOGA PRACTICE, AND (2) TO DEVELOP A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF YOGA EFFECTS ON INTRA- AND INTERPERSONAL OUTCOMES THAT MAY UNDERLIE THE "RELATIONAL" INFLUENCES OF YOGA. DESIGN: AS PART OF A LARGER STUDY, 107 COMMUNITY-DWELLING YOGA PRACTITIONERS (AGE M=41.2+/-15.9YEARS) COMPLETED OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS WHICH ASKED QUESTIONS FOCUSING ON WHETHER YOGA INFLUENCES ONE'S RELATIONSHIP TO ONESELF AND TO OTHERS. A SUBSAMPLE (N=12) COMPLETED IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS. THE OPEN-ENDED RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED USING CONTENT ANALYSIS, AND VERBATIM INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED FOR EMERGENT THEMES USING A CONSTANT COMPARISON APPROACH. RESULTS: FOUR EMERGING THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED SUCH THAT PRACTITIONERS TALKED ABOUT THE ABILITY OF YOGA TO GENERATE CALM STATES, MINDFULNESS, (SELF-)COMPASSION, AND A SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS. THROUGHOUT THE THEMES, A COMMON PATTERN EMERGED SUCH THAT YOGA PRACTICE FIRST LED TO POSITIVE INTRAPERSONAL CHANGES, WHICH THEN INFLUENCED ONE'S INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. BASED ON THESE RESULTS, A CONCEPTUAL MODEL WAS DEVELOPED DEPICTING POTENTIAL PATHWAYS OF HOW YOGA WORKS TO ENHANCE RELATIONAL OUTCOMES. CONCLUSION: FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE THE PROMISE YOGA HOLDS TO IMPROVE ONE'S RELATIONSHIP TO ONESELF (INTRAPERSONAL) THROUGH MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION, AND TO OTHERS (INTERPERSONAL), THROUGH THE ENHANCEMENT OF COMPASSION AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, WHICH MAY POTENTIALLY LEAD TO ENHANCED HEALTH AND WELLBEING OUTCOMES. FURTHER EMPIRICAL TESTING OF THE MODEL IS WARRANTED. 2018 11 93 29 A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR ADDICTION. THIS PAPER REVIEWS THE PHILOSOPHICAL ORIGINS, CURRENT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, AND CLINICAL PROMISE OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR ADDICTION. HISTORICALLY, THERE ARE EIGHT ELEMENTS OF YOGA THAT, TOGETHER, COMPRISE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR LIVING A MEANINGFUL, PURPOSEFUL, MORAL AND SELF-DISCIPLINED LIFE. TRADITIONAL YOGA PRACTICES, INCLUDING POSTURES AND MEDITATION, DIRECT ATTENTION TOWARD ONE'S HEALTH, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF ONE'S NATURE. MINDFULNESS DERIVES FROM ANCIENT BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY, AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICES, SUCH AS GENTLE HATHA YOGA AND MINDFUL BREATHING, ARE INCREASINGLY INTEGRATED INTO SECULAR HEALTH CARE SETTINGS. CURRENT THEORETICAL MODELS SUGGEST THAT THE SKILLS, INSIGHTS, AND SELF-AWARENESS LEARNED THROUGH YOGA AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICE CAN TARGET MULTIPLE PSYCHOLOGICAL, NEURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND BEHAVIORAL PROCESSES IMPLICATED IN ADDICTION AND RELAPSE. A SMALL BUT GROWING NUMBER OF WELL-DESIGNED CLINICAL TRIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY STUDIES ON SMOKING, ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE, AND ILLICIT SUBSTANCE USE SUPPORT THE CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS AND HYPOTHESIZED MECHANISMS OF ACTION UNDERLYING MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR TREATING ADDICTION. BECAUSE VERY FEW STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE SPECIFIC ROLE OF YOGA IN TREATING OR PREVENTING ADDICTION, WE PROPOSE A CONCEPTUAL MODEL TO INFORM FUTURE STUDIES ON OUTCOMES AND POSSIBLE MECHANISMS. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS ALSO NEEDED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS WORK BEST FOR WHAT TYPES OF ADDICTION, WHAT TYPES OF PATIENTS, AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS. OVERALL, CURRENT FINDINGS INCREASINGLY SUPPORT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS PROMISING COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS. 2013 12 1843 43 QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL YOGA PROGRAM: FEASIBILITY AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS. THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLISHED QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF A YOGA PROGRAM APPLIED IN A HIGH SCHOOL SETTING. THIS QUALITATIVE INTERVIEW STUDY WAS NESTED IN A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED TRIAL STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA PROGRAM OFFERED IN PLACE OF A SEMESTER OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES AT A RURAL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL. STUDENT INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED AFTER TAKING PART IN A SEMESTER OF THE YOGA PROGRAM. A FORMAL PASSIVE CONSENT WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE QUALITATIVE STUDY WAS SENT HOME TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF ALL STUDENTS IN THE PARENT STUDY BEFORE THE INTERVIEWS. MOST STUDENTS ENJOYED THE YOGA CLASSES AND FELT BENEFITS. NEGATIVE REPORTS OF YOGA PRACTICE WERE ASSOCIATED WITH GENDER AS MOST MALES SENSED PEER PRESSURE AGAINST PRACTICING YOGA. DESPITE THIS FINDING, MOST STUDENTS WANTED TO CONTINUE YOGA AND WOULD CONTINUE IF IT WERE OFFERED IN SCHOOL. POSITIVE REPORTS INCLUDE A GREATER KINESTHETIC AWARENESS, WHICH SOME STUDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH A GREATER RESPECT FOR THE BODY AND IMPROVED SELF-IMAGE. AMONG STUDENTS REPORTING PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS, MANY CITED STRESS REDUCTION; MANY USED YOGA TO MANAGE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS; AND SOME PROPAGATED MORE OPTIMISM. MOST THOUGHT YOGA COULD REDUCE INTEREST IN THE USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AND INCREASE SOCIAL COHESION WITH FAMILY AND PEERS. WE FOUND THAT A YOGA PROGRAM IS FEASIBLE IN THIS SAMPLE OF 9TH AND 10TH GRADERS, ESPECIALLY AFTER BENEFITS ARE PERCEIVED. WE ALSO FOUND EVIDENCE THAT YOGA MAY LEAD TO EMERGENT POSITIVE BENEFITS IN HEALTH BEHAVIORS NOT DIRECTLY PRESCRIBED BY THE PROGRAM. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT SCHOOL-BASED YOGA PROGRAMS MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR PROMOTING HEALTHY BEHAVIORS AT A SOCIETAL LEVEL BY FOCUSING ON THE PREVENTION OF NEGATIVE PATTERNS DURING THE ADOLESCENT TRANSITION. 2013 13 398 29 BEYOND SCIENTIFIC MECHANISMS: SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS WITH VINIYOGA MEDITATION. HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND RESEARCH SCIENTISTS GENERALLY RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF MIND-BODY PRACTICES GROUNDED IN ANCIENT WISDOM, BUT OFTEN HAVE LIMITED DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH PRACTICES. MEDITATION PARTICIPANT SELF-REPORTS PROVIDE A WINDOW INTO SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCES OF THREE VINIYOGA MEDITATIONS AND HOW AND WHY THOSE MEDITATIONS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OUTCOMES. EACH OF THE MEDITATIONS IN THIS ANALYSIS HAD A UNIQUE STRUCTURE AND USED A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF THE OCEAN AS A MEDITATION OBJECT. YOGA PHILOSOPHY AND YOGA ANATOMY MODELS OF THE HUMAN SYSTEM ARE USED TO HELP EXPLAIN PARTICIPANTS' EXPERIENCES AND ASSOCIATED PERSONAL BENEFITS AND INSIGHTS. FOUR ASPECTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN INFLUENCE WHAT HAPPENS FOR THEM IN MEDITATION ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH TANGIBLE EXAMPLES: (1) WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GENERALLY IN SOMEONE'S LIFE; (2) THE STATE OF THEIR SYSTEM (MIND, BODY, BREATH) AROUND THE TIME OF THE MEDITATION; (3) REACTIONS TO THE MEDITATION STEPS AND INSTRUCTIONS; AND (4) THEIR PRIOR EXPERIENCES WITH THE OBJECT OF MEDITATION. SUMMARIES OF THE PRACTICES, AND WHY AND FOR WHOM EACH MEDITATION MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL ARE DISCUSSED. THE AUTHORS' PERSPECTIVES ARE GROUNDED IN VINIYOGA AND YOGA THERAPY. 2019 14 924 21 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN EATING DISORDERS - A CASE REPORT. EATING DISORDERS ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON PSYCHOSOMATIC DISEASES AND ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH NEGATIVE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES. THE USE OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT METHOD IN EATING DISORDERS IS CONTROVERSIAL DISCUSSED. THE INTERVIEWEE WAS A 38 YEAR OLD FEMALE PATIENT SUFFERING ON ANOREXIA NERVOSA AND VARIOUS PSYCHOSOMATIC-PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES IN HER MEDICAL HISTORY. THE PATIENT REPORTED THAT YOGA RECOVERED THE SOUL CONTACT WHICH SHE LOST AND SHE HAD LEARNED TO PERCEIVE AND FEEL HERSELF AGAIN. SHE STATED THAT YOGA HELPED HER TO FIND ACCESS TO HER BODY AND ITS NEEDS AND TO COPE WITH HER TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES. SHE ALSO REPORTED THAT ATTITUDES HAVE CHANGED IN RELATION TO HER STOMACH IN THE TREATMENT OF HER ANOREXIA. THE CASE REPORT CONFIRMED THE POSITIVE EFFECT OF YOGA ON EATING DISORDERS. RESEARCH SHOULD PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL'S CO-MORBIDITIES, AS EATING DISORDERS USUALLY OCCUR IN ASSOCIATION WITH CO-MORBIDITIES. 2019 15 1479 34 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 16 491 33 CO-DESIGNING A NEW YOGA-BASED MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION FOR SURVIVORS OF STROKE: A FORMATIVE EVALUATION. MOVEMENT-BASED MINDFULNESS INTERVENTIONS (MBI) ARE COMPLEX, MULTI-COMPONENT INTERVENTIONS FOR WHICH THE DESIGN PROCESS IS RARELY REPORTED. FOR PEOPLE WITH STROKE, EMERGING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS BENEFITS, BUT MAINSTREAM PROGRAMS ARE GENERALLY UNSUITABLE. WE AIMED TO DESCRIBE THE PROCESSES INVOLVED AND TO CONDUCT A FORMATIVE EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL YOGA-BASED MBI DESIGNED FOR SURVIVORS OF STROKE. WE USED THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL COMPLEX INTERVENTIONS FRAMEWORK AND PRINCIPLES OF CO-DESIGN. WE PURPOSEFULLY APPROACHED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND CONSUMERS TO ESTABLISH AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR DEVELOPING THE INTERVENTION. MEMBERS COLLABORATED AND ITERATIVELY REVIEWED THE DESIGN AND CONTENT OF THE PROGRAM, FORMATTED INTO A TRAINING MANUAL. FOUR EXTERNAL YOGA TEACHERS INDEPENDENTLY REVIEWED THE PROGRAM. FORMATIVE EVALUATION INCLUDED REVIEW OF MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES AND DOCUMENTATION (E.G., FORMAL MEETING MINUTES, FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS, RESEARCHER OBSERVATIONS). THE DATA WERE SYNTHESIZED USING INDUCTIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS. THREE BROAD THEMES EMERGED: (A) MBI CONTENT AND TERMINOLOGY; (B) MANUAL DESIGN AND READABILITY; AND (C) BARRIERS AND ENABLERS TO DELIVER THE INTERVENTION. VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES AND FEEDBACK ON ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS GUIDED FINALIZING THE PROGRAM. THE DESIGN PHASE OF A NOVEL YOGA-BASED MBI WAS STRENGTHENED BY INTERDISCIPLINARY, CONSUMER CONTRIBUTIONS AND PEER REVIEW. THE 12-WEEK INTERVENTION IS READY FOR TESTING AMONG SURVIVORS OF STROKE. 2021 17 1704 18 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 18 2304 19 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 19 250 28 A YOGA INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM SYMPTOMS OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY. OBJECTIVE: TO UNDERSTAND HOW INDIVIDUALS WITH SYMPTOMS OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) PERCEIVE A TRAUMA-SENSITIVE KUNDALINI YOGA (KY) PROGRAM. METHODS: DIGITALLY RECORDED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS 30-60 MINUTES IN DURATION WERE CONDUCTED WITH 40 INDIVIDUALS WITH PTSD PARTICIPATING IN AN 8-WEEK KY TREATMENT PROGRAM. INTERVIEWS WERE TRANSCRIBED VERBATIM AND ANALYZED USING QUALITATIVE THEMATIC ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES. RESULTS: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS IDENTIFIES THREE MAJOR THEMES: SELF-OBSERVED CHANGES, NEW AWARENESS, AND THE YOGA PROGRAM ITSELF. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PARTICIPANTS NOTED CHANGES IN AREAS OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, LIFESTYLE, PSYCHOSOCIAL INTEGRATION, AND PERCEPTIONS OF SELF IN RELATION TO THE WORLD. PRESENTED ARE PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR TRAUMA-RELATED PROGRAMMING. CONCLUSION: THERE IS A NEED TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE AND POTENTIALLY EMPOWERING APPROACHES TO TRAUMA TREATMENT. YOGA-RELATED SELF-CARE OR SELF-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ARE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE, ARE EMPOWERING, AND MAY ADDRESS THE MIND-BODY ELEMENTS OF PTSD. 2015 20 1712 39 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