conclusion for yoga presentation

Conclusion of Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and meditation have been practiced for centuries as powerful tools for promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Whether you are a seasoned yogi or a beginner just starting out on your journey, having a solid conclusion for your yoga and meditation project is incredibly important.

The conclusion of your project serves as a way to bring together all the knowledge, experiences, and insights gained throughout your practice. It allows you to reflect on the progress you have made, the challenges you have faced, and the lessons you have learned.

The conclusion of your project offers a sense of closure and completion, providing a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. It serves as a reminder of the importance of self-care and self-exploration, encouraging you to continue to prioritize your mental and physical well-being through the practice of yoga and meditation.

How to Write Conclusion of Yoga?

Writing a conclusion for a yoga project or essay is an essential part of wrapping up the main points and leaving a lasting impression on the reader. Here are some important steps to keep in mind while writing the conclusion:

Begin the conclusion by summarizing the main points discussed in the essay/project. This helps reinforce the key ideas and provides a sense of closure to the reader.
Share any personal experiences or insights gained from practicing yoga. This adds a personal touch to the conclusion and shows the reader your genuine connection to the topic.
Highlight the mental, physical, and emotional benefits of practicing yoga. This reminds the reader of the importance of incorporating yoga into their daily routine.
Encourage the reader to try yoga themselves or explore different aspects of the practice. This leaves the reader with a sense of motivation and inspires them to take action.
Remember to tie back to the main points discussed in the essay and leave the reader feeling inspired and motivated to explore the practice of yoga further.

Conclusion of Yoga

Yoga is a profound journey towards self-realization and inner peace. It harmonizes the body, mind, and soul, enabling us to unlock our true potential. Through regular practice, we cultivate flexibility, strength, and mindfulness, embracing a holistic approach to well-being. Yoga guides us towards a life of balance, compassion, and unity with the universe.

Also Check: Conclusion of Consumer Rights and Awareness

Yoga and meditation have long been known for their numerous physical and mental health benefits. Through the practice of yoga, individuals can improve their flexibility, strength, and posture, while also reducing stress and anxiety. Meditation helps to calm the mind, improve focus and concentration, and promote overall emotional well-being. Yoga and meditation can have a powerful impact on one’s overall health and well-being.

Conclusion of Yoga Example

In conclusion, practicing yoga can provide numerous physical, mental, and emotional benefits. By incorporating various postures, breathing techniques, and meditation practices, individuals can improve their flexibility, strength, and overall well-being. The holistic approach of yoga can help reduce stress, anxiety, and promote relaxation. Regularly engaging in yoga can lead to a more balanced and harmonious lifestyle.

Conclusion of Meditation Example

In conclusion, meditation is not just a fleeting trend, but a profound practice that yields significant benefits. It’s a powerful tool for mental clarity, stress reduction, and overall well-being. As we navigate through the complexities of life, remember, the key to unlocking inner peace might just be a few moments of mindful silence. So, let’s embrace the calm, and make meditation an integral part of our daily routine.

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Conclusion of Yoga Project

The Yoga project has been a transformative journey, highlighting the immense potential of this ancient practice to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit. Through consistent practice, we have witnessed improved flexibility, strength, and balance, along with reduced stress and increased mental clarity. As we move forward, let’s continue to harness the power of Yoga, fostering a healthier, more mindful, and balanced lifestyle. Remember, Yoga is not about touching your toes, it’s about what you learn on the way down.

Health Impacts of Yoga and Pranayama: A State-of-the-Art Review

Pallav sengupta.

Department of Physiology, Vidyasagar College for Women, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Thousands of years ago yoga originated in India, and in present day and age, an alarming awareness was observed in health and natural remedies among people by yoga and pranayama which has been proven an effective method for improving health in addition to prevention and management of diseases. With increasing scientific research in yoga, its therapeutic aspects are also being explored. Yoga is reported to reduce stress and anxiety, improves autonomic functions by triggering neurohormonal mechanisms by the suppression of sympathetic activity, and even, now-a-days, several reports suggested yoga is beneficial for physical health of cancer patients. Such global recognition of yoga also testifies to India's growing cultural influence.

INTRODUCTION

All the orthodox systems of Indian Philosophy have one goal in view, the liberation of the soul through perfection. The method is by Yoga . - Swami Vivekananda.[ 1 ]

Yoga is an ancient discipline designed to bring balance and health to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the individual. It is long popular practice in India that has become increasingly more common in Western society. “ Yoga ” means union of our individual consciousness with the Universal Divine Consciousness in a super-conscious state known as Samadhi .[ 1 , 2 ] The first book of humankind, Rigveda , mentions about yogic meditation by the wise, while Yajurveda exhorts us to practice yoga for enhancing mental health, physical strength, and prosperity. Upanishads are replete with yogic concepts. In addition, yoga-related terms like pranayama and samadhi occur repeatedly in Bhagavad-Gita . Ancient Indian rishis understood that performing Raja-yoga (procedure of concentration to liberate soul or atma from the bondage of maya into paramatma ) always need a healthy body – “ Sharirmadyam, khalu dharma sadhanam .” So they developed “ Hatha yoga ,” which includes asana, mudra, pranayama , etc. “ Gharanda samhita ” said there were 84 lakh asanas from which 16 000 were best and only about 300 are popular. “ Hathayoga-pradipika ” again differentiates all asanas into four basic classes – sidhyasana, padmasana, sinhasana , and vadrasana . Besides, asana may be of two types – dhyanasana (a posture keeps spinal cord free and center of gravity shifts to other part like ribs) and shasthyasana (to get healthy body).

YOGA: THE HISTORIC OUTLOOK

In Indian religions, yoga (from the Sanskrit word meaning “yoking” or “joining”) is “the means or techniques for transforming consciousness and attaining liberation ( moksha ) from karma[ 3 ] and rebirth ( samsara ).”[ 4 ] It is “a practice by means of which a spiritual seeker strives, (1) to control nature to make the soul fit for union with the Oversoul (the true Self or Atman-Brahman or ”God”), and (2) to attain union with God and thus the liberation of the soul from the rounds of rebirth and death.”[ 5 ] Yoga is popularly understood to be a program of physical exercises ( asana ) and breathing exercises ( pranayama ).

Yoga began in India as early as 3000 B.C. [ Table 1 ], according to archeological evidence.[ 6 ] It emerged in the later hymns of the ancient Hindu texts (Upanishads or Vedanta) (600–500 B.C.). It is mentioned in the classic Indian poem Mahabharata (400 B.C. - 400 A.D.) and discussed in the most famous part of that poem, the Bhagavad Gita . Yoga was systemized by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (300–200 B.C.). Patanjali defined the purpose of yoga as knowledge of the true “Self” (God) and outlined eight steps for direct experience of “ Self .”

The history of yoga and world religions

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Yoga, as practiced and taught in India, entered the Western world in the 19th century with the translation of basic yogic texts. Following attendance at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga to the USA. He lectured widely on the practice, founded the Vedanta Society, and authored many books.[ 7 ] Then yoga was promulgated in the West by the numerous teachers who studied in eastern countries (principally India), many of whom immigrated to America in the early 20th century. In the 20th century numerous versions of yoga were developed and taught. Numerous books aided the growth of a yoga practicing community in the USA. In the 1950s, “an almost faddish burst of interest in hatha yoga” occurred in the USA. During the decade, yoga spread through health and beauty salons.[ 8 ] Indian teachers immigrated to the USA during this period, founding centers and publishing books that helped to popularize the movement. In the 1950s and 1960s several important books were published on yogic techniques and then in 1970s yoga rapidly expanded, with the founding of numerous yoga centers and professional associations. Yoga became especially popular among adherents of New Age ideas.[ 9 ]

ASTHANGA YOGA

Yoga ( asthanga ) is often depicted metaphorically as a tree and comprises eight aspects, or “limbs” [Patanjali codified the ancient marvel of yoga as asthanga which is one of the six schools of Indian philosophy and is known as Yoga Darshan [ 2 ]]: yama (universal ethics), niyama (individual ethics), asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (control of the senses), dharana (concentration), dyana (meditation), and samadhi (bliss).[ 10 ] Each limb is connected with the whole, in the same way that bodily limbs are all connected [ Table 2 ]. If someone pulls the body by the leg, the rest of the body will automatically follow. In the same way, when one pulls one of the eight limbs of yoga, the others will naturally come. They are not stages to be achieved in succession.[ 10 ]

Astanga yoga

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YOGA AND PRANAYAMA: BENEFICIAL HEALTH IMPACTS

Many people in the USA today claim to practice yoga for its health benefits without consciously adopting Hindu religious perspectives which underlies the practice and usually become apparent in more advanced stages of instruction. Elementary courses of hatha yoga focus on physical exercises consisting of various postures and breathing techniques. A growing body of research evidence supports the belief that certain yoga techniques may improve physical and mental health through down-regulation of the hypothalamo pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system.

The stress and stress-induced disorders like hypertension and angina are fast growing epidemics and bane of “modern” society. The holistic science of yoga is the best method for prevention as well as management of stress and stress-induced disorders. Numerous studies have shown yoga to have an immediate down-regulating effect on both the HPA axis responses to stress. Effectiveness of yoga against stress management is well established.[ 14 ] It was also found that brief yoga-based relaxation training normalizes the function of the autonomic nervous system by deviating both sympathetic and parasympathetic indices toward more “normal” middle region of the reference values.[ 15 ] Studies show that yoga decreases levels of salivary cortisol,[ 16 , 17 ] blood glucose,[ 18 , 19 ] as well as plasma rennin levels, and 24-h urine nor-epinephrine and epinephrine levels.[ 20 ] Yoga significantly decreases heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressures.[ 20 – 22 ] These studies suggest that yoga has an immediate quieting effect on the HPA axis response to stress. While the precise mechanism of action has not been determined, it has been hypothesized that some yoga exercises cause a shift toward parasympathetic nervous system dominance, possibly via direct vagal stimulation.[ 23 ] Shapiro et al .[ 24 ] noted significant reductions in low-frequency heart rate variability – a sign of sympathetic nervous system activation – in depressed patients following an 8-week yoga intervention. Regardless of the pathophysiologic pathway, yoga has been shown to have immediate psychological effects: decreasing anxiety[ 16 , 17 , 25 , 26 ] and increasing feelings of emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.[ 27 ] Several literature reviews have been conducted that examined the impact of yoga on specific health conditions including cardiovascular disease[ 28 ] metabolic syndrome,[ 23 ] diabetes,[ 29 ] cancer,[ 30 ] and anxiety.[ 14 ] Galantino et al .[ 31 ] published a systematic review of the effects of yoga on children. These reviews have contributed to the large body of research evidence attesting to the positive health benefits of yoga. The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the impact of yoga on a variety of health outcomes and conditions.

Hypertension

It is well known that many antihypertensive agents have been associated with numerous undesirable side effects. In addition to medication, moderately intense aerobic exercise is well known to lower blood pressure. Interestingly, it has been very convincingly demonstrated in a randomized controlled study that even a short period of regular yogic practice at 1 h/day is as effective as medical therapy in controlling blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.[ 32 ] Yoga, together with relaxation, biofeedback, transcendental meditation, and psychotherapy, has been found to have a convincing antihypertensive effect.[ 33 ] The mechanism of yoga-induced blood pressure reduction may be attributed to its beneficial effects on the autonomic neurological function [ Figure 1 ]. Impaired baroreflex sensitivity has been increasingly postulated to be one of the major causative factors of essential hypertension.[ 20 ] The practice of yogic postures has been shown to restore baroreflex sensitivity. Yogic asanas that are equivalent to head-up or head-down tilt were discovered to be particularly beneficial in this regard. Tests proved a progressive attenuation of sympatho-adrenal and renin-angiotensin activity with yogic practice. Yogic practice, through the restoration of baroreceptor sensitivity, caused a significant reduction in the blood pressure of patients who participated in yoga exercise.[ 20 , 34 ] Yoga has proven efficacy in managing secondary cardiac complications due to chronic hypertension. Left ventricular hypertrophy secondary to chronic hypertension is a harbinger of many chronic cardiac complications, such as myocardial ischemia, congestive cardiac failure, and impairment of diastolic function. Cardiovascular response to head-down-body-up postural exercise ( Sarvangasana ) has been shown to be particularly beneficial in preventing and treating hypertension-associated left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. In one study, the practice of sarvangasana for 2 weeks caused resting heart rate and left ventricular end diastolic volume to reduce significantly. In addition, there was mild regression of left ventricular mass as recorded in echocardiography.[ 35 ]

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Hypothesized pathways by which yoga intervention may enhance cardiovascular risk profile

Coronary atherosclerosis

In a randomized controlled study, patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease who practiced yoga exercise for a period of 1 year showed a decrease in the number of anginal episodes per week, improved exercise capacity and decrease in body weight. Serum cholesterol levels (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels) also showed greater reductions as compared with control groups. It is evident in recent studies that yoga can control LDL cholesterol[ 36 ] and hypertension.[ 33 ] Revascularization procedures were required less frequently in the yoga group. Follow-up angiography at 1 year showed that significantly more lesions regressed in the yoga group compared with the control group. Thus, yoga exercise increases regression and retards progression of atherosclerosis in patients with severe coronary artery disease.[ 37 ] However, the mechanism of this effect of yoga on the atherosclerotic plaque remains to be studied. Lipid lowering and plaque-stabilizing effects of yoga exercise seem to be similar to that of statin drugs (HMG CoA reductase inhibitors). It is important to carry out biochemical and immunological studies among practitioners of yoga to see whether it has similar mechanisms of action to statins that have favorable effects on atherosclerosis and vascular properties other than those attributed to cholesterol lowering. Statin activity is associated with the increased production of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelium, which has local vasodilator properties in addition to anti-atherogenic, antiproliferative, and leukocyte adhesion-inhibiting effects. It is also known to enhance endothelium-dependent relaxation, inhibit platelet function, and inhibit the activity of endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor and mitogen. Statins also reduce inflammatory cytokines.[ 38 ] There may be some parallels between the pharmaco-physiological effects of statin therapy and the changes brought about by the practice of yoga in the internal milieu. This change in the internal milieu triggered by the practice of yoga may well be mediated by a neurohormonal mechanism.

Serum lipid profile and body weight

Obesity and increased body weight are strong risk factors for ischemic heart disease and hypertension. Yoga has been found to be particularly helpful in the management of obesity. A randomized controlled study revealed that practicing yoga for a year helped significant improvements in the ideal body weight and body density.[ 39 ] The regular practice of yoga has shown to improve the serum lipid profile in the patients with known ischemic heart disease as well as in healthy subjects.[ 36 ] The mechanism of the beneficial effect of yoga in the management of hyperlipidemia and obesity cannot be explained by simple excess caloric expenditure since the practice of asanas does not bring about increased, rapid large muscle activity and energy generation. However, the efficacy of yoga in the management of hyperlipidemia and obesity is of significance.

Cardiorespiratory efficiency and physical fitness

Madanmohan et al .[ 40 ] have reported that yoga training of 6 weeks duration attenuates the sweating response to step test and produces a marked increase in respiratory pressures and endurance in 40 mmHg test in both male and female subjects. In another study, they reported that 12 weeks of yoga practice results in a significant increase in maximum expiratory pressure, maximum inspiratory pressure, breath holding time after expiration, breath holding time after inspiration, and hand grip strength.[ 41 ] Joshi et al .[ 42 ] have also demonstrated that 6 weeks of pranayama breathing course resulted in improved ventilatory functions in the form of lowered respiratory rate, and increases in the forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at the end of first second, maximum voluntary ventilation, peak expiratory flow rate, and prolongation of breath holding time. Similar beneficial effects were observed by Makwana et al .[ 43 ] after 10 weeks of yoga practice. An increase in inspiratory and expiratory pressures suggests that yoga training improves the strength of expiratory and as well as inspiratory muscles. Respiratory muscles are like skeletal muscles. Yogic techniques involve isometric contraction which is known to increase skeletal muscle strength. Breath holding time depends on initial lung volume. Greater lung volume decreases the frequency and amplitude of involuntary contractions of respiratory muscles, thereby lessening the discomfort of breath holding. During yoga practice, one consistently and consciously over-rides the stimuli to respiratory centers, thus acquiring control over the respiration. This, along with improved cardio-respiratory performance, may explain the prolongation of breath holding time in yoga-trained subjects.

Yogic techniques are known to improve one's overall performance and work capacity.[ 44 ] Physical fitness not only refers cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength, but also coordination and flexibility i.e. the full range of physical qualities which can be understood as an integrated measurement of all functions and structures involved in the performance.[ 45 – 48 ] In adults, low physical fitness (mainly cardiorespiratory fitness) seems to be a stronger predictor of both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality than any other well-established risk factors.[ 49 ] Sharma et al .[ 50 ] conducted a prospective controlled study to explore the short-term impact of a comprehensive but brief lifestyle intervention based on yoga, on subjective well-being in normal and diseased subjects. Normal healthy individuals and subjects having hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, or a variety of other illnesses were included in the study. They reported significant improvement in the subjective well-being scores of 77 subjects within a period of 10 days as compared to controls. Therefore, even a brief intervention can make an appreciable contribution to primary prevention as well as management of lifestyle diseases. Oken et al .[ 51 ] found that hatha yoga practices for 6 months by seniors (65–85 years) resulted in significant improvement in quality of life and physical measures compared to walking exercise and wait-list control groups.

Diabetes mellitus

Yoga has been shown to be a simple and economical therapeutic modality that may be considered as a beneficial adjuvant for non insulin dependant diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients. In a group of diabetics who practiced yoga regularly, there was a significant reduction in the frequency of hyperglycemia and area index total under the oral glucose tolerance test curve. This experimental study showed that there was also a decrease in the need for oral hypoglycemic to maintain adequate blood sugar control in the population that practiced yoga.[ 52 ] Chaya et al .[ 53 ] reported a significant decrease in fasting plasma insulin in the yoga practitioners. They also found that long-term yoga practice is associated with increased insulin sensitivity and attenuation of the negative relationship between body weight or waist circumference and insulin sensitivity. Manjunatha et al .[ 54 ] studied the effect of four sets of asanas in random order for 5 consecutive days and observed that the performance of asanas led to increased sensitivity of B cells of the pancreas to the glucose signal. They proposed that this increased sensitivity is likely to be a sustained change resulting from a progressive long-term effect of asanas. The mechanism of the anti-glycemic activity of yoga exercise has yet to be described. A mechanism of neurohormonal modulation involving insulin and glucagon activity remains a possibility.

Neurohormonal activity

Increased intrinsic neurohormonal activity has been associated with increased predisposition to ischemic heart disease. This may explain how general stress in life contributes to increased risk of myocardial disease. Level of adverse neurohormonal activity can be quantitated by the measurement of specific markers in serum and urine. It has been described that regular practitioners of yoga asanas showed a significant reduction in the markers of intrinsic neurohormonal activity such as urinary excretion of catecholamines, aldosterone, as well as serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels. In an experimental study, they also showed an increase in the urinary excretion of cortisol.[ 20 ] Yoga-based guided relaxation helped in the reduction of sympathetic activity with a reduction in heart rate, skin conductance, oxygen consumption, and increase in breath volume - the clinical signs of neurohormonal activity, thus facilitating protection against ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction.[ 55 ]

Reproductive functions and pregnancy

Studies have shown that practice of yoga orchestrates fine tuning and modulates neuro-endocrine axis which results in beneficial changes in the practitioners. Schmidt et al .[ 34 ] found a reduction in urinary excretion of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, and aldosterone, a decrease in serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels and an increase in cortisol excretion, indicating optimal changes in hormones. Kamei et al .[ 56 ] found changes in brain waves and blood levels of serum cortisol during yoga exercise in 7 yoga instructors and found that alpha waves increased and serum cortisol significantly decreased.

Narendran et al .[ 57 ] found that yoga practices including physical postures, breathing, and meditation practiced by pregnant women 1 h daily resulted in an increase in birth weight, decrease in preterm labor, and decrease in IUGR either in isolation or associated with PIH, with no increased complications. Beddoe et al .[ 58 ] found that women practicing yoga in their second trimester reported significant reductions in physical pain from baseline to post intervention. Women in their third trimester showed greater reductions in perceived stress and trait anxiety. From this, it is clear that yoga can be used to prevent or reduce obstetric complications.

Stress and anxiety

Since the 1970s, meditation and other stress-reduction techniques have been studied as possible treatments for depression and anxiety. One such practice, yoga, has received less attention in the medica literature though it has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Available reviews of a wide range of yoga practices suggest they can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress responses and may be helpful for both anxiety and depression. It mainly acts via down-regulating the HPA axis that trigger as a response to a physical or psychological demand (stressor) [ Figure 2 ], leading to a cascade of physiological, behavioral, and psychological effects, primarily as a result of the release of cortisol and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine).[ 59 ] This response leads to the mobilization of energy needed to combat the stressor through the classic “fight or flight” syndrome. Over time, the constant state of hypervigilence resulting from repeated firing of the HPA axis can lead to deregulation of the system and ultimately diseases such as obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, depression, substance abuse, and cardiovascular disease.[ 60 , 61 ]

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The impact of stress on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system. *Yoga has been shown to have significant beneficial effects in these items

In this respect, yoga functions like other self-soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, and exercise. By reducing perceived stress and anxiety, yoga appears to modulate stress response systems. This, in turn decreases physiological arousal e.g., reducing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and easing respiration. There is also evidence that yoga practices help increase heart rate variability, an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress more flexibly. A small but intriguing study further characterizes the effect of yoga on the stress response. In 2008, researchers at the University of Utah showed that among control subjects and yoga practitioners, by functional MRIs, that yoga practitioner had the highest pain tolerance and lowest pain-related brain activity during the MRI. The study underscores the value of techniques, such as yoga, that can help a person regulate their stress and, therefore, pain responses.[ 62 ] Tooley et al .[ 63 ] found significantly higher plasma melatonin levels in experienced mediators in the period immediately following meditation compared with the same period at the same time on a control night. It was concluded that meditation can affect plasma melatonin levels. It remains to be determined whether this is achieved through decreased hepatic metabolism of the hormone or via a direct effect on pineal physiology. Either way, facilitation of higher physiological melatonin levels at appropriate times of day might be one avenue through which the claimed health promoting effects of meditation occur. In another study, Harinath et al .[ 64 ] evaluated the effects of 3 month hatha yoga practice and Omkar meditation on melatonin secretion in healthy subjects. Yoga group subjects practiced selected yogic asanas for 45 min and pranayama for 15 min during the morning, whereas during the evening hours these subjects performed preparatory yogic postures for 15 min, pranayama for 15 min, and meditation for 30 min daily for 3 months. Results showed that yoga practice for 3 months resulted in an improvement in cardiorespiratory performance and psychological profile. The plasma melatonin also showed an increase after 3 months of yogic practice. Also, the maximum night time melatonin levels in the yoga group showed a significant correlation with well-being score. These observations suggest that yogic practices can be used as psychophysiologic stimuli to increase endogenous secretion of melatonin, which, in turn, might be responsible for improved sense of well-being. In some other studies, it has been found that subjects trained in yoga can achieve a state of deep psychosomatic relaxation associated with highly significant decrease in oxygen consumption within 5 min of practicing savitri pranayama (a slow, rhythmic and deep breathing) and shavasana .[ 65 ]

Mood and functioning

In a German study published in 2005, women who described themselves as “ emotionally distressed ” are treated with 90-min yoga classes a week for 3 months. At the end of 3 months, women in the yoga group reported improvements in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, energy, fatigue, and well-being. Depression scores improved by 50%, anxiety scores 30%, and overall well-being scores by 65%. Initial complaints of headaches, back pain, and poor sleep quality also resolved much more often in the yoga group than in the control group. Another 2005 study examined the effects of a single yoga class for inpatients at the New Hampshire psychiatric hospital, 113 participants among patients with bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia it is found after yoga class, tension, anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, and fatigue dropped significantly. Further controlled trials of yoga practice have demonstrated improvements in mood and quality of life for elderly, people caring for patients with dementia, breast cancer survivors, and patients with epilepsy.[ 66 ]

Earlier reviews have reported that yoga is beneficial for people with cancer in managing symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, mood disturbances and stress, and improving quality of life.[ 67 ] However, until now the size of the effect has not been quantified. But in some studies, it is found that yoga may have positive effects on psychological health of cancer patients [ Figure 3 ]. Many cancer patients experience cancer-related psychological symptoms, including mood disturbances, stress, and distress.[ 67 ] Ledesma and Kumano[ 68 ] showed mindfulness-based stress reduction programs may indeed be helpful for the mental health of cancer patients. Thus, yoga may have long-term psychological effects for patients with cancer. According to the some review,[ 30 ] no significant differences were observed on the measure of physical health. Because of the limited number of studies and different measurement tools, the effects of yoga on physical health in people with cancer remain unclear. Only one study[ 69 ] examined the effects of yoga on physical fitness; therefore, future study could include outcome measures that not only include subjective feelings in questionnaires but also include physical performance, physical strength, endurance, and flexibility. All studies included in the meta-analysis investigated participants with a diagnosis of cancer; however, the types of cancer varied among studies. Of the 10 included studies, 7 investigated breast cancer, 2 recruited mixed cancer populations, and 1 included patients with lymphoma. The result of Cohen's study on lymphoma[ 70 ] showed no significant differences between groups in terms of anxiety, depression, distress, or fatigue; thus, it has little influence on our result. Therefore, since the majority of studies focused on breast cancer, future research needs to examine the use of yoga among male cancer patients and female non-breast cancer patients. In addition, various factors are associated with the execution of the intervention such as yoga styles and treatment doses that may influence effect size. Four different styles of yoga were used among the included studies: restorative, integrated, hatha, and Tibetan. Treatment dose, including duration and frequency, and the adherence to yoga intervention and home practice may also affect treatment outcome. According to the Carson's study of yoga for women with metastatic breast cancer,[ 71 ] patients who practiced yoga longer on a given day were much more likely to experience less pain and fatigue and greater invigoration, acceptance, and relaxation on the next day. In summary, most of the studies show potential benefits of yoga for people with cancer in improvements in psychological health. But, more attention must be paid to the physical effects of yoga and the methodological quality of future research, as well as to improve these areas in the future.

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Demonstrates positive outcomes of Yoga program for cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors

RISKS OF YOGA PRACTICE

Although many forms of yoga practice are safe, some are strenuous and may not be appropriate for everyone. In particular, elderly patients or those with mobility problems may want to check first with a clinician before choosing yoga as a treatment option. Only one incident has been reported in the surveyed medical literature associated with the risks due to the practice of yoga. The serious case that has been reported is of a female practitioner developing thrombosis of vertebrobasilar artery due to an intimal tear and subsequent stroke. This was attributed to adopting an unusual neck posture during yoga practice.[ 72 ] Yoga, although not entirely risk-free, can be considered a safe form of exercise if practiced under the guidance and supervision of a qualified trainer. But for many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. Indeed, the scientific study of yoga demonstrates that mental and physical heal are not just closely allied, but is essentially equivalent. The evidence is growing that yoga practice is a relatively low-risk, high-yield approach to improving overall health.

In summary, this review postulates that mind-body exercise such as yoga couples sustained muscular activity with internally directed focus, producing a temporary self-contemplative mental state. It also triggers neurohormonal mechanisms that bring about health benefits, evidenced by the suppression of sympathetic activity. Thus, it reduces stress and anxiety, improves autonomic and higher neural center functioning and even, as shown in some studies, improves physical health of cancer patients. However, there is a definite need for more directed scientific work to be carried out to elucidate the effects and the mechanisms of such effects of yoga on the human body in health and disease. Considering the scientific evidence discussed thus far, it is fair to conclude that yoga can be beneficial in the prevention and cure of diseases.

Source of Support: Nil

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

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11 Benefits of Yoga

You've probably heard by now that yoga is good for your health. Maybe you've even tried it for yourself and discovered that it makes you feel better. A consistent practice offers a plethora of mental and physical health benefits. Some, like improved flexibility, are clearly evident.

Others, including mental clarity and stress reduction, can be more subtle but are just as powerful. A fitness journal can help you keep track of your progress. When put together, these benefits of yoga contribute to increased feelings of well-being, which helps explain why so many people find yoga so addictive. Here are the top benefits of yoga and some poses to try to help you get the most out of your practice.

Benefits of Yoga

Improves flexibility
Builds strength
Improves balance
Supports joint health
Eases and prevents back pain
Teaches better breathing
Fosters mental calmness
Reduces stress
Increases self-confidence
Boosts heart health
Improves sleep

Improves Flexibility

Moving your body and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible , bringing a greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips. For more strenuous poses, a yoga blanket can help provide stability.

A 2016 study published in the International Journal of Yoga evaluated the effects of a yoga practice on male college athletes. Over the course of the 10-week study, researchers observed significant gains in flexibility and balance in the group that practiced yoga compared to the group that did not. The study authors concluded that a yoga practice can potentially enhance athletic performance and increase flexibility in athletes.

As you get older, your flexibility usually decreases, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting, which leads to pain and immobility. Yoga can help reverse this process. A study conducted in China in 2015 found that 12 weeks of Hatha yoga improved flexibility in adults with a median age of 50. The practice also increased cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance as well as physical strength.

Poses to Try:

Reclined Big Toe Pose (Supta Pandangusthasana) provides a stretch for the hamstrings and calves and can be modified by using a yoga strap to gradually increase flexibility.
Eye of the Needle Pose (also called Reclined Pigeon Pose) increases flexibility and range of motion in the hips and provides a gentle stretch for the iliotibial (IT) band and piriformis .
Eagle Pose (Garudasana) is a balancing posture that increases flexibility in the shoulders while also working the legs, glutes, and adductors.

Builds Strength

Many yoga poses require you to bear your body weight in new and often challenging ways, including balancing on one leg or supporting yourself with your arms. Holding these poses over the course of several breaths helps build muscular strength and endurance.

As a byproduct of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone . Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles in your legs, arms, back, and abdomen.

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) strengthens and stretches the hamstrings, calves, and ankles while building upper body strength in the shoulders, hands, and wrists.
Tree Pose (Vrksasana) strengthens and stretches the legs and core while testing your balance. The muscles and ligaments in the standing foot are strengthened as well.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana) strengthens the lower body and abdominal muscles while providing a stretch for the upper back.
Plank Pose is a common exercise used in various styles of fitness that targets the upper body and core while strengthening the hands and wrists and the muscles in the back body (posterior chain).

Improves Balance

Balance training is important at any age. Athletes find it can make them more powerful and those who are active find that it can boost their workouts and level of fitness. Balance training improves posture and functionality to help you move more efficiently through everyday life.

Exercises that strengthen and stabilize the core can promote agility and prevent accidents from stumbling or falling. Improved balance is one of the most important benefits of yoga, especially as you get older. Poses that require you to stand on one leg , and, for more advanced practitioners, turn you upsidedown in an inversion , can be a great way to build the core strength to hold you upright.

Poses to Try

Chair Pose (Utkatasana): As you simultaneously reach your seat back and arms forward overhead, core engagement is crucial for stability in this pose.
Half-Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) tests your balance while strengthening your core. This move also strengthens the ankles and thighs and stretches the hamstrings.
Warrior Poses (Virabhadrasana I, II, and III; Humble Warrior and Devotional Warrior) test your balance as you step forward and back from one pose to another. Try these moves as part of a Warrior series for a full sequence of yoga postures.

Supports Joint Health

The movements necessary for yoga are low-impact, allowing you to use your joints without injuring them. Yoga also helps strengthen the muscles around the joints, lessening their load. People with arthritis often see a marked improvement in their pain and mobility with regular gentle yoga practice .

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) mobilizes the spinal column and promotes hip stability.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana) supports the ankles and knees while improving posture.
Child's Pose (Balasana) mobilizes the spine and increases the range of motion in the knee and ankle joints
Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana) mobilizes the spine and hips and stabilizes the knee joints.

Eases and Prevents Back Pain

Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain . Many people who have back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car, which causes tightness throughout the body and spinal compression. Yoga counteracts these conditions, as studies show that the practice can help to ease common symptoms of back pain.

Cat-Cow Poses (Chakravakasana): Both Cat and Cow poses stretch and strengthen the spinal column as it moves through flexion and extension, which can help reduce compression in the lower back region.
Seated Spinal Twist (also called Half Lord of the Fishes Pose or Ardha Matsyendrasana) involves spinal rotation to support mobility in the spinal column, particularly in the neck (cervical spine).
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) increases the mobility of the spine by moving it through spinal extension.

Teaches Better Breathing

Most of us take shallow breaths and don't give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises, called pranayama , focus our attention on breathing and teach us how to take deeper breaths, which benefits the entire body.

Breathwork in yoga can have physical and mental benefits both on and off the mat. Certain types of pranayama such as Skull Shining Breath (Kapalabhati Pranayama) can also help clear the nasal passages (helpful for people with allergies), and Ujjayi Breath can help calm the nervous system.

Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama) is a calming and grounding practice that uses the breath to focus your attention on the present moment and tune into the sensations of your body.
Equal Breath (Sama Vritti Pranayama) promotes calm and focus by counting 4–6 breaths in for each inhale followed by 4–6 breaths out for each exhale to hold your attention.
Cooling Breath (Sitali Pranayama) uses long, slow, deep breathing to calm and cool the body by sipping in air through a rolled tongue or pursed lips.

Fosters Mental Calmness

Yoga asana practice is intensely physical. Concentrating on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing calmness to your mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as how to focus on your breath and disengage from your thoughts.

The mental benefits of yoga are well-supported by scientific research. For instance, research published in 2018 in the International Journal of Preventative Medicine found that 12 weeks of Hatha yoga significantly reduced stress, anxiety, and depression in the 52 women who participated in the study.

In addition, a growing body of evidence shows the benefits of a yoga practice for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A 2014 study determined that yoga can help traumatized individuals tolerate any physical and sensory experiences that were associated with fear and helplessness. The researchers determined that yoga helped increase emotional awareness, which was associated with their ability to manage their symptoms.

Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana) stretches the hamstrings, groins, and hips while strengthening the legs. The opening of the chest and shoulders can invite a sense of calm as you test your balance and stability and maintain your focus.
Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) provides a deep opener for the hips while the nervous system is soothed as you fold forward.
Corpse Pose (Savasana) is known as the "final resting pose" that culminates a yoga practice. It is deeply relaxing and requires no physical effort. It is a pose for absorbing the physical practice while allowing the mind to relax and engage in meditation.

These skills can prove to be very valuable in intense situations off the mat, like childbirth, a bout of insomnia, or when having an anxiety attack.

Reduces Stress

Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, can seem to melt away during the time you are on the yoga mat . This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping to put your problems into perspective.

The emphasis yoga places on being in the present moment can also help as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. Regardless of whether it's an in-person or online yoga class , will leave feeling less stressed than when you started since yoga reduces cortisol levels.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) places the head below the heart to soothe the nervous system. You'll also feel an intense stretch in your hamstrings and calves. It's a good idea to bend your knees to avoid rounding your spine so you can get the most out of the forward fold.
Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana) is a relaxing meditation pose that can be practiced with a blanket under the knees and shins for additional support. You can also sit on a yoga block placed between your ankles to avoid straining your knees.
Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) is a calming restorative pose that can be supported with additional props such as a folded yoga blanket placed under your back. You can stay in a shape like this for a longer duration compared to other yoga poses to reap the stress-busting benefits.

Increases Self-Confidence

Doing yoga improves your mind-body connection, giving you a better awareness of your own body. During yoga, you learn to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment, putting you in better touch with your physical body. You also learn to accept your body as it is without judgment. Over time, this leads to feeling more comfortable in your own body, boosting your self-confidence.

Downward Dog Split (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana) strengthens the arms and core and increases focus.
Side Plank (Vasisthasana) strengthens the arms, back, and core muscles. There are several different variations to try as you build strength and confidence to hold yourself in this powerful pose.
Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana) stretches the hips, groins, and hamstrings while improving mental focus.
Crow Pose (Bakasana) is an arm balance that targets the abdominals and back muscles and strengthens the arms and wrists. Strength and focus are required to confidently perform the pose without falling.

Boosts Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and research shows that yoga can potentially help to prevent it.

Yoga is good for your heart, because it increases circulation and blood flow. For instance, a 2015 study found that a year of yoga improved cardiovascular risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure among older adults with metabolic syndrome. The study authors concluded that yoga can be a complementary treatment to managing this condition.

Cobbler’s Pose (Baddha Konasana) provides a gentle stretch for the hips and groin muscles and encourages deep breathing.
Garland Pose (also known as a Squat or Malasana) opens the hips to promote circulation and stretches the quadriceps while also strengthening the feet and ankles.
Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvokanasana) is a chest-opening pose that targets the legs, hips, hamstrings, and glutes.
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) is a playful hip-opening posture that stretches the hips, inner thighs, and groins, and encourages deep breathing and relaxation to promote blood flow.

Improves Sleep

Many people who practice yoga report that it helps them to sleep better and a large body of scientific evidence supports this claim. In fact, a review of 49 studies involving more than 4,500 participants determined that mind-body practices like meditation or yoga can be beneficial to those with insomnia and other sleep disorders.

Additionally, a 2020 review of 19 studies involving more than 1,800 women determined that those who practiced yoga had fewer sleep disturbances than those who did not. The researchers noted that the more yoga the subjects practiced, the more benefits they experienced.

Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) can promote relaxation, soothe the nervous system, and quiet the mind.
Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) is a great pose to do just before bed for several minutes of deep belly breathing.
Reclined Goddess Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) is a hip-opener that promotes deep relaxation by supporting yourself with additional props such as a bolster for additional comfort.

American Osteopathic Association. The benefits of yoga .

Polsgrove MJ, Eggleston BM, Lockyer RJ. Impact of 10-weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes . Int J Yoga . 2016;9(1):27-34. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.171710

Lau C, Yu R, Woo J. Effects of a 12-week hatha yoga intervention on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility in hong kong chinese adults: a controlled clinical trial . Evid Based Complement Alternat Med . 2015;2015:958727. doi:10.1155/2015/958727

Bhutkar MV, Bhutkar PM, Taware GB, Surdi AD. How effective is sun salutation in improving muscle strength, general body endurance and body composition? Asian J Sports Med . 2011;2(4):259-266. doi:10.5812/asjsm.34742

American Heart Association. Balance Exercise . Reviewed April 18, 2018.

Jeter PE, Nkodo AF, Moonaz SH, Dagnelie G. A systematic review of yoga for balance in a healthy population . J Altern Complement Med . 2014;20(4):221-32. doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0378

Deepeshwar S, Tanwar M, Kavuri V, Budhi RB. Effect of Yoga Based Lifestyle Intervention on Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial . Front Psychiatry . 2018;9:180. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00180

Chang DG, Holt JA, Sklar M, Groessl EJ. Yoga as a treatment for chronic low back pain: A systematic review of the literature . J Orthop Rheumatol . 2016;3(1):1-8.

Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, et al. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing . Front Hum Neurosci . 2018;12:353. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353

Cahn BR, Goodman MS, Peterson CT, Maturi R, Mills PJ. Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat . Front Hum Neurosci . 2017;11:315. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315

Shohani M, Badfar G, Nasirkandy M, et al. The effect of yoga on stress, anxiety, and depression in women . Int J Prev Med . 2018;9(1):21. doi:10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_242_16

Cramer H, Anheyer D, Saha FJ, Dobos G. Yoga for posttraumatic stress disorder - a systematic review and meta-analysis . BMC Psychiatry . 2018;18(1):72. doi:10.1186/s12888-018-1650-x

van der Kolk BA, Stone L, West J, et al. Yoga as an adjunctive treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial . J Clin Psychiatry . 2014;75(6):e559-565. doi:10.4088/JCP.13m08561

Katuri KK, Dasari AB, Kurapati S, Vinnakota NR, Bollepalli AC, Dhulipalla R. Association of yoga practice and serum cortisol levels in chronic periodontitis patients with stress-related anxiety and depressio n. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent . 2016;6(1):7-14. doi:10.4103/2231-0762.175404

Woodyard C. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life . Int J Yoga . 2011;4(2):49-54. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.85485

Srihari Sharma KN, Choudhary NR, Subramanya P. Evidence base of yoga studies on cardiovascular health: a bibliometric analysis . Int J Yoga . 2019;12(2):162-171. doi:10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_6_18

Siu PM, Yu AP, Benzie IF, et al. Effects of 1-year yoga on cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older adults with metabolic syndrome: a randomized trial . Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2017;7(40). doi:10.1186/s13098-015-0034-3

Wang X, Li P, Pan C, Dai L, Wu Y, Deng Y. The effect of mind-body therapies on insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis . Evid Based Compl Alt . 2019. doi:10.1155/2019/9359807

Wang W-L, Chen K-H, Pan Y-C, Yang S-N, Chan Y-Y. The effect of yoga on sleep quality and insomnia in women with sleep problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis . BMC Psychiatry . 2020;20(1):195. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02566-4

By Ann Pizer, RYT Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes.

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The 8 Limbs of Yoga explained

The yoga sutras of patanjali refers to 8 limbs of yoga, each of which offers guidance on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. learn about each one and how to incorporate them into your practice..

What do we mean by the 8 limbs of yoga?

According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, there is an eight-fold path leading to liberation, known as the ‘Ashtanga Yoga System’ or ‘8 Limbs of Yoga’ (the word ‘ashta’ means ‘eight’ and ‘anga’ means ‘limb’). But how does one go about attaining this freedom through yoga? Does it come at the cost of an expensive pair of yoga pants? Can you reach it by signing up to a detox retreat or finally touching your toes? Probably not…

What does yoga mean?

The word ‘yoga’ means to connect, unite or ‘yoke’. The thing we look to connect to is the true Self, also known as the ‘divine essence’, ‘ultimate self’, or atman. You might also think of this as the soul.

If that way of thinking doesn’t resonate with you, then consider that the word yoga can also mean separation or disentanglement. The thing we’re disentangling from is whatever stops us from feeling free, as the ultimate goal of any yoga practice is to attain moksha , meaning liberation or freedom.

What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?

1. YAMA – Restraints, moral disciplines or moral vows

2. NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances

3. asana – posture, 4. pranayama – breathing techniques, 5. pratyahara – sense withdrawal, 6. dharana – focused concentration.

7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption

8. SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment

The 8 limbs of yoga program, more yoga philosophy articles, 1. yama – restraints, moral disciplines or moral vows.

This first limb, Yama, refers to vows, disciplines or practices that are primarily concerned with the world around us, and our interaction with it. While the practice of yoga can indeed increase physical strength and flexibility and aid in calming the mind, what’s the point if we’re still rigid, weak and stressed-out in day-to-day life? There are five Yamas:

Ahimsa (non-violence),
Satya (truthfulness),
Asteya (non-stealing),
Brahmacharya (right use of energy), and
Aparigraha (non-greed or non-hoarding).

Yoga is a practice of transforming and benefitting every aspect of life, not just the 60 minutes spent on a rubber mat; if we can learn to be kind, truthful and use our energy in a worthwhile way, we will not only benefit ourselves with our practice, but everything and everyone around us.

In BKS Iyengar’s translation of the sutras ‘Light On The Yoga Sutras’, he explains that Yamas are ‘unconditioned by time, class and place’ , meaning no matter who we are, where we come from, or how much yoga we’ve practised, we can all aim to instil the Yamas within us.

7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption

The seventh limb is ‘meditative absorption’ – when we become completely absorbed in the focus of our meditation, and this is when we’re really meditating. All the things we may learn in class are merely techniques in order to help us settle, focus and concentrate. The actual practice of meditation is definitely not something we can actively ‘do’, rather it describes the spontaneous action of something that happens as a result of everything else. Essentially; if you are really meditating, you won’t have the thought ‘oh, I’m meditating!’…. (sound familiar?)

Many of us know the word samadhi as meaning ‘bliss’ or ‘enlightenment’, and this is the final step of the journey of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. After we’ve re-organised our relationships with the outside world and our own inner world, we come to the finale of bliss.

When we look at the word samadhi though, we find out that ‘enlightenment’ or ‘realisation’ does not refer to floating away on a cloud in a state of happiness and ecstasy…. Sorry.

Breaking the word in half, we see that this final stage is made up of two words; ‘sama’ meaning ‘same’ or ‘equal’, and ‘dhi’ meaning ‘to see’. There’s a reason it’s called realisation . It’s because reaching Samadhi is not about escapism, floating away or being abundantly joyful; it’s about realising the very life that lies in front of us. The ability to ‘see equally’ and without disturbance from the mind, without our experience being conditioned by likes, dislikes or habits, without a need to judge or become attached to any particular aspect; that is bliss.

Seeing life as it is

Just as the theologian Meister Eckhart used the word isticheit meaning ‘is-ness’ as referring to the pure knowledge of seeing and realising just ‘what is’, this stage is not about attaching to happiness or a sensation of ‘bliss’, but instead it’s about seeing life and reality for exactly what it is, without our thoughts, emotions, likes, dislikes, pleasure and pain fluctuating and governing it. Not necessarily a state of feeling or being, or a fixed way of thinking; just pure ‘I – am-ness’.

There’s just one catch though – Samadhi isn’t a permanent state…. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras importantly tell us that unless we are completely ready, without ‘impressions’ such as attachment, aversion, desires and habits, and with a completely pure mind, we will not be able to maintain the state of Samadhi for long:

Once the mind is pure and we truly do experience a state of Samadhi we can keep hold of, we attain moksha, also known as mukti, meaning a permanent state of being liberated, released and free.

Watch: an overview of the 8 Limbs of Yoga with Anat Geiger

Anat gives us an accessible overview of The 8 Limbs of Yoga (part of one of the most well-known works in yoga philosophy, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) – each of which offers guidance on how to live a conscious, meaningful and purposeful life.

Introduction to the 8 Limbs of Yoga

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Essay on Yoga for Students and Children

Yoga is an ancient art that connects the mind and body. It is an exercise that we perform by balancing the elements of our bodies. In addition, it helps us meditate and relax.

Moreover, yoga helps us keep control of our bodies as well as mind. It is a great channel for releasing our stress and anxiety . Yoga gained popularity gradually and is now spread in all regions of the world. It unites people in harmony and peace.

Origin of Yoga

Yoga essentially originated in the subcontinent of India. It has been around since ancient times and was performed by yogis. The term yoga has been derived from a Sanskrit word which translates to basically union and discipline.

In the earlier days, the followers of Hinduism , Buddhism, and Jainism practiced it. Slowly, it found its way in Western countries. Ever since people from all over the world perform yoga to relax their minds and keep their bodies fit.

Furthermore, after this popularity of yoga, India became known for yoga worldwide. People all over the world have started to realize the benefits of yoga. Several workshops are held and now there are even professional yogis who teach this ancient practice to people so they can learn about it.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga has numerous benefits if we look at it closely. You will get relief when you practice it regularly. As it keeps away the ailments from our mind and body. In addition, when we practice several asanas and postures, it strengthens our body and gives us a feeling of well-being and healthiness.

Furthermore, yoga helps in sharpening our mind and improving our intelligence . We can achieve a higher level of concentration through yoga and also learn how to steady our emotions. It connects us to nature like never before and enhances our social well-being.

In addition, you can develop self-discipline and self-awareness from yoga if practiced regularly. You will gain a sense of power once you do it consistently and help you lead a healthy life free from any problems. Anyone can practice yoga no matter what your age is or whichever religion you follow.

21st of June is celebrated as International Day of Yoga where people are made aware of the benefits of yoga. Yoga is a great gift to mankind which helps us keep better and maintain our health. You also develop a higher patience level when you practice yoga which also helps in keeping the negative thoughts away. You get great mental clarity and better understanding.

In short, yoga has several benefits. Everyone must practice it to keep their health maintained and also benefit from it. It is the secret to living a healthy and long life without the use of any artificial means like medicines or any other shortcuts of any kind.

FAQs on Yoga

Q.1 Write about the origin of Yoga.

A.1 If we look at the history, we see that Yoga originated in India. This ancient practice began when various yogis started performing yoga. Yoga translates to union and discipline and is derived from the Sanskrit language. The religious followers of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism used to practice it in the earlier days.

Q.2 What are the benefits of Yoga?

A.2 Yoga has not one but many benefits. It helps in keeping our mental and physical health intact. It helps us to connect to nature. Furthermore, your body becomes more flexible after consistent yoga practice and you also develop a great sense of self-discipline and self-awareness. In short, it improves our well-being and gives us better mental clarity.

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Benefits of Yoga Speech: Short and Long Speech Samples

Updated on
Jun 26, 2024

In today’s post-pandemic world, the importance of physical and mental well-being has significantly increased, bringing yoga to the forefront. Its benefits, ranging from enhancing body strength and balance to managing stress, are widely recognized. Seeing people practising yoga asanas like Bhujangasana and Trikonasana in public parks highlights its broad appeal.

Yoga is embraced by medical professionals and advocated by family elders, offering holistic benefits that transcend physical conditions. Charles Darwin’s theory of ‘Survival of the Fittest’ emphasizes the evolutionary importance of maintaining fitness. In this discussion, we explore the multifaceted advantages of yoga, a timeless practice essential for modern vitality.

Table of Contents

1 10-Line Speech on the Benefits of Yoga
2 Short Speech on Benefits of Yoga
3 Long Speech on Benefits of Yoga
4 Popular Slogans and Quotes on the Benefits of Yoga

Also Read: 160+ Best & Easy English Speech Topics for Students

10-Line Speech on the Benefits of Yoga

Here are 10 lines on the benefits of yoga that you can add to your speech. Feel free to use them anywhere in your benefits of yoga speech.

Yoga promotes physical strength and flexibility and enhances our overall body health and agility.
Doing yoga regularly improves our posture and body awareness, reducing the risk of chronic pain and injuries.
Deep breathing techniques in yoga help alleviate stress, and anxiety, and promote mental well-being.
Practising yoga can enhance mental concentration and focus, which can lead to improved cognitive function and productivity.
Yoga encourages mindfulness, fostering a sense of inner peace and emotional balance.
Practicing yoga can help with our sleep quality, and promote a restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep.
Yoga boosts our immune system and promotes overall health and resilience to illnesses.
Studies have shown that yoga can help with weight management by promoting mindful eating and improving metabolism.
Regular yoga practice can improve cardiovascular health, lowering the risk of heart disease and hypertension.
It fosters a sense of community and belonging, offering social support and connections through group yoga classes and communities.

Also Read: How Does Physical Health Affect Mental Health

Short Speech on Benefits of Yoga

‘I welcome everyone present here. Today I’ll present myself on the ‘Benefits of Yoga Speech’ where I’ll highlight all the benefits yoga offers us and how it can lead to a healthy life.’
‘It all starts with early mornings, 5 or 5:30 a.m. where we get our yoga mats and head towards the public park or any open space. Starting with deep breathing and different asanas, we begin our yoga session, where for the next 30 to 45 minutes we are controlling our breathing and diving into this spiritual discipline.’

‘The benefits of yoga cover many physical, mental, and spiritual exercises. It starts from:
– Improves flexibility and mobility, which enhances the range of motion in our joints.
– Build muscle strength, particularly in the core, arms, and legs.
– Helps in reducing stress and promotes relaxation, leading to improved mental well-being.
– It helps in blood circulation, which can contribute to better cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
– If you are someone with a sleeping disorder or insomnia, yoga can improve your sleep quality.
– It can also promote emotional balance and stability, helping in the management of anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges.’

‘Well, these are just some of the benefits that yoga offers us. At last, I would like to conclude by saying that yoga is a gift of self-care and we must embrace this journey towards holistic well-being and inner harmony.

Thank You.’

Long Speech on Benefits of Yoga

I extend a warm welcome to all of you as I begin my speech on the “Benefits of Yoga.” Today, I will share with you the profound impact yoga can have on our lives. In this fast-paced digital world, we often neglect our mental and physical well-being.
Just dedicating 40-50 minutes of our busy day to practising yoga can bring us lasting benefits. You might wonder how such a short practice can make a difference. Well, that’s the power of yoga.
Yoga is a holistic practice that encompasses physical, mental, and spiritual aspects, promoting overall well-being. Here are some of the key benefits of yoga:

Yoga poses like Vajrasana and Malasana improve blood circulation, enhancing cardiovascular health and overall wellness.

Practising poses such as Suryanamaskar and Upavistha Konasana increases flexibility and mobility, improving joint range of motion.

Holding yoga poses for 45 to 60 seconds and performing various exercises build muscle strength, particularly in the core, arms, and legs.

Yoga combines breath control and meditation to reduce stress and promote relaxation, leading to better mental health.

For those suffering from chronic pain, such as lower back pain or arthritis, regular yoga practice can alleviate discomfort through physical exercises and relaxation techniques.

Deep breathing exercises, like pranayama, enhance lung capacity and improve respiratory function.

Yoga practices, including Shavasana and legs-up-the-wall, contribute to better sleep quality.

Strong back muscles and a well-aligned spine are key to good posture. Yoga poses such as shoulder stand, cat-cow, tiger pose, and cow face help improve body alignment.

Let’s embrace the numerous benefits of yoga for a better quality of life. With an open heart and mind, we can let this ancient practice guide us toward a life of purpose, vitality, and inner peace.

Thank you.

Also Read: What is the Importance of Yoga in Students’ Life?

Popular Slogans and Quotes on the Benefits of Yoga

Here are some popular slogans/ quotes on the benefits of yoga, that can be used anywhere.

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – The Bhagavad Gita
“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are.” – Jason Crandell
“Yoga is the fountain of youth. You’re only as young as your spine is flexible.” – Bob Harper
“Inhale the future, exhale the past.”
“Yoga is not about touching your toes, it’s about what you learn on the way down.” – Jigar Gor
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” – B.K.S. Iyengar
“Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.” – Patanjali
“Yoga is the key to unlocking the door to peace, tranquillity, and joy.”
“Yoga is the dance of every cell with the music of every breath that creates inner serenity and harmony.” – Debasish Mridha
“Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.” – B.K.S. Iyengar

Start by greeting your audience and mentioning basic details about yoga, such as its origin, different techniques and benefits. Make sure to highlight the benefits of yoga realistically by giving examples of asanas and how they benefit our physical and mental well-being.

Yoga doesn’t just impact your health mentally but also physically as well. You will get greater clarity in life and achieve self-understanding. Similarly, it also makes the body quite flexible. You can enhance your muscle strength control the cholesterol levels and shed weight through yoga.

The Internationa Yoga Day is annually celebrated on 21st June, where people from all over the world celebrate yoga by performing different techniques and activities.

For more information on such informative topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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30 Examples: How to Conclude a Presentation (Effective Closing Techniques)

By Status.net Editorial Team on March 4, 2024 — 9 minutes to read

Ending a presentation on a high note is a skill that can set you apart from the rest. It’s the final chance to leave an impact on your audience, ensuring they walk away with the key messages embedded in their minds. This moment is about driving your points home and making sure they resonate. Crafting a memorable closing isn’t just about summarizing key points, though that’s part of it, but also about providing value that sticks with your listeners long after they’ve left the room.

Crafting Your Core Message

To leave a lasting impression, your presentation’s conclusion should clearly reflect your core message. This is your chance to reinforce the takeaways and leave the audience thinking about your presentation long after it ends.

Identifying Key Points

Start by recognizing what you want your audience to remember. Think about the main ideas that shaped your talk. Make a list like this:

The problem your presentation addresses.
The evidence that supports your argument.
The solution you propose or the action you want the audience to take.

These key points become the pillars of your core message.

Contextualizing the Presentation

Provide context by briefly relating back to the content of the whole presentation. For example:

Reference a statistic you shared in the opening, and how it ties into the conclusion.
Mention a case study that underlines the importance of your message.

Connecting these elements gives your message cohesion and makes your conclusion resonate with the framework of your presentation.

30 Example Phrases: How to Conclude a Presentation

1. “In summary, let’s revisit the key takeaways from today’s presentation.”
2. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s move forward together.”
3. “That brings us to the end. I’m open to any questions you may have.”
4. “I’ll leave you with this final thought to ponder as we conclude.”
5. “Let’s recap the main points before we wrap up.”
6. “I appreciate your engagement. Now, let’s turn these ideas into action.”
7. “We’ve covered a lot today. To conclude, remember these crucial points.”
8. “As we reach the end, I’d like to emphasize our call to action.”
9. “Before we close, let’s quickly review what we’ve learned.”
10. “Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to our next steps.”
11. “In closing, I’d like to thank everyone for their participation.”
12. “Let’s conclude with a reminder of the impact we can make together.”
13. “To wrap up our session, here’s a brief summary of our discussion.”
14. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to present to you. Any final thoughts?”
15. “And that’s a wrap. I welcome any final questions or comments.”
16. “As we conclude, let’s remember the objectives we’ve set today.”
17. “Thank you for your time. Let’s apply these insights to achieve success.”
18. “In conclusion, your feedback is valuable, and I’m here to listen.”
19. “Before we part, let’s take a moment to reflect on our key messages.”
20. “I’ll end with an invitation for all of us to take the next step.”
21. “As we close, let’s commit to the goals we’ve outlined today.”
22. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s keep the conversation going.”
23. “In conclusion, let’s make a difference, starting now.”
24. “I’ll leave you with these final words to consider as we end our time together.”
25. “Before we conclude, remember that change starts with our actions today.”
26. “Thank you for the lively discussion. Let’s continue to build on these ideas.”
27. “As we wrap up, I encourage you to reach out with any further questions.”
28. “In closing, I’d like to express my gratitude for your valuable input.”
29. “Let’s conclude on a high note and take these learnings forward.”
30. “Thank you for your time today. Let’s end with a commitment to progress.”

Summarizing the Main Points

When you reach the end of your presentation, summarizing the main points helps your audience retain the important information you’ve shared. Crafting a memorable summary enables your listeners to walk away with a clear understanding of your message.

Effective Methods of Summarization

To effectively summarize your presentation, you need to distill complex information into concise, digestible pieces. Start by revisiting the overarching theme of your talk and then narrow down to the core messages. Use plain language and imagery to make the enduring ideas stick. Here are some examples of how to do this:

Use analogies that relate to common experiences to recap complex concepts.
Incorporate visuals or gestures that reinforce your main arguments.

The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three is a classic writing and communication principle. It means presenting ideas in a trio, which is a pattern that’s easy for people to understand and remember. For instance, you might say, “Our plan will save time, cut costs, and improve quality.” This structure has a pleasing rhythm and makes the content more memorable. Some examples include:

“This software is fast, user-friendly, and secure.”
Pointing out a product’s “durability, affordability, and eco-friendliness.”

Reiterating the Main Points

Finally, you want to circle back to the key takeaways of your presentation. Rephrase your main points without introducing new information. This reinforcement supports your audience’s memory and understanding of the material. You might summarize key takeaways like this:

Mention the problem you addressed, the solution you propose, and the benefits of this solution.
Highlighting the outcomes of adopting your strategy: higher efficiency, greater satisfaction, and increased revenue.

Creating a Strong Conclusion

The final moments of your presentation are your chance to leave your audience with a powerful lasting impression. A strong conclusion is more than just summarizing—it’s your opportunity to invoke thought, inspire action, and make your message memorable.

Incorporating a Call to Action

A call to action is your parting request to your audience. You want to inspire them to take a specific action or think differently as a result of what they’ve heard. To do this effectively:

Be clear about what you’re asking.
Explain why their action is needed.
Make it as simple as possible for them to take the next steps.

Example Phrases:

“Start making a difference today by…”
“Join us in this effort by…”
“Take the leap and commit to…”

Leaving a Lasting Impression

End your presentation with something memorable. This can be a powerful quote, an inspirational statement, or a compelling story that underscores your main points. The goal here is to resonate with your audience on an emotional level so that your message sticks with them long after they leave.

“In the words of [Influential Person], ‘…'”
“Imagine a world where…”
“This is more than just [Topic]; it’s about…”

Enhancing Audience Engagement

To hold your audience’s attention and ensure they leave with a lasting impression of your presentation, fostering interaction is key.

Q&A Sessions

It’s important to integrate a Q&A session because it allows for direct communication between you and your audience. This interactive segment helps clarify any uncertainties and encourages active participation. Plan for this by designating a time slot towards the end of your presentation and invite questions that promote discussion.

“I’d love to hear your thoughts; what questions do you have?”
“Let’s dive into any questions you might have. Who would like to start?”
“Feel free to ask any questions, whether they’re clarifications or deeper inquiries about the topic.”

Encouraging Audience Participation

Getting your audience involved can transform a good presentation into a great one. Use open-ended questions that provoke thought and allow audience members to reflect on how your content relates to them. Additionally, inviting volunteers to participate in a demonstration or share their experiences keeps everyone engaged and adds a personal touch to your talk.

“Could someone give me an example of how you’ve encountered this in your work?”
“I’d appreciate a volunteer to help demonstrate this concept. Who’s interested?”
“How do you see this information impacting your daily tasks? Let’s discuss!”

Delivering a Persuasive Ending

At the end of your presentation, you have the power to leave a lasting impact on your audience. A persuasive ending can drive home your key message and encourage action.

Sales and Persuasion Tactics

When you’re concluding a presentation with the goal of selling a product or idea, employ carefully chosen sales and persuasion tactics. One method is to summarize the key benefits of your offering, reminding your audience why it’s important to act. For example, if you’ve just presented a new software tool, recap how it will save time and increase productivity. Another tactic is the ‘call to action’, which should be clear and direct, such as “Start your free trial today to experience the benefits first-hand!” Furthermore, using a touch of urgency, like “Offer expires soon!”, can nudge your audience to act promptly.

Final Impressions and Professionalism

Your closing statement is a chance to solidify your professional image and leave a positive impression. It’s important to display confidence and poise. Consider thanking your audience for their time and offering to answer any questions. Make sure to end on a high note by summarizing your message in a concise and memorable way. If your topic was on renewable energy, you might conclude by saying, “Let’s take a leap towards a greener future by adopting these solutions today.” This reinforces your main points and encourages your listeners to think or act differently when they leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative strategies for ending a presentation memorably.

To end your presentation in a memorable way, consider incorporating a call to action that engages your audience to take the next step. Another strategy is to finish with a thought-provoking question or a surprising fact that resonates with your listeners.

Can you suggest some powerful quotes suitable for concluding a presentation?

Yes, using a quote can be very effective. For example, Maya Angelou’s “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” can reinforce the emotional impact of your presentation.

What is an effective way to write a conclusion that summarizes a presentation?

An effective conclusion should recap the main points succinctly, highlighting what you want your audience to remember. A good way to conclude is by restating your thesis and then briefly summarizing the supporting points you made.

As a student, how can I leave a strong impression with my presentation’s closing remarks?

To leave a strong impression, consider sharing a personal anecdote related to your topic that demonstrates passion and conviction. This helps humanize your content and makes the message more relatable to your audience.

How can I appropriately thank my audience at the close of my presentation?

A simple and sincere expression of gratitude is always appropriate. You might say, “Thank you for your attention and engagement today,” to convey appreciation while also acknowledging their participation.

What are some examples of a compelling closing sentence in a presentation?

A compelling closing sentence could be something like, “Together, let’s take the leap towards a greener future,” if you’re presenting on sustainability. This sentence is impactful, calls for united action, and leaves your audience with a clear message.

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Open access
Published: 13 September 2024

The phenomenon of yoga in the imagination of Turkish nursing students: "The way to place goodness in the heart"

Özüm Erki̇n 1 ,
Aynur Çeti̇nkaya 2 &
Begüm Güler 3

BMC Nursing volume 23 , Article number: 655 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

The aim of the research is to shed light on the experiences of a group of nursing students enrolled in a yoga elective course who practiced yoga regularly for 14 weeks, regarding yoga and the phenomenon of doing yoga, with a qualitative approach.

This qualitative study was conducted at a public university in Izmir, Turkey. The study sample consisted of 61 students enrolled in the 1st-year yoga course at the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences. Except for two students, 59 of them participated in the study. Participants attended a face-to-face yoga course once a week for 1.5 h over a 14-week period. Each session comprised 30 min of theoretical instruction and 60 min of practice. In data collection, an interview form containing five questions was used to understand nursing students' experiences and thoughts about practicing yoga. In addition, A4 sized papers in different colors were presented to the participants. The participants were asked to draw and/or cut a shape by choosing the paper in the color that most evokes yoga. Then they were asked to explain why they chose this color and why they drew this shape. Participants were given one hour. After the data were collected, the pictures drawn by the participants and their descriptions of their drawings were transferred to the computer and included in the analysis. Qualitative data were hand-coded by the researchers. Within in-vivo coding, code names were formed from the participants' expressions. The findings analyzed by content analysis were interpreted with the literature under the themes by presenting quotations.

It was determined that the participants used nature figures (sun, cloud, tree, sky, flower) (f = 75), people doing yoga (f = 12), and sound, light and other figures (bird sound, wave sound, candle, light bulb, traffic light, heart, eye, left key, peace, swing, India, circle, etc.) (f = 29) in the shapes they drew and cut out on A4 sized papers in different colors to describe their experiences and thoughts about practicing yoga. The participants mostly chose blue-green-yellow colors ( n = 41). With qualitative question analysis, a list of codes was created from the answers given by the students to the questions for the phenomenon of “doing yoga” (number of codes = 98). After the analysis of the data, four categories were reached. The category names and frequency numbers explaining the phenomenon of practicing yoga were distributed as “symbol of health and serenity (f = 345)”, “the way to place goodness in your heart (f = 110)”, “the most effective way to meet the self (f = 93)” and “no guarantee of relaxation (f = 71)”, respectively.

Conclusions

The results indicate that yoga is perceived by nursing students as a multifaceted practice that evokes a range of emotional and physical responses. Most participants associate yoga with symbols of health, serenity, and self-awareness, often using natural elements and blue-green-yellow the colors to represent these feelings. However, there is also recognition that yoga may not guarantee relaxation for everyone, as some students reported difficulties in meditation, physical discomfort, and challenges in focusing. The study highlights the variability in how individuals experience yoga, emphasizing both its positive effects on well-being and the potential challenges in practice. These findings suggest that while yoga is widely valued for its calming and health-promoting benefits, it may not be universally effective in achieving relaxation or mindfulness.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Yoga is a practice that has been subject to many different interpretations and translations over thousands of years. Patanjali's phrase "Yogas Chitta Vrittis Nirodha" translates to "Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind" in English [ 1 ]. Hagen & Hagen (2024) have emphasized that yoga is commonly understood in society as a tool for mental calmness and balance[ 2 ]. This provides a comprehensive model for personal development, contributing to the individual's balanced harmony in every aspect—mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual [ 3 , 4 ]. By developing inner awareness as well as meta-awareness, yoga offers a roadmap for individuals to see and understand their own state and surroundings more clearly [ 5 ]. Yoga enhances physical functionality by alleviating pain and discomfort, thereby reducing physical ailments. Moreover, yoga offers physical health benefits, including increased strength and flexibility, as well as improved posture [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].

According to Bhavanani (2014), yoga extends beyond mere physical or mental health; it also addresses emotional, social, and spiritual needs [ 11 ]. By increasing personal awareness, it can strengthens both inner attachment and social connections [ 6 , 9 , 12 ]. Research shows that participants' self-confidence increases during yoga practice, and they might gain better skills to manage their mental health. This underscores not only the physical advantages of yoga but also its significant contributions to mental and emotional well-being [ 8 , 9 , 13 , 14 ]. Yoga can fosters heightened bodily awareness, elevates mood, and enhances overall well-being. It also promotes self-acceptance, personal fulfillment, and social harmony. This holistic process provides psychological relief and mental tranquility, aiding in the management of common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression [ 11 ].

Today, young adults increasingly experience stress, pressure, and mental health issues [ 15 ]. Research links young people's stress levels to high demands at school and the pressure to meet these demands [ 16 ]. Additionally, lack of physical activity and sleep problems also can contribute to their difficulties in coping with these issues [ 17 , 18 ]. Academic expectations from parents, especially those from middle-class families, can further increase the pressure on young people, leading them to evaluate their self-worth solely based on their achievements. This adds to the existing academic pressures, causing young people to worry more about future educational and career opportunities [ 19 ].

Yoga can physically contribute to nervous system balance by decreasing stress-related sympathetic activity and stimulating the parasympathetic system. Consequently, it can positively impact stress and mental health issues, particularly in young people. Nursing students, who often undergo a stressful educational period, can also benefit from these effects [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Therefore, it is recommended to integrate mindfulness programs, including breathing techniques, meditation, and yoga, into the nursing curriculum [ 21 , 22 ]. In the literature, a yoga course was integrated into the nursing curriculum in Turkey for the first time by Erkin and Aykar (2021) [ 20 ]. Most studies with students in the field of yoga in the literature are quantitative, although yoga has been studied in college students using qualitative methods, no studies found in nursing. This is one of the starting points of this research. The aim of the research is to shed light on the experiences of a group of nursing students enrolled in a yoga elective course who practiced yoga regularly for 14 weeks, regarding yoga and the phenomenon of doing yoga, with a qualitative approach. This qualitative study tries to fill this gap in the literature by explaining the imaginary meanings that nursing students attending yoga courses attribute to the yoga experience.

Design and participants

The research, designed in a qualitative type, was conducted during the 2018–2019 academic year. In line with the qualitative research approach, a purposeful sampling method was used. The qualitative method sees the experience of reality as subjective, varying from person to person. Moreover, it is a reliable method for studying a little known or understood area. Therefore, a qualitative descriptive design was adopted to explore students’ knowledge and perspectives [ 25 ].

Participants attended a face-to-face yoga course once a week for 1.5 h over a 14-week period. Each session comprised 30 min of theoretical instruction and 60 min of practice. The content of the yoga course is detailed in Table 1 . The theoretical component included a weekly 30-min PowerPoint presentation covering topics such as the history of yoga, meditation, breathing techniques (pranayama), yoga poses (asanas), chakras, mindfulness, and compassion. The practical sessions were conducted in a tranquil and dimly lit room, following a structured 60-min schedule: 15 min of pranayama (e.g., ocean breath, equal breathing, cooling breath, humming bee breath, alternate nostril breath, kapalbhati pranayama), 30 min of hatha yoga asanas involving gentle stretching and strengthening exercises with each pose held for 5–10 breaths and repeated five times, 5 min of meditation, and 10 min of shavasana. These sessions were led by a yoga instructor (first author) registered with the Yoga Alliance. No home practice was required. According to the course rules, students were allowed up to 20% absenteeism. At the end of the 14-week period, it was determined that students were absent for an average of 1.5 weeks. There was only one change in the planned yoga protocol. Although it was initially planned to use one breathing technique every two weeks, all breathing techniques were combined based on the students’ feedback and used in the sessions after students learned all the techniques (after the 6th week). Class attendance was encouraged through messages in a WhatsApp group. However, attendance was not included in the scoring.

The sample of the research was planned to consist of first-year students enrolled in the elective course "Yoga" in the Nursing Department of the Faculty of Health Sciences at İzmir Democracy University in Izmir ( N = 61). Two students did not participate in the study because the topic and objectives did not interest them. Data were collected from a total of 59 nursing students on a voluntary basis. After the yoga course, the last week interviews were conducted with 59 participants who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. Of the participants (n:59), 40 were female and 19 were male, with ages ranging from 18 to 21. Forty-six participants described their health perception as "good," nine as "very good," and four as "poor." (Appendix 1).

Data collection

Data collection was conducted using a structured interview form alongside a creative activity where participants were asked to draw a picture and write a text representing the concept of doing yoga. Data were collected through structured interviews guided by a pre-developed interview Schedule (see Appendix 1). The structured interview form developed for this study included seven open-ended questions and prompts designed to elicit detailed responses from the participants regarding their experiences with the yoga course. Prior to commencing data collection with the main participant group, the interview schedule was pilot tested with five nursing students who met the inclusion criteria but were not part of the final sample. This pilot testing allowed for refinement of the interview questions and ensured clarity and comprehensiveness.

After obtaining the necessary permissions for the research, the students engaged in the yoga course were comprehensively briefed on the study’s objectives, content, methodology, and the individuals responsible for its execution. The last week of "Yoga" course (14th week), students asked to draw a picture and write a text representing the concept of doing yoga. Each student was given colored A4 papers and, for those who wished to use them, colored pencils in the classroom environment. Before starting to draw, students were asked to write their gender on the back of the paper, but not their name or surname. In addition to the picture they drew, they were asked to write their thoughts about yoga and what they drew regarding the concept of doing yoga on a separate piece of paper or in appropriate spaces on their drawing paper. Besides students filled the interview form. They also filled out a structured interview form to capture their experiences and thoughts about practicing yoga. Participants were given one hour to complete the task. After the data were collected, the drawings and their related descriptions made by the participants were digitized and included in the analysis [ 26 ]. For security purposes, the data were stored in Google Drive™ accessible to authors.

To examine subjective experiences, the techniques of "drawing" and "description" were used together, attempting to integrate the strengths of both methods. Participants were provided with A4 papers in different colors and asked to choose the color that most reminded them of yoga. Starting from the theme of "The meaning of doing yoga for them," participants were asked to draw pictures representing their perceptions and to write descriptions related to their drawings. In a similar approach referred to as "projective technique" in the literature, the drawing is accepted as a tool for reflecting emotions. Projection means expression and is based on the assumption that "an individual's behavior is a reflection of their personality" [ 26 , 27 ].

Data analysis and interpretation process

The data were analyzed using an inductive approach. Inductive analysis involves coding the data to categorize it, identifying relationships between these categories, and reaching a holistic picture based on this. The key point in data analysis in this study was to create categorical labels embedded in the data [ 26 , 27 ]. In this study, a code list was developed, data were coded, categories were created, and data were reported within these categories. Data analysis was conducted by the researchers through coding. For some themes, in-vivo coding, which is included in the qualitative research methodology of grounded theory, was used as an inductive coding process. In vivo coding involves creating a theme tag using the code that comes directly from the data, i.e., the participant's own expressions [ 28 ].

All these processes were carried out in collaboration with two field experts (ÖE, AÇ). Similar codes were grouped together to form a certain number of categories and reported to establish the main idea in the data. Comparing codes and categories with the literature aimed to contribute to the validity of the data analysis. At the end of the data collection phase, a conceptual model related to the topic was developed by the researchers [ 26 ]

The research team acknowledges the importance of reflexivity in qualitative research. The first researcher, who has a PhD degree in public health nursing with 16 years of experience in nursing, is an instructor of yoga courses for undergraduate nursing students. The researcher maintained a critical awareness of their own biases and assumptions that could potentially influence the data analysis throughout the research process. We aimed to minimize bias by employing a systematic thematic analysis approach and by regularly discussing the emerging themes with a second author, who is a specialist on qualitative research and has a qualitative PhD thesis in public health nursing. This cooperation contributed to ensuring the findings’ objectivity and reliability. Regretfully, it was not possible to get direct participant input on the findings because of the anonymous nature of the data collection process. The third researcher, who is a master’s degree student in public health nursing with 3 years of clinical experience in nursing, is an instructor of yoga. Nonetheless, we think that the utilization of rich participant quotes in conjunction with the iterative analytic process guarantees that the results truly reflect the participants’ experiences with the yoga course.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Before starting data collection, information about the research was provided to the school administration, permission was obtained, and contact was made with the participants. Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Manisa Celal Bayar University (02/12/2019, no:20.478.486). Participation was based on voluntariness and willingness, and students were informed about sensitive points related to the teacher-student relationship (such as participation or non-participation in the research not affecting their performance evaluations, etc.). Written informed consent to participate was obtained from all of the participants in this study.

Research validity and reliability

In qualitative research, the researcher investigating the problem is at the center of the research. The main measurement tool in the research is the researcher themselves. Therefore, the issue of objectivity has always been at the center of methodological debates in social sciences. In qualitative research, the concept of "trustworthiness" is considered instead of validity and reliability [ 27 ]. Various criteria of trustworthiness were considered in the processes of this research.

During the data analysis phase, in the creation of the code list, and in the interpretation of the findings, a comprehensive perspective was attempted to be reflected through a thorough literature review on the subject. All records in the data collection and analysis processes were kept systematically. Quotations were made from all data sources. The frequencies of the drawings and descriptions were determined, and those with high frequencies and those that were strikingly related to the topic were included. The data collection and data analysis processes were reported in detail as far as space limitations allowed, and original quotations from the data were included. Furthermore, in the quotations, descriptions written by the participants in their own handwriting were also used.

The number of participants in the study was 56. This number is considered sufficient for an in-depth exploration of the research topic. Students were instructed to create an illustration and compose a text depicting the concept of practicing yoga. Each student received colored A4 paper, and colored pencils were provided for those who wished to use them within the classroom setting. Prior to beginning their drawings, students were asked to indicate their gender on the back of the paper, ensuring that they did not include their name or surname. Alongside their drawings, students were required to write their reflections on yoga and describe what they had drawn related to the practice of yoga, either on a separate sheet of paper or in suitable spaces on their drawing paper. Additionally, students completed an interview form. Participants were allotted one hour to finish the assignment. This approach allowed for a thorough and comprehensive examination of the participants’ perspectives. To enhance transferability, purposive sampling was employed in the study. In purposive sampling, participants are selected to have specific characteristics relevant to the research topic. This approach ensured that the participants’ perspectives would represent the research topic effectively. To ensure dependability, interview questions, data collection, and analysis were consistently applied throughout the entire research process. In this study, to achieve confirmability, all stages of the research were described openly and transparently, aiming to reduce the impact of researcher bias. All transcripts and notes used in the study were stored for reference.

The reporting process of the study adhered to the COREQ (CONsolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research) guidelines, as outlined by Tong et al. (2007) [ 29 ]. The study follows CLARIFY 2021 guidelines for reporting yoga research [ 30 ].

Participants expressed their experiences and thoughts about practicing yoga by drawing and cutting shapes on A4-sized papers of different colors. It was determined that they used nature figures (sun, cloud, tree, sky, flower) (f = 75), figures of people practicing yoga (f = 12), and other figures such as sound, light, and others (bird sound, wave sound, candle, light bulb, traffic light, heart, eye, key, peace, swing, India, circle, etc.) (f = 29). Participants mostly chose blue-green-yellow colors ( n = 41).

A code list was created from the responses of students to questions about the concept of "practicing yoga" through qualitative question analysis (number of codes = 98). After analyzing the data, four categories were reached. The categories describing the concept of practicing yoga were distributed as follows in terms of symbols and frequency numbers: "symbol of health and tranquility (f = 345)", "the way to place goodness in your heart (f = 110)", "the most effective way to meet oneself (f = 93)", and "no guarantee of relaxation (f = 71)" (Fig. 1 ).

Concepts and codes identified in the qualitative analysis of nursing students' perception of the phenomenon of "practicing yoga"

Category 1. Symbol of health and serenity (f = 345)

The subcategories that received the most references from nursing students in explaining the phenomenon of practicing yoga under this category are "Serenity and Peace (f = 169)", "Comfort (f = 120)", "Health, Well-being, Happiness, and Energy (f = 56)". Below is the picture and description of the participant related to the subcategory "Symbol of Health and Serenity" (Fig. 2 ): "The reason for choosing the shape of a cloud and the color blue is that it brings me peace, reminds me to take deep breaths and be grateful. It reminds me that there are beautiful things in life and that I need to enjoy life." Additionally, "when you start doing yoga, your thoughts change, you feel rested, and your heart fills with peace." Participant 7, Female.

Cloud figure (blue) -participant 7

Participant 22 wrote the following in the interpretation of the figure they drew (Fig. 3 ): "The color blue always makes me feel happy and peaceful. I chose this color because yoga makes me feel peaceful and happy. For example, when I feel restless and unhappy, going to the beach, seeing the sea, seeing blue calms me down. Also, when I think of yoga, I imagine an endless deep blue sea. A sea with birds flying over it and a deep blue sky. A painting with sunny weather" Participant 22.

Interpretation by participant 22 (blue)

Participant 35's drawn figure is a butterfly, and their description is as follows (Fig. 4 ): “When I think of yoga, I think of a butterfly. Because when I do yoga, I feel as free and light as a butterfly. I imagine my wings taking me wherever I want inside. The green color relaxes me and makes me happy. The wings of the butterfly in my soul's greenery take me to purity…”.

Butterfly figure (green) -participant 35

Participant 9, in the chosen color and the comment on their drawing, expressed the following regarding the sub-category "Symbol of Health and Serenity" (Fig. 5 ): "I chose this color for its energy. Since energy is important in yoga, I chose orange. I chose this shape because I believe yoga is best done in a natural environment. Yoga reminds me of serenity, the feeling of being in emptiness, and relaxation (Fig. 5 )."

Tree figure and comment (orange) -participant 9

Participant 19, in the chosen figure and the comment on their drawing, stated the following (Fig. 6 ): "Because yoga reminds me of mental and physical health. In my opinion, health is manifested in the combination of blue and green colors. That is, balance in nature is something that exists in the soul and body." Participant 19 depicted a ladder figure in combination with blue and green, defining yoga as "soul and body therapy" (Fig. 6 ).

The place where the moon meets the sun (turquoise)-participant 19

Category 2. The way to place goodness in your heart (f = 110)

The meaning of the phenomenon of doing yoga by participant 11, an 18-year-old female nursing student, was labeled as "being aware of placing goodness in heart" as the category tag. This category, referred to 110 times by the participants, includes the subcategories of "Purification (f = 65)" and "Being a virtuous person (f = 45)". Participants mentioned virtues such as "patience, tolerance, love for all creatures, flexibility, equality, non-prejudice, peace, optimism, freedom" contributing to the concept.

Participant 51, an 18-year-old male who described his health as poor, used the light bulb figure to express "happiness, peace, security" and commented, "It causes positive effects on people" (Fig. 7 ). Participant 51 expressed the following regarding the subcategory " The way to place goodness in your heart" in the figure and comment (Fig. 7 ): "The light bulb illuminating the environment is connected to yoga. Yoga enlightens a person's mind."

Light bulb (yellow) -participant 51

Participant 39, a 19-year-old male, mentioned that practicing yoga leads to "thinking more compassionately." Participant 21, a female, stated, "Yoga is something that requires patience."

Here is the drawn peace figure and comment by participant 46, related to this category (Fig. 8 ). This participant said, "I chose pink because it opens up and gives peace. Of course, there is also light pink, not just dark pinks. I chose this sign because where there is yoga, there is love for all living beings, and where there is love, peace is inevitable."

Peace figure (pink) -participant 46

Category 3. The most effective way to meet yourself (f = 93)

For nursing students, practicing yoga means creating "awareness" and is the most effective way to meet oneself (f = 93). Participant 43, a 19-year-old female with a poor health perception, described feeling "calmer, more aware, and internally peaceful" when practicing yoga, as shown in Fig. 9 . Under the category of "the most effective way to meet oneself," Participant 43's figure and comment about yoga are as follows (Fig. 9 ): "…I chose this color because it gives me peace. The other colors make me restless, but this color makes me feel like I can breathe. Yellow is like an endless void to me. A color that makes me experience everything with all its reality. It's like a sky where you can escape from the chaos of the world and get lost in it…".

The world and heart (yellow) -participant 43

Participant 8 chose a cloud figure, describing yoga as "like rising above the clouds" and wrote the following about yoga practice: "Finding oneself in life, being at peace with oneself… [someone who starts practicing yoga] starts to know themselves, their love for life increases." Participant 8, Female.

Participant 33, a female who chose yellow for its calmness and non-straining quality, described the effect of yoga as "self-discovery" and wrote the following (Fig. 10 ): "You awaken your sleeping mind and body, and find the 'self' within you." Participant 33, Female.

Flower and human (yellow)- participant 33

The statement from participant 48 is as follows (Fig. 11 ): "In this image, what I want to convey is; the individual who practices yoga finds themselves, reaches their essence, and becomes aware of their own existence after a long and perhaps short journey. I chose the color orange because it reminds me that energy exists, is alive, and can be transmitted at any moment. For me, yoga is an indicator of energy. After yoga, the body revives and rejuvenates."

The road (orange)- participant 48

Category 4. No guarantee of relaxation (f = 71)

Among the nursing students ( n = 59), 16 (27.1%) indicated that they do not recommend yoga. The subcategories of this category include "difficulty in relaxing during meditation/emptying the mind (f = 23)", physical complaints (f = 21)", "difficulty in focusing (f = 18)", and "negative perceptions (f = 9)". Participants used expressions such as "headache, neck pain, back pain, dizziness, exhausting, feeling bad, difficult, fear, nervousness, inability to relax, disbelief" in relation to this category. A 19-year-old male participant, participant 41, stated about yoga, "I cannot meditate, I do not feel comfortable." Participant 44, a 19-year-old female participant who rated her health as poor, stated during yoga, "I cannot fully control my breathing and do meditation, I cannot empty my mind, so I cannot achieve complete peace."

Yoga, often conceptualized in the Western world as a physical practice [ 31 ], is considered a practice that can calm the mind and access a higher state of consciousness where individual and universal consciousness merge, using the body [ 32 ], in yoga traditions, the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of the individual are intricately connected [ 1 ]. When we relate the benefits of yoga to traditional yoga theories and systems, it can be interesting to explore its connection with the chakra system and colors. The main focus of yoga can be to regulate the functioning of chakras while awakening the associated energies [ 33 , 34 ]. It was thought that the free association of the students' drawings and descriptions could provide guidance in determining their experiences related to the concept of yoga. In this study, where the experiences of nursing students who took the elective yoga course were evaluated with a qualitative approach, participants mostly chose blue, green, and yellow-colored papers, symbolizing nature. When viewed from the perspective of the chakra-yoga system explained in the yoga course, it was thought that the participants might have resonated with certain energy centers or chakras. Blue, green, and yellow colors are respectively associated with the throat chakra, heart chakra, and solar plexus chakra [ 35 ]. The throat chakra is associated with communication, speech power, intellectual development, creativity, and expression [ 36 ]. Participants 7 and 22, who currently perceive their health as good, and participant 19, who chose blue and turquoise colors, may reflect a desire for in-depth communication and original expression, or a need for improvement in these areas. During yoga practice, especially breathing exercises and poses focusing on the throat region can be worked on this chakra, thus enhancing students' capacity for clearer communication and expressing inner truths [ 37 , 38 ].

The philosophy of yoga emphasizes the importance of harmony and unity with nature, which is why many yoga asanas (poses) are named after elements from nature, such as the tree pose, which symbolizes the stability and balance of a tree through its strong roots and upward-reaching branches [ 39 ]. In this study, visuals related to yoga such as the sun, clouds, trees, sky, and flowers were found. Participant 9 recalling and drawing a tree figure during yoga experiences indicates their awareness of this symbolic relationship. Research has shown that spending time in nature has positive effects on people's mood and mental health [ 40 , 41 ]; similarly, many yoga philosophies emphasize the importance of being in harmony with nature [ 42 ]. Therefore, a student's preference for a natural environment while practicing yoga and associating this practice with a tree in nature is thought to reflect both the healing power of nature and the relationship of yoga poses with elements in nature. This symbiotic relationship reminds us of how interconnected humans are with nature and how yoga practice can strengthen this connection. This aspect of yoga can also encourage individuals to strengthen their relationship with nature and adopt a more respectful attitude towards the environment. This can be seen as a reflection of the principle of 'ahimsa' or non-harming, which is one of the foundational principles of yoga philosophy [ 43 ].

Deep breathing practices are fundamental components of yoga and meditation. Consciously controlling breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and trigger the relaxation response [ 44 , 45 ]. Additionally, breath awareness is part of mindfulness practice and brings the individual into the present moment. Feeling gratitude helps a person recognize the positive aspects of their life and develop a more positive life perspective [ 46 ]. Gratitude practice can improve mental health and allow for greater enjoyment of life [ 47 ]. Participant 7's choice of a cloud shape and blue color is explained by the feeling of tranquility it brings, reminding them to take deep breaths and be thankful, and to remember that there are beautiful things in life that they should enjoy. Participant 7's statement confirms this. The shape of a cloud and the choice of the color blue directing them to take deep breaths, be thankful, remember that there are beautiful things in life, and enjoy life, can contribute to the participant's spirituality [ 48 ]. Such an approach can be balancing both mentally and emotionally, especially for students under academic pressure [ 49 ].

Yoga, meditation, and breathwork (pranayama) practices can be effective in creating a deep sense of peace by bringing individuals to the present moment and calming their inner dialogue [ 50 , 51 ]. Participant 22's statement, " The color blue always makes me feel happy and peaceful. I chose this color because yoga makes me feel peaceful and happy. For example, when I feel restless and unhappy, going to the beach, seeing the sea, and seeing blue calms me down ," also indicates the participant's association of yoga practice with feelings of peace and happiness, demonstrating the potential of yoga experience to provide inner tranquility and balance. Furthermore, the participant's desire to go to the beach and see the sea may refer to the healing and calming effect of nature [ 52 ]. Participant 19 states, " Yoga reminds me of spiritual and physical health. For me, health lives in the colors blue and green, meaning it is something in nature and in the spirit of nature ," and Participant 35 says, " When I think of yoga, I think of a butterfly because when I do yoga, I feel as light as a butterfly. I think my wings take me wherever I want inside me. The color green relaxes me, makes me happy, and the green inside me takes me to purity. " These statements may be associated with the heart chakra represented by the color green. This chakra is considered the center of love, compassion, and connection [ 36 ], and therefore, the association of green with this chakra may symbolize the participant's feelings of relaxation and happiness during yoga practice [ 48 ]. The phrase " the green inside me takes me to purity " in Participant 35's statement indicates that green represents purity and healing in the heart chakra, and the opening of this chakra allows the person to feel more peaceful and purer [ 53 ]. In this context, Participant 35's positive feelings toward green and the sense of relaxation may be a result of balancing and opening the heart chakra, contributing to their emotional experiences such as lightness and tranquility in yoga practices [ 54 ].

Participant 51, despite describing their health as poor, mentioning positive effects such as " Happiness, peace, trust " through the figure of a light bulb during yoga practices, can be explained by the illuminating effect of yoga on the mind. Just as a light bulb illuminates its surroundings, yoga enlightens the individual's mental and spiritual state, capable of transforming negative thoughts and emotions into positive ones. This contributes to achieving a general state of well-being and a positive mood by providing both physical and mental relaxation [ 55 ]. Participant 39 mentioned the effect of " thinking more humanely " while practicing yoga. Participant 21 commented that " yoga requires patience ." Participant 46 chose pink because " It opens up and gives peace within me, where there is yoga, there is love for all living beings, and where there is love, peace is inevitable. " Yoga can facilitates a tranquil mental state, reducing stress and tension, thereby promoting harmonious relationships and fostering peace within individuals and their social interactions. Central to yoga philosophy are humanism and the pursuit of a peaceful life [ 56 ] qualities reflected in participants' experiences, affirming yoga's role in cultivating positive personal and societal outcomes.

In the chakra system, colors and their associated energy centers are believed to promote balance and harmony in our daily lives and physical well-being [ 33 ]. Students' selection of these colors related to chakras may reflect their own energy balances and personal development needs, often unconsciously. Yoga practice can equips individuals with tools to enhance the harmony and integrity of these energy centers [ 57 ]. Participant 43, with a negative perception of health, reported becoming " A calmer person, awareness increases, and inner peace occurs; I chose this color (yellow) because it gives me peace. While other colors make me uneasy, when I look at this color, it feels like it gives me breath, and it continues to an endless void. Yellow, for me, is like escaping from the chaos of the world and getting lost in an endless sky ." Participants finding the color yellow soothing and describing it as providing a sense of freedom and freshness like an endless sky can be associated with the solar plexus chakra, typically represented by the color yellow [ 35 ]. This chakra is linked to self-confidence, willpower, and self-realization. [ 58 ]. Participant 33 described the experince of yoga with a flower and human figure as " Self-discovery ," stating, " you awaken your sleeping mind and body and find the 'self' within ." Participant 8 drawn a cloud figure, describing yoga as " like rising above the clouds," saying, "finding yourself in life, being at peace with yourself… [someone who starts practicing yoga] begins to know themselves, their love for life increases ."These statements and figures reinforce the basic themes of "self-discovery" and "being at peace with oneself" in yoga practice [ 59 ], indicating an important relationship between one's yoga practice, personal growth, and quest for inner peace [ 60 ]. Participant 48 believes that " After a long and perhaps short journey of practicing yoga, individuals find themselves, reach their essence, and become aware of their existence. I chose this color (orange) because it reminds me that energy exists, is alive, and can be transmitted at any moment. For me, yoga is a sign of energy; after yoga, the body revitalizes and refreshes. " The choice of orange suggests a strong relationship between yoga practice and energy, as this color, can be associated with the Sacral chakra, symbolizes vitality, creativity, and emotional balance [ 36 ].

In this study, there seem to be mixed views among some participants regarding yoga practice. While yoga and meditation are generally recommended as tools for reducing stress and enhancing personal well-being [ 24 , 61 , 62 ], some students (participants 41–44) have reported not finding this practice beneficial. For example, some participants have advised against practicing yoga due to physical discomfort (head, neck, and back pain, dizziness), inability to empty the mind during meditation, difficulty in focusing, and negative perceptions. The comments of participants 41 and 44 are thought to indicate their individual experiences regarding their inability to meditate and the discomfort they feel during yoga practice. Yoga and meditation practices can create different experiences in each individual; while they can be relaxing and healing for some, they can be challenging and discomforting for others [ 63 ]. This suggests that yoga and meditation can not universal solutions but practices that should be compatible with an individual's personal preferences, experiences, and health conditions [ 26 ].

Participants' health conditions can influence their experiences during yoga practice. Participants who feel unwell or have a specific health problem may find the practice challenging. This underscores the importance for educators and health professionals to provide stress management and relaxation techniques tailored to individual needs [ 64 ].

Limitations

The qualitative data collected in this study regarding the phenomenon of yoga is in Turkish. However, selecting an international journal for publication and translating the text into English may have limited the full conveyance of the figures and participants' expressions to the readers due to the unique cultural characteristics of the language. The concepts of yoga and chakras, meditation, and similar topics, which were theoretically as well as practically conveyed to the participants during the 14-week course content, may have influenced the participants' views on the phenomenon of yoga. The use of a qualitative design tradition in the research both limited the generalizability of the findings and contributed to the originality of the study.

This study has identified four themes that explain the phenomenon of practicing yoga. These are respectively; "symbol of health and tranquility", "way to place goodness in the heart", "most effective way to meet the self", and "no guarantee of relaxation" themes. The findings will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of student experiences and ultimately understand their positive and negative experiences. By delving into the student perspective, this research aims to provide valuable insights for educators and healthcare professionals. Most of the research on the phenomenon of practicing yoga is conducted abroad, and it is a less studied area in Turkey. Although yoga, which is becoming increasingly popular in our country, is known to be a practice that makes a person feel good; research on how individuals feel about practicing yoga and how they think about it is specific to the subject. Participants associated practicing yoga with symbols and colors found in nature, emphasizing the importance of its effects on the body, mind, and spirituality. In addition, findings regarding the experiences of individuals practicing yoga, a practice that is also becoming increasingly popular in Turkey, have been obtained. Although it is seen that qualitative approaches such as in-depth interviews and content analysis are used in almost all of the qualitative studies on the subject [ 48 , 65 , 66 ], no study has been found that examines individuals' perceptions by drawing pictures and interpreting them. In this respect, the current research's unique research method can contribute to the literature.

Acknowledgements

The authors extend their sincere gratitude to the nursing students who willingly took part in this study. Their participation is greatly valued and appreciated.

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Department of Public Health Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izmir Democracy University, Izmir, Turkey

Özüm Erki̇n

Department of Public Health Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey

Aynur Çeti̇nkaya

Begüm Güler

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ÖE and AÇ contributed to study design. AÇ contributed to analyze data. ÖE, AÇ and BG write the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Begüm Güler .

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Ethical approval for the study was obtained from Manisa Celal Bayar University Non-invasive Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Decision no:20.478.486, Date:02/13/2019). We adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant guidelines. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in this study. Participants were ensured to provide their consent voluntarily and without coercion. Written informed consent to participate was obtained from all of the participants in this study. Before the research, the purpose of the study was explained to the students and that they could leave the study at any time. At the beginning of the study, it was informed that participation in the study was voluntary and that no grade would be given. The evaluation of this course consisted of 10 open-ended questions as part of the year-end assessment. Students were asked to name 10 yoga poses they knew, describe the posture, explain the benefits, indicate the indications and contraindications, and identify the associated chakras. The grade distribution of the students was as follows: AA (n:31), BA (n:16), BB (n:6), CB (n:6). Necessary precautions were taken to protect the confidentiality of the data, the identity information of the participants was not included in the data collection tools and all personal details in the data collection forms were kept confidential. The identifying images or other personal details of participants are presented in a way that does not compromise anonymity.

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Erki̇n, Ö., Çeti̇nkaya, A. & Güler, B. The phenomenon of yoga in the imagination of Turkish nursing students: "The way to place goodness in the heart". BMC Nurs 23 , 655 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02288-y

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The 8 Limbs of Yoga explained

What do we mean by the 8 limbs of yoga?

What does yoga mean?

What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?

2. NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances

8. SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment

7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption

Seeing life as it is

Watch: an overview of the 8 Limbs of Yoga with Anat Geiger

Introduction to the 8 Limbs of Yoga

Essay on Yoga for Students and Children

Origin of Yoga

Benefits of Yoga

FAQs on Yoga

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YOGA AND LIFESTYLE PPT

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