Moving Beyond Health to Flourishing: The Effects of Yoga Teacher Training

Abstract

Research in the medical and psychological fields has primarily followed a “disease-focused” approach to health. Although there is growing research on the components and outcomes of well-being, very few studies have focused on traditional practices that can be used as interventions to encourage human flourishing. The current study was developed to address this research gap. We suggest one effective method of increasing psychological well-being, the practice of yoga, an age-old practice that has been said to produce physical and psychological health. In this observational study, we examined associations with participation in a 4-week yoga teacher training resident program. Measurement instruments were chosen to capture changes in psychosocial health and human flourishing. Measurements were taken before the start of the program, immediately after the program, and 3 months postprogram. As expected, in this healthy population, the human flourishing scales showed more change than the psychosocial health scales. For example, in this healthy sample, there were no significant changes in perceived social support, quality of life, or self-efficacy from baseline to the 3-month follow-up. However, optimism, a positive psychology research measure, improved from baseline to follow-up. The mindfulness subscales of observation, awareness, and nonreactivity all improved following the training, suggesting that one benefit of yoga practice is a more refined ability to attend to one's inner experience. This study adds to the growing literature focusing on interventions that move beyond relieving pathology to those that produce optimal functioning and human thriving.

Effects of a yoga-based intervention for young adults on quality of life and perceived stress: The potential mediating roles of mindfulness and self-compassion

“…Our finding that participation in the SI program predicts an increase in mindfulness is consistent with some recent reports suggesting that yoga-based programs can also increase the skill of mindfulness (Conboy et al, 2010;Shelov et al, 2009). This increase in mindfulness might be attributed to the emphasis on the cultivation of 'witness consciousness' in the SI program.…”

“…Although there is some preliminary evidence that yoga increases mindfulness (Conboy, Wilson, & Braun, 2010;Shelov, Suchday, & Friedberg, 2009), its role as a mediator of the effect of yoga on stress and well-being has not yet been investigated.…”

Qualitative Evaluation of a High School Yoga Program: Feasibility and Perceived Benefits

“…The interviews revealed two themes within body awareness: overt tuning into the body (kinesthetic sensitivity) and being kind to one's body (self-acceptance and self-compassion); improvements in self-compassion have been found to result from other Kripalu yoga programs, 34 suggesting that this may be a mechanism of change associated with yoga practice. Furthermore, despite lacking any reference to healthy eating behaviors in the present study's yoga curriculum, one interviewed student also reported changes in eating habits from participating in yoga classes.…”

Die Flourishing Scale (FS) von Diener et al. liegt jetzt in einer autorisierten deutschen Fassung (FS-D) vor: Einsatz bei einer Mind-Body-medizinischen Fragestellung

“…Conboy et al [70] konnten eine Steigerung von Flourishing durch Yoga nachweisen, das zu den Mind-Body-medizinischen Anwendungen zählt. Es erscheint konzeptionell vorstellbar, dass Mind-Body-Anwendungen einen Einfluss auf die persönliche Entwicklung und das persönliche Wachstum (Selbsteinschätzung) haben können.…”

“…Catalino und Fredrickson [71] wiesen nach, dass Veränderungen der Achtsamkeit mit Veränderungen des Flourishing einhergehen. Dies passt mit den Ergebnissen von Conboy et al zusammen [70]. Die Korrelation zwischen dem FS-D und dem SOC9 liegt ebenfalls im mittleren Bereich.…”