Reviews: Religious Therapeutics: Body and Health in Yoga, Ayurveda, and Tantra

Abstract

Religious Therapeutics takes a masterful scholarly look at the relationship between the body, health and healing, and spirituality filtered through three traditional Hindu systems, Ayurveda, Patanjali's Classical Yoga, and Tantra. Author Gregory Fields,an associate professor of philosophy at Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville),divides the therapeutic focus into four general areas: religious meanings that inform the philosophy of health and medicine; the religious means of health and, conversely, health as a support to religious life; and religiousness itself as a cure for human suffering.

Placebo–Placebo, Nocebo–Nocebo, Placebo–Nocebo, and Nocebo–Placebo Effects: A Review of Eastern and Western Perspectives

“…For instance, Ayurvedic surgeons often performed rituals, chants (Mantra Kirtan Chanting -Yoga Vidya, 2020), and prayers before and during procedures to invoke divine blessings and foster a healing environment. Patients' participation in these rituals strengthened their belief in the surgery's effectiveness (Fields, 2001;Patwardhan & Jumar, 2021;Singh & Lahiri, 2010;Zysk, 1996Zysk, , 1998. This scenario suggests a psychological and spiritual "placebo" effect, where the patient's faith in the ritual and the surgeon's intention contribute to a positive psychological state, potentially enhancing the healing process (Kaptchuk, 2011;Rao & Thomas, 2023) (refer section 3 for detailed explanation of indistinct mechanisms of nature and belief with the cosmic consciousness as a guide).…”

Prevalence of Internet Addiction among Students at an Indian Higher Educational Institution and some proposed Yogic Prescriptions for its mitigation

“…Postures: Pavanmuktasana (anti-rheumatic series) with mild bhastrika (24), Tadasana, Adhomukha Svanasana, Uttanasana, alligator twists (25), Vajrasana, Vipreetakarani, Shashankasana and Shavasana (24). Breath regulations: Alternate nostril breathing (20), crown breath (Dhrti-Sakti-Vikasaka) (26), the breath of fire (27)(28)(29), Kapalabhati, Ujjayi, Bhramari, and Moorcha (24). Locks and Gestures: Jalandhar Bandha and Moola Bandha, Gyan Mudra, Shambhavi Mudra, Khechari and Nashikagra Mudra (30,31).…”

Healing myths, yoga styles and social bodies: socio-logics of yoga as a health practice in the socially stratified city of Marseille, France

“…For instance, Iyengar Yoga -a first-generation yoga brand -conveys the image of a linear, unaltered trajectory of transmission going back to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (circa 350-450 CE), both in its discursive formalization, as in Iyengar's Light on Yoga (Iyengar 1966), and in the structure of Iyengar yoga classes with the ritual opening Sanskrit invocation of Patanjali. At the same time, Iyengar's biomedical descriptions of postures -anatomically deconstructed, with breath specifications and lists of associated physiological and mental effects, indications and counter-indications in relation to an array of conditions (such as pregnancy or menstruation), illnesses, and limitations -propelled Iyengar Yoga into scientific modernity (Jain 2012), establishing yoga as non-denominational system of transcendental therapeutics where the postural disciplining of the body is equated with spiritual attainment, and liberation with healing (Iyengar 1966, 20;Fields 2014).…”