Stress and its expression according to contemporary science and ancient indian wisdom: perseverative cognition and the Pañca koças

Abstract

Stress is recognised as the most challenging issue of modern times. Contemporary science has understood this phenomenon from one aspect and Indian philosophy gives its traditional reasons based on classical texts. Modern science has recently proposed a concept of perseverative cognition (PC) as an important reason for chronic stress. This has shown how constant rumination on an unpalatable event, object or person leads to various lifestyle disorders. Similarly classical yoga texts like the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Vashistha describe stress in their unique ways. We have here attempted a detailed classification, description, manifestation, and development of a disease and its management through these models. This paper in a nutshell projects these two models of stress and shows how they could be used in future for harmonious management of lifestyle disorders.

A randomized controlled study on assessment of health status, depression, and anxiety in coal miners with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following yoga training

“…[ 22 ] Psychosomatic ailments arise due to a disturbance in the mind. [ 23 ] The level of documented evidence of yoga's psychophysiological benefits for depression and anxiety is progressively increasing. [ 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 ] Similarly, some research has been conducted on yoga's application to COPD[ 33 34 35 36 37 ] but no study has been published assessing the effect of yoga on coal miners, for whom the condition is a major work-related health hazard.…”