Yoga and Meditation for Self-Empowered Behavior and Quality of Life

Abstract

Similar to the concept of general well-being for individuals and societies, researchers have proposed various approaches to the concepts of personal beliefs and quality of life (QoL). In this chapter, QoL is discussed from an individual, subjective, cognitive and behavioral perspective with a focus on personal beliefs. More specifically, we present stress management as an endeavor in which yoga and personal beliefs can be applied to improve QoL. Stress management is recognized as a major health factor influencing an individual’s QoL. Empowered behavior to manage stress is discussed using a four-step model (involving thoughts, beliefs, emotions and behavior), that describes how human behavior is shaped by habits formed through individual experiences that unconsciously influence one’s thoughts, belief systems and emotions. Interventions such as yoga and meditation lead practitioners to question and alter thoughts in ways that can lead to improvements in QoL. Studies have indicated that when yoga and meditation are practiced regularly, the body implements stress-reducing processes automatically and unconsciously when a stressful situation arises. Therefore, this chapter contributes to the literature by demonstrating how yoga and meditation intervene in the mechanisms by which thoughts, beliefs and feelings shape behavior, as have been detailed in recent studies. In addition to the implementation of yoga and meditation, the possible use of technology and other tools for the quantitative assessment of states as a means of facilitating self-empowered behavior is discussed.