North American Yoga Practitioners' Lived Experiences of Mind-Body Connection: A Phenomenological Study.
International journal of yoga therapy January 1, 2021 Rachel Weinstein 4 citations
North American yoga practitioners can experience a mind-body connection that aligns with the traditional spiritual intentions of yoga, which originated in India thousands of years ago. In interviews with six practitioners, four core experiences of this connection emerged: the role of breath, localized or internal bodily sensations, heightened awareness and mindfulness, and transcendental or spiritual qualities. Four conditions enabling this connection were also identified: breath, physical postures (asana), the practitioner's intentionality, and the environment. The findings suggest that contemporary North American practice retains a capacity for the mind-body purification central to yoga's original purpose.