Yoga and Mind-Body Medicine

Abstract

People are spontaneously practicing preventive medicine using an ancient mind-body integration technique: yoga. The deliberate inclusion of yoga in mind-body medicine is a more recent development. Individuals, professionals, and institutions are beginning to bring yoga into medical treatment or ongoing health maintenance programs. Topics in this chapter include a discussion of yoga; history of yoga; contemporary approaches to yoga; how yoga works; psychophysiology of yoga; yoga research; yoga education; goals and outcomes of yoga; health benefits of yoga; indications for yoga in mind-body medicine; contraindications for yoga in mind-body medicine; yoga therapy; the psychospiritual dimension of yoga; yoga and mind-body medicine; approaches to yoga in mind-body medicine; and future directions for yoga in mind-body medicine. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (create)