Verbal Cuing Is Not the Path to Enlightenment. Psychological Effects of a 10-Session Hatha Yoga Practice

Overview

Journal Front Psychol

Date 2020 Jul 29

PMID 32719633

Citations 6

Authors

Barbara Csala

Eszter Ferentzi

Benedek T Tihanyi

Raechel Drew

Ferenc Koteles

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Verbal instructions provided during yoga classes can differ substantially. Yoga instructors might choose to focus on the physical aspects of yoga (e.g., by emphasizing the characteristics of the poses), or they might take a more spiritual approach (e.g., by mentioning energy flow and chakras). The present study investigated the effects of verbal cues during yoga practice on various psychological measures. Eighty-four female students (22.0 ± 3.80 years) participated in the study. Two groups attended a beginner level hatha yoga course in which physically identical exercise was accompanied by different verbal cues. The so-called "Sport group" ( = 27) received instructions referring primarily to the physical aspects of yoga practice, while the "Spiritual group" ( = 23) was additionally provided with philosophical and spiritual information. A control group ( = 34) did not receive any intervention. Mindfulness, body awareness, spirituality, and affect were assessed 1 week before and after the training. 2 × 3 mixed (time × intervention) ANOVAs did not show an interaction effect for any of the variables. However, when the two yoga groups were merged and compared to the control group, we found that spirituality increased, and negative affect decreased among yoga participants. In conclusion, yoga practice might influence psychological functioning through its physical components, independent of the style of verbal instructions provided.

Citing Articles

The effect of 10-week long yoga training on interoceptive abilities: cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of cardiac and gastric accuracy.

Koncz A, Csala B, Ferentzi E Biol Futur. 2023; 75(1):41-50.

PMID: 37979130 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-023-00195-y.

The effects of a complex yoga-based intervention on healthy psychological functioning.

Koncz A, Nagy E, Csala B, Kormendi J, Gal V, Suhaj C Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1120992.

PMID: 37063561 PMC: 10097994. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120992.

Mechanisms of action and processes of yoga-based group intervention for inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders-A longitudinal qualitative study.

Tobelmann L, Hahne I, Schulze T, Bergmann N, Fuchs L, Zierhut M Front Psychiatry. 2023; 14:1086468.

PMID: 36824673 PMC: 9941680. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1086468.

Effects of a Single Yoga Session on Cardiac Interoceptive Accuracy and Emotional Experience.

Schillings C, Schultchen D, Pollatos O Brain Sci. 2021; 11(12).

PMID: 34942874 PMC: 8699040. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11121572.

Is Weekly Frequency of Yoga Practice Sufficient? Physiological Effects of Hatha Yoga Among Healthy Novice Women.

Csala B, Szemerszky R, Kormendi J, Koteles F, Boros S Front Public Health. 2021; 9:702793.

PMID: 34733813 PMC: 8559597. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.702793.

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