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Shoichi SHIOTA

Tokai Gakuin University, Japan

Title: Dynamic and Static Models of yoga from psychological / neurological / biological Perspectives

Abstract

Yoga is constructed by practices of asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation. Yoga has become widely known, and has been used for treatment and management of whose symptoms of women’s chronic physical or mental health conditions, such as postpartum depression, premenstrual syndrome, menopause, and uterine bleeding. However, the comprehensive psychological / neurological / biological framework of effects of yoga for women’s disease is unknown. Herewith, I discuss the dynamic and static models of yoga from psychological (metacognition) / neurological (insula, autonomic nervous system) / biological (encephalin, oxytocin) perspectives. In dynamic component of yoga that constructed by asana sequence and breathing technique, participants practicing each asana that involve using one’s whole body, especially, their cervical spine that includes the thoracic spine, the lumbar spine, and the pelvis. These movements effect one’s central nervous system, via improving activity in autonomic nervous system and endocrine systems. This is a bottom up effect of asana. And, during asana sequence, participants also practicing breathing technique that enhancing activity in autonomic nervous and endocrine systems. This is a top down effect of breathing technique. The bottom up and top down effects are functionally resonant within an individual during the asana sequence. This resonance effect of in dynamic components of yoga changes the body state using input from the periphery and makes it easier to meta-awareness. As a static component of yoga that is constructed to meditation and breathing technique, participants develop mental silence and non-reactive consciousness. Individuals develop awareness of both their inner experience, and how this experience functions on a meta-cognitive level. Here, the top-down control of using abdominal breathing reduces the emotional response occurring in an individual during meditation. I will explain more detail of the recovery mechanism of yoga that is suggested improve several women’s disease.

Biography

Shoichi SHIOTA is working at the Faculty of Human Relations Department of Psychology, Tokai Gakuin University (Concurrent) Graduate School School of Human Relations.