Abstract
Healthcare professionals and research scientists generally recognize the potential value of mind–body practices grounded in ancient wisdom, but often have limited direct experience with such practices. Meditation participant self-reports provide a window into subjective experiences of three Viniyoga meditations and how and why those meditations could contribute to health and well-being outcomes. Each of the meditations in this analysis had a unique structure and used a different aspect of the ocean as a meditation object. Yoga philosophy and yoga anatomy models of the human system are used to help explain participants’ experiences and associated personal benefits and insights. Four aspects of the individual that can influence what happens for them in meditation are illustrated with tangible examples: (1) What is happening in generally in someone’s life; (2) the state of their system (mind, body, breath) around the time of the meditation; (3) reactions to the meditation steps and instructions; and (4) their prior experiences with the object of meditation. Summaries of the practices, and why and for whom each meditation might be beneficial are discussed. The authors’ perspectives are grounded in Viniyoga and yoga therapy.
Highlights
Yoga and meditation are popular forms of self-care
The analysis focuses on four aspects of the individual that influence what happens for them in the meditation: (1) What is happening generally in someone’s life; (2) the state of their system around the time of the meditation; (3) reactions to the instructions or steps in the meditation; and (4) their prior experiences with the object of meditation
To further help readers associate participant comments with the factors highlighted in this article that can influence their meditation experience, codes are embedded within the dialog or explanation
Summary
Yoga and meditation are popular forms of self-care. In 2017, 14.3% of U.S adults reported practicing yoga and 14.2% reported using meditation [1]. The rising popularity of yoga and meditation has been accompanied by a proliferation of styles and approaches. Approaches to meditation include mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, and spiritual meditation as well as meditation that is part of yoga, tai chi, and qi-gong [2]. Millions of people have tried one or more forms yoga or meditation taught by different teachers. There are at least 22 different styles and schools of yoga in the west [3]. There are endlessly divergent understandings of what meditation is and how it works
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