Heartfulness proposes meditation on the heart with an aim of attaining subtler levels of consciousness. The heart is not merely a pump for blood circulation – its role goes far beyond that. References in ancient Indian literature on Yoga, especially that from Sages like Patanjali,…
Research is extremely important to support different approaches to health care and Yoga has been gaining lot of attention as Yoga Institutes, reseachers, scholars have started offering substantive clinical research evidence. COVID-19 Pandemic has brought to surface efficacy of yoga practices in reducing stress levels and promoting a holistic way of living. By striking a balance between body, mind and soul, yoga has proved to be extensively helpful in the times of pandemic. Here, Indian Yoga Association brings to you the Research Papers published by our Member Institutes and other Institutes or individuals on COVID 19.
Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA)
Title: –A Perspective on Yoga as a Preventive Strategy for Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors:– R Nagarathna, HR Nagendra, Vijaya Majumdar
Date of Publication:– April 30, 2020
The pandemic outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 has led to profound public health crisis. In particular, individuals with preexisting conditions of heart disease, diabetes, cerebrovascular diseases and the elderly are most vulnerable to succumb to this infection. The current COVID-19 emergency calls for rapid development of potential prevention and management strategies against this virus-mediated disease. There is a plethora of evidence that supports the add-on benefits of yoga in stress management, as well as prevention and management of chronic noncommunicable diseases. There are some studies on the effect of yoga in communicable diseases as well but very few for acute conditions and almost none for the rapidly spreading infections resulting in pandemics. Based on the available scientific evidences on yoga in improving respiratory and immune functions, we have formulated very simple doable integrated yoga modules in the form of videos to be practiced for prevention of the disease by children, adults, and the elderly.
Patanjali Research Foundation
Positioning Yoga in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author: Shirley Telles, Director, Patanjali Research Foundation, Haridwar, Uttarakhand
Date of Publication: Yoga Mīmāṃsā, Volume 52, Issue 1
Published in: 11-Jun-2020
The Government of India as well as various yoga organizations worldwide have recommended yoga and yoga-based lifestyle suggestions to help persons remain mentally healthy, as well as promote optimal immune functions during the current pandemic (Ministry of AYUSH, 2020). To contain the COVID-19 pandemic and resume activity, there will be new norms, such as social distancing, increased numbers of persons working from home, and other obvious reminders of the pandemic (e.g., wearing masks in public). In order to reduce the negative impact this could have, there is an increasing role for yoga in public health.
Public Health Approach of Ayurveda and Yoga for COVID-19 Prophylaxis
Author: Girish Tillu, Sarika Chaturvedi, Arvind Chopra, and Bhushan Patwardhan
Published in: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Vol. 26, No. 5
Published on: May 11, 2020
National governments are deeply divided over whether traditional, complementary and integrative practices have value for human beings relative to COVID-19. We witness a double standard. Medical doctors explore off-label uses of pharmaceutical agents that may have some suggestive research while evidence that indicates potential utility of natural products, practices and practitioners is often dismissed. In this Invited Commentary, a long-time JACM Editorial Board member Bhushan Patwardhan, PhD, from the AYUSH Center of Excellence, Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, India and colleagues from multiple institutions make a case for the potential roles of Ayurvedic medicine and Yoga as supportive measures in self-care and treatment. Patwardhan is a warrior for enhancing scientific standards in traditional medicine in India. Patwardhan was recently appointed by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, as Chairman of an 18 member expert group known as “Interdisciplinary AYUSH Research and Development Taskforce” for initiating, coordinating and monitoring efforts against COVID-19. He was last seen here in an invited commentary entitled “Contesting Predators: Cleaning Up Trash in Science” (JACM, October 2019). We are pleased to have this opportunity to share the recommended approaches, the science, and the historic references as part of the global effort to leave no stone unturned in best preparing our populations to withstand COVID-19 and future viral threats.
Meditation and Yoga Practices as Potential Adjunctive Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19: A Brief Overview of Key Subjects
Author: William Bushell, Ryan Castle, Michelle A. Williams, Kimberly C. Brouwer, Rudolph E. Tanzi, Deepak Chopra, and Paul J. Mills
Published on: July 14, 2020
Published in: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Vol. 26, No. 7
As an acute condition quickly associated with multiple chronic susceptibilities, COVID-19 has rekindled interest in, and controversy about, the potential role of the host in disease processes. While hundreds of millions of research dollars have been funneled into drug and vaccine solutions that target the external agent, integrative practitioners tuned to enhancing immunity faced a familiar mostly unfunded task. First, go to school on the virus. Then draw from the global array of natural therapies and practices with host-enhancing or anti-viral capabilities to suggest integrative treatment strategies. The near null-set of conventional treatment options propels this investigation. In this paper, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California-San Diego, Chopra Library for Integrative Studies, and Harvard University share one such exploration. Their conclusion, that “certain meditation, yoga asana (postures), and pranayama (breathing) practices may possibly be effective adjunctive means of treating and/or preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection” underscores the importance of this rekindling. At JACM, we are pleased to have the opportunity to publish this work. We hope that it might help diminish in medicine and health the polarization that, like so much in the broader culture, seems to be an obstacle to healing.