Yoga Theses by PhD students
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Yoga Theses by Yoga PhD Students at SVYASA. These pages present some efforts at Scientific Validation of Yoga. You may receive full text of available yoga research papers
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Item Anomalous variations in microbial growth explained by traditional knowledge(SVYASA, 2022-11-20) Vegaraju Prabhakar; Alex Hankey; Ramesh N. MavathurThe main cultures of modern India, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism find a common source in the Vedas and the Vedic literature, which existed for thousands of years before the rise of subsequent teachers such as Mahavira, Lord Buddha, Adishankara and the later Gurus of the Sikhs. Vedic literature contains statements that have been tested and verified by methods of modern science. Yoga practices from Shad darshanas have been profoundly verified experimentally in both physiological studies and medical trials. Adishankara’s profound statements from his commentaries and expressions on Advaita Vedanta have been shown to provide a profound basis for understanding consciousness in terms of modern science. Ayurveda passed thorough scientific scrutiny and testing, where thousands of studies have now been published and is shown to agree with deep understanding of biology in both theory and experiment. The limbs of the Veda, the Vedangas, have also been tested. The first, Shiksha, has been shown to provide deep insights into the nature of experience, and the foundation for a new approach to cognitive science. The last of the Vedangas, Jyotisha, the Vedic system of sidereal astrology, has also been thoroughly tested. An earlier S-VYASA PhD study began this process by showing that Jyotisha can predict output of microbiological growth processes, where microbes, i.e. bacteria or viruses, are cultured in flasks. Such microbial growth processes are highly variable and thus unpredictable, but by using times of flask-inoculation as the process starting time great reductions in the uncertainty were achieved – variances decreased by up to 80%. This previous PhD thesis and its accompanying publications showed that Jyotisha astrology can correctly vi predict output of vaccine production runs based on starting time of flask inoculation. When benefic Grahas were influencing the Lagna Muhurta, growth of bacteria was enhanced, while virus propagation was slowed. On the other hand, when malefic grahas were influencing the Lagna, growth of bacteria was slowed, and propagation of viruses was enhanced. These results are extended by the work carried out for the present thesis, which studied exponential phase growth of a simple, non-pathogenic variant of E. Coli bacteria. Rather than assess final output, the present study measured rates of bacterial growth, in particular during exponential phase growth, when the rate of doubling is constant, to understand the influence of Jyotisha factors on it. Such growth rates exhibit variations which have been considered inexplicable, i.e. anomalous artefacts. In addition to refining previous experiments, the current study was designed so that microbiology educational programs at schools and colleges could repeat them because of the safe, easy strain of bacteria used. The thesis proper starts with an exposition of Jyotisha as a supreme spiritual science elucidating deep understanding of Vedic sciences of the soul. Its appellation as the ‘science of sciences’ in the Vedic literature is fully justified. Of primary concern to the soul is its progress on the path of Sanatana Dharma, expounded in terms of the four concepts of Chaturvidha Purushardha, namely Dharma – Artha – Kama – Moksha: spiritual tendencies, ways to make gains of all kinds, probable achievements, and feasibility of attaining spiritual liberation. Jyotisha’s division of the Kalapurusha into 12 Bhavas yields a triplet of each of the four. For Dharma, individual nature, teachers, and spiritual merit give the greatest contributions, reflected in: Lagna, the 1st bhava, for the person, the 5th bhava for education, teachers and children, and the 9th bhava for Nature Support in life, i.e. in the auspicious Trikona bhavas. Similar triplets for Artha, Kama and Moksha may be defined. Part 1 of the thesis also gives a short exposition of the fundamentals of Jyotisha used to interpret a given Kundali. vii Jyotisha’s significance lies in its ability to make predictions about the course of any process and its outcome based on its starting time. Most usually it is used to predict the main tendencies in a person’s life, based on the time of their birth, Janma, and how to avoid or mitigate various kinds of suffering if any are predicted. Jyotisha expounds that starting times, whether auspicious or inauspicious, influence all processes. Now even microbiological processes and their outcomes are found to vary with quality of starting times, elucidating the dimension of time as heterogeneous. Experimentally, application of these principles of Jyotisha accurately predicts differences in vaccine production when inoculation times of production flasks are taken as Muhurta. As microbiologists know, output from such experiments is unpredictable; but the 3 Grahas, Guru (Jupiter), Chandra (Moon), and Rahu (the North Node) account for more than 70% of observed variance. Also earlier research assessed the effects of three solar eclipses even though they did not pass through India, since these are said to exert their malefic influence on all life on earth. Comparative values of virus vaccine production on solar eclipse dates showed that their effects were indeed more than Rahu’s Aims and Objectives The aim of this PhD thesis is to extend those results to continue efforts to establish the validity of Jyotisha astrology in modern scientific terms by studying and investigating specific Jyotisha influences on Exponential Phase Growth patterns of batch cultures using an easily obtainable non-pathogenic strain of bacterium K12-MG1655 of E. Coli. The objectives to provide Jyotisha-based explanations for the hitherto inexplicable anomalous variations, in bacterial growth rates are: (1) to identify factors that contribute to variances in growth rate; and (2) to investigate specific Jyotisha influences on Exponential Phase Growth. Ethical Clearance: Approval was obtained from the I.E.C. of S-VYASA Yoga University. viii Selection of Materials and Source: An easily obtainable, non-pathogenic strain of E. coli, K 12 MG 1655, was procured from National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru. Methods: The E. coli was grown according to standard protocols used in Microbiology. Design: Exponential phase growth rate (EPGR) and variances with reference to different Times of Flask Inoculation (TOFI) were studied. Intervention: The TOFI was taken as the appropriate valid Jyotisha parameter. Natural variations in growth allowed assessment of variations in growth rate. Novelty: Assessment of Jyotisha influences on EPGR of bacteria is novel. Assessments: OD-600 measurements were made with 1 ml of bacterial culture aliquots at 0, 60, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300 and 360 minutes after TOFI. Mean slopes of exponential phase growth were obtained as regression lines for the five points from 180 to 360 minutes. Experiments measured detailed growth curves, assessed growth, computed Cell Numbers, Growth Rates, Doubling Time or Generation Time and Number of Generations at the above time points after TOFI and further correlated the variations with Graha Shadbalas. Also, the study tried to quantify effects of solar and lunar eclipses, both partial and total, on EPGR Results Growth Curves Generated: Over an eighteen-month period beginning 16.02.2017 and ending 11.08.2018, a total of one hundred and fifty growth curves (GCs) were generated for one hundred and two start times. These comprised (1) 59 individual growth curves (GCs), which included 30 GCs with eclipse start times, (2) 38 duplicate GCs (done parallel in 2 flasks for each TOFI) generating 76 GCs total, and (3) 5 triplicate GCs (done parallel in 3 flasks for each TOFI), i.e. 15 GCs total. Variances Obtained: Overall variance of all 150 regression line slopes was 0.1327; that for ix single TOFI obtained from within group doubles and triples (76 + 15 GCs) was 0.0218. Deliberate choice of start times during the many months of GC experiments permitted intermediate variances to be calculated for sets of GCs both 2 hours and 2 days apart. F test Analyses of Variances: F test indicated good significance indicating that, as we select and compare groups of GCs with to increasing difference between start times from a same start time to larger time differences, variances steadily increased from small values to larger ones. Influence of Eclipses: Growth curves on six eclipse days had reduced exponential phase growth rates. Influence of Planetary Strengths: Further detailed analyses showed that the graha Shadbala, planetary strength, of Kuja Graha correlated significantly with the slope of exponential phase segment of growth. Other grahas showed weaker trends. In other words, Shadbalas of Grahas correlated with exponential phase growth. Summary and Conclusion Incorporating the relevance of the time, space and consciousness dimension embodied in Jyotisha astrology; a subtler dimension than those so far incorporated in modern bioscience, the present experiments offer new understanding of variances in bacterial growth that replace previous ideas. While the previous experimental results were concerned with effects of Grahas on vaccine production the current study tests the possible effects of Saptagrahas on exponential phase of growth curves of the non-pathogenic bacterium, E. Coli K-12 MG 1655. Another salient finding was the effect that Mars (Kuja graha) dominance exerts on exponential phase growth, a discovery that confirms the effect exerted by planetary bodies on the biology of cells. The data of Kuja Shadbala reducing the growth rates during the exponential phase is an x evidence of Kuja’s malefic nature manifesting. Eclipses were observed to have similar malefic, life-opposing influences. Although the solar eclipses, during which experiment was conducted, could not be seen in India; its effect appeared to act globally. Present results also support earlier research observation of strong life opposing effects of eclipses, consistent with statements in the Jyotisha. Unlike earlier experiments that require license to grow pathogenic organisms, the methodology explained in the current study can be repeated in any ordinary biology laboratory, possibly creating wider acceptance & appreciation of Grahas’ influence on bacterial growth and enabling any researcher to experimentally test the hypothesis that variances in exponential phase growth rates of bacteria are smaller for smaller times between starting TOFIs. Biologists can now empirically test the validity of Jyotisha principles to offer scientific explanations for the high variances attributable to Navagrahas. Thus, this information not only helps to add a new dimension to microbiology, that of Bio-astrology / Ayur-Jyotisha supported by the astrophysical theory, but also explain how such influences are generated – one such being the influence of quantum correlations associated with each of Navagrahas. Jyotisha may become a source for innovative biological teaching and research, and revolutionize perspectives on biomedicine. Medical Jyotisha / Bio-Jyotisha may gain the primary role accorded to it by Ayurveda. This research study will have implications for Ayurveda and Yoga in addition to Jyotisha itself which helps to prove Time and Space become heterogeneous complex variables in their influence on biological processes. Key Words: Vedanga Jyotisha, Chaturvidha Purushardha, Exponential Phase Growth Rate, Heterogeneity of time dimension, Variance, Starting Time Clustering, Eclipses. (7 words)Item Application of Guna-Implicit Association test to Study Social Desirability in Explicit Measures of Gunas in Yoga Students(SVYASA, 2014-01-12) Ilavarasu, Judu V.Assessment of Personality through explicit self-report measures like questionnaires always suffers from the influence of social desirability.Item Benefits of yoga education in high school curriculum for anger management: A randomized control study(Swami Vivekananda Yoga University, 2017-12) Mani T. L., AlakaAdolescent anger is one of the key contributors of adolescent mortality and many negative developmental outcomes. Research studies indicate, escalated anger issues in schools and colleges across the globe including India. Anger being multidimensional construct, assessment of anger and its management remains a significant challenge. Despite a number of studies done on anger, it is still an emotion that is very much misunderstood. While, the available adolescent anger theories and inventories provide considerable direction towards the way forward, they lack clarity in terms of providing a comprehensive approach in assessment and management of anger. Considering negative developmental outcomes and the far reaching consequences of adolescent anger, there is a growing consensus among researchers, educators and health professionals to develop effective school based anger management programs. Indian Classical texts, mainly Vedic science provides immense conceptual resources to understand the concept of anger and its dynamics. There is an increasing trend of adopting spiritual concepts and practices for promoting mental health. Yogic Science having its strong roots in spirituality as well as evidence based approaches acceptable to modern science will be able to provide holistic approach to anger assessment and anger management.Item Chandoyoga : Its effects on mindfulness, anxiety, self-concept, positive and negative affect & neuropsychological variables in adolescence(SVYASA, 2022-11-20) Mollika Ganguly; Sanjib Patra; Sampadananda Mishra, SAMPADANANDA MISHRABackground Adolescence is a critical age where due to immense physical and psychological transformations, children are found to have higher anxiety levels, identity crises leading to self-doubt, deregulated emotions etc. Failing to cope with these rapid changes there has been noticed decline in cognitive abilities like memory and attention affecting academic performance. Child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) is a growing concern all over the world. Mindfulness practices have not only been helpful in improving emotional quotient of an individual but its regular practice has also remarkably impacted awareness levels and attention in children. The present study hypothesized that practicing Sanskrit chanting as a mindfulness tool also identifying the benefits of the specific characteristic of chanting called Chanda/meters or Sanskrit prosody on equipping adolescents with better psychological health and improved cognitive abilities. The purpose was multi-fold 1. To have scientific evidence that Chandas/Sanskrit prosody (specific rhythms and pauses) has its own effect irrespective of the language, music, words or their meaning while chanting a shloka and validating its benefits mentioned in our ancient texts. 2. To make a study design that can identify the impact of the Chandas/prosody aspect of chanting and eliminating the factors like language, meaning of the phrase etc. 3. With this preliminary study and considering one type of Chanda, opening gates for researchers to further explore all kinds of Chandas to its maximum potential. 4. If the results matched our hypothesis, then we would like to conduct further study for children with special needs mainly ADHD and Autism spectrum disorder. viii Aims and Objectives Aim To study the effect of Chanda/Sanskrit prosody on cognitive abilities, mindfulness, anxiety and self-concept among adolescents. Objectives 1. To find the impact of Chanda/Sanskrit prosody on positive and negative emotions in school-going adolescents. 2. To find the impact of Chanda/Sanskrit prosody on cognitive performance in school going adolescents. 3. To identify the impact of Chanda/Sanskrit prosody on Anxiety, mindfulness and self concept in school-going adolescents. Research Question Does Chanda/Sanskrit prosody have any impact on emotions, cognitive performance, anxiety, mindfulness and self-concept scales in school-going adolescents? Hypothesis 1. Chanda/Sanskrit prosody has helpful effect on positive and negative emotions in school-going adolescents. 2. Chanda/Sanskrit prosody has positive impact on cognitive performance in school going adolescents. 3. Chanda/Sanskrit prosody has positive impact on anxiety, mindfulness and self concept scales in school-going adolescents. ix Null Hypothesis 1. Chanda/Sanskrit prosody has no effect in positive or negative emotions in school going adolescents. 2. Chanda/Sanskrit prosody has no impact on cognitive performance in school-going adolescents. 3. Chanda/Sanskrit prosody has no impact on anxiety, mindfulness and self-concept scales in school-going adolescents. Method: Participants Participants for the study were appointed from a CBSE School called Samsidh Mount Litera Zee School, from Urban Bangalore, India. Children from grades 7 and 8 who met the inclusion criteria were allocated into 4 groups of the study. Randomization for groups could not be done as these kids already were in 4 different sections and shuffling them during school hours was not permitted. Sample size This sample size was obtained by calculating the Effect size as 0.94, fixing alpha as “0.05”, power of the study as 0.8, based on the previous study (Telles et al., 2017). But considering the rate of drop out and conduct an appropriate statistical analysis, a sample size of 120 participants was considered for the proposed research. Design The design of the study was a four-armed control trial. The intervention period was 5 days a week for all four groups for one month. Baseline and post intervention data was collected in the school premises before and after 30 days. x Assessments The outcome measures comprised of (a) Positive and Negative Affect Scale for Children, (b) Stroop Color-Word Test, (c) Digit Letter Substitution Test, (d) Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, (e) Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale for Children and (f) Children’s Self concept Scale. Data analysis: The study aimed to test the hypothesis that chanting or humming slokas/mantras in a Chanda is associated with significant differences in post intervention mean± SD to pre intervention values of children’s self-concept scale, anxiety, emotions, sustained attention, executive function, mindfulness and awareness in adolescence. Continuous variables were reported as mean ± SD, categorical variables as the frequency with percentage. For continuous outcomes, within-group pre-post comparisons were made by paired 't' test and for between-group comparisons, two-sample 't' test was used to compare outcomes at baseline and follow-up. All comparisons were two-sided. p <0.05 was set as the cut-off of statistical significance. A post hoc analysis was run to assess the superiority of group effect on each variable. STATA version 14.2 was used for statistical analysis. Result PANAS-C There was no difference in both domains of PANAS in within group analysis. However, the positive affect was statistically significant when compared between the groups (p<0.01). A post-hoc analysis revealed the superiority of the CM and HM groups in positive affect alone when compared with other two groups. xi DLST and Stroop Test Within-group analysis using sample t-test demonstrated significant changes in HC, CS, and SS groups (p<0.001) with DLST scores. Post-hoc analysis revealed that the CS group had higher scores; however, there were no differences between the HC and CS groups. Stroop scores improved in all groups except for the SS group. Post-hoc analysis to examine the superiority between groups presented a higher statistical significance in CS group when compared to HC group. A statistical significance was also observed between the chanting and SS group. There were statistical differences within the group in both HC and CS groups in the Stroop mistake scores, but no differences were observed between groups. Anxiety, MAAS-C and Self-concept A significant change was noticed in the domains of anxiety, Intellectual and school status, physical appearance and attributes, and the total scores of the self-concept scale in all the four groups after the interventions. On pairwise group comparisons, the change in the domain of anxiety was significant for the Chanting vs English phrase reading, Chanting vs Humming and Chanting vs Silent sitting (p<0.05). When intellectual and school status for English phrase reading was compared to Silent sitting group, a significant difference was depicted (p<0.05). Also, Physical appearance and attributes scores and total scores were found significantly improved for Chanting vs Humming but only total scores in humming vs Silent sitting groups. There was a significant change in all the domains except happiness and satisfaction after chanting (p<0.01). However, participants in the English phrase reading group also showed a significant increase in the scores of anxiety and total scores of the Self-concept scale after intervention (p<0.01 and p=0.03). There was reduction in the anxiety levels for the humming group whereas increase in all anxiety scores in the remaining three groups. xii Conclusion Humming of Sanskrit prosody has reported an overall reduction in anxiety levels when compared to the remaining three groups. However, there was a decrease in the anxiety levels in the chanting group as well. There was a significant increase in mindfulness scores in the humming as well as chanting groups. Also, there was no change observed in the self-concept scales in the humming group. Beside this, mantra chanting and only humming the prosody without verse, had a similar effect on both emotional personality features of positive and negative effect. The results also suggest amelioration in the positive affect following chanting and humming the prosody, although there were no changes in the negative effect. Keywords: Sanskrit-prosody, Chanda, Adolescence, Self-concept, Anxiety, Mindfulness, positive & Negative affect, Mindfulness, sustained attention and Stroop effectItem A Comparative Study of The Psycho physiological Effects of Cyclic Meditation and Supine Rest (Shavasana)(2009-11) Subramanya PailoorCyclic meditation combines ‘stimulating’ and ‘calming’ practices, based on a statement in ancient yoga texts suggesting that this combination may be helpful to reach mental equilibrium. Cyclic meditation consists of cycles of yoga postures interspersed with periods of supine rest. Practicing cyclic meditation reduced psychophysiological arousal based on a decrease in oxygen consumption and changes in the heart rate variability suggestive of a shift towards vagal dominance. Cyclic meditation improved the performance in a P300 event related potential task and also improved the performance in a letter cancellation task more than relaxation in the corpse posture (shavasana). Both tasks require selective attention and concentration. The benefits were ascribed to possible stress reducing effects of cyclic meditation, as the practice reduces physiological and cortical arousal.This was ascribed to reduced anxiety, though this was not assessed. The effects of cyclic meditation on MLAEPs have not been studied.Item A comparison of cognitive functions of yoga based education (gurukula) system and modern education system(2009-01-01) Rangan R.A comparison of cognitive functions of yoga based education (gurukula) system and modern education systemItem A Comparison of Psychophysiological effects of Two Yoga Relaxation Techniques(2006-01-01) Sarang S.P.A Comparison of Psychophysiological effects of Two Yoga Relaxation TechniquesItem Concept of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi in prasthanatrayi and patanjali yoga sutra - An analysis.(S-VYASA, 2025-01-16) Madan Mohan; Prof. M. K. SridharThe concept of meditation is a practice that has been used for a long period of time. However, different people usually carry the concept of meditation for a different purpose. Some form of meditation is just simple and are just used by ordinary people just to attain a moment of relaxation or to reduce stress. However, some concepts of meditation are complex such as Samādhi. Nevertheless, some are religious-oriented while others are secular in nature. However, there is a lot that has been done in the field of science to try and explain the scientific explanation of meditation. But over the years, the aspect of meditation such as Samādhi has remained controversial with no proper scientific explanation. The principles of Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna, and Samādhi hold immense importance within Indian philosophical traditions. These profound practices are extensively discussed in the Prasthānatrayī, which comprises the foundational texts of Vedānta. Dhāraṇā involves directing and focusing the mind on a specific object, while Dhyāna denotes the meditative state that arises from sustained concentration. Samādhi represents the pinnacle of consciousness attained through the practice of Dhyāna, wherein the individual transcends personal identity and attains complete absorption in the object of meditation. These three practices are intricately interconnected and should be cultivated sequentially. The comprehensive exploration of Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna, and Samādhi is expounded in the Prasthānatrayī, encompassing the Yogasūtra, Brahmasūtra, and Upaniṣad, thereby providing a profound understanding of their significance in the Indian philosophical traditions.Item Correlation of Electro Photonic Imaging parameters and Biochemical parameters in diabetes type 2(S-VYASA, 2017-02) Bhat, Romesh KumarNature has its own manner and timing of revealing itself. Yoga is one of such divine philosophy that it has revealed through the sages and Rishis of India. The second verse of Patanjali describes most of it. Yoga is to control the distractions of the mind. Once that is done it is easier to merge individual consciousness with supreme consciousness and be in a state of bliss free from the materialistic disposition and its allied pain and misery. Controlling the mind is to control the Prana which is part of consciousness. It is Shiva making effort to be Shiva. Pranayama helps to control the Prana and hence the mind. The uncontrolled fluctuations are the cause of diseases as that disturbs the homeostasis of the body. Through Yoga we can check it and that is why Yoga has become popular worldwide, namely for disease prevention and management. From the alternative medicine, Electro photonic imaging (EPI) technique is emerging as a novel technique of measurement of the bio-energy of the body. Yoga intervention for improvements in homeostasis and monitoring the changes through Electro photonic imaging (EPI) technique is a desired holistic approach for monitoring health and happiness across the world. It is necessary to correlate EPI norms with the established biochemical parameters to have wide and scientific acceptability in modern medicine. There is a need for such study. The study is in two parts. In the first part, a study of classical literature is presented wherein scriptural concepts on Prana and its relation to health is discussed. In the second part, experimental aspects of bio-energy are taken up and measurements using EPI is presented.Item Development of Human Potential through Yogic Practices assessed by Psychological and Health Variables(Saraswati Central Library, 2012-03-29) Sushil S KhemkaABSTRACT BACKGROUND: There are a large number of methods of yoga catering to the needs of different types of people in society to bring about the transformation of the individual. They are broadly classified into four streams. Swami Vivekananda puts them as Work, Worship, Philosophy and Psychic control. One can even achieve highest goal of life either one or more or all of these to get one liberated. Integral Yoga modules included all these four streams of yoga in our study.Item DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITY MODEL BASED ON TRIGUNA CONCEPT OF SAMKHYA PHILOSOPHY.(S-VYASA, 2019-09) Suresh NABSTRACT BACKGROUND The term personality is derived from the Greek word ‘persona’ which means mask or outward appearance of a person. Personality is generally understood as how people influence others through their external appearances. Personality is a set of qualities that make a person distinct from another. Personality comprises of all the attributes– behavioural, temperamental, emotional and mental– that which makes him or her unique individual. Personality is totality of person’s attitudes, interests, behavioural patterns, emotional responses, social roles, and other individual traits that endure over long periods of time. Gorden Allport (1961) defines “Personality is the dynamic organisation within an individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment”. Personality is a complex, multi-dimensional construct and there is no simple definition of what personality is. Maddi (1980) defines personality as, “A stable set of characteristics and tendencies that determine those commonalities and differences in the psychological behaviour and that may not be easily understood as the sole result of the social and biological pressures of the moment". Both the definition suggests that personality is a dynamic aspect of human behaviour. With the increasing realization that many of the western psychological concepts and methods lack relevance to different cultural systems the need for developing indigenous psychologies was recognized all over the world (Kim & Berry, 1973). In India, attempts have been made for almost a century to develop indigenous models and theories from the rich source of knowledge viz., the Vedas, Upaniṣads, the Bhagavad-Gīta and other philosophical texts.In recent times more and more researchers have taken active interest in indigenizing and developing indigenous psychology (Kumar, Misra & Mohanty, 2000; Paranjpe, 1999; Srivastava, 2002). The structure, nature and evolution of human personality are elaborated in these sources with special reference to the concept Triguṇa. The theoretical expositions on Triguṇa and their manifestations in human nature have attracted the attention of Indian psychologists. From the above discussion, Personality is a very complex and multidimensional construct of a human being. There is no common definition of personality has been coined. Every individual defines personality in different ways which includes trait, genetic factors, environmental factors and physical appearance. This research focuses on development of personality model using Triguṇa concept of Sāṁkhya philosophy. Psychometric measurement tool (Questionnaire) which can answer the questions related to the objectives and hypotheses of the study were administered to the target population. This instrument had 36 questions to measure Triguṇa. 1.1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The review of relevant literature on Triguṇa showed that even though, many studies have been undertaken in this area of personality by both eastern and western countries, few studies still exhibit gaps. Hence there is a need to develop a comprehensive model including both Eastern concept and Western concepts of personality. Thus, the broader objective of this research is to study the holistic model satisfying the fusion of both eastern and western theories.Item Effect of integrated approach of yoga in normal pregnancy- a randomized active control trial(S Vyasa, 2015-01-12) Satyapriya MaharanaRandomized prospective controlled studies have demonstrated that antenatal yoga is beneficial in many maternal outcomes including complications of pregnancy, gestational age at delivery, analgesia requirement, placental blood flow, and also in fetal outcomes with higher values on fetal intrauterine growth parameters (head circumference, femur length etc.). Apgar score at birth and birth weight, in both normal and high risk pregnancy. The present work was planned to investigate the effect of integrated yoga on labor outcome, cognitive functions and quality of life pregnant women, as this area has not been investigated before.Item Effect of integrated yoga module on leadership development of managers(S Vyasa, 2015-01-12) Padmavathi MaharanaGlobalization, technological advances, mixing of work cultures, the 2008-11 recession and subsequent changes in the nature of work, have occurred in rapid succession and are challenging to leadership practices. workplace stress is an obstacle to leadership development. the role and responsibility of leaders is vital in every industrial sector. To fulfill their responsibilities, leaders compromise their physical and mental health. that stress develops when leaders fail to address issues, and targets are not achieved, is quite evident, yet there is no search for a solution. Could yoga offer the required solution?Item Effect of add-on Yoga therapy on social cognition in schizophrenia(S-VYASA, 2017-11) Ramajayam, G.Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder affecting young adults with a lifetime prevalence of 1%. It’s characterized by three important symptom clusters namely positive, negative & cognitive symptoms. Except for the positive symptoms, there are no effective treatments available for the negative and cognitive symptoms. In addition, the existing treatments are not free of side effects; some causing extrapyramidal side effects and others causing metabolic side effects. Unavailability of effective biological treatments for negative and cognitive symptoms adds to the already existing burden of socio-occupational dysfunction associated with these symptom clusters. Psychosocial interventions are available targeting a few or most of the domains of social cognition with or without neurocognition training. But majority of them [for example, Cognitive Enhancement Therapy(CET), Social Cognition Interaction Training(SCIT)] are highly resource intensive and its feasibility in developing countries are questionable, though they might be effective. Moreover, they were developed among the western patient population and its cultural validity in eastern countries with more of religious inclination is yet to be tested. Hence, there is a need to explore the role of other complementary therapies like yoga for an integrated approach in treating patients with schizophrenia. Yoga as a mind-body therapy is useful in lifestyle related disorders, including neuropsychiatric disorders. In healthy adults and elderly, yoga is found to be efficacious in improving cognitive skills. Yoga has been shown to significantly improve negative symptoms and functioning in schizophrenia patients. In a recent study, along with improvements in functioning, yoga also increased oxytocin levels along with improvement in Facial Emotion Recognition Deficit (FERD) in patients with schizophrenia.(Jayaram et al., 2013). In this study, we hypothesized that practice of yoga for one month would improve social cognition in patients with schizophrenia.Item Effect of add-on yoga therapy to physiotherapy in the management of spinal cord injury patients.(S-VYASA, 2020-01) Madhusmita, Monali; Ebnezar, John; Srinivasan, T. M.; Singh, Deepeshwar; Mohanty, PatitapabanBACKGROUND Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a leading cause of disability. Varying injury level and severity generate a spectrum of neurological dysfunction and a reduction in long-term Quality of Life (QOL) with a decrease in mobility. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study was aimed to evaluate the add-on effect of a Yoga program along with physiotherapy on individuals with paraplegia. METHODS Participants: A total of 124 spinal cord injury (SCI)patients of both genders with age range 18–60 years, having incomplete SCI (AIS)-C and (AIS)-D,and admitted to the rehabilitation center, India, were randomly allocated into two groups, i.e., (i) experimental group -Integrated Yoga and Physiotherapy (IYP) (n=62; age means and SD: 33.97±10.0 years), and (ii) control group - Physiotherapy (PT) (n=62; age mean and SD:32.84 ± 9.5 years). Design: Two groups pre-post randomized controlled clinical trial. Assessments: The outcome assessments consisted of primary outcomes: (i) American Spinal Injury Association Impairment (ASIA) scale, (ii) c-Reactive Protein (CRP), (iii)Spinal Cord Injury Independence Measure (SCIM), and(iv) Medically Based Emotional Distress Scale (MEDS). The secondary outcome measures were: (i) Body Mass Index (BMI), and (ii) Quality of Life Index Spinal Cord Injury - Version III were measured in both groups at the beginning and end of one month. Intervention: The experimental group underwent one-month combined practice of physiotherapy and yoga therapy, in a schedule of 75-min/day (6-days/week), whereas the control group underwent physiotherapy treatment aRESULTS: The IYP group showed a significant reduction in scores of CRP (p˂0.001), SCIM (p˂0.001), MEDS (p˂0.001), and improvement in the quality of life (SCI-QoL Index) (p˂0.001) compared to control group. CONCLUSION: One-month comprehensive Integrated Yoga and Physiotherapy program is more effective than physiotherapy intervention alone, in the management of paraplegia patients.Item Effect of Anapanasati meditation on anxiety, verbal aggression and depression - A randomized controlled trial(SVYASA, 2021-01) B. Sivaramappa; Sudheer Deshpande; Hongasandra R. NagendraBACKGROUND Modern life, beset with tensions and anxiety, continues to crush people with an increasing number of deaths and deteriorating quality of life. Despite technological growth and enhanced material standards of living, the real quality of living in terms of love, happiness and peace are nowhere in sight. As science and technology are progressing, on one hand, new types of diseases are erupting thus paving the way for deteriorating quality of life. The reason for all this is stress, which we observed in the recent past, triggers Anxiety, Depression, Verbal Aggression, etc. The best way to fight stress is Yoga. Yoga and spirituality contain secrets of the structure and laws of the entire universe. Through this wisdom, Yoga offers a unique new way of life to modern man. Yoga which comprises of yogāsanas, breathing techniques (prānāyāma) and meditation is known for its applications in physical fitness and a better quality of life. Yoga is also effective in decreasing anxiety, confusion, tension and depression (Deshpande, Nagendra & Raghuram 2008). Not only therapeutic values but also psychological, spiritual and philosophical values are accessible and achievable through Yogic practices. Many have immensely benefited from these practices. Many scientific studies were done in the recent past to investigate the effect of Yoga and mindful meditation techniques on emotional states such as anxiety and depression. But we found that very few studies in the case of Ānāpānasati Meditation, a mindful breathing technique has been done. Mindful meditation techniques such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have shown significant improvements in psychological wellbeing. Hence, we took up scientific studies on the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation also on improving the overall psychological well-being. We had designed the present study to test the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation on emotions such as anxiety, anger and depression in adults. AIM The study is aimed to investigate the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation on anxiety, verbal aggression and depression. OBJECTIVES: 1. To investigate the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation on levels of anxiety as assessed using the scores of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) 2. To investigate the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation on levels of verbal aggression as assessed using the scores of Verbal Aggressiveness Scale (VAS) 3. To investigate the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation on levels of depression as assessed using the scores of Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) METHODS Participants: The subjects were recruited from a stream of visitors to Pyramid Valley International, Bangalore, and Pyramid Spiritual Science Academy, Bengaluru. A total of 140 subjects were recruited for the study. Inclusion Criteria: Both males and females in the age group of 20 to 65 years were included in the study. Exclusion Criteria: People with diabetes, cancer and hypertension were excluded from the study on self-report by the participants. Since the study period was 6 months, only chronic diseases were excluded. Design: This is a Randomized Controlled Study (RCT) and participants were recruited from Pyramid Valley International, Bengaluru and Pyramid Spiritual Science Academy, Bengaluru. We limited the sample size to 140 participants based on previous studies that had a demonstrated effect size of 0.4; with the power set to 0.8 with a 5% level of significance. GPower was used for sample size computation. Initially, 140 participants consented to participate in the study, but at the end of the screening, 10 participants withdrew as they were not interested. Ultimately, 130 participants were considered. We divided the participants randomly into experimental and control groups consisting of 65 participants each. We assigned Identification numbers (ID) to participants and picked up the assigned IDs from the set of IDs and allocated them to both the groups in such a way that the experimental group got the first ID and the control group got the next ID. We repeated the procedure till all the IDs got over. We informed the participants about their group through a sealed envelope. We did not disclose the identities of the participants of both groups i.e., participants in the experimental group did not know the participants of the control group. Similarly, participants in the control group did not know the participants of the experimental group. We used the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), a self-report questionnaire as the scale to study the effect of the intervention on anxiety. STAI consists of two parts, state anxiety and trait anxiety, each consisting of 20 questions which take values from 1 to 4. The present endeavour considered the state anxiety part (STAI-S) of the questionnaire for a study, which indicates the current state of anxiety in a specific situation when compared to trait anxiety which is a general tendency of the individual. We used the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale developed by Infante and Wigley (A. Infante & Wigley, 1986) to study the effect of Ānāpānasati Meditation on verbal aggression. It contains 20 items scored on a 5-point linear rating format with reverse scoring in 10 out of 20 items. We used the Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck, 1966, 1996) as the scale for measuring the effectiveness of intervention of depression. On this scale, we have 21 items for a scoring record. We ensured that the experimental group members were given instructions by experts in respect of Ānāpānasati Meditation’. They continued the practice of ‘Ānāpānasati’ for one hour a day for the duration of the experiment. The control group on the other hand continued their routine work with no Ānāpānasati Meditation. Assessments: We ensured the tests by examiners before and after six months of Ānāpānasati Meditation in a room devoid of any disturbance or distractions. The invigilators coded and segregated the completed questionnaire cum response sheets for scoring after the study. A person not involved in the group formation evaluated the coded response sheets. A person not involved in the present study decoded the response sheets after noting the scores prior and post-administration to the respondents and the data were later prepared. Intervention: We administered Ānāpānasati Meditation as an intervention for the experimental group for six months. In this practice, we used breathing as the object of concentration. Breathing is not a physical object that arouses a distraction in the minds. It is a quiet, natural, unfluctuating and effortless process. We administered meditation in easy steps. The practice was simply to sit comfortably in any posture convenient to them and to clasp their hands together. They are to be mindful of breathing in and breathing out for one hour in one go every day. We advised them to restart if they happened to be unmindful of breathing during the practice of this technique. Mindful breathing facilitates experiencing knowledge besides awareness and joy. Clear comprehension is the outcome. The demonstration of the meditation technique included the steps mentioned below. 1. To sit comfortably 2. To cross the legs (when we sit on a chair or a sofa) 3. To keep the hands together–one palm on another 4. To silence the mouth 5. To sit erect 6. To close both the eyes and 7. To observe breathing in and out while in this posture (This practice is a mere observation of breathing in and breathing out by the consciousness [mind] with closed eyes. This procedure is mindful breathing). Monthly Verification Program: We ensured monthly verification of the intervention practice through the well-experienced supervisors. These supervisors have been in close contact with the participants to assist in the practice. The participants attended meditation classes once a week regularly in our designated meditation center for the duration of the intervention. We appended the photographs of the meditation center in the Pyramid Valley. The details of the participants are in the appendix. Data Extraction: We employed the prescribed questionnaires for the collection of data. Experienced meditator supervisors have undertaken the assignment. We carried out the scoring of the questionnaires as per the instructions in the manual. Data Analysis: We analysed the Data using the repeated measures ANOVA test. SPSS version 10.0 was used for the data analysis. Results A total of 140 participants enrolled, 130 were considered for randomization, as 10 participants were not interested in the study. Hence, there were 130 participants for the randomization. At the end of the randomization, 65 participants each were allotted to both experimental and control groups. In the follow-up, we lost 6 participants from the experimental group and 5 participants from the control group and a total of 119 participants have completed the six-month intervention successfully consisting of 59 participants in the experimental group and 60 participants in the control group. At the end of the six-month intervention, we analyzed the final BDI, STAI and VAS scores of all 119 participants from both groups. The results of all three studies are as follows: 1. Anxiety: We have analyzed the STAI scores before and after Ānāpānasati Meditation for both the experimental and control groups, using repeated-measures ANOVA. The experimental group has shown a significant reduction in STAI (p< 0.05) score after the intervention, whereas in the control group the reduction in STAI score was not significant. A comparison of the results shows that there was a decline of anxiety in the experimental group from 47.61 ± 7.41 to 44.58 ± 5.08 whereas there is an increase in anxiety level 50.55 ± 4.25 to 52.02 ± 4.41 in the control group. 2. Verbal Aggression: We took up and analyzed the VAS scores before and after Ānāpānasati Meditation for both the experimental and control groups using repeated-measures ANOVA. The experimental group has shown a significant reduction (p< 0.05) in the VAS score (66.53 ± 6.93 to 46.97 ± 6.79) after the intervention, whereas that was not a significant decrease (p = 0.19) in the control group in VAS scores (66.73 ± 12.15 to 64.97 ± 13.16). 3. Depression: We analyzed the BDI scores collected before and after Ānāpānasati Meditation for both the experimental and control groups using repeated-measures ANOVA. The experimental group showed a significant reduction (p< 0.05) in the BDI score (25.78 ± 9.32 to 4.02 ± 5.33) whereas the BDI score (15.33 ± 11.43 to 16.60 ± 12.77) in the control group has increased. 4. Conclusion: The results of the study have shown that the practice of Ānāpānasati Meditation has brought significant improvement in reducing the levels of anxiety, depression and verbal aggressiveness. There was a decline in anxiety levels from pre-score 47.61 ± 7.41 to post-score 44.58 ± 5.08 in the experimental group. In verbal aggression, comparative figures of pre and post-intervention show a decline from 66.53 ± 6.93 & 46.97 ± 6.79. There was also a decline of depression in the experimental group from 25.78 ± 9.32 to 4.02 ± 5.33. This study has revealed that Ānāpānasati Meditation had been effective in decreasing levels of anxiety, depression and verbal aggression as per their VAS, STAI and BDI scores after six months of intervention. The subjects who practiced Ānāpānasati Meditation showed a dip when compared to the control group who did not practice Meditation. As this is simple and easy to practice, we recommend the same for regular exercise to reduce their stress, anxiety and consequent depression levels and feel more energetic and positive in one’s approach. Keywords – Ānāpānasati Meditation, Mindfulness, Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory ScaleItem Effect of Cyclic Meditation on Job Stress Levels of Indian IT Professionals(S-VYASA, 2016-01-12) Srinivas, Pammi SeshaOver the last two decades, Information Technology (IT) bases industry in India has transitioned from million dollar industry to billion dollar industry.Item Effect of cyclic meditation on sleep architecture and subjective sleep rating(Saraswati Central Library, 2012-03-29) Sanjib Kumar PatraBACKGROUND Cyclic meditation (CM) is a technique in which yoga postures are interspersed with periods of supine rest in recurring cycles. AIM AND OBJECTIVES The present study was designed to • To compile the ancient information on sleep from ancient Indian scriptures and allied literature. • To study whether practicing cyclic meditation would influence the sleep structure in normal persons. • To compare the effects of practicing cyclic meditation in the day time with the effects of supine rest practice, on the heart rate variability during sleep.Item Effect of Indian Music on Cardiac Autonomic Function, Psychological States and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Volunteers(S-VYASA, 2016-01-12) Nagarajan, KarunaMany resrarches have shown that music evoked significant autonomic responses as measured by HRV analysis,.Studies have als demostrated cognive-enhancing effects of exposure to anxiety-reducing or sedative Music.Item EFFECT OF INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) ON OBESITY OF MALE ADULTS(S-VYASA, 2017-06) RSHIKESAN, P. B.Background: Obesity is a global health disorder which is growing rapidly. Obesity is the cause for many non-communicable diseases and is increasing in Indian urban areas among male adults. The present available solutions for urban obesity control have limitations and further research is needed. Aim: To study the effect of IAYT (Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy) yoga module on the urban male obese. Materials and Methods: A parallel group RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial) was conducted for six months on obese male in Anushaktinagar, Mumbai. The total number of subjects was 80 and 72 completed the intervention (Yoga n=37, Control n=35), consisting of; Yoga group (Age 40.03±8.74, BMI 28.7±2.35) and Control group (Age 42.20±12.06, BMI 27.70±2.05). IAYT was given to yoga group for fourteen weeks and for the next three months they continued IAYT practice at home. The Control group was asked to do normal routine physical routine activity like walking, in place of yoga intervention to the Yoga group. The assessments: Anthropometric, Body composition and Psychological parameters were assessed. The body composition was assessed using BIA (Bioelectric Impedance Analysis) method using InBody R20 instrument. Assessments were done at baseline after three months and after 6 months, for both Yoga and Control groups. Using SPSS 21 version, statistical analysis was carried out. Within group and between group analysis for pre post and follow up were carried out. To find out the relative improvements from pre to post among the variables, the correlation analysis was carried out. Results: The anthropometric body composition and psychological parameters were improved in both the groups but changes were significant in Yoga group. The improvements were slightly reduced during the follow up period. Conclusion: Incorporating the IAYT for obese male in urban setting will be effective for controlling the obesity and for reducing the obesity related psychological problems.