Bridging the Gap Between Yoga and Science: A Mini Review

Authors: Shimul Sujit Sen, Gabriele Deidda

Corresponding: (gabriele.deidda@um.edu.mt)

Keywords: Yoga, EEG, anxiety, epilepsy

Doi: http://dx.medra.org/10.7423/XJENZA.2018.1.07

Issue: Xjenza Online Vol. 6 Iss. 1 - September 2018

Abstract:
Yoga is an ancient tradition arising from the evolving cultures of ancient India originating from a variety of sources like primeval texts, oral transmissions through lineages, iconography and songs. It has a com- plex history of spiritual exploration, philosophical re- ection and creative expression. Yoga has evolved over time to suit the needs of the current population. At present, humanity at large views things, especially the mystical arts, through the lens of the sceptical scient- ist. Despite countless benets of yoga and meditation to the overall health and mind of a person that have been documented over time, they have mostly been seen as informal and only a few studies using a rigorous sci- entic methods have been performed. Most recently, through the advent of cutting-edge scientic tools (i.e., electroencephalogram, EEG), the gap between the sub- jective and objective has been bridged. Nevertheless, the path to scientic inquiry supporting yoga is a work in progress. In this minireview, we will make a short historical resume of the scientic studies carried out to investigate the eect of yoga in the physiology of the body and the brain, and its possible use to ameliorate pathological conditions.

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