Transcendence / Spirituality | Yoga Alliance

Scientific Research on Yoga > Basic Research > Transcendence/Spirituality

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Transcendence/Spirituality Flow State, Life Purpose and Meaning, Values, Life Satisfaction, Transformation, Subtle Energy

Video Spotlight: Spirituality

Watch this video to learn more about the research conducted on spirituality and yoga.

Our hope is for yoga schools and yoga teachers to utilize this impactful content in their teachings to promote and highlight yoga's evident multi-faceted ability to improve lives. Let us know how research on yoga is important or valuable to you on social media (@YogaAlliance) or by emailing us at research@yogaalliance.org. We honor and value your personal experiences and look forward to featuring your stories.

These citations were curated by Yoga Alliance's Director of Yoga Research, Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa.

Review Papers

Review Papers (What's this?)

Supple bodies, healthy minds: yoga, psychedelics and American mental health.
Richert L, DeCloedt M.
Med Humanit. 2018 Sep;44(3):193-200.
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A Systematic Review of Transcendent States Across Meditation and Contemplative Traditions.
Wahbeh H, Sagher A, Back W, Pundhir P, Travis F.
Explore (NY). 2018 Jan - Feb;14(1):19-35.
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Meditation has stronger relationships with mindfulness, kundalini, and mystical experiences than yoga or prayer.
de Castro JM.
Conscious Cogn. 2015 Sep;35:115-27.
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Self-transcending meditation is good for mental health: why this should be the case.
Hankey A, Shetkar R.
Int Rev Psychiatry. 2016 Jun;28(3):236-40.
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The subtle body: an interoceptive map of central nervous system function and meditative mind-brain-body integration.
Loizzo JJ.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016 Jun;1373(1):78-95.
[ abstract ]

Notable Publications

Notable Publications (What's this?)

Interactions Between Body and Social Awareness in Yoga.
Fiori F, Aglioti SM, David N.
J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Mar;23(3):227-233.
[ abstract ]

The Psychology of Yoga Practitioners: A Cluster Analysis.
Genovese JE, Fondran KM.
Int J Yoga Therap. 2017 Mar 30.
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The relationship between yoga involvement, mindfulness and psychological well-being.
Gaiswinkler L, Unterrainer HF.
Complement Ther Med. 2016 Jun;26:123-7.
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Processing of proprioceptive and vestibular body signals and self-transcendence in Ashtanga yoga practitioners.
Fiori F, David N, Aglioti SM.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2014 Sep 18;8:734.
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Moving beyond health to flourishing: the effects of yoga teacher training.
Conboy LA, Wilson A, Braun T.
ScientificWorldJournal. 2010 May 4;10:788-95.
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The fourth state of consciousness: the Thuriya Avastha.
Ramamurthi B.
Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1995 May;49(2):107-10.
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Intense personal experiences: subjective effects, interpretations, and after-effects.
Wilson SR, Spencer RC.
J Clin Psychol. 1990 Sep;46(5):565-73.
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The "third eye": a psychoendocrine model of hypnotizability.
Leskowitz E.
Am J Clin Hypn. 1988 Jan;30(3):209-15.
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