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Block 5 Positive Psychology Interventions

Unit 16 Yoga and Meditation

1. What is the role of yoga and meditation for positive mental health?

• They provide techniques for stress management, enhancing inner awareness, and promoting spiritual enlightenment.
• They help in regulating emotions, improving focus, and cultivating a sense of well-being.
• Yoga integrates mind and body, while meditation calms the mind to achieve higher consciousness.
• Yoga and meditation address the neglect of positives and strengths in life and are important aspects of a holistic approach to health and well-being.

2. Write an essay on Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga.

• Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga is an eight-limbed path to self-realisation that provides a comprehensive framework for living life holistically. The eight limbs are:
  • Yama (ethical restraints): Includes ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (continence), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
  • Niyama (self-observances): Includes saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (discipline), svadhyaya (self-study), and Ishvara pranidhana (surrender to a higher power).
  • Asana (physical postures): Promotes physical stability and health.
  • Pranayama (breath control): Regulates vital energy and calms the mind.
  • Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses): Turns the mind inward, away from external distractions.
  • Dharana (concentration): Focuses the mind on a single point.
  • Dhyana (meditation): Sustained attention and absorption in a chosen object of focus.
  • Samadhi (union): The state of deep absorption, where the object of meditation and the meditator become one.
• These eight limbs are further divided into external (Bahiranga) and internal (Antaranga) yoga, with the practice of all limbs ultimately leading to the state of Samadhi.

3. Write a short note on Klesha model of suffering as given in Patanjali yogasutra.

• The Klesha model in Patanjali's Yogasutra explains the sources of suffering as five afflictions or obstacles (Kleshas):
  • Avidya (ignorance): Root cause of all suffering that includes ignorance about the true nature of reality and the self.
  • Asmita (egoism): Sense of self that is based on a false identification with the mind and body.
  • Raga (attachment): Craving or clinging to pleasant experiences.
  • Dwesha (aversion): Dislike and repulsion towards unpleasant experiences.
  • Abhinivesha (fear of death): The desire to live and a deep fear of death.
• The model proposes that overcoming these afflictions through yogic practice is necessary to alleviate suffering and attain liberation. The Kleshas can manifest in different forms (dormant, attenuated, manifest or powerful) and that consistent practice helps in attenuating the Kleshas.

4. Describe types of meditation, and explain what are the benefits of regular meditation.

Types of meditation include:

• Concentrative Meditation (Samatha): Focusing on a single point such as the breath, a mantra, or an image.
• Mindfulness Meditation (Vipassana): Observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment.
• Body-based meditation: Includes body scans, yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
• Kundalini meditation: Focuses on awakening and uplifting psycho-spiritual energy.
• Interpersonally oriented meditations: Emphasize cultivating loving-kindness, compassion, and equanimity.

Benefits of regular meditation include:

1. Reduced stress and anxiety.
2. Improved focus and concentration.
3. Enhanced emotional regulation.
4. Greater self-awareness.
5. Increased feelings of calmness and well-being.
6. Promotes spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of life.

Important Points

1. Positive Psychology has an underlying individualism. 
2. The third wave of positive psychology emphasizes culture.
3. The trimarga yoga includes Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, and Karma yoga.
4. Cultivation of emotions around the Divine is known as Bhakti yoga.
5. The cognitive realisation of the oneness of consciousness is Jnana yoga. 
6. Karma yoga has been extensively described in Bhagavad Gita.
7. Patanjali's Yogasutra has 195 sutras divided into four chapters.
8. Chanting of OM as a technique is given in Samadhi pada.
9. Kriya yoga is discussed in Sadhana Pada.
10. Dharma-megha samadhi, the highest kind of meditative state has been described in Kaivalya Pada. 
11. Kriya yoga has three components of self-study (svadhyaya), disciplined endurance (tapa) and Ishvara pranidhana.
12. The five kinds of chitta-vrittis are: (a) reality-based thinking, (b) misconceptions, (c) imaginations of the future, (d) memory of the past and (e) sleepy or dull states.
13. We need constant practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya) for yoga.
14. The nine barriers in yoga practice can express themselves as four signs such as: suffering, despair, bodily instability, and irregular breathing.
15. Development of opposite thoughts and feelings to bring mental balance is known as PratipakshaBhavana.
16. In OM sound, A represents creation, U denotes maintenance, and M represents dissolution.
17. The five Klesha are avidya, asmita, raga, dwesha, and abhinivesha.
18. Abhinivesha means the desire for living and fear of death.
19. The klesha can remain as dormant, attenuated, manifest or become powerful.
20. The eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga are divided into two parts, bahiranga and antaranga.
21. Antaranga yoga are Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
22. The five yamas are: ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, and aparigraha.
23. The five niyamas are Saucha, Santosha, Tapa, svadhyaya and Ishwara pranidhana.
24. Asana is a comfortable and stable pose.
25. Pranayama involves the regulation of breath.
26. Disengaging one’s mind from the external, sensory objects of attention is Pratyahara.
27. When dharana, dhyana, and samadhi are practiced together, it is known as Samyama.
28. Various techniques to control the mind are known as meditation.
29. This famous Swami Rama had demonstrated voluntary control over multiple bodily organs in a lab in USA.
30. Concentrative Meditation is also known Samatha meditation.
31. Mindfulness meditation is also understood as process of cultivating Sakshi bhava.
32. In modern times, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi started the Transcendental meditation movement.
33. Focusing on a single point is known as Focused Attention or Concentrative meditation.
34. Meditation where we remain aware of our thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the present moment is known as Mindfulness or Open awareness (open monitoring).
35. The interpersonally oriented meditations attempt to cultivate maitri, mudita, karuna and upeksha.
36. Yogasana, Tai Chi and Qi Gong are also considered body-based meditation.
37. Samprajnata samadhi are not obtained by going beyond thoughts.
38. An absence of even subtle thoughts are known as Nirvichara Samadhi.
39. Meditation leads to higher emotional maturity.
40. Meditation is helpful in cardiovascular disorders and respiratory disorders.
41. One needs to use caution in applying meditation in psychotic disorders.
42. Jon Kabat-Zinn had developed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program.