What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind-Body Interventions?:A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices

Contains fulltext : 173849.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of mind-body interventions (MBIs) in improving mental and physical health, but the molecular mechanisms of these benefits remain poorly understood. One hypothesis is that MBIs reverse expression of genes involved in inflammatory reactions that are induced by stress. This systematic review was conducted to 25 examine changes in gene expression that occur after MBIs and to explore how these molecular changes are related to health. We searched PubMed throughout September 2016 to look for studies that have used gene expression analysis in MBIs (i.e., mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation). Due to the limited quantity of studies, we included both clinical and non-clinical samples with any type of research design. Eighteen relevant studies were retrieved and analysed. Overall, the studies indicate that these practices are associated with a downregulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) pathway; this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases. However, it is unclear how the effects of MBIs compare to other healthy interventions such as exercise or nutrition due to the small number of available studies. More research is required to be able to understand the effects of MBIs at the molecular level.17 p

Here Comes The Yogiman: Tales of Enlightenment and (Super)power with Particular Reference to the Life and Work of Paramahansa Yogananda

This study examines the figure of the Yogi as he moves from nineteenth-century colonial India into the Western, and specifically American, imagination and historical landscape. The study utilizes Paramahansa Yogananda as a case study and approaches his role and contributions from two perspectives: a literary critical approach to his writings and a historical account of the contexts that serve to illuminate his work and career especially where they contribute to our understanding of the modern interaction between Indian and Western thought. Chapters 1 and 2 trace a broad history of Yogis and Yogi-figures, first contextualizing them in their original Indian framework before moving to Western portrayals and interactions. Chapter 3 surveys Yogananda’s life through the lens of sources other than his famous Autobiography, while Chapter 4 analyzes on Yogananda’s teachings in the United States as reflecting the concerns of Progressive Era capitalism and scientific universalism. Finally, Chapter 5 examines the Autobiography itself as a carefully constructed narrative of Yogananda’s spiritual growth and identity as a Yogi

Paninian Studies

Pa?ini’s grammar is the oldest surviving grammar of Sanskrit, dating back to the fifth century BCE. In its completeness of coverage of linguistic elements and its theoretical and analytical sophistication, Pa?ini’s grammar is surprisingly modern. It has long provided inspiration for many ideas in modern linguistics, and continues to attract scholars’ attention in the fields of Sanskrit and linguistics. Pa?inian Studies collects seventeen essays on Pa?inian linguistics in a single volume dedicated to Professor S. D. Joshi, a stalwart scholar of Pa?inian grammar. The contributors, all scholors of international acclaim and students and friends of Professor Joshi, include Ashok Aklujkar, Pandit V. B. Bhagwat, Saroja Bhate, Gopikamohan Bhattacharya, Johannes Bronkhorst, George Cardona, Achyutananda Dash, Madhav M. Deshpande, Peter Edwin Hook, Daniel H. H. Ingalls, V. N. Jha, Dinabandhu Kar, Paul Kiparsky, Bimal Krishna Matilal, G. B. Palsule, K. Kunjunni Raja, and J. A. F. Roodbergen. Taken together, their contributions encompass the wide range of interests and specializations within the field of Pa?inian studies

Percussion art forms

Die Klassifizierung des literarisch kaum erwähnten anthropomorphen Deva Vadyam Mizhāvu reicht gleichwie die Unterscheidung zwischen südindischer sakraler und profaner Musik bis ins Nātya Śāstra zurück. Der rituelle Kontext Kerala´s Sanskrit Drama Form Kūtyāttam schreibt Perkussionisten profaner und sakraler Mizhāvus den ausschließlichen Einsatz in Kūtiyāttam, Nannyār- und Cākyār Kūttu Performances sowie orchestraler Tempelmusik vor. Das Spiel der Mizhāvus dient auf siebenfache Weise der Übertragung von Energie und erfordert von den Spielenden, die vom Bühnenhintergrund aus agieren, erhöhte Aufmerksamkeit durch interne und externe Wahrnehmungsebenen. Die Internalisierung zyklischer Metren (Tālas), Handgesten, Atembewegungen, Zählen kleinster rhythmisch-musikalischer Einheiten und das Wissen um die Inhalte der Dramen sowie die Reaktion auf schauspielerische Details der DarstellerInnen und rhythmische Koordination mit weiteren MusikerInnen wird in jahrelangem Training erarbeitet. Acht private und staatliche Ausbildungszentren wie das Kerala Kalamandalam bieten methodische Mischformen zwischen Tradition und Moderne an, wobei Kriterien wie Zugehörigkeit zum Ausbildungszentrum, Altersunterschied, Ausbildungsniveau, Geschlecht und vielfältige Aufgaben rund um den Kontext performativer Praxis ein komplexes Netzwerk „familiärer“ Beziehungen und Verpflichtungen zwischen Mizhāvu Perkussionisten der Nampyār- und anderen Kasten, Gurus und Kūtiyāttam DarstellerInnen bilden. Sieben in Rhythmustabellen dargestellte Tālas im Kūtiyāttam (Triputa Tālam, Atanta Tālam, Dhruva Tālam, Lakshmi Tālam, Murukiya Triputa Tālam, Ēka Tālam und Cempa Tālam) werden zur Begleitung von Tanzschritten spezifischer Charaktere aus den Nationalepen Ramayana und Mahabharata eingesetzt, reagieren auf wechselnde Handlungen mit expressiver Kommunikation von Emotionen (Rāsas) und der Unterhaltung bei Passagen ohne DarstellerInnen. Im Unterschied zu den Suladi Tālas der karnatischen Klassik wird je Tāla nur eine von fünf Jati-Ebenen verwendet, wobei die zum Erlernen notwendigen mnemotechnischer Silben den Klängen und spieltechnischen Variationsmöglichkeiten der primär drei Töne umfassenden Mizhāvu angeglichen werden und sich von denen der klassischen Mrdangam Trommel unterscheiden. Zusammenhänge zwischen der Verwendung spezifischer Tālas für bestimmte Melodien intonierter Sanskrit Verse und Rāsas basieren gegenwärtig auf P.K.N. Nambiars traditionellem Wissen, wobei deren Anwendung nicht nur individuelle Variationsmöglichkeiten und Präferenzen zulässt, sondern vom Kontext des Dramas abhängt, so dass keine generellen Zuordnungstendenzen festgelegt werden können.The classification of the anthropomorphic Deva Vadyam Mizhāvu that goes almost unmentioned in literature, as well as the difference between south Indian sacral and secular music goes back to the Nātya Śāstra. The ritual context of Kerala's Sanskrit drama form Kūtiyāttam stipulates the exclusive use of percussionists of sacral and secular Mizhāvus in Kūtiyāttam, Nannyār- and Cākyār Kūttu performances as well as orchestral temple music. Playing the Mizhāvu serves to transfer energy sevenfold and requires of the players drumming upstage heightened awareness through internal and external perception levels. Many years of training are spent on internalizing cyclic meters (Tālas), hand gestures, breathing movements, counting minute rhythmic units and knowing the contents of the dramas as well as reacting to various details performed by the actors and coordinating rhythmically with other musicians. Eight private and governmental training centers, such as the Kerala Kalamandalam, offer methodic mixed forms between traditional and contemporary training methods, whereas criteria such as affiliation to training centers, age differences, training's level, gender and a variety of tasks related to the context of performance practice form a complex network of close relationships and responsibilities between the Mizhāvu percussionists of Nampyār- and other castes, Gurus and Kūtiyāttam actors. Seven Tālas (Triputa Tālam, Atanta Tālam, Dhruva Tālam, Lakshmi Tālam, Murukiya Triputa Tāḷam, Ēka Tālam and Cempa Tālam), depicted in rhythmic tables, are used in the Kūtiyāttam as an accompaniment to certain dance steps of various characters portraying heroes and heroines from the national epics "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata". Mizhāvu percussionists react empathically to their changing plots in expressive emotions (Rāsas) and provide entertainment in passages without actors. Different to the Suladi Tālas of the carnatic classical music, each Kūtiyāttam Tāla uses only one of five Jati levels, whereas learning the necessary mnemonic syllables of sound and the technical possibilities are equalized to variations in the primary three tones of the Mizhāvu. Both aspects as well as another kind of form and construction base differentiate itself from the classical Mrdangam drum. Coherences between the uses of specific Tālas for certain intoned melodies of Sanskrit verses and Rāsas are currently based on P.K.N. Nambiar's traditional knowledge, whereas the way of drumming these Tālas on the Mizhāvu not only allows individual variation possibilities and preferences, but also depends on the context of the drama, so that no general associative tendencies can be defined

Yoga for mental health : evaluation of yoga interventions for reducing depression and anxiety, and improving well-being

Depression and anxiety are leading causes of disability worldwide and major contributors to the global burden of disease. Current treatments are primarily pharmaceutical and psychological. However, questions remain about the effectiveness of, and barriers to access to conventional treatments. There is increasing interest in complementary, mindbody, and lifestyle approaches, including yoga. Previous research suggests potential benefits of yoga in reducing depression and anxiety. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the potential benefits of yoga in managing depression and anxiety, and evaluate associated improvements in mental health and wellbeing. Current concepts of depression, anxiety and their comorbidity are reviewed, as are conventional approaches to management and treatment of the disorders. Positive psychology approaches to mental health, and the opportunity for development of nonconventional approaches to therapeutic interventions, including yoga as a form of mindbody mental health intervention are considered. Prior research into the benefits of yoga for depression and anxiety has demonstrated potential benefits however, the results and interpretations must be treated with caution, due to methodological limitations and heterogeneity of interventions used. In response to concerns of heterogeneity of yoga interventions used in prior research, a consensus-based yoga intervention was developed utilising a Delphi method study. From the results of the study, a consensus statement was produced on components of yoga practice that could be used in research evaluating yoga for reducing depression or anxiety and improving well-being. Central to this thesis and testing of the hypotheses, was the conduct of a clinical trial to evaluate a yoga-intervention for reducing depression and anxiety, and increasing wellbeing. The effectiveness of the consensus-based yoga intervention was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial (RCT), with an additional crossover trial design. A sample of 101 people with depression and/or anxiety participated in an RCT comparing a 6-week yoga intervention with waitlist control. Both groups continued other treatments as usual. The control group was offered the yoga following the waitlist period. Participants were also assessed at 6-week follow-up. Primary outcome measures were the depression and anxiety sub-scales of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21). Secondary outcome measures included the stress sub-scale of the DASS21, total DASS score, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Short Form Health Survey (SF12), Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), Flourishing Scale (FS), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRISC2). Results of the RCT showed a statistically significant reduction of DASS depression scores in the yoga group relative to the waitlist group (AMD -4.30; 95% CI’s -7.70, -0.91; p=0.01; effect size -0.44). The reduction of DASS anxiety scores with yoga relative to waitlist was not statistically significant (AMD -1.91; 95% CI’s -4.58, 0.76; p=0.16). However, influential outlying data were observed in changes from pre to post anxiety scores (with Cook’s distance values > 0.04). After trimming of these data, group differences on anxiety scores were statistically significant (AMD -2.53; CI’s -4.71, -0.35; p=0.02; effect size -0.40). Statistically significant differences in favour of yoga were also found on secondary measures: total DASS (p=0.03), K10, SF12 mental health, SPANE, FS and resilience scores (p<0.01 for each). Differences in stress and SF12 physical health scores were not statistically significant. Benefits were maintained at 6-week follow-up. The overall results of the clinical trial suggest that the yoga intervention in addition to regular care was effective in the reduction of symptoms of depression and anxiety when compared with regular care alone. The benefits remained statistically significant after correcting for changes in usual treatment, and were maintained at six-week follow-up. These results were demonstrated in the randomised controlled trial, as well as the single group crossover trial design. In conclusion, yoga intervention plus regular care was effective in reducing depression compared with regular care alone, and continued to improve at follow-up. Further investigation is warranted for reduction of anxiety. Individualized yoga is recommended as an optional mental health intervention, and may beneficial in mental health care in the broader community

A grammar of Yakkha

This grammar provides the first comprehensive grammatical description of Yakkha, a Sino-Tibetan language of the Kiranti branch. Yakkha is spoken by about 14,000 speakers in eastern Nepal, in the Sankhuwa Sabha and Dhankuta districts. The grammar is based on original fieldwork in the Yakkha community. Its primary source of data is a corpus of 13,000 clauses from narratives and naturally-occurring social interaction which the author recorded and transcribed between 2009 and 2012. Corpus analyses were complemented by targeted elicitation. The grammar is written in a functional-typological framework. It focusses on morphosyntactic and semantic issues, as these present highly complex and comparatively under-researched fields in Kiranti languages. The sequence of the chapters follows the well-established order of phonological, morphological, syntactic and discourse-structural descriptions. These are supplemented by a historical and sociolinguistic introduction as well as an analysis of the complex kinship terminology. Topics such as verbal person marking, argument structure, transitivity, complex predication, grammatical relations, clause linkage, nominalization, and the topography-based orientation system have received in-depth treatment. Wherever possible, the structures found were explained in a historical-comparative perspective in order to shed more light on how their particular properties have emerged

Contextual reading of Psalm 22: with special reference to Indian Christian Dalit Interpretations

This thesis endeavours to place Indian Christian Dalit interpretations of Psalm 22 in conversation with the historical critical, Early Christian and modern Christian interpretations. This conversation is meant on the one hand to examine how Dalit interpretation shares common things with its conversation partners and on the other hand to demonstrate that in spite of the presence of common interpretative elements between the two Dalit interpretations show certain features of Psalm 22 that are distinct to its own context. These distinct features are identified so that the Dalit interpretation can challenge its non-Dalit partners and also enrich their understanding of Psalm 22.In the Indian context biblical interpretation was dominant in the past two centuries with the western interpretative modes. In the last few decades this western domination of biblical interpretation was challenged in the light of the socio¬ economic and religious situation. Since Indian Christianity is dominated by Dalits their point of view is taken seriously. For Dalits the Bible is a religious guide in their daily life-threatening situation in which they often face physical and mental oppression. At the same time it was evident that the Dalit Christian interpretation inherits certain interpretative modes from the west and Early Christian reading of the Bible.We first of all presented the western critical understanding of Psalm 22 in the light of its form, structure and interpretation. The interpretation of Psalm 22 on the basis of historical and rhetorical critical explanation demonstrates certain features on the basis of which Dalits interpreted the psalm. The New Testament interpretation of Psalm 22 provides certain interpretative clues as Dalits appropriate the psalm in the light of the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Early Christian interpreters of psalm 22, such as Theodoret and Augustine, reflected some features that are similar to Dalit reading even when there are noticeable nuances of diferences in both cases. The two modern Christian interpreters Delitzsch and Menn provided ample scope for Dalit reading of the psalm in that they sought to find the inherent iii potential of the psalm as a psalm of distress and deliverance in its subsequent fulfilment in Jesus and Esther in addition to its application to the life of David.Dalit interpretations of Psalm 22 are focused on three different aspects. First of all Dalit interpretation on Psalm 22 is examined in the light of the Hindu doctrine of karma, caste system and its related concerns. Secondly, Dalit women's view is examined as a specific concern of Dalit reading as they find certain specific features that are not found in a general Dalit interpretation. Thirdly, Dalits read Psalm 22 in the light of a Christology that is in resonance with their situation. Jesus as a Dalit, suffering servant and the drum speaks of their situation in which Jesus not only expresses solidarity in their dalitness but also gives an opportunity to register their protest so that God will vindicate their just cause and punish the oppressor.In a conversation among Dalit and non-Dalit interpretations of Psalm 22 it is demonstrated that Dalits share several common interpretative features with their dialogue partners. At the same time Dalits contribute certain distinctive features that are not prominently surfaced among its dialogue partners. For Dalit Christians Psalm 22 is more than a mere literary piece as may be the case among some of its non-Dalit partners. It provides them an opportunity to cry, and seek justice in their oppressive situation.The conclusions of the thesis demonstrate that in the history of interpretation of Psalm 22 Dalit Christian interpretation stands distinct as they regain their human worth and dignity in the midst of their oppression. The psalm provides them an opportunity to finds God's solidarity in their distress situation and at the same time hope and victory that God's liberation will eventually come in their lives

Epistemology, Wisdom, and Social Transformation: Strategies at the Forefront of the Contemplative Movement in Higher Education

American society is currently experiencing a surging interest in contemplative practices. The secularization and professionalization of contemplative practices can be seen in the adoption of mindfulness-based approaches in sectors as wide-ranging as technology, nonprofit, and higher education. Amongst all these fields, institutions of higher education play a unique role within the contemplative movement in that the academy lays claim to the powerful social roles of producing and disseminating knowledge and, subsequently, of shaping societal values and behaviors. In conducting this qualitative study, the researcher analyzed 1) what the academics in the contemplative movement expressed through their speech regarding the activities that forward their work within the context of an epistemological shift in the academy; 2) the extent to which these academics articulated a connection between activities aimed toward the epistemological shift within the academy, the cultivation of wisdom, and activities directed toward social transformation; 3) which methods contemplative scholars, scientists, and administrators employ through curricular innovation, study designs, the securing of project funding, and networks of support in order to act as agents of institutional change and social transformation. This research paired activity theory (AT) and critical discourse analysis (CDA). Fifteen participants representing a spectrum of academics engaged in contemplative practice or research on contemplative practice were interviewed. With the exception of three participants, all others indicated that they conceived of a positive correlation between contemplative practice and the cultivation of wisdom, contemplative practice and social transformation, or a more complex connection between all three. Non-profits were found to be central to the movement’s unfolding. The construction and production of knowledge occurred around strategic discourse for a number of academics. Rich texts for the analysis of word meaning came overwhelmingly from those academics who experienced contradiction in their activity setting. The first eight participants represented contrast sharply with the last seven in terms of the social status they have within their university settings. With the exception of five participants, all others discussed some form of delegitimization, isolation, and scarcity of resources, even though they may also have experienced legitimization, integration, and support. Suggestions for future research and practice are discussed. The researcher advises that studies that pair approaches from contextualized Theology or Religious Studies, Social Psychology, and educational theory should be conducted to examine the adaptation of contemplative practices for the spaces of socially marginalized people. Additionally, non-profit organizations and centers conducting research on contemplative practices should create opportunities for research assistantships, internships, and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students that foster interdisciplinary inquiry into contemplative practice pairing people in the sciences and humanities together