Therapeutic yoga for spiritual well-being and life skills: Yogis’ perception in Nepal and Thailand
Nepalese Culture June 3, 2026 Ann Suwaree Ashton
Yoga practice enhances spiritual well-being and life skills among professional practitioners. In-depth interviews with twenty-one trained yoga practitioners in Nepal and Thailand revealed that yoga promotes heightened self-awareness, sustained stillness, focused attention, moral sensitivity, detachment from materialism, a sense of sacredness and connectedness, and felt closeness to God. Improvements in life skills include emotional regulation, clearer decision making, conflict resolution, social empathy, and resilient coping. The findings suggest yoga functions as a traditional therapeutic tool supporting holistic health.