The mindfulpath: Yoga as a gateway to meditation
Kuntal Thakur
International Journal of Physiology, Nutrition and Physical Education 2025 DOI: 10.22271/journalofsport.2025.v10.i1d.3052 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Gateway web page Psychotherapist World wide web Theology |
| Key findings | Yoga provides an effective and holistic gateway to mindfulness meditation, offering both physical and psychological benefits. |
Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, mindfulness meditation has become a widely recognised aid for enhancing mental health and emotional well-being. Yoga, traditionally rooted in ancient philosophical systems, often integrates mindfulness practices through physical postures (asanas), breathing control (pranayama), and meditative focus (dhyana). This review explores yoga’s potential as a foundational path to mindfulness meditation and its wide psychological benefits.Purpose: The primary aim of this review is to evaluate existing literature on the integration of mindfulness meditation within yoga practices and to examine yoga’s effectiveness in fostering mindfulness, emotional regulation, and cognitive clarity.Methods: This study employs a systematic review approach, analysing peer-reviewed journal articles, clinical reports, and meta- analyses published over the past two decades. Sources were drawn from databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, focusing on studies that examine the psychological and neurophysiological effects of yoga-based mindfulness practices.Results: Findings consistently indicate that individuals, who engage in regular yoga practice result significant improvements in mindfulness, stress reduction, attention control, and emotional resilience. Research suggests that yoga can act as a gateway to mindfulness by integrating physical movement with focused attention and breath regulation. Physiological studies further suggest enhancements in parasympathetic nervous system activation and reductions in cortisol levels among yoga practitioners.Conclusion: Yoga provides an effective and holistic gateway to mindfulness meditation, offering both physical and psychological benefits. As a multimodal practice, yoga enhances self-awareness and emotional balance, making it a valuable component in wellness and mental health interventions. Ongoing research is needed to assess the sustained effects of yoga on psychological well-being and to develop standardized methodologies for its use in clinical mindfulness interventions.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 1, 2005
- The Effects of Meditation, Yoga, and Mindfulness on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Tertiary Education Students: A Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry April 24, 2019
- Mindfulness mediates the physiological markers of stress: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research August 23, 2017
and 3 more in the library