Negotiating Spirituality and Institutional Religion: The Experiences of Yoga Practitioners in Türkiye
Ayşe Aydar
Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi May 31, 2026 DOI: 10.33931/dergiabant.1842592 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Yoga practitioners in Türkiye |
| Intervention | yoga practice |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Spirituality Religiosity Thematic analysis Perception Negotiation Qualitative research Content analysis Psychotherapist |
| Key findings | Sustained yoga practice may foster forms of religiosity and spirituality independent of traditional or institutional religion. |
Abstract
This study aims to explore how yoga practitioners in Türkiye perceive institutional religion, including the role of yoga in their religious lives, their motivations for turning to yoga, and their perceptions of institutional religion’s approach to yoga. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted with 16 participants selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed through thematic content analysis within the psychology of religion framework, assisted by MAXQDA 2020. As a result of this analytical process, four themes were identified: motivation for starting yoga, after yoga, religious perspectives on yoga, and why yoga. Findings indicate that participants initially practiced yoga for psychological and physiological benefits, and individuals who felt discomfort with the strict norms and negative connotations associated with institutional religion were particularly drawn to yoga’s flexible and inclusive structure. Contrary to the common assumption in Türkiye that yoga leads individuals away from religion, the results suggest that sustained yoga practice may foster forms of religiosity and spirituality that develop independently of traditional or institutional religion.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- A Systematic Review of Transcendent States Across Meditation and Contemplative Traditions. Explore 2018
- Medical yoga: another way of being in the world-a phenomenological study from the perspective of persons suffering from stress-related symptoms. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being January 9, 2014
- Is spirituality a critical ingredient of meditation? Comparing the effects of spiritual meditation, secular meditation, and relaxation on spiritual, psychological, cardiac, and pain outcomes. Journal of Behavioral Medicine August 2005