By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 13 Mar: Underlining the significance of the fundamental association between mental and physical health in contemporary discourse on health care, experts here converged on Tuesday for a national conference at Doon University and deliberated upon various issues such as close relationship between mind and body, yoga, spiritualism and comprehensive well-being and emerging research areas in these fields.
Speaking at a national conference on ‘’Yoga for Mental and Physical Health: Scientific Perspectives and Trends in Emerging Research Areas” organised by the Department of Psychology, Doon University, in collaboration with the Inter University Centre for Yogic Sciences and Indian Counselling Psychology, Doon University Vice Chancellor Professor Surekha Dangwal, in her special address, emphasised on the importance of integrating ancient Indian knowledge with modern scientific inquiry to address contemporary health challenges.
“If your mental health is good, if you are at peace with your mind and should, it is bound to have a positive affect on your physical, holistic well-being,” Professor Dangwal asserted.
Professor (Dr) Meenu Singh, Director, AIIMS Rishikesh, shared various insights on the evolving landscape of yoga research and its implications for clinical practice. She emphasised that, if a pregnant woman practices meditation and yoga, it affects her foetus as well, studies have revealed. “Mother’s stress can cause problems for the child in the womb, that is why it is important to keep the mind calm… The benefits of this are far-reaching,” she declared.
In his keynote address, Professor Yogesh Singh, Physiology Department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, discussed in detail the basis of neuroscientific research and how yoga has a positive effect on the brain. Additional Professor Dr Vikram Singh Rawat, Department of Psychiatry, highlighted the relationship between yoga and mental health. Dr Jaivardhan Singh, Associate Professor, Medical College, Kanpur, highlighted the benefits of meditation and mindfulness techniques for mental health.
The event brought together scholars, researchers and practitioners to explore the transformative potential of yoga on human well-being. The objective of this conference was to promote dynamic exchange of knowledge on the scientific basis of yoga and its applications in contemporary health care. Experts and researchers presented their findings on the latest trends in yoga research and discussed the resulting discovery of its effectiveness in managing stress, anxiety, and promoting overall well-being. As many as 51 research papers were presented in this conference and about 250 participants participated.
Each research paper explored different aspects of the impact of yoga on mental and physical health. Yoga and Stress Management, Mind-Body Connection, Textual Evidence in Indian Ancient Manuscripts, Integrating Yoga with Neuroscience and Psychology, Meditation and Mindfulness, Use of Yoga on Personality and Emotional Regulation, and Integrating Yoga into Clinical Practice. Such subjects were discussed and examined carefully.
Professor RP Mamgain and Professor HC Purohit made their concluding remarks, while Dr Rajesh Bhatt proposed the vote of thanks. The conference was also attended by Registrar Dr MS Mandrawal, Prof Harsh Dobhal, Professor Reena Singh, Dr Arun Kumar, Dr Preeti Mishra, MR Narendra Lal, Dr Kalpana Rawat, Dr Swati Singh, Richa Negi, Akshara Singh, Deepak Kumar, Anjali Suyal, Anamika Bhardwaj and others.
