Bridging the gap between yoga and science : a mini review

Abstract

Yoga is an ancient tradition arising from the evolving cultures of ancient India originating from a variety of sources like ancient texts, oral transmissions through lineages, iconography and songs. It has a complex history of spiritual exploration, philosophical reflection and creative expression. Yoga has evolved over time to suit the needs of the current populace and at present humanity at large views things, especially the mystical arts through the lens of the sceptical scientist. Despite countless benefits of yoga and meditation in the overall health of a person and his mind that have been documented over time, they have mostly been anecdotal and few studies using a rigorous scientific method have been performed. Most recently through the advent of cutting-edge scientific tools (i.e., electroencephalogram, EEG), the gap between the subjective and objective have been bridged. Nevertheless, the path to scientific inquiry supporting yoga is a work in progress. In this minireview, we will make a short historical resume of the scientific studies carried out to investigate the effect of yoga in the physiology of the body and the brain, and its possible use to ameliorate pathological condition.