A discipline practiced by hundreds of thousands of members of Dahn Yoga, meditation has been employed for centuries as a way to soothe the body and calm the mind. Now, researchers are increasingly turning to yoga's meditation practices to see whether improving one's state of mind can supplement mainstream medical practices.
A review published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute states that more large, randomized trials of breathing techniques, yoga and meditation are underway than ever before.
Linda Sutton, the medical director of the Duke Oncology Network, is quoted in the article as saying that many physicians are not against the use of yoga and its nebula of mind-body practices. Rather, they are waiting for further studies to specify which patients will benefit from which techniques, she added.
Studies have already associated meditation with the decreased prevalence of anxiety, depression and various aches and pains.
By participating in Dahn Yoga's meditation groups, individuals who are recovering from illness may be able to find what their peers are already discovering in the program – a renewed sense of the connection between the physical and mental self.
