Medical/Psychophysiological Research on Yoga:

Some Primary Resources

Compiled by: Trisha Lamb

Last Revised: April 27, 2006

© 2004 by International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)

International Association of Yoga Therapists

P.O. Box 2513 • Prescott • AZ 86302 • Phone: 928-541-0004
E-mail: mail@iayt.org • URL: www.iayt.org

The contents of this bibliography do not provide medical advice and should not be so interpreted. Before beginning any
exercise program, see your physician for clearance.
Bibliographies

1. Extensive bibliographies compiled by the International Association of Yoga

Therapists (IAYT):

http://www.iayt.org/biblio.html

2. The Medline database. Search on the term “yoga,” and you will receive over 700 hits;
search on the term “meditation,” and you will receive over 1,000 hits. Abstracts are
provided for many of the articles. All of the Medline articles are cited in the IAYT
bibliographies above. Access Medline via PubMed at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi

3. Touch Research Institutes Yoga bibliographies with abstracts (all of these citations,
but not all of the abstracts are contained in the IAYT bibliographies above):

http://www.miami.edu/touch-research/Yoga.html

4. Kaivalyadhama bibliographies of their 75 years of Yoga research (all of these studies

are cited in the IAYT bibliographies above):

http://www.kdham.com

5. Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation bibliographies of their decades of

Yoga research (all of these studies are cited in the IAYT bibliographies above):

http://www.vkyogas.org.in

6. Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram Yoga research bibliography (all of these studies are
cited in the IAYT bibliographies above):

http://www.kym.org

7. The Art of Living Foundation Yoga and other research bibliography with abstracts (all
of these studies are cited in the IAYT bibliographies above):

http://www.artofliving.org/research.html

Publications on Conducting Yoga Research

2
Black, Kathryn. Yoga under the microscope: Can claims of yoga’s health benefits stand
up to scientific scrutiny? These three researchers think so. Yoga Journal, Source 2001
issue, pp. 88-93, 130-134. (On contemporary Yoga researchers.)

Foreman, Judy. Scientific support for yoga is slim. Boston Globe, 29 Jun 2004.

Monro, Robin. Planning a long-term research strategy. Yoga Biomed Newsletter, no. 31.
Article available online: http://freespace.virgin.net/yogabio.med/research/planning.htm.

Nagendra, H. R., and S. Telles. [Yoga] Research Methods. Bangalore, India:

Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Prakashan.

Contents: Introduction, Planning a research project, Design of the study, Statistics,

Parameters to be recorded for specific diseases (obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension,
asthma, low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis)

Nahin, Richard L., and Stephen E. Strauss. Research into complementary and
alternative medicine: Problems and potential. British Medical Journal, 20 Jan 2001,
322:161-164.

Nithyanand, Latha. [An interview with Dr. Nithyanand.] Samacar@KYM: The

Newsletter of Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram.

Dr. Nithyanand answers the questions: What is the aim of the research department? What
is the current research you are doing? What is the methodology of the research you are
doing? What are the research projects you have done so far? Are there abstracts of these
projects available to the public? What are your plans to share the research in future? Any
special research which is unique to KYM? What is the structure of the department?

Reuters Health. One in three drop out of behavioral treatment. Article available online:
http://www.healthcentral.cm/news/newsfulltext.cfm?id=28499&StoryType=ReutersNews
.

“One third of people enrolled in behavioral treatment programs for managing chronic
pain, headache, stress, or weight control drop out before completing the programs . . .
The programs lasted from 8 to 26 weeks, and included techniques such as . . . relaxation,
meditation, yoga, . . .”

Skolnick, Adam. Beneath the surface: A glimpse within the laboratory. LA Yoga,
May/Jun 2003, pp. 31-34. (On contemporary Yoga researchers.)

Tales from the trenches: Conducting Yoga research on low back pain: An interview
with karen Sherman, Ph.D., and Robin Rothenberg, C.Y.T. International Journal of
Yoga Therapy, 2005, no. 5.

3
Watts, Fraser. Psychological research questions about yoga. Mental Health, Religion, &
Culture, May 2000, 3(1): 71-83.

Summary: There are two kinds of scientific questions about procedures such as Yoga:
“process” questions and “outcome” questions. Research on the effectiveness of Yoga
indicates it has a variety of beneficial effects, but there is more doubt about whether it has
unique effects. A broad range of procedures that combine physical stillness with mental
alertness seem to have comparable effects. More subtle questions arise concerning the
“processes” by which Yoga achieves its effects, and both mental and physical processes
need to be investigated. Regarding physical aspects, attention needs to be given to the
under-explored effects of posture on states of consciousness. Regarding mental aspects,
the “focusing” of consciousness is likely to be important; an unusual aspect of many
forms of Yoga is the somatic focus of consciousness. Also relevant are the critical
comments of Jung about the appropriateness of Yoga in the West.

Vanderbilt, Shirley. Embracing research: A course in fundamentals for practitioners.

Massage & Bodywork, Feb/Mar 2005, pp. 134-138.

On the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor CAM Research Center’s methodology

course. For more information on the course, contact Suzanna Zick at 734-998-7715, or
email szick@umich.edu.

Young, Jane. Doing research: A tutorial for Yoga teachers. International Journal of
Yoga Therapy, 2001, no. 11, pp. 23-33.

Organizations Conducting and/or Compiling Yoga Research

Art of Living Foundation. P.O. Box 50003, Santa Barbara, CA 93150, USA, tel: 877-
399-1008 (inside U.S. only), 805-564-1002, email: research@artofliving.org, URL:
http://www.artofliving.org.

Brahmavarchas Research Institute and Lab. A division of Shanti Kunj, Hardwar,

249411 India.

From an article entitled “Brahmavarchas Shodh Sansthan: A Research Institute

Committed to the Scientific Exposition of Spirituality” in Akhand Jyoti: The Light
Divine, Sep/Oct 2004 (http://www.akhand-jyoti.org/sepoct04/article5.html): The
laboratory “comprises three main sections: (1) Yagyopathy Lab, (2) Lab for measuring
the psychosomatic effects of spiritual sadhanas, and (3) Herbal Research Lab and the
accompanying herbal garden of nearly 200 very rare Himalayan medicinal herbs. All the
sections of the laboratory are equipped with the state-of-art computerized
instrument[ation] . . . They include rare instruments for recording the aura and the bio-
energy of the body. That is why this laboratory has made its own unique place in our
[India]. It is like a Mahateerth (holy place) for conducting research on different aspects
of scientific spirituality. Scientists from different parts of the world consider themselves
to be fortunate to work here.

4
“There are two types of researchers working in the Institute. The first one consists of
seminal thinkers. They are engaged in research related to the social, political and
philosophical aspects of life. The second category consists of scientists. They are
investigating yagya-therapy, herbal medicines, and the effect of spiritual sadhanas on
human personality. The number of these highly qualified researchers is about forty. The
unique feature of the team working here is that they are not salaried employees. Rather
they are all life- long Sadhaks, who have dedicated their lives to the ideals of Poojya
Gurudev . . .”

Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy. Run by the Government of
India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Address: 61-65, Institutional Area,
Pankha Road, Opp. D block, Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058, India, tel: 5534717,
5557602, 5543725, fax: 5613269, email: ccryn@nda.vsnl.net.in, URL:
http://www.ccryn.org.

European Yoga Research Fellowship. 66 Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo,

Carmarthenshire, SA19 6EN, United Kingdom, tel/fax: +44 (0) 1558 823 842,
email: mail@eyrf.freeserve.co.uk, URL: http://www.eyf-eu.org/eneyrf.htm.

Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA. RR1
Box 1127, Honesdale, PA 18431-9706, URL: http://www.himalayaninstitute.org.

The institute no longer conducts Yoga research but did some excellent basic research,
primarily on respiration and on stress, in the late 1970s and early 1980s via their Eleanor
N. Dana Laboratory.

Indian Institute of Research in Yoga and Allied Sciences. Saptagiri, T.T.D., Tirupati,
Andhra Pradesh, India.

International Association of Yoga Therapists. P.O. Box 2513, Prescott, AZ 86302,

USA, tel: 928-541-0004, fax: 928-541-0182, email: mail@iayt.org, URL: www.iayt.org.

IAYT has created extensive bibliographies of completed and ongoing Yoga research and
assists in networking Yoga researchers.

International Sahaja Yoga Research and Health Center. Mumbai, India. URL:
http://www.sahajayoga.org.

Kaivalyadhama. Shrimati Amolak Devi Tirathram Gupta Yogic Hospital,

Gordhandas Seksaria College of Yoga & Cultural Synthesis & Scientific & Philosophic-
Literary Research Department, and Kaivalyadhama Ashram, Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla
(Pune) 410 403, India, tel.: (02114) 73039/73001/71518, fax: (02114) 71983 or (02114)
71870, email: kdham@vsnl.com, URL: www.kdham.com.

5
Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. 31 (Old #13) Fourth Cross Street, R K Nagar,
Chennai - 600 028, India, tel: 91.44.4937998, 91.44.4933092, fax: 91.44.4613341,
email: admin@kym.org, URL: http://www.kym.org.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes

of Health. Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. Email: info@nccam.nih.gov, URL:
http://nccam.nih.gov.

The primary funding organization for Yoga-related research in the United States.

Patanjali Yoga Research Institute. Y.M.C.A. Road, Narayanguda, Hyderabad, Andhra

Pradesh, India.

Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute/Light on Yoga Research Trust. Mr.

Pandurang Rao, Secretary, 1107 B/1 Hare Krishna Mandir Road, Model Colony, Shivaji
Nagar, Pune - 411 015, INDIA, tel: +91-20-565 6134, URL: http://www.bksiyengar.com.

Scientific Yoga Research Institute. Alampura, via Tedeepallingudee, Dist. West

Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Swami Rama Research Institute. Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, Swami Rama
Nagar, P.O. Doiwala, Dehradun (Uttaranchal) 248140, India. Tel.: 91-135-2412068, fax:
2412008, email: hihtsrc@sancharnet.in.

Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation. No. 9, Appajappa Agrahara, 1st

Main, Chamarajpet, Behind Prakash Café, Bangalore - 560 018, India, tel : +91 80 660
8645, 661 2669, fax/tel : +91 80 660 8645, email: vkyogas@vsnl.com,
vkyogas@blr.vsnl.net.in, URL: http://www.vyasa.org. For a detailed description of
SVYRF’s facilities and programs, see their publication Yoga Research Highlights, 1994.

Sydney Yoga Therapy Research and Education. 85 Old South Head Road, Bondi
Junction, New South Wales 2022, Australia, tel: [00 61 2] 612 938 61225, fax: [00 61 2]
938 78415.

Vedic Science Research Bureau. 9/53, Bojjammagari Street, Prodatur, Fort, Dist. East
Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Veman Yoga Research Institute. Secundrabad, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Yoga Biomedical Trust. 60 Great Ormond Street, London, England WC 1N 3HR, tel: 0-
171-419-7195, fax: 0-171-419-7196, email: yogabio.med@virgin.net, URL:
www.yogatherapy.org.

The Yoga Institute. Shri Yogendra Marg, Prabhat Colony, Santacruz (E), Mumbai
(Bombay) 400055 - India, tel: 6110506/6122185, email: yoga@vsnl.net, URL:

6
http://www.yogainstitute.org/. For a brief history of the Institute, see the December 1999
issue of the Institute’s newsletter Yoga and Total Health, pp. 5-13.

Yoga Research Foundation. Bihar School of Yoga, Ganga Darshan, Fort Munger,
Bihar 811201, India, tel: 91+(0)6344+22430, fax: 91+(0)6344+22169, email:
byb@yogavision.net, URL: http://www.yogavision.net.

Yoga Research Foundation. 6111 SW 74th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33143, tel: 305-666-
2006, fax: 305-666-4443, URL: http://members.freespeech.org/yrf/index.html.

Yoga Research Society. 341 Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, tel: 215-592-
9642, fax: 215-247-8054, email: yogasearch@aol.com, URL:
http://www.yogaresearchsociety.com/index2.shtml