YOGA'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH CONDITIONS, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF ADULT AND ELDERLY WOMEN

Abstract

This study looks into adult and elderly women's perceptions about changes in health conditions, attitudes and behaviors related to their practice of Hatha Yoga. Ten women aged 54-72 were included in the qualitative, descriptive study. A focus group session was held with themes related to the practice of yoga, as well as physical, health, illness, social, and psychoemotional conditions. The results indicate that the program provided women with learning and incorporation of asanas, making them more conscious and autonomous in their physical health care. Understanding yoga's philosophical concepts helped them face personal situations and problems in their family and social relations, besides providing them with a new view about themselves regarding self-care and individuality. It concluded that yoga, based on individual wholeness, is an important therapeutic resource for human being's health and wet-being.