28/06/2020
RESEARCH: How Yoga Improves Body Image
A new conceptual model - called “positive embodiment” - details the specific pathways through which yoga can shape your experience of your body, according to researchers at Washington State University and Ohio State University.
Positive Embodiment comprises several dimensions including:
* A feeling of comfort and ease within your body
* A sense of being “at home” in your body as you move around in the world and engage with it
* A sense of agency — the knowledge that through your body you can have an impact on the world
* Living in your body as a subject rather than an object ~ you don’t accept cultural narratives that tell you your body exists simply for others to gaze at and evaluate
* You reject harmful appearance norms and appreciate your body for what it does for you, not for how it looks.
Those who experience positive embodiment tend to be in touch with their body’s desires and know how to effectively express those desires. They care for their bodies with compassion, nurture their bodies without harsh judgments, and engage in exercise that feels good.
Read more about the research and findings here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beauty-sick/202006/how-yoga-improves-body-image
