| Learning Objective #1: Identify two conditions for which DahnHak yoga practice improved students' health outcomes | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe how strong physical sensations influenced students' motivation to continue weekly hands-on-healing, Yoga classes, and meditative practices |
Setting, Design, and Method: Nine students and 2 instructors participating in a community based Yoga class were interviewed and their responses were interpreted using Heideggerian phenomenology. Students commented on the effectiveness of weekly hands-on-healing sessions, Yoga practice, and meditation in improving their health and their maintaining motivation to engage in healthy behaviors.
Concept Targeted: Students and instructors were asked to describe how they gauged progress during hands-on-healing, Yoga, and meditation classes.
Findings: Students described a number of physical sensations that they felt were markers of progress. Physical sensations that students felt demonstrated progress included a feeling of heat, a feeling like things were waking up inside, a sensation like the first light of morning, a flowing feeling, and a state of awe. Students mentioned remembering vivid dreams that were related to significant life events, experiencing synchronous situations, and having their intuition markedly increase following healing, Yoga, and meditation sessions. Physical manifestations of progress included decreased pain, increased energy levels, less alcohol use, and sustained weight loss over a 5-month period. Instructors gauged student's progress by how much they shared during post-class debriefing sessions.
Conclusions: Sensation-based responses immediately captured the attention of students and prompted them to reflect on and be more aware of aspects of their life experience. The level of motivation associated with strong physical responses prompted students to continue their Yoga training.
Implications: Other manifestations of health related improvements resulting from hands-on-healing; Yoga, and meditation should be measured in an objective way. Motivation to participate in such alternative practices may serve to promote healthy lifestyle changes and to augment more traditional nursing interventions.