Yoga Philosophy And Mental Wellness In Post-Menopausal Women: A Theoretical Integration Based On The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali

Abstract

Post-menopause is a complex transition of a biopsychosocial nature that has a marked effect on the psychological balance, subjective well-being and mental health in women. Although a large body of empirical evidence has emerged highlighting the therapeutic potential of yoga, there is little progress in the development of a compelling theory that would help establish the psychological effectiveness of the practice within the classical Indian philosophies as Yoga or Hinduism. This paper suggests a theoretical move to combine two of Patanjali's concepts, the cessation of chitta-vritti-nirodha (cessation of mind-wandering or fluctuation of mind) with the ashtanga path (the 8 path steps of yoga) and the concept of viveka-khyati (discriminative wisdom) with modern models of mental wellness such as the allostatic load framework, the cognitive regulatory theory, and positive psychology flourishing. The paper suggests that the post-menopausal psycho-neuroendocrine milieu is a "chitta-vikara state" (also called chitta-akulu state), which is characterised by an increased state of Mental perturbation; is directly addressed by Patanjali's sutras through a systematic psychophysical discipline. Based on the integrative theoretical analysis five areas of convergence have been recognized: One area of convergence is that of hormonal-emotional dysregulation and chitta vikara. The second area is that of attentional disruption and pratyahara, the third area is that of cognitive ageing and dharana, the fourth area is that of seeing sleep and mood dysphoria as connecting. The yoga nidra principles, the fifth is the area of existential re-calibration and ishvara pranidhana.