Improve your mindfulness through Yoga. Reality or just a Myth?

Increasing mindfulness through Yoga. Basically, a positive psychology exercise, which is sport and fun at the same time, can that be true?

Yoga practices specific postures, regulated breathing and meditation. But I will now introduce you to a meditation-based Yoga technique. The Mastering Emotions Technique, or shortly MEMT. It claims to achieve the goal of regulating emotions, of positive health, mindfulness and concentration.

It does sound too good to be true, doesn’t it? Now hear me out: 

72 females from a college in India took part in an experimental study to prove you exactly, that it is not too good to be true. In the beginning of the study, they were asked to fill out a couple of questionnaires. Namely the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (REQ), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and lastly, the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). 

Afterwards they started the two-week intervention, in which they practiced MEMT for 45minutes each day. After those two-weeks the participants were asked to fill out the same questionnaires again.

The results proved that an increase of self-compassion, positive-affect and better emotional-regulation is actually possible through MEMT practice. Further the results showed that it is an effective method for increasing mindfulness. All these positive effects I listed are also suggested to help with the prevention of depression and anxiety, while improving optimism and self-esteem.