Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological and spiritual well-being of women diagnosed with breast cancer who participated in a yoga-based stress-reduction program known as the Art of Living program. The mixed-method design involved the participation of 26 women, diagnosed with breast cancer within the past 5 years, in an 8-day yoga-based stress reduction course that includes yogic breathing techniques known as Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), as well as other processes that draw on yoga principles. Demographic and medical history variables were assessed at the time of recruitment, and standardized measures of quality of life, spiritual well-being, perceived stress, and positive states of mind were assessed two weeks prior to the beginning of the program, on the first day of the 8-day course, on the last day of the course, and following the 5-week maintenance period. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with a subsample of 12 women following the 5-week maintenance period. The results demonstrate a significant (p < 0.0001) improvement in scores of all measurements after the 8-day Art of Living course and after the 5 weeks maintenance period. Effect sizes of all measurements were considered large. Results indicate that these effects were not due to maturation. Qualitative results demonstrated that the breast cancer experience was associated with distress and challenges, as well as growth and transformation. Qualitative themes indicated that the participation in the Art of Living program was associated with enhanced sense of spirituality, experiences of self-exploration, self-transcendence, and psychospiritual transformation. These pilot data represent a preliminary investigation of the relationship between mind-body-spirit, yoga-based practices, and psychospiritual well-being of women with breast cancer, highlighting the need for further controlled studies in this area.