Yoga and the experience of embodiment: a discussion of possible links.

The impact of yoga on body image and embodiment has been a recent area of focus in the field of body image and eating disorders. This paper comprises a theoretical discussion of how the practice of yoga can lead to positive ways of inhabiting the body, specifically through the lens of the Developmental Theory of Embodiment. Yoga may enhance the overall experience of embodiment, by having a positive impact on each of its five dimensions: body connection and comfort, agency and functionality, attuned self-care, subjective immersion (resisting objectification), and experience and expression of desires. The article therefore describes examples of teacher-related practices during yoga that can enhance each of these dimensions. Further, yoga teachers can consider the varied protective physical and social factors delineated by the Developmental Theory of Embodiment to facilitate positive embodiment. Future research should explicitly integrate embodiment theory with yoga interventions, as well as measures that assess both possible mechanisms of change and positive ways of living in the body.