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Table 3 Consensus on importance of approaches and techniques for reducing depression or anxiety, and improving positive emotions and well-being
| Round 1 - recommendations | Round 2 - | |
|---|---|---|
| General consensus on importance | ||
| Breath regulation - approaches & techniques | For reducing | For reducing |
| Depression | Anxiety | |
| Abdominal breathing | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Focus on inhalation | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| Focus on exhalation | No recommendation | Very important/essential |
| Comfortable holding after inhalation | Important/less essential | Important/Essential to AVOID |
| Comfortable holding after exhalation | No recommendation | Important/less essential |
| Alternate nostril breathing | No recommendation | Important/less essential |
| Right nostril breathing, especially on inhalation | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| Left nostril breathing, especially on exhalation | No recommendation | Important/less essential |
| Cooling breath (sitali) | Less or not important | Important/less essential |
| Rapid breathing techniques, such as kapalabhati | Less or not important | Important/Essential to AVOID |
| “humming bee” breath (bhramari) | No recommendation | Very important/essential |
| Regulating the breath to be calm and steady | No recommendation | Very important/essential |
| Postures - approaches & techniques | For reducing | For reducing |
| Depression | Anxiety | |
| Coordinated flow of breath with movement | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Chest and heart opening, backward bending postures and movements, that also focus on inhalation | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| Moving repetition of postures (rather than long holding) | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| Dynamic sequences of postures, including sun salutations | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| A range of different postures, to keep it interesting | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| Postures that have a calming effect, rather than energising | No recommendation | Very important/essential |
| Resting, relaxing or restorative postures | NO CONSENSUS | Important/less essential |
| Forward-bending postures | No recommendation | Important/less essential |
| Postures and movements that focus on exhalation | No recommendation | NO CONSENSUS |
| Simple, gentle sequences of postures | No recommendation | NO CONSENSUS |
| Relaxation - approaches & techniques | For reducing | For reducing |
| Depression | Anxiety | |
| Focus on abdominal breathing, lengthening exhale | Not considered | Very important/essential |
| Active focus on physical body (e.g. body-scan; progressive muscle relaxation), to shift focus away from mind and thoughts | Very important/essential | NO CONSENSUS |
| Done with visualisations, that are positive, expansive and energising, e.g. sun, open space. | Very important/essential | No recommendation |
| Done with visualisations, that have a calming effect | No recommendation | NO CONSENSUS |
| Using guided relaxation techniques, rather than self directed | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
| Restorative (passive-supported) postures | NO CONSENSUS | Important/less essential |
| With legs elevated | NO CONSENSUS | NO CONSENSUS |
| Resting between and after postures | NO CONSENSUS | NO CONSENSUS |
| Meditation - approaches & techniques | For reducing | For reducing |
| Depression | Anxiety | |
| Mindfulness (learning to focus attention on observing the present experience, without judgement) | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Something for the mind to do and focus on, rather than just observation (e.g. counting, repeated words or phrases (mantra); visualisation; image or symbol; candle gazing; smiling heart) | Very important/essential | Important/less essential |
| Active meditations, e.g. moving, chanting, guided visualisations | Very important/essential | Important/less essential |
| A concept, idea or value, such as something positive, energising, confidence building, gratitude. | Very important/essential | No recommendation |
| A concept, idea or value, such as something positive, calming, confidence building, gratitude. | No recommendation | Important/less essential |
| Other components of yoga practice | For reducing | For reducing |
| Depression | Anxiety | |
| Cultivation of positive values, attitudes and behaviours (including gratitude, kindness, compassion, forgiveness) | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Awareness of negative sensory input (including TV, movies, music, literature, multi-media, news) | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Formulation of meaningful affirmations and intentions (samkalpa) | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Visualisation and symbolic imagery techniques (bhavana) | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Sound or chanting (from any suitable language or culture) | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Spirituality and prayer | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Repetition of meaningful words or phrases (mantra) | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Symbolic gesture (nyasa & mudra) | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Other components of yogic lifestyle | For reducing | For reducing |
| Depression | Anxiety | |
| Positive relationships | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Developing self-empowering knowledge | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Social involvement and support - linking with a supportive community (sanga) | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Lifestyle factors, including diet, smoking, drugs and alcohol, sleep, work, exercise | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Exposure to sunlight and natural environments | Very important/essential | Very important/essential |
| Service to others, including volunteer work | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Pleasing environment, free from clutter, with good ventilation and natural light | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Education about yoga teachings, and the potential benefits of yoga | Important/less essential | Important/less essential |
| Group yoga classes | Important/less essential | No recommendation |
