A Mindfulness-Infused Yoga Module for Enhancing Emotional Well-Being among Chinese Yoga Practitioners

Abstract

This study had three objectives: (1) to examine the current state of emotional well-being among Chinese yoga practitioners; (2) to explore how mindfulness-infused yoga may cultivate observer awareness; and (3) to develop and preliminarily evaluate a three-day Mindfulness-Infused Yoga Module. A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design was implemented in three phases. Phase 1 involved eight purposively selected key informants: five experienced yoga practitioners or teachers, two Buddhist scholars, and one experienced Vipassanā practitioner. Phase 2 focused on module development and expert review. Phase 3 implemented the module with seven Chinese yoga practitioners. Participants completed the Emotional Well-Being Questionnaire before and immediately after the workshop, and six also answered three open-ended reflection questions. Quantitative data were summarized using means and standard deviations, while qualitative data were examined through content and thematic analysis and integrated during interpretation.

The findings showed that Chinese yoga practitioners experienced emotional pressures related to social expectations, work–family responsibilities, outcome-oriented practice, body-image anxiety, self-judgment, and disconnection from inner awareness. These pressures were reflected in bodily tension, unstable breathing patterns, and difficulty relaxing. The findings suggest that mindfulness-infused yoga may support emotional well-being by helping practitioners observe the body, breath, thoughts, emotions, and inner reactions without immediate identification. The mean total emotional well-being score increased descriptively from 54.00 (SD = 9.47) before the module to 59.86 (SD = 12.14) immediately afterward. Six of the seven participants showed higher total scores, while one showed a one-point decrease. In the written reflections, all six respondents described greater calmness or reduced emotional distress and an increased ability to notice thoughts or emotions without being carried away by them; four described applying this awareness in daily life or interpersonal situations. These findings represent preliminary within-group changes and participant perceptions rather than evidence of causal effectiveness. Observer awareness is therefore presented as a proposed conceptual and pedagogical explanation, not as a directly measured mechanism.