Schedule

March 16, 2023 @ 10 AM EST | 7 AM PST
Live and then available indefinitely

Neuroscience and Yoga Online Conference Kickoff Party

Learn the ins and outs to get the most out of the conference. There will be prizes for those who attend live! Question and answer session will follow.

March 16, 2023 @ 11 AM EST | 8 AM PST
Pre-recorded and then available for 24 hours

Introduction to Neuroscience

The conference will hold many fascinating discussions about the brain - but first, how about a quick refresher? This talk will provide an overview of many fundamental principles of neuroscience, and prepare you with a sound understanding of how the brain truly functions. 

March 16, 2023 @ 2 PM EST | 11 AM PST
Streamed live and available for 24 hours

Understanding the Biomedical Science and Research on Yoga and an Overview of Yoga in Modern Medicine

Yoga is an ancient behavioral practice that allows for the development of the skills of mind-body awareness or mindfulness, self-regulation of internal physiological and psychological state, and physical fitness.  Yoga is becoming increasingly popular as a behavioral strategy for the promotion and maintenance of health and wellness, as preventive medicine, and also as an adjunct therapeutic intervention.  Application of yoga interventions provide psychophysiological and clinical outcomes that are not currently readily available within the repertoire of modern medicine, including improvements in physical flexibility and self-efficacy, respiratory function, stress reduction and coping, resilience to stress, emotion regulation, mind-body awareness and mindfulness, subjective well-being, quality of life, and life meaning and purpose.  This presentation will overview the scientific evidence on the underlying mechanisms of yoga practice supporting the rationale for these applications of yoga, and will also review the published clinical trial evidence for its efficacy in wellness, prevention and therapy. Question and answer session will follow.

March 16, 2023 @ 3:30 PM EST | 12:30 PM PST
Streamed live and available for 24 hours

Introduction to Yoga

Discover the philosophy and techniques of yoga and learn how to translate them into our everyday lives. Question and answer session will follow. 

Available March 16, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors

Empathy and compassion are core tenets in many yoga and meditation traditions. In this presentation, we will learn about Dr. Luberto’s work on summarizing all published scientific studies on how meditation practices affect empathy, compassion, and prosocialty.

Available March 16, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

The neuroscience of empathy through yoga

Empathy (i) involves the ability to sense the feelings of others instantaneously, (ii) is modified based on perceived commonalities between another person and oneself, (iii) involves signaling to others about one's readiness to empathize and (iv) and relies on getting into a conducive physiological state. This presentation will touch on how the practice and principles of yoga can influence the four aspects of empathy while also looking at the neurophysiology of each aspect.

Available March 16, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

How compassion meditation enhances empathy and changes brain activity

A summary of how compassion and empathy are studied, and some of the projects around the world that have elucidated how compassion meditation affects empathy. This presentation will also review Dr. Mascaro's large trials including fMRI on participants doing compassion meditation, and will conclude with societal implications of this work.

Available March 16, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

How mindfulness practices reduce bias against others

Recognition of implicit biases has grown over the past decade, yet still poses a major barrier for minitorised communities across industries and settings. Here we will explore how a yoga and mindfulness practice can impact individuals' self-awareness of their own biases and the ability to meaningfully reduce decisions impacted by bias.

March 17, 2023 @ 3:00 PM EST | 12:00 PM PST
Streamed live and available for 24 hours

Compassionate Movement

Experience a gentle yoga and guided mindfulness practice to help cultivate greater awareness and ease in your body, mind, and spirit. A multi-disciplinary approach will help participants learn to listen to their bodies and respond with movement and rest to support a nourishing self-care practice. No previous yoga experience is required. Fun hands-on neuroscience experiments before and after the yoga class.

Available March 16, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

An Empathy-Focused Vinyasa Flow

Jenna-Leigh will lead a class focused on cultivating empathy through creating body awareness, cultivating compassion, and connecting your cognitive and emotional strengths. A challenging yet calming flow to mimic the power of empathy and the multifaceted benefits it provides to you and those around you. Fun hands-on neuroscience experiments asynchronously before and after the yoga class.

Available March 17, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

Yoga for Stroke Recovery

Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the world. We will review the evidence of how yoga improves recovery of function, quality of life, and mood after stroke.

Available March 17, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

Yoga for Neuropathy

Neuropathy is a disorder of the peripheral nerves, ultimately affecting sensation, balance, motor function, and causing pain. There are many causes, including vitamin deficiencies and chemotherapy. We will review yoga interventions that have improved symptoms and signs of neuropathy.

Available March 17, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

‘Mindfulness in stillness’ or ‘mindfulness in motion’: An integrated approach for Parkinson's disease rehabilitation

This presentation will cover empirical evidence of mindfulness and yoga techniques to managing Parkinson's disease, as well as experience sharing on prescribing mindfulness yoga as lifestyle medicine for chronic illness care.

March 18, 2023 @ 1:00 PM EST
Live and available for 24 hours

Let's Review the Literature: Neurologic Research Workshop

There is a vast, growing body of evidence on how yoga affects many neurologic conditions, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and more. We will review some of this evidence, and workshop finding more evidence together using databases like Google Scholar and PubMed. Pre-requisite: please watch Results May Vary: Introduction on How to Read a Scientific Abstract before attending this session :)

March 18, 2023 @ 9:30 AM EST | 6:30 AM PST
Streamed live and available for 24 hours

Accessible Chair Yoga

Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that can be done while sitting. Some poses can also be done standing using a chair for support. Chair yoga can improve your flexibility, concentration and strength, while boosting your mood, and reducing stress and joint strain. Fun hands-on neuroscience experiments will occur before and after the yoga class. 

Available March 17, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

Yoga for Brain Health

This class explores ways yoga can enhance brain health through simple asana, breath work and meditation. We’ll use the glymphatic system, the CNS waste clearance system, as a tool to enhance brain health in this practice. Supporting the glymphatic system can have many positive implications for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, and Multiple Sclerosis. We'll look at practices supported by both scientific research & clinical experience to enhance the glymphatic clearance system in the brain. This will be an all levels practice for those with a basic understanding of yoga. Fun hands-on neuroscience experiments will occur asynchronously before and after the yoga class. 

Available March 18, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

Yoga, trauma, and the brain-body connection via the vagus nerve

Exposure to traumatic experience is known to alter the brain and body functions. The effects of trauma can be heterogenous and affect many aspects of health and well-being including dysregulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways. This research talk will go over the effects of the trauma on the brain and physiological functions and present research that shows yoga as a promising adjunct or complimentary approach for post-trauma adaptations.

Available March 18, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

The brain pathways underlying PTSD and how yoga can help

We will review the known and hypothetical mechanisms by which yoga acts on the brain, with a particular focus on PTSD. We will the dive deep into an ongoing clinical trial Dr. Allene is conducting in France.

Available March 19, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

Yoga and trauma: applying research to healing

Trauma healing can be facilitated by two common approaches, (i) a bottom-up approach (which uses the body to influence the brain) and (ii) a top-down approach (involving restructuring cognitive processes associated with the trauma to influence the body response to trauma). Both approaches are effective when considering healing trauma through yoga and this is supported by research.

Available March 19, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Pre-recorded and available for 24 hours

An overview of the stress response

This lecture is designed to provide an overview of how yoga can ameliorate the negative consequences of the stress response. More specifically, we will discuss various strategies to approach your yoga practice that can lead to lasting changes in brain structures that make your mind more resilient to stress and how it is perceived.

March 19, 2023 @ 1:00 PM EST | 10:00 AM PST
Streamed live and then available for 24 hours

The Scientific Rationale and Research on Yoga for Stress and Burnout

Chronic stress and burnout are highly prevalent mental health challenges in modern society, and are especially important in critical occupations such as healthcare and education.  If not addressed adequately, these can contribute to the development of clinically significant mental health conditions.  This lecture will elucidate the scientific and clinical rationale and the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying behavioral mind-body interventions such as yoga that include physical exercise and relaxation, breathing techniques and meditation/mindfulness, which can address the underlying causes of these conditions.  The published biomedical research on the efficacy of yoga practices for chronic stress and burnout will also be reviewed.

March 19, 2023 @ 1:50 PM EST | 10:50 AM PST
Streamed live and then available for 24 hours

The Science and Research on Yoga for Trauma

The experience of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been recognized as conditions with an unfortunately high prevalence in modern society.  Despite that fact that many of the cardinal symptoms include physical bodily characteristics, many of the conventional approaches to treating trauma and PTSD are largely psychologically and cognitively based. This workshop will review the scientific rationale for a yoga approach to treatment, especially multicomponent traditional yoga practices including postures, breath regulation and relaxation and meditation techniques.  We will also review the research literature on the clinical trials using yoga as a therapeutic intervention.

March 19, 2023 @ 4:00 PM EST | 1:00 PM PST
Streamed live, then available for 24 hours

Restorative Yoga for Stress Relief

This class is inspired by B.K.S. Iyengars’ teachings as well as a modern understanding of how asanas and pranayamas affect the autonomic nervous system. The sequence will start with chair-supported standing postures followed by gentle inversions and supine postures with the use of blankets and pillows. We will end the class with lying pranayamas and open awareness meditation. Fun hands-on neuroscience experiments will be conducted before and after the yoga class. 

Available March 18, 2023 @ 9:00 PM EST
Prerecorded, then available for 24 hours

Yoga, Trauma, and Nervous System

This class is old school meets new school; a modern perspective on ancient practices. The Vagus Nerve is the centerpiece of this Mind-Body experience. This hour will integrate Yoga, Pilates, Breath-Work and other somatic practices to help people gain a new perspective of their own unique nervous system profile. Fun hands-on neuroscience experiments will be conducted asynchronously before and after the yoga class. 

March 19, 2023 @ 7:00 PM EST | 4:00 PM PST
Streamed live and available for 24 hours

Closing Event

We will as a group discuss main learning points from the conference and discuss next steps.