Stretching Beyond the Self: How Yoga/Mindfulness Cultivates Prosocial Responses to Crisis

Abstract

This review explores the positive effects of yoga and mindfulness on prosocial behavior, including altruism, volunteering, and empathy. Evidence indicates that mindfulness meditation enhances altruistic tendencies, particularly in individuals with initially lower altruism, and modulates neural responses related to empathy and compassion. The influence of mindfulness on prosocial actions is nuanced, with some practices affecting motivations such as guilt differently. Yoga supports prosocial behavior by improving psychological well-being, emotional regulation, and self-compassion, which indirectly encourage altruistic engagement. The mechanisms underlying these effects involve stress reduction, increased self-awareness, and changes in hormonal and neurological processes. Yoga and mindfulness activate brain areas related to self-referential processing, emotional regulation, and self-awareness, and may influence the autonomic nervous system. However, cultural perceptions, religious beliefs, and social environments can pose barriers to the adoption of yoga across different contexts. Crisis situations, such as pandemics and wars, present additional challenges to accessibility and highlight the need for integrating yoga and mindfulness into disaster relief efforts and post-crisis community rebuilding. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of sustained practice on prosocial behaviors and explore how individual differences influence the effectiveness of these interventions. The findings underscore the transformative potential of mindfulness and yoga in fostering compassion and social responsibility, particularly during times of global crises.