Exploresearch (ISSN: 3048-815X) ( Vol. 03| No. 1 | January - March, 2026 )

Fostering Ecological Consciousness through Yogic Principles: A Behavioral Model for Sustainable Resource Management

Author: Dr. M. Anjaladevi

Background: The level of ecological degradation and unsustainable use of resources has become critical, and climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and pollution have become existential threats (IPCC, 2023; Rockström et al., 2023). Traditional methodologies focus on technology and regulation and pay limited attention to ethical, cultural, and psychological aspects that influence human nature relations (Carrico & Raimi, 2019; Dietz, 2020). The philosophy of yoga, focusing on harmony, restraint and interrelatedness, offers an exceptional ethical system of developing ecological consciousness (Kaza, 2019). By integrating ideas like Ahimsa (non-violence), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), Saucha (purification), and others into everyday routines, people can cultivate the sustainable behaviors that go beyond the superficial level of green practices and turn them into the change of the entire system (Ericson et al., 2014; Wamsler et al., 2018). Objective: The research paper constructs a sustainable developmental resource management behaviour model based on the aspect of yogic principles. The model allows the bridging of the gap between philosophical wisdom and practical environmental practice, and the model is able to demonstrate how inner change may result in collective ecological stewardship. Method: It used a conceptual and qualitative research design, which merged literature review, philosophical analysis, and integrative conceptual modeling (Jaakkola, 2020; Zyphur & Pierides, 2020). They were processed primary yogic works like the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Patanjali, 2019) and Bhagavad Gita (Bhagavad Gita, 2020) and Hatha Yoga Texts and compared to sustainability frameworks (UNEP, 2021; UNESCO, 2022). Thematic synthesis was used to project the yogic ethics to the pro-environmental behavior theories including Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 2020) and Value-Belief-Norm theory (Stern, 2020). Results: The comparison shows that there are high similarities between the sustainability principles and the yogic ethics. Ahimsa corresponds to the conservation of biodiversity, Aparigraha to less consumption, and Saucha to pollution (Jha & Devkota, 2021). The suggested Yogic Eco-Behavioral Framework (YEBF) combines inner (mindfulness, self-regulation, discipline) and outer (ethical consumption, conservation, community engagement) transformations, and strengthens the sustainability by making feedback links between the behavioral changes and the environmental performance (Wamsler et al., 2018). Conclusion: The instillation of values of yogic in sustainability initiatives can be seen as a culturally sound, psychologically strong, and behaviorally sustainable channel of resource management. The model provides policymakers, educators and communities with a viable model of eco-conscious living. The empirical validation of the framework should be done with future research by using field interventions and longitudinal behavioral studies (Whitmarsh et al., 2021; Zylstra et al., 2019).

Anjaladevi, M. (2026). Fostering Ecological Consciousness through Yogic Principles: A Behavioral Model for Sustainable Resource Management. Exploresearch, 03(01), 175–190. https://doi.org/10.62823/ExRe/2026/03/01.182

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DOI:

Article DOI: 10.62823/ExRe/2026/03/01.182

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.62823/ExRe/2026/03/01.182

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