ABSTRACT
Yoga is a relatively new leisure activity in Hungary compared to many other European countries, especially those in Western Europe. However, it is growing rapidly and the number of yoga centres is increasing all the time. This is particularly true of the capital city, Budapest, where most of this research was undertaken. The general state of public health in Hungary is much lower than the EU average and there are a relatively low number of people who are consciously and actively engaged in preventative health care. However, research has shown that 41 per cent of the population perceive body-mind-spirit well-being to be important. Thirty-nine per cent use some kind of alternative therapy service (e.g. bio, energy, or mind-based treatments (e.g. zen). Four per cent of the total population do yoga regularly (several times weekly or monthly) and 6 per cent do meditation. Five per cent take part in personality improvement training, and 5 per cent in mind-control training (GFK, 2012).
