In response to efforts to copyright yoga teachings--most notably by Bikram Choudhury--Indian scholars have been cataloging 1,500 yoga poses recorded in ancient texts so the government can block attempts to corner the market on the 5,000-year-old spiritual discipline.

After-lunch naps have long been stigmatized as a sign of laziness in a society that experts call among the most sleep-deprived on earth. But, suddenly, they have become the latest rage, part of a mental alertness craze sweeping Japan.

Women who are struggling to get pregnant could improve their chances of conceiving by having stress-reducing therapy sessions, scientists claimed yesterday.

In Vancouver, a teacher named Little Woo is fusing burlesque with yoga, creating a mix that might give B.K.S. Iyengar cause for concern. Yet Woo says that her goal is "to make the whole connection with our bodies a spiritual practice."

Thailand's Buddhist monks are allowed to watch the current World Cup matches on television but they should strictly observe serenity—no cheering and, most importantly, no betting, a government official said on Tuesday.