Abstract

Background : Satva Bala describes the functional strength and steadiness of the mind in Ayurveda. A structured residential Vipassana course combines ethical discipline, sustained attention to respiration and bodily sensations, equanimous observation, silence, and a regulated daily routine. These components may influence several capacities represented in Satva Bala, but direct longitudinal evidence is limited. Objective: To estimate immediate and three-month changes in Satva Bala among first time young adult participants completing a standard ten-day residential Vipassana course. Methods : This prospective single cohort study will recruit 250 adults aged 18 to 40 years at Dhamma Punna Vipassana Meditation Centre in Pune. Participants with a diagnosed major mental disorder, major physical illness, ongoing psychiatric treatment or psychotropic medication, or previous completion of a ten day Vipassana course will be excluded. The primary outcome is change in the 14 item Ayurveda derived Satva Bala questionnaire score from baseline to course completion. Monthly assessments will continue for three months. Pulse and blood pressure will be recorded before and after the residential course. The main analysis will use a linear mixed effects model with time as a categorical fixed effect and participant as a random intercept. Adjusted mean changes, 95 percent confidence intervals, standardized effect sizes, score distributions, category transitions, missing data, and adverse experiences will be reported. Interpretation: The design can describe within person change and its persistence but cannot isolate a causal effect of meditation from self selection, expectancy, the retreat environment, silence, diet, sleep schedule, or other concurrent features. The study is intended to generate a transparent estimate and inform a later controlled trial and psychometric validation of the questionnaire.